premier league fixtures, 13th/14th/15th march

[HANDYMAN]

Saturday, 13 March 2010

Birmingham v Everton, 15:00
Bolton v Wigan, 15:00
Burnley v Wolverhampton, 15:00
Chelsea v West Ham, 15:00
Hull v Arsenal, 17:30
Stoke v Aston Villa, 15:00
Tottenham v Blackburn, 12:45


Sunday, 14 March 2010

Man Utd v Fulham, 13:30
Sunderland v Man City, 16:00


Monday, 15 March 2010

Liverpool v Portsmouth, 20:00

[abojodeh]

Paul Parker's Week review

PLAYER TO WATCH: Andrei Arshavin

The little Russian is one of the few players in the Premier League who I would regularly pay to watch.

He was magnificent against Porto in midweek and you can be sure that there were envious looks on Tuesday night from other members of the Big Four who did not want to take a gamble on him when he was available.

Arsene Wenger did, despite concerns over his ability to adapt to the rigours of the Premier League, and it has certainly paid off for the Gunners.

He's got everything you want from a top class player - he's a thinker, he's creative, he makes goals and he scores them. Put simply, he's a joy to watch.

Sometimes he gets accused of being lazy, but he makes things happen with the ball at his feet and if he doesn't track back all the time, so what? Surely he can be forgiven.

He has fitted in brilliantly to English football, and Hull might just be the latest team to get a closer look at his skills when the Gunners visit this weekend.

MATCH OF THE WEEKEND: Burnley v Wolves

This one's a real relegation six-pointer that neither team can afford to lose - whoever does will end the weekend in the bottom three.

For the victor, three points could well prove crucial in the run-in to the end of the season and both teams will know that these are the kind of games they have to win if they are to retain their Premier League status.

Certainly I expect Burnley to get at Wolves from the off - such is their difficulty in winning points away from home, games at Turf Moor have now become must-win.

Earlier in the season, Burnley's home was a fortress but teams have found a way around them in recent months. Brian Laws needs it to become impenetrable once again - and fast.

A point is no use to either side, that would only benefit those teams around them, so we could well be in store for an open, entertaining game.

UNDER PRESSURE: Rafa Benitez

Another abject performance against Lille in midweek and once again it will be interesting to see how Liverpool react in the Premier League.

The pressure is still mounting on Benitez after his side failed to show me they had anything different, despite having been publicly berated by Benitez after the Wigan game.

Benitez is still talking up his side's chances, as he has done all season, but when will all the 'improvements' actually deliver results? That must be the question on the lips of those in the corridors of power at Anfield, who will be aware of Real Madrid's reported interest in the manager.

Liverpool's opponents on Monday Portsmouth have nothing left to lose, and that poses an inherent danger to anyone they face. They are probably producing a better brand of football than Liverpool at the moment and I fancy them to take something away from Anfield.

UPSET OF THE WEEKEND: Manchester United v Fulham

Fulham may be coming off the back of a disappointing result in Turin, but they are one of the most stubborn sides in the Premier League and may cause United a few problems at Old Trafford.

Roy Hodgson's team are a tough nut to crack both home and away, not least because of the continuity in their line-up - the manager knows what his best team is and he likes to play it.

Perhaps expectations were a little too high going into their Europa League clash with Juventus following victory over Shakhtar Donetsk, but Fulham head to Old Trafford in decent enough domestic form and in the knowledge that they have already got the beating of the champions once before this season.

Last time the two sides met, at Craven Cottage, Fulham were deserved 3-0 winners and United know they have another real test on their hands. It's going to be one of those games where they will have to get their foot in early, score the first goal and ask questions of the visitors.

But if they don't start well, and they allow Fulham to get a foothold in the game, there could be problems.

[moondog]

What, is Paul Parker paid by arsenal? The 'fully deserved' fulham win came against an experimental 'back three' forced on us by a ridiculous run of injuries - doesn't mention that, does he?

[abojodeh]

What, is Paul Parker paid by arsenal? The 'fully deserved' fulham win came against an experimental 'back three' forced on us by a ridiculous run of injuries - doesn't mention that, does he?

