Tag Archives: time

No time to panic for winless trio

Posted on by
Reply

Queens Park Rangers (2/1 – Premier League relegation), Norwich City and Reading are still waiting for their first wins in the Premier League this season but, with plenty of points up for grabs, there is no need to press the panic button just yet.

There is no doubting that Mark Hughes is one of the managers who is under the most pressure to keep hold of his job in the top flight, with the Hoops spending big bucks over the summer to strengthen the squad at Loftus Road.

Hughes has had the backing of the chairman recently, which is always a worrying development for a man in his position.

With three defeats on the bounce, Rangers’ clash at home to Everton on Sunday is a massive game, even though the London outfit are just two points off safety (QPR 11/5, draw 9/4, Everton 6/5 – Match Betting).

Six goals in seven matches show that finding the back of the net has been difficult for Hughes’ men.

But, with the likes of Bobby Zamora, David Hoilett, Jamie Mackie and Djibril Cisse in their ranks and the ability spend money on a striker in January, it should not be long before QPR start bagging goals and climb out the relegation zone.

Having seen manager Paul Lambert make the switch to Aston Villa over the summer, Norwich (8/13 – Premier League relegation) are really struggling, with what appears to be that classic ’second season syndrome’.

The Canaries finished comfortably in mid-table last season and could have been placed higher had they not had a sloppy end to the campaign, as they knew their Premier League status was secure.

Chris Hughton has struggled to build on the work done by his predecessor and, with 17 goals conceded in their first seven games, the problems in defence have been clear at Carrow Road.

A 4-1 defeat to Chelsea in their last outing will not have done Norwich’s confidence any good and things won’t get any easier when they host Arsenal on Saturday (Norwich 11/8, draw 9/4, Arsenal 15/8 – Match Betting).

Unless Norwich can cause some major upsets in the coming weeks then it could well be a long old season for the Canaries.

Reading (8/11 – Premier League relegation) make up the last of the trio still searching for their first thee points and, like Hughes and Hughton, Brian McDermott has been somewhat unlucky not to have guided his side to a victory.

In Russian striker Pavel Pogrebnyak, the Royals have a man who can get goals and, although he has made a relatively slow start to the season, he is likely end up as the top goalscorer at the Madejski this term.

Reading will have a job on their hands to stay up this season but if they can get their home form sorted they should have a good chance of survival, although hosting a resurgent Liverpool this weekend will be tough (Reading 8/11, draw 7/2, Liverpool 17/2 Match Betting).

With Everton, Arsenal and Liverpool the next opponents for the struggling trio at the bottom of the table, they might have to wait beyond this weekend for their first win in the Premier League but the battle to avoid the drop is really just beginning.

Want £200 Free? Click here to visit Bet365 and claim your free money.

Germany believe time has come

Posted on by
Reply

The sleepy eyes did not hide the determination behind the stare when Mesut Ozil suggested Euro 2012 would be a failure were Germany to return empty-handed (Germany 13/8 joint favourites – Euro 2012 outright).

Die Mannschaft must first plot a way to beat semi-final opponents Italy for the first time in eight attempts at a major tournament if they are to be crowned European champions for a fourth time (Germany 2/5 – To Qualify).

Key to their chances will be Real Madrid playmaker Ozil, who has rightly been lauded for a number of eye-catching performances and is a generous 9/1 in the First and Last Goalscorer markets.

Victory at the Olympic Stadium in Kiev on Sunday will also be the culmination of a master-plan which was underpinned by the promotion of youth.

Not content with being the only nation with a 100 per cent record left in the tournament, Ozil said Germany would not be satisfied unless they realised their dream.

“We knew before the tournament that we had a strong team,” said the 23-year-old. “We believe in ourselves and the goal is to return to Germany with the title. That’s why we are here and I’m convinced we can do it.”

“No one can stop us now” is the view of newspaper Bild, while Germany captain Philipp Lahm reiterated the side’s mission statement.

