EPL Season Recap

With the world soccer season coming to a close, and the World Cup coming up, we're going to dramatically increase our soccer coverage here at Randall Simon's Sausages. Every day during the World Cup, we'll provide thoughts and analysis of the day's games. We'll also have a monumental preview of the world's greatest sporting event at the end of the month. But, first, let's look back on the season that was in the beautiful game. First up, an EPL season recap.

Let's take a look at our predictions for the 2009-2010 season and how we fared. Our picks are first in black, and the real standings in green.

20. Burnley Portsmouth 19 pts

19. Portsmouth Hull 30

18. Birmingham Burnley 30

17. Wigan West Ham 35

16. Bolton Wigan 36

15. Hull City Wolves 38

14. Blackburn Bolton 39

13. West Ham Sunderland 44

12. Stoke City Fulham 46

11. Wolves Stoke 47

10. Sunderland Blackburn 50

9. Fulham Birmingham 50

8. Everton Everton 61

7. Arsenal Liverpool 63

6. Aston Villa Villa 64

5. Tottenham Man City 67

4. Man City Spurs 70

3. Man Utd Arsenal 75

2. Liverpool Man Utd 85

1. Chelsea Chelsea 86

We nailed the title winner and 2 of the 3 relegation spots, as well as Villa/Spurs/City beginning to crack the Top 4 stronghold. Of course, we had some glorious misses as well - like Liverpool being the fallen giant instead of Arsenal and Birmingham finishing in the Top 10 when we had them back in the Championship. But, as for our incredibly low standards of predicting goes... it deserves an A! So what were the moments and stories that defined the EPL season? Let's hand out some Yoder Awards!

Best Transfer - Arsenal gets Thomas Vermaelen for 12 Million Euros

-Arsenal shored up a big hole in the center of defense after selling Kolo Toure to Man City and found one of the best EPL defenders this season. Vermaelen was solid at the back and dangerous at set pieces. He was one of the main cogs in an Arsenal team that a lot of folks (including us) thought was going to take a step back this season.

Worst Transfer - Liverpool sells their soul... and Xabi Alonso

-When Liverpool sold Xabi Alonso to Real Madrid before the season started, they sold the most important player on the team not named Gerrard or Torres. Alonso's presence as a passing holding midfielder allowed Gerrard and Torres to do their magic up front last season. Nevertheless, Rafa relented and let him go to Madrid. What followed was a gaping hole in the middle of the team for Liverpool that was never fixed. Lucas, Aquilani, and any number of players tried to fill the role but failed. In the end, this move led to the domino effect that was Liverpool's disastrous season.

Best Loan Move - Landon Donovan & Everton

-It wasn't so much that Donovan put up gaudy numbers in Everton, but he was able to break the stigma that elite American players couldn't play at an elite level in Europe. Yes, Clint Dempsey and Tim Howard and Michael Bradley play important parts for their teams - but many in Europe don't believe the USA's best can be Europe's best. Donovan had failed at Bayern Munich and needed to perform well at Everton for his legacy and the legacy of the American soccer star. He did just that. By the end of his 10 week loan spell, fans were singing his name in tribute, and Everton was back in the top 10 of the EPL.

Biggest Surprise - Fulham's Europa Run

-Fulham's march through Europe, including an amazing 4-1 win at Craven Cottage to get past Juventus, was the surprise of the season. They beat much more storied and talented teams in reaching the final, before putting up a valiant effort and losing to Atletico Madrid. It showed the world that England is more than a 4-7 team league.

Biggest Disappointment - Any and every thing Liverpool

-A year after they lost only 2 games and finished in 2nd... Liverpool lost 11 games and finished way back in 7th. It was a shockingly poor season from the Reds. In truth, nothing worked the way it was supposed to: more injuries to Torres, injuries and a lack of form from Gerrard, Riera falling off the planet, Lucas still sucking, Carragher aging (good luck in South Africa), Aquilani sitting, boardroom melodrama, and a defiant manager who has lost the plot. Maybe falling out of the Champions League is the wake-up call Liverpool needs to blow it up and start over. It can't get much worse than this season.

Best Player - Didier Drogba

-Wayne Rooney earned most of the plaudits all season long, but it was a return to the elite level by Didier Drogba that returned Chelsea to the top of the table. He led the league with 29 goals and even slotted in the game-winner in the FA Cup.

Best Team - Tottenham Hotspur

-Spurs were perhaps the less fancied of the Villa/Man City/Spurs triumvirate to break into the Top 4. But, Harry Redknapp put together quite the team and made all of the right moves (even offloading an ineffective Robbie Keane) in getting into position to get 4th. It all came together in the penultimate game of the season when they went to Eastlands and beat Man City on a Peter Crouch header. The way this team is built, they could be playing CL football for a long time to come.

Best Rumor - Chelsea Wants Torres, Really Reallly Reallllly Bad

-In news just coming today, Chelsea may be willing to give Liverpool 40 million, plus 3 players in exchange for Fernando Torres. Now, don't get me wrong, I love Torres and Liverpool... but some offers are just too good to pass up. Imagine getting Anelka, Kalou, and perhaps John Obi Mikel PLUS more money to spend for an awesome player who is injury-prone. This would be the equivalent of the Herschel Walker trade many years ago. Yes, it helped the Vikings in the short term, but gave the Cowboys the tools to build a consistent champion. Maybe it could do the same for Liverpool. As they say overseas, watch this space.

Best Scandal - The Terry-Bridge Affair

-This one is pretty much a no-brainer. John Terry became the worldwide villain of many and Wayne Bridge was willing to turn down a place in South Africa because JT got busy w/ Bridge's babymama. Only in England. At least Terry had Tiger Woods to thank for removing him from the adulterous athlete spotlight.

