bolton

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Kenny Dalglish needs his men to pick up the slack a little bit without Luis Suarez in their ranks, as they are faced with Bolton v Liverpool betting on Saturday. The Reds, after getting beaten heavily by Manchester City in the league, followed that up with yet more dropped points at home following a 0-0 draw with Stoke City. Naturally the ban of Luis Suarez is affecting them, because they have not got the firepower support to cope without his creativity and spark. Andy Carroll is still struggling on his drought, and the only bright spark going forward for Liverpool seems to be Craig Bellamy and the return of Steven Gerrard to the side. Gerrard’s influence is massive right now, but he can’t solve all the problems for the Reds. There is a serious lack of creativity going forward and a lack of sharpness in front of goal for them, and they hurting after firing blanks in their last two league outings. That means, they haven’t scored a league goal this year. So will a trip to the battling Bolton bring rewards for the Reds? Creativity and a goal scoring edge, that is what they need. Well, Dalglish decided to sit both Craig Bellamy and Andy Carroll on the bench against Stoke, leaving Dirk Kuyt roaming around up front, so some tactical changes would surely help with a lack of creativity there. Liverpool haven’t done too bad on the road, but their record is nothing to write home about. They have secured five away wins, one draw and four defeats, and they have picked up just one away win in their last four now. The Reds did run out 3-1 winners over Bolton at the start of the season and they will go as favourites. They are only averaging one away goal per match, and they are conceding an average of one away goal per match, so you could see why the draw could be a popular play in your Bolton v Liverpool betting. The Reds need to find a spark from somewhere, someone to lift them and give them energy, and that is why Craig Bellamy will probably be back in the side from the kick off. Liverpool are apparently close to signing young midfielder Joao Carlos Teixeria from Sporting Lisbon. Don’t expect any immediate impact if he arrives, as the 19 year old hasn’t even started a game for the Portuguese side yet.

The Trotters go in search of a big three home points against Liverpool, now in their post Gary Cahill era after the defender signed for Chelsea. The Trotters comfortably eased their way past Macclesfield in the FA Cup replay midweek, without ever getting out of second gear really. Owen Coyle’s troops are in a bit of bother in the relegation zone, and while they have shown a little upturn in form recently, their last match, a 3-0 defeat at Old Trafford has left them reeling a bit and needing to find another win. Clearly the Bolton defence has issues as they have kept just one clean sheet at home this season, and all of their 24 home goals conceded has seen them rack up a terrible 8 defeats, one win and one draw this season at the Reebok Stadium. So awful home form to take note of in your Bolton v Liverpool betting, which doesn’t inspire fans of the Trotters in their relegation struggles. Bolton have picked up seven points in their last five league matches, which has to be noted, because that is a strong upward swing in form after five straight league defeats, so there maybe is a glimmer of hope for them. To their credit, they do work hard but there is a lack of quality over all with Bolton and that is why they are in the dog fight which they are in. The ease of their midweek game against Macclesfield may well have been a good tonic for them ahead of the visit of Liverpool. Owen Coyle will know that Liverpool are struggling for goals themselves and that there is an opportunity for a massive three points at home here and more likely than not, it would only take one goal to do it. It is just a matter of whether or not Bolton can keep their cool at the back, because you don’t end up second from bottom in the league because of bad luck. Will Bolton be able to at least hold out for a precious point? Perhaps a 0-0 draw? The Trotters have actually scored one more league goal than Liverpool this season, but that’s not the problem, it is the league worst 46 they have conceded.

Bolton v Liverpool Betting
Bolton to win: 4/6 at Totesport
Draw: 14/5 at Bet Victor
Bolton to win: 5/1 at Bet365

Manchester United v Bolton betting could be just the fixture that Sir Alex Ferguson needs to get his title charge back on track. United have suffered back to back defeats in the Premier League, losing at home against the struggling Blackburn Rovers before being trounced 3-0 away at Newcastle. The Newcastle forward line were allowed to terrorize the weakened United back line, and without Nemanja Vidic at centre half, the Red Devils look a bit shaky back there. That is why six points have gone down the pan in the last two matches for them, defeats which has seen them not only drop three points behind leaders Manchester City, but with Spurs winning their game in hand in midweek, Tottenham have now pulled level on points with United and are in much better form than the Red Devils. So for once, United have to look over their shoulders and worry about dropping to third place. Fortunately you would look at this fixture and immediately put down a home banker. The defeat at Old Trafford by Blackburn was really out of the blue, and seeing United lose back to back matches is almost unheard of. Seeing them lose three on the bounce is really taking a big long stretch. Although the Red Devils went down against basement dwellers Blackburn, Rovers’ fellow strugglers Bolton should represent a fairly easy match for United. Sir Alex Ferguson will have been buoyed of course by their victory at the Etihad Stadium over Man City in the FA Cup, where Wayne Rooney was accused of getting City defender Vincent Kompany sent off in the first half. So United need to get back to winning ways in the league, but even in their FA Cup victory, the defensive frailties were there. Paul Scholes has come out of retirement, which is nothing more than an indication of the worry that must be around Old Trafford that the backbone of the squad isn’t strong enough to cope without Vidic’s influence.

