Tag Archives: Keane

PNE can pile pressure on Keane

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There’s another intriguing weekend of Championship football this weekend, with derby games, top-versus-bottom battles and a fixture which could decide the future of two managers….Preston v Ipswich (Saturday 3pm).

North End may be rooted to the bottom of the table, but they are showing signs of improvement whilst Ipswich continue to sink like a stone. Both managers are under immense pressure, but Darren Ferguson could hammer another nail in Roy Keane’s coffin. Preston almost snatched an unlikely win at Cardiff last week, while Ipswich go to Deepdale on a five-game league losing run.

Bet advice: Preston to win @ 7/5

QPR v Watford (Friday 7:45pm)
The league leaders look to maintain their unbeaten record and should be too strong for an out-of-sorts Watford, who have won just one of their last eight matches. The Hoops’ frontmen have not been firing of late, with just one open-play goal from a striker in the last four matches – so don’t expect too many goals.

Bet advice: Under 2.5 goals @ Evens

Swansea v Millwall (Friday 7:45pm)
Swansea will be aware that a win on Friday will move them into second, at least for 24 hours, but they face a stern test against a Millwall side showing signs of recovery. The Swans have struggled for goals at home in recent weeks and the Lions, who have taken seven points from their last three matches, can take something back to London.

Bet advice: Draw @ 13/5

Barnsley v Sheff Utd (Saturday 3pm)
This South Yorkshire derby will be a scrap between two teams who will feel they should be doing better than their league positions suggest. But it’s the Blades that are in the biggest trouble – currently just two points outside the relegation zone – and they face a Barnsley team that have an impressive record at home, with just two defeats in nine matches at Oakwell.

Bet advice: Barnsley to win @ 13/10

Burnley v Leeds (Saturday 3pm)
Two former top-flight clubs do battle at Turf Moor, bringing back memories of unforgettable meetings during the heady days of the 1970s. Both teams have high hopes of a Premier League return this season and this is hard to call with Burnley losing just once at home so far and Leeds losing just twice on their travels.

Bet advice: Both teams to score @ 8/13

Middlesbrough v Cardiff (Saturday 3pm)
Boro look like they are in for a season-long relegation battle and a trip to the Riverside could provide Cardiff with a welcome chance to get back to winning ways. The Welsh outfit have really struggled in recent weeks – winning just one of their last six matches – but the Bluebirds’ pace up front should prove too much for a young Boro backline to deal with.

Bet advice: Craig Bellamy to score anytime @ 7/4

Leicester v Doncaster (Saturday 3pm)
Sven has made Leicester entertaining to watch since his arrival in October, but they are leaking goals and giving opposition chances on the break. Doncaster, though, are a different side away from the Keepmoat and an improving Foxes squad should secure the points.

Bet advice: Leicester to win 3-1 @ 12/1

Bristol City v Derby (Saturday 3pm)
QPR aside, the Robins are arguably the team in form in the Championship, with just one defeat in their last three games. They appear to be catching promotion hopefuls Derby at the just the right time as well, with Nigel Clough’s men losing three of their last four matches.

Bet advice: Bristol City to win @ 11/8

Norwich v Portsmouth (Saturday 3pm)
The Canaries are the surprise package of the season to date and find themselves in the top four, after losing just five of their 20 games to date. But they will be tested by a Portsmouth team who now look to be finding their stride under Steve Cotterill and who are fresh from a 2-1 win at Swansea. With Grant Holt suspended, Pompey could well sneak the points.

Bet advice: Draw HT/Portsmouth FT @ 15/2

Reading v Coventry (Saturday 3pm)
Goals have been hard to come by for both sides in recent weeks, with neither side looking like they are promotion material or likely to be relegated either. This won’t be high on the football bets list for people seeking an accumulator – a draw looks most likely.

Bet advice: 1-1 Correct Score @ 11/2

Scunthorpe v Nottingham Forest (Saturday 3pm)
Scunthorpe’s shocking home form means this should surely be an away win, as Forest move towards the play-off zone. The Iron have won just one game at Glanford Park this season and they look to be on a slippery slope towards League One.

