[prinze]

BARCLAYS PREMIERSHIP PREVIEW – from official site
SUNDERLAND v EVERTON: PREVIEW
Everton manager David Moyes is desperate for his team to emerge from their slump of four consecutive Barclays Premiership defeats when they take on The Toffees travel to the Stadium of Light in 17th place in the table, the latest disappointment coming in a 3-1 home derby defeat to Sunderland. Toffes for victory 4/10

MANCHESTER UNITED v BOLTON WANDERERS: PREVIEW
Manchester United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy is glad the home match againstBolton Wanderers has come so soon after the disappointment of being held at TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR v NEWCASTLE UNITED: PREVIEWTottenham Hotspur midfielder Michael Carrick is appealing to his team-mates to get back into a winning groove against Newcastle United after the shock 2-0 loss at West Bromwich Albion. “You get that belief and winning feeling and it is something we want to get back to,” said Carrick. “We are disappointed but you have got to move on. “We have got a lot of points on the board already, it is a defeat, but we will not get too worried or let it get us down.” The postponement of Newcastle’s midweek home game against Charlton Athletic should ensure Graeme Souness has a squad of freshened players to select from, and the Scot is hoping to have better fortune on the injury front in the second half of the campaign. He said: “We have not had anything like our strongest players out on the pitch on a regular basis; I’m hoping we will get that in the second half of the season.
“No matter where we are come the first week of January, if we can get our players fit, in the second half of the season I would be confident that we would have a really good end to the season.Difficult game to predict – No Bet

CHELSEA v BIRMINGHAM CITY
Chelsea’s Eidur Gudjohnsen is looking forward to facing BirminghamCity at StamfordBridge with one eye on his future. The Iceland forward said: “I would love to finish my career here. “If not then maybe playing in the top league in Iceland. But things change very quickly in football.” Chelsea have a second consecutive Barclays Premiership title as a target, but for Birmingham the second half of the season will be all about survival and boss Steve Bruce is up for the fight. “We can’t hide from our current situation. I have been here just over four years and the last 12 weeks or so have been agony,” he said. “I have never in all of my life ducked a challenge or ducked an issue. I am certainly not going to duck this one at Birmingham.”
LIVERPOOL v WEST BROMWICH ALBION: PREVIEW
Steven Gerrard has put his goalscoring exploits for Liverpool this season down to the fact he has avoided injury. The England midfielder has struck 14 times in 28 matches for the Reds, including four in his last eight league games, and will look to add to that tally against West Bromwich Albion. The 25-year-old said: “I have been very happy with my form this season since day one. The important thing is that I have remained injury free, touch wood, this season. “When I do that I am able to train hard and regularly and that is when I think I get the best out of myself. “I feel I have performed with much better consistency this season than I was able to do last term.”
West Brom captain Neil Clement has cited team spirit as the reason the Baggies should stay up. Clement said: “We have a better squad, a better group of players, a great team spirit - the best since I have been here - and it’s paying off.”
The Reds are a different team now in the Premeirship will go for Reds Win – 5/10

ASTON VILLA v ARSENAL: PREVIEW
Midfielder James Milner hopes to help make Villa Park “the sort of place that people hate coming to” as Aston Villa seek to build on their big win against Everton when they entertain Arsenal. Milner said: “We do need to try to turn Villa Park back into the sort of place that people hate coming to. I know that from experience in previous years it is not a nice place to come.” VILLA TAKEOVER TALKS ONGOING Arsene Wenger is confident he has enough quality on standby if midfielder Gilberto is ruled out by a groin injury. He would be likely to field Mathieu Flamini alongside Spaniard Cesc Fabregas, and said of his fellow Frenchman Flamini: “He is one of the players who is improving very well but people forget he is only 21 and to play central midfield at that age at this level is very difficult. Mathieu has a huge desire and is very dynamic.”
With Villa takeover talks going on I think its better to wait N see – No Bet

