Picks from KLS Betting

Premiership Tips - 7th -9th November 2009

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 23:56:15 +0000

7 November 2009

Aston Villa (1.8) Draw (3.75) Bolton (5.5)
Villa played midweek and lost 2-1 at West Ham. Current form isn't too good for the Villa. That West Ham result has really put me off backing Villa. They sit 16th in the current form table with 6 points from 6. Bolton come to this off two 4-0 thrashing against Chelsea. No shame in that though. Before then, they were doing alright. I really can't be backing Villa at 1.8 on their current form. For me its the draw. 8 of the 12 Premier League games between these two have ended in a draw. Odds are 3.75 at

Blackburn (2.2) Draw (3.5) Portsmouth (3.75)
Blackburn are a side that have had different fortunes home and away. They've won their last 3 at home but have been spanked away from home in their last 3. Man U didn't really have to try the last game to beat them 2-0; They sit in the relegation zone and can get leap frogged by Pompey if they lose. Pompey's season may just well have started. You can dismiss a 4-0 win against Stoke in the Carling Cup as a nothing result but to follow it up beating Wigan in the league 4-0 too, means Pompey mean business. Its an away win for me. 3.75 at Ladbrokes

Manchester City (1.37) Draw (5) Burnley (11)
Four straight draws for City. Bookies must be laughing. They were lucky to take a point at Birmingham. Burnley still haven't got a point away from home. It makes this bet easy to tip even though the price is low. Man City must win this or Mark Hughes will feel the heat. You can get 1.37 at . Time for the bookies to pay some of that money back.

Tottenham (1.57) Draw (4.2) Sunderland (7)
A couple of disappointing results for Spurs. They were terrible against Arsenal and deserve to lose 3-0. Against the top sides they have shown they can't compete. Sunderland could be a top side but I am really unsure since that 2-2 draw with West Ham last week. Darren Bent has something to prove here after the way he was treated at Spurs. Bad price on the home win. I much prefer the over 2.5 goals which pays 1.70 at bet365. Only 1 game this season unders for Spurs and that was the 1-0 defeat to Stoke.

Wolverhampton (9) Draw (4.8) Arsenal (1.4)
Wolves have drawn 3 on the bounce. Last week they did well to come back from 2-0 down at the Britannia. I don't give them much hope here though. Arsenal are the in form side at the moment. Not really much to say about a 1.4 away win. I think there will be goals in this game. Arsenal's defence isn't as tight as I thought. The over 2.5 goals option is better I think. Pays 1.67 at Paddypower. Only 1 unders game for Arsenal too this season.

8 November 2009

Hull (2.88) Draw (3.4) Stoke (2.65)
Hull are still in free fall. Unlucky last week against Burnley but they still lost. A must win game for Hull or they're going down and its only November. Stoke threw a 2-0 lead away last week against Wolves. Previous to that they did get a great result against Spurs though. Bookies have Stoke as slight favourites but not really much in the price. I'll go for the draw as its the biggest price on the coupon and four of the last five meetings between these teams have ended 1-1. Odds for the draw are 3.4 at Skybet

West Ham (2.5) Draw (3.4) Everton (3)
I think I have West Ham wrong. I thought they'd be down there but since the Arsenal game, coming back from 2-0 down seems to have boosted their confidence. They could have beat Sunderland and beat Villa midweek. Everton are really suffering from fixture congestion. They put out a strong side against Benfica tonight and still lost 2-0. They'll turn up to Upton Park tired. I think at 2.5, West Ham are good value for the home win at PaddyPower.

Wigan (2.38) Draw (3.3) Fulham (3.35)
I still can't work out Wigan. So inconsistent. They have the quality but don't show it every week. Who knows which Wigan team will turn up? Usually I'd back against Fulham after a European fixture but last 2 results after European games have been 2-2. Too tricky to call this one. It really does depend on which Wigan turn up.

Chelsea (2.1) Draw (3.3) Manchester United (4)
Big game of the weekend. Possibly bet of the weekend too. The Chelsea machine is cracking on, winning games since those two away defeats. Man U have been poor but lucky. 3-1 down against CSKA and some how manage to draw level in the last 6 minutes. They were poor against Blackburn and Liverpool. Ladbrokes rarely change their prices but I can see the 2.1 getting a hammering. Every where else its evens but I suspect it will drop even further closer to kick off. Chelsea to win 2.1 at Ladbrokes

9 November 2009

Liverpool (1.36) Draw (5) Birmingham (11)
Bad results for Liverpool recently. How can you lose a 1-0 lead with 60 seconds to go in Lyon? We'll thats the Champions League gone. This could be a tricky fixture for them. Birmingham could have beat Man City last week. They beat Sunderland the week before, their season could just be clicking. Last 3 visits by Birmingham to Anfield have ended in 2 draws and a Birmingham win. I will go for a Liverpool this time though. Good teams bounce back and Liverpool are at home. Finishing top 4 is top priority and Liverpool can not lose this. Odds are 1.36 at bet365

Premiership Tips - 31st October -1st November 2009

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 01:08:48 +0000

31 October 2009

Arsenal (1.62) Draw (4) Tottenham (6.3)
Disappointing results for both teams last week, both coupon busters. I think Spurs were the bigger disappointment, losing at home to Stoke. Worst still it was 1-0. I guess without Defoe's pace, the struggled to break down Stoke. Arsenal gave up a 2-0 lead at West Ham. Thats a problem for the Gunners, closing out games. It showed in Alkmaar, where they let in a bad goal too. Arsenal should win this game but my bet will be on the over 2.5 goals. Its a similar price to the Arsenal win but covers the much more likely scores in my opinion. You can get 1.57 at Skybet.