Best Peaceful Non-Violent Resistance - The Green & Gold Campaign

-The campaign of the Red Knights, bringing green and gold (old Man U colors) gear to Old Trafford and rounding up support to oust the Glazers, shows what a united group of supporters are capable of doing. Their protests showed the world that they were unhappy with the club being saddled with debt and want to do something about it... too bad it probably won't make the impact that they want.

Best Game - Man Utd 4 Man City 3

-All the way back in September, these two Manchester rivals played one of the great games in EPL history. They went back and forth throughout the day until Michael Owen's winner in stoppage time. The game showed both teams would be contenders throughout the season. Here's the highlights...

Defining Moment - Chelsea Scores 8 With The Title On The Line

-Going into the final game of the season, Chelsea needed to beat Wigan to ensure the title. Not only did they beat Wigan, they demolished them. They won 8-0 winning the EPL Championship and setting a new mark for goals scored in a season.

We'll be back later this week with a look at the continental season in European soccer, and a preview of the Champions League Final between Bayern Munich and Inter Milan. Bye for now!

EPL Picks & MLS Playoff Thoughts

Halloween is just around the corner and it was a week of fright for our EPL Picks! Speaking of fright, sorry to all of our British readers that had to witness the Tampa Bay Bucs. For the first time this season, the Yoder Bros were kept under .500 for the week. Dr. Yoder actually picked up some ground on the rebel children by picking upsets Wigan and Birmingham to come through. This week, we'll try to rebound and also give you our thoughts on the MLS Playoffs! Away we go...

Last Week's Results:

Mr. Yoder II: 1-5-4 7 pts

Mr. Yoder I: 2-4-4 10 pts

Dr. Yoder: 3-3-4 13 pts

Total Standings:

Mr. Yoder II: 54-27-15 177 pts

Mr. Yoder I: 52-29-15 171 pts

Dr. Yoder: 49-32-15 162 pts

Tottenham (6-3-1) @ Arsenal (6-2-1)

The North London Derby takes center stage this week with its early Saturday kickoff. Both teams come off disappointing results last week (TH L v Stoke, Arsenal T v WHU). They sit tied for 3rd on the table currently. This might not equal their 4-4 classic last year, but Spurs will get a late goal again, this time to win.

Y1: Spurs Y2: Arsenal Doc: Arsenal

Chelsea (8-2-0) @ Bolton (3-4-2)

Chelsea destroyed Blackburn last week while Bolton got the surprising win over Everton. I'm guessing we'll see something closer to the former this week...

Y1: Chelsea Y2: Chelsea Doc: Chelsea

Hull City (2-6-2) @ Burnley (4-6-0)

Hull and Pompey played perhaps the worst game in recorded Premier League history last week, luckily I wasn't scarred by the experience. Burnley found their spotless home record spoiled by Wigan, but they'll bounce back.

Y1: Burnley Y2: Burnley Doc: Burnley

Aston Villa (5-2-2) @ Everton (3-4-2)

Ok, so maybe Everton's climb back up the table is going to take longer than anticipated, or it might not happen at all. This fixture last year was another breathless affair with Ashley Young the late hero. Villa to take it at Goodison.

Y1: Villa Y2: Villa Doc: Everton

Liverpool (6-4-0) @ Fulham (3-4-2)

Liverpool saved their season with that huge 2-0 win over Man U on Sunday. But, it will only really be saved if they continue on and beat Fulham this week. Injury concerns abound for the Reds with Gerrard and Glen Johnson ruled out for the encounter. But, if El Nino is healthy, that may be all they need.

Y1: Liverpool Y2: Liverpool Doc: Liverpool

Wigan Athletic (4-5-1) @ Portsmouth (1-8-1)

Wigan continues to pick up impressive road wins, this time winning at Turf Moor. The trip to Fratton Park won't be as tough. With the boardroom on the South coast in shambles, don't expect the on-field product to be inspired.

Y1: Wigan Y2: Portsmouth Doc: Wigan

Wolves (2-5-3) @ Stoke City (4-3-3)

Well done Stoke. Followers of the picks know that I'm high on the Potters, and the win at WHL showed exactly why. That could be a season defining win with Stoke staying in the top half of the table. Expect them to deal with Wolves pretty easily.

Y1: Stoke Y2: Stoke Doc: Stoke

West Ham Utd. (1-5-3) @ Sunderland (5-4-1)

Sunderland has the look of a team that will continue to balance great results with poor ones throughout the season. For West Ham, a draw with Arsenal might lift spirits, but they need much more than a point at a time to ease those relegation fears.

Y1: Sunderland Y2: Sunderland Doc: Sunderland

Blackburn (3-5-1) @ Manchester United (7-2-1)

Man U gets a nice chance to bounce back against a Blackburn team that never looks like it even wants to play on the same pitch as the Big 4 teams. Expect an angry, intense United team to come out on Saturday and regain the mojo after last week's loss at Anfield.

Y1: Man U Y2: Man U Doc: Man U

Manchester City (5-1-3) @ Birmingham (3-5-1)

Man City can't afford to keep drawing games if they want to put up a serious title charge this season. City are down to 6th on the table and with a EPL season that looks like a number of teams can be in contention throughout the year, these are the games that define seasons. Birmingham has put up a respectable first 9 games to their campaign, but City are favored in this one.

Y1: Man City Y2: Man City Doc: Man City

Aston Villa @ West Ham (Wednesday)

A bonus Wednesday pick! Looking into the crystal ball... Villa continues their fine form from beating Everton while the fears around West Ham come to a fever pitch.

