26th/27th Aug - Carling Cup

[Bigkegman]

Tuesday August 26th
19:45 Burnley 5/6 9/4 Oldham 3/1
19:45 Q.P.R. 8/11 12/5 Carlisle 10/3
19:45 Rotherham 7/2 5/2 Wolves 7/10
19:45 Southampton 15/8 12/5 Birmingham 6/5
19:45 Swansea 15/8 12/5 Hull 6/5
19:45 Watford 1/2 11/4 Darlington 5/1
19:45 Wigan 1/4 4/1 Notts Co. 9/1
19:45 Cardiff 4/6 12/5 MK Dons 4/1
19:45 Cheltenham 9/2 5/2 Stoke 8/13
19:45 Coventry 3/1 9/4 Newcastle 5/6
19:45 Crewe 16/5 9/4 Bristol City 4/5
19:45 Hartlepool 16/5 9/4 West Brom 4/5
19:45 Ipswich 8/15 13/5 Colchester 5/1
19:45 Leeds 13/8 21/10 Crystal Palace 6/4
19:45 Preston 6/5 12/5 Derby 15/8
20:00 Bolton 4/11 3/1 Northampton 15/2
20:00 Middlesbro' 2/7 7/2 Yeovil 9/1
20:00 Reading 4/9 3/1 Luton 11/2

Wednesday August 27th
19:45 Huddersfield 15/8 12/5 Sheff. Utd 6/5
19:45 Nottm. Forest 2/1 12/5 Sunderland 11/10
19:45 West Ham 1/6 5/1 Macclesfield 12/1
20:00 Blackburn 1/5 9/2 Grimsby 11/1
20:00 Fulham 1/2 11/4 Leicester 5/1

odds from Sky

thought it was going to be a quiet week with only the Champs League and UEFA quals :rub hands

[Cinny]

Oldham look a decent price to turn over Burnley, definatly some value in he 3/1 available. Their flying high at the minute. Burnley on the other hand have only 1 point from 3 games.

[polak]

Yeah I like Oldham Cinny.
What about Roterham? That price is to high, Wolves will be focused on their League games, propably field some reserves and rest key players.
I like Sunderland over 2.5, both sides have enough power in attack to make it.
Thats my tghouts.GL

[kompressaur]

Brimingham have made a rock solid start in their bid for an instant return to the Premier League but manager Alex McLeish might get his fingers burnt if he succumbs to the temptation of rotating his squad for the trip to Southampton on Tuesday.

Blues haven't played particularly well in any of their three victories so far but they have been disciplined and ruthless, traits that can only be provided by players who are fully focused on the task at hand.

However, a few changes to the line-up might send out the wrong message on a subconscious level, thereby removing that edge to their game at present.

If that turns out to be the case, then Saints have already proved they have what it takes to open them up. They are the only team to have scored against Birmingham so far this season and they perhaps didn't get the result their performance merited 10 days ago.

The Hampshire club had everybody scratching their heads when they sacked Nigel Pearson to appoint a complete unknown in Jan Poortvliet over the summer but there would appear to be some method in the madness of it all.

The Dutchman is the figurehead of a new regime that intends to make full use of the club's excellent conveyor belt of young talent and the faith now being placed in a host of youngsters is starting to reap dividends.

Poortvliet fielded eight players under the age of 23 in the 1-0 win at Derby on Saturday and while the strategy could prove to be dangerous over the course of a gruelling season, the players are clearly enjoying themselves at the moment and will probably view this competition in a more romantic light than most.

Another team who should be expected to take the competition seriously is Leeds.

Some would argue they have more important matters to attend to in the league but a club of their stature must embrace any opportunity that could bring the feel-good factor back to Elland Road.

Gary McAllister cannot afford to ignore the potential to play high-profile matches in the later rounds because a club like Leeds will always crave recognition on the big stage and one televised game against Premier League opposition could fuel the players with the kind of inspiration that has been missing of late and act as the springboard for a sustained promotion assault.

The Whites entertain Crystal Palace on Tuesday and certainly won't be operating under any kind of inferiority complex against Neil Warnock's men.

The Eagles are extremely lightweight in attack following the departure of Clinton Morrison and Saturday's goalless draw against bottom-of-the-table Burnley means they have now fired three blanks in the Championship.

The result against the Clarets wasn't a bad one considering they played nearly half the game with nine men, but a backs-to-the-wall second-half display might have sapped the energy levels and the suspensions picked up by James Scowcroft and Shaun Derry will only weaken them further.

The fact that Burnley couldn't find a way through nine-man Palace at Selhurst Park suggests they are hardly brimming with confidence at the moment and they look vulnerable to an upset against Oldham at home.

The Latics have already done Bettingzone followers a good turn on the road this season by landing odds of 11/2 at Leeds the weekend before last and the same logic applies once again here.

John Sheridan's men are effectively one place below Burnley in the league standings and they are decent value at 2/1 on the 'draw no bet' market given their penchant for performing at the bigger grounds on the road.

