This article tries to answer the question ‘What the fans are saying’ for the Gameweek ahead by delving into their forums and unearthing their predictions of how the games will be played.
Fans Predictions
Man City fans are not happy with their performance against Newcastle and they question whether the players will be up for the game against Stoke, due to their Champions League semi-final clash with Real Madrid next week. Stoke have conceded eight in the last two so they demand a hammering from their players. David Silva looks set to return after an injury lay off and they think their other main players, most notably Sergio Aguero and Kevin DeBruyne, will play, but they want them to be taken off at 60 minutes if needs be. The poor performance against Newcastle could’ve been down to being tired. They also note that Stoke players look to be already thumbing through the holiday brochures.
Stoke fans think Mark Hughes might go defensive, but others question his chopping and changing as the cause of their problems. It’s a new team every week so they don’t know who will be playing especially up front. They also say their players are in holiday mode and expect them to be thrashed again with most predicting 4-0. They also say Stoke don’t have a Plan B tactically if it starts going wrong, and don’t think much of Hughes’ defensive strategies. Despite their Champions League exertions Stoke fans expect Man City to play a full strength side.
Aston Villa fans expect to be beaten again and quite heavily by Southampton. There will be a militant edge to the game and lots of booing but most fans will be making the most of it. The pressure is off and they wonder if this will mean that Villa will magically win four in a row just to annoy their supporters. But realistically they assume it would be 0-3.
Southampton fans think Villa struggle with pace at home and so they hope for quick players up front. They want Jay Rodriguez to get a game to build his fitness. Other than that they want the same team and a heavy win, especially because the Villa crowd will be against their own side. Some Saints fans also still think have a tiny chance of getting into Europe. It is widely expected by the fans that Southampton will probably keep their 4-4-2/4-2-4 formation.
Bournemouth fans think they should look out for Diego Costa when they face Chelsea. Unsurprisingly their predictions for this game involve a lot of goals, with some believing a 3-3 draw could be on the cards. Not a single Cherries fan is predicting a cleansheet.
Chelsea fans are unhappy with their players; they don’t care and don’t try. They should be beating teams like Bournemouth easily but they aren’t very confident. Some still think they can win this game.
Liverpool fans will enjoy greeting their former manager Rafa Benitez and expect a full strength team will turn up, with perhaps the odd benching, in what should be an easy win. However, there are some concerns that Newcastle’s midfield might overpower Liverpool’s as the Magpies continue their upturn of form as they bid to stay in the Premier League.
Newcastle fans want Vernon Anita to play instead of Darryl Janmaat. They also demand Aleksander Mitrovic plays up front as he should cause the Liverpool defence a lot of problems. Most aren’t confident of a win but are hoping for the best.
Sunderland fans have created a thread to predict the Newcastle game. They are unconvinced their side will beat Arsenal so are hoping their arch rivals slip up against Liverpool. Black Cats fans believe the key to beating Arsenal will be a good start. But if Arsenal take the advantage quickly Sunderland fans fear a battering.
Arsenal fans still want Alex Iwobi to start even though Santi Cazorla and Aaron Ramsey could be available. They have posted very little chat about the Sunderland game.
Leicester fans think Leonardo Ulloa will have a great game against Swansea. They say if Newcastle can beat them 3-0, then hopefully Leicester can. But Foxes’ fans don’t want Ulloa and Shinji Okazaki to play up front together, instead they see Riyad Mahrez as a better fit to play behind the Argentine striker. Some also think that Jeffrey Schlupp on the wing would also suit Ulloa’s style of play. They also point out that Swansea are terrible at defending setpieces so players like Ulloa, Robert Huth and Wes Morgan are expected to have plenty of chances to score.
Swansea fans think Riyad Mahrez is out of form and there’s no better chance to cause an upset. They hope their manager Francesco Guidolin can mastermind a win.
Spurs fans don’t care about the scoreline, they just want a win, which they are adamant they will get. Some expect this to be a difficult game for them, whilst others believe a big win for Spurs is the more likely scenario. West Brom are making so many mistakes it should be an easy game for Spurs. They also say that Spurs fans are normally nervous before games, but this time they aren’t, as they look to usurp Leicester at the top of the table by the end of the season.
West Brom haven’t commented on next Monday’s Spurs clash because of their game against Arsenal last night. Could their players also be unprepared for?
Score Predictions
Man City 4-0 Stoke
Aston Villa 1-3 Southampton
Bournemouth 2-2 Chelsea
Liverpool 2-1 Newcastle
Sunderland 1-2 Arsenal
Leicester 2-0 Swansea
Spurs 3-0 West Brom
Conclusion
The big teams should win and most of the favourites should prevail. The only game which is unpredictable is the Bournemouth – Chelsea game.
Who to captain? Aguero looks the key man. Man City might want revenge for earlier in the season when Stoke humbled them and they will be full of adrenaline before their semi-final. Sanchez is a good idea because it sounds like Sunderland will attack but Arsenal could be tired. West Brom concede mainly to midfielders because they are so susceptible to the flanks and long shots, so I’d be careful with Kane. Although his red hot form could ensure he does well. Dele Alli is the dark horse for the captaincy.
8 years, 15 days ago
thanks. I'll do some digging on WBA v strikers away I think after reading this. I know Kane struggled against them away - but that may have been due to the Dembeleless effect. Kane still looks on paper the best captaincy pick I think.