Lawro's predictions | ||||||||||||||||
 HOW DID LAWRO DO LAST TIME?
PREMIER LEAGUE PREDICTIONS (All kick-offs are 1500 GMT unless specified) SATURDAY Stoke v Man City (1245 GMT)
Stoke have not won in nine league matches and are in a lot of trouble. I don't think this is match when they'll turn their fortunes around. City might start to go on a little bit of a run now. New players are still coming in, which will give them an extra boost. Not many have won at the Britannia, but I'm going for an away win. Verdict: 0-2 Arsenal v West Ham
In October, I thought West Ham were about to implode. Alan Curbishley had left by this point and new boss Gianfranco Zola saw his new team lose four games during the month. But since then, Zola has turned things around and they're getting results by playing football. Arsenal are on a great unbeaten run. They drew against a tough Everton side, but scored late again in a match which shows that they are fit enough. Verdict: 2-0 Aston Villa v Wigan
Villa go from strength to strength. The introduction of striker Emile Heskey has given them another dimension. Heskey will also have been boosted by having scored on his debut and it is likely he will face his old club. Wigan got a good scrapping point against Liverpool, during what has been a good season for them, but I think this will be a home win. Verdict: 2-1 Bolton v Tottenham
Bolton's inability to close the game at 2-0 against neighbours Blackburn doesn't bode well for the visit of Tottenham. Spurs are generally not great on the road, but you just think that with Harry Redknapp in charge and the confidence the team will have gained from their win against Stoke, the Londoners will get at least a point. Verdict: 1-1 Fulham v Portsmouth
There were defeats for both sides the other night, although Fulham have not played a game at home in four matches. Pompey were unlucky against Villa because they played good football. The problem is that they don't look like they have anyone to score their goals. Peter Crouch up front on his own just doesn't work. Verdict: 2-1 Hull v West Brom
It has been a long time since Hull have won and they are in freefall, but this is a game that manager Phil Brown will want. They also have three home league fixtures in the next four and I think they'll pick up points from those. West Brom have all sorts of injuries and suspensions and they're coming into the match on the back of a 5-0 defeat. It will be a scrappy win for Hull but it will feel like winning the FA Cup. Verdict: 1-0 Middlesbrough v Blackburn
Boro weren't bad for an hour at Chelsea. Then, in a team that's generally good defensively, they made two stupid mistakes from set-pieces. Blackburn, under Sam Allardyce, have been difficult to beat. They have the belief they can bounce back from whatever tough situation they face. An example of this was when they fought back from 2-0 down the another night. However, I don't think people will be flying across the Atlantic for a football spectacle. Verdict: 1-1 Man Utd v Everton (1730 GMT)
Everton have been nothing short of outstanding lately. They've had a run of fixtures which, including next Wednesday, will have seen them play three of the top four in five games, which is incredible. But I'm going to go for a United win, handing Everton their first blank since the 3-2 home defeat to Villa in early December. Verdict: 2-0 SUNDAY Newcastle v Sunderland (1330 GMT)
Sunderland will be fine this season - there's no doubt about that. They've got a bit of strength in depth, pace and quality up front. Newcastle are plummeting like a stone. Joey Barton and Michael Owen are out injured. The natives are getting restless at St James' Park because they're losing games and haven't brought many players in during the transfer window. Verdict: 1-1 Liverpool v Chelsea (1600 GMT)
Since Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez had his kidney stones removed I think it has done something to him. All of a sudden it's back to cautious Rafa. We've seen Rafa react to Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson, and he took Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres off during the late stages of the Wigan match. There have been some strange decisions made. Chelsea, if they avoid defeat, will be pleased with a draw, which I reckon is a nailed on result. Verdict: 1-1 Mark Lawrenson was talking to BBC Sport's Saj Chowdhury | ||||||||||||||||
2009년 1월 29일 목요일
[EPL24R] Lawro's predictions
2009년 1월 23일 금요일
[FA컵32강] Lawro's predictions
Lawro's predictions | ||||||
HOW DID LAWRO DO LAST TIME?
