The January transfer window may not have matched last season’s in terms of over-inflated fees paid for players who haven’t lived up to their billing (Torres, Carroll, Luiz etc.), but it has provided several players with a potential new lease of life that may well pay off in the short term at least for their new clubs. I often wonder whether I would be happy as a professional footballer drawing a salary of £50,000 + per week but not playing football regularly, particularly as it is a relatively short-lived career, but with the top clubs stockpiling talent they have no intention of utilising, it seems that many players are indeed happy to simply collect their salaries and sit on the bench. Perhaps when they look back at the end of their careers, they will regret not having bitten the bullet and pressed for a transfer elsewhere, perhaps sacrificing a proportion of their salary in the process, but at least gaining the chance to get on the pitch regularly. Steven Pienaar and Wayne Bridge are just two of those who have taken the opportunity to get some playing time away from their parent clubs, but there remains a mind-boggling number of quality players for whom the season has already ended except for training and picking up their cash.

The Premier League returned in midweek, and another round of fixtures follows this weekend, starting at the Emirates:

1)Arsenal v Blackburn: A forward with a scoring record in Sweden of roughly one goal every nine games, and a right back who has proved conclusively that he is unable to make the step up to Premier League level. That was the sum total of Blackburn’s ambitions in the transfer window, and speaks volumes about the way the club has been run this season. Last season’s draw at the Emirates was the first time Rovers had avoided a League defeat at Arsenal in eight attempts, but I can’t see any way they can repeat that performance this time around. Mind you, I remember saying the same before their trips to Old Trafford and Anfield…..

2) Norwich v Bolton: Only some higher being knows how Bolton didn’t take a pasting from Arsenal on Wednesday, but they have now suffered just one defeat in eight matches in League and Cup, and that was at Old Trafford. Norwich slipped to a rare defeat at Sunderland on Wednesday, but both sides will be looking at this match as a prime opportunity to regain the winning thread. However, with Bolton remaining the only side in the top flight without an away draw to their name, now might be the time for that anomaly to be put right.

3) QPR v Wolves: Mick McCarthy could only watch in extreme jealousy as Mark Hughes was allowed to spend many millions of pounds on players with plenty of international experience over the past three weeks, and Djibril Cisse in particular wasted no time in reminding everybody on Wednesday at Villa Park how dangerous he can be at this level with his third debut goal for his three Premier League clubs. With Bobby Zamora becoming eligible to join him up front at Loftus Road on Saturday, I fear that the Wolves’ fans protests can only increase in volume following this match.

4) Stoke v Sunderland: Eighth place is something Sunderland could only have dreamed about had Steve Bruce remained in charge, but following their dismantling of Norwich in midweek, there is now every chance of an unlikely push for a Europa League place. Stoke have won just one of their last seven in the League, and to provide the perfect balance that we are all looking for, Sunderland have lost only one of their last seven. The Black Cats have lost on their last four visits to the Britannia, but it took two very late goals last season for that run to be extended, and I can’t see them being turned over on current form this time around, so I’ll plump for a score draw, which would surprisingly be the first time the sides had shared the spoils at Stoke since 1984.

5) West Brom v Swansea: It’s always difficult to explain how a side can be far more effective away from home, but West Brom have secured 18 points on their travels, but just eight at home, and have scored a pathetic eight goals at the Hawthorns so far. Once again, we have the perfect statistical balance though, as Swansea have scored just eight times away from home, so a 4-4 thriller is perhaps unlikely on Saturday, and I’ll opt for a low-scoring draw instead.

6) Wigan v Everton: I’m extremely dubious about the merits for Everton of signing Nikica Jelavic, as it is rare for even the top scorers in Scottish football to be able to make an impact in the Premier League, but they couldn’t wish for more troubled opposition to face on Saturday, as another heavy defeat at Spurs last time out pushed Wigan even closer to the trapdoor. Five consecutive defeats in League and Cup have demoralised them to the point that I feel Everton may have little trouble in recording back-to-back League wins for only the second time this season.

7) Man.City v Fulham: “Home win” I hear you cry, as a side with a perfect home record who have conceded just six times on their own patch host consistently poor travellers who boast the lowest number of away goals scored in the top flight. “Wait a minute” you hear me cry, as I point out that City have only beaten Fulham once in the last eight League meetings on their own turf. Sooner or later, somebody is going to snatch a point at the Etihad. It was nearly Spurs last time out, but could very well be Fulham on Saturday evening.

8) Newcastle v Aston Villa: A disastrous opening twenty minutes against QPR extended Villa’s poor home run, but they remain unbeaten in their last five on the road, and should help provide an entertaining clash on Sunday. Having said that, they need to put last season’s 6-0 capitulation at St.James’s Park out of their minds, as well as the fact that they haven’t scored on their last three visits. They should do so on Sunday, though, but the outcome is entirely unpredictable, and none of the three possible results would be a surprise at all.

9) Chelsea v Man.U.: The only stat that speaks in favour of Chelsea heading into this match is that United have failed to win any of their last nine League matches at Stamford Bridge, but the toothless nature of the Blues at present should make three points here a formality for the visitors. Chelsea’s problems in front of goal will be even more severely tested by a United defence that has conceded just 7 goals in 11 away matches so far, and I’m confident of an away win here.

10) Liverpool v Tottenham: Both of these sides recorded comfortable wins over struggling opposition in midweek, but it is Spurs who have had the edge between these two recently, having won the last three meetings, including a 4-0 thumping at White Hart Lane back in September. Liverpool have won just four of their eleven home games so far, and I don’t think they’ll be winning this one either.

Four selections for your accas this week, and wins for Burnley, Charlton, Sheffield Wednesday and Swindon would return £59.80 for a £10 stake with betfred.com. 

Good luck!