It's that time again...I know, I know...easy..wipe the tears of thanks AWAY FROM THE EYES...MOVE AWAY..sorry, wrong forum...
The night's are getting colder, so snuggle on up to my
Hot Tips. Oh yeah, you know you want to....don't you be saying you don't! Nice. warm , cozy page of punting opportunititties.
Last week?.....tough time. I won't deny it. I just keep picking the wrong one on the booking bets...Carragher is a such an obvious choice , but for some reason I thought he'd be playing it cooler as he'd been booked the week before: wrong!
Anelka and Jones came in, while Blackburn just keep on giving. Good boy, Rover!...Good boy!
Of course I'm listing quite a number of possible bets , some longer odds for a fun interest, and shorter odds for a serious punt. You can't back them all and hope to win, but I think there's enough for everyone to get an idea for a bet at least.
Ok, Week 12, ....................and a cracker in store early Saturday afternoon.....
Arsenal vs Man Utd : Sat kick off 12:45
Well so far this campaign the Home sides are enjoying a more than 50% win rate, and last Saturday showed that pattern continuing with 4 from 6 taking the spoils. Arsenal don't need to rely on stats for their pep talks as their performances in front of the Home fans has always been superb. Man Uutd don't have a great record vs Arsenal at home, and I think this will again prove to be the case.
A key point about Man Utd is that they can be quite slow to get up to 'passing' speed and are vulnerable to quick, slick passing teams such as Arsenal. In fact , is there a better example of one touch close quarter passing than Arsenal? I don't think so.
A tough game vs Liverpool at Anfield played out a draw. Man Utd took a good 3 pts from Middlesbrough but not before they were made to work in that opening 45. On a number of occasions Utd were caught napping with the ball , and if Boro had been able to pressure them more during this period we may have seen a closer result.
Arsenal have a game in hand over Man Utd , so Fergie will see this as a double result if he can take the points.
Hopefully both sided will be on form as this has the makings of a very open attacking match and goals must surely be on offer.
Arsenal to win @ 2.54 betchronicle & Hleb: 'to score from inside the box' @ 8.00
ladbrokes &
Over 2.5 @ 2.20 sportingbet.GIF "Thumb(1)")
Aston Villa vs Derby County
Villa have a decent Home record to defend here against the side with the worst Away record (0-1-5 GF0 GA17). Hard to see anything other than a Villa win and the odds reflect that across the board. Derby try hard, and put the effort in every game , but just can't take it to the level required to compete in the Premiership. A lack of goals and a defence best suited to the Championship is a recipe for relegation. It would be fair to say that there have been recent signs of improvement in their play in terms of goals conceded and 1st half play, but at the end of the day they're not getting the results they so desperately need.
AH: Villa -1 @ 1.75 canbet
Everton vs Birmingham City
The return of Tim Cahill has had an immediate impact on Everton with his goals in both the Carling Cup and the
UEFA Cup. Good motivators on the pitch are essential to sides like Everton who don't really have enough 'creatives' such as Arteta. The visit of Birmingham should be seen as a great opportunity for 3pts as the Blues have not shown a liking for being on the road. Birmingham's Kapo is a big threat for Everton to deal with as his skill and vision are definitely at EPL level and he has proven his scoring ability. Both sides are coming off wins and for the visitors they really need to keep that momentum going. Tight game by the look of it, but as Birmingham haven't won at Goodison in over 50 years I'll stick with the Toffees here....get it?..STICK with the Toffee...genius.
Everton @ 1.72 bet365
Fulham vs Reading
Fulham are the draw specialists of the EPL, but that's a title they would rather not have in view of the points it has gained them. It's always 100% effort but often no luck or poor finishing that thwarts them. Losing goals in the last 10 mins is a real bad habit to kick, but with 5 already gone this way they'll need to start courses in hypnosis if it continues. Reading have also lost 5 in the last 10 mins, but balanced it out by scoring 5 as well. A stalemate with 10 mins to go?...I know where my money will be going!
Anytime Goalscorers: K.Doyle @ 3.75 skybet & C.Dempsey @ 4.50 Hills
Middlesbrough vs Tottenham
New coach sweeps clean? Probably not straight away,( and that'll be the cleaners job anyway) but expect changes soon. Spurs again threw away a lead vs Blackburn last week. All over them in the opening 45 and yet failed to close it out. Keane is in terrific form with 6 in the last 5 , all comps, so he has the perfect opportunity to get in between Boro's often static back four.
Middlesbrough are on a slide of their own in terms of results and goals. They really lack any spark to step up a gear when the tempo is raised , and Southgate must be hacked off with the poor return from his strikeforce. He needs Chuck Norris : A Force of One!
Both defences have more holes than Clinton's testimony, so I think this could be a bit Olivia Newton-John..."Physical, Physical...it's gonna get Physicaaaaaaaal" ...as they deal with the rush.
