Arsenal Season Review

That was the season that was and what a very strange season it turned out to be. Arsenal finished in the top four as always although they did somehow manage to sneak into second place in hilarious circumstances on the final day. That was the cause for celebrations as it was so unexpected and it meant they finished ahead of Spurs for the 20th season in a row under Arsene Wenger.

On the face of it second place isn't a bad thing and it's something I probably would have settled for once the transfer window closed at the start of the season. Arsenal brought Petr Cech in early on to finally add a top class keeper to the team and we all waited for the other players the team needed to arrive. I'm still not sure why it didn't happen, but Arsenal were the only team in the Premier League not to buy an outfield player last summer. 

The team had clinched the FA Cup for the second season in a row the previous May and had finished their league campaign very strongly too. It was the perfect time to strengthen the squad and build for the future, but the chance was passed up. The transfer window had barely closed when we were told Damny Welbeck had suffered a setback and would be out until the new year and the folly of our inaction looked set to haunt us right away.

Despite losing at home to West Ham on the opening day Arsenal still managed to start the season quite well and keep pace with the early leaders. As the league season progressed the other so called big teams started falling by the wayside and the way was seemingly clear for Arsenal to win their first title in 12 years. At the turn of the year they were right up there and they just had to keep their nerve to win the league or so it seemed.

I hoped that some of the injured players would return to strengthen the squad at that point and that the club could do some business in the January transfer window too. Despite their great league position they hadn't being playing well and they were finding goals hard to come by. Olivier Giroud was getting his fair share of goals at that stage of the season, but the team was crying out for a better striker to finish the chances Mesut Ozil was making game after game. Ozil was on course to break the record for the most Premier League assists in a season at that point too, but he was creating far more chances than his team mates were putting away. 

The poor performances were the norm in the league, but the points at least kept coming in. It was a different matter when it came to the Champions League with a loss in Belgrade and at home to Olympiacos to start the group and the team only scraping through after managing a 3-0 win away to Olympiacos in the last group game. They did win at home to Bayern Munich of course, but the 5-1 defeat in the return game was hardly inspiring. It was always going to be hard to win a group with Bayern in it and Arsenal's reward for coming second in the group was a last 16 tie with Barcelona. 

The team were still well in the hunt in the league when Alexis Sanchez returned from injury, but his form when he came back wasn't his best to say the least. At the same time more or less the goals dried up for Giroud and suddenly the points were a lot harder to come by. As Leucester put together a run of victories Arsenal struggled in virtually every game they played.

Arsenal had a very good record away from home before the turn of the year, but their away games in the new year were an awful lot tougher. After winning away to Villa in mid December they only won two of their next 10 away games and only took 12 points in those games. It's no coincidence that their away games in the second half of the season were much tougher than those in the first half.

Arsenal had a great record against the rest of the top four by the time the season ended with 12 points from six games against Leicester, Spurs and City. Winning that mini league stands for nothing though if you can't beat the rest of the teams in the top half of the table. Arsenal's record against the rest of the top 10 was nothing short of abysmal though and that was where their real problem lay for me.

In those 12 games they managed only 11 points and that's simply not enough for any team to win the league. They didn't manage a win against Southampton, West Ham, Liverpool or Chelsea and they failed to score in seven of those 12 games. The question for me is if they could be so good against the rest of the top four then why could they not perform against the rest of the top 10.

Was it a question of not taking the opposition seriously enough in those games while giving their all against the rest of the top four. Did the manager prepare the team properly for those games and send them out there ready for the challenges those games posed. It's impossible to tell what went wrong, but I have no doubt those games were a major factor in Arsenal not winning the league.

If I had to put my finger on what I think was the biggest factor of all was I would say it was the failure to sign a striker last summer. With the rest of the big clubs all struggling this season Arsenal could have overcome the deficiencies in their squad by signing the striker the team needed last summer. I have no doubt an extra 10 or 15 goals would have been enough to win the league and with the chances Arsenal created that would have been possible with the right striker.

The team might have gone through the last 10 games of the season unbeaten, but it wasn't enough to catch Leicester. The damage done before those games might have been undone if they won all 10 games, but even then they would have only matched Leicester's 81 point tally. The real positive to that end to the season was overtaking Spurs to finish second and celebrating St. Totteringham's Day yet again.

In the cold light of day that's not enough though and it's impossible to believe Arsenal didn't blow their best chance to win the league in 12 years. For me the blame lays squarely with the manager, but he won't pay the price as the club seem more than happy with him. He's going to be in charge next season and we just have to hope he can not only bring in the players the squad needs, but also inspire those players to play well enough to compete at the top next season.

