Midweek madness...

A special treat for you all as I wanted a break from Xmas preparations so I'm going to do a midweek set of tips. There may not be as many as a weekend, but with English, Italian and Turkish top divisions having a full programme I'm sure we'll find a few!

Those of you that do follow at weekends will have been rewarded with six out of eight tips coming in, and most at above even money. This should have left you with some extra Xmas funds to spend down the pub. Or with loved ones, your choice. There were even a few extra winners for followers on Twitter @TopTopTips. I dare say there are few tipsters dishing out winners like this of late? A quick word of warning on that front though. If you're serious about betting then you should know this sort of fantastic weekend is the exception rather than the rule. Whilst I would seriously hope to show profit overall, it will not be at those levels. The bookies are rarely wrong, and even if you're finding value, it is by no means a guarantee of a winner.

Anyhoo, on to tipping!

Wolves v Norwich, Tuesday 1945

Norwich have been very kind to us this season and again obliged by denying Everton a win at the weekend. As I have mentioned before, they actually have a much better set of forwards than you may think from the names. Grant Holt, Steve Morison and Wes Hoolahan may have spent their careers away from this level, but they work as a unit and are proving a handful for most. Holt again netted at the weekend, using his immense girth to hold off his marker before pivoting like a prima ballerina to score. Their goalkeeper John Ruddy (ex-Cambridge United I might add) again enhanced his slim hopes of an international call up with a great performance. All in all they're a good team, no flash individuals, but a great unit and immense credit should go to Paul Lambert for that.

Wolves looked poor and somewhat stale in losing at home to a reinvigorated Stoke side at the weekend. Professional Yorkshireman Mick McCarthy may be amusingly no-nonsense, but you can imagine players failing to be roused by him at times. And that is the difference between these two sides at the moment. You wouldn't say there's a lot to choose between the sides on paper, although Wolves obviously cost more and have more experience, so blame for me fancying Norwich must lie with Big Mick's management. At present they're unbackable for me.

Back Norwich Draw No Bet at 2.5 with Coral.

Aston Villa v Arsenal, Wednesday 1945

Those of you who settled in for a solid days football yesterday will have no doubt been disappointed in the Aston Villa v Liverpool match if you were anything but a Pool fan. Villa looked absolutely useless. I have also commented before on how bad they've looked at times under the unpopular Alec McLeish, but I'll make the point again. He has shown throughout his managerial career that he is more than happy to forego passing or flair in favour of grinding out wins. In most away games you can exchange wins for draws. This is all well and good at a small or broke club, but it leaves you nowhere to hide when you are not getting results, and he isn't.

Arsenal, on the other hand, were involved in a great game at Eastland's against likely champions Man City. The match quite literally could have gone either way, and Arsenal had very legitimate shouts for a penalty to look back on as a turning point. They shouldn't have their usual issues with a hangover from a loss as there really were lots of positives to take, even in defeat. They must know they are no longer serious champion material, so to hang in their and almost get something at a ground that has not seen a home defeat this calendar year should be applauded. I think they'll be relishing a trip to Villa with the way they are playing.

Back Arsenal at 1.8 with Paddy Power.

Udinese v Juventus, Wednesday 1700

A top of the table clash in Serie A as they head for a winter break. Udinese were expected to revert back to an upper mid-table side after selling star players Alexis Sanchez and Gokhlan Inler over the summer, but have instead decided to attempt a title push. A lot of this has rested upon the evergreen shoulders of striker Antonio Di Natale, who at 34 is still banging them in. He was rested in the excellent 2-2 draw at Lazio on Sunday in anticipation of this game and will be looking forward to a chance to fire them top at Xmas. They are a very solid side who have only conceded two in seven home matches whilst scoring fourteen.

Juventus have also exceeded expectations in Antonio Conte's first season in charge. They flirted with danger last season so just getting back in European contendership would have been a reasonable target. However comma Conte has got them playing well above their previous efforts and brought the best out of Milos Krasic amongst others to see them joint top. They are unbeaten in seven away matches, but have shown a tendency to leak goals and have managed to draw four away. I think their unbeaten season may well come to an end in Udine.

Back Udinese at 3.1 with Victor Chandler.

Mersin Idman Yurdu v Eskisehirspor, Wednesday 1600

One of two tips from the Super Lig is promoted Mersin hosting in-form Eskisehir. Mersin have started the season well only losing to Fenerbahce, Bursaspor and Besiktas in their matches so far at home. They haven't scored many before this weekend when they somehow conjured five to win 5-3 away at Karabukspor. It was, as you'd imagine, a bit of a poor day for defenders all round though and should probably be discounted when taking into account the season as a whole. They have played eight, won three, drawn two and lost those three at home so far. They have both scored and conceded eight in those matches too to emphasise what a tight lot they usually are.

Eskisehirspor have again climbed the table on the back of being able to grind out tight wins at home so far this season. They did so again at the weekend with a 1-0 victory over Kayserispor. They have now won five on the bounce, with the last four all being 1-0 wins. As I mentioned at the weekend they build on a sturdy defence and defence minded midfield and look to snatch a goal to win. I think with Mersin's rather miserly forwards only averaging a goal a game they should be able to hold them off.

Back Eskisehirspor Draw No Bet at 2.1 with Coral.

Galatasaray v Manisaspor, Wednesday 1830

In Turkey at the moment no team is playing as well as Gala. They are rolling teams over with ease at present with the forwards Johan Elmander and Milan Baros particularly impressing. Baros may well be one of the more selfish strikers you'll see, but pair him with a big man like Elmander and give him the chances, and you're on to a winner. He scored again in an impressive performance in beating Orduspor away. At home they have only lost once, and that was very early on, and have scored fourteen in seven whilst only conceding eight. They have only conceded two in the last eight matches and have won six of those, including the last four.

Manisaspor started out brightly and have been as high as fourth in the table. They have now moved back into a more expected eight position now though as they are without a win in four. They have struggled for goals at times as is apparent from only sixteen goals in sixteen games evenly shared between their eight home and away matches. They have only lost once away, but they have drawn five of eight and are probably due a thrashing at present. Gala will fancy their chances of providing that, and I do too.

Back Galatasaray -1.5 at 2.15 with Bet365.

The day after the night before...

Well, unfortunately Dave did not win at the NOPA's, but a great night was had meeting everyone. Hopefully the blog will continue to grow and it was great to be in the company of some major league writers/bloggers, Jonathan Wilson (swoon).

There hasn't been a great deal of football on this week really. We saw Man City probably slightly unfortunately lose their unbeaten record having been denied a penalty then losing Gael Clichy to a red card. Fair play to Chelsea though, they seem to have moved on from their early season misery. The African CON in January may again be a time to get against them though as Didier Drogba has become all-important part of the side again. Fernando Torres looks to me like he's on a permanent slide now he clearly doesn't trust his legs/hamstrings, they could struggle again yet.

This morning's Champions League draw has thrown Italian teams at the remaining English sides with Arsenal and Chelsea drawing AC Milan and Napoli respectively. Both should be interesting ties with Napoli's attacking pace against Chelsea's less than speedy backline and Arsenal and AC seem reasonably matched to me too. I will try and get midweek blogs up when it comes to the European competitions re-starting as there will no doubt be some good opportunities.

Music comes from Iron Chic with Black Friday.

Everton v Norwich City, Saturday 1500

Having gained some profit backing Norwich at home to Newcastle last weekend, I again think they represent value this week. Norwich have rarely looked overawed this season, and only Man City seem to have been able to run clean over them. The strike force of Steve Morison and Grant Holt may well look distinctly lower league on paper, but they have shown that endeavour and brute force can reap rewards whatever the stage. They gave Newcastle's makeshift backline a torrid time last week and will fancy themselves to continue in that vain again.

Everton have not quite turned round their appalling start quite yet. The problem is an age old one for them too, they have no recognised striker who can get 15-20 goals a season. This leaves them unable to get ahead of teams and into a comfortable position. The release of Yakubu is beginning to look a bit of a strange decision, especially since Moyes seems not to think much of Louis Saha and his summer signings have yet to make an impact. All in all, it's becoming a bit stale at Goodison and might be best for all involved if there is a shake-up soon.

Back Norwich and Draw Double Chance at 2.3 with William Hill.

Man City v Arsenal, Sunday 1610

The biggest match this weekend is saved until Sunday afternoon with Arsenal travelling to the fortress of Eastland's. Man City's unbeaten league run was ended on Monday night by Chelsea, but they performed well enough in places and will feel had the penalty decision gone their way the result might have been different. It will be a test of Mancini's management to respond to the defeat positively, and a win against a team of Arsenal's calibre would be a statement that the Chelsea game was a blip, not the start of a slump. They will no doubt look to David Silva as usual to be the creative fulcrum of the side, and he will probably be allowed time by Arsenal's midfield.

Arsenal have won seven of the last eight in the league, but against opponents barring Chelsea that were nowhere near the level of this City side. They have also been heavily reliant on Robin Van Persie to provide not only goals, but leadership too as he is now one of the more experienced members of the side. Fortunately he seems to be thriving upon the added responsibility and has probably been the best striker in football for around 12 months now. They are now missing all their full backs though, and you would imagine Mancini will devise some way to attack that weakness.

Back Man City at 1.75 with Victor Chandler.

Sevilla v Real Madrid, Saturday 2100

The late match in La Liga sees Jose Mourinho taking his Real Madrid side to Seville looking to get back on track after losing El Clasico. As has been pointed out by the ever excellent Tim Stannard amongst others some of Real's biggest stars seem unable to perform at their best against Barca. Cristiano Ronaldo and Sergio Ramos particularly affected. They both seem to be almost trying too hard to show they can be better than Barca's stars and their performances become erratic. The wonderful Mesut Ozil was completely overwhelmed by the midfield tiki taka of Barca and was ineffectual too. I can see the hangover still being there a little bit and have no faith in Madrid at around 1.45.

