bolton

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)

Tottenham Hotspur v Bolton Wanderers Betting Tip & Odds: Both teams need a victory, but Spurs will probably get it. They need to keep up the pressure for fourth spot in the Premier League, and a win over Bolton, in which looks like the perfect game to inject some confidence into their beleaguered troops, would fit the bill nicely. It looks as if it will be one, with history and stats fully backing a Tottenham victory. They should have more punch and bite on the day, and are very tough to beat in front of the White Hart Lane faithful. Worth dipping into the Asian Handicap markets for this one, and nothing wrong with looking at a Tottenham -1 Asian Handicap for 11/10 at Victor Chandler.

Tottenham Hotspur to win: 8/13 at Victor Chandler
Draw: 3/1 at Bet365
Bolton Wanderers to win: 11/2 at Totesport

EPL Match Preview: Tottenham received a huge wake up call on their season last weekend, when they were thrashed 4-0 at Craven Cottage by Fulham in the FA Cup. They were really, really poor that day, but boss Harry Redknapp insists that it was just a blip and nothing to worry about. Surprisingly Tottenham didn’t make any major splashes at the end of the January transfer window. You generally expect them to pop up and take something, just as they did with Rafael van der Vaart at the end of the summer transfer deadline. They did, reportedly have an offer accepted for Blackpool’s much sought after midfielder Charlie Adams, but supposedly some Blackpool board members didn’t get to sign the paper work in time before the deadline. Anyway, Spurs will turn their attentions back to the Premier League, and did show some much improved mettle when they picked up a tricky away victory over Blackburn in midweek. It was enough just to keep them in touch with Chelsea in the race for fourth spot, although Redknapp has said that he thinks catching the resurgent Chelsea with Fernando Torres now in their ranks will be extremely difficult. Spurs are three points back of their London rivals, but have only now picked up one win in their last three matches in the league. The other two have been draws against Newcastle and Man Utd, so there has just been a bit of a stutter in their progress.

Tottenham may get the pleasure of Gareth Bale’s company again, as the wide man is close to full fitness. They will wait for a late fitness test on him, but they do get Michael Dawson back into their ranks. Spurs have a fair share of injuries to contend with at the moment, with Tom Huddlestone, Ledley King, Steven Pienaar, Kaboul and Modric all having to sit out. Tottenham’s lack of spending in the January transfer window, may come back to haunt them if they can’t catch Chelsea, but it does point to Spurs having a pretty settled squad. It is just that their depth and resolve is having to be tested at the moment. This is a not an easy game against Bolton, who have impressed this year, but as of late have fallen off the pace. Tottenham do need to enact a bit of revenge, after falling to a harsh 4-2 victory at the Reebok Stadium back in November of last year. It was actually back in the 2004/05 season that Spurs last won away at Bolton, so it hasn’t been a happy hunting ground. However, back at White Hart Lane, Tottenham have won the last five fixtures between the two clubs, and it is back to 2004 again for Bolton’s last triumph in this fixture. With Bolton looking just a bit more fragile at the moment, you would expect the home team to pick up maximum points here.

Bolton have never managed to achieve a double over Spurs in the Premier League in a season. It is on the cards here though after a great result for the Trotters at White Hart Lane. Unfortunately, Owen Coyle’s Bolton aren’t in too great shape at the moment, having won just one of their last six matches. It was all going so well before that, as they were pushing upwards towards a strong sixth place in the league. However, their seasons has gone on the skids somewhat, but at least they turned it around and gave themselves a bit of cheer during midweek, when they beat bottom side Wolverhampton. They only did it by a 1-0 scoreline, and it was a late goal from Daniel Sturridge who is on loan from Chelsea. That vital winning goal may just have earned the young striker a starting place in the side, and he does offer some good support for the usual pairing of Elmander and Davies. The main problem for Bolton lately, is that the goals have just simply dried up. They have managed to put just three in the back of the net in their last six league games, and clearly that isn’t good enough. Their away record though, won’t give the fans too much hope as they head south to face a top six team. Bolton have won just twice on the road this season (one of them at Spurs), suffering six defeats on their travels. You would have to lean towards Tottenham’s passing and creativity to play this one out to victory.