Y1: Villa Y2: Villa Doc: West Ham

MLS PLAYOFFS

Well, we managed to correctly predict 5 of the 8 playoff teams from all the way back in June (pretty good when you consider our American sports predictions...). We haven't touched on the MLS season in a while here at RSS, but the end of the season proved to be dramatic with teams fighting down the stretch to get into the postseason. 5 teams were able to get in from the West, and 3 from the East, a reverse from last year. The Crew go in winning their 2nd Supporters Shield in a row and are also looking for their 2nd straight MLS Cup. The stars are all out in this postseason: Beckham, Donovan, Blanco, Schelotto, Holden and countless more. Before we preview each 1st round matchup, let's tell analyze each team's chances at listing the trophy by analyzing Pros and Cons for each team.

EAST

1) Columbus Crew 49 Pts

Pros: Supporters Shield winners... Reigning League MVP Schelotto healthy... Have the deepest team in the league... Homefield advantage throughout the playoffs... Defending champions.

Cons: Is star defender Chad Marshall knee's going to be in shape... Only one goal in MLS this month... Propensity to give up late goals... Rookie head coach Robert Warzycha in first postseason... Lost 2 straight home games.

2) Chicago Fire 45 Pts

Pros: Blanco... McBride... Revenge factor from last season vs Columbus... Experienced roster... history of success vs New England in the playoffs... sending Blanco out a winner

Cons: Distraction of Blanco's announcement that he's returning to Mexico... key players are very, very old... 4-4-4 in the 2nd half of the season... more draws than wins this season

3) New England Revolution 42 Pts

Pros: Shalrie Joseph... Steve Nicol... it's cold in New England this time of year... dark horse of the field... I'm trying here...

Cons: Lack of success vs Chicago... fewest number of goals scored from playoff teams... lowest goal differential amongst playoff teams... injuries to key players... lack of scoring punch up front

4) Real Salt Lake 40 Pts

Pros: Highest scoring team in the playoffs... made last year's conference finals... NYRB made MLS Cup Final as crossover Wild Card last season... beat Columbus 4-1 at home this season

Cons: 2-11-2 road record... 2-3-1 in their last 6... 0-5-1 in games in the Eastern time zone... lowest numbers of points of any playoff team...

WEST

1) LA Galaxy 48 Pts

Pros: Donovan and Beckham... Bruce Arena's coaching.... vastly improved defesne... star power finally matched by on-field product... unbeaten in October... champs of the superior conference

Cons: Is there too much pressure... is Donovan a big game player... is Beckham more focused on AC Milan and Posh... lack of postseason experience

2) Houston Dynamo 48 Pts

Pros: Maybe the most talented team in the league... Ching, Clark, Holden are national team stars... 2-time MLS Cup Champions... Best GD in the West... unbeaten in last 5 games

Cons: 0-2-2 vs Los Angeles and Columbus... can Pat Onstad hold up in goal... disappointing CONCACAF result... Mexican signing Luis Landin has only 1 goal... 0 goals in first playoff game

3) Seattle Sounders 47 Pts

Pros: Huge homefield advantage... Sigi Schmid... Freddy & Freddy... Kasey Keller... Drew Carey... ended Columbus' home unbeaten streak... US Open Cup Champions

Cons: First time in the Playoffs... duh, they're an expansion team... held scoreless at home in 1st leg... only 2 scorers with more than 5 goals... injury questions... questions about Ljungberg's future...

4) Chivas USA 45 Pts

Pros: Sasha Kjlestan... get to play both first round games at home.... Zach Thornton has been a revelation in goal... as has Preki as a coach...

Cons: Sasha Kjlestan... get to play both first round games on the road... 0-2-1 vs the Galaxy this season... who will score goals for Chivas?

1st Round Matchups

Crew vs RSL

-The 5th seed from the West becomes the 4th seed in the East. If Columbus gets through the first leg unscathed, they should easily handle RSL at home. Watch and see how Columbus finishes in front of goal; they have a lot of options up front, but the scoring touch has gone missing in the last month. The Crew haven't been lighting the world on fire recently, but this team has the skill and experience to get by the upset-minded Western Wild Cards. PICK - Columbus

Fire vs Revs

-It seems like these two teams square off in the postseason every year. Chicago isn't getting any younger and the magic of Blanco and McBride doesn't quite seem like it's there as in recent years. Toyota Park in Chicago isn't exactly a fortress for the Fire this season. New England has what it takes to shutout Chicago over the two game series and pull of the upset. PICK - New England

LA vs Chivas

-The Clasico (gotta love MLS trying to turn this into Boca v River or Man U v Liverpool), while feeling a little contrived, is pretty compelling. There has been an actual rivalry built up between these two teams over the past couple seasons. The key will be if David Beckham can keep his cool over the 2 game series. With both contests at the Home Depot Center, expect this to be as close as it can be. In 3 games this season, LA was 2-0-1, with only 2 total goals scored between the teams! Expect a moment of brilliance from Donovan or Becks to make the difference. PICK - Galaxy

Houston vs Seattle

-Well, we already have the luxury of knowing that Houston was able to hold Seattle to a 0-0 draw at Qwest Field and go home just needing a win to move on to the Conference Finals. Surprising that a game between 2 high powered offenses would end in a stalemate. Even though Houston is heading home, you can't discount Sigi Schmid's coaching ability. Ever since Seattle came into the league, there has been a sense of destiny about them. In an upset, Seattle goes into Houston next week and gets a road win. PICK - Seattle

EPL Picks

It's a busy Friday night for us as we try to get ready for our Ohio Wesleyan v Wash U football broadcast, so we've got a brief rundown of the EPL picks this week. Plus, I'm a little bitter that I'm not going to be able to ever enjoy the beach again after that little episode last week at Sunderland (above). Expect an article dissecting Liverpool's woes soon after they lose their 5th in a row on Sunday. Oh, and Y2 is moving further ahead in the picks. Not cool!