Sevilla have been near the top of La Liga regularly now for most of the last decade. They have a fantastic scouting network and youth system which has recently produced the likes of Sergio Ramos, Dani Alves and Jesus Navas. This has enabled them to play fast paced football and with an attacking style. This season though, they have been almost as reliant on an extremely tight backline. They have only conceded eleven goals in total and will hope to keep that statistic going in this home match.

Back Under 2.5 Goals at 2.5 at Ladbrokes.

Osasuna v Villarreal, Sunday 1700

Secong tip from Spain has under-performing Villarreal travelling to Osasuna. Osasuna are a stable mid-table sort of team in Spain, similar to a Stoke in many ways. They rely heavily on a tough physical approach and excellent home form to try and push for European football on occasion. This season has been no different on that front. They sit seventh in the table and are still unbeaten at home in seven matches. They have also only conceded four goals in those games whilst scoring eleven to make them formidable at home.

Villarreal I have discussed previously. They have done exceptionally well to rise to the level they now are at, but this season looks likely to be a long struggle. They have very little creativity unlike in previous seasons having lost the likes of Riqelme and Cana. They are also missing Guiseppe Rossi all season and he was their most reliable goal threat by a long way. Nilmar has also spent a lot of the last twelve months out and with both of those two missing it is no wonder they are struggling to win games.

Back Osasuna at 2.2 with Coral.

Borussia Monchengladbach v Mainz 05, Sunday 1630

The last match in the Bundesliga is my only German tip this week. It's blog favourites Gladbach hosting Mainz. I am hoping that after Gladbach failed to beat bottom side Augsburg last weekend they will be keen to make a statement that their season is not already petering out. They seemed sluggish in that match so the weeks rest they have had should also aid their chances. Marco Reus's form as been key to their best showings and he should hopefully be fully fit this weekend to try and help his side go into xmas off the back of a win.

Mainz showed last season that they have some talented young players. They ended up falling away somewhat, but their youth and hard-pressing game plan have again caused teams problems this season. They beat Bayern Munich recently in a performance that owed a lot to their constant harrying and without Schweinsteiger, Bayern didn't have anyone to win in the midfield. They have been pretty tight at the back, but have drawn most of their away matches. Their record reads won one, drawn five and lost one. I would imagine they'll come for a draw and it will be up to Gladbach to break them down.

Back Monchengladbach at 1.9 with Victor Chandler.

Catania v Palermo, Sunday 1400

In Serie A we see Palermo taking their terrible away form to Catania. Catania have been very impressive under managerial newcomer Vincenzo Montella. Their style of football might not exactly be Barcelona-esque, but they are getting good results and are far from dull. Saying that though, they really could do with more goals going in. In fourteen matches they have only scored fifteen goals, and that could hurt them in terms of rising any higher than the mid-table position they currently occupy.

Palermo have been one of the strangest stories in Europa in terms of their away form. They have somehow managed to still not score at all in seven away matches whilst conceding nine goals in the same time. They have picked up two 0-0 draws, but they somehow cannot get a goal. At home they have scored sixteen in seven and won six too, so clearly their is performances in the players. You really can't look beyond getting against them away though, as the stats don't lie.

Back Catania at 2.25 with Coral.

Eskisehirspor v Kayserispor, Saturday 1400

The first tip from the Super Lig is high flying Eskisehirspor hosting Kayserispor. Eskisehirspor had excellent home form last season which saw them challenging for European qualification before they ran out of steam a bit and fell away to upper mid-table. That home form has again seen them rise to the heady heights of fourth, but once again goalscoring may well be prohibitive to a concerted push. They have won four, drawn one and lost two at home, both scoring and conceding seven in the process. They were only narrowly beaten in both the matches they lost and they were back in October.

Kayseispor have been a bit hit and miss, also very similar to last season. They sit in eight position and most of that is down to their poor away record of losing four and winning three from seven. They have only scored six in those matches and conceded eight so they are not being thrashed at all, but a team like Eskisehir should be able to deny them the opportunities whilst hopefully nicking a goal.

Back Eskisehirspor at 2.1 with SportingBet.

Manisaspor v Genclerbirligi, Sunday 1100

The second tip from Turkey is another early surprise package in Manisaspor hosting Genclerbirligi. Manis have not really showed anything in previous seasons to suggest that they would surge up the table this season, but that is what they have done. They sit in fifth and it is mainly due to them being extremely tough to beat and relatively tight at the back for a Super Lig side. They have only lost three times in fifteen matches as well as only conceding fourteen. That they have also only scored sixteen is testament to how they are able to produce results in tight matches.

Genclerbirligi have been a lot more exciting team, but their away form is their undoing. They have only been beaten once at home, but have lost four from seven, with only one win, away from home. They have also conceded fourteen in those seven away games as well as only scoring six. This should give Manis enough encouragement to think they can grab a goal and keep Gencler out.

Back Manisaspor at 2.1 with BlueSquare.

Follow the Tipster...

This weeks title refers is a suggestion for those of you well versed in the social media world to follow me on the Twitter for some extra tips, particularly midweek when I sadly don't have the time to complete a full blog. You can find me by searching @TopTopTips if you are interested. This week I have posted some Champions League and Turkish Super Lig bets which have shown fantastic profit so hopefully some of you are already following.

Speaking of the Champions League, hasn't it been a funny week? Funny, haha, in Man Utd's case. Regular readers will know I have been banging on about how over-rated they have been by 'experts' and bookies alike. The complete lack of a decent midfielder and the ongoing hot and cold Wayne Rooney are just two of a myriad of reasons why they are failing to set the pitch alight. This week has seen them somehow conspire to exit the competition despite being drawn in a very weak group. And those of you who have watched the matches will know that it is generally the midfield battles that are going against them where more adept European teams are out-thinking and passing them. Man City also left the competition despite garnering a very respectable ten points and defeating Bayern Munich on Wednesday night. I would now imagine they stand a very good chance of winning the Europa League as even their reserves are now a frightening proposition compared to the sides in that cup.

Music comes from How Dare You with Week Of Heart Attacks.

Norwich v Newcastle, Saturday 1500

First tip is from Carrow Road with Norwich hosting Newcastle. Now, I tipped Newcastle as a bet last week at home to Chelsea and were Mike Riley to have correctly sent off David Luiz early on then we may well have seen a different outcome. However comma we didn't so we have to accept the loss and move on! The thing that has enabled Newcastle to enjoy their brilliant run this season has been a lack of injuries to their major players. Unfortunately last weekend we saw both centre halves depart injured and this leaves the Geordie's in dire straits. James Perch is a dreadful right back by trade and seeing him floundering at centre back in the Chelsea game may unfortunately be a site the fans get used to seeing for a while.

Norwich have been steadily picking up enough points to stear clear of the relegation places so far, but came unstuck in a massive way to Man City. There should really be no embarrassment around that humping, even Man Utd fared worse, but it does give them a kick in the pants. They have had a decent defeat coming from what I have seen and Paul Lambert should use the result as a way of getting them going again. Steve Morison may lack the touch of a Premier League player, but he is willing and will surely give the makeshift Newcastle defence a headache.

Back Norwich at 2.5 with BetFred.

Stoke v Tottenham, Sunday 1600

Another regular occurrence of late in this column has been backing Spurs. A shocking state of affairs I am sure you will agree, but I would challenge you to find a more reliable team besides Man City this term. The first eleven is as good as anyone besides the Blue Mooners and the midfield in particular is full of pace, flair and effort. Harry Redknapp could even afford to drop Rafa Van Der Vaart last time out at WBA in the knowledge Jermaine Defoe was performing well. It's a strange new world in the Prem, and nothing is stranger than Spurs being sure things.

On to Stoke, and they have been pretty abysmal of late. A win away at Everton in their last match should not disguise the fact that for a lot of the season so far they have looked slow and possibly have been figured out by many sides. They obviously rely on the physical side of the game more than any other side in the division, and when that side of the game fails they don't really have a Plan B. They will not like the pace Spurs will show them and after a weeks rest I can't see them having an enjoyable afternoon at all.

Back Tottenham at 2.1 with Victor Chandler.

Real Madrid v Barcelona, Saturday 2100

The biggest match of the weekend is without doubt El Clasico in Spain with Barcelona travelling to Madrid to take on Jose Mourinho's men. Before the season started I advised backing Barcelona for the Liga title, but if they lose this they can almost kiss goodbye to that before Xmas. Jose has got Madrid winning with the sort of relentless intensity associated with his spell at Chelsea, but with added flair. The defence is as solid as you would expect from the Portugese, but with attackers like Ronaldo (the divey, prissy one), Ozil and the reborn Benzema they are racking up the goals too. I would go as far as to say they are currently ahead of Barcelona with the Catalans looking tired and in some cases desperate for form.

Barcelona have been winning with some class this season, but not as regularly as they have done in previous seasons. There are still 5-0 beatings handed out, but they are interspersed with 0-0 draws and games where they just can't kill teams off. This can probably be linked to the injuries to Iniesta and Xavi at points as well as the loss of form David Villa has been experiencing. At times it is Messi and Fabregas pulling them through games. In previous seasons the squad has tired and players have stepped in and done enough to keep the victories piling up, but this time it sometimes looks a bridge too far. They are meeting Madrid when they really could do without it and I think we may see Jose leaping around and winding people up late on Saturday night.

Back Real Madrid at 2.4 with William Hill.

Espanyol v Atletico Madrid, Sunday 2030

The late match on Sunday sees Madrid's other team travelling to Barcelona to take on Espanyol. Espanyol started the season exceptionally well to sit high up before a recent dip in form has seen them settle in around midtable. They haven't been outclassed in any of their recent matches though, just narrowly beaten. They looked good at times last week against a talented Valencia side, enough for me to think they are just a decent win away from a few good results. They have a few young players in their side who will inevitably need consoling after a defeat and one win can make all the difference in terms of the sides confidence heading into matches.

Atletico Madrid are simply being Atletico Madrid! They are an absolute mess of a club at the best of times, but this season perhaps as much as we have seen for a few years. They have played eight matches at home and won five and drawn three to remain unbeaten, however away they have yet to register anything more than a solitary draw from six outings. They can look great when Jose Reyes and Falcao are playing well, but sadly they have been more miss than hit of late. I don't see them arresting their poor away form just yet.

