EVERTON vs STOKE CITY (EPL)

everton will be high in confidence after a superb display against BATE borisov during the midweek europa league clash. saha has been on form and he was rested and will be raring to go against stoke, who have found it difficult on their travels and have never won so far, and have scored only 4 goals in 7 games so far. bilyaletdinov looks like a great acquisition and pienaar's absence won't be felt, hell, no one even remembers arteta is missing out for everton. that's how good they are right now, and they will only get better. everton to win.

roland's prediction: $5 on everton win @ 1.50 = $7.50

BOLTON WANDERERS vs TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR (EPL)

spurs are having a great run, bouncing back from successive defeats against man utd and chelsea with 10 goals in the last 2 matches. bolton, who have been traditionally hard to beat at home, have surprisingly not won and i don't think they will be able to. bassong has proved to be a fine addition and harry redknapp has found a good balance to the team, and with robbie keane being able to bag 4 goals, you know that the team is on form. go for a spurs win, as i don't think bolton will be able to contain lennon and defoe.

roland's prediction: $5 on Spurs -0.5 @ 1.980 = $9.90

EPL MULTIPLIER

after last week's success, here's a little multiplier you might wanna consider laying down a couple of bucks on.

hull v wigan (hull +1 @ 1.18)

burnley v birmingham (birmingham +1 @ 1.24)

chelsea v liverpool (chelsea +0.5/1 @ 1.13)

wolves v portsmouth (portsmouth +1.5 @ 1.18)

Eddy's prediction: $5 on above multiplier @ 1.95 = $9.75

RESULT: $5 became $7.87, because birmingham was voided (score 2-1)

MANCHESTER UNITED vs SUNDERLAND (EPL)

manyoo are bang on form, having won their last god-knows-how-many games. they have won playing well, and they have won playing poorly, so the momentum is definitely with them. in a home game against steve bruce's sunderland, one would once again expect bruce, a fergie old boy, to do his former boss a favour, and lose this one. he has done it in the past, with wigan, and i think he'll do it again. however, an interesting point to note is that, it has never been a spanking for steve bruce's team. i suspect this is because the respect goes the other way as well, and fergie doesn't wanna humiliate his former players. as such, i'm going for sunderland on a good handicap, just in case they perform really well, and actually succeed in holding united.

Eddy's prediction: $5 on Sunderland +2 @ 1.60 = $8.00 (from bet365)

JURGEN MELZER vs GILLES SIMON (ATP THAI OPEN SEMI-FINALS)

10th-ranked gilles simon is the favourite heading into this match, and i think that is a fair reflection. while gilles simon tends to choke once a tournament heads into the business end, his opponent this time is 44th-ranked jurgen melzer, who has had a terribly easy route so far. i fancy gilles simon to progress to the final this time, as his past 3 losses have come to players far more established than melzer, such as tsonga, djokovic, and ferrero.

Eddy's prediction: $5 on gilles simon to beat jurgen melzer @ 1.53 = $7.65

FIORENTINA vs LIVERPOOL (Champions League)

Liverpool are without their injured Mascherano, who has been an immense figure in their midfield with the absence of Xavi Alonso. His absence will greatly impair Liverpool's ability. Furthermore, Liverpool have a crucial match at Stamford Bridge over the weekend, and another loss will cut them much further adrift from the title chase, so I think Rafa will be resting key players and playing fringe ones. As Liverpool have the weakest bench amongst the big 4, I don't think they can get a result from this game. Fiorentina have been showing very good performances at home and have won every single game so far, so I think backing Fiorentina for this game is the right choice.

Roland's prediction: $5 on Fiorentina +0.5 @ 1.960 = $9.80

EPL MULTIPLIER

so here's a little multiplier you might wanna consider laying down a couple of bucks on.

fulham v arsenal (arsenal level ball @ 1.18)
liverpool v hull (liverpool win @ 1.14)
blackburn v aston villa (blackburn +1 @ 1.195)
sunderland v wolves (sunderland level ball @ 1.25)
stoke v manchester united (stoke +2 @ 1.28)

Eddy's prediction: $5 on above multiplier @ 2.57 = $12.85

RESULT: $5 became $10.05, because stoke was voided (score 0-2)

BLACKBURN vs ASTON VILLA (EPL)

aston villa have a bit of a crisis going on in central midfield, with sidwell ruled out of this game. that leaves martin o'neill to count on either fabian delph (severely out of his depth in the premier league), or a very unhappy nigel reo-coker to partner stilian petrov in midfield. you don't need to be a genius to figure out that villa will struggle in midfield in this match. you will perhaps remember the last time they left sidwell out of the side, they played terribly and lost to wigan on the opening day. since then, they have won all their matches, but this sort of run has to stop somewhere, and i don't see allardyce losing yet another game.