He said: “So far we have rewarded ourselves for our hard work in the last few years and weeks. But we have always maintained that we want to play the final on Sunday. We want to win it and want to stay here until the very end.”

Germany no longer enjoy the space they were afforded at the 2010 World Cup, nor are they untouchable (Italy 7/4 – To Qualify).

A 5-3 defeat by Switzerland before the Poland and Ukraine showpiece highlighted flaws in defence, still evident given that Germany have conceded in their three games since keeping a clean sheet against Portugal in their Group B opener.

But with experience comes maturity and this is a Germany side packed with pace and power, complemented by the excellent midfield general Sami Khedira.

The Real Madrid enforcer provides the platform in a tried and trusted 4-2-3-1 formation for the likes of Bastian Schweinsteiger, Ozil, et al to unlock a door.

“He has become a real leader; he is very good, very dynamic, very present,” said coach Joachim Loew. “It is good for the others that he’s there.”

Loew, who rested heavyweights Mario Gomez, Lukas Podolski and Thomas Muller against Greece, has said Germany do not intend to sit back against the Azzurri and will look to dictate.

No doubt with Ozil at the forefront.

Want £200 Free? Click here to visit Bet365 and claim your free money.

Hatters ready for big time

Posted on by
Reply

Two former Football League clubs will go head-to-head in the Blue Square Bet Premier Division play-off final at Wembley on Sunday as York City and Luton Town bid to make a return to League Two (totesport – match prices).

York boss Gary Mills takes his side back to the national stadium for the second successive weekend after their 2-0 FA Trophy victory against Newport last Saturday.

The Minstermen (11/10 Promotion) will be in confident mood for the game and have plenty going for them with regards to head-to-heads with the Hatters in recent big encounters.

York recorded a league double over Luton with a 3-0 win at Bootham Crescent last September followed by a 2-1 victory at Kenilworth Road in March. They also defeated the Hatters 2-1 on aggregate over two legs of their FA Trophy meeting during the campaign.

York also defeated Luton in their previous play-off encounter in 2010 when they followed up a 1-0 home win with the same score-line away to secure a place in the final which they went on to lose 3-1 against Oxford United.

Mills, who will go into this latest encounter boosted by the return of defender Chris Doig after he missed the FA Trophy success with a calf injury, claims promotion would be “like going from the Championship to the Premier League”.

Luton go into the game with the omens stacked against them, having followed up the 2010 semi-final defeat to York by losing last years final on penalties to Wimbledon, while their boss Paul Buckle tasted defeat with former club Torquay in the League Two play-off final.

However, Buckle did guide the Gulls back into the Football League in 2009 so knows what it takes to get a team through the pressure cooker atmosphere of a play-off final.

Buckle has no fresh injury concerns ahead of the game and could be boosted by the return of  midfielder Godfrey Poku from an ankle injury.

Going into the game he said: “We’ve had some massive games. It’s all there for the players. We’ve just got to Wembley believing and with a real positive frame of mind.”

York, who finished in fourth position in the regular season – one place and two points above Luton in fifth – scraped past Mansfeld after extra time in their semi-final, while the Hatters defeated a Wrexham side that finished three places and 17 points better off 3-2 on aggregate.

And, while York have won three of their four meetings in this past season not to mention having the psychological edge having won at Wembley last weekend, we feel it is Luton’s year to make a return to the Football League (4/6 Promotion) but they could require more than 90 minutes to do it.

Prediction: Draw 90 Minutes @ 9/4
Value Bet: 1-1 Draw Correct Score 90 Minutes @ 11/2

Want £200 Free? Click here to visit Bet365 and claim your free money.

Stop! Hammer Time!

Posted on by
Reply

West Ham and Blackpool meet at Wembley on Saturday in a game dubbed the richest match in football. But who will be celebrating the cash bonanza of a return to the Premier League?

The prize for the winners of the Championship play-off semi-final is not just a spot in the Premier League but also an estimated cash windfall of around £60million.

Both these clubs know all about the riches on offer in England’s top flight having suffered the agony of relegation last season. Both will be equally desperate to make an instant return with victory at Wembley.