FA CUP FOURTH ROUND PREDICTIONS (All kick-offs are 1500 GMT unless specified) FRIDAY Derby v Nottm Forest (1945 GMT) It's the East Midlands derby. Brian Clough and all that sort of stuff. I am amazed Nigel Clough is in charge at Derby. If somebody had mentioned that to me five years ago I would said "yeah right". The tie is at Derby but Forest have started to play well. Bearing in mind Derby have been to Old Trafford this week, I'm going for a Forest win Verdict: 1-2 SATURDAY Hartlepool v West Ham (1240 GMT) Hartlepool are victims of their own success after beating Stoke in the last round. West Ham will have taken note and will play a strong team. They can afford to because they're comfortable in the league at the moment. Verdict: 1-2 Chelsea v Ipswich We know Chelsea came unstuck against Southend in the last round in so far as the fact they drew at home. But the two goals in the last three minutes against Stoke will have made a huge difference to that club. Ipswich, under Jim Magilton, have just begun to pick up a bit, but not enough for a surprise. Verdict: 3-0 Doncaster v Aston Villa Doncaster have only had three days to prepare having only beaten Cheltenham last Tuesday. I've seen them a couple of times this season and they play good football, but their problem is scoring goals. I'm going with Villa, taking into account the form they are in and the fact that they are a very good counter-attacking team away from home. Verdict: 0-2 Hull v Millwall This tie is a little bit tricky for Hull and they are struggling a little bit. It has been a long time since their promotion from the Championship. Millwall will go there with nothing to fear or lose. Kenny Jackett has done a good job at the New Den. I will go for the Premier League side, though. Verdict: 2-1 Kettering v Fulham It may be called a possible "cupset" but I'm not having a "cupset". I think because of the gulf between the teams, I can't see anything but a Fulham win. Kettering are at home and it's tight at Rockingham Road - I've played there a couple of times. If this fixture had been played 18 months ago then I'd fancy a "cupset" but it's a different Fulham - there's more to them now. Verdict: 0-2 Portsmouth v Swansea When Bristol City drew at Portsmouth in the last round I thought the Premier League side would lose in the replay at Ashton Gate. But Tony Adams's side did well and they have a bit more about them at the moment. The Swans seem to struggle to get a home draw in this competition. They play nice football, but I don't think that will be good enough. Verdict: 2-0 Sheff Utd v Charlton Charlton have all sorts of problems at the moment, both on and off the pitch. Two or three years ago, many claimed that Alan Curbishley couldn't take them on to next level, they were right. He couldn't because that would have been Champions League football. I'm going to go for United, who very quietly are starting to have a good season and moving up the table in the Championship. Verdict: 2-0 Sunderland v Blackburn Sunderland will have been glad to have been pulled out of the hat first because it's an all-Premier League tie. Apart from the odd slip-up, the Black Cats have improved under new boss Ricky Sbragia. I don't think it will be the end of the world for Blackburn if they went out - and Sam Allardyce may choose to field a weaker side. Verdict: 1-0 Torquay v Coventry This is tough fixture for Coventry. Blue Square club Torquay is well run and a decent little side. They beat Blackpool in last round, so Chris Coleman's Coventry will know what to expect. I fancy this one to be very tight. Verdict: 1-1 Watford v Crystal Palace When the draw was made both clubs would have said "oh one of those ties". So it will be interesting to see the reaction of the crowd at Vicarage Road come match day. Because Palace boss Neil Warnock wants a Cup run I think Watford will win. When a manager says they want their club to have a really good run in the Cup, you know it's goodnight then. Verdict: 2-1 West Brom v Burnley Burnley have played so many matches of late. They had a replay against QPR that went to extra-time and then there was Wednesday's match against Tottenham. You could see they were running on empty in the last five minutes. West Brom have turned the corner with three consecutive home wins in the league so i think they will beat the Championship side. Verdict: 2-0 Wolverhampton v Middlesbrough I am going for Wolves. They've got a lot of attacking prowess, they score a lot of goals and are very good at home, although lately they have been a little inconsistent. Mick McCarthy's team will go gung-ho, I believe. Boro have got big games coming up, including Chelsea on Wednesday, so Gareth Southgate's men may take it a little easy. Verdict: 2-1 Man Utd v Tottenham (1715 GMT) This was rightly billed as a "glam tie" until Spurs boss Harry Redknapp stated he was going to play the reserves against United. I was at that game at Burnley and a few of the reserves would have done better than the first team. United have got one or two injuries, but I expect them to win comfortably. Verdict: 3-0 SUNDAY Cardiff v Arsenal (1330 GMT) Cardiff have had a great run in the Cup and the last time they lost was in last season's final. In saying that, they are facing an Arsenal team that have improved mentally and physically over the last eight weeks. They have got their belief back. Verdict: 0-2 Liverpool v Everton (1600 GMT) When the draw came out and I looked at the fixtures, I thought this would end up as a replay. Everton are short of numbers and their tactics are dictated to them week in and week out. They have got recognised forwards at the moment. I also believe Liverpool will play a shadow team. So these two will definitely meet each other again in the Cup after Sunday. Verdict: 1-1 Mark Lawrenson was talking to BBC Sport's Saj Chowdhury | ||||||