Tag Archives: upset

Watford can upset Bluebirds

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After an action-packed Boxing Day – with 25 goals in seven games – the Championship returns on Tuesday with some cracking games on the menu.

One of the key matches is at Vicarage Road, where Watford come up against promotion hopefuls Cardiff City…

Watford v Cardiff (3pm)

The Hornets have already ended QPR’s unbeaten run this season and Malky McKay’s men are capable of throwing a spanner in the works of Cardiff’s promotion push. Although the Bluebirds gained a much needed win over Coventry, they have lost their last two away games and Watford, whose Boxing Day game at Ipswich postponed, will prove a tough nut to crack.

Match Bet: Watford to win @ 13/8

Coventry v QPR (12:15pm)

The Sky Blues currently occupy a play-off spot, but performances suggest that is a false position and the leaders will prove too strong for the home side. Having bounced back from consecutive defeats, Neil Warnock’s men will grind down a stubborn Coventry line-up, who struggle for goals – with just two in their last four games.

Match Bet: Draw HT/QPR FT @ 9/2

Leeds v Portsmouth (3pm)

Leeds are on a 10-game unbeaten run and are the in-form side in the division, but face a potential banana skin on Tuesday. Simon Grayson’s men have been more impressive away from Elland Road and they come up against a Pompey team that have already won four times on their travels this season.

Match Bet: Draw @ 5/2

Swansea v Barnsley (3pm)

This looks to have home win written all over it, with the Swans beaten just twice at home and eyeing a return to the top three. Brendan Rodgers’ men will be looking to bounce back from a hammering at QPR when they face a Barnsley team that have collected just eight points from a possible 27 on their travels.

Match Bet: Swansea to win 2-0 @ 11/2

Hull v Reading (3pm)

The Tigers are on an unbeaten run that stretches back to early November and are starting to find the net on regular occasions, with Jay Simpson bagging four in the last two games. Reading are also on a good run, though, with seven matches without defeat catapulting them up to seventh. Expect a tight affair.

Match Bet: Draw @ 23/10

Bristol City v Crystal Palace (3pm)

Both of these teams have struggled this season and both look doomed to battle against relegation, with just 13 wins in 44 matches between them. The Robins may have lost their last two, but they were tough away games at Hull and Reading, and they have won their last three at Ashton Gate without conceding a goal. Palace have only one once on their travels and the loss of loan striker James Vaughan is a huge blow.

Match Bet: Bristol City to win 2-0 @ 7/1

Burnley v Scunthorpe (3pm)

Burnley have won seven of their 11 home matches this term and should prove too strong for a Scunny side looking doomed to the drop. Although the Iron have won five times on their travels, the loss of Freddie Sears will hit them hard and the Clarets will prove too strong.

Match Bet: Over 2.5 goals @ 4/6

Preston v Middlesbrough (3pm)
It’s bottom versus fourth bottom at Deepdale, with both teams showing signs of waking from their slumber in recent weeks. Preston are unbeaten in their last three (one win and two draws) while Boro recently defeated Cardiff and were unlucky to lose by the odd goal at Doncaster and Coventry.

Match Bet: Draw @ 23/10

Millwall v Leicester (3pm)
Two of the most inconsistent teams in the league meet at the New Den and every result is possible when the Lions face the Foxes. Millwall have not lost in five games, while Leicester have moved away from the bottom three, although they have lost their last three away games.

Match Bet: Millwall HT/Draw FT @ 14/1

Norwich v Sheffield United (3pm)
Two former Premier League teams meet at Carrow Road, but while Norwich continue to prosper, Sheffield United appear to be on a slippery slope. With no permanent manager and just seven goals scored away from home, the Blades look to be in trouble and the stats point to a home success.

Match Bet: Norwich to win @ 10/11

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Bale eyes England upset

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Wales star Gareth Bale is determined to put a spanner in the works for England when the two sides meet in the Euro 2012 qualifying campaign on March 26 (England 1/6 to win Group G).

The Welsh saw any faint hopes of qualifying for the finals in Ukraine and Poland evaporate when they went down 4-1 to Switzerland on Tuesday night – their third consecutive Group G loss following 1-0 reverses against Montenegro and Bulgaria.

The defeat left Wales with no points from three matches and they sit at the bottom of the standings, 10 points behind table-topping Montenegro and seven points behind England in second place.

The Welsh are currently without a permanent manager following the resignation of John Toshack after the Montenegro defeat, with Brian Flynn handling team affairs on a caretaker basis until a permanent replacement is appointed.

There have been a number of high-profile candidates for the job, with Liverpool legend Ian Rush and former Arsenal and Celtic star John Hartson throwing their hats into the ring.

Flynn has also made it clear that he wants the job on a full-time basis but back-to-back defeats under his stewardship will have done his cause no good at all.

