Publications
Partners
Each round of the 2010/11 English Premiership season, a panel of Sport24 tipsters have a crack at predicting the results – do it yourself, if you like, and see how your scoreboard compares with ours in the report-back a week later.
Three precious points are given for an entirely correct scoreline, and one for right result.
Compiled by Rob Houwing (the champion last season but a Newcastle supporter for his sins), the others are colleagues Garrin Lambley (very Everton-partial), David Brooke (Manchester United), Raymond Kilfoil (Tottenham) and a newcomer in Dominic Valentine (Liverpool).
We occasionally invite guest tipsters; last week Proteas bowling coach VINCENT BARNES, a former pro footballer for Battswood and die-hard Manchester City fan, did the honours … and he trumped the entire fulltime panel, earning 12 points.
THE PRIME ATTRACTION
MANCHESTER CITY v CHELSEA
Saturday, 13:45
A terribly tough one to call, this: Chelsea are rampant with a 100 percent record in the Premiership, and ought to be suitably fired-up for atonement after their shock home reverse to Newcastle in the League Cup. But now they face fellow mega-spenders City in what will be their first major challenge of the campaign after a comparatively easy start fixtures-wise. You can get all result options from our forecasters, but Ray and I are adamant the Blues (the London ones!) will prevail. Nevertheless, there is last season to chew on: City actually did the double on the eventual champions. It was 4-2 at Stamford Bridge (double strikes from Messrs Tevez and Bellamy, and no post-game handshake between Wayne Bridge and ‘JT’) and 2-1 at Eastlands, where Frank Lampard’s late penalty was saved by Shay Given.
Rob: Manchester City 0 Chelsea 2
Garrin: 1-1
Raymond: 1-3
David: 2-1
Dominic: 1-1
Last season: 2-1
THE GRUDGE MATCH
WOLVES v ASTON VILLA
Sunday, 15:05
I’ve opted for this one in the category because it pits two of England’s most tradition-steeped clubs against each other, and certainly qualifies as a Midlands derby because the cities are a stone’s throw apart. There have been only four meetings between them in the past decade. The Sunday game is already a sellout at Molineux, where Wolves – hardly shy in the physicality stakes -- have not yet been beaten this season despite their fairly lowly status. Villa are in a tricky transitional phase and I reckon vulnerable to defeat, although 1-1 is a popular choice.
Rob: Wolves 1 Aston Villa 0
Garrin: 1-1
Raymond: 0-1
David: 1-1
Dominic: 1-1
Last season: 1-1
THE DESPERATE DUEL
LIVERPOOL v SUNDERLAND
Saturday, 16:00
There is growing unrest at Anfield, hence my easy decision to brand this game “desperate” even if Sunderland are not exactly crisis-torn (and cock-a-hoop, in fact, over their late, late point-steal against Arsenal). Liverpool have suffered the ignominy of crashing out of the League Cup on penalties to the “mighty” Cobblers, Northampton Town – prompting inevitable accusations that ‘Pool are presently a load of old cobblers anyway. Mind you, the Black Cats also lost at home in the cup in midweek, albeit to fellow-Premiership club West Ham. Sixteenth on the table is a terrible plight for the Anfielders, but most of us see them winning, even if not convincingly in this bleak climate for Roy Hodgson and company. They did romp home 3-0 in this game last season, with goals from Fernando Torres (2) and Glen Johnson.
Rob: Liverpool 2 Sunderland 0
Garrin: 1-1
Raymond: 1-0
David: 2-1
Dominic: 2-1
Last season: 3-0
THE OTHERS
ARSENAL v WEST BROM
Saturday, 16:00
Rob: Arsenal 3 West Brom 0
Garrin: 2-0
Raymond: 4-0
David: 3-0
Dominic: 3-0
Last season: Not applicable
BIRMINGHAM v WIGAN
Saturday, 16:00
Rob: Birmingham 1 Wigan 0
Garrin: 2-1
Raymond: 1-1
David: 2-1
Dominic: 1-0
Last season: 1-0
BLACKPOOL v BLACKBURN
Saturday, 16:00
Rob: Blackpool 1 Blackburn 1
Garrin: 1-1
Raymond: 2-2
David: 1-0
Dominic: 1-0
Last season: Not applicable
FULHAM v EVERTON
Saturday, 16:00
Rob: Fulham 1 Everton 2
Garrin: 1-1
Raymond: 1-2
David: 1-1
Dominic: 2-1
Last season: 2-1
WEST HAM v TOTTENHAM
Saturday, 16:00
Rob: West Ham 1 Tottenham 1
Garrin: 1-2
Raymond: 1-2
David: 0-1
Dominic: 1-2
Last season: 1-2
BOLTON v MANCHESTER UNITED
Sunday, 13:00
Rob: Bolton 1 Manchester United 2
Garrin: 0-2
Raymond: 1-3
David: 1-3
Dominic: 0-3
Last season: 0-4
NEWCASTLE v STOKE
Sunday, 17:10
Rob: Newcastle 2 Stoke 0
Garrin: 2-1
Raymond: 1-0
David: 2-1
Dominic: 1-0
Last season: Not applicable
LEADERBOARD
A bit of a ho-hum week for the resident “experts”, with Garrin’s eight points the best of the bunch. Little meaningful movement on the ladder, thus, although yours truly’s “drop shot” on Garrin means he closes the gap a teeny-weeny bit at the top. Dave is 13 points adrift of the loftiest slot now … you’re not set for another season shocker are you, Dave?