Bolton (9) Draw (4.3) Chelsea (1.45)
These two teams played midweek and it ended up 4-0 to Chelsea at the Bridge. Confidence is back at Chelsea now after suffering 2 straight away losses to Wigan and Villa. Bolton squeezed past a tired Everton side last week. Looking at the past results it looks like Bolton are going to struggle to even score here, losing the last to nil. With that in mind, the bet to have is Chelsea to win to nil. Its currently 2.4 at Bluesquare, or else 6.5 at Totesport. The bet at Tote looks like a palpable error though so I wouldn't expect them to honour it. I think the correct price is 3.0 which is still better than every where else but best check the odds before hand. Sign up to Totesport for a £100 in free bets

Burnley (2) Draw (3.5) Hull (4.3)
The easy money backing Burnley at home ended last week. Burnley scored early but ended up being beat 3-1 by a well organised Wigan side. Hull played out a dull 0-0 against Portsmouth. A lot of problems off the pitch for Hull with Brown looking like he's going and the club in financial trouble. I guess this can work both ways, it could add to the misery or galvanise the team. I think I will give Burnley another chance though and back them at 2.0 at Boylesport. Hull are no Wigan and backing Burnley at home has been profitable so far this season.

Everton (2.62) Draw (3.4) Aston Villa (2.90)
Fixture congestion and a small squad are hurting Everton big time. No win in 5 and 3 defeats on the bounce. Moyes, played a strong squad at Spurs in the Carling Cup. It was probably a mistake, given they lost 2-0 anyway. Villa cost me dear with their poor performance last week. Take that out though and Villa have been a really good side. I can see them beating this tired Everton side. You can get 2.9 on the straight Villa win at William Hill or 2.0 at PaddyPower for the draw no bet.

Fulham (4.5) Draw (3.5) Liverpool (1.91)
Fulham did well to come back from 2-0 down to get a draw at Man City. Craven Cottage is not an easy place to go. Chelsea and Arsenal have gone there and walked away with 3 points this season but I don't think Liverpool will. Liverpool beating Man U is just papering over the cracks. Its games like this that will decide whether Liverpool are genuine title contenders. I don't think they'll make top 4 this year. 1X for me. I can't decide so I'll go for Fulham +0.5 on the Asian Handicap at bet365

Portsmouth (2.5) Draw (3.4) Wigan (3)
Portsmouth have been unlucky this season. The midweek Carling Cup win 4-0 against Stoke would have done their confidence no end of good. This is the league though and its totally different. I was disappointed by them not beating Hull last week to say the least. Wigan got a good result against Burnley at fortress Turf Moor. If you remove the Hull defeat they have had a good run recently. An extremely tricky fixture to predict this one. Any of the three results wouldn't be a surprise. If I had to bet, I would go with Wigan at 3.0 at bet365 but as I don't I will skip this one.

Stoke (1.91) Draw (3.5) Wolverhampton (4.5)
Stoke cost punters dearly last week by beating Spurs. I can't imagine anyone predicting that one. They came crashing down midweek losing to Portsmouth midweek 4-0. Its the Carling Cup though so I'll ignore that. Wolves outplayed Villa last week for long periods of the game but were fortunate to get a draw. If they play like that they could cause some problems for Stoke but I will back Stoke anyway. You can get 1.95 for Stoke -0.5 on the Asian Handicap at bet365 which is the same as the home win but a better price.

Sunderland (2) Draw (3.5) West Ham (4.3)
Sunderland were another let down last week at Birmingham. Maybe 3 good performances in a row is too much for them. Last 15 minutes they could have drawn that game. Home form is different though. They've only lost to Chelsea and won the other 4. I do not have a clue how West Ham got a draw out of Arsenal. 2-0 down and not looking like scoring and 2 goals in 6 minutes gives them a point. I don't think they'll be so fortunate this weekend though. Sunderland are 2.0 at bet365. Everywhere else they are odds on so I think this price won't last until Saturday.

Manchester United (1.18) Draw (7) Blackburn (21)
I've been saying all season that Man U have been lucky. The first week in a while I back them and they lose. Lucky for them this is quite an easy fixture. Blackburn's last 3 away games looks like this, 3-0 loss to Everton, 6-2 loss to Arsenal and 5-0 to Chelsea. Home win but the 1.18 tells you that. I can't find any good betting angle on this one so I am will skip it.

1 November 2009

Birmingham (4.5) Draw (3.6) Manchester City (1.91)
Good result for Birmingham beating an in form Sunderland 2-1. They are still an injury hit team that will be down towards the bottom of the table. 3 draw on the bounce for City. Thats not good enough for a team challenging for the title. I think they'll go all out for this one. A draw is a useless result for them. Odds on the away win are pretty high. 1.91 at bluesquare. I just look at the odds you'd get with a top 4 team. 3 draws in a row make me want to back this even more as the odds are better and the desire for City to win is more.

