Prediction Panel table: Spurs shake off Wigan defeat to close gap at top

Football . . .it’s a funny old game. I was expecting some big scores from our pundits this week as there were four seemingly nailed on home wins. However, while Chelsea beat Stoke City, Liverpool disposed of West Brom and Manchester United gave West Ham a hiding, Champions League new boys Tottenham ...

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Chelsea v Stoke City: Will the Potters join the 6-0 club?

Chelsea striker Didier Drogba has a real sense of humour. Before the season kicked off he told the Press that Chelsea were not ready for the new campaign. If that’s the case then they may as well let the Blues keep the Premier League title. Carlo Ancelotti’s men have played two, picked up maximum p...

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Squarefootball’s Premier League quiz: Week Three

Some people think they know everything about football, well let’s see if they do. Here I have 10 questions which will separate the Spurs from the Young Boys. If you think you are clued up on the beautiful game then prove it. 1. Blackburn Rovers v Arsenal: Who was the last player to be transferre...

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Squarefootball’s Premier League Quiz: Week Three – The Answers

Well, how did you get on? We’d love to hear from you. 1. Blackburn Rovers v Arsenal: David Bentley is the last player to have moved between the two sides. 2. Blackpool v Fulham: You could have said: Barry Hayles, Geoff Horsfield, Steve Finnan or Kit Symons. 3. Chelsea v Stoke City: Florent ...

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Prediction Panel Table: Wolves topple the Toffees

Wolverhampton Wanderers attracted a bit of criticism for their performance at Goodison Park on Saturday but their representative in our Prediction Panel, and current champion, has toppled the Toffees following another brilliant week. Chris Cox, the only pundit last week to predict that Chelsea woul...

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Following the Chelsea model suggests a Manchester City title in 2011/12

As long as the owners of Manchester City continue to back their manager, the club will be champions fairly quickly as long as the manager is good enough. Ordinarily spending guarantees little, but spending when everyone else is saving looks a far more potent tactic. Whether Roberto Mancini is good...

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Wigan Athletic v Chelsea: How many will the Blues score this weekend?

Wigan were thumped emphatically by the Premier League new boys Blackpool on the opening day so what on earth are the free-scoring champions Chelsea going to do to Roberto Martinez’s men this weekend? On paper the Latics should be annihilated. The Blues put eight past Wigan on the final day of last ...

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Squarefootball’s Premier League Quiz: Week Two

It’s that time of the week again. Here is the latest batch of questions intended to leave you rooted to the spot like West Ham’s Robert Green! Last week’s questions were intentionally hard. This week we’ve lowered the mark a little but it’s still more taxing than your average GMTV phone-in. All the...

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Squarefootball's Premier League Quiz: Week Two - The Answers

Here are the answers to the second instalment of our quiz. 1. Arsenal v Blackpool: Alan Ball is the World Cup winner with links to both Arsenal and Blackpool. 2. Birmingham City v Blackburn Rovers: Barry Ferguson is the former Rover who scored against Birmingham in 2003. 3. Everton v Wolves: ...

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Prediction Panel Standings: Toffees top the table

Everton may have lost their opening game against Blackburn Rovers but Toffees fan Chris Goodwin has given the blue half of Merseyside something to cheer by topping the Premier League Prediction Panel table. Mr Goodwin correctly predicted five correct results from the first weekend of top flight ac...

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Chelsea v West Bromwich Albion: Baggies hope to avoid the Blues

The champions Chelsea are set to start the new campaign by hosting former fans’ favourite Roberto Di Matteo’s West Bromwich Albion and the majority are expecting the Blues to carry on where they left off against Wigan. Chelsea won the title at the Bridge with a convincing 8-0 thrashing of Roberto ...

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Squarefootball’s Premier League Challenge: Week one

The new Premier League season kicks off this weekend and so does a new feature on squarefootball. Each Friday I’ll be testing your knowledge of the top flight clubs by posing you 10 questions relating to that weekend’s fixtures. There are no prizes on offer, only personal glory – we’re not made of m...

