Premier League weekend preview by Gerry McDonnell (Thursday, October 25, 2007)

Lies, Damn Lies and Jamie Redknapp My heart goes out to supporters of Liverpool FC. The club have been rocked by Champions League failure, the validity of their Merseyside derby victory has been questioned, and they have to travel to Liverpool at least once a fortnight. Steven Gerrard probably received the brunt of the criticism after the controversial derby day win. I have an enormous amount of sympathy for the talismanic captain; it can't be easy to play football, roll over and referee all at the same time. The persecution of Dirk Kuyt is equally as perplexing. The flying Dutchman was pilloried for an alleged dangerous tackle, but who wouldn't jump in the air if they caught an unexpected glimpse of Phil Neville? Jamie Redknapp has also been slaughtered for a perceived bias in his punditry. The ex-Red claimed that Jamie Carragher's body-slam of Joleon Lescott did not merit a penalty, and amusingly maintained his stance while watching replays of the assault. Even Comical Ali would have thrown his hands up on that one. I hope Jamie will be in the studio for Sunday's big Liverpool v Arsenal match, as I'm trying to land a touch on potential Redknapp quotes. 'Stevie didn't dive, he fell over,' 'This rotation policy is a masterstroke,' 'Sure, Jamie kicked him three times, but they were accidental' and 'Rafa's beard does not make him look camper than a bowl of strawberries' are all confident selections. I'll probably have to settle for a bet on Arsenal to win the match. The Gunners are flying high in the Premiership and they scored a magnificent seven in midweek. I'm going to dive on the 21/10 like i've just received the merest of nudges outside of a penalty area. Fulham have to be opposed at the Stadium of Light. Apparently, millions of Chinese people have been killed, and people are pointing the finger at Chairman Mo. Sunderland look a great bet at 11/10 to take advantage of a club in crisis. Dave Whelan remains a genuine character. He's quick to condemn foreign managers, third-party player ownership and the loan system, yet his views on price fixing in the retail industry are kept remarkably close to his chest. The 23/20 for a Birmingham win over Wigan is vastly over inflated. I've got a lot of time for Sven Goran Eriksson, probably because he's pulled more darlings than the Chancellor of the Exchequer's wife. The 3/1 for Manchester City leaving Chelsea with a draw ticks a multitude of boxes. Joey Barton's return to first team action will take his mind off the impending court case. There's a real chance that Joey may end up doing a little stretch, and his cellmate will definitely be doing a little bird. You should be locked up if you miss out on the 13/8 for a Newcastle win at Reading. The wife is a massive fan of MC Hammer: she sings 'you can't touch this' every night. Everybody's a winner. You don't have to be drunk to partake in the 4/1 for a West Ham win over Pompey. Bolton have reportedly made Gary Megson and Graeme Souness their top two targets in their search for a new manager. I'm guessing that Phil Gartside is in possession of a barrel with extensive scrape damage. The Villa are unbeaten in four at the Reebok, they're practically unmissable at 19/10 against a Bolton side tottering on the verge of self destruction. Tottenham are also in a spot of bother. Jermain Defoe can't make the bench and Berbatov refuses to leave it. Darren Bent is about as potent as a half a shandy and they have more holes in their defence than OJ. Recent history suggests that Blackburn will hold Tottenham to a draw at 23/10; I absolutely refuse to argue. Middlesbrough have been rocked by injury news ahead of their trip to Old Trafford: Mido is definitely fit. Bookies have opened the spread on Ronaldo's dive to earn the penalty at 65?68 minutes, and that's probably a sell. United are the weekend banker at 1/5. Keith Hackett had to apologise to Rafa Benitez earlier in the season after a poor refereeing performance: I wouldn't like to think about what he now owes David Moyes. Well certainly not while other people are in the office. Everton are only facing 11 men against Derby this week, they'll hack up at 13/10. The only real positive to emerge from the Merseyside derby was the revelation that Phil Neville was quite good