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May 17th

Rochdale v Darlington

Rochdale were desperately unlucky not to come away with something from the first leg, dominating the second half before being hit with a sucker punch right at the end leaving them 2-1 down going into this home leg. However you have to think they stand a good chance of overturning this with an excellent recent record at Spotlands winning 7 out of their last 8 on their own turf. Darlington still have injury problems particularly up front where Pawel Abbott may be pushed back into duty after an injury lay off. There is no way he will be match sharp although he has undoubted quality at this level. Darlo also have doubts over Ben Parker, Ryan Valentine and David Stockdale. Stockdale, a key player in goal is likely to play through pain again with an injection to aid his foot injury. Despite the shocking record of home sides in the play offs, we reckon Rochdale are worth a small bet here at -0.25 1.84 Unibet. Worth noting that they do not have to protect a lead like many of the other home sides have so theoretically this should focus any nerves.

Ashdod – Hapoel Kiryat Shmona (Israeli Premier)

Kiryat Shmona have a small chance to get the 2nd place, but the 3rd place is a reachable target that will give them an Intertoto spot. A good achievement for the newly promoted team. However, it won't be easy tomorrow. They are facing a long trip to Ashdod and are missing their captain Tzarfati and topscorer Belo. Without these 2 their offence is a lot weaker. For Ashdod it's a "do or die" situation, but they have appointed a new boss this week. Yosi Mizrahi already coached Ashdod a few years ago and he's known as a defensive minded coach. Can't see Ashdod playing here 4-2-4 like they played against Beitar and they should play a careful game. With Kiryat Shmona facing troubles in scoring, and Ashdod playing a more defensive game than usual there shouldn't be many goals here. Pinnacle offers 1.98 for u2.25 which looks good enough for a small stake.

May 15th

Carlisle v Leeds

Carlisle lead 2-1 from the first leg where they gained a thoroughly deserved victory, in goal Keiron Westwood performed excellently and on the counter, Carlisle opened Leeds up regularly. The Yorkshire side were running out of ideas until a last gasp goal by Freedman gave them hope. This has set the tie up nicely and should ensure an entertaining encounter at Brunton Park. Carlisle have a phenomenal record at home, the best in the league W17 D3 L3 although Leeds have also won plenty on the road. The bookies make Leeds marginal favourites on the Asian Handicaps and this looks wrong as they will have to attack again and will therefore leave themselves open once more to Carlisle's counters. Also important forward Jermaine Beckford is carrying an ankle injury which forced him to come off early in the first leg. His replacement Kandol is not in the same class although it's seems likely that Beckford will start this match anyway. With home teams continuing to struggle in the play offs, the most interesting bet looks to be over 2.5 goals @2.1+. The matches between these sides have been open affairs 3-1, 3-2, 1-2 this season and with Leeds having to score it should be another cracking match.

May 11th

Portsmouth v Fulham

Harry Redknapp says he will put out a strong side to face Fulham but some of his comments can be interpreted both ways "I will put out a strong team" "It's not the end of the world if we lose to Fulham" "I could have rested players, Many do" "None of my players who are not 100% fit will play" and so on. So he's covered all his bases in true Harry style. Doubts still over James, Muntari and other important players while opponents Fulham will be full strength. They look to be flying recently and of course have motivation on their side. However let's bear in mind their record on the road this season. Yes 2 wins all season. Then look at Pompey's home record. Only 1 defeat in 9 at Fratton Park for Harry's men. Yes they have some injuries and doubts over motivation but one definite is that Defoe will play and he is a danger to any defence particularly one as porous as Fulhams. If you are a value bettor you would laugh at the books making Fulham favourites here and lay them to your hearts content. Otherwise skip the match entirely.

May 10th

Maccabi Petah Tikva – Hapoel Kfar Saba

The bookmakers are making MPT -1\4 favourites in this fixture in the Israeli Premier, but their estimations are far away from reality. Kfar Saba are just 5 points off the 11th place which means relegation and 3 points in this game will give them a great boost for the survival. Their form does'nt look that great, but it's maily because of many injuries they had in the last rounds. In the last round, all men were on board and they won 1-0 against Maccabi Haifa. Against MPT, coach Eli Ohana will have a full squad again. MPT atm are the worst team in the league. They have a new coach for 3 rounds now, but it will take him a lot of time to fix the damages that the last coach, Luzon, has done. MPT finally found the goal after 8 games without scoring, but unfortunetly for them, it was an own goal against Bnei Yehuda(who won 1-0 and dominated the game). They have'nt scored for 9 rounds now and if Kfar Saba will play like they played against Haifa, they will get the job done easily. MPT's self confiedence is very low atm and Kfar Saba are better away from home. I see Kfar Saba as the favourites here and I recommend taking Kfar Saba +1\4 @ 1.75(Pinnacle) with small stakes.

May 3rd

Hapoel Kfar Saba v Maccabi Haifa

Hapoel Kfar Saba are the worst home team in the Israeli Premier with a 1-6-7 record, but tomorrow they merit support. The board has decided to sell the tickets for a very low price and a great crowd is expected. In recent weeks they have'nt shown much, but it was mainly due to their injury troubles. Against Haifa, coach Eli Ohana will have a full squad. Haifa are in poor form themselves and scoring has been a problem for them. For the trip to Kfar Saba they have some squad problems and they have only 16 fit players available. The missings of Harazi and Refaelov will be a big blow, since they are physical players and Kafr Saba are also a physical side. Without them they don't have a lot of players who can cope with Kfar Saba, especially in the midfield. Motivation will also be a factor here, Haifa and Beitar are the only teams that have nothing to play for. Haifa is 7 points off the 2nd place that leads to Europe, while Kfar Saba are just 4 points off the relegation zone. Pinnacle has Kfar Saba @ +0.25 1.72. Worth a try with small-medium stakes.