Of course Arsenal have no right to win the league and many other fans would be more than happy to see their team do as well as Arsenal. Maybe it's all a matter of perspective, but the way I see it Arsenal should have won the league and the reasons for them not doing so were all self inflicted. Leicester were certainly worthy winners of the league, but from the position Arsenal were in they should have amassed more than the 81 points which were enough to see Leicester win with 10 points to spare.

The signs for next season are encouraging with Granit Xhaka already looking like he's on the way and others set to follow too. The team will have to do an awful lot better if they're going to challenge next season though with United, City, Chelsea and Liverpool all looking to improve vastly on their poor seasons too. I can see next season being very tight and five or six clubs genuinely challenging for the title and I hope Arsenal will be one of them.

It won't be easy going into it as runners up in the league though when you consider we finished above all of the so called big clubs. To have finally managed to have finished above all of them and still missed out on the league is incredibly frustrating from a fan's perspective. It will be much harder to keep them all behind us again next season and it's impossible to see the season just gone as anything other than a failure as a result.

That's it for today.

See you tomorrow.

Arsenal v Aston Villa Preview

A very disappointing season comes to an end for Arsenal today when they play at home to Aston Villa. It's been a season of what could have been and probably what should have been too, but ultimately it delivered nothing. At the turn of the year the league was there to be won, but all the old failings came back to haunt us in a far too familiar fashion.

There's still something to play for today of course with the possibility of finishing anywhere from second to fourth place still up for grabs. To finish second Arsenal need to win and Spurs need to lose at already relegated Newcastle which I just can't see happening. As long as we don't lose we will finish above City in third and qualify directly for the group stages of next season's Champions League.

On the face of it a home game against one of the worst teams the Premier League has seen in a long time is the ideal way to finish the season. In past years I would have been very confident of Arsenal handing out a thrashing to a Villa team who's only away win was on the opening day of the season and have only managed 17 points in their 37 games to date. Even with nothing really at stake, Arsenal should be looking for a very comfortable victory today.

The fans will get to say goodbye to a few players who won't be around next season, but we don't know if Mikel Arteta, Tomas Rosicky or Mathieu Flamini will get to play a part in proceedings today. Arteta came in at a time when we were really struggling and helped to steady the ship when it looked we were on our way out of the elite. He's the club captain and by all accounts a great influence in the dressing room and it will be sad to see him go, but he's been past his best for quite a while and injuries have curtailed his chances and performances.

Rosicky promised so much when he joined 10 years ago, but we never got the best out of him as he struggled from one injury to another. He's a very talented footballer and he could have been a huge part of the team during his time with us, but it wasn't to be. Players of his ability who stay at a club for as long as he did usually become legends, but his continued absences will mean he will be fondly remembered even if he fits into the "what could have been" category.

Flamini is a curious case who came back to train with us a couple of years ago when he had no club and we ended up offering him a contract. I would be with those who saw it as a backward step, but he did become a cult figure at the club. That doesn't mean he was good enough though, but he did at least beat Spurs almost single handedly in the Capital One Cup this season.

I'm not so sure we'll get to see those three play a part today because the game still has some meaning and none of them are anywhere near the team at the moment. I would imagine we'll see the strongest team possible play today as they look to finish the season on a high and put any pressure they can on Spurs. I would be surprised if the team differed too much from the one which drew at City last week and surely a strong Arsenal team has to be too good for a poor Villa team.

Villa drew 0-0 at home to Newcastle last week and it was the first point they managed in 12 games. After just avoiding relegation last summer they sold their best two players and replaced them with inferior players. Their fate this season comes as no surprise and they have been far and away the worst team in the league this season.

Second place might be out of Arsenal's hands, but they have to give it their all in an attempt to manage their highest league position in 11 years. There is still a possibility of Newcastle beating a Spurs team who have faded badly in the last few weeks. Newcastle may have been relegated already, but they have done relatively well at home this season and they will hopefully want to see their fans off on any high they can manage before playing in the Championship next season. 

In Arsene Wenger's 20 seasons at the club we have always finished ahead of Spurs despite them coming very close to catching us a couple of times. It looked like a done deal in their favour in 2006 until a dodgy lasagne put paid to their hopes and hopefully they have a similar dish on their menu today. Anything that can give Arsenal, or Newcastle for that matter, an edge will do very nicely indeed.

