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sumitava3 · 16 days

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The Kiwiman Daryl Mitchell is gonna be the most crucial player for CSK tonight, he's gonna dictate the terms,the fate of CSK in the game tonight. Replacing a stalwart like Ambati Rayudu at CSK is very tough, he's been a true legend of the league and to fill in the big shoes, he's the most suitable candidate because he bats in the middle order and plays spin, pace both equally well, has the timing game as well as the power game to hit effortless sixes down the ground. The potential is there, the performance has also been there for the Blackcaps. Now it's high time tonight to start replicating those in the CSK colours and repay the huge faith shown towards him, the continuous backing has to reap the Rewards tonight onwards. If he doesn't get going, CSK can't win on flat decks and shouldn't dream of clinching the record sixth title they're running running after. The bowling is the weaker side, and with the uncertainty over the availability of Pathirana, it's evident that you've to score 230+ at least at the Wankhede against this destructive MI batting lineup and Mitchell holds the key for CSK if they wanna reach that score and compete neck to neck, otherwise the game is over in the first innings itself, more so considering a full loaded gun, a magician named Jasprit Bumrah will be charging at you from the MI arsenal. The simple funda is chasing at the Wankhede, and I'd love to see Santner bowling in place of Theekshana if Baby Malinga doesn't turn up on the ground tonight. CSK will be desperate to see their two most vital weapons bowling at the death in tandem to give them some respite and a glimpse of hope against this vintage, clinical and professional MI unit. CSK badly needs Mitchell to fire tonight, he has to come good, come to the party finally, he's had a poor run up till now but they've backed him and will continue because there's no better option than Mitchell at 4, replacing Ambati. Hopefully the big game player will come to the rescue of the yellow army. Mitchell has to play long and big. He's an asset for CSK and will be the most vital wicket for MI to clinch the game in the CSK batting innings to choke them so Expect Hardik to save Boom's overs, bowl him only one in the powerplay and unleash the speedster as soon as Mitchell comes to the crease. You've to utilise your best weapon differently every game depending upon the demands of the particular match, you've to be adaptable and felxible, there's nothing called predetermined in captaincy or cricket. You've to go with your gut feel, and back your instincts, take the onus and make those instant brave calls when it's close calls and the intensity is really creeping on on the ground at the moment and you gotta have a plan B or Plan C, D in the el classico, this is a high pressure game and it's gonna decide mi rising up on the ladder, so the context is very big and with the rich legacy of the two teams, expect an intense battle, a nailbiter on the cards for all of us. You can't comment like I don't mind losing the IPL final to Mahibhai, it's written on the destiny because of the personal camaraderie when you're getting paid a whopping sum for being a professional and a skipper of a team with a rich legacy in the league, to go with. So fasten your seatbelts, it's gonna be a mouthwatering clash at our hands

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unitedbydevils · 11 months

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FA CUP PREVIEW: Manchester City vs Manchester United

Manchester United are serious underdogs for Saturday's FA Cup final, with Oddschecker showing City as 3/10 on to win and United 3/1 to win.

It's not hard to see why. City are the Premier League champions, in both the FA Cup and Champions League finals, and Pep Guardiola has a much bigger squad with much better quality in depth.

Norwegian danger Erling Haaland scored an insane 36 goals in the EPL this season, plus another 16 in other competitions - with two matches to go. Playmaker Kevin De Bruyne has 10 goals, 28 assists in all competitions - 16 of said assists being in the Premier League.

The noisy neighbours boast a lot of firepower, with Foden, Alvarez and Gundogan also bagging a lot of goals, and Grealish, Bernardo Silva, and Riyad Mahrez supplying. Factor in a resolute goalkeeper and a wide range of tactical flexibility... it's very hard to beat this City team.

It's not mission impossible for United though. As the season tails off, rest has returned. Players on both sides will be worn out from the season, but they should have enough in the tank for one last push.

United's issues are injuries and in-match composure. Antony's potentially back in time for the final but will likely then be on the bench. Martial is out - to nobody's surprise. Martinez is back pre-season, Varane's an injury risk, Luke Shaw's back might be an issue, Sabitzer...

That said, United are more likely to suffer from the issue of focus and composure. As we saw against Chelsea, when something went wrong the game started to fall apart rapidly. United showed more steel versus Fulham, but Chelsea - for all they are shit - are a Big Team. That impacts the mentality. City will impact it further, and anything less than full focus will see City score any number of goals.