May 3rd

Hapoel Tel Aviv – Hapoel Kiryat Shmona

There are strong trends for goals here but the goal-line is set at an attractive low line @ 2.25 with Pinnacle. HTA are fighting against the relegation and Kiryat Shmona are fighting for the 2nd place and a ticket to Europe. Kiryat Shmona were promoted to the league this season and under Ben Shimon they are playing very well. Not a lot of big names, but a great team play and attractive football. Kiryat Shmona was shocked this week to hear that their top goalscorer, Belo, broke his leg and will be missing for some months. He scored 10 goals this season. However the midfield of Kiryat Shmona is their main strength and will still offer plenty of attacking potential. HTA are playing very offensive football now. Some signings in the winter break gave the team a good boost and while some of the players in HTA don't have a contract for the next season and since the owners will be different, all the players will do their best to keep their jobs for the next season. On Kiryat Shmona's side, Ben Shimon will work for MTA next season. A win over HTA will surely satisfy his bosses in the next season. Both teams should play very open football here and some goals should be scored. Over 2.25 @ around 2.05+ is worth a shot but small stakes because of the missing Belo.

April 28th

WBA v Southampton

Massive game for both sides. A win for WBA will take them into the Premiership while a loss for Southampton would make them favourites for relegation to League 1. Team news has a possible return for full backs Ostlund and Vignal for Southampton. The Saints have been forced to operate with 2 mf Surman and Wright at full back in recent games, they have performed ok but with a side with the attacking potential of WBA more regular defenders will definitely be a bonus. WBA should be pretty much full strength but they have a deep squad anyway. WBA have ground out some good wins recently to put them in this position although their performances still aren't completely convincing being rather fortunate to escape with a win from Norwich last time out. Southampton have improved under Pearson particularly in defence but crucially they have failed to record enough victories with six draws in the last eleven. The Southampton manager has some history with WBA being the assistant manager their under Robson last season, it's hard to judge how he will approach this game with any points being a bonus despite Southampton's perilous position. Odds look correct at the moment, WBA are deserved warm favourites here but it's hard to shake a sneaky suspicion that the away team may nick something here.

April 22nd April

Wolves v Cardiff

Both sides are still in with a shot of the play offs but Wolves chances are far better with a game in hand on their rivals. This is a "must win" game for both teams. Wolves were dealt a sucker punch last weekend with a late equaliser by Ipswich denying a crucial victory. Cardiff meanwhile seemed to have more than one eye on the Cup Final in losing to relegated Scunthorpe. Team news suggests several knocks for important players. Karl Henry is still out for Wolves and they seem to have missed him, not winning a game in his absence. Michael Gray is also a doubt at full back while Edwards is struggling for fitness in midfield. Both are replaceable. Michael Kightly, the fans favourite, could again come off the bench here which will boost Wolves's chances. The winger was crucial to their better early season form. Cardiff meanwhile have doubts over Loovens and Macnaugton. Two regular defenders, Loovens will be missed if he is out with Purse his replacement playing without confidence. Parry is still missing up front meaning goals will again be without a problem for Cardiff. Hard to see any value in the current odds although inevitably the market will back Wolves so Cardiff may become some value nearer kick off. Current odds on the total line also look correct.

April 19th April

Walsall v Bournemouth

Must win game for Bournemouth. Any thing else and they are down. Walsall meanwhile are fighting for a play off spot. Contrasting form for both sides with Bournemouth heading the form tables despite the ongoing off the field problems which plague the club. They do miss a key midfielder here with Gradel absent for family reasons however their opponents Walsall have far more wide reaching problems with possibly up to five regulars out injured. They aren't in the best of form either losing to Bristol Rovers in midweek a side Bournemouth had beaten just days earlier. Odds of 1.9 for +0.5 on Bournemouth look very attractive or try the higher priced dnb at Sportingbet @3.0.

April 15th April

Barnsley v Hull

A Yorkshire derby tonight with plenty riding on the game. Hull looked a bit rusty at the weekend only managing a draw with QPR after their two week break. You have to wonder if they have slightly gone off the boil whereas all their rivals have played several games over the last fortnight. Barnsley meanwhile look to have evaded the clutches of relegation with two excellent wins last week. However manager Davey has conceded that his team are tired and he is likely to make changes tonight. Howard is again missing through illness while Campbell-Ryce has a slight injury. Two important players. Hull have doubts over Pederson and Garcia but both those are replaceable with Folan likely to start this time. He's a good quality attacker and should be first choice anyway. The early odds were clear value on Barnsley (around 1.84 +0.25) considering their excellent home record but the market has crashed a little so it's worth waiting to see if they bounce back up again. It looks a very similar match up to last nights Sheff W v Plymouth match so another scoring draw wouldn't be a surprise.

