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| Soccer Betting Previews |
| Champions League Final Betting Preview (Tuesday, May 20, 2008) |
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After the exciting end to the Premiership last week, Manchester United and Chelsea renew their rivalry in the Champions League this week aiming to win the biggest prize in club football, the European Cup. Chelsea will be keen to avenge missing out on the Premiership in Moscow, while United look towards their second European Cup in ten years.
Champions League Final-Manchester United v Chelsea, Wednesday 7:45pm
Live on ITV 1 & Sky Sports 1
The top two in England face each other for the title of best in Europe in the first ever all English final. After clinching the Premiership last week United will feel they have the psychological advantage, but it was Chelsea who were victorious in the last meeting between these two just 3 weeks ago. A late Michael Ballack penalty at Stamford Bridge helped secure victory over United that day, as Chelsea reversed the result from Old Trafford earlier in the season, which United had won 2-0. However, this is the first time the teams have ever met in Europe, and Chelsea will be up against a United team that is undefeated in this years competition, winning nine and drawing three of their 12 European games.
Chelsea managed to break out of Liverpool's semi final stranglehold over them, finally defeating the Reds in a Champions League semi final at the third attempt. The 4-3 aggregate victory was secured thanks to extra time goals from Lampard and Drogba, as the Blues scraped past Liverpool to claim a place in their first Champions League final. Chelsea had ridden their luck in the first leg, only avoiding defeat thanks to a 95th minute Riise own goal in a game that Liverpool had largely dominated. That goal proved to be crucial as Ryan Babel's second leg goal 3 minutes from the end of extra time left Chelsea fans praying for the final whistle. John Terry is back to lead Chelsea out, having recovered from the elbow injury he picked up in Chelsea's final league game against Bolton, while Didier Drogba and Ricardo Carvalho have also overcome minor knocks to take their place in the travelling squad.
United are looking to repeat their historic League and European Cup double of 1999, and confidence will be sky high after they secured their tenth Premiership title at Wigan last week. That followed a nervous semi final victory over Barcelona at Old Trafford, Paul Scholes 14th minute goal the only thing separating the teams across the two legs. That goal must have been a relief to Cristiano Ronaldo following his penalty miss in the first leg at the Nou Camp that looked to have handed Barcelona the advantage. His miss could have been crucial in such a tight tie between two evenly matched teams, but United's nerve held to see them through to the final again. United go into the game with no injury concerns, with the only decision facing Sir Alex is how best to fit all of United superstars into the starting eleven.
If you're looking for good value and fancy a punt on a big price, why not back Owen Hargreaves to score first with VC Bet at 25/1.
Chelsea Win 6/4 VC Bet
Draw 2/1 VC Bet
Man Utd Win 11/5 VC Bet
VC Bet will refund all losing First Goalscorer and Correct Score bets as a free bet if the match goes to a penalty shoot-out.2
Open an account with VC Bet and receive a £100 free bet.
Odds subject to fluctuation - Odds taken at 11.00am 19/05/2008
1 Refunds will be in the form of free bets. Maximum Stake £50. Singles Only, Web Customers Only.
2 Maximum refund £100 per person. Applies to singles only placed online and telephone. Does not include in-running bets.
Free bets credited Thursday 22nd May.
Paddy Power is running a very good Money-Back Special for
Man Utd v Chelsea - Champions League Final
If Ronaldo scores in normal time, Paddy Power will refund ALL losing single pre-match Win-Draw-Win, Correct Score, 1st/last/anytime goalscorer and Half-time/Full-time market bets on this match.
