OUR RUN UP TO THE NEW YEAR

I have had a look at our fixtures running up to the New Year and I thought I would give it a go at predicting how we are going to get on . The fixture list seems not too bad to me with more home games than away games. But we need to get our away form sorted out, it really is a major concern and we have no chance of finishing in the top four unless we sort it out. A really good win the other week away to Bolton, especially with the run of form Bolton are on at the moment. But back to some poor away performances at Wigan and Stoke reminding us that we still have big problems away from home. At home our form has been better other than that disaster at home to Blackpool. I do think Hodgson is changing things slightly without making wholesale changes to the team on a weekly basis to try and improve. I am happy that he is trying to get a settled team, but very happy that in recent games he has been giving Torres support up front, which has made Torres look a happier player and I hope he continues with this, Kuyt and his workrate is really looking like the perfect foil for Torres.

                                    PREDICTIONS

28/11/10  AWAY   TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
I don't give us much hope here I'm afraid, we don't have a great record here and Spurs are flying at the moment. Minus Gerrard is a massive miss for us, but encouraging that Cole may be back. Hopefully Spurs will be feeling the effects of their midweek exertions whereas we have had a week off. But I don't think we will come away with any points here.
02/12/10  AWAY  STEAU BUCHAREST
Hodgson will put out too strong a team for this one as he will be looking to the next League game, but with our position in the Europa League there won't be too much concern on the result. But I still think we will get a draw here.
 06/12/10 HOME  ASTON VILLA
I'm sure there will be a great welcome back for Gerrard Houllier but I don't think it will be a happy return for him. We will keep up our good home form here with a win.
11/12/10  AWAY  NEWCASTLE
Once again I will have concerns over our away form for this one, Newcastle who have been up and down so far this season. But I do think we will get a point in this one.
15/12/10  HOME  UTRECHT
With a weakened team for this game we will still be too strong at home for Utrecht and can look forward to the knockout stages of the Europa League in the new year.
18/12/10  HOME  FULHAM
Another win for me at home in this one as I expect our home form to continue.
26/12/10  AWAY  BLACKPOOL
Blackpool have been a tough nut to crack this season and I think we will find it hard, I think we will come away with a point though.
29/12/10  HOME  WOLVES
We will end the year with another home win setting us up for the new year in good spirits.

                   OVERALL
So with these fixtures I reckon we will be 11 points better off in the League by the end of the year, and after Sunday's game we will be unbeaten for the rest of the year. Hopefully we can pick more up away from home than I have predicted but I'm not sure we will unless we start pressuring higher up the park. Still, if we get 11 points I think we would be fairly happy with that.
  Let's look forward to the rest of the year.

YNWA