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Premier League Challenge answers: Week one

Here are the answers to the questions in our Premier League Challenge week one. 1. Tottenham v Manchester City: Joey Barton and David Sommeil were the goalscorers in City’s last league win at White Hart Lane. 2. Aston Villa v West Ham United: Marlon Harewood was the last player to have scored a ...

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Who will be the Premier League’s top goalscorer?

Goals win games so it’s no wonder Chelsea won the league last season with Didier Drogba in sparkling form. The Ivory Coast forward found the back of the net an astonishing 29 times in 32 league appearances just edging out Manchester United’s star man Wayne Rooney with 26. So will the England marksma...

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Predictions: Who will be 2010/11’s main winners and losers?

If everything I predicted 12 months ago came true I would be a very rich and happy man right now. Unfortunately Arsenal let me down in the league, West Ham failed me in the FA Cup and letting my heart rule my head in the SPL by putting £10 on my beloved Aberdeen to win the SPL really was a waste of ...

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Predictions: Who will be 2010/11’s main winners and losers Part 2

Well you’ve heard what our Panel members have had to say for themselves, now it’s time for the “experts” to have their say. We’ll start off with writer Hugh Larkin. He loves the underdog but he thinks Chelsea are just far too strong for anyone to cope with and thinks Arsenal and Spurs are going to...

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Ten Handy Facts About Chelsea's Ramires

With the likes of Michael Ballack and Joe Cole on the move, Chelsea were bound to go after a midfielder during the summer. The choice seems to be the Brazilian, although a medical and work permit issues still have to be negotiated. So who is Ramires? 1Ramires was in the squad at the World Cup and ...

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Bookmakers Believe the 'Big 4' Is Now The 'Major 8'

For several seasons the Premier League has been dominated by an oligarchy of four clubs- Everton broke in to this group in 2005 but even then Liverpool still gained entry to the Champions League that season. Tottenhams fourth place in 2009/10 represented the first time one of the former Big 4 faile...

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Fantasy football 2010/11 reminder

Do you think you can spend £100 million better than Manchester City’s Roberto Mancini? Do you think you could assemble a better squad than Spurs boss Harry Redknapp? Do you think you can guide your side to glory like Chelsea’s Carlo Ancelotti? If so then we want to hear from you. We at Squarefootba...

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Squarefootball fantasy football invitation 2010/11

I saw more action and excitement this summer down at the mortuary than I did at the World Cup in South Africa. There was also a better atmosphere between me and my ex-girlfriend than there was inside the grounds, thanks to the constant drone of those awful vuvuzelas. And as for entertainment, I th...

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Which club will Joe Cole move to this summer?

All the major news outlets are reporting Harry Redknapp's comments on Joe Cole's future. Cole played for Redknapp at West Ham, before Redknapp's sacking in 2001 lead to a quick decline and a break up of a fabulous side that contained Lampard, Cole, Ferdinand, Carrick and Defoe (all in England's Wor...

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Get on side and sport your colours for Shelter this World Cup

In celebration of this years FIFA World Cup, housing and homelessness charity Shelter are teaming up with Nationwide Building Society, Official England Team sponsor, to launch their fantastic footy fundraiser, Strip4Shelter. Shelter is asking people across the country to replace their regular work ...

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FA Cup Final: Can Portsmouth spring huge shock against the champions?

The Premier League champions take on the Premier League’s basement boys at Wembley in the FA Cup Final this afternoon and most pundits are predicting a walk in the park for the champions. Chelsea will still be buzzing following their empathic 8-0 win over Wigan at the weekend to clinch the title and...

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Chelsea are clear champions - but next year?

Rarely can a title race that was not decided until the final day of the season have been so clear cut. Chelsea scored 103 goals, a mammoth number that has simply not been given enough credit. And to win the title with an 8-0 home win that pushed the season's total beyond 100 goals, whilst the tali...

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Chelsea v Wigan Athletic: Martinez hopes to make the Bridge a blue, blue place

According to most pundits all Chelsea need to do is turn up this afternoon and they will be crowned champions. However, Roberto Martinez and Wigan Athletic have other plans which could make Stamford Bridge a real blue place to be. The Latics stunned Carlo Ancelotti’s men in September by running ou...