United have won seven, drawn one and lost two at Old Trafford this season, and when they went to the Reebok earlier in the season, they came away 5-0 victors. United have scored in every one of their home matches this season, firing in 30 goals at an average of 3 per game, but they have conceded at a rate of 1.4 per game, which will given opposition a sniff of a chance. Can we talk about a mini revival at Bolton? Can we be thinking of an upset in Man Utd v Bolton betting? Owen Coyle’s troops have been struggling all season, but have only lost one of their last four matches. They scored a hugely important away win over Blackburn and then a draw against Wolves and an away win at Everton has given the Trotters a bit of hope of pulling clear of the relegation zone. However, there are still evident problems with Bolton, as they have conceded at least one goal in each of their last nine matches. Bolton have netted fourteen away goals in their ten matches, which isn’t too bad, but they have conceded 19 on the road, which has seen them struggle. In total, there have been four wins and six defeats for the Trotters on the road this season. They are yet to draw on the road. So Bolton’s away form has actually been much better than their home form in the Premier League, so are they capable of causing another upset away from home? Can they avenge the 5-0 hammering they received at the hands of United back in September of last year? If other results go their way this weekend, Bolton could pull out of the relegation zone with a win. While the transfer of defender Gary Cahill to Chelsea is still in the works, Owen Coyle is expected to call upon the services of the England defender until he sorts out his personal terms with the London club. Bolton could only manage a 2-2 draw away at Macclesfield in the FA Cup last weekend, but their recent away win at Everton in the league, shows that there may be a bit of light at the end of the tunnel. Last season’s corresponding fixture ended in a 1-0 win for United.

Manchester United v Bolton Betting Odds
Man Utd to win: 1/6 at Totesport
Draw: 15/2 at Boylesports
Bolton: 20/1 at Victor Chandler

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All sorts of interesting connotations surround Tuesday’s Premier League match of Blackburn v Bolton. The two sides are struggling at the bottom of the table, with bottom dead last and Blackburn sitting just one point and one place ahead of them. The respective managers here, Blackburn’s Steve Kean and Bolton’s Owen Coyle are really under the cosh and both are the front runners to be next out of a job when it comes to Premier League manager betting. Bolton are on a terrible slid of seven defeats out of their last eight matches, while Blackburn are scraping together points here and there but continue to simply throw points away through sloppy play. This match really could decide who is next out of a job, and some precedence has to go towards the home side in Blackburn v Bolton betting, even though when it comes to goals scored and goals conceded both are matching pretty evenly. Bolton have the league’s worst defensive record of having conceded 38 goals, two worse than Blackburn, while Blackburn have scored three more goals than Bolton. So defensive issues are definitely the key problems for both of these sides, and now this is a massive match at the foot of the table and a great way to start of your Christmas week of football betting. Who will prevail? Who will be out of a job next? It really is as much of this game being a case of under pressure Steve Kean v Owen Coyle at the moment, as it is Blackburn v Bolton. Should be a fascinating battle at Ewood Park on Tuesday, really with no holds barred in scrapping for their jobs and Premier League lives. The bookies are giving the nod towards Blackburn picking up a home win, and that is the biggest advantage to which they can play to on Tuesday night. They have to make this one count, and therefore they do make the better option in your football betting for this one.

Blackburn v Bolton Betting Odds at Victor Chandler
Blackburn 10/11, Draw 12/5, Bolton 11/4

Online bookmaker Victor Chandler have their VC Double Up Promotion running for this match. Back a winning 1stGoalscorer bet in this match, and if that player goes on to score a second at any time during the game, then the bookie will pay you out double your original First Goalscorer odds. Really can’t beat extra payout for a good showing from your first goalscorer. So who will you be looking at in this market? Well Yakubu is trading as favourite at 5/1, with David Goodwillie, Ivan Klasnic and Jason Roberts all around 6/1. So imagine any of those popping up and doubling your odds on them! VC Bet offer a free £25 bet for new customers registering an account. The bookie will match the value of your first stake on a new account, up to the maximum value of £25.

Arsenal v Bolton Carling Cup betting, should see the Gunners progressing closer to some silverware. It would be a bit ironic that in a season of some big struggles, that Arsenal would come through and end their long wait for a trophy. They Gunners, who are still not playing great at the back, are relying heavily on Robin van Persie for everything going forward, but staying at the Emirates for the their Fourth Round match in the Carling Cup, should be enough for them to take advantage of this opportunity. With them not looking as if they are going to win the Premier League or the Champions League, maybe the Carling Cup is really worth gunning for at the moment for Arsene Wenger, making them a strong option in Arsenal v Bolton Carling Cup Betting. They have a pretty good draw in the Fourth Round here, squaring off against Bolton Wanderers, who are in some terrible form. Arsenal were made to work hard in the Third Round at the Emirates, as a very spunky Shrewsbury Town came along and created a hatful of good chances for themselves. The Gunners won out 3-1 in the end but were probably surprises by the degree of challenge. As for Bolton, they face their second Premier League team, after having battled past Aston Villa at Villa Park in the Third Round with a 2-0 win. Bolton manager Owen Coyle could do with a win to boost morale at the club, who have lost seven of their nine Premier League matches this season. There are holes all over the back line for Bolton, and they look as if they are going to be in big trouble if something is not sorted out. But the pressures of the Premier League are off, and they will no doubt want to take this chance to give themselves a boost. However, on the basis of their recent visit to the Emirates Stadium in the Premier League, where the Trotters lost 3-0, the cards looked stacked in Arsenal’s favour for this one.

Arsenal v Bolton Carling Cup Betting Odds
Arsenal to win: 3/7 at Bet365
Draw: 16/5 at William Hill
Bolton to win: 11/2 at Unibet

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Saturday 22nd October

Bolton v Sunderland

Neither Bolton or Sunderland have had the start to the season that they would have wanted or expected so Saturday’s game give’s both sides a chance to rectify that at the Reebok.

Owen Coyle will have been disappointed with the number of defeats his side have so early in the season but he will have been boosted by recent performances. Last weeks victory over Wigan was far more like it and they looked like the team of last season with so much quality going forward. They troubled the Wigan goal on a regular basis and looked threatening for the full 90 minutes. It was just their second win of the season after eight games (losing the rest of them) and their first since the opening day of the season, so it was very timely heading into such an important stage of the season. Despite their victory they still remain in the bottom three, one place behind tomorrow’s opponents despite having the same number of points. What may provide a source of comfort for Coyle is the fact that Bolton have already played the likes of Chelsea, the two Manchester clubs, Liverpool and Arsenal. It’s a tough run of fixtures for anyone at anytime of the season but for a club who had brought in several players to begin their campaign with so many hard games it is doubly difficult.

