Weekend Watch: Back In The Saddle.

By: chris | August 14th, 2009

With the first of the Big Three kicking open the starting gate, we’re that much closer to European football at its fullest. The Premiership opens up tomorrow, and while there will surely be some stutter steps, it’s nice to see the end of summer in sight as we steam towards 12 months of football, culminating with the World Cup next summer.

As an added bonus, a couple of leagues already in session have offered up a couple of beauties for us, should we need a game away from the first weekend jitters. It’s good to have football back.

Chelsea v Hull
Sat, 1230 GMT, 730EST

While this one’s going to get a great deal of pub anyway, it also is one of the most intriguing matchups of the weekend regardless. Chelsea, after stuttering under Big Phil, came back to life under Guus and ended the year playing some damn good football. Hull, on the other hand, got off the blocks like the entire squad needed pee testing and then hurtled back to Earth like the plump-again Maradona without a parachute. In other words: if this season picks up as last ended it’s going to be an opening fixture festival of goals. If not, it just might be the upset of the year on the first day at Stamford Bridge.

Oh, and some Ancelotti guy makes his official debut.

Prediction: 3-1 Chelsea (Lampard)
Bonus Prediction: Upon the final whistle, Ancelotti whips off his suit and shirt to reveal a t-shirt which says Carlo > Jose.

Tottenham v Liverpool
Sun. 1600 GMT, 1100 EST

This is the eye-catching fixture of the Prem’s opening round, but it remains to be seen if it’ll live up to the billing. Actually, it remains to be seen whether either of these teams will live up to the billing, as is the case every single season. According to some Liverpool fans, this is finally the year they’re supposed to win the league under Rafa, which it never is. According to some Tottenham fans, this is finally the year they’ll look as good on the pitch as they do on paper, which is never the case.

So this game might follow the same lines: looks nice on paper, but might not fulfill expectations.

Prediction: 1-1 (Modric)
Bonus Prediction: A Spurs star will be caught drunk driving…on the way to the game.

Bayern v Werder Bremen
Sat. 1530 CET, 930 EST

Bayern had a bad year in 08/09. Save for cup competition, Werder Bremen had a really bad year in 08/09. Neither got off to the start they’d have wanted, with Bremen looking towards an even longer 09/10 with a 3-2 loss at home to Eintracht, but this is still one of those games you circle on your Bundescalendar until it becomes clear otherwise.

And if Bayern runs rampant, it has “become clear otherwise”, as it’s become quite clear Werder just isn’t very good.

Prediction: 2-2 (Ozil)
Bonus Prediction: A summa cum laude graduate of the Rafael van der Vaart School of Professionalism, Franck Ribery will come on as a sub, score the second goal and unveil a shirt underneath which says Franck ♥ Madrid.

PSV v Ajax
Sun. 1230 CET, 630 EST

This one’s simple: it’s always a big deal when two of the Dutch Big Three get together for a showdown. In fact, though it will never reach the heights of Der Klassieker between Ajax and Feyenoord, this is a proper Eredivisie derby.

Prediction: 2-1 Ajax (Emanuelson)
Bonus Prediction: Kenneth Perez will ask to rescind his contract with Twente, show up at halftime and declare his services awarded to the winner.

Streaming: MyP2P, atdhe.