Labels: champions-league-final-betting, chelsea-betting, man-united-betting, man-united-chelsea-betting
Posted by soccerbetting.info @ 5:36 PM
 
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| FA Cup Final Betting Preview (Friday, May 16, 2008) |
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FA Cup Final,
Portsmouth v Cardiff-Live on BBC1 & Sky Sports 1, k/o 15:00pm Few people would have chosen either of these teams to be walking out onto the famous Wembley turf at the beginning of the season, and fewer still as the competition progressed. Although they are favourites to win their first trophy since 1939, Portsmouth were amongst the shock winners this year when they beat 11 time winners Man Utd in the quarter finals. They managed to squeeze past West Brom in the semis 1-0 to book their place in the final, but go into the game on their worst run of the season with one draw and four defeats their last six, including a season ending 1-0 home defeat to relegation threatened Fulham. They will also be without cup tied Jermain Defoe, who has scored 8 goals in 12 games since joining Pompey, although they are boosted by the return of in form keeper David James. Cardiff will be sweating on the fitness of former England international Robbie Fowler as they look forward to their first Wembley final since 1927, the last time the FA Cup left England thanks to their
1-0 win over Arsenal. City were also amongst the shock winners this year, beating Middlesbrough 2-0 in the quarter finals to set up a semi final with fellow giant killers Barnsley. An early Joe Ledley goal was enough to send the Bluebirds to Wembley, although they come into the final with just two wins from their last six league games, including a season ending 3-0 win over the team they beat in the semis, Barnsley. If boss Dave Jones decides Fowler is not fit for the weekend, he can still call on Premiership experience in the shape of Jimmy Floyd Hasslebaink, whose previous FA Cup final appearance, with Chelsea in 2002, ended in defeat to Arsenal. VC Bet make Portsmouth favourites at 8/11, but can Cardiff complete the season of FA Cup upsets by gaining an unlikely victory? VC Bet don?t think so as they price a Cardiff victory at 22/5. Labels: fa-cup-betting, fa-cup-final-betting
Posted by soccerbetting.info @ 3:14 PM
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| Premier League weekend preview by Gerry McDonnell (Friday, May 09, 2008) |
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Weekend Tips / A Lazy 'Worst Of' Compilation
Saying goodbye to the football season is very much like giving birth to a ginger child: after nine months of optimism, hope and anguish, you're left with a genuine feeling of disappointment.
The final day is often emotional. Who could forget Arsenal pipping Liverpool to the title in 1989? Well sadly, my old man. In fact, if you see a small befuddled pensioner roaming the streets, you'll be better off avoiding football trivia altogether; senility is no picnic.
I'm absolutely devastated that I have to work on Sunday as the drama unfolds. The gaffer has offered me double time and a day in lieu though, which I'm reasonably happy with; but it hasn't gone down too well with Louise.
Lou hasn't been this upset since Liverpool were beaten by Chelsea in the Champions League semi-final. Liverpool supporters are like Paul McCartney on his wedding night; they're struggling to get over a disappointing second leg.
Steven 'more dives than Glasgow' Gerrard will hope to inspire his team-mates to a win over Spurs, but I fancy the Tottenham boys at 9/5. They can be heroes, just for Juande.
Manchester United are on the verge of winning the title and I'm particularly pleased for Paul Scholes. There was a worry that Paul's career was over as a result of blurred vision, practically confirming what my mother told me. I'll have my head in my hands if Manchester United fail to beat Wigan at 1/4.
As is often the case in such a high profile match, there has been plenty of early activity in the first goal scorer market. Bookmakers have already seen a monkey on Ronaldo, a pony on Carlos Tevez and an old dog on Wayne Rooney.
A recently discovered tribe of Congolese pygmies have admitted knowing absolutely nothing of western civilisation, other than the fact that Steven Gerrard is better at football than Frank Lampard.
Frank simply isn't that great a player, most of his goals come from his close relationship with the O'Shea family, notably Rick. Frank would need 29 attempts to score on an 18-30 stone holiday.
Frank will not be happy about Chelsea finishing second best to Manchester United. I remember how upset he was when I first suggested that he had a weight problem - he sent me a text that read, 'gbvsdfabdsb'.