Steve Bruce is under a lot of pressure at the minute after a less than positive start to the season. Last weekends defeat to Arsenal in London was their fourth of the season and with just one win to their name thus far, the pressure is mounting on the former Manchester United captain to start achieving results sooner rather than later. Their only win to date was a 4-0 thumping of Stoke City back in September which they would have been hoping would have been the turning point but the following three games have yielded just one point – and that was after being 2-0 down early on against West Brom. Like Bolton it’s not all doom in gloom as there were some positive signs against Arsenal last Sunday. Despite losing a goal in the first minute, the Black Cats equalised and held their own for much of the match only to lose to a fantastic Robin Van Persie free kick in the last few minutes.

It’s too early to talk about a six pointer – far too early, but it could prove to be a vital match for the future of Steve Bruce. A defeat and it would mean Bolton would leapfrog Sunderland and leave them in the relegation zone whilst a win could be the catalyst for them to clim the table. Sunderland do have a good recent record at the Reebok as they are unbeaten in their last three visits, winning two of them. A repeat of that would be a timely boost for the under-fire Bruce.

Bolton impressed me last weekend with the manner of their win against Wigan. To dominate a local derby is a feat at anytime but coming off so many defeats in the league and to do so away from home is even more impressive. Sunderland also stepped up their game against Arsenal but with home advantage I think Bolton will prove to be too strong and put even more pressure on Sunderland and their manager.

My Selection: Bolton to beat Sunderland

Best odds available: 13/10 available with PaddyPower

English Championship

Ipswich Town v Crystal Palace

Sixth meets fifth in the Championship tomorrow so it promises to be an entertaining match at Portman Road when Ipswich meet Crystal Palace.

Ipswich’s recent resurgence see’s them sitting top of the form table in the Championship as well as sitting in the play-off zone in the league itself. Paul Jewell will have been as disappointed as anyone with the start to the season by his side but things have certainly picked up in recent weeks. Key to their revival has been a strong midfield, one which would not look out of place in the Premier League let alone the current level they are playing at. Keith Andrews, Lee Bowyer, Jimmy Bullard and Grant Leadbitter have all had recent experience of playing at the top level whilst Jay Emmanuel Thomas was purchased from Arsenal in the close season. Despite winning their first match of the season they went on to lose five of their next six league games which saw them in the relegation zone at one point. Things have certainly picked up however and they are now unbeaten in their last six matches, winning four of them. It’s even more impressive when you consider they teams they have played during that time.

Palace have certainly surpassed many people’s expectations this season with the amount of points they have gathered so early on. Six wins from 12 is a more than decent return for a club who have been battling relegation for the past few seasons. Dougie Freedman is doing a grand job and will be delighted with the response of his players but he will also know that there is a long way to go between now and May so will be demanding that they keep it up. A big positive for Palace is that they seem equally comfortable away from home as they do at Selhurst Park as they have amassed the same amount of wins on the road as they have done at home. Back to back wins against Watford and Bristol City after the International break will have done wonders for confidence heading into a busy set of fixtures where they will be up against some quality sides such as tomorrow’s opponents, Southampton and Cardiff.

It’s such a cliche but the midfield battle is so important when two closely matched sides meet. It will be no different tomorrow and the likes of Bullard and Andrews will be up against South African and Australian internationals. Kagisho Evidence and Michael Jedinak will be accompanied by the goalscoring threat of Darren Ambrose in the Palace midfield whilst the potent partnership of Glenn Murray and Jermaine Easter will certainly test the home defence.

Ipswich are on a real role at the moment with a midfield packed full of quality it was only a matter of time before they got their act together. Michael Chopra will be tasked with adding to his five league goals as he assumed a likely lone striker role with the wide players expected to get up and support the former Cardiff hitman.

I am expecting game packed full of chances and possibly goals tomorrow as both managers like to get their teams forward. There has been 19 goals shared at Portman Road this term whilst Crystal Palace’s away games have yielded 16. With that in mind, as well as fancying Ipswich to gather all three points, I think the over 2.5 goals is also worth a wager.

My Selection: Ipswich to beat Crystal Palace at a best priced 21/20 available with William Hill Over 2.5 goals at a best priced 4/5 available with Bet365

English League One

Sheffield Wednesday v Colchester United
After a morale boosting come from behind draw against city rivals United last weekend, Sheffield Wednesday host Colchester knowing that a win could see them top if other results go their way.

Gary Megson may not have been everyone’s idea of Wednesday’s new manager and had a less than successful start last season but he has proved his doubters wrong this term. Six home wins from six in the league is the main reason for sitting third in the table and gives them real hope of returning to the second tier of English football after a few years in the wilderness. They have not tasted defeat since the middle of September and as mentioned, their 2-2 draw with Sheffield United would have felt like a win as they were two goals down with less than 10 minutes to go before their late, late show.

Megson has assembled a team of quality players who have experience at a higher level than this throughout their careers. Chris Sedgwick is one of those players and his vast experience is a real help in the middle of the park. The man everyone is talking about, however, is Gary Madine. Unlike others, Madine has not yet tasted a higher level of football but the former Carlisle man is really impressing and has scored 11 goals in 13 matches.

Colchester are not one of the bigger names in the League One list of clubs but they are consistent and do have a history of upsetting the odds so they do come with a warning. John Ward will be a little more satisfied after his side went the last four games unbeaten, winning two and drawing two. Before that they were struggling for any kind of consistency which meant they were towards the bottom of the table but they are improving as recent wins against Chesterfield and Walsall would back up. Two 2-2 draws followed so heading into tomorrow’s match against a heavyweight such as Sheffield Wednesday, confidence should be as high as it has been all season.