Hmm he is a spurs supporter can't see why he would be biased to Arsenal.

Fulham dominated us on the pitch and were the better side, no matter of what our situation was (injuries and suspensions etc.) we can't say that we deserved anything of the match

[maco]

2-1 Blackburn.

[maco]

3-1 Spurs (Pavlyuchenko)

[maco]

Full Time Tottenham 3-1 Blackburn.

[marty davidson]

Chelsea: Turnbull, Ivanovic, Alex, Terry, Paulo Ferreira, Ballack, Mikel, Lampard, Anelka, Drogba, Malouda. Subs: Taylor, Joe Cole, Zhirkov, Deco, Kalou, Sturridge, Bruma.

West Ham: Green, Spector, Upson, Gabbidon, Daprela, Ilan, Parker, Kovac, Behrami, Dyer, Mido. Subs: Stech, Cole, McCarthy, Tomkins, Collison, Diamanti, Stanislas.

Burnley: Jensen, Mears, Carlisle, Cort, Fox, Elliott, Alexander, Bikey, Eagles, Paterson, Nugent. Subs: Weaver, Duff, Edgar, Rodriguez, Blake, Jordan, Thompson.

Wolverhampton: Hahnemann, Zubar, Craddock, Berra, Ward, Foley, Guedioura, Henry, David Jones, Jarvis, Doyle. Subs: Hennessey, Elokobi, Ebanks-Blake, Keogh, Vokes, Milijas, Mancienne.

Birmingham: Hart, Carr, Johnson, Dann, Ridgewell, Gardner, Ferguson, Bowyer, Fahey, Jerome, Benitez. Subs: Taylor, Larsson, Phillips, McFadden, Michel, Queudrue, Tainio.

Everton: Howard, Neville, Jagielka, Distin, Baines, Anichebe, Heitinga, Arteta, Pienaar, Cahill, Yakubu. Subs: Nash, Hibbert, Yobo, Bilyaletdinov, Donovan, Gosling, Rodwell.

Bolton: Jaaskelainen, Steinsson, Andrew O'Brien, Knight, Robinson, Lee, Muamba, Cohen, Wilshere, Kevin Davies, Elmander. Subs: Al Habsi, Taylor, Riga, Gardner, Klasnic, Shittu, Weiss.

Wigan: Kirkland, Boyce, Caldwell, Bramble, Figueroa, Scharner, N'Zogbia, Diame, Moses, McCarthy, Rodallega. Subs: Stojkovic, Amaya, Thomas, Scotland, Gomez, Sinclair, Moreno.

Stoke: Sorensen, Huth, Abdoulaye Faye, Higginbotham, Collins, Delap, Whelan, Whitehead, Etherington, Sidibe, Sanli. Subs: Begovic, Lawrence, Fuller, Kitson, Pugh, Wilkinson, Moult.

Aston Villa: Friedel, Cuellar, Dunne, Collins, Warnock, Downing, Milner, Petrov, Ashley Young, Heskey, Carew. Subs: Guzan, Luke Young, Sidwell, Agbonlahor, Delfouneso, Delph, Beye.

[maco]

Mancini just said everytime someone is playing against City its like they are playing in the Champions League final .

[lucretius]

that west ham lineup is cause for concern. doesn't zola want to win?

[TheFutureIsAnderson]

Yeah, looks like Zola still has a soft spot for Cheski.

[marty davidson]

Chelsea have being all over West Ham in 1st 10 mins

[maco]

Bolton 1-0 (Elmander)

[marty davidson]

What miss from Ilan

[Because I'm DC]

What a chance Ilan.

West Ham aren't doing that badly. They've had more possession, but Chelsea are obviously being more productive when they get it. West Ham have passed the ball well at times though.

Not sure why Cole and Diamanti didn't start.

[maco]

1-0 Chelsea (Alex)

[marty davidson]

1-0

Alex

[maco]

Brilliant save from Haart.

[TheFutureIsAnderson]

Chelsea score straight after West Ham miss a sitter, ********.

It will be a cricket score IMO.

[maco]

1-0 Everton (Anichebe)