Back Espanyol at 3.0 on Betfair.

Augsburg v Borussia Monchengladbach, Saturday 1430

First up from Germany is promoted Augsburg hosting this seasons surprise challengers Monchengladbach. Augsburg have shown plenty of willing so far, but sadly look destined for a return to the Bundesliga II as they have only two victories so far and sit bottom of the table. The problem is a leaky defence mainly that has conceded almost two goals a game on average. Sadly the majority of the players have little or no top flight knowhow and it shows at timess with some naive decisions and a gulf in class against the big boys.

Gladbach have been another favourite of mine this term having netted me a great deal of profit so far. Last weekend saw them draw with Dortmund and give us a refund on our Draw No Bet wager. They were again very impressive against a side that are looking likely to retain their title having found improved form. Gladbach started the season relying on 1-0 wins built on a solid tactical structure and the odd bit of flair from Marco Reus. Recently though, they have discovered an attacking verve that saw them blow Koln away in the derby two weeks ago. Reus has had a rest now and returns alongside the impressive Hause in midfield.

Back Borussia Monchengladbach at 2.0 with Victor Chandler.

Stuttgart v Bayern Munich, Sunday 1630

Sunday sees league leaders Munich travelling to Stuttgart for what should be a tough test. Stuttgart currently sit just behind the very top of the Bundesliga in seventh spot. They have a team built from the back and have only conceded more goals so far than the run-away top three. They have a decent home record too with four wins, two draws and two losses, both of which came early on. They are no slouches in front of goal either with fourteen in eight at home very good when combined with a measly seven conceded in the same matches.

Bayern started the season off like a train steam-rolling all in front of them with apparent ease. After the removal of Van Gaal and the appointment of Jupp Heynckes the team have again looked a lot happier and the football has followed. The transformation of Mario Gomez from something of a joke figure to one of Europe's most feared attackers has been a particular highlight so far. They have some great attackers with Gomez, Ribery and the returning Robben all playing well, but they rely heavily on Bastian Schweinsteiger holding it all together in midfield. His absence through injury has been noticed in recent games, particularly against the well drilled Mainz side that beat them recently. If Stuttgart can imitate their discipline and effort they have more than a chance of an upset.

Back Stuttgart and the Draw Double Chance at 2.5 with Coral.

Genclerbirligi v Orduspor, Sunday 1100

Sunday morning action from Turkey's Super Lig sees promoted Orduspor travelling to Gencler. I have previously mentioned that perhaps more so than in a lot of European leagues, home form seems a particular trait in Turkey. Gencler are by no means a brilliant side, and their position in twelfth highlights that, but they have only lost once at home all season. Even that was to a very good Galatasaray side who have gone top of the Super Lig by beating rivals Fenerbahce in mideek 3-1. Take that result away and they look very backable against most teams when at home.

Orduspor started the season very well and rose as high as fourth in the table. This could never be maintained though with a strikeforce that has only scored eleven goals so far, the second worst behind second bottom Samsunspor. They have not won in seven matches and look vulnerable when they can't score to being caught out by only one goal. They need some sort of boost to move back up the table, but sadly I see them descending towards a relegation scrap unless a striker is pulled out of a hat soon.

Back Genclerbirligi at 2.2 with Stan James.

Trabzonspor v Galatasaray, Sunday 1700
A real top of the table clash between two of Turkish football's big guns on Sunday afternoon. Trabzonspor ran Fenerbahce close last season and with match rigging allegations against Fener they have every reason to believe they were robbed of Super Lig glory. They drew with Lille this week to end their campaign in the Champions League dropping into the Europa League. They should not be ashamed though to do this as they were rank outsiders in a group containing Inter Milan, Lille and CSKA Moscow. They are a solid side who also contain players like Yilmaz capable of scoring the goals to beat most sides in Turkey.

Galatasaray went top of the table on Wednesday night after a 3-1 victory in the Istanbul derby over arch rivals Fenerbahce. They have been quietly stringing together a lengthy list of tight margin victories to put themselves in position to overtake Fener and they performed brilliantly in achieving it. This marin of victory owed a lot to the passion of the derby though. It is no normal match for either side and Fenerbahce chased victory as they may not have done in any other fixture. Let nothing take away from a very good win for Gala, they deserved it and should now push on and cement their league position.

Back Galatasaray at 3.0 with Stan James.

And Behind Door Number Two...

Well, that was a tidy little weekend wasn't it? With five out of seven tips rolling in and all at over even money, we should all have been celebrating. Sadly I went back in with a little of my earnings to back Bilbao at home to Granada at what I thought was a still reasonable 1.5. The sods lost and therefore so did I. I say this as hopefully you can all learn from my error, if you've made your picks and made your money, then that should be enough. Wait for the next time you've had a proper look as I do before this column and don't start madly punting.

It has been something of a quiet midweek really. I rarely, if ever, get involved in the Europa League as it is very hard to gauge how seriously teams are taking it as well as weighing up the merits of third in Israel against second in Hungary. The interest for most should have been in the Carling Cup quarter finals. We got a couple of upsets too. Tuesday saw Arsenal's pretty young side hold their own before Sergio Aguero's class stood out to win it late for Man City. The key from this match was again seeing how the absence of Van Persie makes Arsenal a much harder team to back as his replacements are not exactly prolific. We saw Liverpool heap more misery on Villas Boas sorry Chelsea side by beating them 0-2 and also missing a penalty. Chelsea were again pretty dreadful and in particular Torres was very lacklustre. Blackburn were beaten away at Cardiff and again looked very poor. On Wednesday we saw the big upset as Crystal Palace beat Man Utd at Old Trafford. Darren Ambrose opened the scoring from around 30 yards with a rocket before Utd equalised and Palace snatched a win in extra time. Another thing to learn from this match is that United have very little coming through and the more injuries they get the more they will be likely to fall away from the top of the table.

Music this week comes from Daggermouth with Too Late, No Friends.

Newcastle v Chelsea, Saturday 1245

First match of the weekend sees a struggling Chelsea side travelling to this season's surprise package Newcastle. Newcastle's unbeaten record fell to Manchester City recently, but they should still not be underestimated. Whilst Alan Pardew was roundly mocked upon his appointment, it can not be denied that he has turned the side's fortunes round and made them much harder to beat. This is the key for me. They are set up from defence and have a solid centre of midfield before some pace on the flanks and in Demba Ba a striker in great form. When watching him I can't exactly pick what it is about him that makes him a success, but he is quick and gets in great positions. Chelsea are rocking right now and could probably do without visiting a Newcastle team who will still be full of confidence at the moment. It has been said in various places that Chelsea are getting very old in key areas now, as well as the fact certain key players seem to have far too much influence. All in all it looks to be heading to a showdown to me with Roman either backing the manager and making more investment in younger players or bringing Hiddink back to try and get a little bit more out of the older heads. Anyway I can't back them in present form. Back Newcastle Draw No Bet at 2.75 with Stan James.

Tottenham v Bolton, Saturday 1500

My current favourite Premier League team is worryingly Spurs. As I mentioned last week it has long been an unwritten rule in gambling to never trust Spurs, but I think that time is over for now. Looking at the Premier League apart from Man City the most reliable side are Spurs. With nine wins and a draw from their last ten matches they are in great form and are looking good whilst doing it. They did as good as bow out of the Europa League this week, but it should have little consequence as Redknapp has made it plain his lack of care for the competition. Plenty of the side that have been on this great run were rested and will be looking forward to playing a struggling Bolton side. On to Bolton and their manager Owen Coyle. Like many others I thought Coyle started very well at Bolton and looked a genuine prospect to get them playing good football and points. Since around three quarters of the way through last season though they have not been up to scratch. The fact that Steve Kean is around as well as Wigan's continued travails means that their poor form has mostly gone unnoticed. However comma they are a million miles away from being good enough to beat this Tottenham side for me. Back Spurs/Spurs in the HT/FT at 1.95 again at Stan James.

Valencia v Espanyol, Saturday 2100

Another team that seems to be being slightly underestimated by punters is Valencia. At present they look a much more reliable bet than Barcelona in La Liga and yet are often a lot longer odds. I'm not suggesting they're a better side, but they are doing it more consistently at present. They may have sold a lot of their better players over the last few years, but there is still some fine players left. My personal favourite is the striker Roberto Soldado. He has been the most reliable Spanish goalscorer around for almost a calendar year now, but seems to still be well down the national pecking order behind, amongst others, Villa and Torres. He seems content to carry on banging them in for the Galician's though, and all the better for backers. Espanyol were a tip by many to struggle for their La Liga status this year after a poor season last time and little investment in the playing staff over the summer. They presently sit in ninth after a good start, although they are now four matches without a win and have only scored two goals in those four matches too. All in all, it is not a good time to play a fully rested Valencia side in the intimidating Mestalla. Back Valencia -1.0 at 1.85 with Victor Chandler.

Osasuna v Betis, Sunday 1700

Second tip from La Liga is Osasuna hosting promoted Betis. One constant rule in La Liga is that it will not be an easy game for anyone travelling to Osasuna. They have always been a physical side and that has not changed this season. The effort they put in is fantastic, and they're not averse to getting a bit dirty when there is a call for it. They are so far unbeaten at home from six matches with three wins and three draws and they also notched up a first away win of the season last weekend at Espanyol to rise to seventh in the table. Their problem has always been goals, but their tightness at the back, only conceding three in six at home, allows them to get wins. Betis did well initially before embarking in a nine game winless streak that is still going. I don't watch enough of them to fully identify what the major problems are, but needless to say that's a dreadful run that will soon have them in danger if not arrested. They hadn't even scored in five matches before surrendering 2-3 in their last match. In a run like this I can only see one result. Back Osasuna at 21.5 with Victor Chandler.