Anthony Wordsworth has been the jewel in Colchester’s crown this season as the midfielder has scored six goals in 13 games which is an excellent return for a striker at this level let alone a midfield player. He is attracting interest from bigger clubs but he looks totally devoted to Colchester and his development over the past couple of seasons has been excellent. With his six goals, he is on course to beat his tally of 11 goals he notched in 2009/10.

This game may have had home win written all over it a couple of weeks ago such was the form of Colchester but they are proving that they can be hard to beat with just one loss in eight games. That loss was against the other Sheffield side when they were easily beaten 3-0 at Brammal Lane.

Despite Colchester’s better form of late, there is a great deal of momentum behind Sheffield Wednesday and with Gary Madine in such prolific form, it’s hard to see anything other than a victory for the Owl’s.

My Selection: Sheffield Wednesday to beat Colchester

Best odds available: 5/6 available with Stan James

Saturday 17th September

English Premier League

Bolton v Norwich City

Bolton will be hoping to get back on track after last weekend’s 5-0 thumping whilst Norwich are still in search of their first win since their return to the Premier League.

Owen Coyle received enormous credit for the way his Bolton side played and performed last season. This season he is having to deal with a completely different type of publicity as last weekends thrashing at the hands of Manchester United was their third defeat in a row. Not ideal at anytime of the season, you have to take into account the fact that their opponents have been the two Manchester clubs and Liverpool, so hope is not completely lost. What will have disappointed Coyle the most is how easy it has been for sides to breach the Bolton defence. Despite only playing four games this season, the goals against column reads 11 – the worst record of all the top flight clubs. After a comprehensive defeat of QPR on the opening day of the season, Wanderers fans could be forgiving for thinking they may do even better than last season so tomorrow’s game is probably more important than it should be so early in the season.

Norwich have earned plaudits already this season for their approach to the game but Paul Lambert won’t be dwelling on that as he knows only too well that it is points his side need to make the impact he wishes to on the Premier League. Last Sunday’s loss to West Brom was a sore one to take as once again the Canaries had chances to earn a point at least but just lacked that cutting edge to get back into the game. It was also the fourth successive game where the newcomers had given away a penalty which has to change if they wish to do anything this season. Premier League teams are ruthless at the best of times so giving them a gift from 12 yards out only adds to the problems. What Norwich do have is an excellent enthusiasm for the game and hopefully the have some of that winning spirit you need when earning two consecutive promotions. Games like tomorrow are difficult as even though they need that first win, a draw at the Reebok must be considered a good result.

Bolton may look to freshen the pack from the start as deadline day signing David N’Gog pushing for a full debut alongside Tuncay Sanli who is well known to Premier League defences. Ivan Klasnic may well be the player to miss out despite being the club’s top scorer this season as Kevin Davies involvement is almost assured. Norwich can also shuffle their strikers with several options upfront. Grant Holt leads the line very well, similar to Davies in many ways, so it may be a case of who partners him up top.

The home side know they can perform better than their last couple of performances. Having already brushed aside one of the other newly promoted sides tomorrow’s fixture may be what they need to get back on track and it’s a game I can see them edging.

My Selection: Bolton to beat Norwich

Best odds available: 5/6 available with Totesport

English League One

Rochdale v Charlton Athletic

League One leaders Charlton travel north to Spotlands to take on Rochdale hoping to keep up their 100% record on the road this season.

Rochdale consolidated last season after earning promotion by remaining in the division. This season has been a bit of a mixed bag so far with more downs than ups. After eight games they have won two, drawn two and lost the other four so improvement is definitely on the agenda. Their wins have come in the last two games however with is encouraging as they prepare for the visit of the league leaders. Last weekends derby victory over Bury was followed by a gritty 1-0 win at home to Scunthorpe. The highlight of the season thus far has been in the cup, however, after knocking QPR out at Loftus Road. ‘Dale had failed to kick on from that victory until now so Steve Eyre will be hoping that they are at the beginning of a good run of results and form as they head into a busy part of the season.

Charlton have been lingering in League One for a couple of seasons now and have seen the likes of Norwich, Brighton and Millwall surge past them into the Championship in that time. That should make the players, fans and coaching staff determined to get out of England’s third tier as soon as possible as the gap between the two leagues is pretty big – both in quality and finance. They could barely have started the season in better form, however, sitting at the top of the table undefeated having played a game less than most of the teams in the division. What will be most pleasing for manager Chris Powell is their form on the road as they have won all three of their away matches thus far. A lot of teams have strong home records but more often than not it’s getting consistently good results on the road that makes the difference come the end of the season.

Rochdale have a small squad compared to most sides in League One so it’s likely to be much the same for Eyre in his selection. Charlton have a bigger squad than most and that brings with it more options. It allowed Powell to shuffle the pack on Tuesday night in the League cup defeat against Preston so he may well look to make some changes again tomorrow. One man who will start is Bradley Wright-Phillips who has been in excellent form with five goals in six matches. Johnnie Jackson is another who has started the season really well and his goals from midfield often prove the difference.

Charlton have started the season particularly well and although Rochdale have won their last two the value, for me, lies in the away win.

My Selection: Chartlon to beat Rochdale

Best odds available: 7/5 available with William Hill

Sunday 18th September

English Premier League

Manchester United v Chelsea
Manchester United and Chelsea have had some epic battles in recent times and Sunday’s match may well prove to be another classic at Old Trafford.