The hope: United show up and make it a hard game and maybe squeeze a 1-0 or 2-1 win out, perhaps penalties.

The reality: City flex as they push to repeat Fergie's infamous treble and slap us 3-0 in a confidence boost ahead of the ECL final.

#manchester united #man utd #man united #man u #manchester reds #fa cup final #manchester city vs manchester united #haaland #de bruyne #match preview #match prediction #bookmakers #bookies #odds

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thefootballobserver · 4 days

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The North London Derby (Spurs vs Arsenal): Match Review

A North London Derby with extra stakes - a must-win for both sides.

Both sides will be looking for three points - anything less will be considered a disappointment for their respective ambitions - when Spurs host Arsenal at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday.

Spurs will be looking to get things back on track following their dismissal 4-0 defeat at St James’ Park two weeks ago and will hope to catch up with Aston Villa, who could be nine points ahead of them by the time the match starts (although Spurs have three games in hand by then) to keep their Champions League hopes alive.

Arsenal will be hoping to get Manchester City and Liverpool in check in the title race and keep the pressure on. They could go four points clear of City (the Blues play later that day) and either three, five, or six points ahead of Liverpool (depending on their result against West Ham on Saturday) should they get the three points. Anything less could be disastrous for them as Manchester City are in control of their fate - a win against Nottingham Forest would put them above Arsenal by two points.

Previous Games

Saka, of course, had a bit of fun last time around as he celebrates with Maddison's darts celebration.

Reverse Fixture

In September, the North London clubs played an entertaining 2-2 draw at the Emirates. Spurs fought back twice to keep the score level, and both sides left with one point. It was pretty evenly contested, and the Lilywhites probably left the happier side with a point, considering that their away record at the Emirates is relatively poor.

The first half was primarily Arsenal, but Spurs opened the scoring…in their own net after Saka misfired his shot, but Romero directed it into the back of his own net in the 26th minute. This woke Spurs up, and they started making the game less one-sided. Son would equalise in the 42nd minute, diverting the ball away from Rice, Gabriel, Saliba and Raya.

Saka would again help Arsenal by scoring a penalty past Vicario. Guess who conceded it? Yup, Romero. It really wasn’t his day. But somehow, Spurs will equalise a literal minute later after Maddison quickly dispossessed Jorginho (who had just been subbed on minutes ago) in the middle of the park and allowed Maddison and Son to break easily, the latter who scored the equaliser.

Head-to-Head Record

Everyone knows, but the latter months of Conte’s reign at Spurs were utter sh*t, with Spurs losing at home in last season’s North London derby for the first time since 2014. Otherwise, as you’d expect, the home side tends to win. Bar the draw this season and the Spurs home loss last season, the last time the home side didn’t win was a 2-2 draw in 2019, and the previous time the home side lost was an Arsenal 0-2 defeat in the League Cup in 2018.

Arsenal edges Spurs in the head-to-head record, with the Arsenal to Spurs win ratio being 13:11 (7 draws), making the Gunners winners in 42% of their meetings since 2010. Odegaard and Saka are Arsenal’s current top scorers against Spurs, with two goals each (six and eight games, respectively). Everyone knows former Spurs player and Gunner fan Harry Kane is absolutely lethal against Arsenal, with 14 goals in 17 matches. Of course, Spurs’ current top scorer of the Spurs against Arsenal is Son Heung-min, who scored six goals in 17 games.

Last Five Meetings (all PL)

Arsenal 2-2 Tottenham (24/09/23)

Tottenham 0-2 Arsenal (16/01/23)

Arsenal 3-1 Tottenham (01/10/22)

Tottenham 3-0 Arsenal (13/05/22)

Arsenal 3-1 Tottenham (26/09/21)

Tottenham Hotspur News

An absolutely abysmal game against Newcastle two weeks ago still lingers in Spurs fans' minds.

So, as a Tottenham fan, I should be allowed to skip this section.

JK.

Anyway, we move from the Newcastle game, and Spurs have lost twice in their last five games, including a 3-0 loss to Fulham in March. They also drew away to West Ham but won their two home games against Luton and Forest - hardly outstanding achievements, but wins are wins. A little bit further back features the 0-4 win against Villa Park, the 3-1 win against Palace and a 2-1 win against Brighton, with a 1-2 loss against Wolves sandwiched in between.

