Sunday, November 27, 2005
EPL Best XI for Week 13
You Will Never Walk Alone 2005
Week 13 yielded 5 correct predictions and 5 incorrect ones for a grand total of 87 correct and 139 incorrect predictions since March 19, 2005. For the Midweek game between Sunderland and Liverpool, PLAYBALL!!! is predicting a 3-0 Liverpool win. Following are the best XI for this week of EPL action.
Formation of the week: 4-3-3
Given (NUF)
O'Shea (MAN) Yobo (EVE) Toure (ARS) A.Hughes (AST)
S.Davis (AST) Davids (TOT) Riise (LIV)
Henry (ARS) Rooney (MAN) McBride (FUL)
Given (NUF)
O'Shea (MAN) Yobo (EVE) Toure (ARS) A.Hughes (AST)
S.Davis (AST) Davids (TOT) Riise (LIV)
Henry (ARS) Rooney (MAN) McBride (FUL)
English Premier League Predictions- Week 13
You Will Never Walk Alone 2005
Following is this week's schedule for the EPL, and predictions. The EPLPI stands at 82 correct and 134 incorrect predictions since March 19, 2005. Tune in later for a preview of this weekend's matches.
| Match (Home Team 1st) | Predictions | Actual |
| | | |
| Arsenal v Blackburn Rovers | | |
| Aston Villa v Charlton Athletic | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| Wigan Athletic v Tottenham Hotspur | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| Fulham v Bolton Wanderers | | |
| | | |
| Everton v Newcastle United | | |
| West Ham United v Manchester United | 1-2 | |
Saturday, November 26, 2005
English Premier League Preview- Week 13
You Will Never Walk Alone 2005
George Best will be remembered by every footballer who cherishes class and quality. Each match in the EPL this week will honor Best's memory with a minute of silence. A true footballer by all means.
Chelsea- Visiting Fratton Park is not a scary thought anymore, especially for Chelsea, who will look to inflict more damage to Portsmouth's already broken status. Chelsea will be without Makelele and Johnson, while Robben is doubtful. Drogba could start after suffering a slight knock. As for the hosts, Stefanovic is back, and Todorov could start. Despite the good news, look for this match to be a one-sided affair, with Chelsea likely to score at least three goals.
Arsenal- The Gunners are playing at home, which is a good thing knowing they won all six matches there this season. Add Blackburn's away record of one win, two draws, and four losses, and you have a recipe for a Henry-domination yet again. Look for another stellar performance from the Frenchman. Gilberto and Lehmann could see some action, while Song will be out. As for the visitors, Neill and Emerton are available, while Tugay is a doubt.
Manchester United- This will be an emotional affair for the Red Devils, as they look to provide a solid performance in rememberance of Best. Their visit to Upton Park will not be a difficult one, especially if the top-guns perform. Neville and Saha will be available, while Carroll could be between the posts to face his old team.
Liverpool- This game will test the Reds' resolve. Can the Champions of Europe beat a good team away? The Reds have one win away from Anfield, while 'citeh lost only one at home this season. This should be an interesting match for both teams, as each looks to improve its position in the EPL. The Reds will miss Alonso, while Garcia could feature. Reyna and Sibierski are out, but Joey Barton is expected back after a suspension. It is always interesting to watch Fowler face his boyhood team. Go Reds!
The Rest- Wigan hosting Tottenham should be an interesting battle at the top of the table, as the hosts look to prove that theyare for real, while Spurs look to improve their standing. Sunderland and Birmingham should be an interesting preview of how the clubs would match-up in next years League Championship. Are Everton for real again? Is the resurrection on? Not that beating Newcastle is a big deal, but Everton need a bunch of points in a hurry to move away from the relegation zone, where Portsmouth and West Bromwich will be welcomed back.
Thursday, November 24, 2005
Champions League Best XI for Matchday 5
You Will Never Walk Alone 2005
Matchday 5 witnessed goals galore as Scheva managed a super hatrick, accompanied by hatricks by Adriano and Kobiashvili. Following are the best eleven for Matchday 5.