Bet advice: Forest to win @ 6/5

Crystal Palace v Hull (Saturday 5:20pm)
Both of these teams are moving in the right direction and look to have recovered are their early-season slump. Palace are a young team building for the future, while Hull have a more experienced team who have improved their away form and are currently on a four-game unbeaten run.

Bet advice: Draw @ 23/10

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Baggies to turn screw on Keane

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West Brom (Evens in the match betting) head to Ipswich in great heart after a 4-1 win over Everton at Goodison Park – following a performance manager Roberto Di Matteo described as ‘incredible’ – and should end the Championship’s final hope of lifting the Carling Cup (Ipswich 5/2 to win, 12/5 the draw) – providing the weather holds up.

That win matched the Bagies result in the fourth round at Leicester City, ending a five-match winless run since that game in the process, and the players should have the confidence to win on their travels and book their first semi-final place since 1982.

West Brom will be without midfielder Youssouf Mulumbu as he picked up a two-match ban following his second sending-off of the season at Everton at the weekend, while Jonas Olsson and Ishmael Miller are available through injury, but that should not matter against a team struggling for form in a lower division while contending with a whole host of absentees themselves.

The Baggies have certainly made an impression on their return to the top flight, beating Arsenal and Manchester City in what was a good start to the campaign, and although they suffered a recent blip, that win over Everton was just the tonic going into the Carling Cup quarter-final, having already beaten City in the competition as well.

Ipswich have hit a wall in the Championship, suffering four consecutive losses culminating in the 4-1 defeat at arch-rivals Norwich City on Sunday, and now lie just four points above the relegation zone.

The Tractor Boys have lost eight of their last 12 games and a number of injuries are not helping under-pressure manager Roy Keane, who is having to cope without Gareth McAuley, Mark Kennedy, Connor Wickham, Luke Hyam and Tom Eastman.

Defender Damien Delaney is also suspended for the West Brom visit, while goalkeeper Marton Fulop is a doubt after picking up an ankle injury in Sunday’s debacle at Carrow Road.

Di Matteo’s men can take advantage of the injury crisis at Portman Road (4/5 Over 2.5 goals) but they have kept only one clean sheet on the road this season (7/10 Both teams to score) – and that was at Leyton Orient in round two of this competition.

There will be another West Midlands side in the semi-finals as Birmingham City (11/8 in the match betting) host arch-rivals Aston Villa (2/1 to win) also on Wednesday night, but this looks a tougher match to call.

Villa have had the better of the derby in recent times, unbeaten in seven games and winning six of them, and the 2/1 looks tempting, but they have struggled for form under new boss Gerard Houllier.

The Villans have only won one of their last nine games in the Premier League – a 3-2 win over a much-changed Blackpool side – and despite a superb performance in a 2-2 draw against Manchester United, back-to-back defeats have seen the club slip below City in the table.

The Blues have struggled for goals this term and have found it hard to win games (drawing eight) but they have made themselves tough to beat at St Andrew’s – winning three, drawing three and losing just once.

They have home advantage for the fourth time in the Carling Cup and could just make it count, particularly as boss Alex McLeish is set to field a stronger side than in previous rounds.

There will be no Alexander Hleb as he has been ruled out with a hamstring problem, not that he has set the world alight so far in his loan spell at the club, but top scorer Craig Gardner (9/1 First Goalscorer) could return following an ankle problem.

The teams have met this season and fought out a goalless draw at Villa Park and another tight encounter should be expected with under 2.5 goals a favourite at 4/6.

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Keane OK for Andorra

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Republic of Ireland boss Giovanni Trapattoni is relieved to have skipper Robbie Keane available for Tuesday’s Euro 2012 qualifier against Andorra (5/4 Republic of Ireland – To Qualify).

Keane reported no ill-effects from his outing in the win over Armenia on Friday night.

