Reading v Ipswich Town – Betting Tip

14th March 2009- 15.00pm
Reading v Ipswich Town

Whilst The Royals of Reading have been on the slide recently, which included the 2-2 draw with Charlton in midweek it’s fair to say they still possess one of the best squads within the championship and one of the best managers to boot in Steve Coppell.

Whilst acknowledged above they have been on an indifferent run of late, a home record of twelve wins, three draws and three defeats from eighteen games is one of the best in the country, add to this the fact they have only conceded eleven at home and the fact they are averaging nearly two goals a game at The Madejski Stadium it all add ups to when they’re on song they pose a big threat to any team within this division. Solid through the heart of the team with Hahneman in goal (although Federici played in midweek) Duberry and Pearce commanding at the back Cisse and Matejovsky the midfield generals and of course Kevin Doyle leading from the front, allow for the flair of Stephen Hunt and the recently re-signing winger of Glen Little and that’s looks pretty special for this level of football. More options up front arrived in midweek with Dave Kitson re-signing on loan until the end of the season and looking to fire Reading back in to the elite.

Ipswich are no mugs themselves though and have already won seven times away from home this season and a midweek 0 – 0 at Wolves will have done much to inspire Jim Magilton’s players as the run-in takes shape. However I’ve got to admit im not a huge fan of The Tractor Boys and whilst I acknowledge the fact they’ve won seven away from home I see them as no more than a midtable club In their current situation and with their current squad.

The rumour mill is doing the rounds and if you believe the stories Magilton is under pressure from the club’s board and may find himself adding to the sizeable queue’s down at the local job centre soon.

A recent record of only one win in seven games is slightly concerning however I fancy Reading to overcome their dodgy spell and let their undoubted class rise to the surface and can see them back in The Premiership next season, they can start off with a home defeat of Ipswich Town and Victor Chandler go a stand alone price. If you can’t get on with Victor then snap up some of the general 8/11 available.

Reading to beat Ipswich Town
3pts Win @ 3/4 (Victor Chandler)

Crystal Palace v Preston – Betting Tip

7th March 2009- 15.00pm

15th Crystal Palace host 6th place Preston on which might not be the game of the day in The Championship but looks to have a bit of value knocking around it.

Palace lie 15th and are twelve points of a play off spot currently and from the looks of it, it is highly unlikely they will be contesting at the end of the season, however a home record of seven wins, five draws and five defeats is nothing to frown at. The only thing that is concerning is their lack of goals at Selhurst Park having scored only eleven goals in seventeen games so far.

Preston on the other hand lie in 6th and look to have every chance of being in with the shake up come the end of the season and an improvement to their poor away form would surely see them in. They’ve won only three, drawing six times and losing nine times on their travels away from Deepdale this season both Neil Mellor and big Jon Parkin scoring seven times and pushing for the clubs top scorer award.

I think this one should be a good game and can see it going the side of the home team. Whilst only eleven goals worries me slightly a leaky Preston defence (conceded 30 on the road so far this season) might just be what the Palace side need to boost their confidence in front of goal and the recent loan signing of Anthony Stokes from Sunderland could create more opportunities.

Crystal Palace to beat Preston
1pt Win @ 11/8 (Ladbrokes)

Football Betting Tips – 20.02.09

The recent few weeks have been tough and I’ll be the first to admit it hasn’t worked out half as well as I’d planned, but these things are sent to try us and as the snow and poor weather clears a fresh period beckons. This weekend we pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off and kick on with making some points profit.

This weekend I was unable to split three selections and therefore all will be advised and as such the previews will be shorter, but don’t let make you think im any less confident.

21/02/2009- 15.00pm
Barnsley v Charlton

18th Place takes on bottom in this relegation battle and you could have guessed from my earlier selection of Norwich against Barnsley im not a fan of Simon Davey’s mediocre outfit at all, I feel without being offensive there full of second rate no mark foreigners.  A 2-0 victory over Plymouth is nothing to shout from the rooftops about but there have been signs in recent weeks that Phil Parkinon’s men might just be getting it together and having extended the loan OF Tom Soares from Stoke City for a further month, I feel Skybet’s offer of 11/4 for an Addicks win too tempting.

21/02/2009-15.00pm
Blackpool v Watford

A further bottom of the table clash sees 17th placed Blackpool take on Watford who currently site in 21st. Once again were plumping for any away victory in this game, the recent singings of Aleksandrs Cauna and Don Cowie seem to have lifted lowely Watford and the 2-0 defeat of Swansea in midweek will have done nothing wrong for their confidence at all (Anyone who saw Swansea play Fulham last weekend knows that has to be taken as a good result). Tomas Priskin is continuing to find the net on a regular basis and once again Skybet’s price of 9/4 for a Watford victory interests me.