Formation of the week: 3-4-3
Quim (BEN)
Carvalho (CHE) Candela (UDI) Petras (SPA)
Kobiashvili (SCH) Ronaldinho (BAR) De Jong (AJX) Figo (INT)
Shevchenko (MIL) Adriano (INT) Makaay (MUN)
Wednesday, November 23, 2005
Champions League Matchday 5 Results
You Will Never Walk Alone 2005
As expected, Matchday 5 yielded another group of qualifying teams to the next round. Holders Liverpool qualified, joined by Bayern Munich, Juventus, Ajax, and Intermilan. Previously, Arsenal, Barcelona, Madrid, and Lyon had qualified. This leaves 7 more spots to be decided on the final Matchday including both spots in Groups D & E. The CLPI stands at 76 correct predictions and 63 incorrect ones since February 22nd, 2005. Check back soon for Matchday 5 Best XI.
| Match (Home team 2nd) | Prediction | Actual |
| | | |
| Club Brugge vs Juventus | 0-2 | |
| Rapid vs Bayern | 0-3 | |
| Arsenal vs Thun | 3-1 | |
| | 0-2 | |
| | 0-3 | |
| Udinese vs Panathinaikos | 0-1 | |
| Benfica vs | 1-1 | |
| Villarreal vs Man. United | 1-2 | |
| Wedesday | | |
| PSV vs Schalke | 0-1 | |
| | 1-2 | |
| | 2-1 | |
| Olympiacos vs Rosenborg | 0-1 | |
| Betis vs | 1-2 | |
| | 1-1 | |
| Artmedia vs Internazionale | 0-3 | |
| Rangers vs | 1-2 | 1-1 |
Monday, November 21, 2005
Champions League Matchday 5 Preview
You Will Never Walk Alone 2005
Two more games will reveal who will make it to the round of 16 in the Champions League. This matchday will be a crossroad for most teams involved. Here is a preview of each group.Group A: Italy's Juventus and Germany's Bayern Munich should secure their places in the next round this matchday. Both superpowers are playing at home against weak opposition and should win easily. Club Brugge could pray for a miracle in the shape of beating Juventus in Italy to put themselves back into contention. However, the possibility is slim, and Juventus are expected to go through. The only battle in this group is between Juve and Bayern for first place.
Group B: Arsenal already guaranteed their place in the final 16, and their visit to Thun is only a formality. The battle remains hot for 2nd place, as all three teams have a shot. Thun will need to beat Arsenal, and hope that Ajax lose, to give themselves a chance to qualify on the final matchday. A home win for Ajax against out-of-shape Sparta should see them through. Do not look for any surprises here, as Ajax look set to go through.
Group C: All teams except Barcelona have something to play for. Barca are 99% through due to a huge goal advantage. However, the other three teams are all set on 4 points, and will look to qualify. Panathinaikos have an advantage in the form of being done with Barca, and having to face Udinese and Bremen. Both those teams will still have to go through the Spanish outfit. Look for a Barcelona dismantling of Bremen accompanied by a Panathinaikos win.
Group D: This is one of the mediocre groups this year, as two points differentiate between 1st and last. The winner of United-Villarreal should put one foot in the next round. However, anything is possible in this group. This matchday will not clear things up, but might give an advantage to any team who wins here.
Group E: Not to be outdone by Group D, this group gets more complicated by every matchday. Logic states that Milan PSV should go through. However, since 3 points differentiate between first and last, anything is possible. Milan face a tricky visit to Turkey, while 3rd place Schalke will host leaders PSV. This group will go down to the wire, and Milan's game at home versus Schalke on the final matchday will become of monumental importance. Stay tuned lads.
Group F: Lyon and Madrid will represent this group, unless Rosenborg wins its final two games by a total of at least 7 goals, which is unlikely to happen especially since they will visit Lyon on the final matchday. The match between the group leaders should be a good preview of each team's form for the round of 16. Goodluck Houllier.
