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Norway v England

Timothy Masters — Sat, 26 May 2012 08:30:21 +0000

For their first game under Roy Hodgson I’m certain the majority of the England team will want to play well, such is the competition for places within the starting eleven. In truth, that competition has more to do with a lack of truly outstanding players than the manager having a wealth of options, but it should at least make for some decent viewing in the warm-up matches. Realistically, at this stage only Joe Hart, Steven Gerrard (as captain), Ashley Cole and Wayne Rooney can be truly sure of a spot in the first eleven, injuries aside, so expect a good level of performance this evening from the away side.

Another interesting point will be noting how Hodgson sets the side up, and with Andy Carroll due to start there are concerns that they will be playing some long-ball football. While I’m sure the new manager has more than one plan, it is worth noting that his previous experiences at this sort of level have come with sides who could best be described as ‘pleased to be involved’, so there may be a bit of adjustment required on his part. From the point of view of the players Roy will be disciplined, and that may be no bad thing given how some of the squad have let themselves down recently.

Norway are actually a pretty decent side, and finished level on points with Portugal in their qualifying group, just missing out on a place in the play-offs through goal difference, and England will have a challenge on if they are to win with any degree of comfort, but given the short amount of time the new boss has had to work with the squad I expect the chance to play a better side was welcomed. The worry is that if things should go wrong in this game then the time remaining to formulate a Plan B will be extremely limited.

For this match Hodgson has already confirmed Rob Green, Andy Carroll and Steven Gerrard will feature, but not much else, which may be down to his own uncertainty as much as anything. England are 6/5 favourites with PaddyPower, and 10/1 to win 2-0 with BetFred. In the longer term this will also give us a good idea of how the side may set up and perform in Poland and Ukraine.

Originally written by Bet123.net, an online Betting Guide

Norway v England

Champions League Final Preview

Timothy Masters — Thu, 17 May 2012 20:42:09 +0000

It isn’t well known where Chelsea manager Roberto di Matteo currently stands in his bid to become the permanent leader of the London club, or at least as permanent as any is in that job, but it is widely accepted that this competition, and game in particular are crucial to the goal being achieved. In their way Chelsea find a Bayern Munich side playing in their home stadium, albeit not quite with a home crowd, and packed with established performers at the highest level.

While the Germans have a better pedigree in this tournament than their ‘guests’ it is worth noting that the gap between them is not as wide as some suggest, and certainly no bigger than the gap between Chelsea and Barcelona. Add to that the fact Chelsea will expect to finish this game with eleven men and you’d have to say rumours of their demise are over-anticipated, but whoever comes away with the cup will have to give everything they have to do so.

Bayern played out what was actually the better of the two semi-finals in the eyes of a lot of educated observers, their clash with Real Madrid being as technical and brilliant as any two-legged affair in recent memory, and balancing the squad in terms of their confidence may be the biggest hurdle for Jupp Heynckes to overcome after winning that, albeit on penalties. The underdog spirit suits the London club more, with many players having been taught siege mentality by the master Mourinho in his time at the club.

Both sides has some suspensions to deal with, although Chelsea arguably the more damaging with the loss of Branislav Ivanovic, Ramires, Raul Meireles and captain John Terry, suspended after a moment of genuinely stupidity against Barca. I’d personally say that while Terry is a big man at the club the loss of Ramires is the more serious, given his excellent form, and arguably Ivanovic is just as much of a key man, but the news Gary Cahill and David Luiz have returned to training may help cheer di Matteo up as he contemplates his defensive options.

Bayern will miss Luis Gustavo, Holger Badstuber and young David Alaba, who was excellent against Real after conceding an early penalty, but of those only Gustavo can be considered a key player at this stage in their career. The likes of Lahm, Schweinsteiger, Robben and Ribery are all available, as is goal machine Mario Gomez, the Chelsea defenders will need to play perfectly to contain the Bayern attack.

Bayern come in as a 5/6 favourite with SkyBet, while Chelsea are 18/5 with VictorChandler, and I think that is a little bit generous to the Germans. Playing a game of this magnitude requires concentration and poise, and defending is easier than attack, so Chelsea have a great chance if they can score on the break. Bayern winning 1-0 is on at 13/2 with VictorChandler, who have 7’s on a 1-1, and you’d be mad to bet on lots of goals, but I think there’ll be many a twist and turn afore this one is through.