A goal before/during 28th minute @ 2.00
corals & Keane to score at anytime @ 3.25
bet365
Newcastle Utd vs Portsmouth
Typical really, I select Benjani in my Fantasy Footy team and he goes and misses a penalty!...couldn't stop himself scoring the previous weeks and then misses a sitter. Turned out to be a big miss to, as that was a sure 3pts thrown away. Midweek Portsmouth had Kanu back in his scoring boots, but it was all too late as they went down 2-1 to Blackburn in the Carling Cup. They can put those two performances behind them with a steadier display at St James' Park, especially with Kanu back as an option. Newcastle have got the hang of things at Home, but Away is another matter. There is a bit Jekyll 'n Hyde in all of us , but Joey "Jekyll" Barton has taken it too far and made a lifestyle out of it.
Sam vs 'Arry...not exactly Boa vs Python, more Bungs vs Bungs. Deny! Deny! Deny! Deny!
Portsmouth +0.25 @ 2.10 betfred
Wigan vs Chelsea
Chelsea just have to be backed. Wigan don't present a threat on any formlines this season, while Chelsea have been putting in the big attacking displays of late. Goals are flying for the Stamford millionaires, with Drogba in particular looking in great form. Lampard is back to his good old ways and even Kalou has discovered why he gets all that cash that appears in his bank every month. Good lad. Meanwhile back at the ranch...Wigan are finding it an almost impossible job to get a result. Last week was at least an improvement in finding the net, but they couldn't keep their heads in front of Steve Bruce's Birmingham. Hard to see them keeping a clean sheet, plus the negative tactics vs Man Utd didn't work out well either, so lets hope it's an all out attacking job and see who can score the most!
Over 2.5 @ 2.00
bluesq
Blackburn vs Liverpool
Big match for both sides, with Blackburn on a great run of results , and Liverpool needing to keep in touch with the top spots by maintaining their top ranking for 'away' games and 'unbeaten in the EPL' tag. The Rovers have been a betting goldmine for their followers and sit 1pt above Liverpool in the league. Blackburn have enjoyed their 4 game run vs bottom half teams , and made sure of getting the job done: 4/4, 100%. Facing the top side on 'away' form is a different matter. Confidence is sky high, strikers are on form , the defence is vulnerable ( no clean sheets in the last 4) , but Mark Hughes has a squad that knows how to win and likes the feeling. That counts for a lot.
Liverpool know how tough this will be , as tough as last season when they failed to win against them, taking just the 1pt from their Anfield encounter. Goals? Should be, I think, neither side has shown an airtight defence so far, although these two can find it hard to break each other down.
Santa Cruz @ 15.00/McCarthy@ 12.00 'to score a header'
ladbrokes & Blackburn DNB @ 2.24
paddypower
West Ham vs Bolton
Bellamy out , Aston out, so Carlton Cole is the main man. He's had a tough time staying fit in the past and has lost out on so many opportunities to make a name for himself at other clubs, but he's now got his shot. A decent run as 1st choice striker in an EPL club. Boa Morte must be included by Curbishley as his experience and pace is a headache for any club mired in the relegation zone. Last minute winner struck midweek vs Coventry will have only boosted his confidence higher, so he'll be a target for Bolton.
Anelka is such a top quality player I just don't know why he stays with Bolton. There is no future with them in terms of success , except in "avoiding relegation', ....maybe. He is a standing dish for 'scoring anytime' at The Reebok, but is found wanting on his travels, so the 3.75 on offer for him to do just that is tempting , but not as much as the 4.33 for Carlton Cole, or the 5.50 Boa Morte. But then again I think that Cole may find the pressure getting to him if they don't find an early goal, so Bolton might just have a shout at a point here, or even..dare I say it...three!
Bolton next face Bayern Munich in the
UEFA Cup, so they'd better get a result here to take some positives into that encounter!
Bolton +0.50 @ 1.95 stanjames
Man City vs Sunderland
Man City should be glad to be facing Sunderland after their 'total football' collapse versus Chelsea last week. Last time I saw something fold that fast was in the 'Fat Slags' Strip Poker' tournie at Blackpool. Sven will be looking for a return to form in front of the home crowd, and even with their Carling Cup 1-0 win over Bolton having gone some way to recovery, that display was still short of their previous form.
Sunderland fight all the way , but it just isn't enough at this level. With City's 100% Home record on the line they know how hard it will be to take even a point. when opposition have scored 1st (5 times) City have only won once , so there's always hope. their aerial threat of Kenwyne Jones will find it harder against the likes of Dunne and Richards, so I feel another way through will be needed. Chelsea showed the 'how' of it, Roy Keane just needs the 'who'.
HT Betting: Man City -0.25 @ 1.79
canbet & Over 2.5 @ 2.06 betchronicle
Quick!...to the BetMobile!..Robin, bring a pen there's none at the counter.
Fasteddy.
English Premiership 3rd/4th & 5th November
TOTW/F/M Award(s): 1