Eddy's prediction: $5 on blackburn +0/0.5 @ 1.825 = $9.13 (from bet365)

BURNLEY vs SUNDERLAND (EPL)

Burnley are actually a very weak squad, and they only beat Man Utd and Everton due to their promotion high and their home support. Their back to back losses against Chelsea and Liverpool, conceding 7 goals in the process, should have knocked the wind out of their sails. While Burnley are at home and will be tough to beat, I think they will be more courageous when facing Sunderland, leaving more holes in the defence to be exploited by the awesome partnership of Darren Bent and Kenwyne Jones.

Roland's prediction: $5 on Sunderland level ball @ 1.82 = $9.10

i totally agree with my fellow tipster, roland. i definitely do not see sunderland losing this one, so level ball is a fantastic bet to take. with darren bent in imperious form, the burnley defence, which isn't exactly mobile, will probably have a day to forget. also, burnley like to pass the ball around, but with cattermole and cana around, they're gonna find very little time on the ball, as the pair of them are INSANE.

Eddy's prediction: $5 on Sunderland level ball @ 1.82 = $9.10

ASTON VILLA vs PORTSMOUTH (EPL)

Villa have overcome a bad start to their EPL campaign, notching 3 tough wins in succession against Liverpool away from home, Fulham, and their derby match against Birmingham City. Them being knocked out of Europe means that Martin O'Neill has a strengthened squad to concentrate on the league alone. The new partnership of Dunne and Collins have strengthened the back line immensely and I don't see how Aston Villa will drop points in this game, seeing as how Pompey are still collapsing quickly.

Roland's prediction: $5 on Aston Villa -1/1.5 @ 1.88 = $9.40

BLACKBURN vs WOLVES (EPL)

Blackburn will welcome Ryan Nelsen back, who is an inspirational figure to the team with his tenacity and never-say-die attitude. 1 point from 3 games is definitely not enough for Big Sam's team and, while their striking options are pretty limited, they will be up against Mancienne who is still learning the ropes at the top level of English football. I think the strength and experience of either Jason Roberts or Benni McCarthy will prove crucial in exploiting the Wolves defence and Blackburn will post their first win of the season.

Roland's prediction: $5 on Blackburn -0.5 @ 1.870 = $9.35

MANCHESTER CITY vs ARSENAL (EPL)

i think this is one of the clearest bets of the week. arsenal just lost two weeks ago, even though they played very well, while manchester city has been getting the results without looking very convincing. the thing about such unconvincing runs is that they have to end sometimes, and as such, i fancy arsenal on the level ball.

Eddy's Prediction: $10 on arsenal level ball @ 1.825 = $18.25

Agree with Eddy. Arsenal won't lose twice in a row, and while they aren't exactly king of comebacks from setbacks (the 2-1 loss to United), they will be facing a Bellamy-led City attack, which isn't the best that City can offer. City's strength has been their lack of goals conceded, but Arsenal is a team that can carve openings out of nothing and I expect Arsenal to at least draw, or win this one.

Roland's Prediction: $5 on Arsenal level ball @ 1.800 = $9.00

MANCHESTER UNITED vs ARSENAL (EPL)

this is the big one. arsenal have been in good form since the start of the season, while manchester united have looked far from convincing, struggling for victory against birmingham, losing shamefully to burnley, and then looking totally toothless for one half against a poor wigan side. it is a tough one to predict, as both sides have their qualities, but i just feel that arsenal will not be thrashed as comprehensively as they were in the champions league last season. being at home, manchester united have a very good chance of winning this, despite being without rio ferdinand. i fancy arsenal to not lose though, as i just think manchester united's older legs will struggle to compete with the youthful exuberance of arsenal's play.

Eddy's prediction: $5 on arsenal +0.5 @ 1.715 = $8.58 (from bet365)

BOLTON WANDERERS vs LIVERPOOL (EPL)

As a Man Utd fan, I am very tempted to place a bet on Bolton Wanderers as I hope Liverpool will lose 3 games in their first 4, but I doubt that will happen. Bolton have not been convincing in terms of finishing and I don't think they will be able to trouble Liverpool. Liverpool do have a very good record against Bolton, be it at the Reebok or at Anfield, and they seem to always score aplenty, so I think I will score when I place this bet on Liverpool. After all, they can't be THAT bad, right?

