skip to main |
skip to sidebar
Ten draws: Southampton v Swansea, Bournemouth v Millwall, Derby v Leeds, Brentford v Rotherham, Peterborough v Preston, Shrewsbury v Carlisle, Bury v Newport, Portsmouth v Rochdale, Torquay v York, Ross v Aberdeen.
Best draws: Southampton v Swansea, Brentford v Rotherham, Shrewsbury v Carlisle, Torquay v York, Ross v Aberdeen.
Weekend best bets
Aways: Aston Villa, Chelsea, Nottingham Forest, Watford, Wolves, Dundee.
Homes: Liverpool, Tottenham, Middlesbrough, Queens Park Rangers, Notts County, Stevenage, Swindon, AFC Wimbledon, Exeter, Hearts.
Pick of the draws: Southampton, lying fifth, are exceeding expectations in the Premier League but Swansea are seldom easy opponents and I'm tipping them to come away from St Mary's with a point. Brentford returned to form by winning at Coventry last Sunday but Rotherham are unbeaten away in League One and were unlucky to lose to fellow promotion contenders Peterborough last weekend. The appointment of Graham Kavanagh as manager has put a spring in Carlisle's step and I'll be surprised if they come away from Shrewsbury empty-handed. York's 4-2 home victory over Portsmouth in League Two last Saturday was possibly one of the more significant results of the weekend. Coming after a 1-1 draw at Wycombe, it appears that York are on the up and they will approach a long trip to Torquay with more confidence. Aberdeen missed a chance to move closer to the Scottish Premiership leaders when they were held 1-1 at St Mirren. I think they will have to settle for another draw - this time at Ross.
Away days: On a good day Aston Villa are capable of beating most Premier League sides. Having defeated Manchester City at home last Saturday, a trip to promoted Hull should hold no fears. I feel there is far more to come from Jose Mourinho's Chelsea than they have shown so far and they can confirm this by defeating Norwich on Sunday. Nottingham Forest look stronger than Brighton in the Championship this season and much the same can be said for Gianfranco Zola's Watford in relation to Huddersfield, whom they visit on Saturday. Promotion-seeking Wolves have already won three games on the road in League One and I believe they will make it four against Colchester. Cowdenbeath are near the foot of the Scottish Championship and Dundee can take advantage of their plight.
Homes sweet homes: Notts County are second bottom in League One but their position should be healthier after they have played a demoralised Crewe on Saturday. Crewe have just one win from nine league matches and the worst goal difference in the division, having suffered heavy home defeats by Walsall and Gillingham. Lowly Stevenage have a good chance of gaining their first home win of the season against Coventry, whose spirited recovery from a 10-point deduction for entering administration has ground to a halt. Hearts have been severely handicapped in the Scottish Premiership by a 15-point deduction. However, they can lift some of the gloom by beating the team immediately above them, St Mirren.
Pools info: Partick v Hibernian (match No 46 on the coupon) has been put back to Monday and will be a panel verdict.
Ten draws: Fulham v Cardiff, Swansea v Arsenal, Bournemouth v Blackburn, Millwall v Leeds, Rotherham v Peterborough, Hartlepool v Oxford, Northampton v Morecambe, Rochdale v Wycombe, Motherwell v Ross, St Johnstone v Partick.
Best draws: Swansea v Arsenal, Bournemouth v Blackburn, Millwall v Leeds, Hartlepool v Oxford, Northampton v Morecambe.
Have a flutter on the following
Best away bets: Man City, Doncaster, Oldham, Port Vale, AFC Wimbledon, Portsmouth.
Best home bets: Man Utd, Stoke, Bolton, Burnley, Ipswich, Bradford City, Bristol City, Wolves, Fleetwood, Plymouth.
Pick of the draws: Arsenal's astonishing achievement of 11 consecutive away wins could come to an end in Saturday's early evening match at the Liberty Stadium. Swansea are looking good again and are a tough nut to crack at home. Blackburn are showing signs of recovery after a rotten start to the season in the Championship and can hold Bournemouth, who are four points better off. A few weeks ago Millwall v Leeds looked an away banker. Since then, Millwall have beaten Blackpool and Charlton while Leeds have lost to Reading and Burnley, narrowing the gap between the clubs to just three points. In League Two, Hartlepool's recent results have lifted some of the gloom and I'm taking them to surprise promotion contenders Oxford. Northampton's decline has raised a few eyebrows and Ithey will be hard-pushed to take more than a point off Morecambe.