Last Week's Results:

Mr. Yoder II: 7-1-2 23 pts

Mr. Yoder I: 6-2-2 20 pts

Dr. Yoder: 4-4-2 14 pts

Total After Week 5:

Mr. Yoder II: 53-22-11 170 pts

Mr. Yoder I: 50-25-11 161 pts

Dr. Yoder: 46-29-11 149 pts

Aston Villa (5-2-1) @ Wolves (2-5-2)

Both teams are coming off good results, Villa beating Chelsea, Wolves drawing Everton. The edge to Villa, although it's good to see signs of life from last year's champions of the Championship.

Y1: Villa Y2: Villa Doc: Villa

Sunderland (5-3-1) @ Birmingham (2-5-1)

You can say that Sunderland were very lucky last week, but truth be told they outplayed the Reds the entire way. Expect the Northeastern train to keep rolling in the Midlands.

Y1: Sunderland Y2: Sunderland Doc: Birmingham

Wigan Athletic (3-5-1) @ Burnley (4-5-0)

Wigan were able to earn a point against 10 man city, while Burnley lost to their rivals Blackburn. It'll be a tough ask for Wigan to win at a place where teams like United and Everton have fallen this season.

Y1: Burnley Y2: Burnley Doc: Wigan

Portsmouth (1-8-0) @ Hull City (2-6-1)

Can Pompey get their 2nd win of the season? Only if the team that played at Fulham shows up for Hull. They never looked likely to score at the Cottage, this one could go 0-0, but every time Phil Brown needs a win it seems that he survives.

Y1: Hull Y2: Portsmouth Doc: Portsmouth

Stoke City (3-3-3) @ Tottenham (6-2-1)

Plucky Stoke sit perfectly split from their opening 9 games, but it should go to 3-4-3 with a tough trip to the Lane against Spurs. Tottenham have been rolling along nicely since some tough losses to the top teams. They'll be fighting with City and VIlla to break the Top 4 all season.

Y1: Spurs Y2: Spurs Doc: Spurs

Blackburn (3-4-1) @ Chelsea (7-2-0)

Blackburn won their derby game against Burnley, but now they face an angry Chelsea side coming off of a loss in the league and a solid win vs Athletico in the UEFA CL. Blackburn will be singing the Blues on Saturday.

Y1: Chelsea Y2: Chelsea Doc: Chelsea

Everton (3-3-2) @ Bolton (2-4-2)

This game won't be for the feint of heart. Both these teams keep their nose to the grindstone and it will be a tough affair, but Everton's class will win out in the end.

Y1: Everton Y2: Everton Doc: Everton

Manchester United (7-1-1) @ Liverpool (5-4-0)

Jeepers. Everything that has gone wrong for Liverpool has this season. Injuries, beach balls, bad luck, late goals, CL losses, everything. Man Utd hasn't necessarily been impressive as they sit at the top of the table with 22 points. This is the definition of a must win for Liverpool, but with the 8/9 combo of Gerrard and Torres not at full fitness, United has a much more talented and deeper team. I can't pick against them just yet, but, as much as it pains me to say this, Liverpool are in crisis.

Y1: Liverpool Y2: Man U Doc: Man U

Fulham (3-4-1) @ Manchester City (5-1-2)

Man City will bounce back in a big way after their draw against Wigan, their talent-laded squad should be able to deal with Fulham, who had 3 points taken away from them in the Europa League against Roma. Does anyone think Fulham has the depth to handle a European and League schedule?

Y1: Man City Y2: Man City Doc: Man City

Arsenal (6-2-0) @ West Ham Utd. (1-5-2)

A London derby with teams going in opposite directions. Arsenal's stock is on the way back up, despite that 1-1 draw at defending Dutch champs AZ Alkmaar. West Ham are going down, down, down. Zola's men might need a miracle to keep them up if this sorry form persists.

Y1: Arsenal Y2: Arsenal Doc: Arsenal

Tomorrow we'll Protect the Shield for the NFL as they return to EPL land with the Pats and the Bucs, sorry London, at least we sent one legitimate NFL team though!

EPL Picks & WCQ Recap

That is one happy, happy Argentinian. Grab your own Diego Maradona Slip and Slide and let's get right into our EPL Picks, and then a World Cup Qualifying Recap!

As you can see, there were more ties 2 weeks ago in the last round than there have been in the entire season thus far! The difference last week was Y2's pick of Chelsea at home beating Liverpool as he extends his lead by 3 more points over the pack. Who will win and lose this week's games as we get back from the International break? Only we tell you the winners and losers (and sometimes drawers) at RSS.

Last Week's Results:

Mr. Yoder II: 4-1-5 17 pts

Mr. Yoder I: 3-2-5 14 pts

Dr. Yoder: 3-2-5 14 pts

Total After Week 5:

Mr. Yoder II: 46-21-9 147 pts

Mr. Yoder I: 44-23-9 141 pts

Dr. Yoder: 42-25-9 135 pts

Chelsea (7-1-0) @ Aston Villa (4-2-1)

A tough spot for Chelsea to have to play at Aston Villa after the break. Villa was able to get a point against Man City 2 weeks ago and have come back after some disappointing home results earlier this season. Chelsea took it to Liverpool at the Bridge in the last round, but will the momentum be slowed after the International break? Villa will be more rested than Chelsea, I'll go with the upset.

Y1: Villa Y2: Villa Doc: Chelsea

Birmingham (2-5-1) @ Arsenal (5-2-0)

It doesn't matter how much more rest B-Ham has than Arsenal, there is no way the Gunners lose at the Emirates this weekend. Arsenal smashed Blackburn before the break, and they'll continue the beatdowns this week.