Group G: Liverpool are in pole position, yet this matchday is very important. One point at Anfield should see the holders through. However, a loss will probably mean that either Chelsea or the Mighty Reds will be knocked out on the final matchday. It is extremely important for the Reds to win. A tie at Anfield is best, as it guarantees Liverpool's passage into the next round, and gives Betis a chance to knock-out Chelsea on the final matchday (by beating Anderlecht, and the Reds avenging their loss to Chelsea in the EPL)!!! However, that is unlikely to happen, and both Liverpool and Chelsea should go through. Come on lads!
Group H: Yet another boring group. Inter should comfortable beat Artmedia and go through. The final matchday will reveal the identity of the second team to go through, as all three teams have a shot. Who cares who makes it out of this group. It will be disappointing if Artmedia make it and Milan are knocked out. C'est la vie.
EPL Best XI for Week 12
You Will Never Walk Alone 2005
Week 12 ended with 5 correct predictions and 4 incorrect ones for a total of 82 correct picks and 134 incorrect ones since March 19, 2005. Following are the best eleven players in the EPL for week 12.
Formation of the week: 4-3-3
Ashdown (POR)
Clement (WBA) Finnan (LIV) Ferdinand (WHU) Quedrue (MID)
Cole (CHE) Diop (FUL) Whitehead (SUN)
Henry (ARS) Ellington (WBA) Van Nistelrooy (MAN)
Clement (WBA) Finnan (LIV) Ferdinand (WHU) Quedrue (MID)
Cole (CHE) Diop (FUL) Whitehead (SUN)
Henry (ARS) Ellington (WBA) Van Nistelrooy (MAN)
English Premier League Predictions- Week 12
You Will Never Walk Alone 2005
As promised earlier, here is the preview for Week 12 of the EPL.
- Chelsea- This should be a simple match for Chelsea, as out-of-whack 'Castle will find it difficult, yet again, to score at Stamford Bridge. Despite winning one of their last five matches, Chelsea will rebound this weekend to snap Newcastle's 4-game winning streak. The last 4 results of this fixture resulted in 13 goals for Chelsea, and zero for the visitors. With good results on the international front, look for Lampard to win the points. Owen will also figure into the fixture, as he looks to continue his impressive international form. Robben is questionable but Crespo is fit to play for the suspended Drogba. Newcastle will be without Alan Shearer and Stephen Carr but Lee Bowyer is back with the squad.
- Arsenal- In their first trip ever to the JJB Stadium, the Gunners are looking to record their first away win this season. With Henry back in attack, their chances look good. However, Wigan's 11-game unbeaten streak is not to be reckoned with, as they will look to add to their points tally. This will be the first meeting ever between the two clubs which makes it very tricky to predict the outcome. Wigan are likely to be without McMillan, Connolly and Skoko. Cygan or Toure could figure in for Arsenal to fill-in for the injured Clichy and Cole. Hleb and Eboue will not feature.
- Manchester United- The devils are looking to build on their success against Chelsea at The Valley as they start life without Keano. How will the Keane drama affect United? It started with a win against Chelsea, and could inspire a dramatic comback for a team that looked confused and lost recently. Ronaldo also signed a two-year extension to his contract, putting to rest any talk about his future. History also favors United as they lost only 10 matches out of 55 against Charlton. Look for a United romp as Charlton struggle to find their form after a mini-slump recently. Spector will not feature for Charlton but they should have Smertin and Thomas back. Giggs is still out for the devils but Neville could feature.
- Liverpool- The Reds look to continue their odd ways in the EPL as they host Portsmouth. Crouch is still looking for his first goal, while the Cisse "start me or I leave" drama continues. Look for yet another stellar performance from Stevie and Xabi, and another sleep-inducing match by everybody else. Portsmouth last won at Anfield in 1951. However, recent history shows that anything is possible at Anfield thse days. Kewell will not feature as he has not arrived from Australia yet. Riise trained despite sustaining a knock during Norway's failed World Cup playoff. Stefanovic and Salif Diao will not play for Portsmouth, while Mbesuma could debut today. Could this be the fixture where the Reds get it together? Possibly.