Ashley Cole will also be unhappy with a runners-up spot. The overrated full-back is desperate for success to cement his role as a celebrity. He's already been offered a spot on next week's Jonathan Ross show, he just needs to find three pals and a piano. Chelsea are certainties to beat Bolton, i'm all over the 1/6 like John Terry on a referee.
I'm no stranger to disappointment; I once watched all of Soccer AM. Alex McLeish can empathise, he would give his right arm for Birmingham to avoid relegation, but a trade of that magnitude has only ever come off for Heather Mills. I'm backing Blackburn to beat the Blues at 3/1, but be warned, the price is dropping quicker than Steven Gerrard in a penalty area.
Reading are a lot like Princess Diana, they used to look good, but they've hit a wall.
The wife is praying that the Royals stay up, as she's supported them ever since her English teacher wrote 'reading difficulties' on her school report.
I also hope that Reading beat Derby, as I'm not a great fan of Robbie Savage - I can't forget how he kicked me off the waltzers when I was young. I can't let my heart rule my head though, I'm going to be like Robbie and mark the coupon with an 'X' at 7/2.
Portsmouth are currently wobbling like a jelly on a drunken Sumo wrestler - they haven't won in their last handful of games. Actually, they haven't won in their last four games, so it's more of a Jeremy Beadle handful.
I'd like to see Pompey beat Fulham as I have an enormous amount of sympathy for Harry Redknapp; he's been the subject of more enquiries than the 118-118 guys.
Hollywood should make a film of Harry's life, they could call it 'The buying, the twitch and the fraud probe.'
A case can be made for backing Portsmouth at 5/2 to beat Fulham, but it has more holes than Pete Doherty. I'm going to be like David Cameron in college; and get stuck into the draw at 11/4.
Hopefully, my son will become a professional footballer. The last time we had a kick around in the back garden, he nutmegged me twice; nobody's regretted opening their legs on two separate occasions since Mrs Neville.
Phil Neville is like the sun, you should never look directly at him. The lesser of two evils is surprisingly quite bright, he can quote the old Chinese proverb: 'Give a man a fish, and he'll eat for a day; give him twelve cans of lager, and he'll think that Newcastle are worth a bet at Goodison Park.
You don't have to be Stephen Hawking to realise that Everton are nailed on at 10/11, even Mrs Hawking could work that one out; if she wasn't down the gym working the bags.
I once said that Benjani couldn't hit a cow's arse with a banjo. If we were ever to meet, he'd probably want to hit me; i'd better change my name to Annette.
On a related note, I once tried to hit a cow's arse with a banjo - at least that's what I told the police officer, although the lack of a banjo aroused some suspicion.
Middlesbrough are a riddle, wrapped up in an enigma, shrouded in mystery, situated in a hole. The 11/10 for a Boro win over Manchester City is the most enticing proposition since Ulrika Johnson offered Sven Goran Eriksson a little slice of Swedish fish pie.
Is it wrong for me to continually speak of my admiration for Cesc Fabregas? Apparently, it is during lovemaking.
Cesc is a little magician. He'll have a great future in the game as long as he avoids Debbie McGee. Arsenal are a great bet at 10/11 to beat Sunderland, it's as clear as the chin on Frank Lampard's chin.
As an Aston Villa supporter, i'm a huge fan of Randy Lerner. I'm not ashamed to say that all it took to make me happy was just one little Yank.
I did read that a healthy male averages 20 minutes when expressing his love physically; I'm assuming that includes the taxi journey and the queue for the cashpoint. I'll be throwing my cash on a West Ham win over the Villa; the 12/5 is positively pulchritudinous.
The Premier League remains my true love, but I've occasionally strayed into the arms of the football league, the SPL, the conference and the Paralympics. I'm a little bit uncomfortable about watching football at such a poor level though, but Rangers have made it into the UEFA Cup final.
