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.
Friday, 25 November 2011
Friday, 18 November 2011
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.
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.
Friday, 4 November 2011
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.
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.
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