Weekend Predictions: Beckham’s First Milan Derby, Maldini’s Last

By: Daryl | February 13th, 2009

Here are last week’s predictions (in italics) with actual results afterwards (in bold). One correct result, one nowhere near and one with judgment pending.

Arsenal vs Spurs, 2-2, 0-0. Correct result, wrong score.

Marseille vs Bordeaux, 0-2, 1-0. Fail. But I wasn’t the only one surprised at O’M’s win.

Forfar vs Rangers, 1-4, postponed, due to a frozen pitch. So technically I’m not wrong. Yet.

Here are my efforts for this week:

Inter vs Milan, Sunday Feb. 15th, 20:30
It’s the Milan derby, it’s 1 vs 3 in Serie A, it’s Mourinho, it’s Beckham, Ronaldinho and Ibrahimovic. It’s a game that potentially has everything, so much so that the BBC has coughed up some cash to bring Italian football back to British telly for at least one night only.

Previews: Inter Offside, Milan Offside

Odds: Inter 5-4, Draw 21-10, Milan 23-10
David Beckham to score first 14-1
Paolo Maldini to score first (in possibly his last derby) 50-1
Ibrahimovic to score first 11-2
More odds at PaddyPower
Prediction: Offshore Oscar says this is a draw, and I second that. 1-1. Plus, Beckham to equalize for Milan. I’m calling it.
Bonus Prediction: Bruce Arena will be watching on TV with a homemade Beckham voodoo doll.

Celtic vs Rangers, Sunday, Feb 15th, 12:30
There’s more than one big derby this weekend. Let’s not get into which derby is better. Oh, OK, then: The Old Firm derby is fiercer, the Milan derby has better players. So take your pick.

Celtic are top of the Scottish Prem, with Rangers just two points behind them, while third place Dundee United would need a whole extra season to catch up with either of them. That’s how big the gap is these days.

Celtic prepared for this game by giving each other black eyes in training, so we’ll see if that approach works out.

Odds: Celtic 5-4, Draw 11-5, Rangers 23-10
2-0 to Rangers 16-1
2-0 to Celtic 9-1
4-4 draw is 500-1
Willo Flood to score first 20-1
Barry Ferguson to score first 14-1
More odds at PaddyPower
Prediction: Impossible. And even though that tempts me to say “draw”, I’ve got a feeling Rangers will liven up the title race with a 1-0 away win.
Bonus Prediction: You won’t see much of this:

Watford vs Chelsea (FA Cup), Saturday, Feb 14th, 17:30
The FA Cup could be Chelsea’s best (or at least, easiest) shot at silverware in 2008/9. But Scolari is gone, and Hiddink hasn’t quite arrived yet. Which leaves Ray Wilkins in charge. Difficult to say how the squad will react, but Watford will know this is a chance at a Premier League scalp.
Odds: Watford 8-1, Draw 7-2, Chelsea 4-11
Watford to win 1-0 is 19-1
Chelsea 2-0 is 5-1
Franks Lampard hat-trick 25-1
Watford half-time lead and fail to win 14-1
More odds at PaddyPower
Prediction: Chelsea might wobble, but they won’t fall down here. I’m thinking 2-0 Chelsea after a slow start.
Bonus Prediction: The Didier Drogba sulkathon will not stop. Ever.