Premiership Tips - 24-25th October 2009

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 22:16:00 +0000

24 October 2009

Wolverhampton (3.6) Draw (3.4) Aston Villa (2.2)
A local derby but not as much passion as in the Wolves/ West Brom or Villa/ Birmingham ones. Wolves come to this off 2 losses and last week they got a credible point against Everton. Villa look like they have found form again since losing to Blackburn. The Chelsea result last week was well deserved. They actually sit 2nd behind Man U in the current form table and 6th overall. I can't really believe the odds here. Any of the top 4 and you'd be getting maybe 1,4 but you get 2.2 at bet365 for this in form Villa side.

Birmingham (2.9) Draw (3.4) Sunderland (2.6)
Birmingham are still injury hit. Last week, they ruined my Arsenal to nil bet but still went down 3-1 in the end. Only 1 win in their last 6 and that was against Hull City. Sunderland had a bit of luck with a beach ball last weekend but out played Liverpool and deserved to win. Previously, they were minutes from beating Man U at Old Trafford. This is a strong Sunderland side in good form. Its got to be the away win again. Its 2.6 at .

Burnley (2.5) Draw (3.4) Wigan (3)
Unlucky for Burnley last week. They came back strong in the second half and maybe could have drawn if they scored their second goal with more time left on the clock. Burnley are a true Jekyll and Hyde team home and away. Their record reads home, played 4, won 4. Away, played 5, lost 5. Wigan are a hot and cold side. A nice draw against Man City last week at home but the game before that a loss to Hull away. I suppose I am going to have to go with the home win here. 2.5 is a nice price at Skybet for the Burnley win.

Hull (2.63) Draw (3.4) Portsmouth (2.9)
Dire performances from Hull recently. They were rightly beat 2-0 at Fulham. I still can't for the life of me work out how Hull managed to beat Wigan. Portsmouth, didn't get anything from the Spurs visit but that was expected. Second half when Defoe was sent off they had a realistic chance of actually getting something though. Previously, they got their first win of the season against Wolves. I am going with Portsmouth here. Their team is better and if they are going to survive which I think they will, they will win games like this. Its 2,9 at Totesport

Tottenham (1.5) Draw (4.3) Stoke (8.5)
Spurs were quite lucky to hang on against Portsmouth. They did have Defoe sent off for a stupid stamp though. He will be missing this game but Spurs have enough quality strikers to fill in the gap. Stoke won last time out against West Ham. They've drawn their last 3 away games too. There could be some value in the draw but for me this is a Spurs win. Price is 1.5 at Boylesport

Chelsea (1.2) Draw (6.5) Blackburn (19)
Chelsea won 4-0 midweek against Atletico Madrid. Looks like a demolition but in reality, it was even first half and Atletico just gave up second half. I'm not totally convinced that you should be backing Chelsea at 1.2. Blackburn have been scoring recently. 3-2 against Burnley, 2-1 against Villa and losing 6-2 to Arsenal. Sportingbet have both teams to score at 2.4. Much better value than 1.2 on the home win. Chelsea look vulnerable at set pieces.

25 October 2009

Bolton (2.8) Draw (3.4) Everton (2.7)
An extremely tricky fixture this one. Bolton came back strong against Man U last week. Game before that was a good 2-2 draw against Spurs. 2 draws on the bounce for Everton in the league but a 5-0 thrashing at Benfica tonight. Good teams usually pick themselves up after a thrashing like that though. 1X for me but not one I am going to bet on.

Liverpool (3) Draw (3.3) Manchester United (2.5)
Liverpool are on a terrible run of form. Gerrard and Torres are injury doubts for this game. Last season they beat Man U without Gerrard and Torres but this team their overall team is weaker. Man U still riding their luck. Just doing just enough to win. This time the odds are good on Man U. I suppose this takes in to account they have had a long journey to Moscow. Very rare you get 3.0 for Liverpool at home but I don't see them winning. Man U for me, 2.5 generally available. Check out our Bookie Bonus page

Manchester City (1.45) Draw (4.5) Fulham (8.5)
Two draws on the bounce for City so they really need to win this. They probably would have beat Wigan if they had kept 11 men on the pitch. Fulham have had a hard European night against Roma, letting in a late goal to draw 1-1. They always seem weaker after a European game. This is an exact replay of the Carling Cup game earlier in the year when a second string Fulham team took City to extra time. A very costly night for punters. I do think this time City will win though. 1.45 at

West Ham (7) Draw (4.3) Arsenal (1.53)
Terrible run of results for West Ham. That first day of the season win seems so long ago. I really can't make a case for West Ham here. Arsenal will be too strong here. I do actually think there is some value in this 1.53 at Skybet. Opposing West Ham has been profitable this season and I can't see it changing this weekend.

Premiership Tips - 17th - 19th October 2009

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 02:58:25 +0000

17 October 2009

Aston Villa (4.6) Draw (3.6) Chelsea (1.85)
Big price on the home win here. Villa held their own against Man City last time out (1-1). It could have gone either way so the draw was a fair result. Chelsea beat Liverpool 2-0 but it wasn't a 2-0 game at all. It was very tight and on another day it could have easily been a draw or away win. I'm thinking back to the 3-1 against Wigan just 3 weeks ago. What makes me want to back Chelsea at 1.85 against a Villa team, who on their day can beat anyone? 1X for me, so I'm going with Villa on the Asian Handicap. Odds are 2.08 at Ladbrokes for +0.5 to Villa (win if its a home win or draw).