Sir Alex Ferguson must be delighted with the start to the season his side have made and may be a little surprise as well. Emphatic defeats of Tottenham, Arsenal and Bolton followed a hard fought win over West Brom on the opening day of the season. Wednesday’s draw in Lisbon with Benfica was also a decent result considering they were well below par and it was a depleted side compared to the one who has played in the Premier League this season. The outfield signings of Phil Jones and Ashley Young look as though they have been at the club for years whilst the emergence of Tom Cleverley and Danny Wellbeck at the start of the season has also been very positive. The one area of concern for Ferguson will have been David de Gea in goals. The young keeper has thrown a couple in the back of the net already but his ability is there for all to see and Ferguson will not be panicking just yet.

Andre Villas-Boas will experience his biggest test as Chelsea boss yet when he takes his side to Old Trafford on Sunday. An acceptable start to the season with 10 points from 12 could be made a whole lot better if he manages to get the better of his new advisory at the first time of asking. Last Saturday’s win over Sunderland was arguably the most impressive performance this season whilst they followed it up with a comfortable enough win against Leverkusen during the week. Villas-Boas rested a couple of his big players with Sunday’s match in mind so he knows the importance of the game even this early in the season. His biggest dilemma will be whether or not to include Fernando Torres from the start. He had a hand in both goals in Europe but has only scored one goal since joining in January. Other options include Nicholas Anelka and Daniel Sturridge whilst Didier Drogba is nearing a comeback after a head injury.

United will almost certainly recall Phil Jones, Rio Ferdinand, Javier Hernandez, Nani and Ashley Young as well as David De Gea in goals. It’s a measure of how big their squad is and how much quality is contained within it when you see the likes of Darren Fletcher, Ryan Giggs, Park Ji Sung and Antonio Valenica likely to drop out on to the bench.

Chelsea may not have as big a squad anymore but they do have more quality than they finished last season with. Juan Mata already has two goals to his name and will be a vital player for them this season. Villas-Boas will be hoping that the little Spaniard can inspire, and link with, Torres and get the best out of the £50m man.

Despite the start Man City have made I still believe that these two sides will fill the top two positions come the end of the season. Many have written Chelsea off as they have not looked as fluent or as dominant as the other two but they do so at their peril. United have been the most impressive thus far and go into Sunday’s game as favourites. Chelsea will be hoping to frustrate United in the early part of the game and use the pace they have in the counter attack.

I think United may just edge the game but the odds are a little skinny for me to get involved in the result. Instead, with the form Rooney is in I am siding with him to score anytime during the 90 minutes.

My Selection: Wayne Rooney to score anytime against Chelsea
Best odds available: 11/8 available with Victor Chandler

Free bet for Manchester United v Chelsea at Bet365

Bolton Wanderers v Manchester United Betting Tip & Odds: Well, it looks as if the Bookies don’t give Bolton any kind of a chance against their prolific neighbours. The odds on a Bolton outright win are a bit outrageous and therefore could just be worth a small flutter. However, the question is, are we going to see a rampant United again? We tend not to think so away from home, so we are going to go brave and take a Manchester United -1.25 Asian Handicap for Evens at Bet365. It could be close, but we can’t see the Bolton defence holding out for 90 minutes.

Bolton Wanderers to win: 8/1 at Totesport
Draw: 18/5 at Victor Chandler
Manchester United to win: 2/5 at Bet365

EPL Match Preview: A nice friendly neighbourly clash at the Reebok between these two northern sides. Last year’s match was a late thriller, with Manchester United just about managing to salvage a point at the death. Bolton will be keen to put on a good show and make the life of the Red Devils as awkward as they possibly can. How will Manchester United perform back on the road after back to back impressive home victories? As for Bolton, they hit four goals on the opening day, but have since found things a struggle in difficult matches. This has been a tough little run of fixtures for Bolton, will Owen Coyle be able to get them to respond?

Bolton Wanderers Form: Bolton’s strong start to the season, a 4-0 away win at QPR could not be followed up on, as Owen Coyle’s men crashed in their next two matches. Granted they weren’t easy games, as they were defeated by Manchester City and Liverpool, but Coyle will be expecting a lot more from his side. Bolton are probably going to end up in mid table safety come the end of the year, because they have enough to offer up front so it seams. The trouble is, Bolton’s defence doesn’t look as if it can stand up to much, having conceded six goals in their last two matches. But Bolton will always relish a game against northern rivals Manchester United, and they will take some confidence that they gave United a good run for their money in their fixtures last year. In fact, Bolton almost got a home win until Manchester United managed to scrape a late equaliser at the Reebok. But with a defence already standing on shaky ground, having to face a team which is looking rampant in front of goal, there will be a few nerves jangling. But Bolton do what they do best and try to give teams a hard time. Coyle is very tactically aware of what needs to be done, and while Bolton do still switch to a direct, physical style of football, they also have the capacity to stroke it around when they need to. But what do you do to stop the Manchester United juggernaut? Well, Bolton will be hoping that United’s poor road form from last season continues, but they have to undo a lot of miserable history against Manchester United, which has seldom produced a win. Bolton have new options up front though, after squeezing out a couple of deals. They have picked up failed Liverpool experiment David Ngog, who says he is ready to step out of the Anfield shadow of Fernando Torres. Bolton will be hoping that Ngog will give them an injection of pace up front (as 19 goals in 94 Liverpool appearances doesn’t scream prolific) and they have also picked up young Frenchman Gael Kakuta from Chelsea. Kakuta comes in on loan until January from the Blues, as Chelsea again farm him out to get valuable Premier League experience. So there are options of pace to use now for Bolton in the hopes of dragging the United defence around the pitch. However, it could be a long afternoon for Bolton, but they have proved quite proficient in actually taking chances which come their way in front of goal. They may decide to really bombard the United defence with high balls after watching new keeper De Gea struggle so badly against West Brom.