Tottenham have lost just once all season at home, and looking at the head to head stats against Bolton in a little more detail, you can see a clear dominance there. Bolton have won just nine of the 48 matches played between the two sides at White Hart Lane, with Tottenham picking up 29 victories. Not great reading for the visitors. It is in the goal tallies which paint a further bleak picture for the Trotters, as they can’t even manage an average of 1 goal per match when they go to Tottenham, whereas Spurs average over 2 goals per game in the fixture. Therefore, look for a solid home win for Tottenham, they are the better side and with home advantage on their side, it looks like a banker.

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Tottenham Hotspur v Bolton Wanderers Premier League Betting Statistics

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

Tottenham Hotspur have an 50% win percentage at home in the league this season
Bolton Wanderers have a 17% win percentage away from home in the league this season

Tottenham Hotspur are on a streak of 10 home matches with no defeat
Bolton Wanderers are on a streak of 5 away matches with no win

Tottenham Hotspur have scored 17 goals, and conceded 9 at home
Bolton Wanderers have scored 12 and conceded 18 goals in their away matches

Tottenham Hotspur average 1.4 goals per match at home this season
Bolton Wanderers average1 goal per match away from home this season

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

Tottenham Hotspur have opened the scoring in 41% of their matches
Bolton Wanderers have scored first in 52% of their matches

Tottenham Hotspur 2010/11 top scorer: Van der Vaart, 9
Bolton Wanderers 2010/11 top scorer: Elmander, 9

Tottenham Hotspur 2010/11 Season Form: P24 W11 D8 L5 GF33 GA26 Pts 41 (5th)
Bolton Wanderers 2010/11 Season Form: P25 W8 D9 L8 GF35 GA35 Pts 33 (19th)

Bolton v Wigan betting: Bolton got trounced in the Premier League by Chelsea at the beginning of the week, and they are in a downward spiral as far as form is concerned. They were pushing hard for a tip six place, and then it all came crashing down with four defeats in their last five matches, picking up just one point. They are going through a tough patch at the moment, and boss Owen Coyle needs something to turn that all around. A home tie in the FA Cup against lowly Wigan really should be just the tonic. Bolton aren’t the direct physical side they were known as being under Sam Allardyce, and Coyle has added a little control to their play, without taking away the physicality totally. This makes them a tough side to play on their day, but they haven’t been able to put anything together, and the Reebok Stadium has been a sombre place. They need to dig deeper than what they have, and get back to doing the good things which they were doing on their great run of corm. Their defence was woeful against Chelsea, it has to be said, but hopefully for the Bolton fans that will have been the last straw and problems will have been fixed. A bit of pressure off here from the toils of the Premier League, and Bolton are worth backing. Wigan are doing even worse at the moment, and are looking more and more likely to be embroiled in a tough relegation battle at the end of the season. They did show some grit when they held Bolton to a 1-1 draw at the beginning of January, but Wigan are not a confident side at all, and boss Roberto Martinez must be really sweating for his own survival at the moment. Wigan have just one win in their last eight matches now, and the draws which were keeping them afloat just about, look as if they are abandoning Wigan as well. They have been fighting all season and could be running out of steam very soon unless changes are made. Should be a comfortable, moral boosting win for Bolton.