April 14th April

Sheff W v Plymouth

Quite an interesting match although not currently from a betting perspective. It's a more important game for Sheff W who desperately need a win to escape the relegation places. They are in decent form currently, seven games unbeaten with good performances against in form Sheff U and Palace and a creditable draw against leaders Stoke. The only new injury news for them is the possible absence of midfielder Graham Kavanagh, quite an influential player. Plymouth can welcome back their key winger Halmosi. Several interesting factors in the background of this game....Maclean and Folly both used to play for Sheff W and Maclean seems to regard his former club quite fondly. More importantly Plymouth's manager was sacked in acrimonious circumstances by Sheff W. He says he bears no grudges but he would say that wouldn't he... There seems a few internal problems at Plymouth at the moment. Siep a classy defender has been put on the list after refusing to go on the bench after being dropped for the Chalton match, this could partially explain Plymouth's dire performance in that match where they were undone by a team who had their gk sent off after 10 mins. A match they had to win to have any chance of the play offs. That chance has gone now so all the motivation for this match (bar the Sturrock revenge) seems to lie with the home team. Both teams have been scoring and conceding recently so it wouldn't be a total surprise to see a few goals here. The currents odds however aren't tempting for a bet on 1x2 or the goal-line.

April 12th April

Port Vale v Huddersfield

Port Vale are trying to mount a great escape, they're in cracking form and knocking in goals all over the place and conceding plenty also. The last ten games have seen 32 goals in Port Vale matches and here they face a must win game against Huddersfield. Their opponents have just appointed a new coach so will have plenty of motivation for this one and a spirited performance against promotion contenders Doncaster last w/e shows they are in decent fettle. They are no slouches in the goalfest department either with 22 goals in their last six matches. Looks very nice potential for a high scorer here. Odds above 1.9 for over 2.5 goals looks worth a shot.

Monday 7th April

Stoke v Palace

A real crunch match at the top of the Championship. A win will put Stoke top while a victory for Palace will send them into the playoff spots. Stoke have wobbled a bit recently with only one win in seven matches for the Potters but they remain a formidable force at home where they have won five out of the last seven. Palace meanwhile are in reasonable form although they fired blanks last weekend in a 0-0 draw against Blackpool. The line ups will be crucial here. Key striker Ricardo Fuller is back from suspension for Stoke, this ex Palace man is unplayable on his day and that often happens against his old club. The worry is that Pulis will choose Amoebi ahead of him which would be unthinkably stupid in this writer's opinion. Shawcross is also available again and could come into the defence. Palace meanwhile have a major doubt over Scowcroft the fulcrum of their attack. He went off with a hamstring problem against Blackpool so it's likely he will miss out. This could mean a place for young star Victor Moses if he is fit again, otherwise new boy Scott Sinclair could get pushed further forward. The other main doubt is ex Stoke man Clint Hill who was missing last week with a leg injury. If he misses out again Palace could struggle defensively. They did make a flurry of loan signings last week - Sinclair in particular looking a class act against Blackpool. However their greatest weapon is manager Neil Warnock, much maligned he maybe but he has really turned the club around since being appointed. His counterpart Pulis lacks a lot of imagination, Stoke have one tactic really - direct in your face football. Welcome to the land of the giants... It's a tough call but with Fuller back and doubts over two imp Palace players, a play on the home win at above 2.1 looks worth chancing.

Sunday 6th April

Barnsley v Cardiff

Barnsley are to be thanked for providing some real cup flavour by dispatching the Premiership big boys of Liverpool and Chelsea from this grand old competition. However we think this is the end of the road for the Tykes, their form has been dismal since beating Chelsea with successive losses in the league meaning they are now in real relegation trouble. Cardiff have been more stable and are in fact unbeaten in their last six although they too are hardly tearing up trees. It's the team news which is key here. Barnsley are definitely without Foster and Macken while Nardiello is very doubtful. This means a rejigged defence with Van Homoet likely to come in. Up front it could be Ferenczi and Odejayi a combination which has yielded a paltry five goals all season. Barnsley's strength lies in midfield where Howard is destined for higher things and Devaney and Campbell-Ryce can provide quality on the wings. However this is Cardiff's strength also with Ledley fit again and young starlet Ramsey coming through. In other areas the welsh team are superior with Haisslebank getting a swansong on a big stage and a very solid centreback pairing in Loovens and Johnson. The doubts over Parry is a negative but even if it is only Jimmy up front it's hard not to get nearly 50% for Cardiff here. They will have the larger support and even though this is English soil we recommend the welshmen for a small bet to finish it in 90 mins. 1.95 -0.25 @Pinnacle is the most attractive offer.

Wednesday 2nd April

Arsenal v Liverpool

The first of three meetings in a week for these two sides but significant that the odds posted for the two games at the Emirates have Arsenal as a shorter favourite in the Premiership match than in this CL fixture. We're in agreement with the compilers here, Liverpool's expertise in Europe under Benitez is well proven with two Final appearances including the famous win in Istanbul under his tenure. While Rafa struggles with the long haul of the league, there will never be any question of team rotation in Europe's premier cup competition. There are several important pointers here which suggest that Liverpool are worth siding with for this fixture. First looking at recent form, Arsenal are clearly in the doldrums, the great escape against Bolton merely hides the fact that they have suffered a major slump recently with that last minute win their first in eight matches including poor efforts against Boro, Wigan and Birmingham. Liverpool meanwhile are on a run of 8/9 wins the solitary negative a dismal loss to Man U when comedy from Reina and idiocy from Mascherano cost them their chances. Then let's look at the key positions. It baffles us that someone with Wenger's eye for quality has still not addressed the key position of goalkeeper. Since Seaman retired this has proved their achilles heel - while the stats may show that they don't concede many, this is normal for a top level club. It is only in the key matches that this will really be highlighted and both Alumunia and Lehmann have been found wanting in these situations. Of course many will argue that Reina is exactly the same (and we'd have to agree) however in a toss up we would certainly take Pepe over Arsenal's pair anytime. Furthermore upfront Adebayor has lost form so much that he was dropped against Bolton while one of the revelations of the season, Sagna is injured. This means that Arsenal will have to rejig their defence and are more reliant on Van Persie who is still regaining match sharpness for goals. Liverpool have no such worries - their key men Gerrard and Torres in particular are on sparkling form. This will be a tight match but it's hard not to see Liverpool getting at least a draw here. Small value on the AH with +0.25 @2.0 the pick with Canbet.

