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Premier League Betting Preview: This Weekend’s Top 5 Bets

  By O-Posts Team | March 16, 2013 - 17:00 | , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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This weekend we’re back to a full complement of Premier League fixtures as there is no FA Cup action to contend with, and it could be a pivotal weekend for both ends of the table as Manchester City would have had a tricky fixture away to Europe-chasing wounded animals Everton earlier in the day in the lunchtime match, while in the evening clash champions-elect Manchester United take on the relegation-threatened and managerless Reading, with the Royals fully knowing the task ahead of them in light of the crucial six-pointer between fellow basement dwellers Aston Villa and QPR in the pick of the 3pm games.

The first tip comes from the Liberty Stadium however, where the newly-crowned Capital One Cup winners look a tad over-priced to claim their third successive league victory over Arsenal today.  I would suggest the quoted match odds represent an over-reaction of sorts to the Gunners’ admittedly impressive yet ultimately fruitless 2-0 midweek win at Bayern Munich, coupled with an away win being seen as necessary to maintain real hope amongst Arsene Wenger’s men of trips to opposition of Bayern’s ilk next season.

The Swans will not be easy pickings by any stretch however, and Michael Laudrup has been keen to stress there remains lots to play for despite safety assured and a cup win under their belt.  Besides, having the pressure off should only encourage even more champagne football from Michu, De Guzman and the like.

Next up, I see no reason why Luis Suarez cannot continue his impressive goalscoring form at a notoriously porous Southampton at St. Mary this afternoon, while former Saints boss Harry Redknapp will be as pumped for a QPR win today at Aston Villa as he was for his current team to beat his old employers a couple of weeks ago.  Redknapp always gets dogs abuse at Villa Park and he’ll use the home fans’ bile as an incentive to rile his players to extend their recent purple patch.  Expect the Hoops to come away from Birmingham this evening with at least a point.

Redknapp’s old protegè from the South Coast and more recently North London was unavailable for Tottenham’s torturous yet ultimately successful trip to the San Siro on Thursday, but Gareth Bale will return from his European ban to give his team-mates a badly-needed boost after successive bashings by Liverpool and Inter Milan.

Spurs looked out on their feet, in particular at the back, towards the end of Thursday’s Europa League marathon and a significantly fresher Fulham have the quality in Bryan Ruiz and former Lilywhite Dimitar Berbatov to capitalise on a tired defence and find the net.  A well-rested Bale may have the last laugh, however.

 

PREMIER LEAGUE TOP FIVE BETS

1) Swansea to beat Arsenal 23/10 PINNACLEBET
2) Southampton vs. Liverpool Suarez Anytime Goalscorer Evens BOYLESPORTS
3) QPR +0.5 Handicap vs. Aston Villa 4/6 Ladbrokes
4) Tottenham vs. Fulham Both Teams to Score 17/20 BetVictor
5) Tottenham vs. Fulham Gareth Bale Last Goalscorer 3/1 EVERYWHERE!

 

Written by Emelie Okeke

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Premier League Betting Preview: This Weekend’s Top 5 Bets

  By O-Posts Team | March 9, 2013 - 14:55 | , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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This weekend’s Premier League fixture list has been almost halved as a result of running concurrently with the FA Cup quarter-finals, but there are still truffles to be found in the mud that is a difficult top-flight coupon comprising of relegation six-pointers, mid-table battles and… Liverpool vs. Tottenham where the North Londoners look great value to take something tangible away from Anfield on Sunday afternoon.

The red-hot Spurs are unbeaten in twelve league games since a last-gasp defeat to Everton in December, but they look set for happier memories from this particular trip to Merseyside.  Liverpool aren’t in bad nick either it must be said, buoyed by top-scorer Luis ‘Marmite’ Suarez’s weighty goal contributions, and Phillipe Coutinho looks a player too.

However the Reds have yet to beat any of the teams above them on the current table in nine attempts this season and it will make for curious viewing to see what provisions are made to prevent man of the moment Gareth Bale from continuing his ceaseless run of destruction.