Home form will be in Tottenham’s favour, as they are sixth in that table and average 2.25 points per home, with most losses occurring during their post-Chelsea injury crisis (bar the Wolves game stated above). Spurs last played two weeks ago, without European football, and their weekend game was cancelled due to Manchester City’s participation in the FA Cup semifinal. Their rescheduled games weren’t during Gameweek 34, unlike most other teams.

Last Five Games (all PL)

Fulham 3-0 Tottenham (17/03/24) [L]

Tottenham 2-1 Luton (30/03/24) [W]

West Ham 1-1 Tottenham (03/04/24) [D]

Tottenham 3-1 Nott’m Forest (08/04/24) [W]

Newcastle 4-0 Tottenham (13/04/24) [L]

Predicted Lineup

Guglielmo Vicario: He’ll likely be busy against Arsena’s in-form goalscorers and must be weary of setpieces.

Ben Davies: With Udogie out for the rest of the season, Davies has some big shoes to fill and will have to keep Saka in check. Hopefully, he’ll give Spurs a bit of an aerial threat. UPDATE! Postecoglou has officially said that he will start for the NLD.

Micky van de Ven: He’ll hope to make up for his hilarious showing against Newcastle and properly utilise his recovery pace, which will be absolutely vital against Arsenal’s speedy frontline. I personally highly, highly doubt he’ll go anywhere near left back.

Cristian Romero: The reverse fixture was just not his game, and he’ll be hoping to do much, much better this season. He’ll be Spurs' main aerial threat, both attacking and defensive.

Pedro Porro: He’s been cleared after getting subbed off versus Newcastle. He’ll be hoping to make amends after his mistake costed the second goal two weeks ago.

Rodrigo Bentancur: It’s between him and Bissouma, but Bentancur’s form is comparatively better than Bissouma’s. He’ll have to keep an eye on Odegaard, Rice, and others.

Pape Matar Sarr: He was a sub in the Newcastle game and came like Bentancur, but he should start. He’s rarely put in a poor performance this season.

Timo Werner: It’s between him and Johnson, but Kulusevski’s current form has yet to justify a starting position.

James Maddison: He’s been far from his best, but Spurs need his creativity this game.

Brennan Johnson: He was anonymous in the Newcastle game but was previously in great form. Kulusevski would provide slightly more defensive cover, but left-back isn’t exactly Arsenal’s stronger area (arguably their weakest).

Son Heung-min: He’ll be hoping to add to his tally against the Gunners.

Players Dropped

Yves Bissouma: It’s about time he starts on the bench. Ange has complete trust in him but his form hasn’t really justified him starting yet.

Destiny Udogie: He suffered a season-ending injury during training and has had surgery since then. Despite his blunder against Newcastle, he’s shown up for big games and impressed in the reverse fixture.

Absent Players

Destiny Udogie (injury): As stated above, he’s out for the rest of the rest of the season with a quadriceps injury.

Oliver Skipp (injury): He picked up a knock between now and the Newcastle game and will be unavailable, although no other details were given.

Fraser Forster (injury): Out for the rest of the season with a foot injury.

Manor Solomon (injury): Out for the rest of the season with a knee injury.

Ryan Sessegnon (injury): Out for the rest of the reason with a hamstring injury.

Arsenal News

They thrashed Chelsea 5-0 at the Bridge in midweek. Jesus Christ.

Arsenal come into this game having dunked on London neighbours Chelsea (or Cole Palmer FC) 5-0, with the Blues somehow collapsing in the second half. I say “somehow,” but we all know how - they’re Chelsea. They won at Wolves away the game before that in a dominant display - per usual - bouncing back from disappointing games against Bayern in the UCL, where they got knocked out 3-2 on aggregate and a shock loss to Aston Villa at the Emirates.

Arsenal are at the top of the away table and have won 11 of their 17 games away this season - only Manchester City have done better, with the same amount of wins in 16 games - and average 2.12 points per away game. They’ll favour their chances of keeping a clean sheet, keeping one in 59% of their away games (although Spurs have scored in all of their home games, so it’s a bit of an Unstoppable force vs Immovable object right now). They’ve played four games in the span of Spurs’ one, so they may be a little tired coming into this game.