Ian Holloway’s men will be able to draw on the memory of their recent play-off victory over Cardiff in 2010. West Ham, meanwhile, have mixed memories of the play-offs, having lost to Crystal Palace in 2004 but then beating Preston a year later.

For West Ham, a spot in the play-offs was a consolation prize after missing out on automatic promotion.

Sam Allardyce’s men were widely tipped to go up automatically at the start of the season, but despite consistently flirting with the top two a failure to convert draws into wins saw them fall behind Reading and Southampton.

Blackpool boss Holloway admitted he found relegation on the final day of last season hard to take, but despite losing the likes of Charlie Adam and David Vaughan, the astute purchases of Barry Ferguson and Kevin Phillips allowed them to rebuild and mount a sustained play-off challenge.

The Hammers begin the game as 20/21 favourites to win in 90 minutes, with Blackpool priced at 11/4. Given play-off finals are often tight and tense affairs, do not rule out the prospect of extra time, with the draw after 90 minutes priced at 13/5.

West Ham’s favouritism appears justified, given they are unbeaten in their last eight matches, winning six of those. In the play-off semi-final they breezed past Cardiff 5-0 on aggregate.

But Blackpool are hardly out-of-form, without defeat in nine games, though four of those are draws. However, in their two league encounters with Blackpool the Londoners have triumphed handsomely, winning 4-0 at Upton Park in October and 4-1 at Bloomfield Road in February.

If the play-offs are all about peaking at the right moment, West Ham have timed things perfectly. With 160 goals scored between the two sides in the regular season, penalty-box action should also be guaranteed at Wembley.

Blackpool in particular are known for their swashbuckling brand of attacking football, but West Ham have plenty of firepower themselves and will look to exploit any gaps at the back.

Backing over 2.5 goals at 5/6 should produce a return while brave punters could get hefty odds of 11/1 for six goals or more.

Carlton Cole is West Ham’s top scorer this season with 14 goals and his odds of 11/2 to score first here shouldn’t be ignored, nor should Kevin Nolan’s odds of 7/1 given the former Bolton man has hit 13 already from midfield this campaign.

For Blackpool it’s all about Kevin Phillips. The 38-year-old just keeps on going and his odds of 8/1 to score first, adding to his 17 goals already this season, should also be considered.

It has been 41 years, though, since Blackpool last beat West Ham and all the signs here suggest that wait will go on. A goal-filled 3-2 victory for the Hammers will leave their supporters blowing bubbles down Wembley Way and should send punters home happy too given that scorecast is priced at a tasty 25/1.

Want £200 Free? Click here to visit Bet365 and claim your free money.

Party time for City and Arsenal?

Posted on by
Reply

The final day of the Premier League season is upon us and there are still plenty of issues to be sorted out with both Manchester clubs duking it out for the title, while three sides are still in with a shout of the other Champions League places.

The two Manchester giants go into Sunday’s finale level on points with City on top courtesy of a much better goal difference.

In theory, there is still hope for Sir Alex Ferguson and his men but the match betting and common sense suggests that it will be the blue half of Manchester celebrating come Sunday night (City 1/10, United 11/2 Premier League Outright).

City have only failed to pick up maximum points on one occasion at the Etihad Stadium this season and, having been given a second chance, they are not going to let the title slip away.

QPR are the visitors on Sunday and although they have been picking up wins to keep them out of the relegation zone, all those recent successes have come at Loftus Road.

Mark Hughes may like to make a point to his previous employers but his team have been awful on the road, with a paltry eleven points easily the Premier League’s worst record, while they suffered a 6-1 drubbing on their last outing at Chelsea.

United could still win on goal difference but City have smashed in 52 goals in 18 matches at home and are likely to score  more against the Hoops – making United’s trip to Sunderland irrelevant.

Three teams are still chasing two places for next season’s Champions League, meanwhile, which could be reduced to one depending on Chelsea’s result in this year’s final.

