Posts Tagged ‘Betting Odds’
Gulls ready to fly again
There was no better side in League Two at the end of last season than Torquay United, who staved off fears of relegation straight back to the Blue Square Premier with a run of eight games unbeaten.
Those performances were all the more creditable considering the pressure Paul Buckle’s team was under and the opponents they faced, defying the nPower League Two betting odds by going the last seven of those matches without even conceding a goal.
Champions Notts County ended a five-game winning streak with a goalless draw on the final day of the season, after Rochdale had been thrashed 5-0, and playoff chasers Bury and Aldershot both went down to heavy home defeats.
It wouldn’t be too far off the mark to expect similar levels of performance to open the 2010-11 season, since the personnel at Plainmoor has not changed a lot, and if anything has been improved since the end of last season.
Gone from Buckle’s squad are loan goalkeeper Michael Poke, winger Mustapha Carayol who is now with Lincoln City and striker Scott Rendell, who has joined Wycombe after a successful loan spell with the Gulls.
But Torquay have been active in the transfer market themselves, signing former Cambridge keeper Danny Potter to compete with Scott Bevan for the No 1 shirt, adding striker Billy Kee from Leicester and midfielder Damon Lathrope, who had been captaining Norwich City’s reserve team.
However the biggest addition might just have come this week when veteran centre-back Guy Branston returned to the club on a permanent deal after being a huge success on loan from Burton Albion last season.
Although having problems with his temper in the past, Branston brought Torquay just what they needed last season – experience and determination – and it is no coincidence that their improvement came after his arrival.
Branston’s know-how improved centre-back colleague Mark Ellis no end, and the no- nonsense youngster looks like having a very good career ahead of him, and the man known as ‘Pickler’ will again be a key man.
Talking of key, remember the name Billy Kee as well. Fifteen goals on loan in League Two for Accrington last season marked him out as a player to watch and he has been in sensational pre-season form with nine goals at time of writing as the Gulls have beaten the likes of Plymouth – who are involved in League one betting this season - and Bristol City and given QPR a good game.
Tags: Betting Odds, Bevan, Burton Albion, Chasers, Eight Games, Game Winning Streak, Goalkeeper, Lincoln City, Mark Ellis, Midfielder, Mustapha, Norwich City, Notts County, Npower, Rendell, Rochdale, Straight Back, Torquay United, Winger, Youngster
Newcastle go for Gosling
After one of the most bizarre transfer stories of the summer, it looks as though Dan Gosling will sign for Newcastle this week.
Gosling was released on a free from Everton earlier this summer. A tribunal decided that although Everton had verbally offered Gosling a new contract, they hadn’t made a written offer for the player.
The result is that Everton have lost one of England’s most exciting prospects, for absolutely nothing and Premier League betting pundits are certainly questioning the club’s policy on contract renewals.
Newcastle are believed to have won the race for Gosling’s signature, ahead of West Ham and Sunderland. He will be Chris Hughton’s second signing this summer, after James Perch was brought in from Nottingham Forest.
Everton have appealed the courts decision over Gosling. The club are trying to claim some compensation from any transfer that goes through. The compensation figure being reported by the press could be as high as £4million.
Everton will need the money to find a player to replace the versatile Gosling. The 20 year old can play in the middle of midfield, as well as right back and on the right wing. After playing for England at U17, U18 and U19 levels, Gosling made his under 21 debut against Portugal under Stuart Pearce.
While Newcastle fans will be happy with the capture of Gosling, they’ll have to wait a while to see him in action. Gosling suffered a serious knee injury for Everton against Wolves in March.
The timescale for the injury is between seven and nine months, ruling him out till around Christmas. The Geordie faithful will be hoping their new signing will be able to defy the Premier League betting odds and help their side cement their place in the Premiership after a year away from the big time.
Tags: Betting Odds, Big Time, Contract Renewals, Everton, Knee Injury, Lost One, Midfield, New Contract, Newcastle Fans, Nine Months, Premier League, Premiership, Pundits, Right Wing, Stuart Pearce, Timescale, U18, U19, West Ham, Wolves
David Moyes not tempted by World Cup stars
Everton will not be dipping their toes in the post-World Cup transfer market, according to their manager David Moyes.
Speaking to the Liverpool Echo, he explained that although the tournament is a good place for young talent to emerge on to the scene, there is little value in signing players simply on the basis they performed well in the competition.
Moyes did spend some time in South Africa working as a pundit before his club commitments meant he had to return home. The Scotsman used the opportunity to run the rule over some players, but if he does make a move it is unlikely to be soon and the man in question won’t necessarily be a household name. Anyone with a betting system will have to bear this in mind.
He said: “Overall [the World Cup isn't] a good place to buy from. What it does offer you is the chance to see the emerging talent. Players who have made their squads and are coming through.”
However, the Everton manager refused to be drawn further on the issue, so just who he is tracking remains to be seen.
Of course, Moyes has every right to be this coy. His success at Everton has been achieved on a shoestring budget and he will want to make sure that, if he does swoop for someone, other interest hasn’t led to the player in question becoming more expensive.
Despite this, the non-committal nature of his comments will still worry Everton fans. So far this summer the side have done a decent job of hanging on to their best players, but the squad will need to be strengthened further if they are to compete next season and the best betting site odds reflect this.