Looking back in a few years a second place finish and finishing above Spurs yet again will possibly be seen as some sort of improvement, but this season has been a huge failure for me. I'll deal what that more in my season review which will come in the next few days, but the biggest issue for me has been the lack of goals after failing to sign a striker last summer. When you see the seasons Gonzalo Higuain, Luis Suarez and to a lesser extent Javier Hernandez have all had it's so infuriating to know how we possibly could have had any of them in recent history. 

Olivier Giroud has been on a terrible run since January, but the manager has persevered with him in recent weeks and he has finally brought some goals and assists to his game. It would be just like him to play his best game of the season today and for the manager to tell us we don't need a striker after a performance like that. 

I can't imagine anything other than a compressive Arsenal win today and I think Villa will fold once they let in the first goal. The sooner we get that first goal the better and if we go ahead with Spurs drawing or losing it will put some pressure on them. We're playing for crumbs I know, but those crumbs would offer us some comfort at least. I don't think Spurs will lose, but we at least have to play as if we think they will.

That's it for today.

See you tomorrow.

Predictions For Premier League Gameweek 38

It's that time of the week again when I attempt to predict the outcomes of the upcoming Premier League games. I didn't do too well last week with only two perfect outcomes, five correct outcomes and seven incorrect. I managed to increase my lead at the top of my predictions league though as others struggled too and it looks like I have it wrapped up barring a complete disaster this week as you can see from the table below.

Badges	This Week	PTS
1 (1)	Michael Sheehy	4	+35	1405
2 (2)	Wayne Hubbard	5	-10	1105
3 (3)	sensisoccerworld	3	+70	1070
4 (4)	Rutland Gooner	6	+55	1030
5 (5)	samoz	8	+95	1015

Sunday May 15

All Games Kick Off At 3pm BST

Arsenal v Aston Villa

Emirstes Stadium, London

Arsenal drew 2-2 away to City last week and they're guaranteed a top four finish before this game. Only City and Leicester have won more home games than Arsenal and only United have conceded less goals at home. They are unbeaten in nine games and have five clean sheets in those games, but the five draws in those games have cost them any chance of winning the title.

Alexis Sanchez is the Arsenal player most likely to perform for fantasy managers with all of their defenders looking pretty good too.

Villa managed a 0-0 draw at home to Newcastle last week to at least end a run of 11 consecutive defeats. They have only won once in their 18 away games and that was on the opening day of the season and only Newcastle have scored less away goals. That point last week was their first one in 12 games and they conceded 32 goals in those 11 defeats.

I can't see any Villa players to interest fantasy managers. 

I can't see anything other than a comprehensive Arsenal win in this game.

Prediction: 3-0

Chelsea v Leicester City

Stamford Bridge, London

Chelsea lost at Sunderland and drew at Liverpool in the last week after leading both games. Only Villa have won less home games than Chelsea and only four other teams have conceded more goals at home. They have only won once in their last six games, but they must surely want to beat the team who have taken their league title.

Chelsea players have been a let down for fantasy managers for the most part this season, but maybe Diego Costa or Eden Hazard might have a point to prove against the new champions.

Leicester celebrated lifting the Premier League trophy last week by beating Everton 3-1. They have won more away games than any other team with only Arsenal and Spurs scoring more goals on the road. They are unbeaten in their last 11 games and have kept clean sheets in seven of those games.

Jamie Vardy could be the Leicester player to have for fantasy managers as he looks to finish the season as the top scorer in the league.

I think this will be a very close game and it might just end in a draw.

Prediction: 2-2

Everton v Norwich City

Goodison Park, Liverpool

Everton lost away to Leicester and Sunderland in the last week as their miserable end to their season continued. Only Villa have won less home games than Everton with only Villa and Bournemouth conceding more goals on their own patch. They have only won once in their last 10 games and have only one clean sheet in their last 12.

It would take a brave fantasy manager to pick an Everton player right now.

Norwich lost at home to United last week and their fate was sealed with Sunderland winning both of their games despite Norwich beating Watford on Wednesday night. Only Villa and Newcastle have lost more away games than Norwich with only Newcastle scoring less away goals. The three points against Watford were their first points in five games and they failed to score in the other four games.

I can't see any Norwich players who might make a difference for fantasy managers.

With nothing to play for in this game it's not easy to see how it will go, but I think Everton might get a rare home victory.