Arsenal (1/33 Top 4 Finish) are still in control of third place despite last week’s hiccup against Norwich following a 3-3 draw at the Emirates, while Spurs (1/10) were held 1-1 at Aston Villa and Newcastle (9/2) were beaten 2-0 by City.

The Gunners are one point better off than arch rivals Tottenham and two clear of Newcastle with a game to go, and know that a win will guarantee Champions League football next term.

Arsene Wenger’s men are on the road as they travel to the Hawthorns to take on West Brom and have failed to win any of their last four matches, but the French tactician will not let his charges slip up at the last hurdle.

Arsenal are 4/6 to register the win and it is hard to argue as West Brom (4/1 to win, Draw 3/1) have struggled in front of their own fans with just six wins at the Hawthorns this season.

Robin van Persie is, of course, the man to watch out for as he looks to cement his position at the top of the Premier League goalscoring charts, having notched 30 in 36 games so far, and he is the 3/1 favourite to score the first or last on Sunday.

Earlier in the season, Tottenham were making it look as though it was a three-horse race for the title but they then endured a torrid run to hand the initiative back to the Gunners.

Harry Redknapp’s men, though, are at least expected to seal a place in the top four (Spurs 4/11, Draw 4/1, Fulham 8/1 Match Betting) as they have home advantage against poor travellers Fulham, who will be without their top scorer Clint Dempsey through injury.

The Lilywhites will then have to put on their Bayern Munich scarves for the Champions League final as a Chelsea win in the showpiece will condemn them to Europa League football next term.

Newcastle have been one, if not THE, surprise package of the season, having made a fist of the Champions League race for so long – and they still are in with a chance going into the last game.

However, the season may well just have caught up with them now and they face a tough trip to Goodison Park to take on an in-form Everton side -who have the carrot of finishing above arch rivals Liverpool with a win themselves.

The Toffees have not been conceding many at home as they have rallied from another slow start to finish with a flourish.

David Moyes’ men have only conceded two goals in their last nine home games, losing just one, while they have banged in 10 in their last three – and also scored four at Old Trafford – with Nikica Jelavic (5/1 First/Last Gaolscorer, 11/8 Anytime) continuing his rich vein of form.

Newcastle have certainly set the Premier League alight this season with their brand of football and although they are set to fail at the final hurdle, a fifth-placed finish above Chelsea and Liverpool is still a remarkable achievement.

Want £200 Free? Click here to visit Bet365 and claim your free money.

Title race reaches crunch time

Posted on by
Reply

It’s a potentially-pivotal day at the top of the Premier League on Sunday with both Manchester City and Manchester United in action. Roberto Mancini has already said that if his side lose they can forget winning the title but how will things pan out? Here we look at the possibilities on what’s sure to be a nerve-wracking day (totesport – Premier League).

Manchester United v QPR (1.30pm)

Pundits, fans and pretty much the whole football world will view this one as a home banker (United 2/11, QPR 16/1, draw 6/1 – 90 minutes) and who are we to argue?

United, despite from being far from their best against Fulham and Blackburn in their last two games, have managed to grind out results in typically-efficient style and the chance of a slip-up here looks remote.

Antonio Valencia and Ashley Young weighed in with the vital late goals at Ewood Park on Monday and the former’s performances of late has led to Sir Alex Ferguson eschewing plenty of praise on the former Wigan man, who could just be the player that proves to be the difference in the run-in for the Red Devils (8/1 First Goalscorer).

Chasing their 20th title, Ferguson’s men have moved menacingly five points clear of City when it matters most and another three here will leave them eight points ahead of their local rivals before they go to Arsenal, so a comfortable home win it is then.

Former United hero, but City boss, Mark Hughes, may have other ideas as his side still search for victories to move them clear of the relegation zone.

The R’s home form has picked up notably since the Welshman took over and eye-catching victories at Loftus Road over Liverpool and Arsenal last week have boosted their survival chances considerably but they still sit level on points with Blackburn and Wigan, who are 18th and 19th respectively, only just ahead on goal difference.