Manchester United Form: The Red Devils have just gotten off to a blistering start. They have new personnel, they are a much younger side than they were last year, but they are oh so much better. They actually have more of an identity this year than they did for the entirety of last season. Much was said about the lack of quality in United’s successful squad last season, so Alex Ferguson has answered critics this term by blooding his impressive batch of youngsters to take on the league with. You only have to look at the defence which United can field, Chris Smalling, Jonny Evans and Phil Jones, all young but the Red Devils have not missed a beat with the experienced heads of Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic occupying the centre half positions. This is what United do, it doesn’t matter who is missing, they have someone dynamic enough to come in and do a role without compromising the quality of the team. The last outing for Manchester United in the league of course produced that incredible 8-2 demolition of Arsenal, and that was on the back of a 3-0 home win against Tottenham. Tough games for Manchester United they were billed. Apparently not. But there is one thing which we need to consider here and that is the away form of United. We have only seen them away at  West Brom on the opening day, a game in which a late own goal gave United three points in a 2-1 win. That was not a great performance from United on the day, as they looked a bit devoid of enthusiasm and ideas. United of course struggled all season on the road in the Premier League last term, and with a less than convincing start again this year, it will be interesting to see what they can produce. Bolton know how to give opponents a hard time at the Reebok Stadium. Sir Alex Ferguson has called on the referee to protect keeper David de Gea as he expects a physical time from the Bolton forwards.

Head to Head: Well, United have a firm grip of things when playing Bolton, they have won 11 of the last 13 meetings between the two sides, and United have only ever lost once in the Premier League at Bolton. Things stand pretty even actually in meetings at Bolton, with Wanderers winning 25, United 18 and 15 draws. United have won six of the last seven meetings between the two sides and holds a 43% win percentage in the overall head to head against Bolton, who have a 35% win percentage. Last year’s corresponding fixture produced a 2-2 draw, while United ground out a 1-0 win at Old Trafford. The last time Bolton beat United was a 1-0 home win back in the 2007/08 season.

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The Club:
Bolton Wanderers have problems, and their tough opening to their fixture list is not going to help them either. After a season in which they just totally collapsed in the new year, all of the problems at the club came to a head. There is no hiding from what Owen Coyle has to do, there really isn’t. An injection of cash is needed to bolster one of the weaker squads in the Premier League as it stands. Bolton may have to rely on making the Reebok Stadium a difficult place to go to still. It was a tale of two halves last season for Bolton, so which side will come out this year is anyone’s guess. There was a lot of promise of how they started their season, and despair at how they finished it. Bolton Premier League betting looks to be focused at the wrong end of the table for them.

Players/Manager:
The biggest loss Bolton have suffered, is through losing a player who was not theirs to start with. On loan striker Daniel Sturridge, who netted eight times in just twelve appearances for Bolton has gone back to his parent club Chelsea. Bolton have also lost Johan Elmander up front, so  in the current standing, you wonder where the goals are going to come from. Lack of strikers at Bolton are going to be a major concern unless they manage to plug the holes quickly. They really only have the aging Kevin Davies to turn to at the moment, and the back up that is at the club doesn’t really look as if they are going to fire Bolton upwards. Bolton have also lost the services of Lee Chung-young after picking up a terrible injury in a pre season friendly. They have signed Nigel Reo-Coker from West Ham but that is hardly going to even start to paper over all of the cracks that the weak Bolton squad have. They really need a stand out figure in the middle of the park, as well as a prominent, lethal finisher up front. Not sure where the money is going to come from to fill those positions, so Bolton could really struggle next season. A lot of pressure will be on Coyle, who has displayed great fighting spirit and canny tactical awareness in the past. However, he will only be as good as the players he can field and unless he has some secret trick up his sleeve, a mid table finish may be a job well done for them. Need to make signings. Not just solid ones, but adventurous ones. They have a back bone of a team which can dig in a battle, they need to find a little more creativity and assurance in pressing forward. Balance is the name of the game.

Last Season: 14th
It all went horribly wrong for Bolton last year. Owen Coyle seemed to have them humming along nicely at one stage, and it looked as if there was even a good chance of landing a spot in Europe. However, they just fell away more and more as the season went on, and while they were never really a relegation threat, they finished in just fourteenth after a run of five straight defeats to end the season. They are better than that, and played some pretty good football until it all went pear shaped. They did not have any trouble scoring, but just could not keep the ball out of their own net, which was pretty much their undoing in the end. Definitely something there to build on, but it is very shaky.

2011/12 Bolton Premier League Betting Projection:
As there will be weaker teams in the Premier League than them, you expect Bolton to stay up. There are missing parts to their squad however, notably up front. They will be hard to beat at home and that should keep them in the hunt for a mid table finish. Not sure if those missing pieces are going to be filled, and Reo-Coker off a free transfer looks about as uninspired a signing as you could get, even though he was a free transfer. Owen Coyle needs to get back to his side playing brave an entertaining football, and being able to mix that up with the long ball which they did so well at the start of last season. But when Bolton were bad, they were terrible. If they land a striker, even getting Daniel Sturridge back on loan, they will be in much better shape. But for now the striking crisis is the big dark cloud hanging over the Reebok. Do they have the finances to solve it?

Finishing Position: Threat of Relegation

Premier League Relegation Odds:
11/2 at SkyBet

First Three Fixtures
August 13th: QPR v Bolton
August 21st: Bolton v Man City
August 27th: Liverpool v Bolton

BACK TO 2011/12 PREMIER LEAGUE BETTING GUIDE
 

Saturday 14th May2011

FA Cup Final 2011

Manchester City v Stoke City

18 top flight sides are preparing for league action this but for two it’s the final of the greatest cup competition in World football as Manchester City and Stoke travel to Wembley for the 130th FA Cup Final.