with his hands. I'm guessing that's born of necessity. Newcastle, Everton and Arsenal are the standout weekend picks, they form a 17/1 treble that even Phil can get on. Weekend Betting: Birmingham v Wigan Saturday 27th October 15:00 Birmingham 23/20 Draw 23/10 Wigan 13/5 Get on: Birmingham Match Special: Birmingham to win and keep a clean sheet 23/10 Chelsea v Man City Saturday 27th October 15:00 Chelsea 4/7 Draw 3/1 Man City 6/1 Get on: Draw Match Special: No goalscorer in the match 11/1 Man Utd v Middlesbrough Saturday 27th October 15:00 Man Utd 1/5 Draw 6/1 Middlesbrough 18/1 Get on: Man Utd Match Special: Rooney and Tevez both to score 5/1 Reading v Newcastle Saturday 27th October 15:00 Reading 17/10 Draw 12/5 Newcastle 13/8 Get on: Newcastle Match Special: Martins to score two or more goals 9/1 Sunderland v Fulham Saturday 27th October 15:00 Sunderland 11/10 Draw 23/10 Fulham 13/5 Get on: Sunderland Match Special: Kenwyne Jones to score with a header 5/1 Portsmouth v West Ham Saturday 27th October 17:15 Live on Setanta Portsmouth 5/6 Draw 5/2 West Ham 4/1 Get on: West Ham Match Special: Bellamy to score the only goal of the game 66/1 Bolton v Aston Villa Sunday 28th October 13:30 Live on Sky Bolton 17/10 Draw 23/10 Aston Villa 19/10 Get on: Aston Villa Match Special: Agbonlahor to score the first goal 8/1 Derby v Everton Sunday 28th October 14:00 Derby 12/5 Draw 5/2 Everton 13/10 Get on: Everton Match Special: Arteta to score at any time 5/1 Tottenham v Blackburn Sunday 28th October 15:00 Tottenham 5/4 Draw 23/10 Blackburn 11/4 Get on: Draw Match Special: Match to finish 2-2 14/1 Liverpool v Arsenal Sunday 28th October 16:00 Live on Sky Liverpool 11/8 Draw 23/10 Arsenal 21/10 Get on: Arsenal Match Special: Arsenal to score three or more goals 6/1 Labels: premier-league-picks Posted by soccerbetting.info @ 1:26 PM

Premier League weekend preview by Gerry McDonnell (Thursday, October 18, 2007)

Cole, Frank Incensed and Meh I've never been a great fan of Steve McClaren, but it's wholly unfair to place the blame for the death of English football at the feet of one hapless individual. Personally, I hold Frank Lampard solely responsible. The great and the good of the world of punditry, and David Platt, have all been quick to defend the tubby midfielder, claiming that criticism is unjustified. These washed-up has-beens have obviously forgotten his poor recent performances, his demand for respect rather than throwing his hands up, Frank TV, protracted contract negotiations, the 9/11 bevvy-up, the 'these are my people' line, the undignified Hammer-bashing, the 'Super Goals' advert and the Jamie Redknapp connection. The woeful national anthem is also a contributory factor to our demise. I don't really understand why we need to pay homage to Ashley Cole. Looking forward, we should introduce a more upbeat tune that will help keep Frank Lampard's feet on the ground. 'Lip up Fatty' fits the bill perfectly. I can't keep quiet about the 11/4 for a draw between Middlesbrough and Chelsea. After a dreadful start to the season with Bolton, little Sammy Lee is now searching for a new career. I suppose he could always become a jockey, like Ashley Cole. I'm not horsing around with the 2/9 for an Arsenal win over Bolton. Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez are not a striking partnership, in more ways than one. Aston Villa are an absolute beast in front of their own supporters, they look overpriced at 4/1 to land the shock. The Royals really enjoyed their trip to Blackburn last season; it was probably funded by the tax-payer. Rovers have definitely improved since then, while Reading have gone backwards like a drunken crab. I'll happily take 8/11 about a Blackburn side on the up. Fulham are a lot like Princess Diana. They looked good for a while, but they've hit a wall. After six games without a win, a home match against Derby will reverse their fortunes at 3/4. It's not been a good week for Ashley Cole. The controversial defender faces a prolonged spell out of the game, as his cushions no longer match his drapes. A defeat for Tottenham at Newcastle will spell curtains for Martin Jol; a hard earned point may be enough to prolong the agony at 23/10. Steve Bruce has demanded face-to-face talks with Carson Yeung. The billionaire is no mug though; he's bringing a couple of paper bags