42 Rob (7 points last week)
40 Garrin (8)
38 Dominic (6)
34 Raymond (7)
29 David (6)
Three precious points are given for an entirely correct scoreline, and one for right result.
Compiled by Rob Houwing (the champion last season but a Newcastle supporter for his sins), the others are colleagues Garrin Lambley (very Everton-partial), David Brooke (Manchester United), Raymond Kilfoil (Tottenham) and a newcomer in Dominic Valentine (Liverpool).
We occasionally invite guest tipsters; last week Proteas bowling coach VINCENT BARNES, a former pro footballer for Battswood and die-hard Manchester City fan, did the honours … and he trumped the entire fulltime panel, earning 12 points.
THE PRIME ATTRACTION
MANCHESTER CITY v CHELSEA
Saturday, 13:45
A terribly tough one to call, this: Chelsea are rampant with a 100 percent record in the Premiership, and ought to be suitably fired-up for atonement after their shock home reverse to Newcastle in the League Cup. But now they face fellow mega-spenders City in what will be their first major challenge of the campaign after a comparatively easy start fixtures-wise. You can get all result options from our forecasters, but Ray and I are adamant the Blues (the London ones!) will prevail. Nevertheless, there is last season to chew on: City actually did the double on the eventual champions. It was 4-2 at Stamford Bridge (double strikes from Messrs Tevez and Bellamy, and no post-game handshake between Wayne Bridge and ‘JT’) and 2-1 at Eastlands, where Frank Lampard’s late penalty was saved by Shay Given.
Rob: Manchester City 0 Chelsea 2
Garrin: 1-1
Raymond: 1-3
David: 2-1
Dominic: 1-1
Last season: 2-1
THE GRUDGE MATCH
WOLVES v ASTON VILLA
Sunday, 15:05
I’ve opted for this one in the category because it pits two of England’s most tradition-steeped clubs against each other, and certainly qualifies as a Midlands derby because the cities are a stone’s throw apart. There have been only four meetings between them in the past decade. The Sunday game is already a sellout at Molineux, where Wolves – hardly shy in the physicality stakes -- have not yet been beaten this season despite their fairly lowly status. Villa are in a tricky transitional phase and I reckon vulnerable to defeat, although 1-1 is a popular choice.
Rob: Wolves 1 Aston Villa 0
Garrin: 1-1
Raymond: 0-1
David: 1-1
Dominic: 1-1
Last season: 1-1
THE DESPERATE DUEL
LIVERPOOL v SUNDERLAND
Saturday, 16:00
There is growing unrest at Anfield, hence my easy decision to brand this game “desperate” even if Sunderland are not exactly crisis-torn (and cock-a-hoop, in fact, over their late, late point-steal against Arsenal). Liverpool have suffered the ignominy of crashing out of the League Cup on penalties to the “mighty” Cobblers, Northampton Town – prompting inevitable accusations that ‘Pool are presently a load of old cobblers anyway. Mind you, the Black Cats also lost at home in the cup in midweek, albeit to fellow-Premiership club West Ham. Sixteenth on the table is a terrible plight for the Anfielders, but most of us see them winning, even if not convincingly in this bleak climate for Roy Hodgson and company. They did romp home 3-0 in this game last season, with goals from Fernando Torres (2) and Glen Johnson.
Rob: Liverpool 2 Sunderland 0
Garrin: 1-1
Raymond: 1-0
David: 2-1
Dominic: 2-1
Last season: 3-0
THE OTHERS
ARSENAL v WEST BROM
Saturday, 16:00
Rob: Arsenal 3 West Brom 0
Garrin: 2-0
Raymond: 4-0
David: 3-0
Dominic: 3-0
Last season: Not applicable
BIRMINGHAM v WIGAN
Saturday, 16:00
Rob: Birmingham 1 Wigan 0
Garrin: 2-1
Raymond: 1-1
David: 2-1
Dominic: 1-0
Last season: 1-0
BLACKPOOL v BLACKBURN
Saturday, 16:00
Rob: Blackpool 1 Blackburn 1
Garrin: 1-1
Raymond: 2-2
David: 1-0
Dominic: 1-0
Last season: Not applicable
FULHAM v EVERTON
Saturday, 16:00
Rob: Fulham 1 Everton 2
Garrin: 1-1
Raymond: 1-2
David: 1-1
Dominic: 2-1
Last season: 2-1
WEST HAM v TOTTENHAM
Saturday, 16:00
Rob: West Ham 1 Tottenham 1
Garrin: 1-2
Raymond: 1-2
David: 0-1
Dominic: 1-2
Last season: 1-2
BOLTON v MANCHESTER UNITED
Sunday, 13:00
Rob: Bolton 1 Manchester United 2
Garrin: 0-2
Raymond: 1-3
David: 1-3
Dominic: 0-3
Last season: 0-4
NEWCASTLE v STOKE
Sunday, 17:10
Rob: Newcastle 2 Stoke 0
Garrin: 2-1
Raymond: 1-0
David: 2-1
Dominic: 1-0
Last season: Not applicable
LEADERBOARD
A bit of a ho-hum week for the resident “experts”, with Garrin’s eight points the best of the bunch. Little meaningful movement on the ladder, thus, although yours truly’s “drop shot” on Garrin means he closes the gap a teeny-weeny bit at the top. Dave is 13 points adrift of the loftiest slot now … you’re not set for another season shocker are you, Dave?
42 Rob (7 points last week)
40 Garrin (8)
38 Dominic (6)
34 Raymond (7)
29 David (6)
