Playing Punter (The Return Leg)

And so the return leg matches are upon us. Time to don the punting cap again. My performance in the 1st leg was not so great. Will I do better this time? I am not holding my breath. I think I might need to be a bit methodical about this soccer prediction business, like I was with my Survivor analysis. Thing is, you need to observe a lot to be methodical. Survivor is shown at 10 pm. Champions League matches? 3.45 am. That's not an earthly hour to be practising one's observation skills. I think I will stick with the haphazard, part gut-feeling, part trend-spotting, part wishful-thinking, part reasoned-analysis approach. I bet that's how the paid experts do it anyway.

Arsenal vs Bayern Munich
1st Leg result: Mun 3 Ars 1
Predicted result: Arsenal victory
Predicted score: 1 - 0

Bayer Leverkusen vs Liverpool
1st Leg result: Liv 3 Lev 1
Predicted result: Draw
Predicted score: 1 - 1

Monaco vs PSV Eindhoven
1st Leg result: PSV 1 Mon 0
Predicted result: Monaco victory
Predicted score: 2-1

Juventus vs Real Madrid
1st Leg result: Mad 1 Juv 0
Predicted result: Juventus victory
Predicted score: 1 - 0
(I am not predicting what's going to happen in extra time or penalties.)

Chelsea vs Barcelona
1st Leg result: Bar 2 Che 1
Predicted result: Chelsea victory
Predicted score: 2 - 1

Inter Milan vs Porto
1st Leg result: Por 1 Int 1
Predicted result: Inter victory
Predicted score: 1 - 0

AC Milan vs Man Utd
1st Leg result: Man 0 Mil 1
Predicted result: Draw
Predicted score: 0 - 0

Lyon vs Weder Bremen
1st Leg result: Bre 0 Lyo 3
Predicted result: Lyon victory
Predicted score: 1 - 0

I am expecting this round's matches to be close and hard-fought, probably low scoring and cagey in the opening minutes. A few matches may go into extra time and even penalties (which I HATE), and it might turn on which teams are fitter, or better rested. I will be most keenly watching the Chelsea-Barca and Juve-Real encounters (and of course, keeping my fingers crossed that Liverpool decides to play less defensively than they did against Chelsea in the League Cup final). These heavy-weight encounters are the toughest to call. There is so much at stake, the margins are so narrow and the temperaments so fragile, who knows what might be in store? Chelsea has picked up its momentum again, after the minor stutters of two weeks ago, and I still think they are the best placed of the four English teams. We will see soon enough.