Arsenal (1.18) Draw (7.5) Birmingham (20)
A big surprise the 6-2 result for Arsenal against Blackburn. Some sloppy defending allowed Blackburn through. Birmingham are not prolific goal scorers and will struggle to get anything here. At 1.17 its obvious. Looking at some worthwhile bets, I am going with the win to nil again. Arsenal have been tight at the back and the 1.91 at bluesquare looks a big price. Hills have it at 1.4, at Bet365 its 1.53. If you have a lot of money which you can afford to lose, Birmingham are 25.0 to lay on Betfair. Thats a 4% return in less than 2 hours. Last time Birmingham beat Arsenal away from home was 1957!

Everton (1.5) Draw (4.2) Wolverhampton (8.5)
Should be a home win this. 1.5 is not a good price though. Everton aren't a team you want to back at 1.5. I said that 1.57 was too short a price last time against Stoke. Wolves are probably a worse team than Stoke, being the only team in the league to lose to Portsmouth so far but have beat Fulham and Wigan this season. Draws seem to have come back in to fashion so I am more comfortable backing that than the 1.5 home win. You can get 4.2 at bet365.

Manchester United (1.22) Draw (6.5) Bolton (15)
The luck of Man U is running out. They still have some though. Losing 2-1 to Sunderland, with 5 minutes to go, Sunderland get a man sent off, then Anton Ferdinand scores an injury time own goal. Bolton got a good draw against an in form Spurs side last time out. Bolton are unbeaten in 4. I'm going to skip this one. At 1.22 Man U should be a nailed on bet but their luck is going to run out sometime.

Portsmouth (5) Draw (3.5) Tottenham (1.83)
A good result for Portsmouth last time with their first win against Wolves. Confidence will be better now and the club finances are more or less sorted. The new money will help and Portsmouth could be a good bet to stay up. I'd wait until after this game though. Spurs were disappointing against Bolton but should win this one. They just have better players and Crouch will be pumped up after scoring 2 midweek. Spurs are 1.83 at bet365.

Stoke (2.15) Draw (3.3) West Ham (3.6)
Odds against for a team which win most of their home games. The record for Stoke isn't looking as impressive this season but we're not too far in and Man U and Chelsea have both been. West Ham are currently bottom of the form table and only 1 win Portsmouth are below them in the overall table. They couldn't even beat a 10 man Fulham side and the point they got was a late one. Stoke home win is 2.15 at William Hill.

Sunderland (4.6) Draw (3.5) Liverpool (1.91)
Sunderland were unlucky not to get a win at Old Trafford the other week. This strong Sunderland team sit in respectable 8th place only 2 points behind Liverpool. Liverpool have doubts over Gerrard and Torres and have a lot of players that have played international this last week. Liverpool should not be odds against for this fixture. Against Chelsea they were a bit shaky, especially when defending corners. I think the 4.6 far too big on the Sunderland win at William Hill.
. If you do fancy Liverpool they are currently 1.91 at bet365. but in all honesty I think they will drift by kick off.

18 October 2009

Blackburn (1.8) Draw (3.6) Burnley (5)
Even though Blackburn lost 6-2 to Arsenal last time, the whole game could have changed if a penalty was given that Blackburn deserved. Scoring 2 at the Emirates is no easy feat. Before then, they did beat an in form Villa. Burnley are 4 home wins and 4 away losses in 8 games. Only thing that is troubling me about this bet is that its a local derby but I still will back the home win. Odds are 1.8 at Ladbrokes.

Wigan (5.5) Draw (3.65) Manchester City (1.73)
To me, the upset of the last round was Hull beating Wigan. I was not happy at all about that. How can you beat Chelsea one week and lose to Hull the next? City did well to get a point out of Villa. In times gone by they would have just withered but they got back in to it and possibly could have won it. Tricky match to call from a betting point of view. Wigan on their day can beat anyone and 5.5 is a huge price for a home win usually. Then again, I think City are genuine title contenders and if it was any of the established big 4, you'd be looking at 1.5 or less. I'll skip this one as I can't decide which bet is best.

19 October 2009

Fulham (1.7) Draw (3.75) Hull (5.5)
Fulham seem to be having problems juggling the European commitments with the league. Last time out against West Ham though, they were unlucky to have a man sent off and unlucky to only get a draw. Hull seemed to have deserved the victory against Wigan. You do get crazy results occasionally. This is most likely be a home win. If Fulham don't win this, they'll be down there fighting it out for survival. Not too over the moon about the odds but its backable price against Hull. 1.7 at PaddyPower

Ukraine (2.8) Draw (3.6) England (2.5)

Fri, 09 Oct 2009 00:33:02 +0000

Strange things with the TV rights to this game. Its not available on normal broadcast TV in the UK. You can also stream it. If you have a bet365 account you can watch it free else, you can pay at the official website.

This is a tricky game from a betting point of view. Ukraine are 2 points behind Croatia but have a game in hand. The final game for Croatia is Kazakhstan so they are going to win that. Ukraine's is away to Andorra. So realistically, Ukraine need to win to get in to the second place play-offs.

