CC League 1 - Sat 6th August '05

[christianu]

Huddersfield are way too big at 4.75 away to Forest, thats definitely worth a look.

Mk Dons are my pick this week, they should be favourites against Bournemouth, they will IMO finish higher than Bournemouth and at home and at a juicy price its defo worth a look.

Write more as the week goes on.

[Swooperman]

BARNSLEY v SWINDON

H2H's:

League
Barnsley 11, drawn 14, Swindon 15
Overall
Barnsley 14, drawn 17, Swindon 15

04/05 Swindon 2, Barnsley 1.......Barnsley 2, Swindon 2
03/04 Swindon 1, Barnsley 1.......Swindon 1, Barnsley 1
02/03 Barnsley 1, swindon 1........Swindon 3, Barnsley 1 (10/8/02)

Barnsley:

Players out:
Mark Stallard, forward, played 10 games since 1/04
Tom Williams, midfield, played 38 games since 5/04
Michael Boulding, striker (?) 10 goals in 22 games
Mike Chopra, striker gone to Newcastle, 17 goals in 38 games

Players in:
Danny Nardiello, striker on a free from Man Utd but never played for them, has been on loan @ Barnsley & scored 14 goals in 25 games

Final position: 13th with a record of: 46-7-11-5-38-31-7-8-8-31-33-61
Other notable scorers: Shuker, midfield, 7 in 39 games

Pre-season:
Bideford 1, Barnsley 4
Scarborough 0, Barnsley 2
Barnsley 3, Alfreton 1 (not certain tbh)
Barnsley 2, Hull 0 (Robbie Williams both goals)
Leeds 2, Barnsley 1
v Buxton 3/8

Injuries: from what I can see - Richard Kell has a broken leg, Brian Howard a fractured metatarsal, Bobby Hassel a knee injury


Swindon Town:

Finished 12th with a record of 46-12-5-6-40-30-5-7-11-26-38-63

Players out:
Sam Parkin, striker scored 67 in 120 games in 3 seasons
Steve Robinson, defender, 127 games since 2/01
Sammy Igoe, midfield, 75 games, 9 goals since 7/03

Players in: had only an 18 man squad until start of July
Nicky Nicolau, Southend on a free, defender, 24 games since 3/04
Gareth Whalley, midfielder from wigan, only 7 games for Wigan in 04/05, but 318 games since 7/92
Tony Thorpe
Jack Smith
Ricky Shakes
Comyn-Platt
Jamie Cureton (hey, that looks interesting...)

Pre-season:
Cirencester 1, Swindon 3
Aylesbury 1 Swindon 2
Bideford 1 Swindon 1
Taunton 3 Swindon 3
Crawley 3 Swindon 4
Sherbourne 0 Swindon 4

in these games, cureton has scored 3, Fallon 6, Pook 3 & Shakes at least 1

I'll update this post if anything interesting happens coming into the game, but it looks quite close on the head to heads...4 draws in the last 5.
Andy Kings has took a bit of flak in his 2 spells in charge @ swindon but he looks as though theyve made a decent start coming into the campaign, Cureton certainly looks a good player, & fallon has 6 already so worth keeping an eye on tbh.
Barnsley dont seem to have replaced the goals @ all to me, & although I'm gonna take another look at this, with Boulding gone to Crewe as well...where are the goals coming from ?? Theyve got a couple of midfielders that weigh in with 6 or 7 but if Nardiello doesnt score 20 they'll struggle surely. Hes got a decent record at this level but he hasnt played a lot of games yet & I always have a certain distrust of players released by Man Utd as everybody normally over-rates them big time, but we'll see........his goal against Leeds did sound something special though.

Any Swindon or Barnsley fans feel free to comment.......

[christianu]

Barnsley dont seem to have replaced Parkin?? Parkin played for Swindon.

Barnsley have brought in Paul Hayes from Scunthorpe who was one of the top scorers in leage two last year, as well as the on loan Nardiello. They have also brought in Howard a midfielder from Swindon himself.

So they have Nardiello and Hayes to score the goals this season, although they will miss Chopra.

They have some quality players Barnsley, Mcphail, Burns, Nardiello and notably there player of the season Shuker. Just check the other thread to see how much i love them; I wouldnt be backing against them Swoops, there'll be up there.

