James’ Weeekly Football Preview #1

An exciting week ahead of us after the international break and our boredom are finally over.

Welcome to this first episode of a new weekly series where I will be previewing every top league, with a ‘Game of the Week’ being chosen and every team’s chances plus some predictions at the end. This week I will only be doing the Premier League, but from next week I will start with La Liga. Is there are any more leagues you would like me to cover please comment! Before we get into it, I ask you to subscribe and comment to share your opinion, and have a nice week and good luck to your team, unless you’re playing against one of mine!

GAME OF THE WEEK: CELTIC V ABERDEEN

Dons fans, this one is for you. For Aberdeen, this is the game of the season and it could go either way, just as last year Aberdeen would have got battered. Truth is, they have been a revelation under new manager Jimmy Thelin, and just as last year they had a particularly underwhelming year, this could see them finally end a 40-year wait for a title. Let’s not get too excited, after all Arsenal were in almost identical circumstances a couple of years ago, but they have won 13 on the trot and, just like Spain at the Euros, have been a TEAM, led by a manager who really knows what he’s doing. He’s been given a lump of players to work with, made his own additions to the team (and the right ones at that) and has transformed them from flops into flames. He is the one who deserves the most credit. He’s got everyone, most notably Kevin Nisbet, Nicky Devlin, Pape Gueye and new keeper Dimitar Mitov firing.

They’re currently level at the top with, YOU GUESSED IT, Celtic, who signed Kasper Schmeichel to replace Joe Hart and have also won all their games, but that isn’t too impressive because it’s the standard for them these days. Aberdeen will be looking to pounce on the mistakes that cost Celtic seven goals against Borussia Dortmund, but I still don’t think that they’re at their level yet.

They will go to Glasgow and put in a valiant effort, and Mitov will have to make a string of world class saves to keep them in it, but they will turn Celtic’s winning streak into an unbeaten streak, and Celtic will turn Aberdeen’s winning streak into an unbeaten streak. I don’t think Aberdeen have the firepower up top or will be able to get through Celtic’s defence.

My prediction: Celtic 0-0 Aberdeen

PREMIER LEAGUE

Last week saw a 35-year-old Jonny Evans outclass Ollie Watkins, a 23-year-old captain Bukayo Saka be absolutely brilliant again for Arsenal, Brentford score ANOTHER early goal (watch out Man United), Pickford save a penalty (how is that guy still at Everton?), Ward-Prowse sent off in a mad game which saw Forest take a point off Chelsea, Spurs perform what would be the capitulation of the season if Everton didn’t exist, and Liverpool stay top of the league with just 2 goals conceded in 7 games. Incredible stuff.

Predictions:

Spurs 1-2 West Ham

This is just the sort of game that West Ham always somehow find a way to win. Füllkrug will probably score.

Ipswich 1-1 Everton

Ipswich will have probably gone into the season with the ‘every point counts’ mentality, but now they’ll probably be getting bored of drawing and will be looking to get their first Premier League win out of this one. Liam Delap was great against Villa but West Ham was just too much for them. Both sides have struggled to get results. Nonetheless, another draw for both sides.

Man United 1-1 Brentford

As a Man United fan, this one scares me. Brentford have given us hard times recently, and are on fire at the moment even without Ivan Toney and with all their injuries. But Thomas Frank knew it was best to get a profit out of the 30-year-old striker, and this has allowed his team to play more freely with players sort of playing in abstract positions. Tactically they are a menace. Man United have proven they just can’t get it done, and they lack a world class number 9. They will either concede a late goal or score a late goal to salvage a point.

Fulham 1-3 Aston Villa

Villa have started the season just as well as they did the last. Recent setbacks include points dropped against the likes of Ipswich and Man United, but that won’t damage their confidence. Emery had got himself the right group of players and they are a solid bunch.

Newcastle 2-2 Brighton

This one is big, two teams with recent mixed fortunes. Brighton have started the Fabian Hurzeler era really well and Mitoma looks like he’s back, but beating Newcastle is still going to be a tough ask. The Magpies still couldn’t beat a resilient Everton side, however Anthony Gordon is their main man now and will be looking to strengthen his claim to start for England. Brighton have been clicking though, van Hecke, Hinshelwood, Minteh and others have all been brilliant and the team looks in place. This one is going to be close.

Southampton 0-2 Leicester

Southampton haven’t got it, whatever IT is, and currently it appears this Southampton side might be even worse then that 2022-23 rock-bottom Southampton. They are a yo-yo team at the moment, and don’t have the quality they had the past decade. Leicester will find a way to get the three points, probably through Mavididi or Vardy.

Bournemouth 0-2 Arsenal

Bukayo Saka out is a huge blow for the Gunners, but, as we have already seen this season, Arsenal’s approach to big injuries is ‘we don’t care’. They always find a way, and either this one will be close or Bournemouth will get obliterated. Probably the former.

Wolves 0-3 Man City

Not much to say, is there? Haaland will probably break his two-match goalscoring drought at Molineux, who have had a terrible start. That veteran midfield of De Bruyne, Kovacic and Gundogan are going to give Wolves a hard time. Big game for the likes of Savinho and Doku as well.

Liverpool 3-2 Chelsea

This is the pick of the week. I quite like Arne Slot’s decision to start Gravenberch, as I felt he was being wasted by Klopp. Huge credit to Enzo Maresca for how he’s managed his Chelsea side at the moment, and they are most devastating on the wings, with Neto, Madueke, Sancho, Nkunku… Liverpool will come out on top though.

Forest 1-2 Crystal Palace

Honestly, if Palace don’t win this one they will put themselves into a sticky situation. Their fans are supposed to be patient, but, with all those new signings they’ve made (yes in my opinion they have had the best transfer window in the league), they’re demanding results. They weren’t great against United and had to rely on Dean Henderson to keep them in it, and Eddie Nketiah hasn’t enjoyed the start he would have wanted. Nonetheless, I expect them to scrape through Forest.