Monday 24th March

Bournemouth v Tranmere

Bournemouth are going down after being put into administration and losing ten points as a penalty for this. The loss to fellow strugglers Gillingham was a fatal blow and now there is little but pride to play for in this fixture. Bournemouth have actually being performing ok at home in recent matches but a lot of that has been down to the good form of striker Sam Vokes. He will be unavailable for this fixture after being called up by Wales u21 boss Bryan Flynn for a midweek international fixture. Bournemouth have a catalogue of other injuries with Cummings, Perrett, Young, Stewart among others all out or doubtful. This meant the bizarre scenario of striker Lee Bradbury playing at right back against Gillingham. Anyone who has seen Bradbury play will know he is no right back. Tranmere meanwhile are challenging for a play off spot have had an extra days rest and will be highly motivated to get the win here. They are not brilliant on the road but a lot of factors in their favour here and a small bet at 1.87 draw no bet Pinnacle is worth looking at.

Port Vale v Gillingham

Two teams at the wrong end of the table and at this time of year that can often mean goals. Recent trends for both sides are distinctly overish. Port Vale 5/8 recent games over and 5/7 recent home games over. Gillingham last 5 games all gone over while on the road they have gone over 7/8 games recently. No point in either side playing for a draw as Port Vale are all but doomed and Gills desperately need to make up a four point gap to get to safety. New striker Simeon Jackson finally broke his duck for Gillingham yesterday so his confidence will be improved. Both managers know each other from the Conference where both liked an attacking game. Over 2.5 @2.15 Pinnacle looks a solid play.

Tuesday 18th March

Wolves v Scunthorpe

To be honest this has upset written all over it. Wolves will be well fancied to win tomorrow against relegation threatened Scunthorpe. However Scunthorpe are fighting hard, they've put in good performances against Plymouth, Coventry and Stoke recently and by some accounts were unfortunate to lose so comprehensively to QPR at the weekend. Wolves too are no shoo in at home, the Molineux crowd are not shy to get on the home sides backs if things aren't going smoothly. The days of Mick Macarthy sing songs which featured strongly last season are long gone. The manager hasn't done himself too many favours with some bizarre team selections with the return of Potter, Breen and Craddock to the side rather baffling. Fortunately all three are injury doubts and may miss out tomorrow. The inclusion of Olifinjana is good news while Jarvis may come in for Potter. Ward and Foley at the back beats the aged Breen and Craddock in our book also. One good Macarthy signing is Ebanks-Blake and he's in fine form scoring again at the weekend. There's another boost for Wolves in the news that key Scunthorpe Martin Patterson is doubtful with a hamstring injury and Ian Morris too is suffering with illness. Patterson is a big loss having scored more than a third of Scunthorpes goals this season. Horsfield, Hayes and May only have three between them. If Patterson is out you have to think Wolves are value at 2.0 -0.75 Pinnacle, Scunthorpe have lost six out of their last seven aways. But remember all the pressure is on Wolves so high stakes are definitely not advised.

Saturday 26th January

Portsmouth v Plymouth

Portsmouth boss Redknapp clearly fancies his teams chances in this competition and has pledged to play a full strength squad. Of course some missings with Muntari, Kanu etc out in Ghana at the moment. Plymouth meanwhile going through transition under Paul Sturrock. New signings Mackie and Maclean are ineligible up front so Fallon and Easter likely to start. They also have a major doubt over key defender Seip while key winger David Norris wants to leave the club. It's hard to see the Devon club getting anything from this tie and even the high handicap -1.25 for Portsmouth @2.05+ looks attractive. Bear in mind Portsmouth were a similar price against Derby in the Prem last week and won comfortably.

Coventry v Millwall

Millwall have a fine tradition in the cup, notably reaching the Final a few years back. They are improving gradually under Kenny Jackett and were unlucky not to beat Forest midweek, conceding two late goals. Coventry meanwhile are in a slump and their home form continues to be woeful. They lack defenders for this one with De Zeuw, Turner, Macnamee, Hawkins and Turner all out. New signing Fox is ineligible. Gk Andy Marshall also is out injured. So very much a reserve back line for the Championship side and while we don't really fancy an upset, the total line of over 2.5 goals @2.04 Pinnacle could be an interesting play.

Tuesday 15th January

Bury v Norwich

Bury have just sacked their manager Chris Casper and assistant manager Keith Alexander. They are in a terrible run of form and got battered 3-0 by Darlington on Saturday. They've only won 3 home games all season scoring 11 goals in 12 home games. Norwich are a much improved side, they messed up the first meeting but surely won't make the same mistake here. The win against Barnsley at Oakwell on Saturday was well deserved and Bury are much weaker opposition than the Yorkshire team. Of course reservations about a second long trip in a few days and the levelling nature of the cup should be taken into account but still prices around the evens mark are disappearing rapidly on the away side.