City secured fourth position and with it, the final Champions League spot for next season, when they defeated Tottenham 1-0 at Eastlands on Tuesday. It is the perfect tonic for Roberto Mancini and his players as they head into a match which could secure them a long awaited piece of silverware for their ardent supporters. Standing in their way is a side who they have beaten only once in their last six meetings which is one obstacle they will need to overcome if they wish to be successful. The City support will be hoping that their talisman, Carlos Tevez, will be fit to start the match. Not only their captain and top scorer, Tevez is an inspirational figure who is very often the difference for the North West Club. He has not started a match since April but came on for the closing stages of Tuesday’s match and is expected to be given every possible chance of playing. If he is missing then the onus will fall on either Mario Balotelli or Edin Dzeko, neither have covered themselves in glory after big money moves this season but there would be no better place to start repaying the faith of Mancini and prove their worth to supporters than tomorrow’s showpiece.

Having defeated their city rivals United in the semi-final to get to this stage, you could be forgiven for thinking that they have done the hardwork but the pressure in a final, especially if not used to them, is far greater and brings with it so many more demands of a player and team. It will be vital for the likes of Yaya Toure and David Silva to help those less experienced players as they have shown they are capable of handling such occasions for previous clubs as well as country.

Stoke have had another terrific season and so much credit must go to their manager Tony Pulis. Working with a fraction of the budget available to tomorrow’s opponents, the Potters have surpassed all expectation once again and not only reached a major cup final, but also comfortably secured their top flight status for another year. Like Man City, they head into tomorrow’s game in good heart having defeated Arsenal at home last weekend. It was a very impressive performance and one which should be yet another warning to anyone who thinks tomorrow’s final will be a one-sided affair. They of course reached this stage after demolishing Bolton in the semi-final which would have been pleasing for a number of reasons, not least because it will have proven to Pulis that his players are capable of handling the big stage at Wembley and everything else that comes with it. Like Man City, they too have their injury problems with key defender Robert Huth struggling to get over a knee injury in time to take his place. He is a massive presence for Stoke and if he is missing then it will be a real blow for everyone concerned as he is not only adept at keeping out goals, he is a threat in the opposition’s box as well.

This game has the potential to go one of two ways. It’s been well documented how cautious Mancini can be in his approach to big games but this time around, the onus will be on his side to attack as they are the overwhelming favourites. Many would argue they have the players capable of doing this and they are suited to playing a more open and expansive game. However, it may well play into Stoke’s hands as they have pace and power in abundance going forward so are exceptionally dangerous on the counter.

I would be very surprised to see Stoke go gung ho, it’s much more likely they will look to hit on the break the Mancini may have no option but to be more attacking – for the neutral, hopefully this will be the case.

I am a big fan of Stoke and inparticularly Pulis so my pick may have a slight hint of bias this week for which I can only apologise.

I think the price on a Stoke win is too big to ignore but if you feel as though you want to err on the side of caution, back the Potters + 1.

My Selections: Stoke City(+1) to beat Manchester City (FA Cup Final 2011)

Best odds available: Even money with Totesport.

English Premier League
Blackpool v Bolton Wanderers (14th May 2011 – 12.45)

With everything else all but decided in the Premier League the relegation battle is the focus between now and the end of the season as Blackpool, one of the sides occupying a relegation spot, host near neighbours Bolton tomorrow lunchtime.
Blackpool were agonisingly close to securing their first three points since February last weekend when they took a late lead at White Hart Lane only to succumb to an even later goal which resulted in them leaving with just one point. If you had offered them that before the match then the chances are they would have taken it but Ian Holloway will have been no doubt regretting the missed chances at 1-0 as well as the first of their two penalties which was spurned. It does, however, give them a boost heading into tomorrow’s match that they can compete at this level after such a poor run of form. As both Wolves and West Ham have difficult away fixtures, Blackpool will be hoping to capitalise on this weekends fixtures and put the pressure on by gaining a much needed win tomorrow. They will take encouragement from the fact that they gotten points from their last two home matches against sides in and around the same position as Bolton so it’s now a question of holding their nerve, taking their chances and ensuring they are strong and concentrated at the back.

Bolton have tailed off a little of late which is only to be expected after being so consistent for the best part of the season. They were understandably down after being torn apart by Stoke at Wembley and there will certainly be a hint of ‘what could have been’ when they take the field at Bloomfield Road tomorrow as opposed to the National stadium. But they have a duty, as professionals, to perform for the rest of the clubs fighting relegation. Owen Coyle will not need reminded that it was only last year that he steered the Reebok club to safety so will demand 100% to maintain the integrity of the division. What both he and his players have to overcome if they are to get anything at Blackpool is a run of four straight defeats in the league. It’s classic end of season form but they have proved that when on form, they can cause problems for the best of them in the Premier League, so it’s certainly not beyond them turning in a performance tomorrow.

The last time these sides met it resulted in an entertaining 2-2 draw after Bolton came from two goals down to rescue a point. It may not have as many goals in it tomorrow as there is so much to play for and tensions will certainly be high. It’s a match where a draw is of little use to either side. Blackpool need to win if they wish to play Premier League football next season whereas Bolton will be desperate to get back on track as well by getting one over their Lancashire rivals.

Bolton look deflated last week when losing a last minute winner to Sunderland at home and as mentioned, there is a chance that their minds may be elsewhere tomorrow. Blackpool managed to gain a vital point last weekend and I am taking them to build on that by securing all three points tomorrow.

 My Selection: Blackpool to beat Bolton

 Best Betting odds available: 6/5 available with Betfred

There will be another preview over the weekend so please check in on Saturday evening.

Bolton Wanderers v Arsenal Betting Tip & Odds: The wheels have come off Arsenal’s form and their title hopes. They need a win, but Bolton have been good at home of late. Forget that FA Cup semi final, the Trotters are better than that. The Gunners need their strikers to get back into the groove, and for their defence to patch up those holes which are occurring more and more frequently. We haven’t seen the best of Arsenal for some time now, and that may just put an end to their title hopes here. Bolton are good enough to get a draw out of this, and because Arsenal have not been beaten since the turn of the year, they are good enough for a draw as well. Bolton are great value actually because of their FA Cup performance, still, we’ll go for coverage here with a Bolton +1 Asian Handicap of 10/11 at Victor Chandler.