England have already qualified as group winners with 2 games to spare. Winning 8/8 so far. With Belarus midweek more or less a certain win, a win in the Ukraine is going to make it 10/10. Capello has said he wants to make it 10/10 and has a full squad to pick from more or less. I have seen some poor England performances in friendlies which even though this is technically not, it's about as meaningful as one.

So can Ukraine win this? Their qualifying record isn't too bad, 4-3-1. Their only defeat was against England when John Terry scored a late goal to make it 2-1. They failed to win in Belarus last game (0-0), which isn't a good sign. If they'd have won that, they'd just a need a point here. It's also worrying that the once great, Andriy Shevchenko, is still their main striker.

I can't really recommend a bet here. It does depend on how much England are up for winning this. They can if they really want to but I can't be sure of that. Overs would usually be a good bet in England games but from I have read, the Ukraine manager is planning on shutting up shop and trying to nick a goal late on. Very good odds on the overs though and could be worth a punt over at Betfair (2.38 before commission). You might be able to get some advantage listening to the game on Radio 5 rather than watching it on the stream.

Premiership Tips - 3rd -5th October 2009

Fri, 02 Oct 2009 00:05:24 +0000

3 October 2009

Bolton (4.2) Draw (3.6) Tottenham (2)
Bolton haven't won a home game yet. Last week they won a tough fixture away at Birmingham and have a recent record of W-D-W. Good form after a dreadful start. Spurs come off a demolition of Burnley. They can really knock goals past the lesser teams in the league. On past form you got favour Bolton, Spurs have only got 1 point from Bolton from their last 5 visits. However, this Spurs team looks irresistible and Bolton aren't as strong as they have been in previous years. Even money at for the away win.

Burnley (2.3) Draw (3.3) Birmingham (3.3)
Burnley come off an away thrashing. I guess they are going to concentrate on their home form where they have beat, Man U, Everton and Sunderland. The win against Sunderland was not a 1-0 wonder either (3-1). Birmingham are down to the bare bones again. Maybe a tad unlucky to lose to Bolton but that what happens if you play only 1 striker and can't seem to score more than 1 goal a game. Given Burnley's home record, I will have to back them again this week. 2.3 at bet365 is a decent price for a team that has won all their home games this season.

Hull (2.88) Draw (3.4) Wigan (2.6)
Last season this fixture ended 5-0 to Wigan. Hull went on that fantastic run after which ultimately kept them up. They've been poor again this season coming off a 6-1 thrashing at Liverpool. Wigan would have busted many an accumulator last week by beating Chelsea. It wasn't a fluke either, they played them off the park apparently. They'll come here full of confidence. I think they away win at 2.6 at Totesport is the bet to have.

Wolverhampton (2.1) Draw (3.4) Portsmouth (3.8)
Strange game for Wolves last Monday, 2-0 down, then to 2-2 with the game in the balance and then end up losing 5-2. With these newly promoted teams its going to be their home form which keeps them up. Last time out they beat Fulham 2-1. Portsmouth are in all sorts of trouble. Maybe unlucky to lose against Everton and some of the other games, but the fact remains they are still losing. They broke a top flight record last week of losing their first 7 games at the start of a season. I can see them breaking it again. May as well keep backing against Portsmouth until they the their £50 million transfer money and start spending it. Wolves are 2.1 to win at PaddyPower

Manchester United (1.2) Draw (7) Sunderland (15)
I can't believe how lucky Man U are. A poor performance against Wolfsburg but they still manage to come from 1-0 down and win. A similar game to the Arsenal one where they should not have won. I suppose thats why they are the Champions. Sunderland come off they back of a 5-2 but its a scoreline that flatters them. Last away game, they lost 3-1 to Burnley. At 1.2 Man U is the obvious bet but I can't there being any value in that. Their luck has got to run out at sometime. Hard to find a betting angle on this game so I think I will leave it.

4 October 2009

Arsenal (1.25) Draw (6.5) Blackburn (15)
Arsenal playing pretty football again and scoring. More importantly, they are not letting goals in. After there nightmare in Manchester they have gone 4 games without conceding in all competitions. Blackburn were impressive last week coming from 1-0 down to beat Villa (cost me a lot of money). Arsenal away are a different proposition though and I can't see them getting anything. The 1.25 doesn't appeal. Looking at some other good bets though, they are 2.0 to win to nil at bluesquare. Hills have the same bet at 1.5 and Ladbrokes 1.62. Surely some value in that.

Everton (1.57) Draw (4) Stoke (6.5)
Everton rode their luck against Portsmouth last week and were lucky to win. They've just been out to Belarus winning 2-1 after a being 1-0 down. Stoke were poor against Man U last week. A 2-0 home loss to Man U looks respectable but in reality, Man U took a while to get going so thats why it was only 2-0. I never like backing teams after a European night, especially if they have gone to far away places. The 1.57 is far too short, even if you ignore that, European fixture. Draws don't seem to be happening in the Premiership this season so I will take a chance on the away win. You can get 6.5 at Ladbrokes

West Ham (2.25) Draw (3.3) Fulham (3.75)
Relegation form for West Ham. They haven't won since the start of the season and come to this off 3 straight defeats. They were lucky to have only lost 3-1 to City too. I was quite impressed by Fulham last week from Arsenal. Arsenal's stand in keeper did a great job of stopping Fulham. Another day and they could have won that. Fulham have had a European game at home to Basel which they won 1-0. Again this is a negative but I think Fulham have enough quality to beat West Ham. If it were not for the European game I would be lumping on the away win. You can get 3.75 at Totesport.

