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ENGLISH PREMIERSHIP
Sunderland vs. Tottenham (07.45 EST)
The Premier League season kicks-off at the Stadium of Light where newly-promoted Sunderland host a Tottenham side who'll be looking to get off to a blistering start in their marathon race for the fourth Champions League spot. I'm expecting an entertaining and open affair and feel more confident predicting three or more goals than picking a match result. Both teams look to have plenty of goals in them, and with their sometimes suspect defences this could easily be the recipe for both keepers having a busy day. Although the Black Cats could start with Scottish star goalkeeper Craig Gordon, he'll certainly have his work cut out to keep the score down against the likes of Dimitar Berbatov and Darren Bent - both of whom enjoyed prolific 2006/07 seasons.
2 units OVER 2 and 2.5 goals at -107 between Sunderland and Tottenham
Middlesbrough vs. Blackburn Rovers (10:00 EST)
Blackburn enjoyed a strong second half to last season and I'm wasting no time in snapping them up at +180 to get off to a winning start at Middlesbrough on Saturday. Mark Hughes has captured Paraguayan striker Roque Santa Cruz and hot prospect Maceo Rigters during the summer and these are clear signs of progression for the Ewood Park club. Middlesbrough were hardly a fearsome outfit last term and having lost Mark Viduka to Newcastle, there's a sizeable void left for Jeremie Aliadiere and Tuncay Sanli to fill. Boro have lost three of their last five Premier League games at the Riverside while Rovers proved they are no soft touch on their travels, remaining unbeaten in their final three away games.
1 unit Blackburn to beat Middlesbrough at +180
ENGLISH CHAMPIONS
Barnsley vs. Coventry City (10:00 EST)
No fewer than 19 players have been snapped up by these two clubs over the summer but there’s a stark contrast in the respective make-up of those signings. Simon Davey has cast his net far and wide for Barnsley, attracting players from Hungary, Peru, Holland, Norway, Turkey and Cheltenham. Iain Dowie has simply picked up his phone and called a handful of journeymen who are out of contract, most of whom did a job at Crystal Palace a few years back. At face value, this is a classic battle between the new breed of forward-thinking coach and the typical old school gaffer, until you realise that Dowie is only six years Davey’s senior. Okay, so it’s not quite Aidy Boothroyd versus Ron Atkinson. But Big Ron might be the only man whose managerial career has gone backwards faster than Dowie’s over the last three years. The biggest problem for Dowie is the lack of stability in his life. He has taken four different jobs over the last five years and never allowed himself a moment for refection at any stage. The result is a short-term attitude towards the game and a civil court case that will cost him somewhere in the region of £1m. Dowie’s short-term approach might work for now and cost us the stake of this bet but it’s impossible to ignore the -105 available on Barnsley with home advantage (and draw returns stakes) while the form guide is blank. The Tykes have gambled on foreign exports and they might take a while to settle, but they are currently operating with a greater sense of purpose and have the greater overall credentials. This price could look huge by October.
3 units Barnsley (pk) to beat Coventry at -105
Burnley vs. West Brom (10:00 EST)
West Brom start on the long road back to rehabilitation at Turf Moor this weekend and they probably couldn’t have wished for more merciless opponents on the opening day. It’s always easy to sympathise with any club on the back of a play-off final defeat, especially when the most talented mercenaries have then scurried off towards the dry land of the Premiership unaffected. But Burnley won’t be taking pity on anyone after last season’s morale-sapping club record run of 19 games without victory. Football is a cruel game when promotion and relegation issues are settled at the end of the season, but nothing can come close to the inescapable frustration in the minds of honest, decent players when they’ve simply forgotten how to play the game. That experience lasted for months, rather than weeks, in Steve Cotterill’s dressing room and it could make the Clarets a dangerous proposition this season because they are not likely to forget it in a hurry. Therefore, don’t expect Burnley to concede too many goals on the cheap. They will remain determined and focused for longer periods, knowing full well what can happen when a single wrong turn sends you down the slippery road to lost confidence. A slow start from Albion would be no great surprise. Aside from the customary hangover that seems to accompany any Wembley heartbreak, their preparations for the new campaign have been hardly ideal. Leon Barnett, Carl Hoefkens and James Morrison seem like solid signings but they have had insufficient time to settle in.