Bolton Wanderers to win: 4/1 at Boylesports
Draw: 3/1 at Victor Chandler
Arsenal to win: 4/5 at BetFred

EPL Match Preview: Arsenal’s poor turn of form has come at the wrong end of the season, because there doesn’t look to be enough time to recover. They have seen Manchester United pick up three points on Saturday, and now the Gunners need to echo that result. While the Gunners have a good history against Bolton, the losing FA Cup semi finalists will be keen to put their Wembley nightmare behind them and bounce back with a win in the Premier League. This could be a much tougher match than Arsenal would want to have right now, but they need a win. They need to build some momentum ahead of a crucial visit by Manchester United. Will the grit that has been missing over the past six matches finally re-emerge and keep Arsenal’s title hopes burning just a little bit longer. While there are games there is still hope. This is a must win for Arsenal at the Reebok, against a Bolton side who have nothing else to play for, other than a top ten finish. Will that help the Gunners?

Bolton Wanderers Form: Well Bolton will still be looking for a way to pick themselves up off the floor after being demolished by Stoke in the FA Cup semi final. Bolton went through a sticky patch of the season, but manager Owen Coyle has turned things around well with just three defeats in their last eight. Bolton are currently on two wins and two defeats from their last four though, but it could be down to FA Cup distractions of course. Bolton have a good variety in their play, they are able to stroke it around, as well as utilise the long ball when needed. This is because Coyle is very savvy with his tactics and you never know quite what you are going to get from Bolton. Bolton are safe enough in mid table and are just playing the season out, but could be a huge nuisance to Arsenal here. They will be very glad to get on loan Chelsea striker Daniel Sturridge back in the line up after being cup tied (worth backing as Anytime Scorer as he is on such a hot streak for 11/4 at Unibet), and Coyle could ring the changes for this matches, resting some key players who looked in the FA Cup semi final as if they had ran out of steam. They are not going to reach Europe and so they are playing for pride and squad places next season. Bolton don’t have a great record against Arsenal in the Premier League, beating the Gunners just four times, but this could be a big chance for the players to apologise to their fans for their Wembley disgrace by giving Arsenal the run around, and continuing a run of woes for Arsene Wenger. Bolton do have a decent home record of late, winning their last four at the Reebok, and with three of those ending in clean sheets for the home side. Arsenal will have a battle on their hands.

Arsenal Form: Arsenal have seen what Manchester United and Chelsea have done, and now suddenly Arsene Wenger’s men are playing catch up to both. The Gunners have seen London rivals Chelsea overhaul them into second place, and now have to win to keep their title hopes alive. The Gunners have wasted a lot of opportunities to be closer in the race to catch United, and now, knowing that Manchester United need just seven points from their last four games to win the Premier League, all Arsenal can do now is pull out the stops, wait and hope. They need a victory. Nothing else will do for them now, as they cling on to the glimmer of hope that United can be caught. United could potentially still drop six points as they have to play both Chelsea and Arsenal. So it is not all over quite yet for Arsenal, but they need a big three points here against Bolton. This is not an easy fixture for them, and it will be one final test of Arsenal’s confidence, after they blew a 3-1 lead in the week against Tottenham, ending up with a 3-3 draw. Five draws in their last six Premier League matches has seen Arsenal blow a massive ten points in that period. This was a crucial period for them and they haven’t been able to step up. They did thump Bolton at the Emirates earlier in the season, and if ever they needed a solid performance from their defence it is now. Arsenal have been misfiring up front and sloppy in defence recently, not being able to pull a solid game together. It is all on the line for them now, do they have the character?

Head to Head: 23 Premier League encounters between these two teams have only ended in wins for Bolton on four occasions, while the Gunners have scored 14 victories over the Trotters. More importantly, you are going to be looking at form, and here Arsenal have the edge in the head to head, winning all eight of their last matches against Bolton. Bolton have a decent 46% win percentage at home against Arsenal, with the visitors picking up victories on 26% of their visits there. There have been more draws than Arsenal victories though, and Bolton have outscored Arsenal at home 106 goals to 82 by the visitors.

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Bolton Wanderers v Arsenal Premier League Betting Statistics

Last 5 Head to Head
Arsenal 4, Bolton 1
Arsenal 4, Bolton 2
Bolton 0, Arsenal 2
Arsenal , Bolton 0
Bolton 1, Arsenal 3

Bolton Wanderers have an 56% win percentage at home in the league this season
Arsenal have a 50% win percentage away from home in the league this season

Bolton Wanderers are on a streak of 4 straight home wins
Arsenal are on a streak of 7 away matches with no defeat

Bolton Wanderers have scored 31 goals, and conceded 19 at home
Arsenal have scored 35 and conceded 21 goals in their away matches

Bolton Wanderers average 1.9 goals per match at home this season
Arsenal average 2.18 goals per match away from home this season

Bolton Wanderers have scored the bulk of their goals in the 76-90 minute bracket
Arsenal have scored the majority of their goals in the 76-90 minute bracket

Bolton Wanderers have opened the scoring in 47% of their matches
Arsenal have scored first in 63% of their matches

Bolton Wanderers 2010/11 top scorer: Elmander, 10
Arsenal 2010/11 top scorer: Van Persie, 12

Bolton Wanderers 2010/11 Season Form: P32 W11 D10 L11 GF46 GA43 Pts 43 (8th)
Arsenal 2010/11 Season Form: P33 W18 D10 L5 GF66 GA34 Pts 64 (3rd)