Andy Hillman and Owen Goulding preview the weekend’s football as QPR head down to the south coast for a crucial match with Southampton.
Andy called the QPR v Man Utd score absolutely right for last week for an 8/1 winner, but put the mockers on Barnsley’s excellent recent run.
Well, that’s one way to stop Barnsley - make them your NAP of the week. Six straight wins, and they then lose 5-3 at bottom of the league Bristol City. A farce of Peterborough United proportions. Got my Dutched United to win 2-0 scoreline in at fairly good odds, the only highlight in a poor week... NAP of the Week: Cardiff to beat Middlesbrough @ 8/5
Middlesbrough are in piss poor form, Cardiff have won seven and drawn two of their last nine away games, and show no signs of their annual slump yet. 8/5 for the win is a H U G E price, and will form the cornerstone of this week’s accumulator for me. And if that doesn’t whet your appetite, what about 16/5 on a Fraizer Campbell / Cardiff Score/Win Double? Crazy prices.
QPR related bet: QPR to score at least twice @ 12/5
There are actually loads of really good omens and stats for QPR in relation to this match. Not that they ever do QPR much good. Instead of picking the match result, I’m going to back QPR to score at least twice (stop laughing at the back...) Southampton have conceded two goals or more in four of their last six games, and QPR have to score eventually, right?
Both Teams to Score Treble: Real vs Barca, Gareth Bale vs Arsenal, Southampton vs QPR @ 4/1
All three of these games have BTTS absolutely nailed on. It’s 4/1 for the treble. What’s not to like?
Winners so far:
NAP - Norwich vs QPR - Both teams to score @ 4/6, 24/8/12
LONGSHOT - Tottenham vs West Brom - Lay Tottenham @ 2/1, 24/8/12
NOTEBOOK - Stoke vs Arsenal, Liverpool vs Man City , draw double, 7/1, 24/07/12
QPR related Bet - Zamora to score anytime v Man City at 11/2, 30/08/12
Longshot - Tottenham vs Norwich - lay Spurs @ 1.4, 30/08/12
Notebook - Roma to beat Inter @ 3/1 30/08/12
Nap – Man Utd to win to nil v Wigan , 11/10, 13/09/12
Longshot – double as part of a Premiership Yankee at 10/1, 13/09/12
Longshot – Premier League double at 9/1, 21/09/12
NAP- Chelsea vs Stoke - Chelsea to win to nil @ 11/8, 21/09/12
Longshot – Premier League double at 4/1, 29/09/12
Europe to win the Ryder Cup at 2/1, 29/09/12
QPR related bet: Goal in the first 15 minutes v West Brom @ 9/4, 05/10/12
Notebook: Barcelona vs Real Madrid - Ronaldo to score anytime @ 13/10, 05/10/12
Longshot: Southampton v Fulham, Swansea v Reading draw double: @ 10/1, 05/10/12
NAP - West Brom vs Man City - Both teams to score @ 4/5, 18/10/12
Longshot - Goals Galore 8/1 Quad, 18/10/12
NAP - Sheffied United to beat Portsmouth @ 5/6, 25/10/12
Longshot - Sunday afternoon ‘Goals Galore’ @ 8/1, 25/10/12
Banker: Van Persie to score first against Arsenal @ 9/2, 2/11/12
NAP: Crystal Palace to win at Peterborough @ 7/5
Inevitable Scorers: Suarez to score first vs Wigan (4/1), 16/11/12
NAP: Arsenal vs Spurs - both teams to score @ 4/7, 16/11/12
NAP - Man Utd vs QPR - Man U to win & BTTS @ 7/4, 24/11/12
Other QPR Related Bet - Sunderland vs QPR - Draw @ 13/5, 24/11/12
NAP of the week - Lay Chelsea (vs West Ham) @ 16/15, 30/11/12
NAP of the week - Norwich to beat Wigan @ 16/13, 14/12/12
NAP – QPR and West Brom to draw, 5/2, 04/01/13
Longshot – Brighton to beat Newcastle 7/4, 04/01/13
Notebook – Cheltenham v Everton, both teams to score and Everton to win 9/4, 04/01/13
Aston Villa vs Southampton - Southampton to win @ 31/16, 11/01/13
Man Utd vs Liverpool - BTTS, Man U to win @ 9/4, 11/01/13
Nap: Liverpool & Man City to beat Norwich & Fulham @ 3/4, 18/01/13
NAP of the Week: Stoke vs Man City - Man City to win @ 4/5, 25/01/13
Notebook - Stoke vs Wigan, Sunderland vs Swansea draw double 10/1, 25/01/13
Longshot: Barnsley to beat Blackpool and both teams to score @ 15/2, 01/02/13
NAP of the week: Man Utd to beat Fulham @ 13/20, 01/02/13
NAP of the Week: Man Utd to beat Everton @ 11/13, 08/02/2013
Chelsea to beat Wigan by at least two goals @ Evens, 08/02/2013
QPR Related bet: Man U to win 2-0 at 8/1, 23/02/13
QPR travel to St Marys to take on a Saints side who haven't played at home in the league for a month. That game back at the beginning of February seems to have decided the destination of the title when Southampton completely outplayed current champions Man City . On that same day, QPR were getting totally annihilated at the Liberty Stadium. The stats really fooled me into thinking QPR would make it a tight game in Wales and possibly come away with a draw, but I was way off the mark. As soon as I saw the team I, along with even the most optimistic Rangers fan, knew what was coming.
Harry has made some odd team selections in recent weeks in my opinion. The 'throw a load of money at the Prem' project has failed miserably. Meanwhile a team like Southampton can sack a manager who seemed popular with the majority of players and very popular with the supporters and still put 11 men on the field to play their hearts out for the shirt and the new manager, regardless of the situation they find themselves in. I remember standing at St Mary's a good few seasons back watching us beat a massively struggling Southampton side and seeing fans around me waving money at the Saints fans taunting them with our new found 'wealthy owners'. I know which financial position of the two I'd prefer our club to be in now.
I want to think QPR can go there and win, but nothing in my head can convince me it’s possible. Samba looks off the pace and without him in top form, Lambert can cause us no end of problems in the air. With players such as Luke Shaw (although he faces a late fitness test) and Adam Lallana with energy to burn, I see a troubled time for the Rangers defence. I think QPR will hold out for a while, as minus the Swansea game, the defence has started reasonably strong in recent games, but I just can't see Southampton failing to score. My bet of the weekend is to double your money by backing Southampton to score their first goal after the 30th Minute at 21/20 with William Hill.
Winners so far:
Norwich v QPR, 11/10 Under 2.5 goals 24/08/12
West Brom v QPR, more than 2.5 goals, 4/5, 05/10/12
James Morrison to score anytime v QPR, 5/1, 05/10/12
QPR and Everton to draw 13/5, 18/10/12
MK Dons at plus 0.75 v QPR, Evens, 25/01/13
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