Prediction: 2-1

Manchester United v Bournemouth 

Old Trafford, Manchester 

United lost away to West Ham on Wednesday night and their hopes of a top four finish are now very slim. Only Leicester and City have won more home games than United and no other team has conceded less goals at home. That defeat to West Ham was only their second one in eight games and they had five clean sheets in those eight games.

United's defenders have been very good for fantasy managers in home games this season.

Bournemouth came from behind to get a point at home to West Brom last week. They have taken more points away from home than at home and no other team in the bottom half of the table has won more games on the road. They have only won once in their last seven games and haven't kept a clean sheet in their last nine games.

I can't see any Bournemouth players to recommend to fantasy managers this week.

United need to win to try to catch City in fourth place and I think they will do so by a couple of goals.

Prediction: 2-0

Newcastle United v Tottenham Hotspur

St. James' Park, Newcastle 

Newcastle couldn't win away to Villa last week and that result cost them their Premier League place when Sunderland won both of their games. Only one other team in the bottom half of the table has taken more home points than Newcastle and only one team in the bottom half has scored more goals at home too. Their nine points and three clean sheets in their last five games weren't enough to keep them up.

With nothing but pride left to play for I can't see any Newcastle players setting the fantasy world alight.

Spurs lost at home to Southampton last week and they need a point from this gave to guarantee second place. Only Leicester have won more away games than Spurs and only Arsenal have scored more away goals than them. They haven't won in their last three games or kept a clean sheet in any of them either which is why they're fighting for second place rather than the top spot.

Harry Kane and Christian Eriksen are the Spurs players most likely to perform for fantasy managers as their defence has slipped up in recent weeks.

Spurs only need a point and Newcastle having nothing to play which leads me to believe the spoils will be shared.

Prediction: 1-1

Southampton v Crystal Palace

St. Mary's Stadium, Southampton 

Southampton won away to Spurs last week and they can still finish as high as fifth. They have won 10 of their 18 home games and only City have scored more goals at home. They have taken 13 points and scored 14 goals in their last five games, but they haven't kept a clean sheet in their last 11 games.

Sadio Mane, Dusan Tadic and Shane Long have all done very well for fantasy managers recently and at home in particular.

Palace came from behind to win at home to Stoke last week with a few players trying to make an impression before their FA Cup final against United. They have taken as many points and scored as many goals on the road as they have at home. That win last week was only their second one in 20 games and they only scored 15 goals in those games.

I still can't see any Palace players to recommend to fantasy managers.

I think Southampton will put pressure on those above them, as they try to finish as high as fifth, by winning this game by a couple of goals.

Prediction: 3-1

Stoke City v West Ham United

Britannia Stadium, Stoke

Stoke lost away to Palace last week after leading 1-0 and the season can't end quickly enough for them. They have lost more home games and scored less home goals than any other team in the top half of the table. They have only taken two points from their last six games and they conceded 17 goals in those games.

Marco Arnautovic has been the Stoke player most likely to perform for fantasy managers.

West Ham were well beaten at home to Swansea last week, but they bounced back to win the last ever game at Upton Park against United on Tuesday night. Only the top two have lost less away games than West Ham and only the top three have scored more away goals. They have only lost once in their last 12 games and they scored 26 goals in those games.

Dimitri Payet is still the West Ham player to have for fantasy managers.

I think West Ham should be good enough to get the better of s Stoke team who have finished the season badly.

Prediction: 1-2

Swansea City v Manchester City

Liberty Stadium, Swansea

Swansea had a very good 4-1 win away to high flying West Ham last week. Only the top seven teams have won more home games than Swansea with only five other teams conceding less goals at home. They have taken 13 points in their last seven games and a win in this game could see them finish in the top half of the table.

With Gylfi Siggurdson rested last week Andre Ayew was back to his best and he could do well in this game.

City could only draw at home to Arsenal last week and it looks like fourth place is the best they can do now. They have only won seven of their 18 away games, but only the top two have conceded less away goals. They have only taken one point from their last two games and they conceded six goals in those two games, but avoiding defeat in this game will see City finish in the top four.

Seegio Aguero is always the City player most likely to perform for fantasy managers.

City only need a draw to finish fourth and I think they will just about manage it.

Prediction: 1-1

Watford v Sunderland 

Vicarage Road, Watford 

Watford were beaten 2-0 away to a second string Liverpool team last week and lost 4-2 at Norwich on Wednesday night as their struggles in the second half of the season continued. Only Villa have scored less goals at home than Watford, but only three other teams have conceded less goals at home. They have only won twice in their last 11 games and they failed to score in five of those games.

I can't see any Watford players who might make a difference for fantasy managers this week.