I'm often asked why I appear reluctant to share my expertise on the Scottish football scene. I can assure you it's not a result of xenophobia; some of my best friends know Scottish people. I know that a Celtic win over Hibernian at 1/4 will practically wrap up the title for the Bhoys.
My computer is a lot like the wife, if the information is punched in correctly, positive results are guaranteed. My spreadsheet plays a sound if the odds offered on an accer are greater than the actual probability of success: when I placed 16/1 next to Middlesbrough, Tottenham and West Ham, it whipped out a guitar.
Weekend Betting:
Birmingham v Blackburn Sunday 11th May 15:00 Live on Sky
Birmingham 21/20
Draw 13/5
Blackburn 3/1
Get on: Blackburn
Chelsea v Bolton Sunday 11th May 15:00 Live on Sky
Chelsea 1/6
Draw 7/1
Bolton 18/1
Get on: Chelsea
Derby v Reading Sunday 11th May 15:00
Derby 11/2
Draw 7/2
Reading 8/13
Get on: Draw
Everton v Newcastle Sunday 11th May 15:00
Everton 10/11
Draw 5/2
Newcastle 7/2
Get on: Everton
Middlesbrough v Man City Sunday 11th May 15:00
Middlesbrough 11/10
Draw 12/5
Man City 27/10
Get on: Middlesbrough
Portsmouth v Fulham Sunday 11th May 15:00 Live on Setanta
Portsmouth 5/2
Draw 11/4
Fulham 6/5
Get on: Draw
Sunderland v Arsenal Sunday 11th May 15:00
Sunderland 17/5
Draw 11/4
Arsenal 10/11
Get on: Arsenal
Tottenham v Liverpool Sunday 11th May 15:00
Tottenham 9/5
Draw 12/5
Liverpool 7/4
Get on: Tottenham
West Ham v Aston Villa Sunday 11th May 15:00
West Ham 12/5
Draw 5/2
Aston Villa 13/10
Get on: West Ham
Wigan v Man Utd Sunday 11th May 15:00 Live on Sky
Wigan 14/1
Draw 11/2
Man Utd 1/4
Get on: Man UtdLabels: premier-league-picks
Posted by soccerbetting.info @ 11:39 PM
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| Premier League weekend preview by Gerry McDonnell (Thursday, May 01, 2008) |
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Thai Hard: With a Vengeance
Tubby Brazilian Ronaldo may be one of the greatest players to ever grace a football pitch, but he's definitely a poor role model. The AC Milan man let himself down when he invited three members of the late-night entertainment industry back to a motel. It wasn't just the fact that they turned out to be ladyboys; he shamefully offered to pay them for doing nothing. If I pay a builder to construct a conservatory, and he brings along a few superfluous tools, I'd expect him to keep his head down and finish the job.
This sorry tale was not the only case of mistaken identity this week; Rio Ferdinand kicked a female Chelsea steward after mistaking her for a wall. It sounds like a tall story, but I once kicked the wife by accident; I thought she was her mother.
This is Rio's first high profile gaffe since that moment of madness a few years ago, when he dated Emma Bunton. I will definitely be dipping in to the 7/1 for a draw between Manchester United and West Ham.
Rio wasn't the only player involved in controversy at Stamford Bridge last week; Michael Ballack and Didier Drogba almost came to blows over a free kick; they should really have got a room with Ronaldo. I can't get my head around the 11/2 for a Newcastle win over Chelsea.
The funniest moment of the match came after the final whistle, when the Manchester United players had a Benny Hill style fight with the Chelsea groundsmen. The United boys were completely out of order; Rio Ferdinand should know by now to keep off the grass. Middlesbrough are involved in a real fight, they'll beat Portsmouth at 11/10.
Rafa Benitez's decision to wind up Didier Drogba prior to their Champion's League semi will rightfully be filed alongside Ronaldo's shemale escapades in the 'what a massive rick' category, but both are trumped by my decision to make a move on a waitress when I holidayed in Thailand. I won't bore you with all the gruesome details, but let's just say that she wasn't the only one who received a large tip. I'm far more comfortable with this tip; back Liverpool to beat the imploding Manchester City at 8/11.
