Alan Smith’s Premier League GW36 Predictions and Tips

Champions League Results’ Affect on Arsenal’s Title Run

It’s not going to hinder it. Obviously, there’s always a question after magical nights like last night. You’ve got to refocus after that euphoria. You’ve got to kind of come back down to earth and think about what you need to do in that next game. Hopefully, that won’t be a problem. It would have been worse if that had gone out. Most definitely. So, the club’s on an absolute high. That should only help.

Arsenal’s Response to Losing at the Etihad

There was a time where you thought, oh, blimey, this isn’t looking good, where they were overly cautious. The Bournemouth game stands out. And you wonder whether they’ve got it in them. But since then, whatever’s happened behind the scenes, and I think Arteta deserves credit. He’s freed up a bit and they’ve been a lot more positive, a lot more creative. So, they’ve put that one to bed.

Gyökeres Comparison

To be honest, he doesn’t remind me of myself. When Cascarino said that, I was a little bit surprised. I know there aren’t many kind of orthodox center forwards about, but I do think he’s a little bit different to me. He’s more of a, he loves to run and battle. But he’s a poacher in the box, which I like to think I was. I got a lot of tap-ins in my time. So that’s a great asset to have for any forward. But no, he hasn’t reminded me of me, put it that way.

Lewis-Skelly Role After Switch to Central Midfield

I was thinking last night that now he’s shown that he can do a really good job in midfield, that offers another option, doesn’t it, for Arteta rather than thinking, oh, I need to buy another midfielder. He might buy another one. I don’t think Lewis-Skelly was going to cut it at left back because, defensively, that’s not his strength. So, the way he’s performed over the last couple of games now, if Arteta was thinking of selling, he might have changed his mind.

Frimpong Struggling at Liverpool

He has struggled. Totally different sort of fallback to Alexander-Arnold, obviously. He’s very much a direct player. Gets up and down, quite athletic. Played in midfield, didn’t he, vs United? But it’s not been easy for him. You have to make a final judgment, really, if he stays at the club next season, once he’s had that year bedded in, whether he can actually add something to that starting XI. But no, it’s not been the best for him.

Rio Ngumoha Lack of Minutes

A little surprised because he has impressed whenever he’s come on. He’s looked a threat. He’s looked dangerous. Arne Slot’s obviously just trying to not ask too much of him too soon. But in the final games, you’d imagine he’d have more of a chance now. But obviously, people like Frimpong, he’s paid big money for. So as a manager, you don’t want to admit that you were wrong and leave those players on the bench for an academy product. But definitely, young Rio deserves more action.

Delap Transfer Rumours

Well, it’s certainly not worked for him at Chelsea. It’s not been easy circumstances at all. Club’s in a bit of turmoil, really. He doesn’t look like a Chelsea player. He’s got some rough edges there. Whether they could be knocked off, I don’t know. He suited Ipswich a bit better. I still think he could join a mid to maybe a European challenging team.

But I think sometimes he gets too involved in the physical side of things, and he’s a little bit mouthy as well. He got booked again the other day for dissent. Maybe that’s a bit of frustration showing, but he would regard it as a failure, I’m sure, to go back to Ipswich. But who knows? I think Chelsea might think, yeah, we could get him out and get somebody else in.

Livramento to Arsenal Rumours

I think it’s going to be a balancing act, isn’t it, for Eddie Howe? There are going to be players wanting to leave. He just doesn’t want to see it all break up, and they’ve lost all of that progress they’ve made. Livramento, I could see him at Arsenal, he’s a fine young full-back, loves getting forward, very athletic. You could see him overlapping on Saka. Jurriën Timber, though, he would still be ahead of the queue. He’s a fine player. But I think Ben White will probably leave Arsenal. So, there might be a slot there.

Alex Romero Goalkeeper Interest

Nick Pope, it’s not been such a great season for him, has it? He’s been dropped at times for Ramsdale. He’s on loan, so what’s going to happen with him? Who knows? So, I don’t know much about that keeper, but it might be a position that Eddie Howe is looking at.

What Newcastle Need to Do Differently

Well, have a better pre-season, not have so many transfer comings and goings, speculation. Obviously, the Isak stuff killed them almost, but get Wissa more incorporated into that team. I’m not sure whether they would have the leg room to buy another striker, so they would want more out of him. They’ve got some very good players, but half the battle really is keeping those, the midfielders Tonali, Guimarães, whether they’ll be able to keep both of them, I don’t know, but to settle things down, really, as opposed to last.