Roland's tip: $5 on Liverpool -1 @ 1.950 = $9.75

HULL vs BOLTON (EPL)

Hull City started the season promisingly enough, showing lots of spirit in an unlucky 2-1 defeat to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. A large part of the performance was due to Stephen Hunt having a big impact on the side, and having scored both of Hull's goals already this season, Phil Brown can be reasonably pleased that his new signing has made an impact. However, tonight will be the first time Hunt comes up against a proper right-back in Gretar Steinsson, and i predict that he will have a tough time against one of the league's best old-fashioned right-backs. Bolton, despite their poor performance against Sunderland, do have a good set of hardworking players, and I fancy this to be enough to at least grab a point against a Hull City side that looks set for the drop this season.

Eddy's prediction: $5 on Bolton +0.5 @ 1.53 = $7.65

WIGAN ATHLETIC vs MANCHESTER UNITED (EPL)

Well, everyone thinks that Manchester United are now suddenly an ordinary club with no ambition and no title winning credentials after their shock 1-0 loss to Burnley. Which is why this bet is so hard to resist. I don't think that Manchester United will drop points two games in a row, however notoriously slow to start the season they are. A 1 goal win will even the handicap, which is good anyway because no money is lost, and any more means a great return of 2.07. I fancy United to win anyway, because the Serbinator is back.

Roland's tip: $5 on Manchester United -1 @ 2.07 = $10.35

WEST HAM vs TOTTENHAM (EPL)

Bad news for West Ham - Herita Ilunga is out for this match, which means that Jonathan Spector has to step in to cover at left back. I see him getting skinned many times by Aaron Lennon (good fantasy football pick I think!) and Spurs will win this match. Spurs finally look like the contenders that everyone thought they were when Martin Jol brought them to 5th for two consecutive seasons. After a nightmare with Juande Ramos, Harry Redknapp has rejuvenated them (also oweing to a huge transfer budget) and they look like a very strong side on their day. Bassong looks to have strengthened the Spurs defence and with Ledley King's return, I think Spurs can win this, especially when key men for West Ham like Behrami and Ashton are still out injured.

Roland's tip: $5 on Tottenham -0/0.5 @ 2.025 = $10.12

SUNDERLAND vs BLACKBURN (EPL)

Sunderland will look to pick themselves up after getting beaten at home 1-3 by Chelsea, and they face considerably weaker opponents this time. Sunderland have a very solid side as they have a very strong midfield with Cana and Cattermole, which will dominate an injury-ridden Blackburn midfield that is missing Reid, Dunn and Emerton. I see Sunderland picking up 3 points here, even though they may have played a midweek game and be slightly fatigued, as it is at the stadium of light and Sunderland are very strong at home.

Roland's tip: $5 on Sunderland -0/0.5 @ 1.825 = $9.12

BIRMINGHAM vs PORTSMOUTH (EPL)

Birmingham put up a very gutsy performance over the weekend against Manchester United, and I think this match will spark off another good performance from the blues at St Andrews. Christian Benitez looks likely to start and he showed off his pace on a couple of occasions, and he will definitely trouble a less than mobile Pompey defence. Pompey, on the other hand, turned in a lacklustre performance at Fratton Park - although admittedly they did create chances, but poor finishing let them down - and I don't see them getting anything out of this match. I fancy Birmingham to win this one.

Roland's tip: $5 on Birmingham -0/0.5 @ 1.775 = $8.87

MAN UTD vs BIRMINGHAM (EPL)

I am a Manchester United fan and you should take this tip with a pinch of salt because my opinions will be biased.

United will win their 4th consecutive EPL title to ensure a record-breaking season, and will do this in style. While they do have cause for worry at the back with EVDS, Vidic, Rafael, Neville, Evans out, I doubt Birmingham will trouble the defence much because they will hardly get possession anyway. It's just like how Barcelona don't have top quality, world class defenders, but the sheer amount of possession they keep is a part of their defence, and expect to see that from Man Utd today. Alex Ferguson said that 3 months of anger will be unleashed on Birmingham City, and in front of Stretford End, I see lots of goals coming into this match.

Roland's tip: $5 on Man Utd -1.5/2 @ 1.925 = $9.625

WOLVES vs WEST HAM (EPL)

Wolves have a very strong squad this season and I definitely think they will be able to survive if their key players do not get injured. However, for this match, Chris Berra, Kevin Doyle, Iwulemo and Michael Kightly are all out. West Ham are also similarly injury-ravaged with Carlton Cole being their only fit striker, which means that they will be packing the midfield and probably play Luis Jimenez in a slightly advanced position. I think Wolves will definitely dominate the match, but West Ham are very well-drilled and will be able to cope.