Last Five Games (all comps)

Arsenal 2-2 Bayern Munich (10/04/24, UCL) [D]

Arsenal 0-2 Aston Villa (14/04/24, PL) [L]

Bayern Munich 1-0 Arsenal (18/04/24, UCL) [L]

Wolves 0-2 Arsenal (21/04/24, PL) [W]

Arsenal 5-0 Chelsea (24/04/24, PL) [W]

Predicted Lineup

David Raya: Am I a little salty that he somehow has the most clean sheets yet one of the lowest save percentages in the league? Yeah, a little. But he hasn’t been busy due to Arsenal’s dominance, and he seems to have gotten over his early season howlers.

Takehiro Tomiyasu: It’s really a toss-up between him, Zinchenko, and Kiwior, given Tomiyasu played midweek. Arteta might look at Zinchenko to overload the midfield, but he and Kiwior have been poor defensively in recent games.

Gabriel: He should thank Jackson for being incapable of finishing after a poor slip. He’s been very, very solid this season (as you’d imagine from clean-sheet leaders).

William Saliba: As with Gabriel, their partnership has been outstanding this season, and they cover for each other well.

Ben White: He’s in incredible form right now and will look to cause some trouble with Saka and Odegaard down the right flank, especially without Udogie.

Declan Rice: I assume he’ll play more of a number 8 role. His aerial threat presence in both boxes and set pieces will greatly bother Spurs.

Jorginho: He was at fault for conceding the equaliser in the reverse fixture and will look to make amends.

Martin Odegaard: The Arsenal captain will look to be the creative force for the Gunners’ attack.

Leandro Trossard: I personally don’t think Martinelli’s form justifies starting, although Arteta tends to rotate them. Trossard opened the scoring against Chelsea in the 4th minute.

Kai Havertz: He’s been playing in the whole 90s recently, and Jesus is nowhere near as in form as Havertz. He appears to have finally found his footing after his transfer from Chelsea, which was a difficult early period.

Bukayo Saka: He seems to be carrying an ankle knock, but Arteta cannot afford to rest Saka right now - the poor guy.

Dropped Players

Thomas Partey: He was fine in the midweek game (as with most of the squad), but Arteta may look for something more defensive against a Spurs side that’s scored in every home game this season.

Absent Players

Jurrien Timber (injury): He’s returned from an ACL injury he suffered in the first game of the season and scored a wonder goal in the U21, but this game comes too early for the summer signing to make an appearance.

Prediction

Given Arsenal’s free-flowing goalscoring form, their defensive diligence and Tottenham’s inconsistencies this season, it feels like a no-brainer for an Arsenal win. However, Spurs’ home form and history are on their side, and notably, they have the best record against the top 6 teams this season (including an Aston Villa game they should have won by performance). For whatever reason, the home team have struggled against lower sides but has found it fun - or perhaps surprisingly survivable - to play against the big boys.

That said, without Udogie, Spurs have lost some of that attacking thrust, and Arsenal is very, very strong this season and has a terrifying side to face. Spurs would likely accept a point if they must, but Arsenal absolutely cannot with City breathing down on them. Whatever happens, expect Arsenal to score first.

Prediction: Tottenham Hotspur 1-3 Arsenal

#tottenham hotspur #arsenal #premier league #match preview

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iismmumbai · 7 months

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What are the key battles for India vs Pakistan?

#Ind vs pak #cricket #icc world cup 2023 #India vs Pakistan #cricket live #match preview

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therealefl · 1 year

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Match Preview | Southend United Vs Dagenham & Redbridge

Match Preview | Southend United Vs Dagenham & Redbridge @JPJournalism_ #Blues | #COYD

Southend United host Dagenham & Redbridge at Roots Hall this afternoon in what could be a season-defining encounter for both teams’ play-off hopes. Both sides are in need of three points for the same reason, to try and stake a late push for a top seven finish, but unfortunately games aren’t quite on their side. At the time of writing, Southend United sit 9th in the table, five points outside of…

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#Dagenham #Dagenham & Redbridge #Match Preview #National League #southend #Southend United