3 units Burnley (pk) to beat West Brom at -105
Southampton vs. Crystal Palace (10:00 EST)
Southampton still possess the attacking machinery that manufactured 93 goals in all competitions last season but disbelief is mounting at the alarming lack of depth or quality at the back. The summer sale of Gareth Bale to Tottenham came as no surprise, Chris Baird’s move to Fulham could be easily predicted and another injury to Claus Lundekvam is merely par for the course. However, George Burley has had all summer to confront the problem and done nothing to replace any of these players with permanent additions. The club has secured loan deals for Gregory Vignal and Alan Bennett but these short-term fixes do not portray the image of a team eager to emulate the accomplishments of last season. Saints will face Crystal Palace on the opening day with a makeshift back four that is distinctly lacking in leadership and carrying two players out of position. The real bad news for Burley is that Palace possess a genuine dead-ball threat in the cultured left boot of summer signing Jeff Hughes and the aerial presence of Sheki Kuqi and James Scowcroft is primed to capitalise on his deliveries. You will already be aware that this service has tipped Palace for relegation earlier in the week but the contradiction doesn’t make either bet a bad one. The Eagles are capable of grinding out points against teams with a tendency to roll over and Southampton do occasionally fall into that category. A lack of bite in the Saints’ midfield was ultimately responsible for the club failing to mount a genuine challenge for the automatic promotion spots last season. That soft underbelly combined with defensive confusion makes them ripe for taking on at the moment and Palace ought to be chanced at 3/1.
2 units Crystal Palace (+0.5) to beat Southampton at -110
ENGLISH LEAGUE ONE
Southend vs. Leyton Orient (10:00 EST)
There can be no doubt which of these two sides is most pleased to see this local derby back on the fixture list. Leyton Orient put a severe dent in Southend’s League Two promotion bid last time they visited the Essex coast – but the O’s waved farewell to their neighbours a few weeks later and they’ve been enviously playing catch-up ever since. Southend were just two wins away from promotion when John Mackie scored the only goal for the visitors on a Friday evening at Roots Hall back in April 2005. The result sparked a late collapse that cost the Shrimpers an automatic place as they dropped 11 points in their final five games but Freddy Eastwood guided them to victory in the play-offs six weeks later and the first half of a whirlwind fairytale was complete. They won promotion again the following season, as did Orient, and now the two clubs finally meet on an equal footing once again after Steve Tilson’s men were relegated from the Championship three months ago. In terms of incentive, it’s hard to envisage Southend matching Orient for desire. Their dream is now over and the inevitable departure of Eastwood is the ultimate slap in the face to remind them of the fact. Orient, however, are carrying two years worth of envy as emotional fuel. Martin Ling has brought in eight new faces over the summer and the O’s suddenly look like they’ve got the stronger squad on paper. It’s bound to take them a while to settle in and develop, of course, but one big effort and three points away to local rivals on the opening day is a cast-iron way to buy some patience from the fans.
2 units Leyton Orient (+0.5) to beat Southend at +110
SCOTTISH FIRST DIVISION
Clyde vs. Hamilton (10:00 EST)
I actually make Hamilton odds on at my prices on the money line, so getting these odds where the draw returns full stakes is a solid recommendation – I watched The Acca's win against Dunfermline last week. While they are no world beaters I think they will have too much for Clyde, probably the worst team in the division.
2 units Hamilton (+pk) to beat Clyde at -110
SCOTTISH THIRD DIVISION
East Stirling vs. Dumbarton (10:00 EST)
I make East Stirling +130 (on the money line) chances on my prices so they have to be backed on the spread where a draw returns a win and a loss by one goal returns half the unit stake.
1 unit East Stirling (+0.5 and +1) to beat Dumbarton at -130
Elgin City vs. Montrose (10:00 EST)
NO WRITE-UP
2 units Montrose (pk and -0.5) to beat Elgin City at -110
Arbroath vs. East Fife (10:00 EST)
By my prices I think East Fife are a bet as Arbroath have lost their three best players to rivals Montrose and are in straitened financial circumstances this year. It will be a tough game but worth and interest at the prices.
1 unit East Fife (pk and +0.5) to beat Arbroath at -120
Reminder: These are flat bets (not laying the juice to win stated units). So for 3 units at -110 stake will be 3 units and not 3.3 units to win 3 units.