Y1: Arsenal Y2: Arsenal Doc: Arsenal

Wolves (2-5-1) @ Everton (3-3-1)

Everton is another team that has come back after a tough start as they now sit at .500 and 10th on the table. David Moyes has the faith of everyone at Everton, and their march up the table should continue against a Wolves team that has never gotten off the ground this season.

Y1: Everton Y2: Everton Doc: Everton

Bolton (2-3-2) @ Manchester United (6-1-1)

Man U needed a goal at the death last week just to get a point at home against Sunderland, but the biggest story surrounding United has been Fergie's rants against the refs. Is he trying to do his best Rafa Benitez impression? Fergie's a great manager, but like all the big names around the world of sports, he gets a pass for his antics where others pay the price. Even without Wayne Rooney, there should be no trouble with Bolton.

Y1: Man U Y2: Man U Doc: Man U

Tottenham (5-2-1) @ Portsmouth (1-7-0)

Congrats Portsmouth on your first win of the season. At least someone in the EPL universe saw that one coming (taking bows). However, playing Spurs is a completely different animal than playing Wolves. Tottenham have only lost to Man U and Chelsea this season, so expect them to get the win.

Y1: Spurs Y2: Spurs Doc: Spurs

West Ham Utd. (1-4-2) @ Stoke City (2-3-3)

The Hammers are in trouble. They sit 19th on the table and have been the biggest disappointment of the season so far. Stoke are right about where you would expect them in mid-table. The home-field advantage and the scoring woes of the Hammers should see the Potters through.

Y1: Stoke Y2: Stoke Doc: West Ham

Liverpool (5-3-0) @ Sunderland (4-3-1)

Liverpool's title hopes are losing steam. They showed very little at Chelsea 2 weeks ago where they won last year, and now they travel to the Stadium of Light without Gerrard and Torres. Of course, the injury woes to the Big 2 were Liverpool's problems last year, and they've reared their ugly head again. Sunderland must be buoyed by almost winning at Old Trafford. With the boardroom troubles, transfer troubles, and injuries, Liverpool might as well forget about the league title for this year... and it's October. Ouch. I have a feeling I'll lose another game in the standings here...

Y1: Liverpool Y2: Sunderland Doc: Liverpool

Burnley (4-4-0) @ Blackburn (2-4-1)

Burnley need to do what they have been doing, beat the teams in the bottom half of the table. They've done a good job against their peers, expect that to continue against Blackburn. Rovers were demolished at Arsenal 6-2 in the last round. Blackburn has the makeup of a team that struggles in the bottom 5 all year.

Y1: Burnley Y2: Burnley Doc: Burnley

Manchester City (5-1-1) @ Wigan Athletic (3-5-0)

City have been shook by rumors of Robinho wanting a move to Barcelona, but in truth, they may not need him. The play of Bellamy, Tevez, and Adebayor has been superb. And, don't forget that Roque Santa Cruz is still yet to make an impact for Man City. This team is good enough to make the Top 4, and they might even continue a challenge for the title. A trip to the JJB was trouble for Chelsea, but City will get the 3 points.

Y1: Man City Y2: Man City Doc: Wigan

Hull City (2-5-1) @ Fulham (2-4-1)

Hull might have saved Phil Brown with a home win last round against Wigan. Out of all the new striker signings it might be Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink (best name in world sports by the way) who has had the biggest impact. In the end, if Hull stays up it will be a surprise. Fulham have languished all season and need a kick start to their campaign. A big win against Hull in Monday's game could do that.

Y1: Fulham Y2: Fulham Doc: Fulham

World Cup Qualifying Recap

IN - Switzerland, Slovakia, Honduras, Argentina

OUT - Ecuador, Israel, Sweden, Czech Republic, Croatia

PLAYOFFS - Costa Rica v Uruguay, Bahrain v New Zealand, Russia/Greece/Portugal/France v Bosnia/Ukraine/Ireland/Slovenia

The only real surprise out of the final round of World Cup Qualifying might be Honduras surpassing Costa Rica and getting the last automatic spot in CONCACAF. Honduras' win coupled with the US's last gasp equalizer sent the troubled nation into the World Cup for the first time since 1982. Costa Rica goes into the playoffs to meet Uruguay who failed to beat Argentina and get an automatic spot. The Ticos are falling apart, and it'll be tough to go into South America and get a result. Maradona found a way to get Argentina to South Africa 2010, although the jury might still be out on how the South American giants will fair. In Europe, there were no real surprises out of the last round. Portugal snuck into the playoffs, while Switzerland and Slovakia wrapped up the last 2 automatic bids.

The controversy with UEFA seeding playoff teams is well-founded, but expected. UEFA is going to pull out all the tricks to protect the big guns like France, Portugal, and Russia so nobody can be shocked that the group runners-up were seeded suddenly to avoid one of those big teams missing out on South Africa. Yes, it's not fair to Ireland and Bosnia, but such is life. These smaller nations still have to believe in themselves for the upset. In Asia/Oceania, the Bahrain v New Zealand playoff heads to the 2nd leg at 0-0. Bahrain had the better of the 1st leg and is favored to go through.

US Perspective

RSS is wishing Charlie Davies a full recovery, our thoughts and prayers are with everyone involved in that tragic accident. Davies has been one of the rising stars of the US soccer resurgence and has been playing well in France for Sochaux. With the multitude of serious injuries he has, it'll be a tough ask for him to recover in time for the World Cup. It's just a terrible thing to have happen, and everyone hopes that he will return to full fitness, whenever that might be.