England are expected to qualify easily from the group and will fear little from their clash with Wales, but Bale, who admits the banter with his England international Spurs’ team-mates has already been flying about, has made it clear that he and his Welsh colleagues will not just lay down and die against Fabio Capello’s men.

“We’re not going to go out there to concede a loss – we’re going to go out there and give it our all,” he said. “It’s a massive rivalry in country terms and we’ll be giving it 110 per cent. We want to cause a little upset.

“We’ve spoken about it previously, and it’s going to be a big game. They obviously fancy themselves to beat anybody on their day and we’re just going to have to play with no pressure and try to express ourselves.”

Following the England clash, Wales have to wait until September 2 for their next qualifier, with Montenegro set to visit the Millennium Stadium, before the daunting prospect of playing England (8/1 Euro 2012 Outright) at Wembley just four days later.

Matches with Switzerland and Bulgaria follow but, barring a miracle, Wales will be playing for nothing but pride with a new boss in place at the back end of the group stage of the tournament.

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Dutch boss eyes upset

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Holland boss Bert van Marwijk has been quick to try to use a psychological edge ahead of his side’s World Cup quarter-final tie with Brazil (Holland 16/5, draw 11/5, Brazil 20/21).

Van Marwijk says that although his side will generally be seen as the underdogs for the last-eight clash, it is vital that the players believe that they can win (7/1 to win the World Cup outright).

Holland have won all four of their games so far, the latest coming in Monday’s 2-1 success against Slovakia.

“I’m looking forward to this match,” said Van Marwijk.

“Against Brazil, perhaps we might be the underdogs for the first time in South Africa.

“But we are here for one reason, to get the big prize. We have to believe in it.

“People might have laughed at us when we said we were capable of winning the World Cup.

“But you have to show a real mentality, a constant focus. I think we are showing that.”

The Dutch have shown plenty of flair in attack, coupled with strong defensive displays.

“In all of the matches we have played so far, we have shown that we can control a match,” added Van Marwijk.

“We have scored seven times. We have been able to show how good we play.

“I think that our defence has done a wonderful job so far. We have conceded just two goals.

“(John) Heitinga, Giovanni van Bronckhorst and our goalkeeper (Maarten Stekelenburg) have done a great job.

“I think we are improving in every aspect but I would like to see everything converge into one match.

“We simply want to win and I don’t think we are doing such a bad job.”

The return of Holland’s talisman, Arjen Robben, against Slovakia was key for van Marwijk’s side as he showed after scoring his team’s opener against the Slovakians.

“It was important that he played for 70 minutes,” said Van Marwijk.

“I think he has just passed that fear factor, having recently returned from injury.

“It’s great news to have Robben fit.”

“Brazil is a very mature team,” van Marwijk said.

“They have stability. That is what they convey.

“I have talked about our positive form but we shouldn’t get too big-headed.

“The Brazilians also convey this confidence, it is almost like they are invincible.”

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Donovan plots England upset

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USA's Landon DonovanMidfield ace Landon Donovan says USA go into Saturday’s opening Group C fixture with England believing they can produce something “special” (USA 13/2 England 4/9 draw 16/5 – match betting).

The US are the underdogs in Rustenburg, but Donovan says the squad takes great self-belief into the tournament based on their success at last year’s Confederations Cup, played in South Africa.

America finished runners up in that tournament, having beaten Euro 2008 winners Spain en route (4/6 USA – Group C To Qualify).

Donovan said: “2009 was helpful in that it gives us the belief that we can do something here. Aside from that, that is the past, and so our job now is to focus on the present.

“But we know we have the ability to be special and now the focus is on bringing that out of us every time we play.

“However, we also have to be aware of the the bigger picture in that this is just one of three games which are all equally important.

“We can win on Saturday and not advance to the next round still and we can lose this game and still go through.”

Donovan added: “Last year (in the Confederations Cup) we thought we were out after two games. Then we played well against Egypt and it changed everything. We have to keep the big picture in mind.

“I understand what this game means but there is more to it and we have to be ready to react no matter what happens on Saturday.”

Meanwhile, USA coach Bob Bradley has confirmed that Jozy Altidore will be available for the clash with England.

The striker missed a warm-up game against Australia over the weekend as he recovered from an ankle problem.

However, Bradley said: “The injury cost him a couple of days (training) but, from the start, we knew it was very minor.

“The fact he is back in regular training means he is available for whatever role we choose on Saturday.”

Bradley is also optimistic that key defender Oguchi Onyewu will be able to complete 90 minutes against England if called upon.

Onyewu has just returned to fitness after suffering a patellar tendon injury seven months ago and did not complete any of USA’s three warm-up games.

But Bradley said: “The fitness programme that we have put our players through for the World Cup means all 23 players are ready to play 90 minutes on Saturday if asked.

