14.15.16. 08. 2010. Premier League Preview

Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester City

• Tottenham have won only two of their last nine opening fixtures in the Premier League.
• Tottenham have won 11 of their last 12 Premier League encounters with Manchester City, with the most recent one confirming a Champions League qualifying spot for the Lilywhites.
• Tottenham have won their last six Premier League home games against City, five of them ending 2-1.

• Eight of the last 11 Premier League matches between City and Spurs have ended with a 2-1 scoreline.
• Manchester City were the only side not to lose a game after scoring first in the Premier League in 2009-10.
• Patrick Vieira has scored on four of his last five visits to White Hart Lane.

Aston Villa v West Ham United

• Aston Villa have kept only one clean sheet in their last eight opening day fixtures, conceding exactly two goals in each of the last three seasons.
• The Hammers have taken all three points on the opening day in four of the last five seasons.
• Villa have won only five of their last 20 Premier League games against West Ham.

• Aston Villa have scored exactly one goal in seven of the last nine Premier League meetings with West Ham.

• West Ham had eight opposition players sent off against them last season, a divisional high.
• 12 of the last 20 Premier League games between Villa and West Ham have ended as draws.

Blackburn Rovers v Everton

• Blackburn last kept a clean sheet in an opening day Premier League game back in 2002.
• Rovers' last opening day win was two years ago against Everton, 3-2.
• Everton have failed to keep a clean sheet in their last 11 opening day games, conceding 25 goals in the process.
• Blackburn have won only one of their last 10 Premier League games against Everton, back on the opening day of the 2008-09 season.
• Everton are unbeaten in their last six Premier League trips to Ewood Park.

• Louis Saha has scored five goals in his last six Premier League starts against Blackburn.

• Everton recouped 17 points from losing positions last season, the joint-most in the top flight.

Wigan Athletic v Blackpool

• Wigan have lost 2-1 in three of their last four opening weekend matches.
• This would have been the fifth season in succession that the Latics commenced the campaign away from home but the game was switched.
• Blackpool's last game in the English top-flight was a 1-1 draw with Manchester United in May 1971.
• This will be the first ever league clash between these sides in either of the top two divisions in the English football pyramid.
• Wigan dropped 24 points from winning positions last season, more than any other team in the Premier League.
• Prior to last season, no side had ever conceded more than 70 goals in a Premier League campaign and avoided relegation: Wigan conceded 79.

Bolton Wanderers v Fulham

• The Trotters have drawn only one of their 11 opening day fixtures in the Premier League.
• Fulham have scored exactly one goal in their last four opening day games.
• Fulham have won just once in their last six trips away from home to play Bolton.
• On the four occasions the Cottagers have failed to score away at Bolton they have secured a draw.
• Bolton recouped just four points from losing positions last season, fewer than any other team.
• 69% of the goals Fulham scored came in the second half, the highest proportion in the top flight.

Sunderland v Birmingham City

• Sunderland's nine opening day games in the Premier League have seen the Black Cats score a total of only five goals.
• Birmingham have won only one of their opening day Premier League games: the only one they played at home (1-0 v Tottenham in 2003).
• Birmingham have won five of their eight Premier League games against Sunderland.
• No team scored more goals in the first 15 minutes of matches than Darren Bent (10) on his own in the Premier League last season.
• The Black Cats' midfield contributed just seven goals in 2009-10, fewer than any other side.

Wolverhampton Wanderers v Stoke City

• Wolves have conceded a total of seven goals in their two opening games in the Premier League.
• Both games between these sides last season ended as draws.
• Stoke picked up 20 points away from home last season, twice as many as in the season before.
• Only one team mustered fewer shots on target than Wolves (119) in the 2009-10 Premier League and that was Stoke (112).
• Stoke and Wolves won just two penalties each in the 2009-10 season, the joint-fewest in the Premier League.