Sunderland won at home to both Chelsea and Everton in the last week to come out on top in the race to beat the drop. They have only won three of their 18 away games with only Newcastle conceding more goals on the road. They have taken 11 points from their last five games and kept there clean sheets in the process.

Jermain Defoe and Patrick van Aanholt are the Sunderland players most likely to do something for fantasy managers. 

Neither team has anything to play for in this game and it's hard to call, but I think Sunderland might just get the better of the game.

Prediction: 1-2

West Bromwich Albion v Liverpool

The Hawthorns, Birmingham

West Brom drew away to Bournemouth last week and they're another team who will be glad when the season is over. Only three other teams have lost more home goals than West Brom with only Villa and Watford scoring less goals at home. They haven't won in their last eight games and they only scored three goals in those games.

I can't see any West Brom players to recommend to fantasy managers.

Liverpool won at hone to Watford and drew at home to Chelsea in the last week, but their thoughts will be on their Europa League final next Wednesday. Only the top two have won more away games than Liverpool, but they have also lost seven of their 18 away games. They have only lost twice in their last 12 games and they scored 30 goals in those game.

It's hard to predict which players will play for Liverpool with a cup final only three days after this game.

Even with a second string team I think Liverpool can take a point from this game.

Prediction: 1-1

That's it for this week.

See you next season.

Arsenal's Trip To Manchester City Previewed

With Leicester freshly crowned as Premier League champions Arsenal are faced with their annual struggle for some crumbs from the champion's table. It might be a different team claiming all the glory and a completely unexpected one at that, but there's nothing unusual or unexpected in where Arsenal will finish this season. They need only one win from their last two games to guarantee a top four finish and entry into the Champions League qualifying rounds at worst.

The easy path would be a victory away to City today or even a draw, but this Arsenal team rarely takes the easy path. If they beat City today they will finish third at worst and go straight through to the Champions League group stages and avoid a tricky qualifying round so early in the new season. The chances of finishing second are very slim, but with Spurs playing Southampton earlier in the day they will at least know if those hopes are still alive.

No matter what happens today Arsenal will finish in the top four if they beat Villa at home in the final game of the season next week. Even an Arsenal team struggling towards the finish line like this one is must be able to win at home to a Villa team who have only managed 17 points this season. Villa may have got a point at home to Newcastle yesterday, but that was their first point in 12 games. 

As for today we play a City team fresh from an insipid display away to Real Madrid on Wednesday night which saw them exit the Champions League in the semi finals. City have probably been more disappointing than Arsenal this season, but they did at least make some real progress in the Champions League and win the Capital One Cup. Their performance in Madrid on Wednesday night was pretty awful though and it's hard to understand how they could go so far in the competition and then exit with a whimper.

On the face of it Arsenal are on a good run at the moment as they are unbeaten in their last eight games. They needed to win all of those games if they wanted to stay in the title race though and they did lead three of the four games they drew.  The only game they didn't lead was the 0-0 draw away to Sunderland and even then they had chances to win the game.

The lack of fight and bottle the team displayed when the chips were down is why so many fans are disillusioned. We have seen it season after season and no matter who the players are the outcome is the same. The only conclusion for me is the problem is coming from above and the manager has to be changed.

His insistence on starting Olivier Giroud as the central striker in the last three games is baffling. He looks like a fish out of water as Arsenal try to play their intricate passing game and he hasn't scored a league goal since his brace against Liverpool almost four months ago. He may be the leading scorer with 12 league goals, but that only speaks volumes for Arsenals inaction in the transfer market last summer.

Arsene Wenger recently said Arsenal had the form of champions away from home and it was their home form against teams from the lower half of the table which had ruined their season. A further look at the facts simply does not back up his claim as Arsenal have only won twice in their last nine away games and they have only won away to one of the top 10 teams so far. It's typical of Arsenal that the only away win was 5-2 away to the new champions, but that away record against the top 10 simply isn't good enough.

They have not lost the league against the teams in the lower half of the table. Their results against the other teams from fifth to tenth place have cost them everything this season and it was very similar last season too. They have managed to raise their game against the rest of the top four and have only dropped 12 points from 19 matches against the bottom 10 teams, but 11 points from 12 games against the rest of the top 10 is an awful return.

There is virtually a full squad to choose from today with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain the only absentee. Arsenal just need to avoid defeat to finish in the top three and City have an awful record at home against the teams around them in the table. If Arsenal can go there today and attack a City team fresh from their midweek defeat I think the game is there for the taking.

