English Premier League: 10 Bold Predictions for Week 2
So round one of the English Premier League is in the books and the predictable and unpredictable has already occurred.
Nobody was surprised to see Manchester United and Chelsea register comfortable victories, with the likes of Giggs, Lampard and Drogba on the score sheet.
However, few would have predicted Blackpool to win its opener with a resounding 4-0 road victory, or Joe Cole to be sent off his debut.
Here, we look at week 2 in the EPL, and give a bold prediction for each game.
Marouane Chamakh To Score a Hat-Trick
1 of 10
We all know the common belief about the weaknesses of Arsenal. The Gunners are accused of being a pretty technical team, outstanding when things are going well but unable to mix it when the going gets rough.
The signing of Chamakh could help change that tide.
The powerful Morroccan hit man has physical presence and the ability to hold the ball up. For a team that has been accused of always trying to walk the ball in the net, the sight of Chamakh (sort of) scoring by bundling in a spawny equalizer will have been a joy to behold for Gunners fans.
If Chamakh can develop the ability to strike when things are not going too well, the Gunners will be a dangerous force.
Blackpool arrived to the Premier League in spectacular style, laying a beating on Wigan. However, a trip to the Emirates Stadium is a very different proposition. Expect Chamakh to give the Tangerine's nightmares and have a spectacular home debut.
PREDICTION: Arsenal 4, Blackpool 0
Bench Clearing Brawl at Birmingham Blackburn
2 of 10
While the title of this slide may not be easy to say out loud 10 times fast, the scenario is certainly not hard to imagine.
Many people think of the glamour Premier League ties at Old Trafford and Anfield when they think of big games. However, teams that are mid table or below tend to focus intensely on the games against teams around them.
While the likes of Birmingham and Blackburn will not be flustered by a loss at Old Trafford so much, to lose against each other can be very costly.
As such, expect an intense game here. Alex McLeish and Sam Allardyce have forged strong and disciplined teams who do not give an inch.
Expect this game to be heated, and tempers to spill over during the second half. Tough characters such as Christopher Samba, Lee Bowyer and David Dunn will likely be at the heart of any incident.
PREDICTION: Birmingham City 1, Blackburn Rovers 1
Toffees to Get Stuck
3 of 10
A home game against Wolves is one of the fixtures most top half teams will expect to win, however you can expect Everton to drop points here.
A rare Tim Howard blunder saw Everton lose on opening day to a Blackburn side that may have less talent, but were organized and hard working to a man. Everton will face a similar scenario here, and will struggle to break Wolves down.
The Toffees had an upswing from last season when Landon Donovan arrived, the pace and flair of the American forward added a sharp edge to the disciplined team. With Donovan gone, the Toffees are not as sharp edged.
Despite optimism from some fans, Jermain Beckford last season was a 26-year old forward playing in League One. It is unfair to expect him to replace Donovan, and provide regular goals.
Wolves opened their season with a 2-1 win over Stoke, a game that included a magnificent free kick goal by David Jones. Buoyed by the confidence of staying in the Premier League last year, Wolves will be a tough nut for Everton to crack.
PREDICTION: Everton 0, Wolves 0
No European Hangover for Tottenham at Stoke
4 of 10
The Champions League hangover is a staple of Premier League football. A midweek road game in Europe is physically gruelling due to the travel and extra game played, and the mental come down of returning to Premier League play sees upsets occur.
For years, the 'Big Four' have been beaten by lower teams following a Champions League fixture, and now Tottenham must run the European gauntlet. The Britannia stadium was tough place to visit last season, but do not expect Tottenham to falter here.
While fatigue is a very real thing, it does not rear its head in August, and Tottenham will put away a Stoke side who were beaten at Wolves on opening day. Cynical fans may suggest Tottenham are even less likely to be tired due to the fact they did not show up for the opening half-hour in the 3-2 defeat to Young Boys (insert inappropriate joke here).
Stoke's multi-million pound new boy Kenwyne Jones limped off on opening day, and Stoke are yet to prove they are a cohesive unit since the end of last season, which featured some heavy defeats and in fighting.
PREDICTION: Stoke 0, Tottenham Hotspur 2
Graham Dorrans To Arrive on The Premier League Scene
5 of 10
West Brom face a tough game against Sunderland, after being thoroughly battered by Chelsea on opening day. If they are to stand any chance of survival they must perform well in their home games, and they will show their ability against a quality Sunderland outfit.
Darren Bent will cause them plenty of problems, but what we did not see on opening day is that West Brom has a lot of talented attacking players in its ranks.
Dorrans is a creative force who will provide goals and assists throughout the season, beginning here.
Sunderland will not be at threat of relegation this season, and Bent will score his usual quota of goals. However, the bite in midfield of Lee Cattermole is crucial to their success, and a red card against Wolves will see him suspended here.