2 units on OVER 2 and 2.5 @ -107 between Sunderland and Spurs
1 unit on Blackburn to beat Middlesbrough at +180
3 units Barnsley (pk) to beat Coventry at -105
3 units Burnley (pk) to beat West Brom at -105
2 units Crystal Palace (+0.5) to beat Southampton at -110
2 units Leyton Orient (+0.5) to beat Southend at +110
2 units Hamilton (pk) to bt Clyde at -110
1 unit East Stirling (+0.5 and +1) to bt Dumbarton @ -130
2 units Montrose (pk and -0.5) to bt Elgin City @ -110
1 unit East Fife (pk and +0.5) to bt Arbroath @ -120
Sunderland vs. Tottenham (07.45 EST)
The Premier League season kicks-off at the Stadium of Light where newly-promoted Sunderland host a Tottenham side who'll be looking to get off to a blistering start in their marathon race for the fourth Champions League spot. I'm expecting an entertaining and open affair and feel more confident predicting three or more goals than picking a match result. Both teams look to have plenty of goals in them, and with their sometimes suspect defences this could easily be the recipe for both keepers having a busy day. Although the Black Cats could start with Scottish star goalkeeper Craig Gordon, he'll certainly have his work cut out to keep the score down against the likes of Dimitar Berbatov and Darren Bent - both of whom enjoyed prolific 2006/07 seasons.
2 units OVER 2 and 2.5 goals at -107 between Sunderland and Tottenham
Middlesbrough vs. Blackburn Rovers (10:00 EST)
Blackburn enjoyed a strong second half to last season and I'm wasting no time in snapping them up at +180 to get off to a winning start at Middlesbrough on Saturday. Mark Hughes has captured Paraguayan striker Roque Santa Cruz and hot prospect Maceo Rigters during the summer and these are clear signs of progression for the Ewood Park club. Middlesbrough were hardly a fearsome outfit last term and having lost Mark Viduka to Newcastle, there's a sizeable void left for Jeremie Aliadiere and Tuncay Sanli to fill. Boro have lost three of their last five Premier League games at the Riverside while Rovers proved they are no soft touch on their travels, remaining unbeaten in their final three away games.
1 unit Blackburn to beat Middlesbrough at +180
ENGLISH CHAMPIONS
Barnsley vs. Coventry City (10:00 EST)
No fewer than 19 players have been snapped up by these two clubs over the summer but there’s a stark contrast in the respective make-up of those signings. Simon Davey has cast his net far and wide for Barnsley, attracting players from Hungary, Peru, Holland, Norway, Turkey and Cheltenham. Iain Dowie has simply picked up his phone and called a handful of journeymen who are out of contract, most of whom did a job at Crystal Palace a few years back. At face value, this is a classic battle between the new breed of forward-thinking coach and the typical old school gaffer, until you realise that Dowie is only six years Davey’s senior. Okay, so it’s not quite Aidy Boothroyd versus Ron Atkinson. But Big Ron might be the only man whose managerial career has gone backwards faster than Dowie’s over the last three years. The biggest problem for Dowie is the lack of stability in his life. He has taken four different jobs over the last five years and never allowed himself a moment for refection at any stage. The result is a short-term attitude towards the game and a civil court case that will cost him somewhere in the region of £1m. Dowie’s short-term approach might work for now and cost us the stake of this bet but it’s impossible to ignore the -105 available on Barnsley with home advantage (and draw returns stakes) while the form guide is blank. The Tykes have gambled on foreign exports and they might take a while to settle, but they are currently operating with a greater sense of purpose and have the greater overall credentials. This price could look huge by October.
3 units Barnsley (pk) to beat Coventry at -105
Burnley vs. West Brom (10:00 EST)
West Brom start on the long road back to rehabilitation at Turf Moor this weekend and they probably couldn’t have wished for more merciless opponents on the opening day. It’s always easy to sympathise with any club on the back of a play-off final defeat, especially when the most talented mercenaries have then scurried off towards the dry land of the Premiership unaffected. But Burnley won’t be taking pity on anyone after last season’s morale-sapping club record run of 19 games without victory. Football is a cruel game when promotion and relegation issues are settled at the end of the season, but nothing can come close to the inescapable frustration in the minds of honest, decent players when they’ve simply forgotten how to play the game. That experience lasted for months, rather than weeks, in Steve Cotterill’s dressing room and it could make the Clarets a dangerous proposition this season because they are not likely to forget it in a hurry. Therefore, don’t expect Burnley to concede too many goals on the cheap. They will remain determined and focused for longer periods, knowing full well what can happen when a single wrong turn sends you down the slippery road to lost confidence. A slow start from Albion would be no great surprise. Aside from the customary hangover that seems to accompany any Wembley heartbreak, their preparations for the new campaign have been hardly ideal. Leon Barnett, Carl Hoefkens and James Morrison seem like solid signings but they have had insufficient time to settle in.