Originally written by Bet123.net, an online Betting Guide

Champions League Final Preview

Next Liverpool Manager Odds

Timothy Masters — Wed, 16 May 2012 16:12:28 +0000

Well, the King is dead, but let him live long in the memories of his loving, loyal subjects for his grace, style and poise as a player. Nothing Kenny Dalglish has done in his most recent stint in charge of the Red will trouble his top ten Anfield moments, but there is a degree of surprise about the departure of the Liverpool legend after a short time in charge. Now John Henry and co. may have an angry fanbase to deal with at the same time as needing to find a new manager, but I doubt they are unprepared for the fact a section of the Liverpool support would be unhappy with this decision.

Rumour has it that the decision was mutual, to some extent, after the Scot flew to America only to be dumped after talks, but there has been some criticism of a perceived lack of class on the part of Fenway Sports Group. Early markets have centred around the likes of Robert Martinez (5/2, Bwin) and Rafa Benitez (5/1, VictorChandler), although I wonder if Rafa has appeared on the list more out of needing to guess, rather than any concrete link to a return for the former boss. Given the nature of the departure it seems unlikely Kenny will stay at the club, so at least that won’t be an issue.

Both Swansea boss Brendan Rodgers and former Chelsea man Andre Villas-Boas are in the list of possible candidates (14/1, VictorChandler) and would fit the profile that was being talked about prior to the appointment of Dalglish, that of a young, talented manager who can do a long-term job. On the other hand, the short reign of the Scot suggests FSG aren’t above moving on a man who is deemed to be failing, so Villas-Boas in particular may be wary of another such post after his Chelsea debacle.

Further out we find the likes of Paul Lambert (16’s, Bet365) and Bob Bradley (33/1, BetFred), but the problem is how close to his chest John Henry keeps his cards. Until some solid indication is given of the direction FSG intend to go in is given the market will keep guessing as to who the next man through the door at Anfield will be, but the longer it takes to find him the more it will hit the summer ambitions of the club in the transfer marker, so the fans will want a swift decision.

Originally written by Bet123.net, an online Betting Guide

Next Liverpool Manager Odds

Next Aston Villa Manager

Timothy Masters — Mon, 14 May 2012 21:36:31 +0000

After a very difficult eleven months in charge Alex McLeish was relieved of his role as manager of Aston Villa this week, meaning he is potentially in line for a unique treble if offered the West Brom position, although I think that is fairly unlikely. His life at the club was not exactly charmed, but survival eventually became the aim and was achieved. However, the club must have decided that even if he had been able to call upon Darren Bent, and not had to deal with other issues McLeish still would not have been the right man for the job, and have acted swiftly.

The fans will be delighted, but rarely do you find a more pernickety bunch than those regulars at Villa Park, and it will be a challenge for the board to find someone who ticks all those boxes. 16/1 (with VictorChandler) shot Rafa Benitez is a great example of a manager the fans may approve of, but is probably out of their reach. Since leaving Inter Milan the Spaniard is rumoured to have been offered a few positions, but has turned them down for a lack of transfer funds which would stymie his chances at success, and Villa are not currently in a place where they could give him the means to take them on.

As a result, the names closest to the job seem to be slightly lower-profile, without being disrespectful. Paul Lambert is 9/4 with WilliamHill and his club are bracing themselves for an approach if their recent press statements are anything to go by, but with Lambert there is the possibility he would get a better offer, especially with his European connections. Roberto Martinez is an 11/1 shot with SkyBet, but the Wigan boss may feel his loyalty to the team he played for has gone on long enough, and would be more likely of the two for me at least.

Other men in early contention could be Fulham boss Martin Jol at 12/1 with SkyBet, or Brighton’s Gus Poyet at 14/1 with VictorChandler. Further out are the likes of the ex-Blackburn boss Paul Ince 25/1 Victor and Italian entertainer Claudio Ranieri, a 20/1 shot with BetFair, but it is far from certain that any of those folk will even get an interview. Personally, I’d think this is likely to be done sooner rather than later as the board seek to get the new man in prior to the transfer window, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Randy Lerner picked a name from left-field to lead his team next term.

Originally written by Bet123.net, an online Betting Guide

Next Aston Villa Manager

Premier League Odds, Final Day

Timothy Masters — Thu, 10 May 2012 11:03:33 +0000

Well, this is what the whole year was about for Manchester City, whatever they may say. The Champions League was a training exercise for a club new to that level of football and marketing, but the aim since the money arrived has been to ‘knock United off their f**king perch’, even if Roberto Mancini is far too stylish to admit that publicly, and on Saturday they will get their chance.