Davies' injury was on the hearts and minds of all the Americans in their 2-2 fightback against Costa Rica. Jonathan Bornstein's late goal unleashed emotion rarely seen for a fairly meaningless draw. But, that goal won the Hexagonal for the United States, and it lifted the spirits of everyone involved in US Soccer. Moving forward, places are wide open all over the US team. It's hard to predict how the US lineup will look come next June, but someone will have to step up to fill the striker positions in the next year. I could envision a scenario where either Dempsey or Donovan moves forward in South Africa to partner Jozy Altidore while one of either Holden, Rogers, or Torres fills the wide midfield slot. The Americans should be encouraged with everything that happened this World Cup Qualifying cycle, but the work is only beginning.

EPL Picks & CL Recap

Straight into our EPL picks (starring those 2 #8's), and then UEFA Champions League thoughts from midweek. As you can see, a great week for Mr. Yoder II sees him vault to the top of the standings for the first time in a few weeks. Will I be able to catch him? Away we go...

Last Week's Results:

Mr. Yoder II: 8-2-0 24 pts

Mr. Yoder I: 6-4-0 18 pts

Dr. Yoder: 5-5-0 15 pts

Total After Week 5:

Mr. Yoder II: 42-20-4 130 pts

Mr. Yoder I: 41-21-4 127 pts

Dr. Yoder: 39-23-4 121 pts

Portsmouth (0-7-0) @ Wolves (2-4-1)

Pompey played their best game of the year against Everton, but still managed to lose. The news isn't getting better with breaking reports that players are struggling to get their wages. It doesn't seem like the best atmosphere to try and play football. However, Pompey showed a lot of spirit last week which might carry over against a Wolves team that has been unimpressive, allowing 5 goals last week to Sunderland. Consider this revenge for Wolverhampton as they have never woken up as my sleeper pick of the year.

Y1: Portsmouth Y2: Wolves Doc: Wolves

Birmingham (2-4-1) @ Burnley (3-4-0)

Birmingham missed a big chance last week when they lost at home to Bolton. That's a 6 point swing that could cost B'Ham when May comes around. Burnley unsurprisingly crashed and burned at Tottenham, but playing at home has been a different story for them. If they can beat Man U and Everton, then they should handle Birmingham at Turf Moor... right?

Y1: Burnley Y2: Burnley Doc: Burnley

Wigan (3-4-0) @ Hull City (1-5-1)

Wigan pulled the rabbit out of the hat last week with an inspired performance by beating Chelsea in the upset of the season thus far. Of course, they have a boneheaded red card from Peter Cech to thank for assisting in the victory. They face a much easier task traveling to the KC Stadium to face a Hull side in shambles. They've won 2 games in the EPL in 2009. That includes the second half of last season... yikes. Someone help Phil Brown through that headset! What is he busy doing, taking drive-thru orders? Making sales calls? Earth to Phil: time's running out.

Y1: Wigan Y2: Hull Doc: Wigan

Tottenham (5-2-0) @ Bolton (2-3-1)

Every time you think Bolton is down and out, they come up with a scrappy win as they did last week at Birmingham. Spurs rebounded after a couple tough losses with a spanking of Burnley at the Lane. Liverpool fans have to wonder where Robbie Keane's goal scoring touch was in a Reds uniform? If he scores 4 goals every game, Spurs have a good chance at winning a lot. How's that for expert analysis?

Y1: Tottenham Y2: Tottenham Doc: Tottenham

Sunderland (4-3-0) @ Manchester United (6-1-0)

Sunderland threw out one of the most negative performances of the year at Old Trafford last season, but expect them to come out more aggressive this time around. United have to be concerned that OT doesn't seem like the fortress it used to be with teams coming in and winning, or coming close like Wolfsburg. Even though Michael Owen is injured (who couldn't see that coming??) they'll win this week.

Y1: United Y2: United Doc: United

Blackburn (2-3-1) @ Arsenal (4-2-0)

Rovers somehow found a way to win at Aston Villa through a late penalty kick, but the trip to the Emirates won't be as kind. Arsenal played tough defense at Fulham last week, especially backup netminder Vito Mannone who made some great saves. There won't be that much drama against Blackburn though. Arsenal going away.

Y1: Arsenal Y2: Arsenal Doc: Arsenal

Stoke City (2-3-2) @ Everton (3-3-0)

The toughest game to pick of the weekend. After a shocking start, Everton are back to .500 and sit comfortably at mid-table on their way up. Stoke has played the big boys tough, but come up empty handed. While I do like Stoke and how they play, the smart money is on Everton continuing their good run of form and climbing back up the table.

Y1: Everton Y2: Everton Doc: Everton

Fulham (2-4-0) @ West Ham (1-4-1)

These two London sides have to be among the disappointments of the season. West Ham sit in the relegation zone while Fulham is only one spot above them. Both teams have suffered from a lack of goals only scoring 6 in the season thus far. Honestly, if I could I would pick a draw for the game. But, since we are contractually bound to pick a winner I'll go with Fulham. They have an extra day of rest and more quality at the moment than the Hammers.

Y1: Fulham Y2: West Ham Doc: West Ham

Liverpool (5-2-0) @ Chelsea (6-1-0)

Our first Big 4 Battle of the season sees Liverpool travel to Stamford Bridge. This has emerged as one of the top rivalries in England with their multiple Champions League meetings. Each side is coming off a sorry Champions League outing, except only Liverpool actually lost. The worrying signs were there for Chelsea a week back as well as they lost their first EPL game of the year at Wigan. Liverpool meanwhile managed 6 goals last week against Hull. The important fact here is Liverpool's recent success at the Bridge. Who could forget Liverpool breaking Chelsea's incredible home unbeaten streak last season? A homer pick, but this could be the win that brings back Liverpool. At least I'm hoping...