Back to today, and with Wigan on cup duty Reading and Aston Villa fans will know that one of their teams will be out of the relegation zone come 5pm today.  This writer is opting for Villa, who were good value for a point against Man City on Monday night and would have got one if it wasn’t for a pesky schoolkid’s error from Ciaran Clark.  Moment of madness notwithstanding, Clark and co acquitted themselves well on Monday, they just lacked the requisite teeth to make imprints on the best defence in the land.

Reading, though, have conceded over twice as many goals as Man City and are starting to ship points – and goals at an alarming rate at just the wrong time.  Eight goals let in and no points from their last three league matches and in addition Jason Roberts ruled out for the rest of the season and the attack badly missing the physical threat of the suspended Pavel Pogrebnyak.  Christian Benteke and Andreas Weimann have punished better defences and can inflict more pain today at the Madejeski.

As someone who revels in the accolade of having successfully being able to predict precisely none of QPR’s fixtures correctly this season, I can say with no degree of confidence whatsoever that the Hoops are worth backing to follow up their impressive victory against Southampton last weekend by winning to nil at Loftus Road for the first time this season.

Sunderland’s switch to 4-4-2 since the purchase of Danny Graham has not done the Mackems any discernible favours, and the resurgent (for now) Hoops can leave Martin O’Neill’s boys looking over their shoulders come tonight.  Two things, meanwhile, look set in stone to occur at Carrow Road this afternoon when Southampton rock up to play Norwich.

First, the away team will score.  Second, the marvellous Rickie Lambert will notch against the faltering Canaries.

 

PREMIER LEAGUE TOP FIVE BETS

1) Tottenham +0.5 (Asian Handicap) 11/10 188BET
2) Aston Villa to beat Reading 21/10 CORAL
3) QPR to beat Sunderland to nil 3/1 CORAL
4) Norwich vs Southampton Away team to score first 6/5 BETFRED
5) Norwich vs Southampton Rickie Lambert to score anytime 2/1 STAN JAMES

 

Written by Emelie Okeke

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Premier League Betting Preview: Top 5 Weekend Bets

  By O-Posts Team | March 2, 2013 - 17:06 | , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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The biggest game of the Premier League weekend by far takes place at White Hart Lane where Champions League qualification-chasing Tottenham and Arsenal do battle in an eagerly-anticipated North London derby which will surely have massive ramifications for both teams not only this season but the next.

So where else to start today’s preview but at the DW Stadium where Wigan will take on Liverpool this evening.  Luis Suarez must be backed to hit the onion bag, champing at the bit as he must be having had over a week’s rest, and facing a defence whom before the Latics’ admirable victory over Reading last weekend had failed to keep a clean sheet in any of their previous six league matches of 2013.

I like the look of Suarez to score tonight, and I also like the look of goals at the Liberty Stadium today for the Swansea-Newcastle game.  The injury-enforced absence of vital Magpies custodians Tim Krul and Fabrizio Coloccini casts a veneer of uncertainty over the Newcastle defence which the newly crowned Capital One Cup winners can exploit, whilst at the other end Swansea are themselves missing a defensive stalwart in Chico Flores and it remains to be seen whether they will become another victim of the defensive lax-itis that seems to befall teams in the aftermath of winning the League Cup over past seasons.

Lost amongst all the rightful praise and incorrect over-fawning of Gareth Bale’s decisive contribution to Spurs’ win over West Ham on Monday was the fact that the Hammers applied themselves very well against the third-place team and as Sam Allardyce rightly pointed out, if the mercurial Welshman had not been on the pitch then the Boleyn club would have surely collected three points so good was their performance.

If they can maintain that level against Stoke today then Allardyce will surely be in celebratory mood come 5pm.  He has in Andy Carroll a weapon that can give Stoke’s burly defenders sonething to think about, and if Carlton Cole comes in for the injured Kevin Nolan then that could spell double trouble for the free-falling Potters.

The Manchester United juggernaut rumbles on and regardless of the fact that Los Merenges loom large on the week’s horizon, Sir Alex and co will ensure that all focus remains on beating Norwich today, and beat the Canaries well they should do.