Roland's tip: $5 on West Ham level ball @ 2.00 = $10.00

BOLTON vs SUNDERLAND (EPL)

Bolton definitely have strengthened their backline with the loan of Paul Robinson and the signings of Sam Ricketts and Zat Knight. They've also added grit to their midfield with the signing of Sean Davis from Portsmouth. However, they have not addressed their most crucial problem that was plagueing them the previous season - attack. Hardly a side that scores goals, with Elmander only finding the net 5 times last season, I doubt Bolton can score against Sunderland, who sport a new look under new manager Steve Bruce. Lee Cattermole (who Steve Bruce will sign 5 times if possible) and Lorik Cana will marshall the midfield to great effect (they are very tenacious and aggressive holding midfielders) and a strike force of Darren Bent and Kenwyne Jones just looks mouth-watering. Expect Sunderland to take the fight to Bolton, and I don't think Bolton will be able to cope with Sunderland, who will be looking to please their new manager and fight for places.

Roland's tip: $5 on Sunderland +0/0.5 @ 1.910 = $9.55

I have to agree with Roland here. Sunderland look very strong, and Steve Bruce has shown in the past few seasons with Wigan, that he is a very accomplished manager. In Cattermole and Cana, Sunderland boast the most destructive midfield seen in the league since Phil Neville was paired with Roy Keane whenever United played Arsenal. Darren Bent is a proven goal-scorer as well, and I think Sunderland shouldn't lose tonight against Bolton.

Eddy's tip: $5 on Sunderland +0.5 @ 1.62 = $8.10 (from bet365)

PORTSMOUTH vs FULHAM (EPL)

Well.. I'm BACK!! All pumped up for this next season. And hopefully, I'll be spot on and we'll be making money!

Portsmouth have lost a lot of their big name players since last season - Defoe, Sol Campbell, Crouch, and Sean Davis. Replacing their losses are Frederic Piquionne on loan from Lyon (68 goals in 235 games, hardly a terrifying statistic, no?), Steve Finnan (over the hill, but still a decent defender), Aaron Mokoena (hardly played for Blackburn, and only gave fouls away) and Anthony Vanden Borre. I don't think Portsmouth have a good enough squad to cope right away, and they will also need time to gel. Fulham have, on the other hand, kept their entire starting lineup the same (which finished 7th last season) and are definitely high on confidence as they have been scoring bucketloads of goals in their pre-season preparations. I think Fulham is a safe bet for this match, and they will at least draw this, or even win it.

Roland's tip: $5 on Fulham level ball @ 1.950 = $9.75

I Know Arsenal Won't Buy Him, But Still I Will Suggest: Christopher Samba

another article i wrote on bleacher report

I was invited to write an article as part of the series created by Deepak Israni, and as soon as I agreed to write the article, the first name that popped into my mind was Christopher Samba, the giant Blackburn defender.

Christopher Samba: Fact-File

• Age: 25
• Position: Centre-back / Emergency Striker
• Current Club: Blackburn
• National Team: Congo
• Species: Monster

Christopher Samba is a brute of a defender, whose sole aim in life is to leave opposition strikers begging for mercy when they play against him.

Standing at 2.87 metres tall and bigger than Arnold Schwarzenegger in his "Terminator" days, he is so tough that even regular bullies like Kevin Davies and Emile Heskey have been reported to have crapped in their pants at the mention of his name.

It has also often been rumoured that the real reason for Duncan Ferguson's retirement and Cristiano Ronaldo's move to Spain was to avoid Christopher Samba.

His influence is not just limited to England.

It is so great that even the regular "Samba boys" from Brazil, have re-invented their playing style and are now focusing on heading, tackling and leaving strikers crumpled on the floor.

All this, just so they can live up to the great name of "Samba".

Alright, enough of the exaggeration.

His real height is 1.93m, and while that is already rather tall, he complements it with good timing, and also a fantastic desire to get to the ball ahead of the striker. His strength in the air, is frankly quite astounding, and all these attributes mean that he is an absolute monster.

And what does Arsenal need? Yes, an absolute monster in the air.

Arsene Wenger conceded that William Gallas and Kolo Toure did not form a good defensive partnership, not because they are poor defenders, but because they simply lacked aerial presence.

If Arsenal signed Samba, he could be paired with a pacy defender like Kolo Toure, to form a fantastic defensive partnership in the mould of Vidic and Ferdinand, or Skrtel and Carragher.