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Pressure tonight is on Mancini and Spurs tonight - not City

The big four of Liverpool, Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal have been unofficially split up after seven years of either filling all the Champions' League slots - or at least competing strongly for the places. In 2004/5 Everton edged fourth place with 61 points to Liverpool's 58 - but that was...

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Liverpool v Chelsea: Will Rafa do Fergie a favour by beating the Blues?

Nobody ever wants to see their team lose but, given what is at stake this afternoon at Anfield, I’m sure a few Liverpool fans will make an exception. The destination of the Premier League title ultimately rests in their hands. Defeat today and Chelsea will almost certainly claim their third title th...

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Chelsea vs Stoke City: Prediction Panel

... no preview Chelsea vs Stoke City; Kick Off 4:00pm 25 Apr 2010 Prediction Panel Our panel contains both Squarefootball writers and readers, the writers are marked: (sqf). Dave Blackburn : TBC Chris Cox : 2 - 0 Graham Enwright : 3 - 0 Sue Gardener : 3 - 1 Chris Goodwin : 4 - 0 Paul Grech (sqf) ...

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Chelsea v Bolton Wanderers: Is there another twist in title race?

Chelsea have one hand on the FA Cup and victory tonight will see them with another on the Premier League title. Manchester United’s failure to beat Blackburn at the weekend has put Chelsea in a strong position to be crowned champions but Bolton Wanderers will be no pushover, regardless of what Sir A...

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Aston Villa V Chelsea: O’Neill seeks revenge on Ancelotti

Two weeks ago Carlo Ancelotti’s Chelsea gave Martin O’Neill’s Villains an absolute pasting at Stamford Bridge as the Blues ran out 7-1 winners. It was such a rotten performance that some fans even started to call for O’Neill’s head. However, the former Celtic and Leicester City chief has the chance ...

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Manchester United vs Chelsea: The battle of wounded ankle

There is little doubt that this game has been over shadowed by Wayne Rooney's ankle, when the country's top selling redtop just slaps PRAY in foot high letters in preference to actual news you know that we have reached a GOTCHA! moment. As to the game itself, this will inevitably be tight, both t...

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Manchester United v Chelsea: Who would make it into the ultimate dream team?

The Premier League’s top two clubs will lock horns at Old Trafford on Saturday in arguably the biggest game of the season to date. In the red corner we have the hosts, leaders and current Premier Leaguechampions Manchester United. Sir Alex Ferguson’s men are currently in the driving seat at the top ...

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Chelsea vs Aston Villa: Ancelotti may be forced onto the defensive

There is no disputing that Chelsea's form has dipped in the wake of the John Terry and Ashley Cole shenanigans; the timing for such things is never good but 10-15 games to go is a bad time to struggling for form. One or two key injuries to the likes of Essien and Ashley Cole haven't helped and with...

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Chelsea v West Ham United: More gloom expected for Gianfranco

Gianfranco Zola has endured a tough time at the Boleyn Ground but with recent results going against his Hammers at the foot of the table and a double header away to Chelsea and Arsenal in the next seven days life may be about to get a whole lot worse. West Ham United start the game three points ahe...

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Chelsea: Joe Cole – Should he stay or should he go?

On his day Joe Cole is one of the most talented footballers in the English game. He can do things that most of his contemporaries can only dream of, is comfortable on both feet, can carve open the meanest of defences and gets fans up off their seats. However, since coming back from a cruciate ligame...

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Chelsea vs Stoke City: Distractions

Chelsea will be forgiven for having cast meaningful glances at the Saturday league results as their nearest rivals in the title race both won and with the final ten games now in motion this game could could be considered a distraction. How much of a distraction Stoke will have found the Aaron Ramse...

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England: Who should Fabio choose as his No 1 for South Africa?

In less than 100 days the greatest show on earth kicks off in South Africa but England manager Fabio Capello still has major issues to resolve before he finalises on his squad who will be given the task of bringing the World Cup home. Who will fill the left-back role if Ashley Cole fails to recover ...

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Chelsea v Manchester City: Will Team Bridge topple Team Terry?

