Weekend Predictions: English Prem, 1. Bundesliga and Scottish Prem Finales

By: Daryl | May 22nd, 2009

We’re going to change things up a bit on Weekend Predictions. Rather than asking for scores, we’re going to be asking who finishes where.

My predictions for the English Prem relegation spots, the Bundesliga top four, and the top and bottom of the Scottish Prem are after the jump. And I’m challenging you to make yours in the comments.

English Premier League

Situation: Bottom three go down. WBA are already sunk, but don’t have to finish bottom. Then it’s any two from Sunderland, Hull, Newcastle, and Middlesbrough.

Relevant Fixtures: All kickoffs Sunday, May 24th, 4pm
Sunderland vs Chelsea (Betting Odds)
Hull City vs Man Utd (Betting Odds)
Aston Villa vs Newcastle (Betting Odds)
West Ham vs Middlesbrough (Betting Odds)
Blackburn Rovers vs WBA (Betting Odds)

Prediction: I don’t see Hull getting any favours from a motivated Man Utd reserve side (I agree with <a href=”http://epl.theoffside.com/clubs/manchester-united/will-man-united-be-right-to-field-a-second-string-against-hull.html#comment-1006″>Jan’s analysis here, the second string will be keen to earn Champions League final spots). Chelsea will crush Sunderland. West Ham will have too much for ‘Boro and WBA will do well to get a point at Blackburn.

So Newcastle’s destiny might be – sort of – in their own hands. Assuming the above paragraph proves true, a draw vs Villa will see them leapfrog Hull on goal difference, making the bottom three look like this:

16th Sunderland
17th Newcastle
——————–
18th Hull
19th ‘Boro
20th WBA

Agree/disagree? Predict your bottom five in the comments. One point for correctly predicting each team’s final position (eg if you say 20th: WBA and it finished 20th: WBA, you get a point). Three bonus points if you correctly predict the three relegated teams. So eight points available in all.

Bundesliga

Situation: Technically any of these four can still win the Bundesliga, but realistically Hertha Berlin would need to win at least 24-0 and hope other results go their way.

Because of their impressive goal difference (+35 right now) Wolfsburg really just need a point at home to a likely exhausted Werder Bremen to make things secure. And that’s reflected by the fact that the Bundesliga trophy will be at the Volkswagen Arena ready to be presented, while a replica is will be at the Allianz Arena where 2nd place Bayern plays 3rd place Stuttgart. Both need a win to have a shot at the title.

But they’ll also have one eye on the Champions League places (top two qualify directly for the group stage, third place goes into CL qualifying, 4th place and you’re part of the Europa League experiment). Because a Hertha win vs Karlsruhe means they leapfrog the lose of Bayern vs Stuttgart, or both if Bayern and Stuttgart draw.

To make things slightly more complicated, Karlsruhe will be fighting tooth and nail to go from 18th (aka: bottom and relegated) to 16th (which means a playoff vs a 2. Bundesliga team).

Relevant Fixtures: All kickoffs Saturday, May 23rd, 3:30pm
Wolfsburg vs Werder Bremen (Betting Odds)
Bayern vs Stuttgart (Betting Odds)
Karlsruhe vs Hertha (Betting Odds)

Prediction: I’m seeing draws in Wolfsburg and Munich and a win for Hertha in Karlsruhe. So the top four will look like this:

1. Wolfsburg (Champs, CL)
2. Hertha Berlin (CL)
3. Bayern (CL quals)
4. Stuttgart (Europa League)

Agree/Disagree? Let me know in the comments. One point for each team in the right position.

Scottish Premier League – top

Situation: Whatever else happens, Celtic need a win at home to Hearts to give themselves a chance. If that happens then Rangers would need a win away to Dundee Utd. Rangers inferior goal difference means a draw is useless should Celtic win.

Relevant Fixtures: All kickoffs Sunday, May 24th, 1pm
Dundee Utd vs Rangers (Betting Odds)
Celtic vs Hearts (Betting Odds)

Prediction: Part of me thinks Rangers will get the job done away to Dundee Utd. But another part of me thinks Matt from Celtic Offside will be very disappointed if I predict that. So let’s go with a Rangers draw and a Celtic win, giving us:

1. Celtic
2. Rangers

Agree/disagree? Let me know in the comments. Two points if you get it right. Zero if you get it wrong.

Scottish Premier League – bottom

Situation: The Scottish Prem’s bottom club gets relegated to the First Division (St Johnstone are the team coming up, in case you were wondering). The bottom two clubs play each other, with Falkirk needing to either 1) beat Inverness Caledonian Thistle or 2) wave goodbye to the SPL.

10th placed St Mirren (where Alex Ferguson won his first managerial title in 1977) aren’t 100% safe either, and could still finish bottom if they lose to Hamilton Accies while Falkirk win by enough to make up the goal difference.

Relevant Fixtures: All kickoffs Saturday May 23rd, 12:30pm
Inverness CT vs Falkirk (Betting Odds)

St Mirren vs Hamilton (Betting Odds)

Prediction: Caley will hold out for at least a draw and the bottom of the Scottish Prem will look like this:

18. Inverness CT
19. St Mirren
20. Falkirk

Agree/Disagree? Share your predictions in the comments. One point for each team in the correct position.

Over on Bet Offside, Offshore Oscar is backing Blackburn to beat West Brom, West Ham and ‘Boro to draw, and FC Koln to beat Bochum.

Time to see how everyone did with last week’s predictions. The results of the three games were:

Man Utd 0-0 Arsenal
Marseille 1-3 Lyon
Hoffenheim 2-2 Bayern
(eight goals in total)

I scored two points (got the Man Utd vs Arsenal draw and the Hoffenheim vs Bayern draw, but with incorrect scorelines). Congrats to the following people:

Gold
el_horse: 4pts (no correct scorelines, but called the Man Utd draw, the Lyon win, and predicted goals from Juninho and Ribery)

Silver
HKBVB09: 3pts (Got the correct 2-2 scoreline between Hoffenheim and Bayern)

Bronze
Drabik, Michel-Oliver: (Seven people (plus myself) scored two points, but Drabik and Michel-Oliver both correctly predicted eight total goals)

IMPORTANT(ish) QUESTION: As an extra and 100% definitive tie-breaker (when two or more people have the same points and same total goals) we could – from here on out – give the podium place to whoever was first to leave their prediction. Do you want to do this? Let me know in the poll…

(Poll closes Saturday morning, so leave your vote today)

YOUR PREDICTIONS:

To recap, it’s basically one point for correctly predicting a teams final position (so 14 points available) plus three bonus points if you predict the correct three relegated EPL teams. So 17 points total.

Finally, here’s the cut and paste to leave predictions this week.

ENGLISH PREM
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.

BUNDESLIGA
1.
2.
3.
4.

SCOTTISH PREM
1.
2.

10.
11.
12.