Christopher Samba to Arsenal: Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Good timing in the tackle
• Massive presence in the air
• Great determination to beat the striker to the ball
• Great determination to beat the striker
• Very professional, willing to play emergency striker when Allardyce called for it
• Plays for Blackburn, so would be relatively easier to tempt him over to the Emirates
• Monstrous

Cons:

• Can be a little slow on the turn
• Can't pass to save his life
• Might accidentally flatten Theo Walcott and Carlos Vela during training
• Might scare Manuel Almunia

Conclusion:

Christopher Samba is the answer to Arsenal's defensive problems. Big and strong, he would ensure that Arsenal fans will not see a game like the ones against Stoke and Wigan again. His continued presence in the league will also cause more and more stars to leave English shores, meaning Arsenal's opponents in the league will be weakened. He should definitely be snapped up by Arsene Wenger, although as mentioned in the title, "I know Arsenal won't buy him".

Pity.

United's Key Weakness Now: Set Pieces

Another BR article.

Enough has been said about how United will revert to the traditional 4-4-2, how Rooney won't be forced out of position, how United's strikers will start playing more centrally and be more direct.

So far, United have signed 3 players - a proven finisher in Owen, a raw talent in Obertan and a pacey traditional winger in Valencia. These signings were made to replenish the squad, after the loss of Ronaldo to Real Madrid and Tevez, most likely to Manchester City.

It is evident that the current United squad will not be as threatening at set pieces as they used to be.

The departures of Ronaldo and Tevez means that United have lost their proven direct free-kick takers.

I have always maintained that Ronaldo's free-kick have a similar conversion rate to Beckham's. True, Beckham's free-kicks look much more elegant, curling towards a corner, but they are often palmed away for a corner by goalkeepers.

Ronaldo's free-kick comprises of pure pace, power and venom. So what if it hits the wall half the time? Once it's on target, it will either be too powerful for the goalkeeper to save, or he will fist it into the path of one of United's lurking strikers.

Tevez is also a proven free-kick taker. Having taken a few for West Ham, before going down the pecking order after signing for United. He has scored some wonderful free-kicks over the years.

This threat from direct free-kicks will be sorely missed. Who are the other free-kick takers in United, you ask?

Hargreaves is a proven free-kick taker, but he is most effective when closer to goal. You won't see him taking free-kicks 40 yards away from goal. Also, his fitness is a very big question, and it's highly unlikely that he will feature in every match like Ronaldo did.

Giggs hasn't had a good free-kick in months, and with the amount of rotation that Ferguson will have for him, it is very unlikely that Giggs will always be there to take the free-kicks.

Wayne Rooney might be a good free-kick taker, as he did score a beautiful one on his debut against Fenerbache, but it's too early to tell.

I do know that Fabio has a great left foot and is also lethal from the dead ball situation as well, but he won't get to play much as Evra is such a complete left back.

In all, there are many contenders for Ronaldo's position as the free-kick taker, but only Rooney stands the greatest chance of being played every game, and hopefully his free-kick taking is up to par.

Another big loss would be Ronaldo's ability in the air. Without him, United's only proven goal threats from indirect free-kicks and corners are Vidic and Ferdinand.

Berbatov may be tall, at 1.88m, but he does not contain the aggression in the air that Vidic and Ronaldo bring. He does not have the spring in his legs that can elevate him sufficiently to head the ball cleanly. This is evident in his debut season, where Berbatov missed many clear headers and put them over the bar.

Ferdinand is hardly a dominant attacking force in the air. Having scored a paltry 6 goals in 208 games in the EPL for United, he definitely ranks below the likes of Hyypia, who has gotten 22 in 317 appearances for Liverpool.

Vidic is the only clear threat that is left in United from IFKs and corners. He is United's best chance of getting goals from these set pieces with the departure of Ronaldo.

Perhaps Manucho might be a possibility, but what chances does he have of starting ahead of Rooney, Berbatov and Owen?

What is clear to see is that the signings made will not be able to replace the set piece void that Ronaldo has left in the team.

Owen is a great finisher, but he does not have the height to compete in the air. Valencia is not known for his heading prowess, and Obertan may be 1 cm taller than Ronaldo, but he definitely does not look as athletic as Ronaldo is. Maybe, in time, Obertan can be groomed to be like Ronaldo. However, right now, its clear that there are no strong headers of the ball in the team.

Perhaps the mantra of the next season will be efficiency. Efficiency in putting away chances; efficiency in open play.

Because it is clear that United's current weakness is their strength at set pieces.