- The rest- Citeh and Blackburn fans are craving for yet another draw, as 4 out of the last 5 games ended. Savage and Gray are expected to return while Musampa, Sommeil, Sinclair, Neil, and Emerton are not expected to play. Kevin Phillips returns home to face his old team as Villa travel to Sunderland. This is about the only interesting thing about this match. Ben Alnwick is ecxpected to start in goal for the Black Cats. Everton travels to the Hawthorns hoping to rack up their third win in a row. Tim Cahill's status will be decided late, while Simon Davies and Big Dunc are suspect. Campbell, Gera, and Robinson will not play either. King could be fit in time to play against West Ham, while Sheringham will start. Reo-Coker is definitely out for this game. Spurs are looking to build on a 4-game home winning streak, while West Ham is looking to avoid their fourth consecutive away defeat. 'Boro and Fulham looks to be yet another boring fixture. Southgate should play, while Boa Morte is out. Legwinski is expected to start. Finally, Bolton travel to St. Andrews to face Birmingham. Why do you even care about this match unless you're a fan of one of the teams?! The good news is that Dunn, Melchiot, Butt, and Gray are all available for Birmingham, while Davies, Diouf, and Henrik Pederson are not expected to play.
| Match (Home Team 1st) | Predictions | Actual |
| | | |
| Wigan Athletic v Arsenal | | |
| Charlton Athletic v Manchester United | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | 1-1 | |
| | | 1-3 |
| West Bromwich Albion v Everton | | |
| | | |
| Tottenham Hotspur v West Ham United | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| Birmingham City v Bolton Wanderers | | |
The EPLPI stands at 82 correct and 134 incorrect since March 19, 2005.
Tuesday, November 08, 2005
Changes to Play Ball!!!
You Will Never Walk Alone 2005
Changes are coming to PLAY BALL!!! As of now, you will be able to comment on postings here. However, only registered users can post, since this will eliminate spam. Further, PLAY BALL!!! will be providing matchday reviews for both the EPL and the Champions League. Finally, after the conclusion of each matchday in the EPL and Champions League, PLAY BALL!!! will pick a team of the Best XI. Thank you.
English Premier League Predictions- Week 11
You Will Never Walk Alone 2005
Chelsea finally lost a game in the EPL thanks to Manchester United's Fletcher. Liverpool managed to seal all three points late, while Henry's brace helped the Gunners cruise over Sunderland. Following are the complete scores, and how the predictions fared.
| Match (Home Team 1st) | Predictions | Actual |
| | | |
| Aston Villa v | | |
| Arsenal v | | |
| Blackburn Rovers v Charlton Athletic | | |
| Portsmouth v Wigan | | |
| Fulham v | | |
| Newcastle United v | | |
| West Ham United v West Bromwich Albion | | |
| SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2005 | | |
| | | |
| Manchester United v | | |
| | | |
| Bolton Wanderers v Tottenham Hotspur | | |
The EPL Prediction Index EPLPI stands at 77 correct and 130 incorrect since March 19, 2005. Check back after the conclusion of this week's games for an update.
Wednesday, November 02, 2005
Champions League Matchday 4 Results
You Will Never Walk Alone 2004
Arsenal, Lyon, Barcelona, and Real Madrid, all advanced to the Round of 16 after the conclusion of Matchday 4. Barcelona blasted 5 past Panathinaikos, while Bremen held on to beat Udinese 4-3 in a thriller. Following are scores, and how the predictions fared. Tune in later for the next Matchday.| Match (Home team 2nd) | Prediction | Actual |
| | | |
| Fenerbahçe vs Schalke | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| Real | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| Rangers vs Artmedia | | |
| Wedensday | | |
| Bayern vs Juventus | | |
| Rapid vs Club Brugge | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| Panathinaikos vs | | |
| Udinese vs | 0-0 | |
| | | |
| Villarreal vs Benfica | | |
The Champions League Predictions Index (CLPI) stands at 68 correct and 55 incorrect predictions since February 22nd, 2005. Check back Wednesday night for an update.