Chelsea v West Bromwich Albion

• Chelsea have won their last eight opening day games, and 10 of the last 11.
• The last team to beat Chelsea on the opening day were Coventry in 1998, having done so the previous season as well.
• West Brom's four previous Premier League campaigns have seen them fail to win on the opening day and score a total of just one goal.
• Chelsea have won all eight of their Premier League games against WBA, conceding only two goals in the process.
• Frank Lampard scored 22 goals from midfield in the 2009-10 Premier League this season; the first central midfielder to reach the 20 mark since it began in 1992.
• Chelsea were the first side to score over 100 goals in an English top-flight season since Spurs hit 111 in 1962/63.

Liverpool v Arsenal

• Andrei Arshavin has scored five goals from just six shots on target in two trips to Anfield in the Premier League.
• Arsenal have won eight of their last nine opening day fixtures, with the first league game at the Emirates in 2006 being the exception (1-1 v Aston Villa.)
• In their last three opening weekend fixtures that have been scheduled away from home, Arsenal have scored a total of 14 goals.
• Liverpool have won only three of their last 18 Premier League games against Arsenal..
• Arsenal haven't won a league away game where the opposition wasn't down to 10-men since January.
• Liverpool v Arsenal has seen more hat-tricks (5) than any other fixture in Premier League history.

• Arsenal have conceded four goals in three of their last five visits to Anfield in all competitions.

Manchester United v Newcastle United

• Manchester United have won only one of their last three opening day fixtures, 1-0 last season against Birmingham City.
• This will be the second time in three seasons that these two sides have met on the opening weekend of the season.
• Newcastle have won only three of their last 11 opening day Premier League fixtures.
• The Magpies have scored only nine times in 16 Premier League visits to Old Trafford.
• Newcastle's last win at Old Trafford was in February 1972.
• Manchester United dropped just three points from winning positions last season, fewer than any other top flight team.
• No side had ever previously benefitted from more than six own goals in a Premier League season, Manchester United accrued 10 in 2009-10.

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14.08.2010. Championship Preview

Barnsley v Crystal Palace

• The away side have failed to find the net in six of the last eight meetings between these two sides.
• Crystal Palace have only won one of their six trips to Oakwell since the Millennium, but this came in emphatic fashion; a 4-1 victory in February 2002.
• The Tykes are without a league win since 16^th March 2010; a run of 11 games following their opening day defeat to QPR.
• Palace have won just once in their last eight league games away from Selhurst Park.

Derby v Cardiff

• The home side scored four goals on average in the last three meetings between the two teams.
• Michael Chopra scored four goals in a 6-1 victory for Cardiff over the Rams last season.
• Derby have won three and drawn one of their last four home encounters with Cardiff City.
• The Rams have been on the losing side only twice in their last 11 league matches.
• Cardiff have only lost one of their last six games on the road in all competitions, winning four and drawing one.

Doncaster v Bristol City

• Doncaster have won their last three meetings with Bristol City, including a 5-2 win in their last encounter.
• Billy Sharp scored three goals in his two appearances against City last term.
• The winning side have kept a clean sheet in their last four meetings in Doncaster.
• Doncaster have kept a clean sheet in just one of their last 12 home games in the Championship.
• Only three of Bristol City's final 13 away games in the Championship have seen them pick up all three points.

Ipswich v Burnley

• Ipswich have lost just once in their last seven meetings with the Clarets.
• Six of the last eight meetings between these two sides at Portman Road have ended level.
• Only two of Ipswich's last 18 league matches at Portman Road have ended in defeat.
• Burnley have lost just one of their last 12 league games at Championship level.

Leicester v Middlesbrough

• Middlesbrough have failed to score in three of their last four encounters with the Foxes.
• Five of the last nine goals scored in this fixture have arrived in the final 15 minutes of the match.
• Leicester have won just one of their last four home games against Boro.
• The Foxes have lost only two of their last 16 competitive home matches.

Millwall v Hull

• Four of the last five meetings between these two sides have ended in a score draw - three of them 1-1.
• Hull City have won just one of their last 17 trips to Millwall.
• The Tigers have now won four consecutive games at Championship level (including playoffs).
• Millwall had the best home record in League One last season, collecting 56 points from their 23 games at the Den.