If the Italian were to pick his circumstances for a final-day shootout, there are some aspects he’d change and some that would stay the same. Although City enjoy a home game on the last day, they take on a QPR side struggling for survival, where Sir Alex Ferguson knows the Sunderland team United play have little left to motivate them, and are managed by a man with an almost unhealthy degree of respect for the Scot.

QPR themselves are 23/10 with 188Bet to be relegated, while Bolton below them are 4/11 with Bet365, suggesting the bookies think the results will fall the way of Mark Hughes even if his side are 20/1 with VictorChandler to beat City. If you add into this the fact Hughes probably still holds a grudge against his former employers and is a former Ferguson player then the visitors to the Etihad need no more motivation to win this one.

A bit further away Sunderland are 7/1 with BoyleSports to beat United and win the title for City, while the best price you can get on a red win is 4/9 with PaddyPower. It wouldn’t actually surprise me if United don’t get a win here, as Ferguson’s record on the last day is patchy and the team is not one of his best, and with Manchester City also enjoying a superior goal difference by a margin of eight it seems like everything is set up for yet another team to reach the summit of English football.

Bet365 have 13/2 on United to win the title, while at this point the best you can get on City holding top spot of a few more days is the 1/8 with VictorChandler. One thing I can say for sure is that it is nice to have the last game of the season be the decider, after some recent wins wrapped up early, and that this Saturday at 3pm pretty much every football fanatic in the world will be tuned in, if possible, to hear or see one of the most exciting climaxes the Premiership has produced.

Originally written by Bet123.net, an online Betting Guide

Premier League Odds, Final Day

No Goals = Money Back – Champions League Final

Bet123 — Thu, 10 May 2012 09:41:48 +0000

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After suffering the agony of losing out on penalties to Manchester United in a dramatic 2008 Final, Chelsea will be looking to achieve their first ever Champions League triumph.

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Originally written by Bet123.net, an online Betting Guide

No Goals = Money Back – Champions League Final

Hodgson’s Way, First Look

Timothy Masters — Mon, 07 May 2012 12:50:08 +0000

Seeing as I did a fair few of the ‘Woy’ Hodgson gags myself in his time at Liverpool and West Brom I won’t be getting on my high horse about his treatment by the press too much, but suffice to say I feel the Sun in particular could have done a better job with their first headline of the new era. The problem with criticising them alone is that a lot of people did it, not just me, but even former cricket captain and ruination of BBC golf coverage Michael ‘the bore’ Vaughan decided it was funny to take the piss.

Still, the class of the new England boss shone through instantly as he rose above the Murdoch rag and Yorkshire dullard magnificently (brushing aside my gentle taunts without raising an eyebrow) and that, we can be sure will continue, but how do the bookies think we’ll fare as a football team? With the European Championship approaching it seemed the time to look at how the team may get on in that tournament, and going forward.

The best price you can get on England to win the tournament is 12/1 with BWin, which to be honest doesn’t seem like very good value, and they’ve put both France and Italy as less likely. The three favourites are Spain (11/4, BWin), Germany (7/2, PaddyPower) and Holland (15/2, BlueSquare), and personally I’m a big fan of the current German team. The young chargers are a couple of years wiser now, and playmaker Mesut Ozil is on the form of his life at Real Madrid.

Even to reach the final the best you’ll get on England is a measly 5/1 with BWin, and there are as many markets for when Hodgson may leave as anything else, so there is a rather confusing message coming from the bookmakers. The one British involvement that may be worth looking at is the 12/1 with VictorChandler on Howard Webb to ref the final. The Englishman has become a top ref of late, and is viewed by FIFA and the like as a safe pair of hand, and England’s loss could be his gain if Hodgson’s side crash out early.

Originally written by Bet123.net, an online Betting Guide

Hodgson’s Way, First Look

No related posts.

FA Cup Final Preview

Timothy Masters — Sat, 05 May 2012 11:34:49 +0000

With less than five hours to go until kick-off it finally feels as though the FA Cup is a tournament worth competing for and less of an afterthought, and after years of criticism that the FA cares less about the FA Cup than corporate pennies and FIFA representatives it seems like they’ve finally decided to make a little bit of effort and give the final a bit of space. Only one Premier League match is on as competition, and with that kicking off at 12:45, and add to that the fact this year we have no Cardiff or Portsmouth, but some genuinely big teams in the final, and it could well be an FA Cup to remember for more than just the winners.