Parma v Palermo, Sunday 1430

The only tip from Italy this week sees Palermo travelling to Parma. Parma have been the major success story in Serie A in the last fifteen years really. They are a small club in comparison to most, but thanks to a brilliant scouting network and youth system have included players like Crespo, Cannavaro and Buffon amongst many others. Unfortunately those golden days now seem over and they will be happy with a season avoiding a relegation scrap. Their current best player is the diminutive playmaker Sebastian Giavinco formerly of Juventus. He has drifted around many sides including the national team with coaches seemingly worried about his lack of height and strength, but he is thriving given responsibility at Parma. They have won their last two home matches and he has been key in both. Palermo are another slightly more recent success story. They were promoted not too many years ago and have thrived ever since. They also have a good scouting network in South America and Eastern Europe and have unearthed players like the recently departed Javier Pastore. They have built their success on good home form in Sicily and this season has been no different. They have six wins from six at home. Their away record is vastly different. They have drawn one and lost five from six without scoring in the whole time. Back Parma at 2.15 with Ladbrokes.

Borussia Monchengladbach v Borussia Dortmund, Saturday 1430

The derby of the Borussia's! Both are sides I very much like with my tip of backing Dortmund outright again looking shrewd with them recovering their spot at the top of the Bundesliga last weekend. Gladbach have also been very good to me betting wise this season with their march up the table. Just recently Gladbach have looked phenomenal with Marco Reus looking spectacular at times and adding goals to their game. A 5-0 win against Werder Bremen followed by a 0-3 win in their derby away to Koln last week is fantastic. They are currently the form team in the Bundesliga and are well worth their second position. Dortmund, as mentioned, have recovered from a slow start to head the table thanks to a run of eight games without defeat including an important away win against Bayern Munich. They are coming into form just as Bayern are struggling in the absence of injured Bastian Shweinsteiger and will look to stretch their advantage. They would not have wanted this trip now though. They have a record of won three, drawn two and lost two away from home and Gladbach are still unbeaten at home whilst scoring sixteen and only conceding five. Back Gladbach Draw No Bet at 2.75 with Stan James.

Genclerbirligi v Galatasaray, Saturday 1400

First tip from the Super Lig sees giants Gala travelling to Gencler. Gala would have fancied their chances of making a push for the title this season after the match fixing scandal that engulfed Fenerbahce over the summer months. They currently sit second behind Fener and are three points behind. They have won four, drawn one and lost one at home as well as winning two, drawing three and only losing one away from home. They have been a bit leaky at the back though, and this has cost them points. Strangely though, they have been more solidly set up away from home, which has contributed to the three draws as they have sacrificed attacking intent for defensive solidity. Gencler have so far been unbeaten at home and will enter this match confident of taking something. They have played six at home winning four and drawing two whilst scoring a brilliant eleven and only conceding four. I would imagine this will only encourage Gala to set up defensively again, but barring Fenerbahce noone looks better placed to breach their rearguard. Back Genclerbirligi Draw No Bet at a massive 2.5 with Stan James.

Antalyaspor v Karabukspor, Sunday 1100

This is more of a gut feeling than anything on this bet so be aware! Recent Sunday morning matches seem to be throwing up some classics in the Super Lig and I'm going to take a punt on this being another. The league is not renowned for loads of goals flying in, although defences sometimes look like the definition of 'schoolboy', and the odds often reflect this. Both these sides are in the relegation fight and will probably stay there for the majority of the season so I am banking on both viewing this as winnable and going for it. Antalyaspor have played six at home and have won two, drawn three and only lost the one whilst scoring seven and conceding six. Karabukspor have played six away without winning, only drawing once and losing five. They have also scored four in that time and conceded ten. It makes the home team look like they should do it, but I think they'll concede at least one and hopefully that will encourage Karabuk. Back Over 3.5 Goals at 3.75 with William Hill.

A Little Extra This Month?

As it approaches the end of the month I'm sure we're all feeling the pinch, especially with xmas seemingly just around the corner now? Hopefully this weekends tips will provide you with some much needed extra cash to tide you over. Had you of been following @TopTopTips on the Twitter you'd already have made inroads into last weeks small loss with a couple of handy midweek efforts.

Most of the action was in the 'Champions' League this week, and we saw England's sides once again perhaps showing that for all Sky's bluster, the Premier League is no longer miles better than the rest. Man City are now for all intensive purposes out of the competition as they need an absolutely hopeless and shot-shy Villarreal side to defeat Napoli. Man Utd are by no means assured of Last 16 action either having again showed their numerous defensive shortcomings against a no more than decent Benfica side. Old Red Nose once again made a point of showing his wonderfully grumpy side by walking out on his press conference when a reporter had the temerity to ask if Utd were struggling. Chelsea succumbed to a last gasp defeat away in Leverkusen to leave themselves a lot of work to do in their last match shoot out with a very good Valencia side. Funnily enough, the only side to be qualified is Arsenal. Robin Van Persie again showing why no striker is more important to his side at the moment with a brace to defeat an excellent Dortmund outfit.

This weeks music comes from Direct Hit with Hide The Body.

West Brom v Tottenham, Saturday 1500

The strangest thing about this season from a betting perspective is that at present Tottenham are good things in nearly every match! In a world where Man Utd and Chelsea rarely go off anywhere near even money this represents some fantastic value for all of us at the moment. As much as I have always been loathe to give Harry Redknapp much credit, he has built a very solid team at Spurs this season. The defence has two of the better full-backs in the league in Kyle Walker and Benoit Assou-Ekotto. They are both defensively solid as well as providing plenty of pace and attacking impetus when called upon. Brad Friedel has again turned back the clock to show that even at forty he is a class act. The centre halves often rotate due to the brittleness and age of some, but all are competent at their jobs and Younes Kaboul in particular has improved no end. Scott Parker has slotted seamlessly in alongside the pass master that is Luka Modric to provide an extremely solid base which I would imagine Utd and Chelsea both currently admire. Gareth Bale and Aaron Lennon provide plenty of pace down the flanks and Rafa Van Der Vaart and Emanuel Adebayor are looking a great pairing in attack. West Brom are picking up points regularly enough for Roy Hodgson to be comfortable in the job, but they've also looked poor at times. The defence looks susceptible to real pace, which unfortunately for them is something Spurs have in abundance. Back Tottenham at 1.95 with Boylesports.

Swansea v Aston Villa, Sunday 1330

If anyone watched the Monday night match between Spurs and Villa I'm sure you'd have been as shocked as I was to see just how awful Villa now look. I realise that Alex McCleish probably viewed keeping it tight and hoping to nick a gaol as his best chance, but they were dreadful. They offered absolutely nothing going forward and the passing was truly horrendous. Having watched the match I can now fully understand most Villa fans frustrations and why they are already calling for his head. Having also seen Birmingham under McCleish for the previous 2 seasons I think it is safe to say it is unlikely his tactics will change and that could see Villa in real trouble. Swansea put in another impressive performance in holding Man Utd to only a 1-0 win last weekend and having a couple of chances themselves. They hold on to the ball superbly and this can frustrate sides. If they only had someone who was capable of scoring 15 goals at this level in a season they'd have a much higher chance of survival. I still think they should take this having only lost at home last weekend all season. Back Swansea at 2.3 with Paddy Power.

Rayo Vallecano v Valencia, Saturday 1700

The stand out results in the Champions League this week were probably both the thrashings dealt out by Valencia and Real Madrid to Genk and Dynamo Zagreb respectively. Valencia were relentless in punishing a Genk side that have looked well out of their depth at times by beating them 7-0. In those goals the fantastic Roberto Soldado picked up a first half hat-trick to extend his impressive seasons tally. With both Fernando Torres and David Villa both struggling for confidence and goals for a while now the likes of Soldado and Fernando Llorente of Bilbao must fancy their chances of breaking into the Spain side for Euro 2012. Valencia have also made third place in La Liga look like it is already very much their own this season. They have only been outclassed by Barcelona and Real Madrid and looked way ahead of the pack in most matches. Rayo Vallecano are yet another team from the Madrid area and apparently their ground is one of the most impressive in terms of atmosphere in La Liga. They have risen to mid table having had a relatively mixed set of results so far. If you look at their matches they have not defeated anyone who could be considered better than them so far and I don't see this being the start. Back Valencia at 2.25 with BlueSquare.

Udinese v Roma, Friday 1945

A rare Friday night tip for the blog. This top of the table clash between Udinese and Roma should be entertaining with both sides as committed to attack as anyone is in Italy! Udinese were something of a surprise to many outside Italy last season with a run after xmas propelling them into Champions League positions and making stars of players like Gokhlan Inler and Alexis Sanchez. Both these players have now left, as many do every summer at Udine, but more are always ready to make the step up thanks to a very impressive scouting network in South America and Africa. Udinese currently lie fourth in a very congested top of the table in Serie A, and are also currently perfect at home. Five wins from five and ten goals scored and none conceded is some going. Roma have cropped up a few times in this blog as I find the attempted importing of a Barcelona style very interesting. They have now climbed to fifth after a hard start with players bedding in, but they are still struggling to anything like impose themselves upon matches. I think you have to back Udinese to continue their run. Back Udinese at 2.3 with Victor Chandler.

Hannover v Hamburg, Saturday 1730

Only one tip from my favoured league this week. Hamburg have been worth opposing most weeks in Germany after the summer finished with ex-Chelsea director Frank Arnesen rocking up with the remnants of his failed youth system in tow. Players like Michael Mancienne and Jeffrey Bruma may have been talked about as exciting prospects, but anyone who has had the misfortune to watch them would be able to see they were poor. Unsurprisingly then, Hamburg have not exactly set the Bundesliga alight so far and have only recently looked like making any sort of impact. Hannover were one of a number of teams that have turned to youth and it has served them well. They are solidly built from the back with their attacking players given more of a licence to roam when in possession. They are currently unbeaten at home, having won four and drawn three from seven. They have however conceded nine in those matches and scored thirteen, so they are not completely infallible. Hamburg have scored seven in six away and conceded a horrendous fourteen so far, in no small part thanks to the ex-Chelsea recruits. I think this should be a routine victory for Hannover. Back Hannover at 2.3 on Betfair.

