Two out of form clubs meet at the Reebok tonight but Chelsea at least have history in their favour. The Londoners are unbeaten in Bolton for over 13 years and also won the reverse fixture 1 - 0 in December. However Chelsea have won only 2 from their last 10 and are vulnerable and again missing Picklive star Frank Lampard. Bolton haven't won in 2011 and are a pretty poor Picklive team to boot. Could the new scoring system or new signing David Wheater give them a lift?
Monday, 24 January 2011
Saturday, 22 January 2011
Wolves v Liverpool
Wolves are unbeaten in 6 home games against Liverpool, have won 4 of their last 8 league games and are coming into this game off a comfortable 5-0 win over Doncaster in the FA Cup. Liverpool on the other hand have an atrocious away record, picking up just 5 points on the road, and are struggling to convert the Dalglish hype into results.
Tuesday, 18 January 2011
New Year. New Scores.
We've had 6 matches since the new scoring system was introduced and we're beginning to see the effects.
The first match was in the FA Cup, Arsenal at home to Leeds, and the highest 5 scorers were Arshavin, Eboue, Bendtner, Gibbs and Fabregas - which, barn-door Bendtner apart, wouldn't have been far off a strong Big Game before the changes. Fabregas sneaked into the top 5 with a goal but the next two, Denilson and Leeds keeper Schmeichel, were also unsurprising. Perhaps the biggest lesson learned from this first game under the new regime was that even woefully out of form players like Arshavin and Bendtner are worth a sniff as you still get 5 points if a shot hits the corner flag.
<continued after the jump>
The first match was in the FA Cup, Arsenal at home to Leeds, and the highest 5 scorers were Arshavin, Eboue, Bendtner, Gibbs and Fabregas - which, barn-door Bendtner apart, wouldn't have been far off a strong Big Game before the changes. Fabregas sneaked into the top 5 with a goal but the next two, Denilson and Leeds keeper Schmeichel, were also unsurprising. Perhaps the biggest lesson learned from this first game under the new regime was that even woefully out of form players like Arshavin and Bendtner are worth a sniff as you still get 5 points if a shot hits the corner flag.
<continued after the jump>
Sunday, 2 January 2011
Chelsea-Villa stats
- Villa have won only one of their last six against Chelsea - a 2-1 home win last season
- Chelsea won this fixture 7-1 last season - Villa's biggest PL defeat at the time (they also lost 6-0 at Newcastle since then).
- Villa have won none of their last 8 at Stamford Bridge and lost six of them.
- Lampard has scored 9 goals against Villa - more than against any other opponent in the PL
- The Villans have lost five of their last six away matches. They have only scored one goal in their last five league away matches.
- After scoring 27 goals in their opening 10 matches, Chelsea have only scored six in their last nine.
- The Blues have not scored more than once in the league since October.
- Chelsea begin the New Year in 4th place - their lowest position on January 1 in nine years since they were sixth in the table on New Year’s Day 2002.
- Chelsea have conceded only 4 goals at home this season - fewest in the division.
- Villa begin the New Year in 15th place in the division – their lowest position in the PL on January 1 in 16 years since they were in 20th place on New Year’s Day 1995.
- Villa are without a clean sheet in their last nine PL matches, conceding 14 goals in their last five.
- They have picked up four away points this season – equal-fewest away points in the division with Wolves.
Monday, 27 December 2010
Arsenal-Chelsea stats
- Drogba has scored 13 goals in 13 matches (all competitions) against Arsenal including 10 in his last 7 and five in the last three PL matches.
- Arsenal have won only 2 of their last 18 (all competitions) against Chelsea
- Arsenal have already dropped 9 points at home this season. No team has won the PL that has dropped more than 10 points since Arsenal in 2001-02
- Gunners have kept just one clean sheet in their last 7 PL home matches.
- Samir Nasri has scored 7 in his last 7 PL matches at The Emirates.
- Chelsea have won the last four PL matches against Arsenal keeping a clean sheet in the last three. If Arsenal lose it will be the first time in PL history they have lost 5 consecutive against another club.
- Arsenal have lost their last six PL matches against both Chelsea and Man Utd - and not won in their last 11 against them (all competitions)
Merry Christmas!
Ok, a couple of days late but sleigh ho.....