PREDICTION: West Brom 2, Sunderland 1
Frederic Piquionne Will Hammer Bolton
6 of 10
West Ham was abysmal on opening day, when they were comprehensively battered by Aston Villa. That would be considered a demoralizing start by some, but not for the Manager/Player duo of Avram Grant and Frederic Piquionne.
Despite the disappointment of defeat, the pair will have returned to work Monday in a stable environment and a steady pay check, something they could not rely on last season. Expect the Hammers to bounce back in their first home game against Bolton.
Piquionne started on the bench at Villa Park but will make an impact on this game. His performance in the face of adversity for Portsmouth, will be repeated in a more stable West Ham environment. His pace and finishing ability will be the difference in this game.
Bolton opened with a 0-0 draw at Fulham, showing its usual level of grit and determination. While classified as a long ball team, Bolton has played some entertaining football since the arrival of Owen Coyle.
The spring heeled Kevin Davies will give a poor Hammers back line a rough afternoon to make this an entertaining game.
PREDICTION: West Ham United 3, Bolton Wanderers 2
Chelsea to Have Scored Over 10 Goals In 2 Games
7 of 10
Ignore the "Chelsea are too old" nonsense spouted by armchair experts over the summer. Chelsea won its final three Premier League games of last season by a combined score of 17-0, not exactly the performance of a tired and aging squad.
Some poor results in preseason friendlies led to the bizarre belief that Chelsea had become too old and slow during a two month summer break. That theory looked to carry little weight on opening day as Chelsea slaughtered West Brom 6-0.
Look for a similar performance here as a rampant Blues team lays down its marker in the title race. A solid defence is combined with five or six players who are legitimate scoring threats, a frightening proposition.
Wigan looked a safe bet for mid-table safety in preseason. Roberto Martinez is a knowledgeable coach who aims to play good football. However, any confidence they had may have been sapped by a battering at the hands of Blackpool on Wigan's own turf. They will surely not be too confident of turning things around here.
PREDICTION: Wigan Athletic 0, Chelsea 5
Marc Albrighton To Score His First Premier League Goal
8 of 10
Albrighton is a dynamic and exciting young player who will make his mark this season. He capped off a lively performance against West Ham with an assist.
The fact that he teed up James Milner to score could be symbolic for Villa fans, as Albrighton may just be the man who will dull the pain of Milner's exit from the club.
Middlesbrough fans were disappointed to lose star winger Stewart Downing in 2009. The replacement was an exciting young academy winger named Adam Johnson, Albrighton could have a similar impact, and he will open his account against the Toon Army.
Newcastle will be in a relegation fight this year, but a defeat at Old Trafford will not have been too unexpected. Andy Carroll will provide physical presence up front and the Geordies should survive if they can win enough points at home.
PREDICTION: Newcastle United 1, Aston Villa 1
Wayne Rooney's Frustration to Continue
9 of 10
A lot is made of the mental state of Wayne Rooney, but it appears his physical state is far from its peak. Rooney spent the majority of last season being lauded as the best player in the world after an excellent run of form.
However, since being injured in March against Bayern Munich in March he has not scored for club or country. Rooney was hurried back and desperate to play in the World Cup, and now has not had a summer rest.
It was initially suggested that sir Alex Ferguson would rest Rooney for the start of the season, but that is clearly not the case. Rooney has started against Chelsea in the Community Shield, and against Newcastle.
United should beat Fullham, but Berbatov, Scholes and Valencia are more likely to feature on the score sheet than Rooney. It is unfair for fans to expect Rooney to return to the form that won him PFA Player of the Year without a significant rest, sadly, that may not come until he breaks down with injury again.
Fulham held Bolton to a 0-0 draw on opening day, and Mark Hughes will be looking to instill a fighting spirit in the team. They will not give United an easy time, but will struggle to get anything here.
PREDICTION: Fulham 1, Manchester United 2
Manchester City to Be Shut Down
10 of 10
The one thing all fans acknowledge is that Manchester City have attacking talent, but what are the odds they will be scoreless after their opening 2 games? It would have seemed a long shot before the season opened, but appears more fathomable now.
Roy Hodgson instilled a defensive discipline on a Fulham team that became tough to beat, he will look to do the same with Liverpool, a team with significantly more talent.
The opening weekend was a positive sign for the Reds, a tie with Arsenal came despite Liverpool being down to 10 men, and Daniel Agger playing the last 10 minutes looking so concussed he may not have known his own name.
Manchester City will play well this season but not here, expect their new signings to not quite gel yet and be held by the Scousers.
PREDICTION: Manchester City 0 Liverpool 0
.jpg?w=600 "Colts Release Kenny Moore")