Istanbul BB v Gaziantepspor, Sunday 1100

First up from the Super Lig is my current favourite team of Istanbul BB. As I have mentioned a few times previously home form can take you a long way in Turkey. Most sides struggle away from home so if you can make your own ground a fortress then you stand a decent chance of a high placed finish. Last season Istanbul BB did this and this season has started off even better with some ever important away wins added to push them to the heights of fifth currently. They have won two and drawn three at home scoring eight and conceding three in this time. Gaziantepspor spent much of last season with a terrific home record pushing them up the table and to the cup final. This time out though they have struggled for any sort of form and languish fourth bottom with only two wins so far. Their away record reads as played five, won one, drawn two and lost two. They have only scored four and conceded five too. I think Istanbul should win this, but probably not by too many. Back Istanbul BB at 2.1 with Ladbrokes.

Manisaspor v Kayserispor, Sunday 1400

The match following the above sees similarly high-flying Manisaspor hosting Kayserispor. Manisaspor have come from being a comfortable mid-table side to sitting in fourth position so far in the Super Lig behing giants Gala, Fener and Trabzon. As with Istanbul BB they are very strong at home, but also post a decent away record. They have done well because unlike many in Turkey they have a strong defence allowing them victories without handing out thrashings. They have played five at home winning three, drawing and losing one a piece. They have only conceded four and scored six in those matches. Kayserispor have never set the Super Lig alight and will probably be very happy to plod along in mid-table as they are now. They have played five away from home winning two and losing three in that time whilst scoring five and conceding seven. I think Manisaspor's fantastic run should continue for a while yet. Back Manisaspor at 2.3 with SportingBet.

Better than all the rest...

The title is a brief acknowledgement of England's acceptance of their place in football and admirably disciplined performance to beat Spain. It should be said that Spain have hardly been stellar in recent friendlies and also drew 2-2 with Costa Rica days later, but England still won in the absence of regular starters. I bring this up mostly to tip Germany for the Euro 2012 tournament in Polkraine over the summer. Odds of 4.0 are still out there and look good to me. Spain don't score enough for me to be comfortable backing them, and Holland look slightly behind Germany in terms of exuberance and flair.

Back to the domestic action again this weekend after the break for internationals and there's some interesting match ups. Both Norwich and Swansea host Arsenal and Man Utd respectively in what should be testing matches that they may well fancy getting something from. As I keep banging on about you can also follow me on the Twitter by looking for @TopTopTips, I can be found adding my thoughts on sport and extra tips that I don't have time to publish fully.

Music comes from Division Of Laura Lee with Endless Factories.

Norwich v Arsenal, Saturday 1245

First match of the Premier League weekend is the aforementioned clash between newly promoted Norwich and back in some sort of form Arsenal. Norwich have been a surprise to many this season by moving steadily up the table and not having been truly outclassed yet despite trips to both Old Trafford and Stamford Bridge. The choice to sign young, hungry players and those a bit older with something to prove is currently looking a masterstroke by Paul Lambert. Arsenal have been in much improved form of late, having started the season looking in dire straits. Much of this has coincided with Robin Van Persie returning to the side and also Arron Ramsey showing glimpses of his undoubted promise. My opinion of Arsenal and the way to beat them is to be organised. If you try and play around them, they'll probably enjoy picking you off. If you have a plan and stick to it, and if that plan also employs some physical stuff then all the better. Norwich seem to be very organised under Lambert with a system they stick to that works. They also have lower league forwards Grant Holt and Steve Morison who will not shy away from the rough stuff. I think Arsenal might well struggle to get to grips with that pair in particular. Back Norwich and the Draw Double Chance at 2.2 with William Hill.

Chelsea v Liverpool, Sunday 1600

The only match on Sunday is the Super Mega Match between Chelsea and Liverpool. During the days of Rafa Benitez and Jose Mourinho this fixture had added edge due to the managers being less than friendly and the sheer amount of meetings between the two sides in all competitions. However, this has worn off slightly in the intervening years and has become more of a meeting of two larger sides. Both have had somewhat mixed fortunes already this term. Under new manager Andre Villas Boas Chelsea have tried to shuffle the side and reinvigorate an ageing team, but there have been teething problems. The higher line in defence has been the most obvious as it seems ill suited to slower players like John Terry in particular. The form of both Ramires and Daniel Sturridge have been encouraging though. Liverpool are again seemingly lurching towards a re-assessment. 'King' Kenny Dalglish's crown seems to have slipped slightly already with the large sum spent over the summer not really reaping any sort of return. Both Andy Carroll and Jordan Henderson seem a long way from Top 4 players and Stewart Downing has also not lived up to his price tag. The only bright light has been Luis Suarez and he is now mired in racism allegations. This all leads to me thinking it has to be Chelsea. Back Chelsea t 1.83 with Totesport.

Sevilla v Athletic Bilbao, Sunday 1700

A team I have had my eye on of late are Bilbao under Marcelo Bielsa. The Argentinian boss is attempting to change more than a decade or two of 'English' style football as they refer to it in Bilbao. His ideas took a while to bed in as is expected, but recently they seem to be getting some reward. The move to a shorted passing, quicker moving game and the players are beginning to look like they're enjoying it. Truth be told with players like Javi Martinez, Iker Muniain and Fernando Llorente already at the club they had no shortage of talent. Llorente in particular should probably be in the Spain side now as both Torres and Villa are hopelessly out of form. The 2-2 draw against Barcelona where they almost won was probably the time when people begun to take notice of the change in fortunes. Sevilla have also been quietly impressive, but have been off colour the last couple of matches. This could probably be traced to the loss of form of Alvaro Negredo, their main striking threat and another man with ambitions of starting for Spain. He had had a truly amazing goals to game ratio at the end of last season and the start of this, but that seems to be at an end now. I would back a Bilbao team moving slightly more than Sevilla at 3.0 Draw No Bet with Stan James.

Catania v Chievo, Sunday 1400

This match in Serie A sees two sides meeting who would probably be happy to finish the season in mid-table mediocrity. Catania have only recently returned to the top level in Italy and are looking to establish themselves as a regular in Serie A under manager Vincenzo Montella. The ex Roma and Italy striker has made a promising start to his managerial career at the Sicilian club and has already been talked about as a future manager of one of the big boys or the national team. So far the trips to the south for the opposition haven't been successful with Catania unbeaten at home with 3 wins and 2 draws from 5 matches. Chievo have been a modern success story in Italian football. They are a very small club in the grand scheme of things and have hung around Serie A for a number of years now, often off the back of home form. This season though they are struggling as they did last season. They have yet to pick up a win on their travels and I don't see them getting anythign from this one either. Back Catania at 1.97 with Betfair.

Borussia Monchengladbach v Werder Bremen, Saturday 1430

As regular readers will know, Gladbach have been something of a favourite of mine so far this season. The good thing about the Bundesliga is that whilst you know Bayern Munich will be involved in the title picture, nearly everything else is up for grabs. Any team can move from predicted strugglers to European qualifiers with a few well placed tactics/players. This seasons success story seems to be likely to be Gladbach. They don't have the flair of last seasons shock sides Dortmund or even Mainz, but they are well organised and possess a truly fantastic prospect in Marco Reus. The diminutive forward looks another off the production line in Germany and just in time for Euro 2012. Werder have also been rejuvenated this season after a disappointing term last season. After years of relentless attacking they tried a more structured approach, but it failed to yield the desired results and they have returned to attacking. With others like Dortmund slow starting they have risen to joint 2nd with both Dortmund and Gladbach. The fact Gladbach have been unbeaten at home sees me leaning their way. Back Gladbach at 2.5 with a number of firms.

Kayserispor v Orduspor, Saturday 1400

First tip from the Super Lig this week has the seasons surprise story Orduspor travelling to Kayserispor. In a league where terrible defending is all over, Orduspor have stood out with their organised approach. This could well be to compensate for their rather less than brilliant forwards, but it is working. They sit in sixth position unbeaten at home and with only one defeat so far. They have also only conceded six, but also only scored ten in ten games. Kayserispor are struggling a bit so far with only three wins from ten matches and only one of those at home. They have conceded fifteen in ten leaving their problems at the back. I think Orduspor's lack of goals is going to mean they draw an awful lot of matches and I think especially away from home. Back the Draw at 3.45 on Betfair.

Sivasspor v Genclerbirligi, Sunday 1100

One of the more entertaining sides in the Super Lig is Sivasspor. They are a often a complete mess off the field and quite often the same can be said of them on it. Saying that, they do seem to be cutting out the completely ridiculous defeats and settling on a more regular line up, which is no doubt contributing. They have conceded twelve in ten, but that does include a one off 4-0 home defeat very early on. If anything they've been quite tight other than that, and in particular at home. They have won three from five at home with one draw and one defeat, they have scored six and conceded four in those encounters to back up their improved organisation. Genclerbirligi have returned to the top level this season and have settled in mid table at present with their home form accounting for most of their points. They have failed to win on their travels having only drawn one and lost four whilst conceding twelve and only scoring three. If there is a match where Sivasspor's new approach should work it is against this side. Back Sivasspor at 2.2 with Unibet.

Looking for a return to form...

Well, all good things must come to an end. And, after a run of 5 weeks and considerable profit from each of them, I ended up down last weekend. This is absolutely inevitable, as it's important to emphasise that only over time will you accrue a large amount of money from gambling. Saying that, those of you that also follow me on Twitter @TopTopTips will have gained back some of those losses from my midweek selections.

Those midweek tips were mostly on the Champions League, with Tuesday proving less successful than Wednesday. But, as ever, we should learn something from the losing bets hopefully. I have learnt it is not necessarily a wise idea to back Arsenal in the absence of Van Persie! Having seen new signing Park come in for the Marseille match it is clear to see he is willing, but miles away from a top class forward. As a few have pointed out this week, it will surely soon be time to give Theo Walcott a run up front and see how he performs. At the moment it is even less of a risk in the absence of any quality behind RVP.

Music this week comes from the laid back Ben Nichols with The Last Pale Light in the West.