Vengeance may also play a part today as Norwich were the last team to inflict a league defeat on the Red Devils way back in mid-November.  The Norfolk club havent scored an away league in a couple of months, during which time United have improved defensively by an immeasurable amount.

Lastly, Southampton must be a decent shout at home to QPR and further cement the Pochettino revolution against a former Saints manager, with whom he shares a birthday.  One assumes the Argentinian incumbent will be enjoying his cake a little more than his counterpart Harry Redknapp this evening.

 

TOP FIVE PREMIER LEAGUE BETS

1) Wigan vs. Liverpool Luis Suarez Anytime Goalscorer 6/5 Boylesports
2) Swansea vs. Newcastle Over 2.5 Goals 5/6 Boylesports
3) West Ham to beat Stoke 12/5 Coral
4) Manchester United to beat Norwich to nil 5/4 BetVictor
5) Southampton to beat QPR 3/4 Coral

 

Written by Emelie Okeke

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Premier League Betting Preview: This Weekend’s Top 5 Bets

  By O-Posts Team | February 9, 2013 - 13:40 | , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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The weekend begins at White Hart Lane where a rejuvenated Newcastle aim to maintain their recent revival against a Tottenham side aiming to usurp Chelsea into third place in the Premier League, at least for a few hours.

Gareth Bale has been in talismanic form for club and country in the last few weeks, and in guiding his side to favouritism for a Champions League place, the flying Welshman himself has been backed into second-favourite for the personal accolade of PFA Player of the Year, behind only Robin van Persie in the betting.

Going six points ahead of fifth-placed Everton a day before the Blues travel to Old Trafford is a huge incentive for Andre Vilas-Boas’ men to beat the Geordies today, but the Lilywhites may have to settle for a draw in this lunchtime fixture.

Newcastle have been boosted by their new French influx, in particular Moussa Sissoko who was the hero of the hour in defeating Chelsea in memorable fashion last weekend, but in addition Yoan Gouffran has impressed and Cheik Tiote is now back from the African Cup of Nations to add further bite to a revamped midfield.

Furthermore, despite Newcastle’s well-documented lack of points on their travels this season, they have held their own at the big venues.

They led three times at Old Trafford on Boxing Day before succumbing to a 92-minute winner, were also at 3-3 with Arsenal at the Emirates only to be blitzed in the final throes, and they have picked up a pair of Mersey draws at Goodison and Anfield.

Southampton are the only outfit outside of the top seven to have scored more away goals than Newcastle this season, and the French connection can flourish once again at a Spurs side set to be devoid of a recognised centre-forward in their starting line-up.

QPR have been on a solid run of decent results, picking up the odd point and clean sheet here and there, but that run looks set to be halted at the Liberty Stadium by Swansea today.

The Swans did lose for the first time in eight matches against West Ham last weekend, but they have shown character allied with quality all season and Michu and co can oblige against the Premier League basement boys at an attractive price.

The Hammers can back up their aforementioned win over Swansea by gaining a valuable three points away to Aston Villa on Sunday afternoon. Sam Allardyce’s men have flattered to decieve at times, especially away from Upton Park, but with Andy Carroll back in their ranks and experienced campaigners such as Carlton Cole and Kevin Nolan available, the East End side have the weapons available to bludgeon the Midlands strugglers into submission.

I’m on form at the moment with scorer bets so let’s side with Luis Suarez – with Daniel Sturridge’s fitness in the balance – to claim the opener on Monday night. Lastly, over 2.5 goals looks a banker bet for this evening’s clash between Southampton and Manchester City.