Away days: Manchester City, with nine goals from their past two matches, have suddenly clicked and must be backed to beat Aston Villa, who suffered a heavy home defeat against Tottenham in the League Cup. Although Doncaster have done nothing special in the Championship, they must fancy their chances at Sheffield Wednesday, who have yet to record a league victory this season. In League One, Oldham have played better than their position suggests and are worth a wager at Crawley. Port Vale's win over Coventry last weekend will have boosted their confidence and they are in far better shape than troubled Tranmere. AFC Wimbledon are going along nicely in League Two and are tipped to prevail at lowly Cheltenham. Portsmouth's away form is better than their results at Fratton Park and I reckon they will have too much for York.
Homes sweet homes: Bolton, bottom of the Championship and without a victory in eight matches, are long overdue a change of fortune and I believe they will get it against fellow strugglers Yeovil. Ipswich's home form is pretty solid, which makes me think they will come out on top against inconsistent Brighton. Bristol City have struggled to adapt to life in League One. They are in the relegation zone with no wins from eight games but they played well in defeat at Swindon last Saturday and I've a hunch they will break their duck against mid-table Colchester.
Pools info: Huddersfield v Blackpool (match No 12 on the coupon) has been brought forward to Friday and is therefore void. St Mirren v Aberdeen (match No 47 on the coupon) has been put back to Monday and is subject to a pools panel verdict.
Ten draws: Man City v Man Utd, Blackpool v Leicester, Middlesbrough v Bournemouth, Colchester v Crawley, Shrewsbury v Wolves, Walsall v Rotherham, Accrington v Rochdale, Bury v Southend, Portsmouth v Fleetwood, Aberdeen v Inverness.
Best draws: Man City v Man Utd, Shrewsbury v Wolves, Accrington v Rochdale, Bury v Southend, Portsmouth v Fleetwood.
Have a flutter on the following
Aways: Watford, Nottingham Forest, Queens Park Rangers, Tranmere, Preston, Carlisle.
Homes: Chelsea, Crystal Palace, Newcastle, Birmingham, Brentford, Oldham, Swindon, Bristol Rovers, Exeter, Wycombe.
Pick of the draws: Manchester City and Manchester United had good results in the Champions League this week, which will put them in the best heart for Sunday's derby in the Premier League. The sides are so well matched and this one looks too close to call. In League One, Wolves had their first setback of the season, losing at home to Walsall. They won't find it easy returning to winning ways at Shrewsbury. Accrington, with no wins from their first seven matches, prop up League Two, but they are better than that record suggests and I believe they will take something from the visit of Rochdale. Southend are losing ground at an alarming rate but I think they will stop the rot at Bury. Portsmouth have yet to click at home and they will find Fleetwood anything but obliging opponents.
Away days: Watford are gradually settling into their stride in the Championship and must be fancied to prevail at second-from-bottom Barnsley. Nottingham Forest have started the season well and look a good bet at promoted Doncaster. Promotion favourites Queens Park Rangers will surely be too strong for Yeovil. Although Tranmere lost a thriller against Brentford by the odd goal in seven last Saturday, they will be encouraged by their display and should be too strong for Notts County, who are marooned at the bottom of League One with just one point. Preston are reviving under manager Simon Grayson and will be confident of maximum points against off-form Sheffield United. Carlisle gained their first home victory of the season last Saturday. Don't be surprised if they break their away duck at Stevenage.
Homes sweet homes: Crystal Palace were unlucky to go down to 10 men in their defeat by Manchester United last weekend. That sense of injustice may inspire them to beat Swansea, who have begun the season unconvincingly. Birmingham could do with a change of luck in the Championship and they could get it against Sheffield Wednesday, who are also falling below expectations. Leyton Orient are the only team in the top four divisions to have a 100 per cent record. The Os are really flying and scoring for fun but if any side can halt their progress it's Brentford, who were only a failed penalty kick away from clinching automatic promotion from League One last season.
Ten draws: Hull v Cardiff, Ipswich v Middlesbrough, Leicester v Wigan, Bristol City v Peterborough, Crawley v Shrewsbury, Tranmere v Brentford, Hartlepool v Accrington, Plymouth v Wycombe, Barnet v Lincoln, Forest Green v FC Halifax.
Best draws: Hull v Cardiff, Bristol City v Peterborough, Tranmere v Brentford, Hartlepool v Accrington, Barnet v Lincoln.
Away wins: Chelsea, Arsenal, Derby, Oxford, Morecambe, Mansfield.
Home wins: Tottenham, Bournemouth, Huddersfield, Nottingham Forest, Queens Park Rangers, Watford, Carlisle, Leyton Orient, Preston, Chesterfield.