with him. There's no disguising the fact that Manchester City are a lock at 3/5 at home to Birmingham. Benjani has now added goals to his repertoire: it now consists of goals. The 8/5 for a Pompey win over Wigan is everything you ever wanted in a football bet, and a little bit more. I'm not sure if I buy this new cuddly easy-going persona of Roy Keane. It wouldn't surprise me if the Sunderland manager was seen holding a hammer on the touchline, preferably Craig Bellamy. West Ham can send Keano closer to the edge at 10/11. The Merseyside derby is probably the toughest nut to crack on the weekend coupon. I honestly don't know which set of supporters will be bragging at work on Monday morning; probably because the question is fundamentally flawed. I can't pick a hole in the 9/4 for a draw between Everton and Liverpool. I only wish that footballers could follow the example of their rugby playing counterparts. Although in fairness, Ashley Cole is doing his bit. The English rugby team are shoo-ins at even money with a nine point start against South Africa in the World Cup final. Lewis Hamilton has the world at his feet, unlike Frank Lampard, who has to rely on updates from helpful associates. The 2/5 for young Lewis clinching the drivers' championship is more than fair. I think it's time for the Frank Lampard bashing to cease. Nobody likes to see a fat kid get continually bullied, unless it has comedy value. Arsenal, Blackburn, Fulham, Man City and West Ham form a 10/1 weekend accer whose worth is beyond question. Weekend Betting: Everton v Liverpool Saturday 20th October 12:45 Live on Sky Everton 11/4 Draw 9/4 Liverpool 5/4 Get on: Draw Match Special: A red card to be shown in the match 11/4 Arsenal v Bolton Saturday 20th October 15:00 Arsenal 2/9 Draw 9/2 Bolton 18/1 Get on: Arsenal Match Special: Adebayor to score two or more goals 6/1 Blackburn v Reading Saturday 20th October 15:00 Blackburn 8/11 Draw 5/2 Reading 5/1 Get on: Blackburn Match Special: Bentley to score at any time 4/1 Fulham v Derby Saturday 20th October 15:00 Fulham 3/4 Draw 13/5 Derby 9/2 Get on: Fulham Match Special: Fulham to win and keep a clean sheet 15/8 Man City v Birmingham Saturday 20th October 15:00 Man City 3/5 Draw 3/1 Birmingham 6/1 Get on: Man City Match Special: Petrov to score the first goal 8/1 Middlesbrough v Chelsea Saturday 20th October 15:00 Middlesbrough 5/1 Draw 11/4 Chelsea 7/10 Get on: Draw Match Special: No goalscorer in the match 11/1 Wigan v Portsmouth Saturday 20th October 15:00 Wigan 2/1 Draw 23/10 Portsmouth 8/5 Get on: Portsmouth Match Special: Benjani to score in a 2-0 Pompey win 20/1 Aston Villa v Man Utd Saturday 20th October 17:15 Live on Setanta Aston Villa 4/1 Draw 13/5 Man Utd 4/5 Get on: Aston Villa Match Special: Ashley Young to score the only goal of the game 70/1 West Ham v Sunderland Sunday 21st October 16:00 Live on Sky West Ham 10/11 Draw 12/5 Sunderland 7/2 Get on: West Ham Match Special: West Ham to score three or more goals 7/2 Newcastle v Tottenham Monday 22nd October 20:00 Live on Sky Newcastle 7/5 Draw 23/10 Tottenham 11/5 Get on: Draw Match Special: Owen to score in a 1-1 draw 18/1 Posted by soccerbetting.info @ 7:28 AM

EURO QUALIFIERS Weekend PREVIEW by Gerry McDonnell (Thursday, October 11, 2007)

One flu over ... the cuckoo's next Even by my own modest standards, it's been a bad week. I've been left virtually incapacitated by what I can only assume is a new super-strain of bird flu, possibly created by an increasingly desperate rogue element of the bookmaking industry. I started feeling nauseous last Saturday, but I understandably put it down to watching Sharon Osbourne. I suspected something was awry the following day, when I ate all of the wife's dinner, and my worst fears were confirmed on the night, when for the first time in three years I was forced to hit the scratcher while the wife was still awake. I'm not one to complain though. It's like my mom always says: when life throws you lemons; make a DVD. I've used the time I've been laid up to study the weekend football action. England look to be good things against a shockingly poor Estonia side. Steve McClaren's team will be full of confidence after their recent Ashley Cole inspired run; they've easily rolled over a couple of bums. They're super- short at 1/12, but it's virtually risk-free. Personally, I'd