FA Cup 4th Round Predictions

FA Cup 4^th round predictions Saturday 24^th January

Chelsea v Ipswich, R4, 15:00

Chelsea will breeze through this, win by two clear goals, providing Ipswich do not sneak an early goal.

Doncaster v Aston Villa, R4, 15:00

Tricky away tie for Villa, Martin O Neill will be ready and will no doubt play a stronger line up. A win by one clear goal. The news of Emile Heskey joining will spur on the Villla.

Hartlepool v West Ham, R4, 12:40

I can see this as the hardest away game for the Premier League battlers, Zola has his work cut out and will find it hard with Chris Turners men won 3 out of their last 6. Fitst of the two televised matches on ITV today. Score draw for me

Hull v Millwall, R4, 15:00

Hard game for Hull who’s form has been struggling as of late. I can see Kenny Jackett’s men being hard to beat, Phil Brown could be wise and lose today to concentrate on the second half of the Premier League season.

Kettering v Fulham, R4, 15:00

Kettering must fancy their chances against Fulham, losing their game against West Ham last week. Kettering owner has come out and attacked TV bosses for not televising this game but just shows how bigger games are available in the 4^th round. Fulham edge it.

Man Utd v Tottenham, R4, 17:15

One of the televised games this weekend, Man Utd on for all the cups this year can beat Spurs in a dress reversal of the Carling Cup final. Spurs lose in the week will still be in the back of the minds of the players who’s form recently has been no short of rubbish. Man Utd to win, and win by a couple, although thinning numbers may mean a few fresher faces for the champions of England, Europe and the world.

Portsmouth v Swansea, R4, 15:00

Holders Pompey wont be fancying their chances against a good team in Swansea. The Swans have been struggling for form but always seem to be able to raise their game. If Adams doesn’t put out a strong 11, he could find himself out. Score draw

Sheff Utd v Charlton, R4, 15:00

All championship affair. Charlton clearly struggling and Sheffield Utd still are there or there abouts at the top half of the table. I predict a win for the blades but not without a spirited fight from Charlton.

Sunderland v Blackburn, R4, 15:00

A northern all Premier League affair, Blackburn in good form since Big Sam has taken over. Neither have had the abilities to splash the cash in the transfer market and could go either way. Blackburn might sneak an away win here, Big Sam could keep the momentum going.

Torquay v Coventry, R4, 15:00

Non league Devon outfit Torquay come up against the midlands sky blues. Hard to say how Coventry could fair here today, I think class should shine through.

Watford v Crystal Palace, R4, 15:00

My local team welcome back Elton John and Graham Taylor to Vicarage Road today. Both appointed to the new look board, Palace always have a habit in recent years of upsetting Watford fans but the Hornets will be up for today (well fans anyways). I think a tight draw. Rodgers will need to get some sort of run going, especially at home, to help stop the rot.

West Brom v Burnley, R4, 15:00

Nice tasty game, this will be a good open game. Both teams play nice football and although the win but ultimately a lose in Mid week to a very lucky Tottenham will only give the Owens men the belief they can overturn another Premier League team. Chris Eagles to sore high again? Away win

Wolverhampton v Middlesbrough, R4, 15:00

Top team Wolves from the Championship against struggling Boro. Boro have lost the last four on the road and Wolves are still going great guns. Wolves home win unless Rob Styles ruins the game. This could be a change at the end of the season and Southgate knows the pressure is mounting.

Danny Denhard

http://betalabs.co.uk

Techy predictions

Facebook boom - Facebook branching out again, the obvious being blog's and better messaging facility. Possibly they could improve the email and give the ability to have folders and filters. Facebook connect will take off with the more geeky people.
Myspace music - To become a major site in its own right. Pushing new talents, unsigned talents will have a standard platform to compete with major artists. Social web power or great marketing power?
Mobile web - with the raise of mobile internet or mobile broadband as companies wrongly name it, I can see the improved technology only boosting the amount of mobile internet users. Websites such as facebook have done extremely well with m.facebook.com, I can see many more rolling out mobile websites. Social sites and web 2.0 leading the way.
Widgets and web apps - The amount of widgets to reduce dramatically, less money, less time, less rubbish to be released - a good thing IMHO
Yahoo - an actual sale, Microsoft could eventually buy out.
Open ID - must have this year, think of how many log in and passwords you have. Will become standard
Film screening/buying/renting online - With the popularity of downloading music from mp3.amazon.co.uk and the popularity of tv shows and movie downloads from apple, I can see more films being rented/brought or screen online. Could become a great way of promotions and embedding adverts.
Twitter - Power of twitter to expand, being able to track conversations/tweets will be implemented (have to bow to public pressure) The only worry is twitter will be flooded with mindless old skool marketing types who will abuse the power of twitter (Twitter spam!)
Clones - As the more popular social sites grow and the less popular go into the deadpool, the more likely it is for copycats and clones to be released. Some will improve, others will simply damage the market. 2009 will be the attack of the clones (clones wars)
Ajax - will become more and more popular. It will definitely over take older coding styles and make the web more visually attractive and clearly improve user experience.
More Google handsets - G2 aka cupcake will be released and will sell a few. Can't ever see it being mainstream but can see a few more Google phones with students and geeks. Android to be rolled out to a number of handsets, still too early to tell whether it will take off.
Web Browsers - set to become a huge talking point across the online world. MS Internet Explorer have to set up their game, otherwise market share will drop massively. Firefox and Google's Chrome have really come into their own this year, Modzilla's relationship with Google maybe stretched but will only spur the original alternative provider to step their game up. IE 8 has had a real beating lately, no rush job this time. I can also see Facebook officially partnering with a particular browser provider to release a dedicated browser. Wouldn't suprise me either if Google wrap up social/friend search/internal facebook search and web search on facebook, taking over from the lackluster microsoft search and sneaking out a facebook branded Chrome.


Danny Denhard

UFC 92 predicitons

My UFC 92 predictions

• Evans will be crowned champion, he has shown in this last handful of fights, he plans each fight from the first punch to the last, Griffin's never say die attitude won't be enough to break down Evans. Rampage should have beaten him in the last fight. Evans might wrap up this fight in a couple of rounds. 
  
• Nogueira will beat Mir, Nogueira will either knock him down (Nog stand up is far better than Mir) and he will ground Mir down. It wouldn't surprise me if Nog makes Mir tap as Mir has been far too outspoken and Nog's ground game is sick. Nogueria win will line up a very interesting fight between Lesnar and him.  
  
• Rampage has to step up and beat the axe murder, Rampage has already lost twice to Silva in Pride and he will be back to his best otherwise he might find himself right down the pecking order. KO early for Rampage. His training has increased and improved 5 fold since Pride. The only way I see Quinton losing this fight is if he has lost the fight in his head already. 
  
• Kongo ever improving will have to stop the new comer Al Turk from trying to take him down. Kongo is well known for his take down defence, I think Kongo will win by KO or  ground and pound. New comers never have the greatest first night in the Octagon! Nerves and skills will win tonight. I think if he wins he has to get the winner of Nogueria/Mir and Lesnar. Dana White good luck saying no this time. 
• Matt Hamill back from his lose to his mate Rich Franklin and will overcome Reese, Hamill TKO.  

Off the main card 

• Closest fight for me to call, but Ryo win after 3  
  
• Evensen will be too big and too strong - although his lose to Kongo might be in the back of his head.
• CB looks too strong  
• Okami another ground and pound win
• Hardonk KO.

http://uk.ufc.com/index.cfm?fa=eventDetail.fightCard&eid=1783 

 

Danny Denhard