On the other hand Swindon have lost some good players Parkin and Igoe but a lot of fresh faces in and Cureton im sure will do nothing but disappoint, as he has done the last few years. I wont be betting on it but i will sure be on Barnsley for promotion

[christianu]

Nice work too Swoops, i forgot to say, plenty more of that please

[Swooperman]

Yeah, sorry, must have written it on the wrong part of the sheet...schoolboy error anyway, comment is what is needed. More tonight hopefully

[A.M.P]

Widespread odds are out now and I'm just scanning them on Oddschecker.com.

In appears that Hills are being over genrous with Hartlepool as they're going slight odds against whereas most Books see them as 10/11 shots. One for me to think about...

AMP

[Swooperman]

Interesting thing I found on Chesterfields website.....seems to be up to date summer transfers....worth a look & if anyone knows how to get it up on the screen that would be rather handy

http://www.chesterfield-fc.premiumtv...etail/0,,10435

[Swooperman]

No ?? Ok, we'll try again

http://www.chesterfield-fc.premiumtv...etail/0,,10435

[Swooperman]

Bollox, well its on that site, click on news & go half way down to transfers

[Swooperman]

BLACKPOOL v CHESTERFIELD

Head to heads:

League: Blackpool 18, draws 23, Chesterfield 21

04/5 Blackpool 1, Chesterfield 0.......Chesterfield 1 Blackpool 0
03/4 Chesterfield 1, Blackpool 0.......Blackpool 1 Chesterfield 0
02/3 Blackpool 1, Chesterfield 1.......Chesterfield 1, Blackpool 0

....looks like an under 2.5 already, backed up by only 11 goals in the last 8 meets
It goes as far back as 2000/1 since one of them took an away win from the other

BLACKPOOL:
Last season: 16th, 46-8-7-8-28-30-7-5-11-26-29-57
Billy Dearden has recently left as Asst.manager to join MK Dons

Pre season:
Keith A, won 5-1
Ross Co. A lost 2-1
ICT A lost 1-0
Morecombe A 1-1
Lancaster City A lost 1-0
Chester City H won 6-0 (not exactly breeding confidence here )

Players In: Scott Vernon from Oldham (10 goals in 17 games 04/5) John Doolan (35 apps for Doncaster 04/5) Rory Prendergast from Acc.Stanley

Players out: Martin Bullock, Richie Wellens, Robbie Clarke, Paul Edwards, Zarko Grabovac, Leam Richardson, Steve Boyack, Sean Patterson

From what I could see their top scorer was S Taylor with 12 in 24 games last term, & nobody else hit double figures. So Vernon is obviously bought for goals but I know little about Prendergast.....any offers ??

CHESTERFIELD

Last season: 17th. 46-9-8-6-32-28-5-7-11-23-34-57

Players in: Colin Larkin from Mansfield, Paul Hill from Tranmere, Reuben Hazell from Kiddy, Barry Roche from Forest, & according to the website today they are on the verge of signing Janos Kovacs from MTK of Hungary.

Pre season:
Matlock A won 2-0
Staveley A won 7-0
Scarborough A 1-1
Malaga H lost 2-1
Halifax A 2-2

Looks like an under 2.5 to me but obviously no form at all. Any offers ??

[Tricky]

Depends if the clown Roche is in goal for chesterfield. Kovacs would be an interesting signing.

Lots of stats here swoop et al - thats what I like to see.

Betfair do over/under 2.5 goals on the lower leagues now. I don't seem to have much luck with this market though myself. Forest under Megson will surely be a good bet on under 2.5 goals for this (and well most weeks)

The one value bet for me is Bradford to beat hartlepool - 3/1 @ skybet. Bradford had an excellent away record last season, and look to be even stronger this season thru signings such as howarth, petta, cadamatri.

[Swooperman]

BRENTFORD v SCUNTHORPE

head to heads: Brentford 13, draws 8, Scunny 9
last played each other in 2001, when Scunny won 3-2 in the FA Cup.
This fixture has produced 49 goals in the last 13 games, inc. 2 x 0-0 draws !!