Portsmouth v Reading

• On the last occasion that these two sides met at Fratton Park, Portsmouth ran out 7-4 winners - with the 11 goals scored in the match being a Premier League record.
• Reading have won just one of their last 20 encounters against Portsmouth.
• Only six teams collected more points away from home in the Championship than Reading (26) in 2009/10.
• Portsmouth have won eight of their last nine home matches at Championship level.
• Gylfi Sigurdsson has scored five goals in his last five league games for Reading.

Scunthorpe v Norwich

• Norwich City have won just two of their previous 10 league meetings with the Iron.
• In the last four seasons that they have been in the same league, one of their two meetings in that campaign have been drawn.
• Norwich City had the best away record in League One last season, collecting 41 points from their 23 games on the road.
• 71% of the points that Scunthorpe won last season came at home (37 of 52).

Sheffield United v QPR

• Three of the four meetings between Sheffield United and QPR last season ended 1-1.
• Richard Cresswell scored in all four of the matches between these two sides last term.
• QPR have not won any of their last eight games against the Blades.
• Only five teams won more points at home than Sheffield United in the Championship last season (44).
• QPR won just two of their final 15 away games in the Championship last season, but both of those are their most recent league trips.

Swansea v Preston

• The home side have won five of the last six matches between these two teams.
• Four of their last six meetings have ended in a 2-0 scoreline.
• Swansea are unbeaten in their last nine home games against Preston, winning five of these encounters.
• Only five teams have scored more goals at home than Swansea in the Championship last season (40).
• If only away form counted in the league last season, Preston would have been relegated with only Scunthorpe (15) and Peterborough (11) collecting fewer points on the road.

Watford v Coventry

• The away side have won in the last three encounters between Coventry City and Watford.
• The last nine meetings between these sides have averaged four goals a game.
• Watford have won six of their last seven meetings with the Sky Blues.
• The Hornets lost just one of their final six league games at home last term.
• Only five teams lost more away games than Coventry in the Championship last term (12).
• Watford striker Danny Graham has now scored four braces in his last four competitive matches for the Hornets.

Nottingham Forest v Leeds United

• Five of the last seven meetings between these two sides have ended in a draw.
• Forest haven't won any of their last eight meetings with Leeds United.
• Leeds have won just one of their last 16 matches against Nottingham Forest away from home, that being in their last match at the City Ground.
• Only Norwich (41) won more points away from home in League One last season than Leeds United (38).

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14.-15. 08.2010. French Ligue 1Preview

Brest - Auxerre

• Brest have won just one of their last nine Ligue 1 meetings against Auxerre (five defeats and three draws).
• Brest have conceded 36 goals in their 18 top flight encounters with Auxerre.
• Auxerre won just one of their six league matches against promoted sides last term (four draws and one defeat.)
• Brest have lost nine of their last 16 competitive matches (six wins and one draw).
• Auxerre have lost just two league games this calendar year.

Lorient - Nice

• Lorient have scored in 23 of their last 24 home league matches.
• Lorient are unbeaten in their last eight home matches in the league (five wins and three draws).
• Nice have drawn their last five Ligue 1 fixtures, equaling their longest ever run (1989-90).
• Lorient have failed to keep a clean sheet in their last five league meetings against Nice.
• Lorient have won just two of their eight league encounters against Nice, failing to score in the other six matches.
• Kevin Gameiro has scored five goals in his last five appearances at home in the league.
• Loic Remy has netted four goals in the last three matches between these two sides.
• Loic Remy scored the most away goals last term in Ligue 1 (eight).

Monaco - Montpellier

• Monaco are unbeaten in their last 20 league meetings against Montpellier (14 wins and six draws).
• Six of the last 12 Monaco matches in Ligue 1 have ended 0-0.
• Montpellier have conceded 11 goals in their last three trips to the Louis II stadium.
• Montpellier have won their last four Ligue 1 games, currently the longest run in the top flight.
• Montpellier received the most yellow cards in the opening match days (five).
• Monaco conceded the most fouls in the opening match day (24).
• Monaco have failed to score in 52% of their league matches this calendar year.