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picardsims · 1 year

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fridge decor set

After working on it on and off between other projects, I present another small CC decor set -- this time inspired by me spending an hour arranging clutter on the fridge everytime I build something. No more. This is a set of 9 pieces -- the main clutter set is a regular clutter object that can be placed on the floor. I think it still allows the fridge to be used (I tested a previous version and don't think anything has changed since then). Every other object snaps to walls and corkboards. The main set is separated into 5 pieces: - animal magnet (10 bear swatches, koala, pig and frog swatches) - heart magnet (30-something swatches) - whiteboard (36 swatches with 9 frame colours) - notes (6 swatches) - postcards (12 swatches) I was going to make another set but I don't feel like it, so I'm uploading the items here: - the towel has 60 swatches (15 colors in 4 patterns) - receipts have 15 swatches, iirc - calendar has 24 swatches (12 months, clean and with scribbles)

|| download HERE (Google Drive link) ||

as usual, feel free to recolor, edit, whatever, just don't put it behind a paywall and PLEASE tag me if you use this and have any screenshots. I will print them out and hang them over my bed

#ts4 #sims 4 #ts4 cc #sims 4 cc #maxis match #ts4 cc creator #sims 4 cc creator #alwaysfreecc #ts4 clutter #sims 4 clutter #i'm so proud of that preview picture #i forgot to screenshot the notes tho lol #my cc

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cricwarrior · 1 year

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who will win India vs Australia 3rd test match prediction Holkar Stadium Indore India

This Test match is going to be played at Holkar Stadium, Indore, India From the 1st of March to the 5th of March Which will Start at 9:30am. India has won their last 4 test matches and is in red-hot form. Read More at www.cricwarrior.com

#match prediction #toss prediction #dream11 prediction cricket #fantasy cricket mantra #fantasy cricket tips #match preview #india vs australia #indvsaus

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investingoo · 1 year

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UG-W vs KEN-W Dream11 Prediction, Dream Team Today, Fantasy Cricket Tips -electrov

UG-W vs KEN-W Dream11 Prediction, Kenya Women T20I Quadrilateral Series, Uganda Women vs Kenya-W Match Preview, Fantasy Teams, Probable Playing XI, Dream11 Winning Tips, Live Match Score, Pitch Report, Injuries and Updates. Uganda Women vs Kenya-W (UG-W vs KEN-W) Match Preview UG-W vs KEN-W Match Preview: Uganda Women are set to face Kenya-W in the T20I Quadrilateral Series on Wednesday, 21…

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#cricket team #Dream11 Prediction Today Match #Dream11 predictions #Dream11 team #Dream11 team today #Kenya Women T20I Quadrilateral Series #lined up #Live Cricket #Live score #Match Prediction #Match preview #Pitch report #Playing 11 #Possible 11 #Team update #UG-W vs. KEN-W #Uganda Women vs Kenya-W #Weather report

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aadition-dot-com · 1 year

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Japan has defeated both Germany and Spain. Brazil is behind the victory of Japan, know this history of their success.

#germany #spain football #brazil #japan #football fans #fifa world cup qatar 2022 #match preview #match report #football #aadition

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fantasyakahda · 1 year

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For newcomers, picking a captain for your fantasy cricket team might be complex. You must know a few essential requirements for a player to serve as the team's captain. Continue reading further to learn how to pick the right captain for your team.

How Can You Select The Perfect Team Captain For Your Fantasy Team?

A team's captain can make or ruin it. A mediocre squad can achieve great success under the leadership of a strong captain. If the team's leader is ineffective, they may perform below par and fall short of their potential. Fantasy applications recognise this leadership quality and have built their games to give the captain bonus points. Therefore, choosing a competent captain is essential if you want to play fantasy cricket and win money. Number-wise, having a strong captain increases your odds of success. So, here are a few things that can help you choose a good captain in the new Fantasy App.

How Can You Choose The Right Team Captain For Your Fantasy Team?

Don't be scared to try out a few things

Sometimes being ordinary can be dull and inhibit your success. Therefore, being a little unsettling and surprising your opponents is not a terrible idea. By moving a pinch hitter up the order or passing the ball to a player who scarcely rolls his arms over, just like a good captain would. Trust a rookie or debutant who is still learning and has not been identified by the other teams; go ahead and make him the leader of your group. Do your background investigation and consider whether he may be a good fit for the circumstances based on local records or junior cricket. Once finished, go for it and surprise everyone. After all, the payoff is always more significant when the risk is more considerable.

