Premiership Picks: Saturday, 16th January

Premier League Tips

 

Premiership Tips: Saturday, 16th January 2010

 

Stoke City V LiverpoolBOTH TEAMS to SCORE @ 2.00 WilliamHill

Tottenham Hotspur V Hull CityTott H/Tott H (HT/FT Betting) @ 1.80 Boylesports

Wolverhampton Wanderers V Wigan AthleticWolves to win at HT @ 3.2 WIlliamHill

 

 

Stoke City V Liverpool – Liverpool will be reeling after their shock FA Cup exit to Reading in midweek in which their abysmal performance was met with a deserving boot out of the competition altogether. This, even after they were given a reprieve in the first game by scraping a draw at The Madjeski. However, it was the manner in which Liverpool were exposed which shocked me the most in that defending was diabolical, especially from crosses. Stoke pride themselves on being one of the best in England from set-plays, with their superior height and stature often a nightmare for even the tightest and strongest of Premiership defences. Liverpool’s defence is currently rocking and there is no time like the present to take on a hapless Liverpool than this Saturday in an early fixture.

 

Liverpool haven’t defended set-plays well all season and they now face one of the best offensive teams from set-plays in the league in Stoke City. The Stoke attackers, by this we mean the players who go up for set-plays, time their runs to perfection and they are so difficult to defend against. We can easily envisage them having a lot of success from set-pieces and a goal or two from them wouldn’t be at all surprising, especially after the week Liverpool have had. However, they too have been found wanting in defence of late and haven’t kept a clean sheet since their 0-0 draw with Blackburn Rovers, seven games ago. Also, they’ve failed to keep a clean sheet in their previous three home fixtures, conceding goals to average Premiership opponents recently, and so Liverpool should at least have some luck in front of goal, as well.

 

 

Tottenham Hotspur V Hull City – Who can forget Hull’s London heroics of last season when they completed a memorable set of victories over Arsenal at The Emirates and Tottenham at White Hart Lane. Both were miraculous at the time but it’s also worth mentioning that both came at a time when neither Arsenal nor Spurs were playing particularly great, especially the latter, but now it’s time for one of the Londoner’s, Tottenham, to exact their revenge, just like Arsenal did at The Emirates in a 3-0 win just before Christmas.

 

Tottenham have been one of the stand-out teams of the season despite a tendency to go missing at times in home fixtures (Losing 1-0 at home to both Wolves & Stoke City). In both those encounters, Tottenham simply couldn’t stick the many chances they did create in the net, with some spirited defending and sublime goalkeeping from their opponents keeping Spurs at bay. They shouldn’t come across that type of problem this Saturday against what we feel is the weakest team in the Premiership.

 

Hull haven’t won in six games, not since their 3-2 win at home to Everton, and have lost two of their last three away games, conceding plenty of goals along the way. Boaz Myhill in the Hull City goal has had to see his own net bulge on no less than eight occasions in Hull’s last three away ventures combined. They’ve conceded 26 away goals, up their with the very worst, whilst managing just seven in return, once again up their with the very worst. They did score two in their last outing, a 2-2 draw with struggling Bolton, but their record at the big venues has been poor thus far; Chelsea (2-1), Sunderland (4-1), Liverpool (6-1), Aston Villa (3-0) and Arsenal (3-0). Their best showing came away at Man City, although that was at a time when City were drawing every game under the sun.

 

Also, Hull haven’t won a single game away from home this season, losing seven of their ten away fixtures thus far.

 

Tottenham are desperately chasing a top four finish, although they are no longer chasing as they hold all the aces in fourth position. Anything but a win would be a drastic result as they can’t afford to throw away three point bankers, and this certainly should be one. Spurs have won their last two at home, both to NIL, beating West Ham 2-0 & Man City 3-0, with the latter being the best we’ve seen Tottenham play for probably a decade. They have players on top of their games; Defoe, Lennon, Kranjcar, and they should enjoy themselves against a Hull team that will give them plenty of ball time. Spurs smashed Wigan 9-1 earlier in the season and a similarly big scoreline might be imminent.

 

 

Wolverhampton Wanderers V Wigan Athletic – A huge game for both sides but one Mick McCarthy and Wolves will pinpoint more as a game they must win as it’s one of a few that will appear winnable on paper for them. What is in front of them is a Wigan side which can be outstanding on their day but shamefully bad every other week.

 

The Latics haven’t won a Premiership game since their 1-0 home win against Sunderland, six games ago, and their woeful defending has led to Chris Kirkland conceding a bucket load of goals this season. Wigan have conceded 44 goals this season, thee worst in the Premiership, and have conceded 31 of those on the road, thee worst in the Premiership. They conceded five in their last outing in a 5-0 humiliation at Man Utd. That game featured one of the worst performances from a Wigan side that I’ve ever seen and if replicated could result in another embarrassing display.

 

Wolves aren’t the strongest of sides but have been battling on valiantly in recent weeks and didn’t deserve to lose 3-0 at home to Man City in their last game. The play some decent attacking football, they create chances, good ones at that, they just can’t see to convert these chances. However, one thing Wolves do do well is that they start games well, at a brisk pace and with an attacking intent. We expect a fast start from Wolves, one that should hopefully result in an early lead providing they takes their chances when they do arise.

 

Wolves have won two of their last three at home and their opening goal has come within the first 45 minutes, 15 in fact, with Milijas opener coming on 15 minutes in a 2-0 win over Burnley and Craddock’s opener at home to Bolton coming in just the third minute.