Nancy - Rennes

• Rennes are unbeaten in their last four trips to Nancy in the league (two wins and two draws).
• Rennes have failed to win their last nine top flight games (five draws and four defeats), currently the longest run.
• Nancy have kept just one clean sheet in their last seven home games in the league.
• Julien Feret has scored or assisted six of the last eight goals netted by Nancy in Ligue 1.
• Nancy picked up just 22 points at home last term, only relegated sides Grenoble and Boulogne-sur-Mer did worse (17 each).

St Etienne - Sochaux

• Sochaux have won just one of their last 11 trips to St Etienne in the league (seven defeats and three draws).
• The Geoffroy-Guichard stadium witnessed the fewest goals last term in Ligue 1 (29).
• St Etienne have failed to score more than one goal in each of their last seven league matches.
• St Etienne have lost their last two home matches in the league.
• Sochaux have failed to keep a clean sheet in their last 10 league fixtures.
• Sochaux have won just one of their last 14 away games in the top flight (seven draws and six defeats).

Valenciennes - Marseille

• Marseille have lost three of their last four league fixtures in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region.
• Marseille opened the scoring in their last three trips to Valenciennes but lost two of these matches.
• Valenciennes have conceded 13 goals in their last five league encounters against OM.
• VAFC have drawn their last five league games, their longest ever run in the top flight.
• Mamadou Niang scored in both league encounters between these two sides last term.

Arles-Avignon - Lens

• Recently promoted Arles-Avignon have lost just one of their last 20 home games in the lower divisions.
• Lens have won just one of their last 13 away games in Ligue 1 (seven defeats and five draws).
• Arles-Avignon conceded a league-low nine goals at home last term in Ligue 2.
• Toifilou Maoulida has netted nine goals in his last eight league appearances.
• Lens striker Eduardo netted seven goals last term in all competitions, but only one of these came on the road.

Caen - Lyon

• Lyon have lost six of their 10 trips to Caen in the top flight.
• Nine of the 10 Ligue 1 encounters between Caen and Lyon at the Michel D'Ornano stadium has produced fewer than three goals.
• Lyon drew a league-high 12 matches last term (alongside Lens).
• Caen have never started a Ligue 1 season with back-to-back wins.
• Lyon are unbeaten in their last 10 league matches, currently the longest run in Ligue 1.
• Lyon have kept a clean sheet in their last three Ligue 1 fixtures.

Bordeaux - Toulouse

• Toulouse have lost 12 of their last 14 trips to Bordeaux in Ligue 1.
• Toulouse have failed to keep a clean sheet in their last 19 trips to Bordeaux in Ligue 1.
• Jean Tigana has won 66% of his home matches as a Ligue 1 manager (W68 D23 L12).
• Bordeaux have lost nine league games so far in 2009, already three more than in 2009.
• Toulouse have kept a clean sheet in their last three Ligue 1 matches, the last time they failed to do so was on their last trip to Bordeaux, losing 1-0 (02/05/2010).
• Wendel has scored five goals in his six Ligue 1 appearances against Ligue 1.

Lille - Paris SG

• Lille have won 18 of their last 19 home matches in all competitions.
• PSG have failed to win their last 10 trips to Lille in the top flight (seven defeats and three draws).
• Paris SG have yet to win an away league game this calendar year (five defeats and four draws).
• Antoine Kombouaré has won just 11 of his 100 away matches as a Ligue 1 manager.
• PSG have only won three times in 33 trips to Lille in the top flight.

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14.-15. 08.2010. Scottish Premier League Preview

Inverness Caledonian Thistle v Celtic

• Celtic have won three of their last five trips to Inverness to play Caley Thistle.
• Inverness have only scored one goal in their last three encounters with Celtic.
• Four of Inverness's last five goals against Celtic have been scored in the second half.
• Caley Thistle earned their promotion to the SPL on the back of nine straight wins in Scottish Division 1 and a 21-game unbeaten run.
• Adam Rooney scored in each of Inverness' last six league games at the end of 2009/10.
• Celtic won all eight of their league games under Neil Lennon in 2009/10.
• The Bhoys have never lost on the opening day of an SPL campaign (nine wins, three draws).