rather have a little punt on Wayne Rooney scoring at any time at 5/4. Michael Owen has been lucky enough to receive two thumbs up from a German bint, but I suspect McClaren may save the tiny hitman for Russia on Wednesday. The most enticing 'special' is probably an England clean sheet at a hugely tempting 4/9. I'm naturally worried about the form of Paul 'Iranian shoplifter' Robinson, but the Estonians lack the quality to take advantage. The Republic of Ireland have been rocked by the withdrawal of Stephen Ireland. I guess the Manchester City man is still embarrassed after bumping off more grandmothers than Harold Shipman. The Irish have turned to Alex Bruce in their search for quality cover. The solid defender is a real chip off the old block: he's not good enough to play for England. The 23/10 for a draw between Ireland and Germany is unquestionably sound. Julio Baptista couldn't cut the mustard in the English Premier League: he was just a fat Francis Jeffers. The only thing chunkier than Bapman is the even money for Brazil kicking off their World Cup qualification campaign with a win against Colombia. Whenever I think of the 'lazy magician', I picture the dwarf-like Paul Daniels looking up to the lovely Debbie McGee. The moniker actually belongs to Juan Roman Riquelme, who along with Carlos Tevez and Lionel Messi, form three solid reasons why Argentina look the call at 3/10 at home to Chile. My ultra-flu has led to vivid hallucinations. I could have sworn I saw Scotland sitting on top of their qualification group. I'll be having the crack when Ukraine see off the overachieving Jocks at a mammoth 11/4. The Faroe Islands once held Scotland to a 2-2 draw. Some people were shocked by that result; the Sweaties rarely score two goals in a game. The French will absolutely destroy the Faroes at 1/25; it could well be a rugby score. Another match where there could be a rugby score is the rugby match between England and France. The English look a great shout at even money with a nine point start against the always chokable French. That Chabal is definitely a big lad, but I reckon I could take him: if it wasn't for this damn mega-flu. Last week's accer absolutely romped home, Brazil, Portugal, Turkey, Ukraine and Croatia will follow suit at a large and hairy 14/1. Labels: euro-2008-qualifiers, rugby-betting Posted by soccerbetting.info @ 10:54 AM

Premier League weekend preview by Gerry McDonnell (Thursday, October 04, 2007)

A Naan and a Leg The older I get, the grumpier I become. Old people, children and John Motson have all played a significant role in my metamorphosis, but the wife's driving is almost certainly the overriding factor. I'm not criticising women drivers in general. I've shared a ride with a number of females over the years without any complaint. Although in the interest of fairness, there wasn't a great deal of time to voice any concerns. The wife simply struggles to comprehend the basic rules of the road. She's continually looking at mirrors and playing with indicators, when she should be hitting the horn like it was Lily Allen. Her attempts at parking are equally frustrating. I've lost count of the number of times she's drove past a perfectly good handicapped spot, only to park up some 50 yards further away. It's pure selfishness. Personally, I put her woeful driving down to a lack of confidence. I've told her that a few beers would solve the problem, but some people refuse to take good advice. While these minor flaws are annoying; it's her refusal to travel at an acceptable speed that sends me into an apoplectic rage. The wife is more than happy to trundle along at 20mph, even when there's no one else on the motorway. She doesn't appreciate the fact that speed limits and traffic lights are merely unhelpful suggestions. Wayne Rooney is definitely a fan of putting his foot down; he once went over 65 in an escort. Manchester United are winning games without getting out of second gear; they'll roar past Wigan at 1/5. It's been reported that a 10 year old has broken a leg after colliding with Steven Gerrard's motor. The young lad can consider himself fortunate that Frank Lampard wasn't driving; as he'd probably have eaten the leg. I'll try to avoid getting knocked over in the rush to back Liverpool at 3/5 against Tottenham. Blackburn Rovers have something in common