Chelsea (2.2) Draw (3.4) Liverpool (3.75)
Two teams which are both underachieving. Chelsea were poor against Wigan and rightfully lost and then they followed it up with a poor 1-0 in Cyprus. Liverpool thrashed Hull as expected but played poorly the first half against Florintina. Last season Liverpool famously ended Chelsea's unbeaten home record and did pull out the best performances for the big games. Its an extremely tricky game to call this. Any result wouldn't be a surprise. Maybe one to just watch and try some in running betting.

5 October 2009

Aston Villa (2.75) Draw (3.5) Manchester City (2.75)
Costly, poor performance from Villa last week. Could be a blip but losing to an average Blackburn isn't good. I never like backing Villa at home anyway. City are genuine title contenders this year. Odds don't seem to reflect this at all. Last Monday you could get over 1.5 for them to beat West Ham. The odds were drifting upwards for some reason. Imagine if this was any of the Big 4 coming to Villa, would you get 2.75? Not a chance but here you have it. 2.75 at Sky Bet on a City win. Adebayor is back too.

Premiership Tips - 26th-28th September 2009

Fri, 25 Sep 2009 09:10:15 +0000

26 September 2009

Portsmouth (4.3) Draw (3.5) Everton (2)
Portsmouth set a new Premier League record last week by losing their 6 first games in a row. They picked up their first win midweek against Carlisle. That win, while not against stellar opposition may give them the confidence they need to start picking up points. Its a pity that its an in form Everton that are coming. Everton's season finally got going last week with an impressive 3-0 win over Blackburn. I'll not read too much in to the 4-0 thrashing of Hull midweek but it does show that they can score goals. I don't like the odds here but I think this will be an away win. You can get even money at Totesport

Birmingham (2.25) Draw (3.3) Bolton (3.75)
Tricky fixture this one. Birmingham still have many players out but still managed to win last week against Hull. This week, being the home side, they got to have a better chance of winning despite the injuries. Bolton are a pretty poor side this year. Amazingly, they managed to lose away to Hull City which not many teams manage. It took a late goal to salvage a point from Stoke's visit and a late goal against West Ham in the cup to take the game to extra time. If Birmingham were at full strength I would have no hesitation with backing Birmingham but I see more value in the draw here. It pays 3.3 at William Hill.

Blackburn (3.1) Draw (3.4) Aston Villa (2.5)
Blackburn let me down last week getting beat 3-0 at Everton. Its making me think that Blackburn are a very ordinary side this year. They will struggle in the league. Villa have picked up since the opening day defeat and have won 4 on the bounce. Villa are a team I prefer to back away from home because they play better and the odds are amazing. I can see them winning this comfortably. The 2.5 at Sky Betwon't last until Saturday kick off.

Liverpool (1.17) Draw (7.5) Hull (26)
Not much to say on a team that is 1.17 to win. Liverpool drew this fixture last year 2-2. That was when they were drawing the easy games which ultimately cost them the title. They'll make no mistake this time. 1.17 is a low price but it will come in. Another bet on this game, worth considering though is the player to score/ win market. bluesquare have Gerrard to score and Liverpool to win at 2.4. Pretty good considering he is only 2.0 to score at anytime.

Stoke (10) Draw (4.5) Manchester United (1.44)
This could be a banana skin for the Champions. Last year Man U won 1-0 with a late Tevez goal after Stoke were reduced to 10 men. Stole also ran Chelsea very close only losing in stoppage time. Man U seem to be able to win however they play. Just as you thought they were going to draw the game against City, Owen pops up with a goal. I don't think this will be as easy as the odds suggest for Man U. Looking at the odds, you have to say that Stoke are a good price at 10.0 at Ladbrokes. Burnley were similar odds and managed to win and I rate Stoke as a better team than Burnley.

Tottenham (1.36) Draw (5) Burnley (10)
Burnley are the same price as Stoke but I can't see them winning this. Burnley did field a weaker side midweek so maybe a bit fresher but don't travel well and will get spanked here. They are completely different sides home and away. Spurs have shown they can't match the big teams in form but these lesser teams they can beat and beat easily. 1.36 at is low but should come in. Defoe is 2.2 to score at anytime at whereas he is odds on practically everywhere else.

Wigan (12) Draw (5) Chelsea (1.35)
I can't make the case for anything other than an away win. Wigan seem to lose before they even kick off against the Big 4. They've only managed 1 draw against the big 4. Chelsea showed last week that they can beat the better teams in the league too. I wasn't that impressed with the list of wins but now they have taken Spur's scalp they have my respect. Its 1.35 at VC Bet
for a Chelsea win.

Fulham (7.5) Draw (4) Arsenal (1.57)
Fulham don't seem to be the force they were last season. I was severely disappointed with their loss at Wolves. The second stringers lost in extra time midweek to Man City. I am not too concerned about the 120 minutes played as it was a totally changed side. Wenger's kids did well again in the cup. They seem to have recovered well from their two nightmare trips to Manchester, coming from 2-0 down in Belgian to win and then beating Wigan 4-0. Last season Fulham won this game but I don't think they can again. Away win for me. Price is 1.57 generally available.