Sadly for Rangers, they travel to probably the worst ground they could possibly choose looking for a result so a defeat, and possibly an unwelcome return to the bottom three, beckons.

Arsenal v Manchester City (4pm)

It’s a huge game at the Emirates that follows – one City dare must not lose if they are to stand a chance of catching United.

Mancini may have unwittingly heaped more pressure on his players by declaring it a must-win game but they can go to north London and get the required result – provided the real City show up and not the imposters of the last few weeks.

The disappointing 1-1 draw at Stoke was followed up by an unlikely 3-3 draw at home to Sunderland last weekend, and that only thanks to two late goals in what was overall an extremely lacklustre display from a side going for the title.

Mario Balotelli likes his headlines, but also his goals, and the Italian, who Mancini joked this week drives him so mad at times that if he were still playing he would have to “punch him”, can again be the man for the big occasion on Sunday.

His 13 league goals have helped keep City’s title bid afloat and he is well worth backing at 7/4 to score anytime once again.

Arsenal still have plenty to play for themselves, of course, and, sitting in third, a well-placed to claim a top-four finish despite last weekend’s setback at QPR.

Chelsea and Newcastle are breathing down their necks but, aside from the blip at Loftus Road, the Gunners have been very impressive of late and City will be up against a confident side determined to get back to winning ways.

However, we sense this means slightly more to City and fancy them to get the required result to keep their manager happy and maintain their faltering title bid – if only for now.

Want £200 Free? Click here to visit Bet365 and claim your free money.

Crunch time in Championship

Posted on by
Reply

There are three vital matches at the top of the Championship on Saturday as the race for promotion hots up. Southampton are looking good for automatic promotion and we will begin our preview by looking at their clash with Blackpool (Southampton 1/4 Championship Outright).

Blackpool v Southampton

Southampton are six points clear at the top of the table and are favourites to take the title and with it return to the promised land.

And their recent form suggests there is no reason to doubt that they will do so, with 26 points taken from the last 10 games and no defeats.

That is title-winning form in anyone’s book and it only seems a matter of time before Nigel Adkins will be plotting his tactics to try keep the Saints in the top flight next season.

But he will not want his side to falter right at the death and will be wary of the Tangerines, who are just outside the play-off zone and desperate for the points to ensure they take part in the post-season.

It has not been a good month so far for Ian Holloway’s side, who have taken just five points from seven games in March.

Defeat at Reading last time out saw them slip out of the top six and they will be looking to get something from this game regardless of the standard of opposition.

The north-west outfit will be without striker Roman Bednar, while Southampton top scorer Rickie Lambert is expected to be fit after recovering from a minor pelvic injury against Doncaster.

Southampton have drawn plenty of games on their travels this term, while Blackpool have only lost three at home and so a draw might be worth looking at here.

Odds: Blackpool 7/4, Southampton 6/4, draw 12/5.

West Ham v Reading

The Hammers take on Reading in a match that could go a long way to determining which club join Southampton in going up automatically.

Sam Allardyce’s men are just one point behind second-place Reading and so there is still everything to play for.

The Londoners have not lost in their past 10 games but have drawn seven of those matches to slip out of the top two.

The Hammers’ faithful have begun to criticise Allardyce’s style of play as there is a tradition of attractive football at Upton Park – not something that is readily associated with Big Sam.

West Ham have not won on their own patch since February 4, with five consecutive draws and it appears the fans have had enough.

Pressure is mounting and the last side that Allardyce would want to see given the circumstances is the Royals, who have taken 16 points from seven games in March and are peaking at just the right time.

Brain McDermott’s men have already won 10 times on the road this season and there is every reason to suggest they will make it 11 on Saturday.

West Ham had to play a re-arranged fixture at Peterborough on Tuesday and Reading will be the fresher of the two clubs heading into the showdown.

Odds: West Ham 5/4, Reading 11/5, draw 23/10.

Brighton v Middlesbrough

There is another clash between two sides in close proximity as the fourth-place Gulls entertain a Boro side in fifth.

