The weekend arguably offers one (maybe two - for the purposes of our preview, anyway!) stand-out game: that being Arsenal v Chelsea. The lunch time kick off on Saturday promises to be an exciting one, and as with Arsenal's game last week is another test of their title credentials. While Chelsea sit top of the table, Arsenal have been the more impressive side this season in many respects. After Chelsea's humbling in the Super Cup by Falcao and co they seem to have struggled and I think that central midfield is where the problem lies. Mikel and Lampard is a very unimpressive duo to sit in front of the defence in my opinion; Mikel has always struggled to live up to his wonderkid tag he got 10 years ago, while Lampard's legs seem to have gone and he is no longer the dynamic force he once was. Lampard appears to be trying to reinvent himself a la Paul Scholes as a defensive playmaker but Chelsea don't need any more playmakers, with the likes of Hazard, Mata, Marin and Moses in their team. Both sides have an identical goal record this season having scored 9 and conceded just 2. However, Arsenal have already played Stoke away, Liverpool away and Man City away while I don't think Chelsea have really had a test this season (sorry QPR fans), so Arsenal's record is a lot more impressive in my view. That said, Chelsea have kept a clean sheet in their last 3 games so Arsenal's forwards will need to have a good day for the Gooners to get a result. Last season there were 8 goals in the 2 matches between these sides but they all came in the first fixture at Stamford Bridge where an RVP inspired Arsenal ran out 5-3 victors. The season before Arsenal won 3-1 but that was their first victory against Chelsea for over 3 encounters - seemingly always Didier Drogba inspired Chelsea as well. Neither side have lost so far this season and expect it to be tense with both sides wanted to avoid defeat first and foremost. For that reason, we're predicting a draw.
Prediction: Arsenal 1-1 Chelsea
Prediction: Arsenal 1-1 Chelsea
There promises to be a 'cracking' (Warnock, 2012) West Midlands derby at Villa Park on Sunday when Aston Villa take on West Brom. The home side have not had the best of starts to this season but will be buoyed (and also tired) by the extra time win over Man Citeh on Tuesday night. Encouragingly for Villa, their most potent attacking threats of last season (N'Zogbia, Bent and Agbonlahor) have all netted in the last week which fans will hope will have brought confidence flooding back. WBA have made an outstanding start to the league season, drawing plenty of plaudits with their positive attacking football and resilient defending that has seen them concede less goals than two of the three sides above them, including not at all at home. But they have found points on their travels more difficult to come by, picking up just one so far this year (in fairness, they've only had a possible four points, but they rolled over fairly easily at Fulham). They did, however, win 2-1 at Villa Park last season, their first win there for over thirty years, which will give them hope they can claim something here. Add to this the Paul Lambert footballing ethos and I'm expecting an open game here with a flurry of goals.
Prediction: Aston Villa 2-2 West Brom
In the Championship the pick of the week is Cardiff v Blackpool. Both sides suffered surprise defeats to Palace (away) and Huddersfield (home) respectively. Of the last 6 matches between these sides half of the games have ended in a draw but impressively Blackpool are unbeaten against Cardiff in their last 5 meetings. Obviously Blackpool also won the biggest fixture in May 2010 emerging 3-2 victors in the play-off final. Both teams have scored in the last 5 fixtures between these 2 teams so if you're a betting man that seems like a decent one (don't blame us when it inevitably doesn't come through though!). Cardiff have been impressive this season though and have won their last 3 home games in the Championship, so this is a tough one to call. However I'm expecting Tom Ince to run the show here and Cardiff to go missing in a big match yet again.
Prediction: Cardiff 1-2 Blackpool
Prediction: Cardiff 1-2 Blackpool
On to our teams then, and at 17:30 on Saturday Old Trafford plays host to Manchester United v Tottenham. United haven't really hit top gear this season yet but they sit in second place, encouragingly. It's well documented that United are unbeaten in their last 26 matches against Tottenham in all competitions and Spurs haven't won at Old Trafford since 1989. Worryingly all the signs point to a United victory - they've won 10 of their last 11 home league games and kept 6 clean sheets in their last 8 home league games. Runs will always come to an end, but given Spurs mediocre start to the season hopefully it will be a narrow win for the Reds.
Crewe face a difficult looking away trip to Stadium:MK, where the home side have only dropped two points so far this season. This has lead the club's PR machine to interview as many players as possible in a week and have them tell the club website how the team will be going to Buckinghamshire 'with no fear'. The Alex, who go into the match on a run of four consecutive draws, have also intriguingly recruited Andy Bond on loan this week from Colchester. Bond is former Railwayman that left the club seven years ago without ever having made an appearance for them!
It's a Brandenburg derby for FC Union Berlin this weekend as they welcome 2nd placed unbeaten rivals Energie Cottbus to Köpenick on Saturday lunchtime (12:00 GMT kick-off). Union will be looking to build on a mini-run of form that has seen them beat Köln followed by a decent away point at Aue on Wednesday night in a virtually unheard of midweek 2. Bundesliga game. They will, however, have been left pondering what might have been on Wednesday after leading 1:0 for much of the game, only to concede an own goal in the 83rd minute. That's the way things go when you're struggling down at the bottom! Ich drücke euch die daumen, Union.
Finally, Monday night football comes from Loftus Road as QPR take on West Ham under the lights. This has just got to be the game that we get the three points we so desperately crave. I don't care how we do it this time, just as long as we get the job done. I can't bear any alternative outcome! In all honesty, I am expecting a really tough game, I think it'll be frustrating at times because West Ham are a technically strong side that don't get the credit they deserve because they are instantly dismissed as a purely 'hoof ball' team - which, of course, is partly true, but their midfield are no mugs and they have players that can finish chances all over the park. I have little doubt they will score at least one. From a QPR perspective, I just hope that Zamora continues his scoring run and that Cisse rediscovers his! If that happens, I think we'll be OK here.
All in all, plenty to look forward to this weekend. Enjoy the football and look out for our review on Monday in which we'll no doubt have something to say about this evening's news of Steve Kean resigning at Blackburn. C will also have a match review from the Loft on Tuesday evening.
C&J
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