Saturday 12th January

Burnley v Plymouth

Burnley performed well in the cup against Arsenal and were arguably a bit unlucky not to get something from the game. They miss Lafferty and McCann for this one but there are adequate replacements in gudjonsson and jones. Opponents Plymouth have been dealt a greater blow though with three attacking players all out. Ebanks-Blake is on the verge of joining Wolves, Martin has joined Sheff U and Norris is suspended. Timar is also missing in defence. This means a new forward line for Plymouth and the loss of both their wingers, reducing their offensive potential greatly. The price on Burnley has fallen slightly in Asia but there are still some attractive prices available with 1x2 books, 2.37 with totesport and 1.73 dnb with Blue Square standout.

Luton v Swansea

Looks like the house sale has started at Kenilworth Road. It's a shame really as Luton are a decent club but as usual mismanagement and the aggrandisement of the Premier League has caused lower league clubs a lot of strife in recent years. Today Luton sold two of their best players - Dave Edwards to Wolves and Chris Coyne to Colchester and there are rumours of more to come tomorrow (Friday). Some hysterical headlines could ensue but beware, Luton are excellent at home and have been for several seasons. If it wasn't Swansea this perhaps might have proved an interesting home bet. However the league leaders are a class outfit, in great form and very decent on the road. It's worth taking the early prices on the Swans @1.75-8 draw no bet on the Asians and then taking stock when the dust has settled near kick off. Whatever happens the market is sure to be hot on Swansea, once news of Luton's troubles hit's the boards.

Saturday 29th December

Colchester v Blackpool

Relegation clash here which both teams will see as an opportunity to win. Blackpool will miss Ian Evatt through suspension but Jackson will return in his place so no major loss. However they are still without key mf Southern who is out long term. Colchester have a couple of doubts over Virgo and Izzet but both are replaceable. Blackpool are clearly in better form having held Sheff U at Bramall lane despite going down to 10 men and then going behind while Colchester were fortunate not to lose at home to Southampton. However the key factor here could be fitness - interesting comments from Blackpool manager, Simon Grayson in the local paper, "It worries me that we have a lot of lads who had to put so much effort in at Bramall Lane and yet have no real time to recover. Playing Wednesday and Saturday isn't unheard of but we have a long, long journey to Colchester, which isn't ideal." The facts are that Blackpool will spend seven hours on a coach today (friday) and this must affect their preparations. In what looks a tight game, this could be crucial. The draw no bet available @1.73 Blue Square for Colchester looks decent value.

Saturday 22nd December

Scunthorpe v Norwich

Scunthorpe were the bookies favourites for relegation before the season started and after a great start a run of one win in fourteen games has seen them slip towards the bottom spots. They are a limited workmanlike side who rely largely on fighting spirit to get them results. They were unlucky last time out not to get a draw at Ipswich. However for this fixture they have significant defensive problems - Kelly Youga is still suspended and Andy Butler has suffered a serious injury ruling two of their regular defenders out. One of the likely replacement Irikepen is struggling with a groin injury and is doubtful. Norwich meanwhile are definitely more solid under Roeder and have put together four wins in their last six games. This match is crucial for them against a fellow struggler and bearing in mind the defensive misses for the home team it would be a surprise if Norwich didn't pick up at least a point here.

Friday 21st December

Brighton v Gillingham

Two teams at opposite ends of the table with Brighton challenging the play off spots and Gillingham struggling to avoid relegation. Brighton have no new injury worries but Gillingham will be without their first choice centreback pairing Ian Cox and Efje Sodje who are both injured. This leads us to the key point of betting interest in this match. The Gills new manager Mark Stimson is a highly attacking manager - (just look at his record with Grays and Stevenage) and his philosophy will be always to go for a win whatever the circumstances. This is borne out by his early results with the Gills with a run of five consecutive overs until last weeks 1-0 loss to Bournemouth. However reports from that match suggest more goals should have been scored. This is key striker Dickson's last game for the Gills and he's had a phenomenal scoring record during his loan spell at the club. He will surely be keen to go out with a goal. With Brighton's trends also nicely over and Gills defensively weak it all looks set up for an open game. Best price for over 2.5 is 2.01 @ Pinnacle UPDATE - DICKSON RECALLED EARLY BY CHARLTON AND WILL NOT PLAY

Tuesday 6th November

Cardiff v Palace

Neil Warnocks tenure as Palace manager hasn't got off to the most auspicious start. No wins in 4 for the new man. However there have been some green shoots of recovery with a more attacking philosophy and the blooding of several talented youngsters. However Palace are badly hampered by a lack of punch up front which has seen only 8 goals scored in the last 13 games. Warnock is desperately seeking a striker in the loan market but it seems too late for this match. He also has defensive troubles with full backs Hills, Butterfield and Craig all doubtful meaning an unfamiliar role for someone at the back. Cardiff are in almost equally dismal form, however they did show some passion on their last time out against Liverpool. They are also comfortably rested for this one after no match at the weekend while Palace were making the long trip up to Scunthorpe. It all look a bit ominous for the London side and despite Cardiff's lack of form they have to be solid favourites here against a transitional Palace team.