Remove a fan's personal bias.

Let's be real here. Every cricket fan has a personal favourite whose accomplishments excite them to the fullest. In cricket hype, emotions play a vital part. However, cricket in fantasy sports is a little bit of a different game. When trying to win money, it is best to choose a captain based on logic and evidence. So, choose a captain not because you want to see that person succeed but because you believe that player has a better probability of success than the others on a particular day.

Look for players with a variety of skills

Being multifaceted does not equate to being all-around. All-around players have a higher chance of playing for a more extended period. However, success is not always assured when an all-arounder is chosen. A multidimensional player has a fluid game regardless of the discipline they choose. They have the advantage of facing more deliveries than other batters, making them top order. They might also be a big-hitting slog overs player. It offers them a benefit over hitters who are only openers or lower-order bats. To improve your team's performance and provide a few extra catches, look for batters who are also excellent catchers.

Track the star athletes while watching and studying sports

Make a concerted effort to learn as much as you can by watching sports, as doing all the study at the last minute might not be simple. Keep an eye on the big names in particular. Keep tabs on their most recent performances and observe how they behave under various circumstances. Use the horse for courses approach that coaches use. Always keep an eye on the performance and tactics of the consistent winners. But don't imitate them, please. Create your niche and strategy while studying the game's tricks like a diligent student.

Conclusion

An ideal team requires work. Finding the perfect captain will only make things more challenging. However, a patient strategy based on systematic study and analysis lightens the pressure. When you know that you put in the hard work, the thrill of success increases. So go about your business, trust your judgement, and rule the world like a lion-hearted captain. You will succeed in playing sports in the fantasy app.

#fantasy cricket app #fantasy cricket tips #fantasy #cricket #match prediction #match preview #play to earn #earn money online #earnmoneyfromhome #fantasy cricket website #fantasy cricket league

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abrantepakjunyor · 1 year

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Kotoku Royals vs Hearts of Oak: Week 5 Match Preview.

After losing one and drawing one in their previous four games, the Phobians defeated the Bibiani Gold Stars 2-1 in their most recent contest to earn their first victory of the year. Hearts of Oak managed to tie their most recent road match at the Baba Yara Sports stadium with Asante Kotoko, their rivals. However, they will never forget their trip to Dorma because Aduana FC defeated them 1-0…

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#Asante Kotoko #Baba Yara Sports stadium #Bechem United #Bright Adjei #Clinton Quaye #Dorma #Fawzi Ali #Hearts of Oak #Joe Boateng #Kotoku Royals #Match Preview #Stephen Cancam #Wilson Kwabena

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unitedbydevils · 11 months

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Manchester United vs Chelsea - Match Preview

Prediction: 2-0 United

Chelsea. What a state they are in. They probably boast the best squad depth aside this season’s champions but find themselves languishing in 12th place in the English Premier League.

Owner Todd Boehly’s intervention-heavy approach feels like something from a Football Manager game, and sees his new play-thing on 43 points with -6 goal difference. Even if Chelsea were to beat United on Thursday and Newcastle on Sunday, they cannot break into the top 10.

For United, they need just 1 point from 6 available to secure top 4 and a Champions League place, and it’s very likely that the tired-but-organised United can produce an underwhelming-but-professional win over a jaded Chelsea side.

United:

Erik Ten Hag’s season needs a strong finish. Both Chelsea and Fulham have nothing but pride to play for, whereas United do. Incentive helps, and so does a home crowd, but 2 wins and 2 losses in 4 is hardly elite form.

United since the EFL Cup final have been patchy, if not poor. The 7-0 hammering to Liverpool, the 0-0 with 10 men vs Southampton, defeats to Brighton, Newcastle, and West Ham... and Sevilla knocked the club out of the Europa League (though admittedly they have made it to yet another EL final).

As the season’s fatigue has set in on United’s players, so too has a lapse in concentration it seems. Rashford’s scintillating form has tailed off, Casemiro looks off the ball, and Martinez is out til pre-season. To compound this, Martial and Weghorst just aren’t scoring the goals needed from a centre forward.

The team has lacked the goal threat to kill off games. Plenty of draws or defeats could easily have been wins had teams not been given so much time to regroup, refocus, and fight back. Rashford has done well for goals this year and Bruno’s chipped in, but Sancho is the third highest scorer. This is a man who is clearly struggling with something behind the scenes and took 2 months out to rehabilitate. That’s not enough goals from the supporting cast.

