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- Can Grand Slam Sunday serve up any aces ?
Can Grand Slam Sunday serve up any aces ?
- By Simon Barlow
- Published 12/13/2007
- Football Previews
- Unrated
Simon Barlow
Simon Barlow is a freelance football writer and commentator. He began broadcasting for TEAMtalk in 1997 and was part of the launch of the UK’s biggest independent football website a year later. As a Manchester United fan since childhood, he was delighted to be made that club’s TEAMtalk editor, before joining ProZone in 2002. After four years as a football statistician, he returned to broadcasting in 2006 and currently blogs on football and NFL.
View all articles by Simon Barlow
Grand Slam Sunday is set to be the most-hyped Premiership double-header in history.
The 'Big Four' meet in two 'white-hot' derby duels, promising drama and action that could determine the ultimate destination of the title this season.
Or we could get two nil-nil draws.
True, it's very tight at the top of the table right now - three points separate the top three and that would extend to four points covering the top four if Liverpool were to win their game in hand.
But the bottleneck is less likely to be uncorked in a flow of champagne football this Sunday, than it is to be screwed firmly shut with cautious play from all the key protagonists desperate to stay in touch at this crucial pre-Christmas juncture.
Goals look scarce commodity for capital clash
Arsenal are going through their seasonal wobble right now, with only one win in the last four matches, and are showing signs that their free-flowing style won't sustain for the full slog of the Premiership marathon.
Five goals from their four most recent outings at an average of 1.25 goals per game looks modest in comparison to a tally of 50 in their previous 21 competitive matches since the season opened in August - and it is no coincidence that this has occurred at the same time as key injuries to star midfielders.
Cesc Fabregas and Alexander Hleb are the Gunners' two most creative influences and can account for 10 assists and eight goals of the club's
53 strikes this season - and neither is thought to be ready to make a comeback against Chelsea.
The Blues are struggling to find the net themselves and failed to notch in a tepid goalless draw with Valencia on Tuesday night.
Didier Drogba's recovery from a knee operation will be crucial to their chances - in seven Premiership and Champions League matches that he has missed this season they have totalled just six goals!
Stars risk eclipse in midfeld battleground
What of Liverpool and Manchester United ? These two north west heavyweights can surely promise a feast of attacking football on Sunday with in-form stars like Fernando Torres, Cristiano Ronaldo, Steven Gerrard and Carlos Tevez ?
Don't bank on it. In the last six meetings between the clubs there have been a total of seven goals - they are always tight affairs and rarely open up at all.
Last season's victory for Manchester United at Anfield was secured in stoppage time after a Ronaldo free-kick was fumbled into the path of a grateful John O'Shea.
The statistics suggest it will not be a memorable Sunday for football with defences slamming the door shut on goal chances - whatever the hyperbole would have us believe.
Written by Simon Barlow, a professional sports writer who blogs about football betting at Betfair.
The 'Big Four' meet in two 'white-hot' derby duels, promising drama and action that could determine the ultimate destination of the title this season.
Or we could get two nil-nil draws.
True, it's very tight at the top of the table right now - three points separate the top three and that would extend to four points covering the top four if Liverpool were to win their game in hand.
But the bottleneck is less likely to be uncorked in a flow of champagne football this Sunday, than it is to be screwed firmly shut with cautious play from all the key protagonists desperate to stay in touch at this crucial pre-Christmas juncture.
Goals look scarce commodity for capital clash
Arsenal are going through their seasonal wobble right now, with only one win in the last four matches, and are showing signs that their free-flowing style won't sustain for the full slog of the Premiership marathon.
Five goals from their four most recent outings at an average of 1.25 goals per game looks modest in comparison to a tally of 50 in their previous 21 competitive matches since the season opened in August - and it is no coincidence that this has occurred at the same time as key injuries to star midfielders.
Cesc Fabregas and Alexander Hleb are the Gunners' two most creative influences and can account for 10 assists and eight goals of the club's
The Blues are struggling to find the net themselves and failed to notch in a tepid goalless draw with Valencia on Tuesday night.
Didier Drogba's recovery from a knee operation will be crucial to their chances - in seven Premiership and Champions League matches that he has missed this season they have totalled just six goals!
Stars risk eclipse in midfeld battleground
What of Liverpool and Manchester United ? These two north west heavyweights can surely promise a feast of attacking football on Sunday with in-form stars like Fernando Torres, Cristiano Ronaldo, Steven Gerrard and Carlos Tevez ?
Don't bank on it. In the last six meetings between the clubs there have been a total of seven goals - they are always tight affairs and rarely open up at all.
Last season's victory for Manchester United at Anfield was secured in stoppage time after a Ronaldo free-kick was fumbled into the path of a grateful John O'Shea.
The statistics suggest it will not be a memorable Sunday for football with defences slamming the door shut on goal chances - whatever the hyperbole would have us believe.
Written by Simon Barlow, a professional sports writer who blogs about football betting at Betfair.