Monday 5th November

Barnsley v Blackpool

This could actually be quite an entertaining game between two sides who many will have predicted would occupy the relegation places come May. That may still happen, indeed Blackpool are currently languishing there at the moment. Barnsley have started the season well, particularly at home and haven't lost at Oakwell since the beginning of the season. A lot of their success can be put down to their goalkeeper Muller who has made some exceptional saves over the course of the season. They have also been boosted by the return from injury of Ferenczi up front. The Hungarian immediately netted on his return last weekend and he will boost the home sides forward line which had been misfiring in his absence. The big factor hanging over this game is the fact that Blackpool will be far more rested having not played this w/e while Barnsley have very little recovery time after playing on Saturday against Preston. This has seen the market move against them and given some value on the home team. Blackpool have their share of injuries - Key df Evatt is still out while Morrell up front has also been injured recently. It's hard to assess the effects of tiredness on Barnsley so we'd advise skipping the 1x2 and AH. If you want a bet, Over 2.5 goals looks an interesting option @2.0+ The trends are positive for both sides with Blackpool in particualar an overish side this season.

Wednesday 17th October

Russia v England

A cold afternoon in Russia beckons Maclaren's boys and it's hard to understand the current odds. England have again been installed as favourites on the back of some good recent performances but it should be noted that the bulk of these were against poor sides - Israel and Estonia. This is the first tough assignment since the trip to Croatia and it's hard to feel too confident about a side which still looks vulnerable in defence. Ashley Cole is definitely out so Neville seems likely to deputise. John Terry will probably make it but his form recently has been very inconsistent. The first match between these two sides was interesting, England punished some shocking Russian defending to gain a convincing 3-0 win. However between goals, the Russians played some good quality football which hinted at their true potential. They certainly could have scored at least one goal at Wembley. On their home "turf" they boast an impressive record, four wins and two draws including Croatia with only one goal conceded. Then of course there is the issue of the plastic pitch, England haven't played on such a surface for a long, long time and having dropped points in Israel and Croatia it's very hard to see them winning easily here. Home advantage, unfamiliar surface and conditions, a rejigged and unconvincing defence means there's only one clear value bet and that is Russia +0.25 @1.833 available at Pinnacle.

Saturday 6th October

Man United v Wigan

Well this looks a home banker on paper and the odds in Asia don't really appeal. Ferguson is proclaiming that United's goal drought is about to end but we didn't really see much evidence of that in the midweek CL fixture against Roma. Indeed United were pretty fortunate to escape with a result there. However they are boasting a fine record of defensive solidity - five clean sheets in a row home and away. Even with Van De Saar out they shouldn't be troubled too greatly here. Both Heskey and Sibierski are likely outs for Wigan meaning Bent and Aghahowa up front, neither of them prolific scorers. So those looking for an edge on this one might try Pinnacles tempting offer of Wigan total goals under 0.5 @1.72

Saturday 15th September

Chelsea v Blackburn

Blackburn are an efficient team, improving all the time under manager Hughes. The signing of Roque Santa Cruz looks one of the best of the summer to play alongside McCarthy. Chelsea miss their first choice strikers here in Drogba and Pizzaro which probably presents another opportunity for themuch maligned Shevchenko. Lampard is missing from the midfield too so Blackburn will never get a better chance of producing what many would see as a shock result. It is hard the see Blackburn being hammered here and the Asian Handicap of +1.25 makes some appeal.

Birmingham v Bolton

This is an important game for both and a match they will see as winnable. Bolton swapped Big sam for Little Sam and he has changed their style to be more attractive however that does not bring results, they have been over 2.5 goals in every league game but the results have been poor. Bruce has made his usual raft of signings, most look mediocre in our eyes. The stats certainly point towards the over in this game, but given that Little Sam has commented on trying to shore up his backline, the under may be viewed as the best value on the game, with high draw possibilities.

Saturday 8th September

England v Israel Euro 2008 Qualifier

England go into this game under extreme pressure to record a victory. After disappointing results against Croatia, Macedonia and tomorrow's opponents Israel, Maclaren's team are playing catch up. For once Rio Ferdinand was talking sense when he said that anything less than a victory would be a catastrophe. However things have not been made easy for England. Frank Lampard will not be kissing his ring this time as he misses this game while fellow central mf Gerrard is a doubt with a broken toe. Defensive midfielder Hargreaves is also a worry with a thigh problem. This leaves England a little bare in mf traditionally viewed as their strongest area. In goal it seems that David James will come in for the hapless Robinson while Andy Johnson and Michael Owen will be an unfamiliar striking partnership up front. It all smells like a struggle for England and it will be no surprise if they grind out a single goal victory or even worse fail to win at all. However the books look to have this lined up right with an Asian Handicap of -1.25. The total goals looks more interesting as it seems that Israel will adopt a defensive attitude and important striker Colautti is out. England traditionally struggle to break down defensive sides and you only have to look to their recent results 0-0 against israel away and 0-0 to Macedonia at home to see the evidence of this. With Owen past his best, Johnson unproven at this level we recommend taking the Under 2.5 goals at anything near the evens mark.

