Premiership games preview 21/09/13

There are some interesting games in the premiership taking place today.

Liverpool take on Southampton and on paper it would look like a win for Liverpool. However, Liverpool tend struggle with games against Southampton so it could either way.

Chelsea take on their West London rivals Fulham at home. Fulham have been struggling to win games, so I think Chelsea will win but Fulham could still cause an upset.

 

Guangzhou Open - China

It was quarter finals day and both Laura Robson and Johanna Konta where in action today.

Laura lost in three sets Jie Zheng and to be honest even though Laura lost. It was not a huge surprise Jie Zheng is a good solid player and a former world number fifteen. 

So although Laura is the higher ranked player, I think that Jie Zheng had the ability and the experience to help her beat Laura.

Laura got to the final of this tournament last year so she will lose some ranking points.

But as Laura is still a teen this experience will help her to come back better and win her first WTA title.

Johanna Konta lost in straight sets to Zhang Shui and even though Johanna lost, she will gain valuable ranking points. 

Johanna Konta has been steadily rising up the rankings and I would have thought her next goal would be to break the top one hundred ranking.

 This will not be easy but if she is able to consistently make quarter finals then she will achieve it.

Champions League round up- What a win!

So I am very proud of Arsenal tonight to get to win by two goals to one away  from home and with the skeleton team we took is nothing short of amazing. 

All the players stepped up to the plate and delivered and that is something we haven't seen too much of in the last eight  years!

Our goal scorer's Theo Walcott and Aaron Ramsey both had a good night. To be honest last season I really wanted Aaron out of the team ! I am now grateful that he is an instrumental part of the team.

I am even beginning to believe in Arsene Wenger again. I just hope that we can keep this up and ultimately get some silverware of some sort this season.

It was a bad night for Chelsea who lost two goals to one to FC Basel. I think complacency is what cost them the match tonight. 

As I said in my previous post FC Basel have good record against British clubs. Which means they know how to rise up to the occasion and they definitely did that today.  

Preview of tonight's Champions League games

So in under three hours Arsenal  play Marseille and this will be a tough match. Firstly any away match is a tough match and secondly half our first team is injured.

If we're lucky we might be able grind out a result but one thing is of sure this is not going to be easy. 

I am hoping that this team that includes Mesut, Theo and the inform Aaron Ramsey will surprise me and get the out right win!

Chelsea take on FC Basel at home and in the past Basel have surprised British teams. 

I am not saying they are going to do it here. Because I know they are capable of surprising teams it would not surprise me if Basel got a result. 

Unlike Arsenal, Chelsea have a full complement of players to pick from. This makes Basel challenge of beating them greater than ever. 

As both Man United and Man City did so well yesterday it would be nice for Arsenal to start with a win!

Champions League - Tuesday round up

Champion league group stages started yesterday with both Manchester United and Manchester City in action. 

Man United beat Bayer Leverkusen four goals to two and as the score line suggest. 

It was no means an easy match for Man United and when Bayer scored the equaliser you could feel the collective groan via twitter. 

I don't think there was ever any real danger of them losing especially as they were playing at home. 

So when Van Persie, Rooney and Valencia each scored a goal that helped to calm the nerves of any worried fans.

Manchester City had a much more comprehensive victory beating Viktoria Plzen three goals to nil.

To be fair I  have never heard of this team Viktoria Plzen but Man City did well to avoid an embarrassing loss.

  

Korean Open /Guangzhou Open

The Korean Open started today and already Heather Watson has been dumped out of the competition by forty two year old Kimiko Date Krumm.

Heather lost this match in three sets and at this stage I am worried for Heather's career.

She is currently ranked seventy six in the world and another lost like this and she will probably fall out of the top one hundred.

It's all becoming a bit desperate for Heather and she hasn't got a coach that can take her out of this current slump.

But funny enough Heather then went on later in the day and played a doubles match and with her partner Lourdes Dominguez Lino managed to win in three sets against  Olrau and Savachuk. 

Which means Heather can do this, she just needs to find a away out of her current singles slump.

                                       Heather Watson  and Laura Robson (Sportinglife.com)

Guangzhou Open

Laura Robson beat Jovana Jaksic  in straight sets to make to the second round.

 It was a good solid win for Laura but she will meet tougher opponents in the forthcoming rounds. 

Laura needs rise up to the challenge and ultimately try and win her first WTA title.  

 

Premiership roundup -17/09/13

It is pretty early in the season to make any bold predictions. However teams Arsenal, Tottenham and Liverpool have had a good start.

Arsenal now look like a team that can challenge for trophies. I say that but I am also painfully aware of how things start and end each season with Arsenal. So I would say injuries permitting we could have good season.

                                        Mesut Ozil (telegraph.co.uk)

Tottenham are Arsenal's North London rivals and even though they have spent hundreds and millions of pounds I am not  remotely worried that they will have a better season than us.

 I suspect in the last ten games of the season they will probably fall apart as they did last season!

Liverpool drew two two with Swansea City and already there has been a lot of hype about how Liverpool are a force to be reckoned with.

 I suggest if they want to win the premiership it probably starts with beating Swansea City. 

I am convinced that Chelsea, Man United and Man City are in for a tough transitional season. 

All three have changed their manager and to be fair it gives Arsenal a chance of winning some silverware!