Aberdeen v Hamilton

• Aberdeen lost twice at home to Hamilton last season, conceding a total of five goals.
• Aberdeen and Hamilton have only drawn once in their last twelve encounters.
• Hamilton scored six goals against Aberdeen last season; four of them were scored in the second half.
• The Dons have never won a home game on the opening day of an SPL season, losing four and drawing one.
• Aberdeen picked up only three wins from their last 18 SPL games of the last campaign.
• The Accies ended 2009/10 by winning five of their final six games.

Hearts v St Johnstone

• St Johnstone were undefeated against Hearts last season and managed to win away from home 2-1.
• Hearts have lost three of their last four games at home to the Saints, and have won just one of the last nine.
• Four of St Johnstone's five goals against Hearts last season came in the second half.
• The Saints have won none of their five games on the opening day of the SPL season (four defeats, one draw).
• Only Kilmarnock (29) and Falkirk (31) scored fewer goals than the Jambos last season (35).
• Only three teams scored more than St Johnstone (57).

Rangers v Kilmarnock

• Kilmarnock failed to score a goal against Rangers last season.
• Rangers have won their last four home games against Kilmarnock.
• Rangers have scored eighteen goals against Kilmarnock in their last eight encounters and have only conceded two.
• The Gers have hit at least three goals on the last three occasions that they have started an SPL campaign at home.
• In their last seven opening games of the season, Killie have either shipped four (three times) or kept a clean sheet (four times).
• Kenny Miller has scored in his last five starts against Kilmarnock.

St Mirren v Dundee United

• St Mirren have lost two out of their last three home games against the Terrors.
• United have played St Mirren six times over the last two seasons and have won five.
• St Mirren's three goals against United last season all came in the second half.
• The Buddies have lost four of their five opening games of the season in the SPL.
• United have never won away from home on the opening day of an SPL campaign.
• The Terrors hit just one goal in their final four league games of last season.

Motherwell v Hibernian

• The 6-6 draw between the sides in the penultimate game of the 2009/10 season was the highest-scoring SPL game of all time.
• The Steelmen then drew their final game of the season 3-3 with Rangers.
• Motherwell and Hibernian played each other four times last season with a total of nineteen goals scored between them.
• Anthony Stokes and Colin Nish scored eight of Hibernian's eleven goals against Motherwell last season.
• Motherwell and Hibernian have only drawn two of their last fifteen matches against each other.
• The Steelmen have won only one of their last 11 SPL opening matches.

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Nemanja Matić (Čelsi)

TITULA: Kao i prethodnih godina za titulu šampiona Premijer lige boriće se Mančester junajted i moj Čelsi. Iz drugog plana svoju šansu vrebaće Arsenal, Liverpul i Totenhem.
EVROPA: Uz pomenute ekipe za izlazak u Evropu boriće se Mančester Siti, Njukasl, Aston Vila, možda i Blekburn.
BUDŽET: Najviše novca ima ju timovi iz Mančestera, Junajted i Siti. Sledi Čelsi, zatim Arsenal, Liverpul i Totenhem. Ali, nijedan klub koji nastupa u Premijer ligi sigurno ne kuburi sa finansijama. Sponzori i najpoznatiji svetski biznismeni prosto se utrkuju sa ulaganjem u engleski fudbal.
OPSTANAK: Njukasl i Vest Bromvič Albion, ekipe koje su ušle u Premijer ligu, su toliko iskusne i jake, da ne verujem da će se boriti za opstanak. Najugroženiji mi, mada možda i grešim, izgleda Blekpul. 
PRVO KOLO:
Mančester Junajted, iako igra derbi sa Njukaslom, kao ni moj Čelsi na utakmici sa Vest Bromvičom, ne bi smeli da iznevere u prvom kolu. Uz njih Aston Vila bi trebalo da zabeleži pobedu na startu šampionata.
MANČESTER J. - NJUKASL     1
ČELSI – VBA     1
A. Vila – Vest Hem     1