Saturday 1st September

Man United v Sunderland

Sunderland have done little to allay our fears that they have a relegation fight ahead of them, they picked up a serious injury to captain Whitehead this week and Keane's signings in the transfer market are questionable. Surely the best days are behind Cole and Harte who joined in the last seven days. Who would have thought that United are struggling for goals and consequently trailing at this early stage in the title race, however Saha is included in their squad here. We have the feeling that United are going to score plenty in a game very soon and this could be the very one, Sunderland seem weak in wide areas and the likes of Nani should have plenty of space to operate. Preference is for Man United -1.75 and Over 2.75 Goals, however the high lines are just enough to put us off a site bet.

Saturday 25th August

Sunderland v Liverpool

Sunderland can consider themselves vey fortunate to sneak a result against under par Tottenham on the opening day of the season. Their strike force looks poor quality andmight not be enough to keep them out of a relegation dogfight, the signing of Andy Cole does little to reduce those fears and you have to question Keane's transfer dealings in bringing in a player like this who best days are behind him. Liverpool were robbed of win against Chelsea last weekend, they look sure to stake a claim for the title this season. They have a question mark over Gerrard who has a broken toe and now moved to central midfield, he is their driving force. Promoted teams when playing teams of top quality in this Division have a poor record in the early stages of the season, Liverpool -0.75 seems the most logical choice in this game.

Arsenal v Man City

Arsenal only managed a draw at Blackburn last weekend, a Lehmann blunder being the difference between the win and the draw. He is injured here and Almunia takes his place. Of perhaps more significance is the injury to key defender Gallas. On the evidence of the Manchester derby last weekend City are going to be difficult to break down, with Hamann sweeping in front of and excellent back 4, Richards in our opinion the pick of all defenders that have played in the Premiership this season. The weak link for City is keeper Schmeichel, it is a surprise that Eriksson has postponed his search for strength in that department to the January transfer window. Arsenal -0.75 is our preference on the game, although we do expect City to be tough to breakdown. Arsenal are a big overish team when playing at home although the game takes on the impression it could well go under the 2.25 line.

Sunday 19 August

Man City v Man United

A reversal of fortunes at the start of the season for both Manchester clubs. City bring in a new owner, new manager and virtually a new team of players. What has impressed more than anything is the progression of their home grown talent Onouha, Johnson and Richards. Two wins, no goals conceded however you still have to factor a degree of realism into those results, West Ham were poor last weekend and they were fully entitled to beat Derby in midweek. This is the acid test but they have momentum. Inexperienced keeper Schmeichel keeps his place, but more a worry would be potentially losing Elano who missed training on Friday. He has looked their best signing along with Petrov. United have started poorly and with attacking talent Rooney, Ronaldo and Saha missing this respresents a tough assignment in what is sure to be a cauldron atmosphere. Even at their peak this is a fixture that United have struggled on. The best options to consider on this game would be under 2.25 goals at around 2.00+, United with no striker, City yet to concede and Eriksson known for defensive tendencies. Alternatively laying Man United on the exchanges at 1.98 would find no disagreements in this corner

Rotherham v Peterborough

This match was put back due to Rotherham's cup tie against Sheff Wed on Thursday. This is the first factor to bear in mind with this game. Peterboro played their cup fixture on Monday and therefore will have had several days extra rest. We were highly impressed with their performance against Southampton. This was no fluke, the style of play was excellent and the depth of talent in their squad is exceptional for this level. It will be a major surprise if they don't win the title. The one negative would be their slightly shaky defending - League 2 is not always the place to pass the ball out of the back four. However although they might concede the odd unnecessary goal, it seems likely that they will outscore these errors more often than not with the phenomenal work rate of Aaron MacLean providing a real cutting edge up front. Rotherham are still rebuilding after their relegation and although their performance against Sheff W showed promise they will need to be at their best to keep out a rampant Peterboro team. Regular Rotherham defender Brogan is a doubt for this one. Odds of 1.91 DNB or 2.5+ 1x2 on the away side look of interest.

Saturday 18 August

Stoke v Charlton

An interesting fixture chosen for the televised fixture this evening. Breaking news is that Stoke have brought in Jody Craddock on loan from Wolves and he goes straight into the squad for this game. We highlighted the threadbare nature of Stokes squad last week and Pulis is trying to rectify this as a junior from Antwerp was also signed this week. Charlton meanwhile continue to fend off rumours about several of their players - this week Jerome Thomas is supposed to be off to Derby. Stoke are a tough nut at home and after last weeks surprising victory, it seems foolhardy to back against them here. However we stand by our assessment that Charlton will be a title challenger this year and although they started poorly with a draw against Scunthorpe, it will only be a matter of time before they start picking up points on a regular basis. This game will see a contrast in styles, Pulis as normal favours a strong physical approach while Charlton are a smaller and more skillful team. The key to this fixture is who imposes their style more successfully. Skill always overcomes brute force in football so if Charlton are not intimidated by Stokes tactics they have a good chance of getting something from this game. The odds of around 2.2 DNB on the away side are very close to a bet for us and if key centreback Higginbotham (slight doubt) misses out for Stoke then it is worth a play.

Sunday 12 August

Torquay v Grays

The most attractive clash in the Blue Square Premier takes place tonight. Both sides are much changed from last season. Torquay came down from the League in a real state, poor players and management and very low morale among the fans. However a takeover in the summer has seen Paul Buckle brought in as manager and a flood of cash infused into the club. Almost a completely new team of players have signed up including bright talents like Nicholson from Forest Green and Phillips from Exeter. Torquay are now widely fancied to go straight back up. Grays meanwhile have also revamped their squad under Justin Edinburgh. He's signed some quality lower league players such as Kedwell and Watson aswell as established Conference players like Murray and Macallister. They should provide a decent test for Torquay's aspirations and we'd be very wary of any bets on the Asians or 1x2. Instead with two strong attacks on show, the over 2.5 goals option looks nice at anything above evens. This is a televised game and with both teams wanting to start well, goals should be on the menu.