Results have been mixed for the south-coast club in March with nine points from six games and they were held to a 1-1 draw by Nottingham Forest last weekend.

They have already won 11 times at home this season but will be facing one of the best sides away from home in the division.

The Teessiders have already picked up three points on nine occasions, which is just as well, as they have not won enough game at home to challenge for automatic promotion.

Gus Poyet’s side have lost just once in their last 10 games but do draw a lot of games and so Tony Mowbray will not be without hope after travelling all the way from the north east to Brighton.

Craig Mackail-Smith is fit for Brighton after a virus and will compete with Sam Vokes for a starting spot, while Will Buckley and Adam El-Abd are also both available.

Boro skipper Matthew Bates will be absent because of a serious knee injury suffered at Ipswich and Stephen McManus could feature after being recalled from his loan spell at Bristol City.

Odds: Brighton 6/5, Boro 11/5, draw 12/5.

Want £200 Free? Click here to visit Bet365 and claim your free money.

Crunch time in Europa League

Posted on by
Reply

Stoke City are to be joined by Manchester City and Manchester United in the Uefa Europa League round of 32, but 19 other teams will compete for the remaining nine places on Wednesday and Thursday.

City and United are two of eight teams transferring from the Uefa Champions League – also included are FC Porto, Trabzonspor, Ajax, Valencia, Olympiacos and FC Viktoria Plzen – and join 15 teams already assured of a place in the next round.

Tottenham, Fulham and Birmingham City and Celtic await their fate in what promises to be a compelling week of European action.

The road to progress from Group A for Tottenham is not so straight-forward given the fact that PAOK are already qualified and Shamrock Rovers cannot make it through.

To qualify the north Londoners must win in Dublin, hope Rubin Kazan lose away to PAOK and make up a goal difference deficit which currently stands at five. If the two teams finish exactly level on goal difference and goals scored, Tottenham will qualify due to their higher coefficient.

Shamrock Rovers 6/1 draw 7/2 Tottenham 4/9 – match prices

In Group K, Twente have won the section and Odense are out, while Fulham are a point ahead of Wisla Krakow and have a superior head-to-head.

To finish second, Wisla must win against the Eredivisie side and hope that Martin Jol’s men lose to their Danish visitors.

Fulham 1/5 draw 5/1 Odense 14/1 – match prices

Group H is extraordinarily tight, although Braga are through as they have a superior head-to-head over Birmingham.

However, Chris Hughton’s Championship side can overtake Brugge with a victory against eliminated Maribor should the Belgian side lose because Blues have the superior head-to-head record.

Brugge won at Braga on match-day two so a draw in the return fixture would take them through as group winners.

Birmingham City 8/15 draw 3/1 Maribor 5/1 – match prices

In Group I, Atletico Madrid have qualified and a draw with already-eliminated Rennes would clinch first place.

Udinese are three points ahead of Celtic, who would go through on the head-to-head record with a victory in Italy. If the Serie A side draw they will finish second but will finish top with a win if Atletico lose.

Udinese 8/13 draw 11/4 Celtic 9/2 – match prices

Want £200 Free? Click here to visit Bet365 and claim your free money.

Crunch time for Messi and Co

Posted on by
Reply

Regardless of the outcome of Sunday’s top-versus-bottom Group A clash between Colombia and Bolivia in Santa Fe, under-fire hosts Argentina must win against Costa Rica in Cordoba on Monday evening if they are going to reach the quarter-finals of the Copa America.

A draw will be enough to see Colombia through on Sunday and that would mean the Costa Ricans can follow them into the knock-out stages by holding the under-performing Argentines to their third successive draw of the group stage (5/1 Draw 90 Minutes).

With a game of huge meaning looming large, Argentina coach Sergio Batista appears set to press the panic button and wield the axe to his misfiring attacking line-up as he attempts to keep the nation on course for a first South American title since 1993.

Fernando Gago, Sergio Aguero, Angel Di Maria and Gonzalo Higuain all look set to be given a chance to save the hosts by receiving a place in the starting XI at the expense of Manchester City’s unsettled talisman Carlos Tevez, Napoli striker Ezequiel Lavezzi, Ever Banega and Esteban Cambiasso.

