Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Soccer Match: Manchester United vs Arsenal

Manchester United vs ArsenalManchester United host Arsenal in the Premier League on Sunday

This might be the match of the week as Manchester United hosts Arsenal. Manchester United needs the win against Arsenal on Sunday. Anything less than a win and the Red Devils can kiss any chance of playing in the Champions League next year goodbye.  The soccer match between Manchester United and Arsenal is scheduled for Sunday, February 28, 2016, at 9:05 a.m. at Old Trafford. The matchup will be televised on NBC Sports Network.
Manchester United hasn’t won three straight Premier League games since September. Fifth place Manchester United have only 2 victories in last 6 games. Manchester United tried their best against both Midtjylland and Shrewsbury last week, but didn’t look great in either match.  The list of injuries is just too long right now for Manchester United. Without forward Wayne Mark Rooney, the offense doesn’t look good. If goalkeeper David De Gea can’t play in this one, there could be issues in this next match.
Arsenal might not be in great form, however the injury front is improving. Santiago Cazorla, Tomas Rosicky and Jack Wilshere will still be out for at least a couple more weeks.  Winger Mesut Ozil and striker Olivier Giroud should have a nice day up front against a beaten up Manchester United.  We think the sight of a wounded Manchester United team is going to set Arsenal on the right track. This could end up being the difference on the road.

Friday, February 19, 2016

NBA: Golden State Warriors at Atlanta Hawks

Feb 6, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Jeff Teague (0) is fouled by Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) on a steal attempt in the third quarter of their game at Philips Arena. The Hawks won 124-116. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY SportsGolden State Warriors are going to Exceed Expectations this Year

For this season, the Golden State Warriors now have a 48-4 record, and was expected to be the top team. Their projected win total at sports books was around 60. The Warriors  are on their way to exceed this high bar and are threatening record heights. With a winning percentage of .923, they are on a pace to win around 75 games and be the biggest overachiever. The Atlanta Hawks entered the All-Star break with a 31-24 record, good for first in the Southeast Division and fourth in the Eastern Conference. The Hawks will be enjoying a home game after the break. Monday’s game will be Golden State’s third in four nights which are all on the road.  The Atlanta Hawks host the Golden State Warriors on Monday, February 22, 2016, at 8 p.m. ET at Philips Arena. The matchup will be broadcast on NBA TV.
The Atlanta Hawks have been  inconsistent this year and will try to gain solid footing in  the Eastern Conference during their home stand. Golden State is in the middle of a six-game post-break road trip and could be fatigued after a back-to-back set and travel to Georgia. The Warriors’ trio of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green also played in the All-Star game last weekend. That could add to the fatigue factor which  may keep the game close. In the end the Warriors will do in the second half of the season what they did in the first, which is win basketball games.

Monday, February 15, 2016

Soccer Match: Real Madrid vs.AS Roma

real-madrid-vs-as-romaReal Madrid against AS Roma in Wednesday’s Champions League game

Real Madrid knows that scoring a couple goals on the road will take all of the pressure off of the return trip to the Bernabeu in a couple weeks. Real Madrid are the odds favorites to take the big lead in this series. Real Madrid might be the third best team in La Liga right now, but may be one of the top favorites to win the Champions League. AS Roma is going to need a win in this match to have any chance of advancing to the last eight against one of the best teams in the world.  The soccer match between AS Roma and Real Madrid is scheduled to take place at 2:45 p.m. ET on Wednesday, February 17, 2016 at Stadio Olimpico. The game will be televised live on FOX Sports 1.
AS Roma has won four matches in a row and seems to be in it’s best form of the season. This is good heading into a soccer match of this type of magnitude . Roma isn’t going to win Serie A this year, but the wins put the team back in control to reach the Champions League next year.  Goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny has played well of late which is the main reason why Roma has been in top form.
Real Madrid claimed its third straight match in strong form on Saturday against Athletic Bilbao. Real madrid haven’t been beaten in a fixture since December 13. Winger Gareth Bale is important  for a soccer game like this one.  Forward Cristiano Ronaldo and striker Karim Benzema can do plenty of damage up front. These two players have combined for 40 goals this year. Both teams may end up getting on the board in this soccer match, but we give the edge to the Real Madrid over AS Roma in this one.

Tuesday, February 9, 2016

Soccer: Sunderland vs. Manchester United

Soccer: Sunderland vs. Manchester United

Manchester United v SunderlandSunderland A.F.C. vs. Manchester United F.C. – Premier League

Manchester United blew a 1-0 lead last weekend on the road and walked away with a 1-1 draw with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. Morgan Schneiderlin came off the bench for the last 15 minutes and Bastian Schweinsteiger was once again absent having not recovered in time, but they are lining up in this potential XI to face Sunderland with both of them back in midfield. Sunderland came back from down 2-0 in the last quarter of an hour and celebrated swiping a point at Anfield against Liverpool. The game between Sunderland and Manchester United is scheduled for Saturday, February 13, 2016 at 7:45 a.m. ET at the Stadium of Light. The match will be broadcast on NBC Sports Network.
With pressure mounting on manager Louis van Gaal, Manchester United have showed more intent to break down the opposition’s defense in recent weeks, resulting in just one loss in their last nine matches. Manchester United really should be the odds-on favorite here, knowing that Sunderland is still the second-worst team in the Premier League this year next to Aston Villa. The Red Devils let another opportunity slip for maximum points last Sunday at Stamford Bridge, though at least they can say they’ve gone three straight matches taking at least a point. If this team plays with the heart, particularly defensively that it showed against both City and Liverpool these last couple weeks, this is a winnable match. Sunderland are just 3-3-6 at home, and the should be a slim likelihood of them beating one of the top teams in the country.