 

PREMIER LEAGUE TOP FIVE BETS (CORAL)

1) Tottenham vs. Newcastle Draw 11/4
2) Swansea to beat QPR 8/11
3) West Ham to beat Aston Villa 15/8
4) Liverpool vs. West Brom Luis Suarez First Goalscorer 10/3
5) Southampton vs. Manchester City Over 2.5 Goals 8/11

 

Written by Emelie Okeke

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Premier League Betting Preview: This Weekend’s Top 5 Bets

  By O-Posts Team | February 2, 2013 - 13:02 | , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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After a romantic weekend away in the FA Cup, the bread and luxury butter that is the Premier League is a back with a full weekend programme and the first port of call for a viewing perspective is Loftus Road when Norwich City rock up for the lunchtime fixture at QPR, presumably checking before they leave Norfolk that Peter Odemwingie hasn’t strapped himself to their coach in an attempt to infiltrate Rangers’ HQ.

One player that did manage to sign for the moneyed bottom club before the transfer deadline was Christopher Samba, and the accomplished Congolese centre-back can go some way to justify his huge fee by making an instant positive impact to the R’s backline today.

The Canaries have only won once away from home all season, and have scored at a rate of less than a goal a game on their travels, so backing Samba to be man of the match may well be worth a punt. Tottenham.

Unbeaten in eight league matches, and on course for that coveted fourth-place finish. West Brom. No wins in five, one point won out of a possible last fifteen, ensconced in mid-table and shrouded in the mire of unsettling controversy.

Jermaine Defoe has to start scoring again at some point, but even though the England man has been quiet of recent, the likes of Gareth Bale and Clint Dempsey have helped pick up the slack. Away win here in the early Sunday fixture.

Later on that day, both champions Manchester City and visitors Liverpool should be able to notch in their clash at the Etihad Stadium. City’s two most experienced centre-backs, Vincent Kompany and Kolo Toure, will be absent for this fixture, and Liverpool – who have scored in their meetings at Old Trafford, Stamford Bridge, White Hart Lane, Goodison Park and the Emirates this season – clearly are not fazed by the more daunting arenas of English football, often playing well and scoring albeit without the desired result.

Despite defensive selection headaches, Roberto Mancini ought not to be too concerned with the state of affairs at the other end of the pitch despite the sale of striker Mario Balotelli. He still has three top-quality centre-forwards at his disposal and his side have not failed to score at home since a 2-0 defeat by Everton in December 2010.

On the subject of top-quality centre-forwards, one who is entering a purple patch of goalscoring at this moment in time is Wayne Rooney, who pitched in with a brace at home to Southampton during the week to accompany his two FA Cup goals against Fulham and West Ham since returning from injury.

Three starts, four goals since his return from a one-month abscence, and the Scouser seems to be benefitting from taking a break from competitive action during the congested festive period, albeit an enforced one.

His team Manchester United take on Fulham again and Rooney must be backed to put one over on the Cottagers yet again. He and the irrespressible Robin van Persie looks like a partnership coming into great form just as Real Madrid approach the horizon.

When it comes to goalscoring bets, it pays to not only go with players on song, but also those returning back to their former clubs. It seems that centre-forwards love to bite the hand that feeds, and Demba Ba can do just that in Chelsea colours when he returns to Tyneside today.

 

TOP FIVE PREMIER LEAGUE BETS

1) QPR vs. Norwich Chris Samba Man of the Match 12/1 LADBROKES

2) Tottenham to beat West Brom 6/5 BETVICTOR

3) Man City vs. Liverpool Both teams to score 8/13 BETFRED

4) Fulham vs. Man United Wayne Rooney to score anytime 11/8 BOYLESPORTS

5) Newcastle vs. Chelsea Demba Ba to score anytime 6/4 CORAL

 

Elsewhere in Premier League-land this weekend, Arsenal will aim to continue their recent goalscoring exploits in a fixture they usually come away from with three points, at home to Stoke.

Beleagured Aston Villa are sinking in the relegation quicksand and are unlikely to find any helping hands at Goodison when they visit Champions League-chasing Everton.

Comeback kings Reading clash with a Sunderland side boasting a new addition in Danny Graham, while Graham’s former club Swansea travel to West Ham with seventh place in their sights.

At the DW Stadium, a six-pointer supreme with Mauricio Pochettino aiming for his first win as Southampton boss against Wigan, who have a returning hero in Paul Scharner back in their ranks.

 

Written by Emelie Okeke

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