Unfortunately this Arsenal team is so devoid of confidence that it's hard to see them doing that. The chances are we will see a very similar team to the one which has performed so ineptly week in and week out since early January. It's hard to think this team are playing for the manager at this stage and it's been a very long time since I've had so little confidence in them.

Of course I still want them to win as I always do every single time they play. I'll be cheering for them from first minute to last and I have no doubt the vast majority of Arsenal fans will feel and do the same. They are more than capable of doing so based on their ability, but it takes more than just ability to win football games.

That's it for today.

See you tomorrow.

Predictions For Premier League Gameweek 37

It's that time of the week again when I attempt to predict the outcomes of the upcoming Premier League games. I did quite well last week with three correct scorelines, three correct outcomes and four incorrect. That performance helped me to increase my lead at the top of my Predictions League, as you can see from the table below, and it looks like it's mine to lose at this stage.

Badges	This Week	PTS
1 (1)	Michael Sheehy	4	+105	1370
2 (2)	Wayne Hubbard	5	+80	1115
3 (3)	sensisoccerworld	3	-25	1000
4 (4)	Rutland Gooner	6	+100	975
5 (6)	samoz	8	+205	920

Saturday May 7

Norwich City v Manchester United

12.45pm BST, Carrow Road, Norwich

Norwich fought hard away to Arsenal last week, but the 1-0 defeat has left them in a perilous position with three games to play. They have only won five of their 17 home games, but they need to get something from their two home games this week to keep their chances of staying up alive. It's looking bleak for Norwich with three defeats in a row and no goals scored in those three games.

I can't see any Norwich players to interest fantasy managers even if they do play twice this week.

United drew at home to Leicester last week and those dropped points have made their hopes of a top four finish slimmer. They have only won six of their 17 away games and no other team in the top half of the table has won less games on the road. They have taken 13 points from their last six games though and have kept a clean sheet in four of those games. 

United's defensive players have done well for fantasy managers, but not so much away from home and they have two away games this week.

I think this will be a close affair, but United will just edge it.

Prediction: 1-2

Aston Villa v Newcastle United

3pm BST, Villa Park, Birmingham 

Villa led away to Watford last week, but lost 3-2 after a red card turned the game in Watford's favour. They have only won two of their 18 home games and no other team has scored less goals at home. They have lost their last 11 games and failed to score in six of those games too.

I can't see any Villa players who might make a difference for fantasy managers.

Newcastle just about managed to win 1-0 at home to Palace last week thanks to a penalty save from Karl Darlow. They have lost 14 of their 18 away games and no other team has conceded more goals away from home. They have taken eight points from their last four games though and kept clean sheets in two of those games.

If Newcastle are going to beat the drop Andros Townsend looks like the player who might just make the difference for them. 

With Villa already relegated I think Newcastle should have enough intensity to win this game.

Prediction: 1-3

Bournemouth v West Bromwich Albion

3pm BST, Dean Court, Bournemouth 

Bournemouth lost 2-1 away to Everton last week and their season has petered out once they reached a safe position. They have only won five of their 18 home games with only Villa conceding more goals at home. They have lost five of their last six games and conceded 16 goals in the process.

Joshua King hasn't done too badly for fantasy managers in recent weeks.

West Brom looked good at home to West Ham last week until they went behind and they ended up losing 3-0. They have only won four of their 18 away games and only Newcastle have scored less goals on their travels. They have only taken two points from their last seven games and they failed to score in five of those games.

West Brom players haven't exactly set the world alight for fantasy managers this season.

Neither of these teams are in form at the moment which leads me to believe a draw is the most likely outcome.

Prediction: 1-1

Crystal Palace v Stoke City

3pm BST, Selhurst Park, London

Palace lost 1-0 away to Newcastle last week and it's difficult to believe their upcoming FA Cup final isn't playing on their minds. They have lost 10 of their 18 home games with only Villa losing more home games and scoring less goals on their own patch. They have only won once in their last 19 games and have failed to score in three of their last four.

Palace are yet another team who's players haven't done too much for fantasy managers this season with the exception of Scott Dann when he pops up to score.

Stoke looked like taking all three points at home to Sunderland last week until a late penalty denied them and they drew 1-1. They have taken 23 points from their 18 away games which is only two less than they have taken at home. They have only taken two points from their last five games and they conceded 15 goals in those games.

Marco Arnautovic is the Stoke player most likely to succeed for fantasy managers, but he's doubtful for this game.