BRENTFORD

last season: 4th but lost in play offs: 46-15-4-4-34-22-7-5-11-23-38-75

Pre season:
Dag & Red 1 Brentford 3
Brentford 2 Orient 0
Brentford 0 Charlton 0
Yeading 3 Brentford 1
Brentford 1 Weymouth 0
Woking 1 Brentford 0
tonight, away v Hampton & richmond

Players in: Skulason from Arsenal, Ricky Newman, Paul Brooker & Llyd Owusu (6 in 14 04/5) all from reading, DJ Campbell from Yeading, Sam Tillen from Chelsea

Players out: Matt Harold, Steve Hunt, Stuart Talbot, SB Fitzgerald, Andy Myers, John Salako, Jamie Lawrence, Deon Burton, Chris Hargreaves

Deon Burton (10 in 38) was the only player in double figures last season, although Rankin had 8 in 35, but Burton has gone.

SCUNTHORPE

Last season: 2nd in div 2: 46-16-5-2-43-16-6-9-8-26-26-80

Pre-season:
Scarborough 2, Scunthorpe 4
Scunthorpe 2, Cambridge 1
Scunthorpe 4 Winterton 0

Players in: Tommy Johnson, Jim Goodwin, Rich Hinds, Rich Ryan

Players out: Kev Sharp, Andy Parton, Paul Hayes, Rich Kell, Terry Barwick, wAyne graves, Lee Featherstone

[kompressaur]

Grrrrreat stuff Swooperman. I'll have a read of all that once i have a look at the fixtures. Some great info there.

Werent Barnsley getting the results v top half opponents last year and finished the season ok? Blackpool at home i used to like but if i remember rightly Chesterfield went about 9 away last season without getting beat.

(disclaimer - i might be wrong)

I used to go watch Brentford at home and i dont think i ever saw them win a game or win it well at home. Scunthorpe have just went up and i know they were pretty solid on the road eventually last year after drawing too many games. Maybe not one to get involved in but without reading up the thread or elsewhere i wouldnt be on Brentford at that price.

Oh someone talk me out of Bristol City @ 4/5 please. I dont wanna back them i cant bear it please. I will i know it

I would go on past glories and whilst i forget the huddersfield glory years in the 60's i still remember the Notts Forest ones. Not one to trust though are they?

Wont Walsall be popular at that price? I could be talked into Port Vale and Tranmere too Nah drawy games they are

[A.M.P]

As a Bristol City fan Doncaster IMO are one of the value bets in this division on opening day.

I'll play Devil's advocate and say that the tried and trusted partnership of Lita / Brooker has been broken up and we'll probably start with Bridges / Stewart. This could be potentionally (oh please god let it be so!) lethal in Division 1 but it is an untested partnership devoid of a target-man and pace. Also, City have made 7 new signings through the summer as boss man Tinnion looks to model his squad and fcuk off the non-triers. The defence is completely overhauled now and I hope they'll be more organised this season.

At the end of last season we were luckly to scrape a draw with Doncaster and only managed it due to a last minute equaliser.

Doncaster have made some shrewd signings in the close season - including ex-City and Notts County striker Heffernan - who will be coming back with a point to prove. They are being well fancied as the "dark horses" of the divison.

13,500 are expected at Ashton gate and for City at least they have no injury worries

Have I done a good enough job of putting you off Komp?

Oh, and apart from a few seasons back when we tonked a very poor Notts County side 5-0 at home City are perennial bad starters to the season. The home vodoo of last season needs to be lifted as too many teams came to Ashton Gate and left with the points...

AMP

[A.M.P]

This week I'm having a variety (read too many) of small bets where I think the bookies have made a bit of a rick. Small stakes apply.

The latest one I've just had away is Colchester to win away at newly relegated Gillingham. Sporting Odds go 4.75 (but I can't deposit money for some reason - but I did find a forgotten about 5pts - lovely) and I've just had 4.6 matched on betfair.

Why this bet?. Well, I've just been reading an article on the Gills and their manager Neale Cooper saying that with 11 gone in the summer and only 3 coming in he is desperately short and in need of strikers. He didn't sound very optimistic and said he had a lot of trialists in - who were crap. They also have a few injury concerns as well.

IMO no team should really be priced this high on opening day and I've had a very small punt.

AMP