Newcastle v Everton, Saturday 1245

The first match of the weekend sees the still unbeaten Newcastle hosting slow starting Everton. The bookies still seem to be of the general opinion that Newcastle are performing well above their abilities. I would agree that looking at the squad as a whole then they are probably correct, but the key at the moment is the first choice eleven. These players are probably the equal of any team outside of the Big 4 or 5 and whilst they stay fit I don't see them getting soundly beaten at all. The spine of the team with Krul, Coloccini, Cabaye and the in-form Ba is very good and they should all be fit to start this match. As mentioned Everton have not started well, as usual. They have lacked a goalscorer for years now and it looks like that will haunt them this season again. Some of the players are also looking a bit like they need a change of something and are all too comfortable. Back Newcastle at 2.37 with William Hill.

Wolves v Wigan, Sunday 1330

A huge match at the foot of the table already in this game. Wolves started the season very impressively and have fallen a huge amount since then and are desperate for a win. Mick McCarthy has relied on bringing in players who have excelled in the divisions below and foreign players from some of Europe's more minor leagues. This is largely to do with his budget, but will not lead to many success stories and has contributed to their league position. Wigan have flirted with relegation for years now, and are thankfully looking like they'll drop this season. Roberto Martinez seems a nice bloke, and definitely has his sides trying to pass the ball around, but it isn't working. The side has no spark with the absence of Charles N'Zogbia and not enough goals from their forwards this season. I wont mourn their departure and I think Wolves must win this to turn a faltering campaign around. Back Wolves to Win To Nil at 3.3 with Paddy Power.

Real Mallorca v Sevilla, Saturday 1700

The first match from La Liga this week sees Mallorca hosting Sevilla. Spain is a league with a lot of clubs who have enormous debts due to a complete lack of punishment from the FA for accruing them. One of these clubs is Mallorca. They have spent almost nothing every summer for a few seasons now and been forced to sell off whatever talent they had from the previous season to balance the books. With this in mind it is a minor miracle they keep staying up. This season is beginning to look like it may be a step to far with so many good players having left. They are struggling and with no in-form forwards they are unlikely to get results any time soon. Sevilla have been up and down so far this season. They performed magnificently in drawing with Barcelona at Camp Nou two weeks ago, and then failed to kill off newly promoted Granada on Monday and succumbed to a late 2-1 loss. I think they may well see that result as a push to do better rather than dwell on it. Back Sevilla Draw No Bet at 1.8 on Betfair.

Novara v Roma, Saturday 1945

The Saturday night kick off in Serie A sees Roma travelling to Novara. Roma undertook a huge shift in footballing philosophy in the Summer when appointing Luis Garcia as manager. He had previously been in charge of Barcelona's B team and it would be fair to assume the owners thought some of Pep's magic had rubbed off. He has brought in a number of good players to try and change the style of play and so far it has been a bit of a bedding in period. There have been signs it is working, but also some losses whilst the players adjust to the system and each other. Novara have found themselves near the foot of the table for most of the season after promotion. They had a memorable victory over Inter, but apart from that have found victories hard to come by. They have been entertaining though with 29 goals in their 9 matches so far. With Roma also employing a broadly attacking formation and presumably viewing this as winnable it should be an entertaining match up. Back Over 2.5 Goals at 1.95 with William Hill.

Genoa v Inter, Sunday 1130

The early kick off on Sunday has Inter travelling to Genoa and looking for points under new manager Claudio Ranieri. After a disastrous start under Gianpero Gasperini, Inter took drastic measures and sacked their new manager after merely 5 league matches. Admittedly, he was somehow failing to even get his better players to perform and was trying to shoehorn them into a system that did not suit them. Since Ranieri's appointment they have looked more solid, mainly down to restoring a system that has the players in positions familiar to them. They have got decent results in the Champions League in particular, but are still dangerously near the foot of the table. Genoa are having a good start to the season and are sitting in a comfortable mid-table position. They have played four home matches and so far are unbeaten with two wins and two draws. I feel Ranieri will set his side up to try and not lose, and that should give Genoa a fair chance of a good result. Back Genoa Draw No Bet at 1.96 on Betfair.

Orduspor v Gaziantepspor, Saturday 1100

The early start in Turkey this week sees newly promoted Orduspor hosting Gaziantepspor. Even though they have only just joined the Super Lig , they are doing very well. They currently sit in 6th in the table behind all the Big 4 and Istanbul BB, who are also having a great start to the season. They are also currently unbeaten at home with four matches played and two wins and two draws. Goals have been hard to come by with only four in four at home, but it is getting the job done. Gaziantepspor were very strong at home last season and I earned a fair bit of money backing them accordingly. However comma they have not started well at all so far this season. They have one win at home and one away so far from nine matches. It looks like there is only one bet here and at very good prices considering the teams respective form so far. Back Orduspor at 2.3 with Blue Square.

Istanbul BB v Bursaspor, Sunday 1100

The early kick off on Sunday is also another appealing match betting wise. As mentioned above, Istanbul BB have started the season in great form and have risen to 3rd in the Super Lig at this stage. Their home form has been key to this so far two wins and two draws leaving them unbeaten so far. They have also scored eight goals in the process and only conceded three. Bursaspor have become known outside of Turkey in the past couple of years due to major investment and then a Super Lig win and the Champions League football that accompanies it. They ended up in third last season having fallen a fair way behind Fenerbahce and Trabzonspor in the final matches. This season they have also not started out too brilliantly and lag behind the early pace-setters. They sit in 9th in the table and their away form has so far been an issue. They have played four and only won one whilst drawing one and losing two. The respective forms of the teams may not last the entire season, but right now Istanbul are the much better side. Back Istanbul at 2.5 with Bet365.

Back to the daily grind...

After a well earned weeks holiday I am back this week to hopefully continue my stellar run of profit in the past few posts. I would have brought some tips to you from afar last week, but with the hotel looking for about £5 for an hours internet use I decided against it I'm afraid. I'm sure you coped without me though.

Last weekends football certainly made everyone who wasn't already sit up and take notice of Man City's title challenge this year. I have been saying for weeks now that Man Utd's squad has been vastly over-rated by people who should know a whole lot better and City have made it clear to all there are some glaring weaknesses. The defence first off is looking as bad as it has for a long time now. Rio looks shot to bits and with Vidic also still recovering it leaves them short at centre half and forced to play the enduringly rubbish Jonny Evans. With Pat Evra also looking a shadow of his former self at left back it does not bode well. I wont go into central midfield as that has been covered in great deal elsewhere. City have looked irresistible at times in both matches this week. David Silva is showing that Spain currently has a monopoly on diminutive playmakers and along with Sergio Aguero they are the 2 true world class players in the Premier League. Possibly joined by Rooney when he's in a golden patch.

Music comes from Tim Barry with Thing Of The Past.

Back to the tipping now. I'm already pretty confident about a couple of these!

Norwich v Blackburn, Saturday 1500

Norwich and their manager Paul Lambert will be looking to continue their climb up the table by getting a home win against a dreadful Blackburn side. The Canaries were again very impressive against Liverpool at Anfield last weekend and were unlucky to only leave with a point in the end from what I saw. Whilst many were quick to write them off due to a complete lack of experience at Premier League level they have instead thrived. Lambert was quoted as looking for players with points to prove and noone typifies that more than strikers Steve Morison and Grant Holt. Both have spent a lot of time at either League 2 or Conference level and come to the top division later in their careers. With players like Elliot Bennet and Anthony Pilkington also hungry to prove they belong they are looking a decent side. Blackburn continue to look like a team heading towards the Championship and sadly it is entirely the fault of the owners and manager. Steve Kean is not a manager, and his recent press conferences have made him also look a bit ridiculous. It is all very well defending your players, but not completely when they've been hopeless. And the owners must share the blame for both appointing him and then continuing to let him make a mess of the club. Back Norwich at 2.05 with Boylesports.

Man City v Wolves, Saturday 1500

A repeat of the midweek Carling Cup clash in this fixture, although I would expect a few different faces. Man City changed all eleven players before running out 5-2 winners in the week and I would expect at least seven or eight regulars to return to add to Mick McCarthy's misery. City were passing and moving with fantastic ease in both wins this week and I would expect them to continue those sort of performances for a little while yet. The Carlos Tevez affair seems to have made Mancini look an even better manager and the players seem to be fully behind him. The rotation that he is afforded by such an impressive squad is also keeping the players on their toes knowing that one poor performance will give someone else a chance. Wolves started the season promisingly before fading badly in the last few weeks. They did leave a lot of regulars out in midweek also, but I struggle to see any way for them to get anything other than a humping in this one. Back Man City To Win Both Halves at 2.1 with Paddy Power.

Villarreal v Rayo Vallecano, Saturday 1700

This is a must bet for me this week! I've always been a big fan of the way Villarreal have played football all the way back to Manuel Pellegrini and Juan Riquelme. They imported South American players who went on to play some fantastic stuff and give the big boys in Spain a fright on more than one occasion. However comma since the appointment of Pellegrini old assistant Juan Carlos Garrido they have been steadily declining. They have lost some brilliant players like Santi Cazorla to Malaga and Nilmar to a lengthy injury. And now to add to the list Guiseppe Rossi has been ruled out for around 6 months after tearing his ACL in the week. They have no supply to the forwards and now no forwards either. Rayo are one of the most passionate sets of fans in La Liga and always take a large away following to every match. They come into this match off the back of two impressive victories away at Betis and at home to Malaga. They look to be hitting their stride after a slow start and will fancy their chances here. Back Rayo and the Draw Double Chance at a massive 1.96 at Ladbrokes.

Sporting Gijon v Athletic Bilbao, Sunday 1100

The early kick off on Sunday in La Liga has two sides coming into some form meeting at Gijon. Bilbao made the bold decision over the summer to try something completely new in terms of philosophy and appointed Marcelo Bielsa as manager. They have traditionally always produced good players, but the style of football has always been hard and almost English. They relied on an impressive home record a lot and looked for European pushes every now and again. Bielsa is not a man to hump long balls at a target man all game. He has tried to get players like Munain, Gurpegui and Javi Martinez to play their way around the pitch and it is now looking much better. They had a very good win at home to Atletico Madrid last night with a 3-0 win and Fenrnando Llorente grabbing a brace. Gijon have also seemed to turn a corner after sacking boss Preciado. They backed up a win over newly promoted Granada at home last weekend with a very good away victory over Mallorca on Wednesday night. I see this as two sides looking for another win to continue their runs and I think it could be a cracking fixture. Back over 2.5 Goals at 2.1 with Stan James.