27 September 2009

Sunderland (1.8) Draw (3.75) Wolverhampton (5)
Home win for me. If Sunderland are going to make the impact they want to make this year, they will need to win home games like this one. I can see them doing this comfortably. Wolves fielded a fairly strong side again Man U's youth side in the cup. Man U had a man sent off and still won 1-0. I can see this Sunderland side with the Bent/ Kenwyne Jones partnership winning this one comfortably. Odds are 1.8 at Boylesport but don't expect that stand out price to last.

28 September 2009

Manchester City (1.45) Draw (4.5) West Ham (8.5)
Man City were cruelly beat last week at Man U. I see a real title contender in them. The Carling Cup result cost me but they managed to win in the end. West Ham are a poor team this year. The 3-2 loss against Liverpool flattered them. At 1.45 at , this is a nailed on bet.

Carling Cup 3rd Round

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 22:47:09 +0000

22 September 2009
Arsenal (1.44) Draw (4.5) West Brom (8)
Wenger is famous for putting the youth side out in this competition. They always seem to do well but if you look at it, they are usually knocked out by the first half decent side they meet. West Brom are a decent side. The beat a strong Boro side 5-0 at the weekend and I think a full strength side will be able to beat an Arsenal youth side. There are no guarantees that West Brom will put out their full strength side though. If they do the 8.0 at Betfred will look like bet of the year.

Barnsley (3.1) Draw (3.4) Burnley (2.38)
Last year Burnley did really well in the Carling Cup, giving Spurs a good run and beating Chelsea. This year could be different though. It depends whether Owen Coyle puts out the full strength side like he did last year. Barnsley are a low level Championship side They did get a 2-1 away result against Reading last round so maybe taking this competition a bit more seriously than most. A tricky one best left until the teams are announced.

Carlisle (4.3) Draw (3.6) Portsmouth (1.91)
Portsmouth have had the worst start to the Premier League ever. To me, its inconceivable that they will go to League 1 Carlisle and not win. If Portsmouth would have won 1 and drawn a couple in the league I think they may have gone there with a weakened side but as it is they will want a win under the belt to boost morale. I think the 1.91 at is a decent price at bet365. Carlisle are 17th in League 1.

Leeds (5) Draw (3.75) Liverpool (1.8)
Leeds are flying high in League 1. Only 1 draw and the rest wins. They have something like 15 league home wins a row beating a club record. I think they will be well up for this fixture. Benetiz has never taken this cup seriously. We won't be seeing Gerrard or Torres for sure. Even though the team Liverpool will put out is capable of winning this, I don't think the commitment will be there. Home win is 5.0 at bluesquare

Sunderland (1.83) Draw (3.5) Birmingham (5)
Odds for Sunderland are dropping fast. I guess its because Sunderland are the home side, Steve Bruce and Birmingham don't get on, Sunderland played a strong side last round and Birmingham have a sort of injury crisis. I'll follow the money and back Sunderland at 1.83 at Sky Bet.

Premiership Tips - 19th-20th September 2009

Fri, 18 Sep 2009 00:47:37 +0000

19 September 2009

Burnley (2.9) Draw (3.4) Sunderland (2.6)
Who'd have thought Burnley would have 6 points considering the nightmare fixture list they had? After the Man U win, the Everton win wasn't too much of a shock. Maybe Burnley are going to do a Stoke and stay up with an amazing home record. I'll not read too much in to the away losses as not many teams gets anything from Stoke, Chelsea or Liverpool. Great expectations for Sunderland. They lived up to it last week with a nice 4-1 win over Hull. I think this game is going to be tougher and I am going to go for the home win, 2.9 at bluesquare
and why not the 1-0 correct score? (8.5 at bluesquare)

Arsenal (1.29) Draw (6.5) Wigan (15)
Arsenal met their match last week at Eastlands, losing 4-2. It could have been all so different if Adebayor would have been sent off for stamping on Van Persie rather than going on to score the 3rd goal. Anyway, Wigan are no Man City and I can't see them troubling Arsenal. The 1.29 best odds at bluesquare
make it fairly obvious. Nothing more to say on this game.

Aston Villa (1.44) Draw (4.5) Portsmouth (10)
I had my doubts about Villa after last season's end of season dip and losing to Wigan on the opening day. 3 wins later though and they look like they will be up there challenging for Europe again. Portsmouth are rock bottom with 0 wins in 5. I can't see them getting anything Villa Park. They just haven't got the players to compete in the Premiership. Home win pays 1.44 at bluesquare

Bolton (2.2) Draw (3.3) Stoke (3.75)
Bolton scored late to get their first 3 points at Fratton Park last week. The game before they were unlucky to lose to Liverpool being twice in front. Stoke were incredibly unlucky not to take a point from Chelsea last week. Malouda scored 4 minutes in to stoppage time. The thing is that Stoke don't travel too well. 1X for me but I will go for the bigger priced draw, 3.3 at Boylesport

Hull (2.4) Draw (3.4) Birmingham (3.25)
These teams look like they could be fighting it out come the end of the season to stay in the Premiership. Hulls, 4-1 defeat at Sunderland wasn't the beating it looks like on paper. First half they matched Sunderland all the way. Its just worrying for Hull they have a -7 goal difference. Fortunately for them, Birmingham have only scored 2 goals and with their injury list, they're unlikely to score one here. I can see a 1-0 or 0-0. I can't see how to play the 1X2 but Hull clean sheet at PaddyPower at 2.88 has a lot of appeal.