Saturday 11th August

Sunderland v Tottenham

First live game of the season and a very interesting matchup between Roy Keane's Sunderland promoted as Champions and Tottenham who will be looking to bridge the gap and force their way in to the Top 4.

Sunderland this week completed the record signing of Scottish goalkeeper Craig Gordon, he will need to be a top addition in order to justify the transfer price, he will get plenty of practice for our money. Keane's other buys receive a mixed reception in this quarter, defender McShane may prove to be the best value. Tottenham have a big squad to choose from and Jol's biggest task will be determining which is his best team, for example keeping strikers Berbatov, Defoe, Bent and Keane will be a tough task.

Promoted teams historically struggle to adjust to Premiership life although at home they can hold their own winning 30% of the time and drawing 32% up until the end of September when playing at home, this would highlight Sunderland as the best option at the current prices.

Barnsley v Coventry

Barnsley have some defensive issues for this game with new signing Marciano Bruma injured and regular full back Hassell also likely to miss out. Paul Reid has been handed the captaincy despite his low popularity amongst the Barnsley fans who think he was responsible for many of their defensive lapses last season. So this means a likely back 4 of Kozluk, Reid, Nyatanga and Werling. The german Werling has looked unimpressive pre-season so the overall feeling is that this defensive unit will be as bad as last year when they conceded a horrendous amount of goals.

Opponents Coventry have plenty of options in attack with Mifsud, Kyle, Mackenzie and Best all vying for places. However their defence too will be reduced for this one with key cb Elliott Ward suspended and De Zeuw his new partner injured. So reserves Page and Hall look like they will be the choice for this game. It all points to possible goals so the over 2.25 line set by Pinnacle @1.95 looks of definite interest. Barnsley started last season with seven consecutive overs.

Cardiff v Stoke

Always a tasty fixture and it looks to be a sell-out already. Stoke did well last year on the back of some quality loan signings. However the short term nature of that solution has become apparent now with the bulk of the loan boys disappeared to other clubs. Gone are Hendrie, Diao, Fortune, Berger and add to that the sale of Hoefkens and Duberry and Stoke are looking very short indeed. They have bought in some fire power in Parkin and Cresswell but their famed defence now looks very weak indeed.

Cardiff meanwhile have lost last seasons key man Chopra off to the Prem goldmine and replaced him with Robbie Fowler. This move has been widely lauded but we were a touch concerned to see the state of Robbie's thighs as he trotted out in Cardiff's latest pre-season friendly. Sure enough he lasted an immaculate 24 minutes before retiring hurt. Of course "he's still a great finisher" but like Owen this guy has been resting on his laurels for far too long. Thankfully Cardiff have some younger legs in Maclean and Feeney and although they won't match Chopra they should do ok. Cardiff started last season like a train and against this depleted Stoke squad odds of around 2.20 look well worth a play.

Rushden v Woking

Two sides which have done massive rebuilding over the summer with a flood of new signings. However while Rushden have bought in players with plenty of Conference experience like Martin Foster, Jon Challinor and Paul Bastock, Woking have delved exclusively into the lower leagues. New manger Frank Gray has signed no less than 7 players from the Conference South including a trio from his old club Farnborough. All these players are young and inexperienced and the average age of the Woking squad is below 22 years old. Pre-season results, although not to be given too much weight, have been disappointing with only 1 victory and very few goals scored against a selection of low profile sides. Young players tend to suffer attacks of confidence and although the manager has dismissed the pre-season scores it will surely be playing upon their minds. It doesn't help either that Gray has been switching from 3-4-1-2 to 4-4-2 throughout the friendly campaign with players alternating in their roles. Rushden have a wily old fox in Garry Hill in charge and although they too have had mixed fare in pre-season, there have also been some impressive performances. Hill's record is very solid in the Conference with good finishes for his Dagenham teams and Weymouth last year were riding high before financial problems caused Hill to leave the club. The draw no bet option @ Pinnacle 2.05 or Stan James 1x2 offer of 2.75 for Rushden looks of interest.

Oxford v Forest Green

Oxford start the season again as one of the favourites for the title, however whereas last season many clubs may have been in awe of their name and large support this year things should be a bit different. While Jim Smith's side deserve to be viewed as contenders they certainly still retain some of last years weaknesses. The veteran manager still seems to be obsessed with defenders with a flood of defensive players coming in during the close season while only one forward has been bought in, Gary Twigg from Aidrie. Smith was heard to complain often last season that his side didn't create enough or finish enough chances and yet little seems to have been done to address this. Standing and Ledgister have been bought on the wings but out has gone Burgess one of their better creative players. It also still seems that they will play 5-3-2 which is fine defensively but can be a problem offensively. Forest Green meanwhile are building steadily, their boss Jim Harvey is one of the most experienced at this level. Last season's squad has stayed together and has been supplemented by Fleetwood up front, a quality player if he overcomes his recent health problems. They are a very solid unit and will be hard to beat, it was no coincidence that they picked up points in 16/23 of their road trips last season. Value looks to be clearly on the away side here Pinnacle offering +0.75 @2.05.

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