World player of the year Lionel Messi will be given another chance to finally replicate his Barcelona form for his country after struggling to make an impact in the opening two matches.

However, with the backing of team-mate Javier Masherano, 22-year-old Messi is confident it will be third time lucky for Argentina and they will see off Costa Rica to book a last-eight spot.

He said: “I am feeling good and looking forward to it. I am confident that the team will qualify. We will progress.”

There is an element of déjà vu looking ahead to an Argentina game as it is always felt that the pre-tournament favourites will suddenly click into gear and their big guns will fire them to victory.

But that has not happened in the opening two games and Costa Rica won’t be rolling over to make it happen for them in an encounter they will be as desperate not to lose in order to go through to the quarter-finals.

Ricardo La Volpe’s Central American tournament invitees bounced back from an opening defeat to Colombia with a 2-0 success over Bolivia thanks to second-half goals from Josue Martinez and Joel Campbell.

Their cause was helped by the fact Bolivia played the second 45 minutes with nine men following two red cards, but they will have been handed a confidence boost from the win which they should take into the Argentina match (Costa Rica 11/1 To Win 90 Minutes).

The fact Costa Rica are sitting in second place going into the final group game is a surprise given that, like Mexico, they sent a youthful squad to the Copa America as part of their preparations for next summer’s Olympics, having already featured in the CONCACAF Gold Cup in America this summer which was seen as their priority.

But to dismiss them would be a mistake and that is something Argentina cannot afford to do when they go head-to-head on Monday.

Prediction: Argentina To Win 90 Minutes @ 2/11
Value Bet: Argentina 2-0 Correct Score @ 19/5

Want £200 Free? Click here to visit Bet365 and claim your free money.

Time for Young Lions to roar

Posted on by
Reply

England Under-21s

England Under-21s kicked off their European Championship campaign with a hard-fought 1-1 draw with favourites Spain on Sunday. Now they must do better when they meet the Ukraine on Tuesday as they look to progress in the tournament (England 3/4, Ukraine 16/5 – match odds).

Boss Stuart Pearce would probably have taken a draw against the Spanish if he’d have been offered it beforehand but, after being outplayed for large parts of the game, he would not have been happy with the overall performance.

Danny Welbeck, who is a good bet at 11/8 to score anytime on Wednesday, gave the Young Lions what could turn out to be a valuable point with his late goal on Sunday, but England must now aim for all three on Wednesday as they look to stamp their mark on a competition that, it’s fair to say, has yet to set pulses rating.

The more established Premier League players, like Welbeck, Daniel Sturridge, Liverpool new-boy Jordan Henderson and recent Manchester United signing Phil Jones, need to show why they are rated so highly and get football fans, currently without much to watch, back in front of the telly and cheering them on.

And they should certainly have too much for Ukraine in midweek if they play anywhere near their potential.

Pearce could make a few changes but is more than likely set to stick with the players who earned a draw in the opener as he keeps faith in his side (England 23/20 to win Group B).

There are only four teams in each of the two groups in the competition so Pearce knows a defeat is likely to signal the end of the summer jaunt to Denmark for the youngsters ahead of a final Group B game to come against Czech Republic.

With that in mind, expect a much more robust display from England – and a victory (Go for a morale-boosting 4-0 win at 25/1).

Ukraine have a hard-working squad but it’s bereft of stars and England, with plenty of Premier League experience throughout, should come out on top. Pavlo Yakovenko’s side lost 2-1 in their first game to the Czechs and will know a defeat means their tournament is over so they cannot be underestimated in what is set to be a competitive clash.

However, after being given a lesson at times by the Spanish on ball possession, this should be England’s turn to dominate the opposition and a chance to kick-start a bid for glory in Denmark.

Pearce will hope so otherwise he could quickly find himself out of a job, never mind out of the tournament.

Want £200 Free? Click here to visit Bet365 and claim your free money.