with Steven Gerrard; they both own a flash Bentley. Mark Hughes would definitely struggle to sell his model: it looks the part, but you can't get it to run in the summer. I'll never grow tired of seeing 4/6 for a Blackburn win over Birmingham. Gilberto Silva's luck has deserted him. The World Cup winner was first stripped of the captaincy and then demoted to the bench. If I was Gilberto, I'd steer clear of the tube station. I collapsed like a Brazilian goalkeeper when I saw 1/5 for an Arsenal win against Sunderland. Alan Curbishley will be keeping one eye on the police when he travels to Villa Park. The West Ham manager sold Marlon Harewood for £4m, so he may well be charged with robbery. It would be a crime to miss the even money for an Aston Villa win. Michael Owen is on the verge of full fitness, a mere week after undergoing surgery. As far as I'm aware, only Jesus has ever made a quicker comeback, but records are sketchy at best. I'm praying for a Newcastle win over Everton at 11/10. Reading may have been destroyed by Pompey last week, but I make them my nap of the week to bounce back against Derby. The Rams are about as useful as a second bedroom to Britney Spears: I'm taking the 4/5 for the Royals. Mariah Carey has claimed to be a distant relative of Ashley Cole; but I can't see any similarity. The singer has lost the support of thousands of one-time fans, been rocked by accusations of diva-like demands and has had numerous failed relationships with men. I can definitely see the value in backing the draw between Bolton and Chelsea at 13/5. Gareth Southgate and Sven Goran Eriksson are not on the best of terms. The hostility can be traced back to Sven's tenure as England manager, where he had the temerity to replace Southgate with younger, better players. It's always unpleasant to see a high profile pair fall out so publicly, unless they belong to Jennifer Ellison. I'll have a nice couple of quid on Manchester City at 8/11 against a goal-shy Middlesbrough. Leroy Lita has a lot to answer for. When the wife read of his mobile phone exploits, she demanded that we follow suit. I originally said that I would only consider the suggestion 'when hell freezes over', but I felt the probability was too high, so I changed it to 'when Benjani scores a hat-trick'. Pompey have tucked me up a treat, they can make it up to me by leaving Fulham with a point at 9/4. I have no problem with a couple expressing their love via the medium of film; but if I wanted to see an excited whale, I'd rent 'Free Willy'. Arsenal, Reading, Blackburn, Manchester City and Newcastle form an 11/1 weekend accer that will hopefully improve my disgruntled demeanour. Weekend Betting: Man Utd v Wigan Saturday 6th October 12:45 Live on Sky Man Utd 1/5 Draw 6/1 Wigan 25/1 Get on: Man Utd Match Special: Rooney to score two or more goals 9/2 Aston Villa v West Ham Saturday 6th October 15:00 Aston Villa Evs Draw 13/5 West Ham 10/3 Get on: Aston Villa Match Special: Agbonlahor to score the first goal 8/1 Arsenal v Sunderland Sunday 7th October 12:00 Live on Setanta Arsenal 1/5 Draw 11/2 Sunderland 22/1 Get on: Arsenal Match Special: Adebayor and Van Persie both to score 5/1 Reading v Derby Sunday 7th October 14:00 Live on Sky Reading 4/5 Draw 13/5 Derby 4/1 Get on: Reading Match Special: Reading to score three or more goals 7/2 Blackburn v Birmingham Sunday 7th October 15:00 Blackburn 4/6 Draw 11/4 Birmingham 9/2 Get on: Blackburn Match Special: Blackburn to win and keep a clean sheet 17/10 Bolton v Chelsea Sunday 7th October 15:00 Bolton 4/1 Draw 13/5 Chelsea 4/5 Get on: Draw Match Special: No goalscorer in the match 10/1 Liverpool v Tottenham Sunday 7th October 15:00 Liverpool 3/5 Draw 16/5 Tottenham 11/2 Get on: Liverpool Match Special: Torres to score a hat-trick 20/1 Man City v Middlesbrough Sunday 7th October 15:00 Man City 8/11 Draw 13/5 Middlesbrough 9/2 Get on: Man City Match Special: Elano to score the only goal of the game 33/1 Newcastle v Everton Sunday 7th October 15:00 Newcastle 11/10 Draw 23/10 Everton 14/5 Get on: Newcastle Match Special: N'Zogbia to score in a 2-0 Newcastle win 30/1 Fulham v Portsmouth Sunday 7th October 16:10 Live on Sky Fulham 13/8 Draw 9/4 Portsmouth 15/8 Get on: Draw Match Special: Match to finish either 1-1 or 2-2 7/2 Labels: premiership-betting Posted by soccerbetting.info @ 8:01 AM