That being said, gelling as a team takes time - another issue facing both sides. Next season, with a proper CF or two, plus some other players in, some players out... perhaps we’ll see more of that bite that United teams of old had. It certainly feels like Erik Ten Hag’s United are a more tactically astute team, with a variety of gameplans.

For now, we the fans will take a disciplined win to secure CL qualification. It can be boring, it can be close, but the result is all that matters.

Chelsea:

Chelsea’s form since the start of April has been woeful. A loss to Villa saw Graham Potter sacked, they drew with Liverpool under an interim coach, and then proceeded to lose 6 on the bounce under the temporarily returning Frank Lampard - a man already dismissed for failing to perform as Chelsea manager. Right...

Lampard will be relieved that a 3-1 away win against Bournemouth helped secure Chelsea’s safety and spare any blushes should a relegation battle have emerged, but 7 losses in 9 games under Lampard demonstrates a) how clear it is that Chelsea lack identity and a team cohesion and b) how poor a choice of manager he was.

Goals have played a big part of Chelsea’s lack of bite. While their star striker is on loan back at Inter and has made the Champions League final, the Blues find themselves struggling to score. 6 goals for May (so far) is the joint-third most they’ve scored in a calendar month. They matched the same in August, 8 in March, and 16 in October. April and February they only managed 1 goal each month respectively, 2 goals in both December and November (impacted by the World Cup and Christmas), and 3 goals in January and September.

Chelsea’s saving grace is that Manchester United are tired, and lacking a true centre forward. They may not like it, but playing for a draw could be the best option. Quiet the crowd, kill the energy and the tempo, and maybe Chelsea can upset United. It’s a big maybe though. Does Frank Lampard have the humility to play safe? Do his players?

#manchester united #chelsea #EPL #Premier League #Premiership #football #soccer #match preview #match prediction

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thefootballobserver · 23 days

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Tottenham Hotspur vs Nottingham Forest: Match Preview

Should Spurs get the three points, they’ll go forth in the table.

Spurs play Forest in what is a must-win fixture before a run of tricky fixtures, including the North London Derby, Liverpool, Newcastle and Chelsea away, and possibly a yet-to-be-rescheduled Manchester City home game. With Aston Villa dropping points against Brentford on Saturday in a dramatic 3-3 draw, a win would put Spurs in the Champions League qualification zone thanks to goal difference with a game in hand.

Spurs’ form has been inconsistent recently like most of the season has been for them, winning their last three out of five games (including the 0-4 Villa game) but also lost poorly to Fulham and drew to West Ham in the previous game. However, they have won four out of their last five home games - only losing to Wolves - and are heavy favourites for this game, picking up an average of 2.20 points at home this season.

The Lilywhites won 0-2 in the reverse fixture, with goals from Richarlison from a Kulusevski cross and the Swede scoring later, taking advantage of a Turner mistake. There will be no Matt Turner for tonight’s game, though, as Forest now has a new number 1 in Sels. Bissouma also received a red card for a silly challenge, resulting in a four-game ban, although he didn’t miss any games through suspension due to his unavailability from AFCON. Veliz also had a great cameo, getting one zero touches of the ball as he was subbed on at the last minute to run down the time (my apologies, but this was too funny not to point out). Before all that, Johnson - on his return to the City ground after his summer transfer - received a nasty cut above his eyebrow, whose scar is still visible today. Spurs were still suffering an injury crisis with van de Ven and Maddison still injured (they ended the game with a midfield of Hojbjerg, Skipp, and Sarr), with Davies and Kulusevski replacing them, respectively.

In terms of head-to-head records, Spurs have won the last four out of their previous five games against Forest, only losing 2-0 in the EFL Cup in 2022 due to goals from Lodi and Lingard (I just saw the back five of Sess, Lenglet, Dier, Sanchez, and Doherty and shuttered). Spurs won this fixture last season 3-1, with Kane scoring a brace and Son adding to the tally (Richarlison had a goal disallowed), Worrall scoring a late consolation goal, and Ayew missing an even later penalty for the visitors.