Schalke v Hoffenheim, Saturday 1430

First tip from the Bundesliga is from a match between high-flying Schalke and mid-table Hoffenheim. After shooting through the lower leagues and leading the Bundesliga at Christmas in their first season Hoffenheim have settled back into an upper mid-table outfit. This season goals seem to have been hard to come by for them, especially away from home. They have only scored 13 in 10 matches, which is quite low for the Bundesliga. They also have a record of won two and lost 3 away from home, with the wins coming against newly promoted Augsburg and a struggling Mainz outfit. They have been neaten in their last two away matches by both Stuttgart and Koln without scoring in the process. Schalke currently sit in third position in the table having begun fantastically before settling into more realistic form of late. They lost their last home match in a bad tempered affair to Kaiserslautern when they really should have won, but have won the other three from their last four. I would back them to get back on track here. Back Schalke at 2.0 with William Hill.

Wolfsburg v Hertha Berlin, Saturday 1430

This match sees two sides separated by a single position meeting. Both sit in mid-table, but it is their respective home and away records that make this one appeal. Wolfsburg have won three and only lost one at home this season and have won all of the last three at home too. They haven't scored many, only five, but have ground the victories out by virtue of a tight defence that has only conceded three at home all season. Hertha have played five away from Berlin and have won one, drawn two and lost two. They have done this whilst conceding ten and scoring six. They do seem to be something of a cavalier outfit and if Wolfsburg can repel them they should be able to get the goal or two to win this match. Back Wolfsburg at 2.3 with William Hill.

Ankaragucu v Istanbul BB, Sunday 1700

First Turkish tip sees a horrendous Ankara side hosting in-form Istanbul BB on Sunday afternoon. Ankara currently sit bottom of the SuperLig with one point from eight matches. They have been wretched in every single match bar the draw and fully deserve their position in the table. They were beaten 2-0 by both newly promoted Orduspor and also ten man Manisaspor this week. Istanbul BB did relatively well last season on the back of some fine home form. They currently stand unbeaten at home from four matches this season too and are riding high in third position. They may well fade away, but currently they're going well. They have not won in their last two matches, with results of a draw and a loss, but I think they can get back on track by beating a doomed Ankara side. Back Istanbul BB at 2.3 with Stan James.

Gaziantepspor v Trabzonspor, Saturday 1700

This one is a bit more of a long shot than the rest of my bets, but one I have a decent feeling about. Gaziantepspor put together a great run last season by being tough to beat at home and also made the final of the Turkish Cup because of the same reason. This season has not started as they would have hoped, but they are now unbeaten in their last four matches including a draw with Besiktas and an amazing 4-2 win against Galatasaray away during the week. Trabzonspor are unbeaten away from home so far, but have drawn three of their four away matches. They will also be likely to have a eye on the winnable match in the Champions League in the week at home to CSKA Moscow. They rely heavily on striker Yilmaz as noone else really chips in with enough goals and I would not be hugely surprised if he was keeping his powder dry for the Russians. I would back Gaziantepspor Draw No Bet at 2.1 with Paddy Power.

The weekend starts here...

Welcome back to the world of tipping after a weeks break for me. I've never been a fan of betting on international football outside of the actual major tournaments and have not done well at it to compound my misery. I have therefore imposed a ban on myself and took a weeks sabbatical to have a break from betting and recharge for this week, hopefully we'll all see the benefits!

As I keep reminding anyone that will listen, I've been in nothing less than great form of late. I've been over 20% profit for all of the last 4 weeks and this has given me some increased spends as well as as a bit of leeway from my projected target of 10% for the whole season. This is a challenging target as most bookmakers will aim for a 6-7% profit and they have teams of people to give them the best shot, but one that I think is definitely possible. The most important thing, and a solid life lesson too, is to make sure you always learn from your mistakes/losses. I backed Arsenal on the first weekend as around 2.0 away at Newcastle would have been a great price in recent years and has since been made to look an accurate reflection. Therefore, I am now a lot less likely to back the Gunners, unless the price is way off. The other lesson is to pick your bets carefully. Don't feel like you need to stick to the English leagues, they often represent the worst chances of success. If you take the time to research other European leagues in decent depth you are probably a step ahead of many bookmakers. Anyway, sermon over for now.

Music this week comes from another recent discovery, The Copyrights with Button Smasher.

Liverpool v Man Utd, Saturday 1245

Probably the biggest match of the whole weekend is also the first up in the Premier League. Man Utd travel to Anfield to try to beat Kenny Dalglish for the first time in the league in 5 attempts under his management. Obviously this stat is largely irrelevant as 4 of those were with completely different sides, but I thought I'd throw it in there. Liverpool have started the season ok, with Luis Suarez looking a class act and Charlie Adam and Stewart Downing also looking solid acquisitions. However comma Andy Carroll looks horrendously off the pace and Jordan Henderson seems to be living up to most observers suggestion that he was a £5million at best. The problem also comes in the fact Carroll scored in last weeks Merseyside derby and will therefore expect to keep his place, possibly to the detriment of successful tactics. He and Suarez have still struck up no understanding at all and the way to dominate Man Utd is still in midfield for me. They are still weak in the centre of the park and a 5 man midfield supporting Suarez would be my choice. United have looked good in attack with Nani, Young and Rooney linking superbly at times and scoring plenty of goals. As mentioned though, the midfield is still weak and the defence has looked at sixes and sevens all too often already. Liverpool's price is tightening all the time, but they still must be backed for me. Back Liverpool Draw No Bet at 2.22 on Betfair before the price goes.

Norwich v Swansea, Saturday 1500

Two of the newly promoted sides clash at Carrow Road on Saturday and both have already impressed in patches this season. Norwich have looked a physically more impressive side with the likes of Richie De Laet and the behemoth Grant Holt in the side giving them a certain presence. They also have plenty of guile from Wes Hoolahan when he gets match time to provide an extra dimension to their play. They have been in a very good run recently that was brought to an end by a not at all shameful 0-2 reverse at Old Trafford. They more than held their own for large periods though and could have scored on a couple of occasions. And that is where the problems lie for both sides. Swansea have played some lovely stuff leading to goal, but Danny Graham (similarly Grant Holt), will never be Premier League quality strikers. It is often said the higher up the leagues you go the less chances you get to score, and these boys look like the chances are no longer enough for them. All being said I would expect Norwich to get back to winning ways in front of an always passionate home crowd. Back Norwich at 2.25 with Betfred.

Getafe v Villarreal, Saturday 1700

In recent years Villarreal have risen from mediocrity to regular Champions League participants due to a healthy cash injection and good management. They have a reputation for delivering results in style and with plenty of goals to boot, with doses of South American flair thrown in. Sadly, towards the end of last season this started to look less and less likely to continue. They have not had a playmaker now since Pellegrini departed and only Nilmar has really supplied regular touches of class. His form has nosedived in the last 3 months and it has really hurt the side. Guiseppe Rossi is a poacher primarily and with no supply he is very unlikely to create an awful lot for himself. All of this has added up to a solitary win so far in La Liga and a disturbing lack of goals. Getafe have never been accused of being entertaining apart from a brief spell under Michael Laudrup. They are a team that likes to keep it tight and hope to nick the odd goal, a bit like Bolton under Allardyce years ago. They have a tiny budget and are dwarfed in the supporter stakes by the much larger Madrid sides of Real Madrid and Atletico as well as even Rayo Vallecano. The fact they continue to compete in La Liga is testament to good management. I see this one as being a cagey affair. Back Under 2 Goals at 2.37 with Bet365.

Borussia Monchengladbach v Bayer Leverkusen , Saturday 1430

Now to my weekly Monchengladbach bet! They have not let me down yet this season and continue to eke out 1-0 wins with some regularity. The appointment of Lucien Favre as manager has led to a much more robust side and one that is perfectly comfortable defending a lead. They currently sit third in the Bundesliga and look good to continue the run until injuries or suspensions take a toll on a relatively small squad. They did lose their last match 1-0 away at Freiburg, but are currently unbeaten at home and have only conceded 2 goals in 4 home matches. Leverkusen have been up and down so far already. They sit in mid table at this early stage and I would still expect them to push for Europe again this year. They have managed to lose 4-1 one week and win 4-1 the next and that sums up the sort of campaign they are having. They have scored goals, but also conceded and if Monchen can get ahead I would fancy them to hold on for another tight win. Back Borussia Monchengladback at 2.75 with Coral.

Cesena v Fiorentina, Sunday 1130

If you can be bothered to get up early on a Sunday then you will these days be treated to the new early kick offs Serie A introduced last season. Sadly a lot of these matches have led to dull games that have reinforced stereotypes about Serie A that have always put off the casual football watcher. It seems that the early start has an effect on the players who often take a while to get going and can lead to casual looking lay at times. Cesena currently sit joint bottom of the table with only one draw to show for their five matches. They have only scored 2 in those games as well as conceding 7. Fiorentina sit in mid table mediocrity at this early stage as they have for much of the last 2 seasons. They still have the odd good player like Jovetic, Vargas and Montolivo, but they lack players around them to elevate them to better things. They have so far played two away matches conceding 2 whilst failing to score. This match has all the makings of a horrendous watch! Back the Draw at 2.2 at William Hill.

Lazio v Roma, Sunday 1945

The Eternal City derby takes place in the prime Sunday evening slot and should be volatile as ever. It is a designated Lazio match at the Stadio Olimpico and Roma are also missing local boy and talisman Francesco Totti according to the media and the man himself. The two sides sit level on 8 points in the table at present and have both looked good and poor in equal parts. Roma have been a lot more cavalier as was expected under new manager Luis Enrique who was brought in from Barcelona in something of an experiment to see if a more Spanish approach can be successful in Italy. So far it has had mixed results. But, it is very early stages and a lot of new players were brought in who need to acclimatise and get used to each other. Lazio kept together a very solid squad from last season and added Djibril Cisse's pace as well as Miroslav Klose's know how to their options. These two have looked like adding something extra to the side and the Brazilian Hernanes has also impressed again for them in a deep lying playmaker role. He is still somehow not making the Brazil squad so should be fully rested for this match. Roma also have an appalling recent record in derby matches to add to reasons to oppose them. Back Lazio at 2.62 with Victor Chandler.