With little to play for in this game I can see the spoils being shared.

Prediction: 1-1

Sunderland v Chelsea

3pm BST, Stadium of Light, Sunderland 

Sunderland looked to have lost away to Stoke last week, but they snatched a point with a late penalty. They have only won four of their 17 home games, but only five other teams have conceded less goals at home while only Villa have scored less at home. They have only lost once in their last eight games, but they have drawn six of those games and failed to score in three of their last five.

If Sunderland are to have a chance of staying up Jermain Defoe is their player most likely to do well for fantasy managers and they play twice this week.

Chelsea came from 2-0 down to draw at home to Spurs on Monday night and handed the title to Leicester with that draw. They have won more games and taken more points on the road than they have at home. They have only lost twice in their last 19 games, but those defeats were both in their last four games. 

Eden Hazard has scored three in his last two games and he plays twice this week which could make him a good outside bet for fantasy managers.

This is a game Sunderland desperately need to get something from, but I don't think they will get more than one point.

Prediction: 2-2

West Ham United v Swansea City

3pm BST, Upton Park, London

West Ham won 3-0 away to West Brom last week to keep their outside chance of a top four finish alive. They have only lost two of their 17 home games and they were their first two home games of the season. They are unbeaten in their last 10 games and have scored 18 goals in their last seven games.

With two games this week Andy Carroll, Dimitri Payet and Mark Noble all look pretty good for fantasy managers.

Swansea beat a weakened Liverpool team 3-1 last week. They have only won three of their 18 away games with only two other teams winning less away games. Five wins in their last nine games have seen Swansea safe, but they have failed to score in two of their last three games.

Gylfi Sigurdsson has been the Swansea player to have for fantasy managers since the turn of the year.

I think West Ham will continue their good run with a narrow win.

Prediction: 2-1

Leicester City v Everton

5.30pm BST, King Power Stadium, Leicester 

Leicester drew 1-1 away to United last week and claimed the title on Monday night when Spurs drew at Chelsea. They have only lost once in 18 home games with only City winning more games on their home patch. They have taken 24 points from their last 10 games and kept clean sheets in seven of those games.

Leicester defenders have done very well for fantasy managers in recent weeks, but who would bet against Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez doing well in their last two games.

Everton won 2-1 at home to Bournemouth last week to put an end to a very bad run of results. They have only lost three of their 17 away games, but they have drawn more away games than any other team. They won for the first time in eight games last week and they failed to score in four of those eight games.

Everton play twice this week, but the way they're playing it's not easy to see any of their players doing well for fantasy managers.

I think Leicester will celebrate receiving the Premier League trophy by winning this game.

Prediction: 2-1

Sunday May 8

Tottenham Hotspur v Southampton 

1.30pm BST, White Hart Lane, London

Spurs led 2-0 at Chelsea on Monday night as they tried to keep their title hopes alive, but they could only draw 2-2 and Leicester were crowned champions. They have only lost two of their 18 home games with only City and Southampton scoring more goals at home. They are unbeaten in eight games and have kept clean sheets in four of them, but they needed to win them all and drew four of them.

Harry Kane, Christian Eriksen, Toby Alderweireld and all of the Spurs defenders are well worth having for fantasy managers.

Southampton had a very good 4-2 victory at home to City last week to keep their Europa League hopes very much alive. They have only won six of their 18 away games, but only the top two have conceded less goals on the road. They have taken 16 points from their last seven games and scored 12 goals in their last four, but they haven't kept a clean sheet in their last 10 games.

Sadio Mane, Dusan Tadic and Shane Long have all done very well for fantasy managers recently.

This is a tough game to call and I have a feeling it might just end in a draw.

Prediction: 1-1

Liverpool v Watford

4pm BST, Anfield, Liverpool

Liverpool were beaten 3-1 away to Swansea last week, but they won their Europa League semi final on Thursday night. They have only lost three of their 17 home games, but only Chelsea have drawn more games at home. They have taken 10 points from their last five games, but they have only kept one clean sheet in their last eight.

Liverpool play twice this week, but it's not easy for fantasy managers to know which players will play for them from game to game with a European final coming up.

Watford came from behind to win 3-2 at home to Villa last week. They have won six of their 17 away games and no other team in the bottom half of the table has won more away games. They have lost 10 of their last 18 games, but they have only lost one of their last four.

Watford play twice this week, but it's still not easy to see which of their players might do well for fantasy managers.

Even with a below strength team I think Liverpool will win this game by a couple of goals.