Kobe Mainoo Potential England Starter

I think Elliot Anderson has probably got that nailed down with Declan Rice at the moment because he’s playing well. But Kobbie Mainoo, yeah, we were a bit short in the middle there, weren’t we, when Kobbie wasn’t involved at United. So he would be a very useful member of the squad. Somebody who can come in if needed. Different sort of player to Anderson, but he can get you a goal, as he did the other day. So that’s been a good thing to see, for him to rise up again and show everyone what a good player he is.

Hair Pulling Red Card Rules

I think there should be a bit of leeway on it, not just, oh, if he touches his hair, it’s a sending off. Because you can pull somebody’s shirt for 30 seconds and only get a yellow card. There seems to be a bit more sensitivity about the hair. So, I don’t think they will look at it. I think the interpretation will stay the same. And players have just got to be careful, just don’t go there. So, that would be the message.

Michael Carrick Job Security

That’s the thing that’s hanging over him, isn’t it? Everybody mentions it. There’s no reason why Michael Carrick should follow suit with Solskjær and the way things are going. If he has a strong end, they might limp to the finishing line, lose a few, and then the hierarchy is wondering.

But no, I think he’s done enough. So much depends on who else is available. It’s always hard to second guess the decision making of the people that are in charge, but he couldn’t have done too much more, could he? He’s done really well.

Burnley “Playing the System”

I had a little look at the money they spent last summer; a lot of players came in, and they spent nearly 120 million. That’s a sizable amount. You could argue that maybe they didn’t spend well. Those players couldn’t make a mark in the Premier League. They did sell James Trafford, so that balanced it up a little bit, but I think they had a go. They didn’t want to go silly, did they? And kind of, risk the finances of the club. But it was a measured attempt at staying up, so I wouldn’t go along with people saying they want to be a ‘yo-yo’ club for financial reasons.

James Trafford Move to Villa

If he could be number one at Villa, that’s a great move for him. A great move. He’s been number one at Burnley, and now he’s number two to Donnarumma and learning off him at City. And he’s only 23, but he’ll be feeling he wants to be number one. Martínez is an interesting one. He was waving goodbye to the fans at the end of last season, and you thought he was off. Where he’s going, I do not know. But I think James Trafford would be a very decent signing if Martínez did go.

Mikey Moore and Alfie Devine to Scottish Premier League

You’ve just got to make a decision on whether you think these lads are good enough just because they’ve come through the ranks. You’re not going to keep them for the sake of it. You’ve invested a lot of time and effort into them to develop. But it’s a high bar to get into the first team of the Premier League club. So if they don’t think they’re quite good enough, these lads will want to go off and earn a living somewhere else and make a name for themselves.

The Scottish Premier League is a decent place to do it and it can be a stepping stone, can’t it, for these lads if they go there and do well. Clubs back in the Premier League or elsewhere will be looking at them.

Calvert-Lewin World Cup Spot Secured

That’s going to be interesting, isn’t it? Because Ollie Watkins has come back into form. He wasn’t involved in the last squad, but maybe that’s because Tuchel knows all about him. It’s quite hard to know what Tuchel’s thinking, but Calvert-Lewin, he’s had a really good season. Would you see him as a better kind of substitute for Harry Kane, 20 minutes to go, or would Watkins be better? Watkins has got the international experience, so if it’s either or, I’d still go for Watkins, to be honest.

Andre to Leeds

They’ve brought a few in, and they’ve got some good players, Wolves, Andre being one of them. And I wouldn’t be surprised to see two or three at least be snapped up by Premier League clubs. Rob Edwards, I think, would have to accept that, and maybe he’d want a different sort of player anyway for that scrap in the Championship. But Andre might well be a decent acquisition for Leeds.

Hürzeler Three-Year Contract

You look at where they are in the table. You can’t knock that. Going for Europe, they’ll probably get it. It’s been a very good season. It really has. So, why wouldn’t you sign him up?

Man City vs Brentford

Disappointment for City at Everton, but I think they’ll win this one 3-0.

Palace vs Everton

Palace got Shaktar, haven’t they? Tomorrow, so it’s all about the final if they get there. 2-0 to Everton.

Fulham vs Bournemouth

If the virus has gone from Fulham, a lot of the lads were a bit low against Arsenal, and it showed, but if they’re back, I think it’ll be a good game. 2-2.