Orduspor v Eskisehirspor, Saturday 1300

Newly promoted Orduspor host last season surprise package Eskisehirspor in the early match in the Super Lig this weekend. Eskisehir started the season very well with triumph over Besiktas at home in their first match followed by thrashing Sivasspor 4-0 away in their second performance. Since then though they have drawn at home with Gencerbirligi and lost to both Galatasaray and Trabzonspor. Whilst losing to Gala and Trabzon is no great surprise it is the fact they have now failed to score in three games that worries most. It was their achilles heal last season and looks to have continued to be a problem. Orduspor sit one place above them in the table having so far been undefeated in two home matches. They seem to be built as a tight, compact side who's aim is firstly not to concede and then to try and snatch a goal. They could capitalise against a thoroughly out of form Eski here. Back Orduspor at 2.4 with Stan James.

Gencerbirligi v Antalyaspor, Sunday 1300

The first Super Lig match on Sunday has another newly promoted side as hosts, this time with Gencerbirligi entertaining Antalyaspor. Neither side has stared the season particularly well and both will probably see this as a winnable match and one to push them further away from the bottom of the table. Gencer are actually unbeaten at home and have found points much harder to come by on their travels. This is a fairly common phenomenon in my experience of Turkish football, and minor leagues in general. The travelling is normally not exactly in luxury and money dictates no long stays to get used to your surroundings at all. Antalyaspor are currently higher in the table, but have played five matches including four against some of the weakest opposition in the league, in my opinion. And they haven't done that well against them either. I think their league position is something of a misnomer and would expect Gencer to give them a much better match than they have had so far except in their loss to Besiktas. Back Gencerbirligi at 2.5 with Stan James.

Money, money, money in a tipsters world...

As you may guess from the title, last weeks tips again showed a very healthy profit leaving myself and all those who follow with a nice bit of extra spending money last month. I will endeavour to keep the current hot streak up, especially as International football is upon us again next weekend and I am not sure I'll be doing much betting on any of that after last times shocking tips!

This week has again seen 'Champions' League and Europa League action. The only club to win in the 'Champions' League was Arsenal, and yet to read post-match articles you'd think they'd been roundly thrashed. Admittedly the defence once again looked incredibly porous in the face of any sort of opposition attack. The purchase of Per Mertesacker is already looking like the naysayers who said he was too slow and cumbersome may have had a point. Man Utd somehow managed to throw away a 2-0 lead to even be behind 2-3 at one point before drawing 3-3 with a Basle side who are unlikely to be going far in the competition. Their defence also again looked dodgy, but there has been very little mention of this in the press. Chelsea also threw away a lead late on when Salomon Kalou managed to idiotically handball and give away a late penalty for Valencia to equalise.

Music this week comes from the mellow Chuck Ragan with Gerladine, enjoy!

Blackburn v Man City, Saturday 1500

The only match I didn't mention from the 'Champions' League is Man City's trip to Munich. They lost 2-0 to a Bayern side who are in imperious form of late and there is no shame in that. However comma the shame comes from the shocking refusal of Carlos Tevez to come off the bench as a substitute when Mancini asked. I have always pitied the Argentine as he's clearly a bit thick and has his agent's voice in his ear a little too much, but this is indefensible. There can be no mistake in translation, as he has claimed, when asked to come on. You either get up or stay seated and his choosing of the latter will hopefully see his days at City numbered. Blackburn once again looked a team destined for relegation in last weeks 3-1 defeat at Newcastle. The Geordie's have started well enough, but were barely made to work for an impressive victory. Steve Kean might be a decent bloke, but he is out of his depth as a Premier League manager and will surely take them down. I am expecting a riled up City side to turn up and turn over their near neighbours. Back Man City -1.0 Asian at 2.02 with Bet365.

Tottenham v Arsenal, Sunday 1600

Definitely the most interesting match up for me this weekend is Arsenal's trip to White Hart Lane. As mentioned already, the defence has looked shambolic for much of the season already and if a decent but limited Olympiacos side can find holes to exploit then you would expect the likes of Luka Modric and Rafa Van Der Vaart to have a field day. Emmanuel Adebayor has also been in his usual early impressive form for Spurs and will relish the opportunity to once again attempt to score against his former employers. I wouldn't put it past him either. I saw a stat this week that of all Arsenal's goals conceded on the last 4 years, a staggering 55% have come from set pieces. This is truly where Wenger's blind spot is and the lack of physical presence stands out most. I would completely expect plenty of balls into the box for Adebayor to challenge for on Sunday. I realise Arsenal rested the likes of Ramsey and Van Persie midweek, but they can only do so much if the defence is handing out gifts. Back Tottenham at 2.2 with Totesport.

Real Sociedad v Athletic Bilbao, Sunday 1100

This weeks staggeringly early match from the Primera in Spain sees a struggling Bilbao side travelling to Sociedad. Sociedad have opened the season pretty well and currently hover around the mid-table mark, a position they'll probably spend the vast majority of the season in. They have already probably achieved one of the high points of their entire season too by coming back from 2-0 down to hold the mighty Barcelona to a 2-2 draw. They have currently played two matches at home with a win and a draw to show for it in what is usually a pretty solid home ground for them. Bilbao are still trying to get to grips with Marcelo Bielsa's new tactics and way of playing. The likes of Iker Munain should eventually flourish in a system designed to rely less on the physical side of the game the men from Bilbao have become renowned for. They are still without a win a present in the Primera though and as they generally don't travel well anyway, I think they are worth opposing in this. Back Sociedad at 2.5 with Victor Chandler.

Palermo v Siena, Sunday 1400

Palermo have been quietly impressive coping with the absence of playmaker Javier Pastore after his sale to newly rich Paris St Germain during the summer. They have never been that close to the Champions League positions since their promotion a few years ago and currently sit in 6th place, somewhere they'll be more than happy with at this stage. The only element of caution before getting stuck in is that whilst they have scored seven in their two home matches, they have also conceded five in doing so. They have won both games too. Siena have found scoring goals somewhat harder so far and only have four from four matches so far, and only one in two away matches. Both away games so far have ended in draws and I think with Palermo's ability going forward they can get a win in this. Back Palermo at 2.0 with Blue Square.

Juventus v AC Milan, Sunday 1945

Without a doubt the biggest match in Italy this weekend sees AC Milan travelling to Turin to take on Juventus. Many people had tipped AC to again win Serie A this season, but unfortunately for them they have not started too well. The criticism of them being too old has again resurfaced in recent weeks with only one win to show for their four matches so far. They have been held twice and soundly beaten 3-1 by Napoli in their other games so far. Juventus under Antonio Conte have come out of the traps at a cracking pace. They sit atop the division at this early stage with two wins and two draws from four matches. Much of this has been down to the form of the rejuvenated Milos Krasic, their flying winger. In a league like Serie A where the game is often slow and teams play deep with only the strikers upfield it is great to see a player like Krasic in form. If he continues like he is now the Old Lady may well finally have an heir to the great Pavel Nedved. Back Juventus at 2.5 with William Hill.

Hannover 96 v Werder Bremen, Sunday 1430

First match on Sunday in the Bundesliga is a top of the table clash with Werder travelling to Hannover. Werder are having something of a renaissance this season and currently lie second behind the ridiculously dominant Bayern Munich. Much of this has come from a 100% record in their four home matches so far where they have already scored eleven and conceded four. Away from home though they have one win, one draw and one loss and have only scored three whilst conceding the same number. This could well be due to a long overdue rethink of their all out attack tactics of the last few seasons. Whilst they have made their matches very interesting for the neutral it has forced their own fans to watch through their fingers at times. Hannover started last season brightly before fading somewhat as the toll of a long season told on their young side. They will only improve with experience and are also currently doing well. They too are unbeaten at home with two wins and two draws. They have scored six in those games with four in reply. I think we could be in for a high scoring match as they have conceded in each of their home matches so far and Werder will surely capitalise on that. Back Over 3 Goals Asian at 2.07 with Bet365.

Karabukspor v Orduspor, Saturday 1300

First Turkish tip comes with newly promoted Orduspor playing a Karabukspor side who lost to an improving Trabzonspor side last weekend. Orduspor have been pretty good so far in their first season back in the Super Lig for a few years, but they are yet to win away. They have one draw and a loss in their to away matches. They do keep it tight though, a real rarity in Turkish football, and there has only been four goals in total in their four matches. Karabuk have one win and one draw from their two home matches so far, including a creditable 1-1 draw with Galatasaray. They also beat Sivasspor 2-1. They are prone to concede goals, but fortunately for them Orduspor do not pose much of a threat in that regard. I think Karabukspor may well sneak this one. Back Karabukspor at 2.3 with Coral.

Eskisehirspor v Trabzonspor, Sunday 1300

Eskisehirspor's bright start was ended last weekend a more fluid Galatasaray side in Istanbul. They had sat on top of the Super Lig going into last weekend with a 4-0 away win over Sivasspor their most impressive result. Last season they also went very well for a long time in the league before fading late on and failing in their bid for European qualification. Most of this was built on their excellent home form and ability to grind out results. This has continued this season with one win and a draw from two home games and only two scored and one conceded. Trabzon have started slowly after pushing the outside aided Fenerbahce all the way last season. They picked up a shock 1-0 win at the San Siro against Inter Milan in the Champions League, but form at home has been less spectacular. They finally got their first win last weekend with a 3-1 victory over Karabukspor at home after drawing both away matches and losing at home in their other three matches. I think Eskisehirspor can get a good victory here if performing near their best. Back Eskisehirspor Draw No Bet at 2.38 with Coral.