Prediction: 3-1

Manchester City v Arsenal 

4pm BST, Etihad Stadium, Manchester 

City lost 4-2 away to Southampton last week and exited the Champions League in Madrid on Wednesday night. They have won more home games and scored more home goals than any other team, but they have lost five of their 18 home games. They have taken 13 points from their last six games and scored 16 goals in those games, but they have a real fight on their hands to finish in the top four.

Sergio Aguero is still the best fantasy bet in the City team while Kelechi Iheanacho has scored four goals in their last two games.

Arsenal just about managed to beat Norwich 1-0 last week and a top four finish is more or less guaranteed for them now. They have won eight of their 18 away games with only the two teams above them winning more games on the road and only Spurs scoring more goals on their travels. They are unbeaten in eight games and have kept clean sheets in five of their last seven.

Arsenal's defenders have done well for fantasy managers in recent weeks and are certainly worth considering.

The winners of this game will more than likely finish third and avoid the Champions League qualifying round and I think Arsenal might just nick it.

Prediction: 1-2

Tuesday May 10

West Ham United v Manchester United

7.45pm BST, Upton Park, London

West Ham play at home for the second time this week and a win could see them move above United into fifth place. They still have an outside chance of a top four finish if Arsenal can do them a favour against City. This will be their last game at Upton Park before moving to the Olympic stadium for next season and it promises to be an emotional night.

As I said earlier Carroll, Payet and Noble all look like good bets for fantasy managers this week while Aaron Cresswell might not be a bad bet either.

United have an FA Cup final to look forward to and they still haven't given up all hope of catching City to finish fourth. If they're going to do that they will have to win this game and that's not going to be an easy task. 

If United are going to push for fourth place maybe Anthony Martial might do well for fantasy managers in their last three games.

If either of these teams are to finish in the top four they will have to win this game and their other two remaining games and I think West Ham are the more likely to do so. 

Prediction: 2-1

Wednesday May 11

Norwich City v Watford

7.45pm BST, Carrow Road, Norwich 

Norwich play their second home game of the week and this one offers them the best chance of gaining some points. If they don't win this game the chances are they will be relegated and even a win will need them looking for points in their last game.

As I said above I can't see any Norwich players to interest fantasy managers.

Watford have their second away game of the week and the chance to possibly move above Everton in the table. A top half finish is still not beyond them and they will have a big say in the relegation battle with games against Norwich and Sunderland still to play.

Maybe Troy Deeney's brace against Villa will see him finish the season strongly or Huerelho Gomes will continue his penalty saving exploits, but the chances are Watford players won't do too much for fantasy managers.

Norwich desperately need something from this game while Watford have little to play for which leads me to believe Norwich will just about get the better of proceedings.

Prediction: 1-0

Sunderland v Everton

7.45pm BST, Stadium of Light, Sunderland 

Sunderland have their second home game of the week and the chance to move out of the bottom three at a crucial time. They will probably find Everton an easier opponent than Chelsea, but they will still have their work cut out if they're going to win either game.

With three clean sheets in their last five games and a relatively good defensive record at home Vito Mannone looks like he might do well for fantasy managers while the Sunderland defenders could be worth considering too.

Everton don't have much left to play for and two away games in a week is hardly ideal in that position. They have been tough to beat away from home though with only the top two losing less games on the road.

If Everton can improve then Romelu Lukaku and Ross Barkley are the players most likely to do well for fantasy managers in their two games.

Despite Sunderland's need for all three points I have a feeling this game will end in a draw.

Prediction: 1-1

Liverpool v Chelsea

8pm BST, Anfield, Liverpool

Liverpool have their second home game of the week and this should be the tougher of the two despite Chelsea's awful season. They can't make the Champions League through their league position, but they will be in it if they win the Europa League final. The chances are a lot of players will be rested with three league games in quick succession before that final. 

If Daniel Sturridge, Phillippe Coutinho and Roberto  Friminio play both games this week they could do very well for fantasy managers.

Chelsea can't qualify for Europe themselves, but they could put a real dent in Liverpool's chances. They enjoyed finishing Spurs' title hopes on Monday night and it's not beyond them to deny Liverpool a European spot for next season by winning or drawing this game. 

As I said above Eden Hazard might be a good bet for fantasy managers while Diego Costa and Willian are possibly worth a punt too.

It's impossible to know what team Liverpool will play with their priorities elsewhere which makes this game hard to predict, but I think it will end in a draw.

Prediction: 1-1

That's it for this week. 

See you next week.