Oldham might be outsiders in this game but the away win at Turf Moor wouldn't really constitute a shock on present form.

However, there are a couple massive prices that would make the headlines and deserve a small interest.

Bolton and Wigan are under no illusions about the respective importance of the Carling Cup in comparison with preserving Premier League status and both clubs have previous for making limp exits at this stage.

Indeed, such was Gary Megson's tunnel vision towards the battle against relegation last term, he was prepared to field under-strength teams in the latter stages of the UEFA Cup.

Wanderers take on Northampton at the Reebok Stadium and reports suggest the Cobblers have been pretty well organised so far this season.

They were far from inspiring in a goalless draw with Millwall on Saturday but the likes of Giles Coke and Adebayo Akinfenwa are players capable of producing a moment of quality should Bolton put their place at risk by making wholesale changes.

Northampton look good value at 8/1.

Finally, Wigan play host to Notts County at what we can only presume will be an equally-empty JJB Stadium and the Magpies will be looking to repeat their heroics of two weeks ago when beating Doncaster in extra-time at Meadow Lane.

The visitors aren't the most fluent team around but the lack of any delusions on Ian McParland's behalf makes the complexion of this game clear-cut. Notts will be dogged and defend for their lives in the hope they get one chance at the other end.

For that reason, they could be worth a nibble at 9/1.

SAINTS CAN SPRING CUP SHOCK: Bettingzone Football Betting News - Premier League Betting, Champions League, Previews, Odds & Data.

[kompressaur]

CARDIFF v MK DONS – MK Dons, 1pt 4-1
It could be worth putting your faith in three of the most impressive young managers in the Football League when searching for Carling Cup second-round wagers this evening.
Roberto Di Matteo has been in the hotseat for just four games, but the former Chelsea midfielder looks as if he can go right to the top and his MK Dons side are a big price at 4-1 to overcome Cardiff at Ninian Park tonight.
Di Matteo's appointment was seen as as a gamble when he was brought in to replace Paul Ince, although already the Dons have become a danger to every side in League One under the guidance of the Italian and sidekick Eddie Newton.
Milton Keynes began with a 2-0 loss at Leicester, but they performed admirably in their opener and have since beaten Norwich and Northampton (both 1-0), while Saturday's 3-1 triumph at Huddersfield was outstanding.
The performance of midfield duo Peter Leven and Flavien Belson compensated for the absence of the much-wanted Keith Andrews and silenced the claimsthat MK Dons are something of a one-man team.
It certainly won't be easy at Cardiff, who remain unbeaten in the Championship.
However, the sale of Glenn Loovens to Cardiff has left a hole in the defence, which was twice exploited by Arturo Lupoli as the Bluebirds were held to a 2-2 draw by Norwich on Saturday.

BURNLEY v OLDHAM – Oldham, 1pt 16-5
John Sheridan is another former cultured midfielder making a living away from the limelight, although that won't be for long if he continues to get Oldham performing in a stylish manner.
The Latics are the only League One outfit still to have a 100 per cent record this season and there is nothing to fear from a trip to Burnley.
Sheridan is set to make a few changes to the team which beat Cheltenham 4-0 on Saturday, but that is not a major concern with the likes of Greg Fleming and Kevin Maher among those set to come off the bench.
Burnley failed to beat nine-man Crystal Palace on Saturday in their search for a first league win of the campaign and their confidence cannot be high.
The same cannot be said of the Latics, who are too big at 16-5 to claim a decent scalp.

SWANSEA v HULL – Swansea, 1pt 15-8
Di Matteo and Sheridan both preach the beautiful game and so does Swansea boss Roberto Martinez, who gets his side to play in the most attractive manner.
Swans are a joy to watch and they may take advantage if, as expected, Premier League new boys Hull make changes for their trip to the Liberty Stadium.

Restricted Access

[keemanan]

I like Oldham too kegs , a team in form against a team struggling badly , they couldn't beat a 9 man Palace team who aint scored themselves this season.Lets face it only 1 league place separates these two teams so that price is a must.

Crewe could struggle to contain Brizzol City , they have the added problem of an ex player returning full of confidence

Crewe striker Calvin Zola could return after recovering from an ankle injury but may start on the bench.

Two from Anthony Elding, Tom Pope and new signing Clayton Donaldson are likely to form the forward line.

Bristol City will rotate their keepers so Chris Weale will start the game, while defenders Louis Carey and Andy Webster are fit despite head injuries.

Nicky Maynard returns to Crewe a month after his £2.25m move while Gavin Williams is back in the squad

That just gives them the edge IMO.

Last one for me is Newcastle at Coventry , Cov beaten 3-0 at home, Coleman blaming the refs as per, whereas Newcastle are on a roll and will fill the ground with their mental following. Thats my banker , Coventry wont have the players to cope

[Lloydy38]

Anyone got any ideas as to how i can get a bet on the Welsh league. Fancy Rhyl but non of the majors will price the weekly fixtures up or the league winners

[kompressaur]

lloydy are you having a laugh? thats your third post on the matter. No offence but what the fcuk has this to do wih english Carling cup football?