Gareth Barry is considering a move to Liverpool as he wants to join a club that can match his ambition. Evidently his ambition is to perform adequately in Europe and never win the league. The Villa can overtake Everton for the UEFA cup spot by seeing off Wigan at 4/7.
Last week was disastrous for Birmingham City. As the Blues threw away a 2-0 lead at home, Fulham were performing miracles in Manchester and Bolton were holding on for a point at White Hart Lane. Maybe there is a little truth in the gypsy's curse; they should never have sold him to Blackburn. Fulham v Birmingham will be a cracker, I'll explode when Fulham take the points at 5/4.
Robbie Savage could definitely forge a career in the female impersonation industry once his best footballing days are behind him; somewhere in 1998. Blackburn are a far better team since they dropped the blonde deadwood; they'll beat Derby by two or more goals at 5/6.
If Reading v Tottenham produces as much action as the reverse fixture, it'll be quite an entertaining game. Tottenham romped to a 6-4 victory at the Lane; narrowly foiling my bet on 'no goalscorer'. Reading have deteriorated since then; they haven't scored a goal since March and only Derby have a worse goal difference. If Tottenham don't take all three points at 12/5, I'll be more hurt than when I woke up in Thailand with a worse limp than Heather Mills.
All the warning signs were there with that Thai waitress, she actually warned me that she'd be bringing some nuts up to the room. I thought she meant that I'd enjoy a late night snack - unfortunately, I was correct. I'm definitely right in taking a large slice of the 8/11 for an Arsenal win over Everton.
I'm reminded of my Thai nightmare whenever I see Roy Keane's infamous challenge on Alf-Inge Haaland; that was some tackle. Roy's boys have been priced up at 11/2 against Bolton, that's very, very big.
It was quite ironic that I ended up in a compromising position with a male who looked like a female, as my wife could easily pass for a builder. Aston Villa, Blackburn, Tottenham and Arsenal form a 10/1 accer of which there can be absolutely no ambiguity.
Weekend Betting:
Man Utd v West Ham Saturday 3rd May 12:45 Live on Sky
Man Utd 1/5
Draw 6/1
West Ham 16/1
Get on: Draw
Aston Villa v Wigan Saturday 3rd May 15:00
Aston Villa 4/7
Draw 14/5
Wigan 6/1
Get on: Aston Villa
Blackburn v Derby Saturday 3rd May 15:00
Blackburn 3/10
Draw 9/2
Derby 12/1
Get on: Blackburn
Fulham v Birmingham Saturday 3rd May 15:00
Fulham 5/4
Draw 12/5
Birmingham 23/10
Get on: Fulham
Middlesbrough v Portsmouth Saturday 3rd May 15:00
Middlesbrough 11/10
Draw 5/2
Portsmouth 11/4
Get on: Middlesbrough
Reading v Tottenham Saturday 3rd May 15:00
Reading 5/4
Draw 12/5
Tottenham 12/5
Get on: Tottenham
Bolton v Sunderland Saturday 3rd May 17:15 Live on Setanta
Bolton 4/6
Draw 3/1
Sunderland 11/2
Get on: Sunderland
Arsenal v Everton Sunday 4th May 13:30 Live on Sky
Arsenal 8/11
Draw 11/4
Everton 9/2
Get on: Arsenal
Liverpool v Man City Sunday 4th May 16:00 Live on Sky
Liverpool 8/11
Draw 11/4
Man City 9/2
Get on: Liverpool
Newcastle v Chelsea Monday 5th May 16:00 Live on Sky
Newcastle 5/1
Draw 16/5
Chelsea 8/13
Get on: NewcastleLabels: premier-league-betting
Posted by soccerbetting.info @ 4:21 PM
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