We're taking a short winter break at FC Roger but will be back in the new year - see you then!
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We're taking a short winter break at FC Roger but will be back in the new year - see you then!
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Monday, 20 December 2010
Man City v Everton
As mentioned before there may be a lack of goals tonight as Man City home matches only average 1.62 goals and Everton away matches just 2. Much could rest on whether transfer yo-yo Carlos Tevez plays or not. The Argentine now seems to love the club again so the stage is set for a barnstorming, goalscoring performance and the City faithful clutching him to their bosom again. Or maybe a bore draw and the little scamp gets himself sent off.- got to be one of the two?
Man City's terrible goalscoring record at home seems to show up in the Picklive points averages for their players. Kompany (56), Barry (59), the Toure boys (Kolo 55, Yaya 54) and De Jong (55) all have defend, destroy or dullness hardwired although that may be slightly harsh on Yaya on recent form. Barry and Yaya are (understandably) the only ones of those 5 that have a goal or assist to their name in Picklive this season so I'm recommending picking both if they start tonight. De Jong is suspended, even though he's not been booked in a Picklive match so far this season (don't the FA take this into account?), so he can be ruled out.
Tevez has an average of 47 which is a healthy amount for a striker. He's posted a 50+ in 6 of his 9 Picklive appearances this season and scored a brace 3 times. Perhaps it's the Christmas cheer or possibly my absolute desperation for some goals after the Real game last night but I'll be including Tevez tonight if he starts. If I end up picking 4 or more from City I'll then balance my optimism/desperation with a centre-back. I will probably resist my man-crush on David Silva (41) who I think has a huge score in him at some point soon and pick someone like Kolorov (62 last time out) who I think is a Picklive legend in the making (i.e. full-back and likes to bomb forward - a thinking man's Glen Johnson?).
As for Everton, they fluctuate wildly in their contributions to the Big Game, having had 3, 1, 1, 1, 3 & 4 men in the top 5 this season. They have players with huge averages including Arteta (87!!!), Baines (64), Fellaini (63) and Pienaar (58) but their talisman Arteta is suspended and Pienaar is struggling with a groin strain. So Fellaini and Baines may be the way to go although I fancy a centre back to do well and Jagielka (56) and Distin (52) both have decent averages.
My team (picked before the lineups are announced...): Yaya, Barry, Tevez, Kolorov and Jagielka.
Good luck!
by BensBulls
(Ben Wraith)
Man City's terrible goalscoring record at home seems to show up in the Picklive points averages for their players. Kompany (56), Barry (59), the Toure boys (Kolo 55, Yaya 54) and De Jong (55) all have defend, destroy or dullness hardwired although that may be slightly harsh on Yaya on recent form. Barry and Yaya are (understandably) the only ones of those 5 that have a goal or assist to their name in Picklive this season so I'm recommending picking both if they start tonight. De Jong is suspended, even though he's not been booked in a Picklive match so far this season (don't the FA take this into account?), so he can be ruled out.
Tevez has an average of 47 which is a healthy amount for a striker. He's posted a 50+ in 6 of his 9 Picklive appearances this season and scored a brace 3 times. Perhaps it's the Christmas cheer or possibly my absolute desperation for some goals after the Real game last night but I'll be including Tevez tonight if he starts. If I end up picking 4 or more from City I'll then balance my optimism/desperation with a centre-back. I will probably resist my man-crush on David Silva (41) who I think has a huge score in him at some point soon and pick someone like Kolorov (62 last time out) who I think is a Picklive legend in the making (i.e. full-back and likes to bomb forward - a thinking man's Glen Johnson?).
As for Everton, they fluctuate wildly in their contributions to the Big Game, having had 3, 1, 1, 1, 3 & 4 men in the top 5 this season. They have players with huge averages including Arteta (87!!!), Baines (64), Fellaini (63) and Pienaar (58) but their talisman Arteta is suspended and Pienaar is struggling with a groin strain. So Fellaini and Baines may be the way to go although I fancy a centre back to do well and Jagielka (56) and Distin (52) both have decent averages.
My team (picked before the lineups are announced...): Yaya, Barry, Tevez, Kolorov and Jagielka.
Good luck!
by BensBulls
(Ben Wraith)
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