Y1: Liverpool Y2: Chelsea Doc: Chelsea

Manchester City (5-1-0) @ Aston Villa (4-2-0)

Another Monday game for City takes them to Villa, who should really be 6-0 instead of 4-2. Their lone losses have been home games to Wigan and Blackburn, certainly 2 winnable games. City were firing on all cylinders against West Ham. Particularly impressive has been the play of ST Craig Bellamy. Bellamy is the barometer for City. The fiery, and sometimes unbalanced Welshman wasn't a big money signing for Mark Hughes, but he brings pace and skill to the side that compliments the big money signees. City will continue their run to break into the Big 4 with an important road win.

Y1: Manchester City Y2: Villa Doc: Manchester City

UEFA Champions League Roundup

Champion Team Of The Week -FC Zurich - 1-0 winners at AC Milan (nice headband by the way from goalscorer Hannu Tihinen!)

Champion Player Of The Week - Stevan Jotevic (Fiorentina) - 2 Goals vs Liverpool

You Have Got To Do Better - Rangers - giving up 4 second half goals to Sevilla at home doesn't speak well for the state of Scottish football on the European stage

5 Random Thoughts:

1) It's a surprise to see powers like Inter, Juve, and Liverpool outside the Top 2 in their groups after 2 games. If any of these teams is in the most trouble, it'd have to be Juventus who must deal with a powerful Bordeaux team in Group A.

2) Speaking of Liverpool, that was a horrendous effort in Italy against Fiorentina. They should still be able to advance if they take care of business against Lyon, but the road is more difficult after their 2-0 defeat.

3) The most impressive team in defeat? Easily Wolfsburg taking a 1-0 lead at Old Trafford before succumbing to two second half strikes. The German champs are out to prove that last season was no fluke and they made a good account of themselves at Man United.

4) Chelsea's poor performance at APOEL shouldn't cause the crazy amount of alarm bells that are ringing out in London. Winning on the road is always tough in European play, and it's not like Chelsea is in any danger of not advancing. Besides, their focus is really on Sunday's game against Liverpool.

5) Too early to make a judgment on how Fox's Champions League coverage compares to ESPN. I happened to be a fan of ESPN's coverage, even if it did focus on the big English teams too much. While some prefer the international feeds, it's been hit or miss. The Fox games and coverage are harder to find than ESPN, who has made the transition to EPL and La Liga coverage well. With all of the soccer on FSC in the states it's easy for the CL to get lost in the shuffle at times without ESPN's heavy duty promotion machine behind them.

EPL Picks & What Are The Odds

Time now for our weekly foray into the beautiful game as we go across the pond for our EPL picks. But first, time for one of our favorite RSS staples What Are The Odds! Now that we're over a month in the season let's look at the odds for the EPL teams for winning the title, getting to Europe, or staying afloat!

Winning The Title

Chelsea - Even Money

-A perfect 6-0 start is pretty impressive. Ancelotti might be the man to guide Chelsea back to the top of the EPL table. Well, on second thought, maybe Didier Drogba is the man to do it. Whoever is coaching Chelsea looks a whole lot better when Drogba is playing on a level that few men can touch. If he continues that form, then Chelsea will be hard to pass on the ladder.

Manchester United - 4/1

-United are missing Ronaldo. Yes, Michael Owen was the hero in the Derby, but does any United fan expect him to stay healthy for a full season? The loss to Burnley, while unexpected, could be a foretaste of what's to come for United. Let's not forget their record against the other Big 4 teams wasn't exactly stellar last season either. There are some big holes in this side compared to previous seasons.

Liverpool - 13/2

-Rafa must be thinking that it's time for him to sign someone to reinforce the team. I don't know, maybe someone like Xabi Alonso could drastically improve the team? Things aren't looking too promising for Liverpool right now. Those two early season losses really was a knockout blow for their title hopes. Of course, that sounds incredibly rash, but there is no room for error on the way in. However, if last year's home draws turn into wins (see v Hull this week), then Liverpool will be in it for the long run again. If not, time may be running out for Rafa at Anfield.

Manchester City - 12/1

-City and their money have gone from laughing stock (see attempted Kaka signing) to legit EPL title contenders in less than a year! Nobody thought that their spending would actually lead to titles anytime soon, but after watching their play in the first month of the season it looks possible. The loss at Old Trafford in a 4-3 classic came after United were given enough injury time to win. If they remain healthy City have enough in attack, midfield, and defense to win the title. They just can't listen to the folks telling them they can't.

Arsenal - 50/1

-My favorite picture from the EPL season. Well, at least Arsenal will always have that first 6-0 win to look back to. Since that win at Everton, the Gunners have crashed back to Earth. They currently sit 7th on the table, and being crushed in the 2nd half at Man City can't be a good sign for their season. At this point, winning the title shouldn't be a realistic dream for Arsenal, they should just be concerned with holding their Top 4 spot.

Breaking In The Top 4

Aston Villa/Tottenham- 20/1

-Villa and Tottenham are the major sufferers from Man City's meteoric rise up the table and their big spending. Both of these teams have a lot to offer, but there are only so many teams that can break the Top 4 barrier at once. Right now, City has the inside track to dispatch either Arsenal or Liverpool. Villa and Spurs have their work cut out for them.

Europa Trip (Top 7)

Fulham/Everton/Sunderland - 15/1

-These three have collectively disappointed. But, can they jump ahead of the teams above them on this list and into the Top 7? Sunderland has had an up and down start, while Everton and Fulham are really going to struggle to get back to Europe if they don't right the ship soon. With Man City's rise, and Spurs and Villa playing well this season, there isn't any room in the Top 7 for these three sides. Everton has shown a history of being able to come back from below average starts, but Lescott's sale ripped the heart out of the club.