There are so many narratives, so we’ll have a quick tear through the biggest and most poetic. Fernando Torres, once so beloved on Merseyside, is a 15/2 joint favourite to score the opener, with Luis Suarez back on 8’s (all with StanJames). Even more cathartic and unexpected would be a triumphant opener for Andy Carroll, at 12’s (VictorChandler) but questions remain over whether the big Geordie will make the starting eleven for this one after he appeared midweek in the defeat to Fulham.

For the overall odds Chelsea are 13/8 as victors (VictorChandler) while Liverpool are a bit further back on 23/10 to win (188Bet). It’s not surprising that Chelsea come in as most likely to win, given that they have shown some good form under Roberto di Matteo, and best Barca in the process, but the favoured score is a 1-1 draw (31/5, Betdaq), showing just how hard even the pros at the betting shops are finding it to separate these two sides. I’d think a penalty competition would favour the men in Red, if it comes to it, but this game will hopefully be entertaining whatever the outcome.

Didier Drogba and former Liverpool forward Fernando Torres appear to be in competition for one central striking berth in the Chelsea line-up, but with Gary Cahill and David Luiz out with hamstring injuries Chelsea do lack cover if anything should happen to their starting back four. Long-term midfield absentees Lucas Leiva and Charlie Adam are Liverpool’s only injury concerns and both Luis Suarez and Steven Gerrard are set to return after missing Tuesday’s 1-0 defeat by Fulham. All the main players and stars are in alignment now, so it’s time to sit back and enjoy all the action.

Originally written by Bet123.net, an online Betting Guide

FA Cup Final Preview

End the season with a 100% Euro Soccer Bonus from bet365

Bet123 — Thu, 03 May 2012 09:33:28 +0000

Before we jump to the Euros, there’s a couple of Premier league markets to tell you about:

In the Premier League, it’s advantage City after their narrow win over United and we make Mancini’s men 4/9 (1.44) to take the title with United at 7/4. We’re also 7/4 that the title will be decided by goal difference:

Title 7/4 By Goal Difference.

bet365 have cut their price on the Premier League title being decided by goal difference from 4/1 into 7/4 after Man City’s 1-0 victory on Monday.

bet365 spokesman Steve Freeth “Punters called it right and it was a very expensive night for us, but it was hardly a great one for Sir Alex either and it’s advantage Man City once again with goal difference now looking a big runner.”

2011/12 Premier League Outright

Man City 4/9
Man Utd 7/4

2011/12 Premier League To Be Decided By Goal Difference

Yes 7/4
No 2/5

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Originally written by Bet123.net, an online Betting Guide

End the season with a 100% Euro Soccer Bonus from bet365

Roy Hodgson England Odds

Timothy Masters — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 19:43:14 +0000

News broke on Sunday that the FA has made an official approach to West Brom about their manager Roy Hodgson, and West Brom Chairman Jeremy Peace has allowed them permission to speak with the 64 year-old former Liverpool, Inter and Udinese boss about taking over from Fabio Capello. To a lot of people this has come as a surprise after Harry Redknapp had been singled out as a possible favourite for the post following Tottenham’s excellent start to the season, but since then Spurs have slumped and doubts have remained about willing Redknapp is to walk away from a good Spurs side.

Hodgson is one of the few English managers to have worked abroad for any period of time, and one of an even smaller group to enjoy prolonged success. He was also in charge of the Swiss national side when they made it to the last sixteen of the 1994 World Cup, and oversaw a successful qualification for the Euro 96 before leaving to manage Inter Milan full time. Incredibly, since October of that year Hodgson had been doing both jobs simultaneously, an almost unthinkable task in modern football, especially with a club the size of Inter involved. Sadly, his physical Inter Milan side was not a success in the Italian League and he left the club eighteen months later.

Having also managed Finland, and more recently been a success in the English domestic game, albeit at a certain level, Hodgson now finds himself 1/2 with StanJames to be appointed. While he has built a good side at West Brom and secured them as a Premier League regular, some fans may have doubts about his methods following his disastrous spell at Anfield, but it seems likely that the man himself will be very interested in what the FA have to say. He certainly has the ‘exasperated manager’ look down, and this attribute will hopefully not be too often employed if he does take the side to Euro 2012.

Originally written by Bet123.net, an online Betting Guide

Roy Hodgson England Odds