[daikoku]

Cheltenham Town v Stoke City

Cheltenham Town manager Keith Downing wants a response from his players tonight after their 4-0 defeat against Oldham at the weekend. Downing shouldn't be too surprised though as the result was a continuation of last seasons poor away form. Cheltenham lost 16 of their 23 away games last season. It's home form that Cheltenham can draw comfort from and it will undoubtably have a big influence over how they fare this season.

Stoke have a very poor record in this competition. They haven't been past the second round of this competition since the 2000/01 season. Under Tony Pullis, Stoke have exited this competition in the first round during the last two seasons. I guess that shows where his priorities lie and with a difficult away trip to Middlesborough on Saturday he's bound to make some changes.

Cheltenham will have to do without loan signing Barry Hayles tonight but Jennison Myrie-Williams should be fit to take his place. There's absolutely no doubt that the Premiership side are a class apart but I think there's a reasonable chance Cheltenham can at least get a draw against a Stoke side concentrating on league commitments.

5 units on Cheltenham(+0.5) @ 2.08

[Bigkegman]

I'm on Newcastle tonight. 10/11 is a decent price and as already mentioned Coventry seem to be pissing into the wind and as it's on sky and I'm not on-call a bet had to be placed as keggage will be at a plenty

I like WBA, Oldham, Wolves (evens with Lads), Stoke and Cardiff also but for reduces stakes.

[kompressaur]

It's on here too Kegs for those of us with no sky

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[Punter]

I've gone against you there Daikoku, i'm already on Stoke, if they lose this one it wont help their Prem campaign at all, confidence will be something they need to keep hold of, you've worried me a bit tho' and i'll go and have a small saver on the draw.

19:45 Cheltenham 9/2 5/2 Stoke 8/13

Stoke are on the drift right across the board yet they remain odds on, i'm on @2.2 Betfair.

Nah sod the draw, i'm going to have a touch more on the away at odds against, one or two are being rested but they still have to much there for a below average league 1 team.

[keemanan]

Drifting because they have made 10 changes and field their reserves

[Punter]

Pulis said: "I'm aware Stoke City and me as a manager have poor records in this competition over recent years. It's time we did something about it and we will put out a decent team at Cheltenham.

"It won't be easy. I watched Cheltenham at their place twice last season and it's a tight ground and a good atmosphere. They will be out to claim our scalp and whoever we put out will have to be up for it."

However, Pulis' team are still basking in the glory of their first ever Premier League victory over Aston Villa and the side which takes the field at Whaddon Road is sure to include a mass of changes from Saturday's game.

Stoke's star men such as Ricardo Fuller and Liam Lawrence, who were both recovering from injuries when the season kicked off, are very unlikely to be risked and Pulis has a host of fringe players who he says are "desperate for a game".

The manager said: "We'll mix and match it. We've got a lot of players who are short of time on the pitch and this is an opportunity to put that right."

Pulis did suggest recent recruits Abdoulaye Faye and Amdy Faye were still a touch short of the fitness levels required and they may be included for at least part of the game.

But Steve Simonsen is almost certain to take over from first-choice Thomas Sorensen in goal, while the likes of Jon Parkin, Vincent Pericard, Danny Pugh and Lewis Buxton are likely to get the chance to put themselves in the shop window.


Injuries
Cheltenham manager Keith Downing has injury worries over midfield duo David Bird and Craig Armstrong ahead of the Carling Cup second-round tie with Stoke.

Bird and Armstrong missed Saturday's 4-0 defeat against Oldham with respective ankle and calf injuries, and Downing, a former Potters player, has given both players a 50/50 chance of being fit to face Stoke.

Midfielder Ben Gill is set to return to the squad after missing the Oldham game through suspension, but Scott Brown is likely to remain sidelined with an ankle injury.

On-loan striker Jennison Myrie-Williams has been given permission to play by parent club Bristol City, while Charlton loanee Dean Sinclair is also available, with the Addicks no longer in the competition.

However, fellow loanee Barry Hayles is set to miss out, as Leicester do not want the veteran striker to be cup-tied.

This will be the first time the teams have ever met in a competitive fixture.

[Punter]

Cheltenham
01 Higgs
02 Gill
06 Townsend
04 Duff
03 Wright
13 Armstrong
17 Lindegaard
15 Gill
16 Russell
18 Vincent
09 Connor
Substitutes
12 Brown, 05 Caines, 19 Ridley, 20 Gallinagh, 22 Ledgister, 28 Watkins, 30 Emery
Stoke
01 Simonsen
28 Wilkinson
22 Buxton
17 Shawcross
31 Dickinson
09 Cresswell
18 Diao
06 Whelan
14 Pugh
08 Parkin
15 Pericard
Substitutes
16 Matteo, 20 De Laet, 27 Phillips, 30 Shotton, 36 Phillips, 39 Wedderburn