PORTSMOUTH v FULHAM: PREVIEW
Portsmouth midfielder Gary O’Neil believes the home clash with Fulham will prove a significant fixture in the race for Barclays Premiership survival after their 4-0 hammering by Arsenal. “Of course it would have been superb to get something at Arsenal but the Fulham game is the key,” said O’Neil. “It is all about beating Fulham.”
Fulham boss Chris Coleman believes his side must tighten up at the back if they are to end their wretched away form at FrattonPark. “I have been disappointed on our travels, not so much on our performance but in the results,” he said. “We have been leading four times when we have been playing better than the opposition but given it up. That’s something we have talk about and we need to address.” Fulham has been so-so recently Small Bet 3/10

CHARLTON ATHLETIC v WEST HAM UNITED: PREVIEW
Charlton Athletic have an early opportunity to get over their home defeat by Arsenal when they face West Ham United at The Valley and manager Alan Curbishley is relishing facing his former club. Curbishley said: “I think the Premiership needs West Ham. “It is a game which as soon as the fixtures came out, I was looking forward to, because I am a West Ham boy.” West Ham boss Alan Pardew, a former Charlton player, insists his players cannot afford to relax in any of their fixtures. “The important thing for us to accept is our players cannot play at 90 per cent, for whatever reason,” he said. “If we come off that pedal one iota, then we are not good enough. “We all know that we have to be 100 per cent at Charlton to get anything out of that game.” Total Goals Over – 4/10

WIGAN ATHLETIC v BLACKBURN ROVERS: PREVIEW
Wigan Athletic head into the derby with Blackburn Rovers back on track and up to fifth after a five-game losing streak, with strikers Jason Roberts and Henri Camara having scored 10 goals between them in a run of four straight wins. Midfielder Graham Kavanagh said: “We compete all over the park, and we get the ball into areas where Henri and Jason can cause damage. “People talk about teams having character and we certainly have that in abundance.”
Blackburn manager Mark Hughes wants his side to start stringing wins together after beating Middlesbrough on Boxing Day. “We are playing well at the moment,” said Hughes. “We are a good side and we are starting to convert our chances. If we play well, we have a good opportunity of getting back-to-back wins.” Total Goal – Over 3/10

MIDDLESBROUGH v MANCHESTER CITY: PREVIEW
Middlesbrough boss Steve McClaren is demanding his side cut out “individual errors” against Manchester City to end their poor series of domestic results. “Against Tottenham earlier this month, 95 per cent of our play was excellent and we conceded three goals from individual errors,” said McClaren. “We have to make sure we guard against that because, if we do that, we will start collecting points and we will start winning football matches instead of drawing or just losing.” Claudio Reyna is ruled out with a broken ankle for City, so Sun Jihai is again likely to partner Joey Barton in midfield, a combination who worked so hard without gaining any reward in Wednesday’s 1-0 defeat to Chelsea. “In any walk of life, if you put that much effort into your job and don’t get anything for it, it is very disappointing,” said City boss Stuart Pearce. “Joey was excellent, as was Sun Jihai. As a manager they have given me a lift and now it is my job to lift their heads off the floor. “If they play with the same endeavour and work-rate, we will get something at Middlesbrough.” ---- No Bet
Cheers for a Fruitful Year 2006 :drums

[Beanie]

I moved your thread in here prinze to keep things tidy and so more folks would see it.

Anyway happy new year mate

[prinze]

Ya thanks a lot i was thus about to message for d thread to b moved. Happy New Year to you too.

[MickeyPaul]

Super stuff, Prinze. Thanks.

[GETT1NLOTS]

Two sides I hate backing against in this division are Blackburn and Bolton because they are tough physical outfits that can give any of the 'better' teams a good game. I especially think that this is true when the temperature drops and the players have to be the kind that are 'up for it' to perform on hard pitches in the freezing cold.

Man Utd and Wigan at home to both of these sides would hope / expect to win but no one can see much value in the odds (especially Man Utd's). I might go for a minimum stakes lay on both home sides as I think there is a bit of value in that bet.