The winners continue to flow forth from the LFW Betting Column, and we have a full compliment of pundits for you this week to look ahead to Rangers' clash with the Hammers and the Ryder Cup among other offerings.
Brian couldn't have been more unlucky last time out as his horse bets all placed, but none won. We're in a role reversal from last season at the moment where Andy had his arse handed to him – this season he can't stop picking winners and he added another two pre-Spurs.
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
I might have to hold my hand up and accept responsibility for the Reading defeat. I know the rules of accumulators, hell I wrote half of them, and rule Number one, in bold, underlined and italics is do not put your own team in an accumulator, it’ll be the only one that lets you down. Of course, I thought I knew better, stuck QPR in my Wednesday night accumulator, and was feeling smug when Cisse smashed in that 25 yarder. The rest as they say, is history. Including my accumulator. Every other leg came in, as the rule dictates they would. I even backed Liverpool to beat West Brom . Nobody backed Liverpool to beat West Brom for Christ-sakes...
NAP - Man Utd to beat Spurs @ 8/13
I’m loathe to suggest an odds on bet as my NAP of the week, as I like to provide some sort of value, but Man Utd always beat Spurs. They’ve won seven of the last eight between the two, and Spurs haven’t won at Old Trafford in nearly 25 years - and remember, that’s not a played once in 25 years jobby like QPR not winning at Old Trafford in 25 years, Spurs play there every year. Stick it in as part of an accumulator with a couple of 1/5 shots and you’re looking at even money...
QPR related bet - Second half to have more goals than the first @ 6/5
Before the Reading game I was pondering doing something ambitious like backing the QPR win to nil - our performances against Chelsea and Spurs suggested that a corner had been turned and it was very much onwards and upwards. Instead, I’m going for a stats based bet - five of QPR’s seven games have seen more goals in the second half, with the only exceptions being the 1-1 at Norwich and the 0-0 vs Chelsea . One to keep an eye on is Kevin Nolan to score anytime @ 7/2 - he’s already got three in the league this season...
Longshot - Premiership away doubles and trebles @ around 4/1 per double and 8/1 for the treble
Carrying on from last week’s successful away wins double and treble, I fancy another one this week - Man City , Liverpool and Newcastle against Fulham, Norwich and Reading respectively. Any double coming in will cover your stake, and the treble will see you very well indeed.
Non-Football-Ryder-Cup Bets - Europe to win outright at 2/1, Paul Laurie top combined points scorer @ 60/1 E/W
By the time you read this (hello mum!) the Ryder Cup will probably be well underway and this paragraph may look very silly, but I just can’t see why Europe are such long odds to retain the Ryder Cup. I know that it’s in America, and the Americans have won most of the Majors this year, but in Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose and Luke Donald, we’ve got three of the best in the world in top form - and Medinah is Luke Donald’s ‘home course’ as well. For the top combined points scorer, I’ve gone for the very overlooked Paul Laurie, who’s had an excellent season and at 60/1 is a fantastic each way shout.
Winners so far:
NAP - Norwich vs QPR - Both teams to score @ 4/6, 24/8/12
Nap – Tranmere to beat Colchester 21/10, 30/08/12
Well this Monday's London Derby could go down as either the start of the season for us with the first win or it could down as the day we lost at home on Sky and introduced the 3D programme to the world. Let’s hope the review of previous players doesn’t include Iain Dowie as a 3D picture of him would send many people home unable to sleep. Although Clive could cut it out and threaten to send it to his local pizza delivery firm (see his shit 90’s footballer tweets from last weekend it is very good).
One for the Notebook - Villa to win the Capital One Cup Each Way 18/1
Due to a technical hitch (I may not have pressed send) last week’s offering containing all manner of interesting betting snippets including Wolves as my NAP never reached Clive. My longshot selection highlighted Villa to win the Capital One Cup at 50/1 as I thought they could get through against a City side with bigger fish to fry. They are still available at 18/1 with Corals and are worth a small each bet at this price as a trip to Swindon should not cause them any issues.
LONGSHOT Ian Poulter 8/1 top European points scorer at Ryder Cup
The Ryder Cup takes place this weekend and Europe look to retain the trophy against an American team who have been piling on the pressure this week with statements about hostile crowds etc. Europe are 2/1 to win and this was originally going to be my NAP but I chanced upon Ian Poulter at 8/1 to be the top European point scorer. Poulter has played 11 Ryder Cup matches over 3 occasions and has won 8 of these games, never losing a singles match and top scoring for Europe in the past 2 occasions. The Ryder cup is not like a normal competition and Poulter thrives on this and for this reason the 8/1 is good value.
NAP Tranmere 5/4 to beat Brentford
I had to check again when I saw Tranmere at odds of 5/4 to beat Brentford at home this weekend. Tranmere had won all 4 homes games scoring 12 and the Bees have drawn 3 and lost 1 on the road and I can see the home side extending their advantage at the top of the division.
Winners so far:
Norwich v QPR, 11/10 Under 2.5 goals 24/08/12
Previously advised: Cisse to finish top QPR scorer in Premier League, 9/4 Stan James, 17/08/12
My punting over the last few weeks is much like Fernando Torres in front of goal, low on confidence and frequently missing the target. Like every punter/striker I’m determined to punt my way out of a barren spell.
Despite recent results there has still been positives to take from our games against Man City, Chelsea and Spurs but my one major concern throughout Hughes reign has been how vulnerable we look when defended set pieces. The last thing I think we need at the minute is Big Sam’s famed tactics & a packed away following. So in our game I’m going for Winston Reid at 50-1 first goal & 20-1 anytime with Blue Square .
Elsewhere our former trialist and ex-Chelsea fire cracker Jacob Mellis has settled into life in South Yorkshire very well and is enjoying a free role in behind Craig Davies. After his performance in front of the Sky Cameras at St Andrews last Saturday I’m surprised to see quotes of 14-1 first goal and 11-2 anytime still available so is well worth chancing he can deliver against a woeful Ipswich side.
Down Saturday’s coupon Barnet don’t jump out as a selection many will be backing. However centre backs David Stephens and on loan Krysten Pearce have struck an impressive understanding and were able to deliver the sides first clean sheet of the season against big spending Rotherham . With those two at centre back, John Oster arriving to play a free role from the left aswell as Collins John expected to make his debut the side all of a sudden look better then the table suggests and could be worth following over the next few weeks. I’m going to start with the 15/2 about them away at big spending Fleetwood
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