Blackpool have been a breath of fresh air this season, not least for the crazy bumpkin manager Ian Holloway but for their at time kamikaze gung-ho attacking play. The tangerines travel down this weekend to face leaky West Ham in a game that has goals written all over it in 10 foot tall neon letters. The Hammers have gone overs in around 65% of all home games, whereas Blackpool have been overs in 10 out of 12 games this season. Neither team can defend to save their lives and with the home team having to win this game, expect an attacking outlook. The bookies have it pegged at a 2.14 for over 3 goals (basically we lose if 2 or less goals, draw if 3 goals and win if 4 goals or more) and I am having a piece of that!
My perennial fave team this year Bolton, continue to look under-rated by the bookies and look value once again as they travel to Molineux to face Wolves. Bolton have been beaten only twice this season by Arsenal and Liverpool despite a very tricky set of games so far. I make the chance of a draw or Bolton win to be around 55 to 60%, which equates to odds of about 1.74. The bookies are offering me 1.91 with Stan James on them with a +0.25 Asian Handicap so there is clear value there.
Elsewhere I also fancy 3 teams who are strong at home in the form of Everton, Stoke and Aston Villa to win for me this weekend.
Villa have been beaten only once at home by a top 8 team and conversely United have won only 3 games away against the top 8 since the 09/10 season. A United away win I rate at between 30 – 40% chance here and considering the likes of Scholes, Rooney & Giggs are out they may struggle to break Villa down. I’m taking the +0.5 Asian Handicap on Villa at 2.14 with 12Bet as I make the true odds of this to be around 2.0.
Everton have been playing well with little reward lately as they can’t find the back of the net but stats show their dominance in matches. Historically under David Moyes, Everton have a formidable home record and Arsenal will do well to win here so the +0.5 on Everton at 1.78 from 188bet appeals.
Finally Stoke have endured a very tough run of games, not helped by some very dodgy referees decisions and they host a tired looking Liverpool who look to be feeling the effects of having such a small squad. Stoke are notoriously difficult to break down and only lost at home to the top 4 teams last season. I am taking the +0.5 Asian Handicap again on the home outfit at 1.88 with Stan James.
Main Bets
1 pt Over 3 goals – West Ham V Blackpool. 2.14 10Bet
1 pt Bolton (+0.25 AH) V Wolves. 1.91 Stan James
1 pt Villa (+0.5 AH) V Man Utd. 2.14 12Bet
1 pt Everton (+0.5 AH) V Arsenal. 1.78 188bet
1 pt Stoke (+0.5 AH) V Liverpool. 1.88 Stan James
Shortlist Bets
None
Whatever you bet on, good luck!
Mike