This lunchtime kick-off in the Barclays Premier League could turn out to be one of the most explosive games in English history. Ever since the tabloids got hold of the story about John Terry allegedly cheating on his wife with former friend Wayne Bridge’s ex girlfriend and mother of his child, Vanes...

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Is Wayne Bridge right to turn his back on England?

Representing your country in the World Cup is supposed to be every footballer’s dream. Every one bar Wayne Bridge that is. The Manchester City left-back has kicked his international career into row Z due to the fall-out of John Terry’s alleged affair with his ex-girlfriend and mother of his children...

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Drogba or Rooney: Who is the best striker in the Premier League?

Didier Drogba’s brace against Wolverhampton Wanderers at the weekend saw the Chelsea hitman join Manchester United and England striker Wayne Rooney on 25 goals for the season. Both marksman possess phenomenal strength, pace and skill, and know where the back of the net is. Theycould also both play f...

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Wolverhampton Wanderers v Chelsea: Another Blue day for McCarthy

Almost 35 years ago Wolves thrashed Chelsea 7-1 at Molineux to complete the double over their capital counterparts. Today there’s more chance of me, John Terry and Wayne Bridge going out on the town together than there is of a similar scoreline in the home side’s favour. Wolves have managed just 10...

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Everton vs Chelsea: Toffees looking for Blue bounce

Everton will be smarting from losing to Liverpool and a fixture against an at-times-unstopable Chelsea will be a difficult prospect. The loss of Fellaini and Pienaar for this match is hardly balanced by the return of Arteta, who is not match-fit and probably won't last 90 minutes so Everton may go ...

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Chelsea: Can Lampard become the Blues’ all-time scoring great?

John Terrys alleged scoring exploits have been all over the front pages recently but it’s his Chelsea team-mate Frank Lampard whose efforts in front of goal may see him gain legendary status at the Bridge. Lampard took his tally for the season to 13 thanks to a brace against Birmingham City last mon...

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Chelsea vs Arsenal: Prediction Panel 2009/10

The big game of the weekend and Arsenal can't lose this one if they want to stay in the title race as Chelsea would move nine points ahead - and that is too far with 13 games left. For Chelsea the win at The Emirates and the return of the African players will give them a lot of confidence that they...

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6 Must-Do’s As Arsenal Await Another 6-Pointer

Whilst many of the faithful have been busy cursing the cruel fixture list which entitled us to face the likes of Aston Villa, Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool over a span of little under three weeks; the optimists would have seen this as an opportunity to break from the pack and stamp one’s ...

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Arsenal can still win the title - or finish seventh

When Arsenal crumbled against Manchester United on Sunday, and with Chelsea set to play Hull, most pundits saw an eight point gap opening up between Chelsea and Arsenal - with United somewhere in the middle. As it is a stumbling draw for the west London team means that Arsenal can go to Stamford Br...

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John Terry: Confusing 'footballers wives' and real life

The question about John Terry resigning his Chelsea captaincy or even leaving the club over his alleged affair with Wayne Bridge's former partner, Vanessa Perroncel, don't really seem set to gather much pace. Whether Terry can remain as England captain is another matter that will probably be decide...

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Burnley v Chelsea: Will the leaders slip up at Turf Moor?

Chelsea’s convincing win over Birmingham in midweek sent them back to the top of the table but Burnley’s defeat at Bolton, combined with Wolves’ point against Liverpool, saw the Clarets slip into the bottom three for the first time this season. Carlo Ancelotti’s men have been on fire in recent weeks...

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Chelsea vs Birmingham City: Are Blues unbeatable?

Third placed Chelsea face an obdurate eighth placed Birmingham at Stamford Bridge. I reckon this is the first time that Chelsea have been as low as third since the league table settled down after three or four games, so the early return of Drogba and Kalou could offer the spark that Chelsea need to...

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Chelsea vs Sunderland: Chelsea need to shrug off the big freeze to stay top

Top of the table Chelsea are at home to a mid-table Sunderland side who are in a bad run of form. Chelsea will have been pleased to see both Man United and Arsenal fail to win in the curtailed programme last week and will expect to remain top against a Sunderland side that is in poor form. But Che...

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