West Ham (6.5) Draw (4) Liverpool (1.57)
I think the bookies must be having a laugh here to see who is mad enough to bet on Liverpool at 1.57. Maybe if they made a convincing start but they've been shocking. They beat some nobody team 1-0 in the Champions league on Wednesday. They were 1.10 to win that game. It was a close game too, some 1-0 should be something like 6-0 but this 1-0 was deserved. West Ham are no world beaters but can put up a decent fight. 6.5 is a big price at bet365 for West Ham at home to a Liverpool side that look distinctly average so far.

20 September 2009

Manchester United (1.62) Draw (4) Manchester City (6)
I don't understand Man U at all. You think they are struggling and they pull off performance of the year and beat Spurs. Even with 10 men they managed to score. They followed the script in the Champions League, doing just enough to win. They had 1 eye on this fixture I guess. A big blow for City having Adebayor out. This leaves them short of strikers as only Bellemy is definitely fit. I would have gone for the upset but maybe if City had Adebayor. 6.0 is tempting for a side which is looking to break in to the top 4. Would you get that price against any of the other established Big 4 teams? As it is, I am going to go for the home win, pays 1.62 at PaddyPower

Wolverhampton (2.6) Draw (3.3) Fulham (2.9)
Wolves were hammered last week 3-1. It could have been more. To be fair they have had some injury problems so they're not nailed on certs for relegation. Fulham B side drew 1-1 in Sofia on Thursday. They'll play their proper side that beat Everton last week this time round. Fulham good determination and skill to come from behind and win. I am hoping that Fulham are banished their away demons and will win this as they are a better team. Price is 2.9 at Totesport.

Everton (1.83) Draw (3.5) Blackburn (5)
Early days but Everton sit second from bottom. Very similar to last season when they had a slow start. A good result in Europe beating AEK Athens 4-0 but Moyes has had to play more or less his first team. Teams playing European fixtures tend to do worse in the league, I guess due to fatigue and fresher opponents. Blackburn got their first win last week against a struggling Wolves. This could be a turning point for them this season. This fixture last season ended up 3-2 to Blackburn and I can't see why they can't win it again. Away win pays 5.0 at PaddyPower

Chelsea (1.53) Draw (4.3) Tottenham (8)
Chelsea got lucky last week against Stoke. A couple of Stoke injuries took the game in to 8 minutes of injury time in which Chelsea scored. The midweek encounter with Porto sounded like a non-event. A 1-0 win for Chelsea in a dull game. Spurs failed spectacularly in their first big test of the season. 1 up after 1 minute, they still go on to lose 3-1. Man U played their best all season but I would have expected Spurs to put up a bit more of a fight. Some teams bounce back after a beating like that. Last year Spurs did managed to take 4 points in total from Chelsea. Tricky one to call this. I don't think 1.53 is good enough. Looking at some of the other markets, Chelsea to win from behind is 9.5 at PaddyPower. Its happened 3 times already this season. I suppose overs is another bet worth considering, both teams can score freely and if Spurs do get an early goal, its highly likely to be overs. Best price is 1.88 on the Goal line, over 2.5 at Ladbrokes

Midweek Champions League betting tips

Tue, 15 Sep 2009 15:14:00 +0000

15 September 2009

Besiktas (7.5) Draw (4.2) Manchester United (1.53)
Great performance from Man U at the weekend from Man U. Even with 10 men they still outclassed against Spurs. Rooney is on fire. With Vidic and Ferdinand back in defence, its going to be hard to break down the defence. 1X2 odds are a little low. After a midweek international, a battle at Spurs, a trip to Turkey maybe a bit much for the United players. A 0-0 is a possibility. Personally, I am looking at the goal scorers. Rooney is 2.25 to score any time at . Another more attractive option is the Man U clean sheet. Currently pays 1.91 at bet365.

Chelsea (1.44) Draw (4.5) FC Porto (10)
Chelsea have an amazing record at Stanford Bridge in the Champions League. A big worry is that they won't be without Drogba due to last seasons antics at the end of the Barcelona game. Porto have a wealth of experience in the Champions League, going to Old Trafford last season and getting a 2-2 draw. Domestically, they have won 3 and drawn 1. I think Chelsea will win this one though. There is a world of difference between the leagues and home advantage is so great in the Champions League. Chelsea are 1.44 at bet365.

16 September 2009

Liverpool (1.13) Draw (9) Debrecen (29)
Not much to say about this game. Not many 1.13 games lose this early on in the group stages. You don't really get those odds in the Champions League very often. Not one to put a single on unless you are really going to lump on it. Odds are 1.13 at Boylesport. As this game is so one sided there probably some value in the goal scorers. Stevie G is even money at Skybet. Torres is a bit short at 1.67 at ..

St Liege (7.5) Draw (4.1) Arsenal (1.57)
Maybe the Arsenal bubble has burst. They did deserve to get something at Old Trafford but the trip to City was a hammering. They did manage to go to Celtic and get a result there but that was earlier on in the season. I am not too happy with the price here. Arsenal are a team that can dominate a game, but still lose. Arsenal will get through but I don't fancy backing them at 1.57 when they don't need to win away from home. No bet for me.