Moyes could have something up his sleeve, and although it would be hard to complete a deal without details leaking out it’s not impossible. However, it does seem that Everton fans may have to wait a little longer before they are able to greet any new faces.
Tags: Betting Odds, Betting Site, Club Commitments, David Moyes, Decent Job, Emerging Talent, Everton, Fans, Household Name, Liverpool Echo, Man In Question, New Faces, Odds, Pundit, Scotsman, Shoestring Budget, Success, Swoop, Time In South Africa, Toes, World Cup Stars, World Market
Can Fulham cause another upset?
Being cast as pre-match underdogs will not worry Fulham one bit as they bid to upset the apple cart once more against Atletico Madrid in the Europa League final.
Roy Hodgson’s men began their journey in the competition last July as 500/1 outsiders and have brushed off each damning prediction of defeat with increasing confidence to reach their first ever European final.
It isn’t as if they have had it easy either. They have beaten holders Shaktar Donetsk, German Champions Wolfsburg and Italian giants Juventus en route to the final in Madrid, where they are once again second favourites in a two horse race.
On paper their outsiders tag is justified as Atletico have the better players - Sergio Aguero, Diego Forlan, Simao and Jose Antonio Reyes are four of the most skilful, attacking players in Spanish football. However, Atletico are also fallible at the back and their defence is the worst of any side in La Liga’s top ten, having let in 58 goals in 37 games.
My prediction, therefore, is a final full of goals as both teams stick to their footballing principles. For Fulham much will depend on the fitness of talismanic striker Bobby Zamora, who his hit six goals in Europe this season, but whose achilles injury has cost him a place in the England squad and means he is a doubt for the final itself. If he does play it is unlikely to be for the full 90 minutes. With Zamora struggling, more responsibility will be heaped on the shoulders of Damien Duff, Clint Dempsey and Zoltan Gera to score goals.
A victory for Fulham is certainly the romantic’s choice. It would be a fairy tale for the club and their boss Roy Hodgson, as well as a nice little earner for those betting on the match - the online betting odds make them 11/4 for the win. However, the reality is the Cottagers will be hard pushed to repeat their heroics away from their home ground, which has been a fortress for them in Europe this season.
No wins and just three goals away from Craven Cottage in Europe this year suggests they will struggle at the Bernabeu, and as much as I would love to see them win, my head says Atletcio will come out on top.
Meanwhile, Darren Bent appears to have taken Zamora’s place in the provisional 30-man World Cup squad.
The World Cup betting odds make England third favourites for the tournament, and there is still a chance the Fulham man could make the cut if he can prove his fitness.
Tags: Achilles Injury, Apple Cart, Atletico Madrid, Betting Odds, Bobby Zamora, Clint Dempsey, Craven Cottage, Damien Duff, Diego Forlan, England Squad, Fulham, German Champions, Heroics, Horse Race, Increasing Confidence, Jose Antonio Reyes, Roy Hodgson, Simao, Spanish Football, Zoltan
International friendly round-up - Africa
There is certainly no danger of the African teams peaking ahead of this summer’s finals. All six of the CAF qualifiers were in recent friendly action, but only one, Nigeria, were victorious. It now appears even more unlikely that the maiden African finals will be graced by a winner from the home continent.
Cote d’Ivoire, perhaps the likeliest African contenders with world cup 2010 betting odds, are in something approaching disarray. The managerial merry-go-round continues, Vahid Halilhodzic being sacked after a disappointing Africa Cup of Nations campaign.
Sven Goran Eriksson and Guus Hiddink are in the frame to lead the team in South Africa, but a brand new coach, regardless of his pedigree, is not an ideal scenario. A 2-0 defeat by South Korea at Loftus Road did not help preparation.
Ghana wasted a one goal advantage in Bosnia-Hercegovina to lose 2-1. Sulley Muntari scored the Black Stars’ goal. Algeria continued their poor run of form, losing comprehensively 3-0 to Serbia.
Cameroon and South Africa both secured draw, but the former’s goalless stalemate in Italy represents a far better result than the hosts’ uninspiring 1-1 draw with Namibia. A second half equaliser from Katlego Mphela did little to ease the fears that the home nation will struggle in the summer.
Nigeria were impressive 5-2 winners over Congo, a result notable for the two debut goals by Osas Idehen. The Super Eagles have made a good start under Lars Lagerback, who is on a short-term contract similar to the one Cote d’Ivoire hope to secure with Hiddink or Eriksson.
Nigeria have no more friendlies scheduled ahead of the finals, so the wily Swedish coach will need to work quickly to gel his new charges into a team capable of upsetting some World Cup bets and making a good impression.
Tags: Africa Cup Of Nations, Ascii, Betting Odds, Black Stars, Cambria, Disarray, Div, Equaliser, Font Definitions, Font Format, Footer, Goal Advantage, Guus Hiddink, Hercegovina, Home Continent, Home Nation, Lars Lagerback, Lt, Mso, Orphan, Osas, Panose, Paper Source, Pitch, Props, Sans Serif, Signature, South Korea, Stalemate, Style Definitions, Style Name, Style Type, Sulley Muntari, Swedish Coach, Term Contract, Theme Font, Times New Roman, Vahid Halilhodzic, World Cup 2010, World Cup Bets