Forest come into this game with one win in seven matches, although the win was a resounding one against Fulham in the midweek. Before that, they lost four and then drew two. They’re currently 17th in the table, only above Luton Town on goal difference, following the Hatters’ win against Bournemouth on Saturday. Forest have an abysmal away record, only picking up 10 points on the road, with a record of 2-4-9. Their 29-point haul this season includes their four-point deduction for PSR breaches, which are currently under appeal (which ironically revolves around the sale of Johnson).

Tottenham Hotspur News

Sarr should be returning back into the starting lineup.

Predicted Lineup

Guglielmo Vicario: Clean sheets have been rare for all his good performances. This game may be one of the best chances he has before the end of the season.

Destiny Udogie: He’s impressed this season but must be wary of Elanga during this game.

Micky van de Ven: Chris Wood is not known for his speed, but Micky’s pace will be helpful should Forest counter (which they will).

Cristian Romero: The vice-captain will have to keep Wood in check, and like the rest of the defenders, a clean sheet would be welcome.

Pedro Porro: He hasn’t been as free-flowing these days but remains everpresent

Pape Matar Sarr: He was benched the last game, presumably for rotation or injury concerns, but should start.

Yves Bissouma: He performed well against West Ham and was complimented by Ange. Despite inconsistencies in his games, his position is not at risk.

James Maddison: He hasn’t quite hit the heights before his injury, but his spot is secure.

Timo Werner: Although he has the right profile for this team, his goalscoring instincts still need to be improved.

Son Heungmin: With Richarlison injured for this match, Son should lead the frontline, and a goal would be great following his 400th appearance.

Brennan Johnson: The Forest Academy graduate will play against his former teammates again, hoping to last longer on the pitch and leave unscathed.

Players Dropped

Rodrigo Bentancur: He performed fine and has been for most of his appearances following his ankle injury, but Sarr should take his spot for this game.

Dejan Kulusevski: He hasn’t been dropped as he was benched in the last game, but his performances have waned after an otherwise consistent run, and Johnson should be starting, although Kulusevski will no doubt make a cameo at some point.

Players Absent

Fraser Forster (injury): Out for the rest of the season with a foot injury.

Manor Solomon (injury): Out for the rest of the season with a knee injury.

Richarlison (injury): He has a knee niggle, according to Postecoglou, but could return to the squad for the Newcastle game.

Ryan Sessegnon (injury): Out for the rest of the season with a thigh injury.

Nottingham Forest News

Gibbs-White has been Forest’s star player this season.

Predicted Lineup

Sels; Aina, Murillo, Omobamidele, Williams; Danilo, Yates; Hudson-Odoi, Gibbs-White, Elanga; Wood

It appears unlikely that Nuno will change the lineup that started against Fulham in midweek on his return to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Players Absent

Nuno Tavares (injury): He has had a thigh injury since February, and this game will be too soon for the defender.

Taiwo Awoniyi (injury): His injury has been a blow for Forest, although Wood has done well in his absence.

Willy Boly (injury): Got injured during AFCON and probably won’t play a role in this game.

Players to Watch Out For

Brennan Johnson (TOT): He’s hit an upturn of form in recent weeks and might look to get a goal against his boyhood club as he goes up against Nigerian international Aina.

Son Heungmin (TOT): He may only have one goal in three matches against Forest, but he’s Spurs’ leading man and has the most goal contributions this season, even if he was unavailable during the Asian Cup.

Morgan Gibbs-White (NFO): He orchestrated the defeat of Fulham in midweek and is Forest’s brightest spark and chief creator. He’s also been linked with a move to Tottenham in recent weeks.

Chris Wood (NFO): Forest’s top scorer with 11 goals has been on fire, scoring thrice in their last three games, with 0.82 goals every 90 minutes this season. His aerial prowess will have to be kept in check by Spurs.

Anthony Elanga (NFO): The Swedish international equals Gibbs-White’s assist numbers at seven and will relish the space in Spurs’ high line, particularly when Udogie drifts inside.

Prediction

On paper, this should be a routine win for Spurs, but Spurs tend to hold possession of the ball and need to do more with it. Forest will be looking to capitalise on any Spurs mistakes and lapses in concentration to catch them on the counter, likely through their speedy wingers. It wouldn’t be surprising to see the home side concede first, but the visitors' poor away record should result in Spurs winning.

Prediction: Tottenham Hotspur 3-1 Nottingham Forest

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