Top Ten Finish

Stoke - 3/1

-Regular readers know that I'm high on Stoke City. They've got a distinct homefield advantage, a grit that not a lot of other teams have, and added quality all over the park. I would not be surprised to see them edge out one of the teams above to grab a top ten finish.

West Ham - 22/1

-I've been disappointed with West Ham so far this season. They've given good efforts against Liverpool and the like, but sitting at 1-3-1 is underwhelming considering their schedule and their fine play last season. Little Zola has had a lot to deal with in the boardroom, and the innovative play on-field hasn't been there. Unless Good Carlton Cole shows up consistently, the Hammers will struggle.

Surviving Relegation

Burnley - 3/2

-The surprise of the season thus far. It's not as good as Hull's debut last year, but this team looks to have a little more meat than the Tigers who lost their teeth last year. The important thing for Burnley is their great homefield advantage. Sunderland, Everton, and Man U have all gone down at Turf Moor and if the Clarets keep winning those games they will survive easily.

Wigan/Blackburn - 5/2

-Wigan and Blackburn have shown some flashes this season but are languishing near and in the bottom three. However, the experience that both of these teams possess should help them out in the relegation fight. Sam Allardyce is Blackburn's wild card if they get in trouble, he has the managerial pedigree to save Rovers on his own.

Birmingham/Wolves - 5/1

-The Top 2 from last year's Championships have acquitted themselves nicely so far this season without playing spectacular football. They currently sit 11th and 12th on the table, and as long as they stay ahead of some of the strugglers and pick off games at some of the other teams around them (B'Ham @ Hull, Wolves v Fulham last week) they should pick up enough points to stay up.

Bolton/Hull City - 10/1

-These 2 EPL vets are in the most trouble for filling up the 3 relegation spots. Hull lack the quality around the pitch to aid the survival effort, and their poor start is a shadow of early 2008 when they were in the Top 4. Bolton has an air of negativity that few teams around the world possess. Eventually, that catches up with you, and it might be this year. Let's not get started on the managers either...

Portsmouth - 10,000/1

-Sorry Pompey fans, you are getting relegated. Try winning the lottery, getting a hole-in-one, or getting struck by lightning on a sunny day. You've got a better chance of all of those things happening in one hour than Portsmouth surviving the drop.

Last week was a tough one for Y2 and I, as Pops gets back into contention with a huge week by sticking to the top favorites (Man U, Chelsea, L'Pool) and hitting some underdog picks as well (Burnley, Wolves, B-Ham). All of us are doing quite well with these EPL picks... maybe we should start thinking about the odds ourselves... onto some abbreviated capsules and picks! Hey those odds take a while, ok? You'll thank me later.

Last Week's Results:

Mr. Yoder I: 5-4-1 16 pts

Mr. Yoder II: 4-5-1 13 pts

Dr. Yoder: 7-2-1 22 pts

Total After Week 5:

Mr. Yoder I: 35-17-4 109 pts

Mr. Yoder II: 34-18-4 106 pts

Dr. Yoder: 34-18-4 106 pts

Everton (2-3-0) @ Portsmouth (0-6-0)

Never. Pick. Portsmouth. Easy enough?

Y1: Everton Y2: Everton Doc: Everton

Aston Villa (4-1-0) @ Blackburn (1-3-1)

Villa continues their good form. Blackburn might squeeze out a draw, but Young or Agbonlahor have the quality to break through a resolute D.

Y1: Villa Y2: Villa Doc: Villa

Burnley (3-3-0) @ Tottenham (4-2-0)

The Burnley train will be full with bandwagon jumpers with a win at WHL. Spurs are just happy to not be playing United or Chelsea. They should get back in gear with a home win.

Y1: Spurs Y2: Spurs Doc: Burnley

Bolton (1-3-1) @ Birmingham (2-3-1)

A riveting relegation rumble in the Second City. Bolton did get a nice win in the League Cup against West Ham, but it won't carry over to league play. B-Ham continues a nice run of momentum with the win.

Y1: B'Ham Y2: Bolton Doc: B'Ham

Chelsea (6-0-0) @ Wigan (2-4-0)

Always pick Chelsea. At least until they lose, which shouldn't be this week.

Y1: Chelsea Y2: Chelsea Doc: Chelsea

Man Utd (5-1-0) @ Stoke (2-2-2)

Ah, yes! Upset special time! Stoke almost pulled it off for me when they hosted Chelsea a couple weeks ago, but just couldn't hold on the entire way. Expect United to come untied with a post-derby letdown. This could be one of those games that United drop points where they traditionally haven't.

Y1: Stoke Y2: Man U Doc: Man U

Hull City (1-4-1) @ Liverpool (4-2-0)

Here is one of those must-win home games for Liverpool. The lackluster mid-week effort at Leeds aside, Liverpool's goal-scoring prowess appears to be back. If only the backline will wake up and mark people on set pieces and avoid giving away dumb penalties then they will be ok.

Y1: Liverpool Y2: L'Pool Doc: L'Pool

Arsenal (3-2-0) @ Fulham (2-3-0)

Fulham seem to lack that spark from last season that vaulted them into the Europa League. Expect an angry Arsenal to take out their Adebayor frustrations at Craven Cottage.

Y1: Arsenal Y2: Arsenal Doc: Fulham

Wolves (2-3-1) @ Sunderland (3-3-0)

Wolves got a great win last week against Fulham, while Sunderland got waxed at Burnley. So, logically, Sunderland has to be the pick, right?

Y1: Sunderland Y2: Sunderland Doc: Sunderland

West Ham (1-3-1) @ Manchester City (4-1-0)

Speaking of taking out frustrations, City might put up 5 on West Ham on Monday. Just make sure none of those Hammers fans get in Craig Bellamy's way.

Y1: Man City Y2: Man City Doc: Man City