21/02/2009-15.00pm
Hereford v Peterborough Utd

3rd placed Peterborough travel to lowly Hereford and are the selection to make it a hatrick of away victories. They boast a healthy away points tally so far this season and whilst a recent run of only two wins in seven games has dented their hopes of automatic promotion, I think with Craig Mackail- Smith George Boyd and Aaron McClean in their side Posh should have a good chance of coming away from Edgar Street with a victory under their belt. A 2-0 victory over Leeds in midweek has boosted Herefords’s chances of survival this season but I think Darren Ferguson’s men will have enough and with Hills going odds-on at 10/11, Corals stand alone price of 5/4 looks very interesting. But be quick it may not last until kick-off if they take serious money for Peterborough.

This weekends selections are…

Charlton Athletic to beat Barnsley
1pt Win @ 11/4 Skybet

Watford to beat Blackpool
1pt Win @ 9/4 Skybet

Peterborough to beat Hereford
3pts Win @ 5/4 Coral

Nottingham Forest v QPR – Betting Tip

Nottingham Forest v QPR
Saturday 7th Feb 2009- 15.00pm

A late preview due to the effects of the severe weather conditions I was waiting to see if the game including our selection was going ahead and by the looks of it, it’s all go.

Since the recent appointment of Billy Davies, Forest who were struggling in the relegation places have been on a steady run of improved form. Davies can boast a run of four wins and one draw in his first seven games in charge and not many could argue with that start, he’s also won his first two games at The City Ground. Striker Nathan Tyson seems to have been rejuvenated by Davies’s style of play and has scored four times in the last seven games. They boast a home record of four wins, five draws and six losses.

QPR roll up in to town on a run of one defeat in ten games which was an extra time defeat at Burnley in The F.A Cup, they’re unbeaten in their last three. Looking at their bare away form it’s not too much to write home about – three wins, six draws and six defeats, scoring only ten times in fifteen away games so far.

However it finally looks to me like Paulo Sousa has got the team playing together and they sit one place outside the play off’s stalking and waiting to make their move. To add to an already solid squad and start to the season Rangers invested wisely in January and whilst most of their signings were undisclosed it’s fair to say it was an expensive January for them. The signings of Gary Borrowdale and Heidar Helguson and more importantly Wayne Routledge added Premier League class to their challenge for promotion and the loan move for Liam Miller (Sunderland) looks a shrewd deal.

The fact they’ve only scored ten away from home all season has to worry me but I’ve been sweet on QPR all week since I first saw the early prices and odds of 9/5 with Ladbrokes are reward enough.

QPR to beat Nottingham Forest
1pt Win @ 9/5 (Ladbrokes)

Norwich City v Barnsley

Norwich City v Barnsley (17th January 2009 @ 3pm)

Well as predicted last weekend’s weather caused a bit of trouble with the fixtures and our selection failed to make an appearance, lets hope with the warmer weather this week that it won’t be a problem. Looking down this weekend’s list of fixtures, a few jumped out as a bit of value but we’ve plumped for the game that sees Norwich in 21st take on Barnsley currently in 16th position.

A run of 1 win in 7 games including losing their last 3 saw Glenn Roeder lose his job as Norwich manager this week, many names already being touted about but it seems Aidy Boothroyd is quietly fancied to get the job. They say bad things happen in three’s so after Leroy Lita’s recall to Reading, being knocked out of the cup by Charlton and Roeder losing his job many Norwich fans will hope that’s the end of their miserable run. They currently sit one place above the relegation zone and are only out of the drop zone on goals difference, looking at their bare form they have lost their last 3 and only 1 win in 7 games it doesn’t fill you with much confidence but most of their defeats this season have been by the odd goal and this includes their last three league games. At Carrow Road they fare not bad having won 5 drawn 3 and lost 5 and always get a respectable home following including the lovely Delia!

Barnsley lie in 16th and 6 points above the relegation zone. Simon Davey’s side include stalwarts such as Darren Moore, Rob Kozluk and Jon Macken but also includes the likes of De Silva, Diego Leon, Mounis El Haimour and Marciano Van Homoet and I think its safe to say those boys weren’t born in Barnsley. Whilst some of the names in their squad aren’t easily recognisable the tykes are having a steady season and with only 2 defeats in their last 6 games are in pretty steady form, however an away record of 8 defeats in 11 games so far this season scoring only 10 goals in the process doesn’t inspire me with much confidence.

Norwich have this week recalled last season’s top scorer Jamie Cureton from his loan spell at Barnsley and which ever two out of Arturo Lupoli, Jamie Cureton or Carl Cort play against Barnsley it’s fair to say they possess a likely goal threat. Jonathan Grounds has arrived on loan from Middlesbrough and it’s likely that he’ll be paired with Gary Docherty in the heart of the City defence, if he can help shore up the back I would expect Norwich to start climbing the table. Im not at all impressed with Barnsley’s away form and take the Norwich lads to pose a likely goal threat and therefore I take the home team to prevail. Shop around for the best price but Stanjames’s 6/5 about a home win will do for us.

Norwich City to beat Barnsley
1pt win @ 6/5

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Just For Fun: One from each division

Chelsea to beat stoke
Huddersfield to beat swindon
Morecambe to beat Gillingham

Treble pays 5.09/1 with Stanjames