“It is a credit to our staff and the players because they have worked incredibly hard.”

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Vieira upset by Domenech snub

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Former France (16/1 to win the 2010 World Cup) captain Patrick Vieira has been left disillusioned by his failure to make the World Cup squad.

The 1998 World Cup winner, capped 107 times in an outstanding career, was left off coach Raymond Domenech’s provisional 30-man squad for South Africa.

He was one of three high-profile omissions from the squad, along with Arsenal’s Sami Nasri and Karim Benzema of Real Madrid.

And while he took the decision on the chin, he was not happy about the manner in which it was conducted.

“His (Domenech) choice I do accept,” said Vieira, who won the Euro 2000 title with France and played in the final four years ago which Les Bleus lost to Italy.

“The only problem is with regard to our personal relations. I was expecting more openness, more contact on his behalf.
“With Raymond I enjoyed healthy relations. But to learn of my non-selection like that, well that is lacking intact, class. It saddens me.

“There are coaches who know how to handle these things, and others who don’t.”

Vieira was referring to the fact that Domenech had not telephoned him to inform him of his decision, leaving the player to find out live on TV.

“I have not had him on the phone for the past six months,” said Vieira. “I always had good relations with him even when he was in difficulties. What I really would have appreciated, given the number of caps I won for my country, was that he had called me and said ‘Listen, I believe that you no longer have the necessary qualities for international football.

“I would have understood and accepted that, though I still believe that I am capable of playing at that level.”

Vieira, who moved from Inter Milan to Manchester City in the January transfer window and has played 14 times for the Premier League club, accepts that his international career is now over. But he insists he will continue playing at the top level in his club career.

“It is over. I will not have another chance to play in a big tournament,” said Vieira.
“For me, the French chapter is finished. That does not mean it erases all the great years I spent donning the blue shirt of France.

“On the club side, no is the answer to whether I will retire from that as well. I will, for sure, be carrying on at club level.”

Vieira’s omission from the squad leaves Thierry Henry as the sole survivor of France’s 1998 triumph over Brazil.

Benzema has had an inconsistent season with Madrid, though a pole taken shortly after the squad decision was announced suggested that more fans were upset with him being left out than Vieira’s axing.

Nasri’s Arsenal teammates Gael Clichy, William Gallas, Abou Diaby and Bacary Sagna are included.

Three members of Marseille’s Ligue 1-winning squad – goalkeeper Steve Mandanda and forward Hatem Ben Arfa and Mathieu Valbuena – are named, as are two Chelsea stars, Nicolas Anelka and Florent Malouda.

France (evens to qualify from Group A) will play in Group A of the tournament, alongside hosts South Africa (6/1), Mexico (3/1) and Uruguay (7/2), who will be their opponents in their first game in Cape Town on June 11.

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Pulis confident of upset

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Stoke manager Tony Pulis has backed his side to upset the title race by beating Chelsea (4/6 to win the Premier League) at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

The Blues must beat the Potters if they are to reclaim top spot in the Premier League after Manchester United overhauled them at the top of the tree by beating Tottenham 3-1 on Saturday.

Victory for United opened up a two point between themselves and Chelsea heading into the Bluies final three matches of the season.

The lead at the top of the Premier League has now changed hands on twenty separate occasions and Chelsea will be hopeful of making it twenty one by beating Stoke.

The Potters head to west London with very little to play for having secured their status as a top flight club for another season some time ago.

Pulis has called on his side to have a strong end to the season in order to finish in the top ten and with four games left Stoke are just a point away from climbing back into the top half of the table.

However, they will be massive underdogs to get anything out of Sunday’s match, with totesport.com pricing them at 18/1 in the 90 minutes betting section to come away with a win from Stamford Bridge.

Stoke also come into the game having already lost at Chelsea in the FA Cup this season and with just two wins in the last eight league outings.

Despite the opposition and their recent run of form Pulis remains confident his side can do Manchester United a huge favour and beat the Blues.

“We have got very close to taking something from Chelsea in the past couple of seasons, but still not managed to beat them. But we have a game plan, we always do against one of the big clubs, and we always believe we can achieve something in these sort of games,” said Pulis.

Stoke could have a big say in the title outcome with Pulis’ men heading to Old Trafford on the last day of the season to face United.

Chelsea (1/8 to win the FA Cup) will be hoping the title race doesn’t go that far and will be desperate to take all three points to put the pressure back on Sir Alex Ferguson’s side.

However, the Blues have injury and suspension concerns with John Terry out following his red card last week, while Michael Essien and John Obi Mikel will miss the rest of the season through injury.

Jose Bosingwa and Ricardo Carvalho are also sidelined, although manager Carlo Ancelotti is able to welcome back Ashley Cole and Branislav Ivanovic to his squad.

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