This is the week I finally start believing in Newcastle. For all of the criticism their management has taken, Newcastle has simply been stunning - undefeated through ten games and sitting third in the Premier League, sitting ahead of big-spending squads Chelsea, Arsenal, and Liverpool. The keys to Newcastle's success are midfielder Yohann Cabaye and striker Demba Ba. Both have proved bargains, which Newcastle's management has always hunted for, with Ba looking world-class at times. It's not reasonable to think Newcastle will continue this sort of form - they have not played City, United or Chelsea yet. However, I think this team can be a force this year, provided they stay healthy. After the international break in November, Newcastle head to City and United, then face Chelsea at home. We will know much more about the Magpies' credentials after those games.
This weekend's disappointing performance went to Chelsea, as they were beaten 5-3 by Arsenal at home. I have not seen such a sloppy game between the two teams since I started watching the two play each other. High-scoring games are not always sloppy - Chelsea had a 4-4 draw with Liverpool two years ago, and the game was one of the most entertaining and well-played games I've seen. This game was full of defensive mistakes (Mertesacker, Terry), poor goalkeeper play, and a general lack of defensive responsibility. It's a huge win for Arsenal, as they finally seem to have put their early-season form completely behind them. It really shows how far the Gunners have come, even though I feel Chelsea played as horribly as they have all season.
This week brings back the Champions League, with a few enticing ties tomorrow. Valencia host Bayer Leverkusen in a game that will help determine who will finish second in Group E. Bayer leads by four points after their 2-1 win over Los Che last matchday. Valencia are very strong at home and should win this game to keep their hopes alive. Group G leaders APOEL host Porto in Nicosia following their 1-1 draw in Portugal last week. Can APOEL do it again? I feel like I can't doubt them anymore, and there will be a huge crowd ready to welcome them. A draw or win would put the minnows in great shape to go through. Dortmund faces a must-win game home to Olympiakos after losing 3-1 in Greece. Dortmund has improved of late - I think they have a great chance to win here to jump-start their campaign. All of the other games seem pretty straight-forward, put as always is with the Champions League, we will see. Here are my picks for tomorrow:
BATE Borisov - AC Milan: AWAY WIN
Zenit - Shakhtar: HOME WIN
APOEL - FC Porto: DRAW
Arsenal - Marseille: HOME WIN
Dortmund - Olympiakos: HOME WIN
Genk - Chelsea: AWAY WIN
Plzen - Barcelona: AWAY WIN
Valencia - Bayer Leverkusen: HOME WIN
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