3 units Burnley (pk) to beat West Brom at -105
Southampton vs. Crystal Palace (10:00 EST)
Southampton still possess the attacking machinery that manufactured 93 goals in all competitions last season but disbelief is mounting at the alarming lack of depth or quality at the back. The summer sale of Gareth Bale to Tottenham came as no surprise, Chris Baird’s move to Fulham could be easily predicted and another injury to Claus Lundekvam is merely par for the course. However, George Burley has had all summer to confront the problem and done nothing to replace any of these players with permanent additions. The club has secured loan deals for Gregory Vignal and Alan Bennett but these short-term fixes do not portray the image of a team eager to emulate the accomplishments of last season. Saints will face Crystal Palace on the opening day with a makeshift back four that is distinctly lacking in leadership and carrying two players out of position. The real bad news for Burley is that Palace possess a genuine dead-ball threat in the cultured left boot of summer signing Jeff Hughes and the aerial presence of Sheki Kuqi and James Scowcroft is primed to capitalise on his deliveries. You will already be aware that this service has tipped Palace for relegation earlier in the week but the contradiction doesn’t make either bet a bad one. The Eagles are capable of grinding out points against teams with a tendency to roll over and Southampton do occasionally fall into that category. A lack of bite in the Saints’ midfield was ultimately responsible for the club failing to mount a genuine challenge for the automatic promotion spots last season. That soft underbelly combined with defensive confusion makes them ripe for taking on at the moment and Palace ought to be chanced at 3/1.
2 units Crystal Palace (+0.5) to beat Southampton at -110
ENGLISH LEAGUE ONE
Southend vs. Leyton Orient (10:00 EST)
There can be no doubt which of these two sides is most pleased to see this local derby back on the fixture list. Leyton Orient put a severe dent in Southend’s League Two promotion bid last time they visited the Essex coast – but the O’s waved farewell to their neighbours a few weeks later and they’ve been enviously playing catch-up ever since. Southend were just two wins away from promotion when John Mackie scored the only goal for the visitors on a Friday evening at Roots Hall back in April 2005. The result sparked a late collapse that cost the Shrimpers an automatic place as they dropped 11 points in their final five games but Freddy Eastwood guided them to victory in the play-offs six weeks later and the first half of a whirlwind fairytale was complete. They won promotion again the following season, as did Orient, and now the two clubs finally meet on an equal footing once again after Steve Tilson’s men were relegated from the Championship three months ago. In terms of incentive, it’s hard to envisage Southend matching Orient for desire. Their dream is now over and the inevitable departure of Eastwood is the ultimate slap in the face to remind them of the fact. Orient, however, are carrying two years worth of envy as emotional fuel. Martin Ling has brought in eight new faces over the summer and the O’s suddenly look like they’ve got the stronger squad on paper. It’s bound to take them a while to settle in and develop, of course, but one big effort and three points away to local rivals on the opening day is a cast-iron way to buy some patience from the fans.
2 units Leyton Orient (+0.5) to beat Southend at +110
SCOTTISH FIRST DIVISION
Clyde vs. Hamilton (10:00 EST)
I actually make Hamilton odds on at my prices on the money line, so getting these odds where the draw returns full stakes is a solid recommendation – I watched The Acca's win against Dunfermline last week. While they are no world beaters I think they will have too much for Clyde, probably the worst team in the division.
2 units Hamilton (+pk) to beat Clyde at -110
SCOTTISH THIRD DIVISION
East Stirling vs. Dumbarton (10:00 EST)
I make East Stirling +130 (on the money line) chances on my prices so they have to be backed on the spread where a draw returns a win and a loss by one goal returns half the unit stake.
1 unit East Stirling (+0.5 and +1) to beat Dumbarton at -130
Elgin City vs. Montrose (10:00 EST)
NO WRITE-UP
2 units Montrose (pk and -0.5) to beat Elgin City at -110
Arbroath vs. East Fife (10:00 EST)
By my prices I think East Fife are a bet as Arbroath have lost their three best players to rivals Montrose and are in straitened financial circumstances this year. It will be a tough game but worth and interest at the prices.
1 unit East Fife (pk and +0.5) to beat Arbroath at -120
Reminder: These are flat bets (not laying the juice to win stated units). So for 3 units at -110 stake will be 3 units and not 3.3 units to win 3 units.
2 units on OVER 2 and 2.5 @ -107 between Sunderland and Spurs
1 unit on Blackburn to beat Middlesbrough at +180
3 units Barnsley (pk) to beat Coventry at -105
3 units Burnley (pk) to beat West Brom at -105
2 units Crystal Palace (+0.5) to beat Southampton at -110
2 units Leyton Orient (+0.5) to beat Southend at +110
2 units Hamilton (pk) to bt Clyde at -110
1 unit East Stirling (+0.5 and +1) to bt Dumbarton @ -130
2 units Montrose (pk and -0.5) to bt Elgin City @ -110
1 unit East Fife (pk and +0.5) to bt Arbroath @ -120
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