Pick of the draws: Two of the promoted clubs, Hull and Cardiff, have made reasonable starts in the Premier League and they appear well matched. Peterborough showed their fighting qualities when they recovered from 2-0 down to force a draw at Crewe last weekend. That should serve them well against Bristol City, who have yet to register a victory in League One. By all accounts Tranmere were unlucky not to beat Stevenage last Saturday. Their display should encourage them to get something from the visit of Brentford, who crashed 4-0 at Bradford City. Hartlepool have lost all three of their League Two home matches this season while their opponents Accrington have lost all three away. Sounds like the perfect recipe for a stalemate between teams who are 23rd and 24th respectively. Barnet's progress in the Skrill Premier was halted when they lost at FC Halifax, and they may find it hard to regain their winning habit against Lincoln, who are just behind them in the table.
Away days: Early signs have been worrying for Everton, who are still searching for their first Premier League win of the season. They will surely struggle against a revitalised Chelsea, who are fancied to take all three points. Arsenal, with their new £42 million signing Mesut Ozil poised to make his debut, seem a good bet at Sunderland, who look as though as they could be in for a long, hard winter. Derby have maximum points from their two Championship away fixtures so far. I'm taking them to make it three against Millwall, who are struggling to get going. The same cannot be said of Oxford, who are among the early front-runners in League Two. They will be confident of beating Cheltenham. Morecambe's 3-1 win at Southend in League Two was one of the best results of last weekend and they can repeat the dose against promoted Newport. Mansfield, another promoted club, are adapting well to a higher division and are worth a punt at struggling York.
Homes sweet homes: Unfancied Bournemouth have not dropped a point at home in the Championship and I'm tipping them to surprise the leaders Blackpool, who are so far unbeaten. Carlisle's lowly position in League One may be misleading. Although they have lost all three home games, they deserved better than last-minute defeat against Port Vale last weekend and I believe their luck will change against Sheffield United, who are completely out of sorts. League Two leaders Chesterfield are favourites to make an instant return to League One. I'm backing them to come out on top against AFC Wimbledon, who have surprised even themselves by climbing into the top three.
Please note: Hereford v Aldershot (match No 48 on the coupon) has been brought forward to Friday and is therefore void.
Ten draws: Carlisle v Port Vale, MK Dons v Swindon, Tranmere v Stevenage, Northampton v Scunthorpe, Plymouth v Bristol Rovers, Rochdale v Bury, Braintree v Forest Green, FC Halifax v Barnet, Stalybridge v Solihull, Worcester v Bradford PA.
Best draws: MK Dons v Swindon, Tranmere v Stevenage, Northampton v Scunthorpe, Rochdale v Bury, FC Halifax v Barnet.
Five aways: Peterborough, Portsmouth, Mansfield, AFC Wimbledon, Cambridge United.
Nine homes: Bristol City, Crawley, Leyton Orient, Wolves, Chesterfield, Fleetwood, Aldershot, Luton, Welling.
Pick of the draws: League One Swindon recorded the biggest win in the Football League last weekend (5-0 at home to Crewe) and they'll be confident of gaining at least a draw at MK Dons. Tranmere broke their duck with a last-minute victory at Oldham but they are struggling to convince and may not improve on a point against fellow toilers Stevenage. Northampton, League Two play-off finalists last season, have not got going at all so far and may be hard-pushed to beat relegated Scunthorpe. On the other hand, Bury have exceeded expectations and are a fair bet for a point at Rochdale. High-flying Barnet are a good prospect for an immediate return to the League but their hosts, FC Halifax, have won all three home games in the Skrill Premier, so will not be easily vanquished.
Away days: Peterborough's home defeat by Crawley in League One last Saturday was an upset. They will be eager to bounce straight back and will probably do so at Crewe, who are strangely out of sorts. Relegated Portsmouth are hardly setting League Two alight but I'm backing them to do better at Cheltenham, who have yet to show last season's form. Mansfield are gradually getting into their stride, so don't be surprised if they come away from Newport with all three points. AFC Wimbledon are in the early promotion shake-up and must be fancied to prevail at lowly York. Cambridge United, top of the Skrill Premier, will surely strengthen their position by beating second from bottom Hyde.
Homes sweet homes: Bristol City are still without a win after five matches in League One but I believe they will stop the rot against Shrewsbury. Aldershot, at the foot of the Skrill Premier, are coping well with their 10-point penalty for going into administration and should have enough in their locker to see off Macclesfield. Luton are making their mark after a slow start to the season and will leapfrog Grimsby if they beat them in Saturday's early evening game. Welling are adapting well to a higher division and I think they will take maximum points against Kidderminster, who are just above them.
Please note: The mini-pools coupon (homes and aways) is being discontinued after this weekend but I shall still be giving home and away tips for you punters.