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Anđelko Đuričić (Leirija, Portugal)

Benfika je najsigurnija, dočekuje Akademiku, znatno slabiju ekipu od sebe.  
BENFIKA – AKADEMIKA     1
Braga igra sa novajlijom u ligi, ekipom Portimonense, pa i na ovom meču ne bi smelo da bude dileme.
BRAGA – PORTIMONENSE     1Portu će da bude nešto teže, jer gostuje Navalu, ali verujem da će i ova dvojka da dođe. 
NAVAL – PORTO     2

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Bojan Isailović (Zaglebje L, Poljska)

Na otvaranju poljskog šampionata najviše poverenja imam u ekipu Leha, prošlogodišnjeg šampiona države. Gost, tim Arke, jedva je izborio opstanak u prošloj sezoni, pa je razlika u kvalitetu ovih ekipa i sada velika.
LEH – ARKA     1
Drugi fiks trebalo bi da je jedinica na moje Zaglebje, koje na utakmici prvog kola sa Gornjikom otvaraju novi stadion. Zdanje u Lubinu je završeno još ranije, ali je svečanost zakazana tek za premijeru šampionata, pa se nadam da u takvoj atmosferi nećemo da izneverimo.
ZAGLEBJE L. - GORNJIK Z.     1
Favorit je i Jagielonija protiv Belhatova, a za domaćina moram da istaknem da je ovo gostovanje najdalje u Poljskoj, jer se Jagielonija nalazi u blizini granice sa Belorusijom.
Jagielonija – Belhatov     1
Korona je bliža pobedi od Viđeva 
Korona – Viđev     1Visla iz Karkova će na terenu Ruha želeti trijumfom da započne šampionat.
Ruh – Visla     2
Polonija Bitom ima iskusan tim, koji zna da igra na rezultat. Iako je jača, Lehija može najviše do boda.
Polonija V. - Legija     0-2

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Vladan Binić (Srbija)

Za titulu će se boriti Crvena zvezda i Partizan, za izlazak na evropsku scenu Vojvodina važi za najvećeg favorita, dok za opstanak osim timova koji su ove godine ušli u elitu, najviše će strepeti kulski Hajduk i Čukarički – rezime je Vladana Binića, novog pojačanja ’’crveno belih’’ iz kruševačkog Napretka.
Partizan je veliki favorit protiv Inđije, novog superligaša.
PARTIZAN – INĐIJA 1
Vojvodina igra na svom terenu i ’’gladna’’ je Evrope i s obzirom da redovno dobro startuje, ubeđen sam i u njen trijumf nad Jagodinom.
VOJVODINA – JAGODINA 1
Rad i Spartak bi trebalo da iskoriste prednost domaćeg terena i da savladaju Čukarički i BSK.
Rad – Čukarički 1
Spartak – BSK 1
Na Karabrurmi, u Čačku i Kuli biće veoma neizvesno, ali kako ne bi trebalo očekivati goleadu, moj predlog je igra na mali broj golova.
OFK Beograd – Metalac 0-2
Borac – Javor 0-2
Hajduk – Sloboda 0-2

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Igor Gluščević (Holandija 1)

Prokockali su fudbaleri Ajaksa na startu sezone prednost od 2:0 u Groningenu, pa su se kući vratili samo sa bodom. Mislim da sličan kiks “kopljanika” protiv Vitesea ne bi smeo da se desi. Sve osim pobede domaćeg tima bilo bi veliko iznenađenje.
AJAKS – VITESE     1
Utreht odlično igra u Evropi, pa poraz od Fejenorda u prvom kolu može samo da zavara. Radi se o dobrom timu, u koji je uloženo puno novca, a kako neki stručnjaci tvrde, uz malo sreće mogao bi i do titule.
UTREHT – BREDA     1
Derbi meč između Alkmara i Groningena je za izbegavanje.

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