And Trapattoni said he had taken the 30-year-old striker off as a precaution, as he had been struggling with a knee problem.

He said: “I gave him a little bit of a rest because he had, not an injury, but some pain and I wanted to be cautious about it.”

The Ireland (80/1 – to win Euro 2012) squad will also be boosted ahead of the Armenia tie by Ipswich defender Darren O’Dea’s return to training following a sprained knee.

Hull?s Paul McShane is also available for the Armenia game after being ruled out of the Armenia trip due to a hamstring injury. However, Fulham’s Damien Duff will not have shaken off his calf strain in time to play.

Trapattoni was happy to settle for a 1-0 victory in Armenia, having insisted before the game that winning by the only goal would do for.

The Italian saw his players given a tough assignment in the sweltering Yerevan Republican Stadium.

Trapattoni said: “It’s not easy for a coach or a manager to say before the game, ‘we will win’.

“We have to respect our opponents and we must have respect for this opponent.

“I felt we could win this game, but my colleague from Armenia would have thought they could win it too.

“I knew it would be a very, very difficult game for us, but I think over the 90 minutes, we deserved to win it.

“For us, it is a very, very important victory because we have started the campaign with this result away from home. That creates confidence and we can go on from here.”

Keane was denied his 44th senior international goal on his 101st appearance when his 31st-minute strike was ruled out by an offside flag, and he later hit the post.

It was left to relative novice Keith Fahey, the Birmingham midfielder, to snatch the points after he came on as a substitute and struck from close range eight minutes later on his first competitive appearance.

Trapattoni was happy that it was mission accomplished in the opening Euro 2012 qualifier.

He said: “I saw the last qualification for the World Cup and Armenia lost one or two games, but played very well.

“I think it will not be easy also for other teams coming here.”

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Keane up for Euro 2012 tilt

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Captain Robbie Keane believes Republic of Ireland are a better team now compared to when they suffered World Cup heartbreak at the hands of France last autumn (Republic of Ireland 6/4 – To Qualify for Euro 2012).

Giovanni Trapattoni’s men were denied by a William Gallas goal just when extra time loomed in Paris although Thierry Henry’s blatant handball in the build-up was clear for all to see – apart from the match officials.

Justice was seemingly done, however, in South Africa when Les Bleus internally combusted and found themselves on the way home following a dismal group campaign which saw them beaten by both Mexico and the host nation.

The Republic will be hoping their fortunes are heading in the opposite direction as they bid to reach Poland and Ukraine in two years for the 14th European Championships – a tournament they have featured in just once back in 1988 when they beat England 1-0 in the group stage but failed to qualify for the semi-finals (Republic of Ireland 3/1 – To Win Qualification Group B).

Twelve years on Keane is hoping the potential the side has shown under Trapattoni – the Republic twice held then world champions Italy in 2010 World Cup qualifying – comes to fruition.

However, the Spurs forward admits sweltering conditions in Armenia on Friday night will be testing and that avoiding defeat is the “most important thing”.

Keane said: “With the experience we have now, of course it is only going to make you a better team.

“The more experience you have, the better you are and hopefully the experience we had in the last campaign will stand us in good stead for this one.”

He added: “The most important thing is not to lose. It’s the first game and of course, you want to win every game you are involved in, and that will be the case.

“We are not going to come here looking to get a draw. We want to win the game.

“But the most important thing is certainly not to lose the game.”

Keane will win his 101st international cap in Armenia – his next big target is to score the seven goals needed to hit the half-century mark on the biggest stage – although he appears to be relieved the appearance milestone has been passed after notching a ton of games against Argentina recently.

The 30-year-old continued: “It was great to get the 100th cap but personally I am delighted that’s gone now, just to get it over with and concentrate on the rest of the games.

“We had a great chance in the last campaign – obviously, we just missed out, but hopefully that will make us stronger and more determined now to qualify.”

Elsewhere in Euro qualification Group B, Russia (8/13f – to top the group) travel to Andorra (2500/1) while Slovakia (19/5) entertain Macedonia (20/1).

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