Bolton to win: 8/11 at William Hill
Draw: 11/4 at Bet365
Wigan to win: 9/2 at BetFred

Outright FA Cup Winner Odds
Manchester United: 4/1 at Unibet
Arsenal: 5/1 at Unibet
Manchester City: 5/1 at BetFair
Chelsea: 6/1 at BetFred

Bolton Wanderers v Chelsea Betting Tip & Odds: Well, this looks on paper that it could be a draw, based on current form alone. However, Chelsea have a very strong away record at Bolton, and that is the trend to go with. The Blues maybe have started to build some confidence, even though they are way short of having enough to go on and win the league. That boat has probably sailed, but there is a lot of work still to be done in order to secure a Champions League place. The big question is, can they build on their victory over Blackburn? Well, there is some value in believing that they won’t. Bolton’s home record is just too difficult to ignore, and Chelsea’s less than 30% success rate on the road, isn’t enough to tip the scales towards them. Going for coverage on a Bolton win here, yes the outright win price is better if you want a long punt, but a Bolton +0.5 Asian Handicap for 5/4 at Victor Chandler looks good value, and covers them on a win and a draw.

Bolton Wanderers to win: 9/2 at Bet365
Draw: 14/5 at Totesport
Chelsea to win: 7/10 at Stan James

EPL Match Preview: It is amazing what a couple of wins can do. After thumping Ipswich 7-0 in the FA Cup, and then beating Blackburn at Stamford Bridge in the league, everything suddenly seems right in Chelsea’s world. Let us not forget, that those two matches followed a shock 1-0 defeat against Wolves for Carlo Ancelotti and his Blues. So, is the Italian boss out of the woods yet? No, although he just doesn’t seem likely to lose his job, and with no apparent urge of bringing in anybody during the January transfer window, it may simply be a case of consolidation for Chelsea over the rest of the season. They are still sitting in fourth place in the league after all, but they are ten points adrift of unbeaten leaders Manchester United, who again showed their title credentials by hammering Birmingham on the weekend. This is a sign of how far Chelsea have fallen over the second half of the season, and at this point it looks far too much to claw back. They do still have two games to come against United, and if Chelsea were to pick up those six points, the title race would be a heck of a lot closer. But in between all that, Chelsea need to pick up points, and not add to their six defeats which they have accumulated this season. It is still only two wins in their last eight league games for Chelsea, so while there are more promising signs, thanks to Ivanovic and Anelka’s goals against Blackburn, there are no certainties, no easy three points for Chelsea anymore. Certainly Monday night’s opponents Bolton are not going to roll over.

Chelsea picked up a win over Bolton at the end of December, and that was a really big three points for them then. Now they need another result, and a repeat of that 1-0 scoreline would do them well. In fact, the last two matches between the sides have now ended in a 1-0 score line in Chelsea’s favour, so that could be a good tip for you if you like playing Scorecast bets. But this is a tough challenge, going away from home, to Bolton who have been knocking on the door of the top six this season. Chelsea are going up north to face a side which has lost only once at home this season. Fortunately though, the Reebok Stadium has been a happy hunting ground for the Blues, and they have not lost there for 13 years, which is a pretty good trend to back. The last time they went there, Chelsea ran out 4-0 winners, but the Blues aren’t the same side as they were in 2009. They are still searching for confidence, and may have to entertain themselves through this match without the influence of Frank Lampard in the middle of the park. Lampard has a back problem and is uncertain to make the starting eleven. Incidentally, Lampard has hit seven goals in eleven Premier League matches against Bolton. John Terry will probably play, the centre half picked up an injury which has meant that he has missed some training, but the captain is likely to be thrown in action again, as Chelsea need him for this very difficult away fixture. There is still no word as to whether Chelsea are buying centre half David Luiz or not in January, they could certainly use his covering at the back.

So, this really will be a big test to see if Chelsea really are on the road to recovery. Bolton need to change some history here and stop Chelsea enjoying playing on one of their favourite away grounds. The Wanderers have lost twelve of the last fifteen meetings between the two sides, and they are shipping an average of two goals per game at home against Chelsea, over the last seven meetings there. The defeat by Chelsea back in December, really put the skids on Owen Coyle’s charge towards the top. Prior to that, it looked as if they were going to be putting pressure on sixth spot, but their form has dropped, they are without a win in 2011 and Coyle has issued a rallying call for his men, following their 2-0 defeat at Stoke, which simply wasn’t good enough. Bolton have picked up David Wheater, a centre half from Middlesbrough, who will probably move right into the line up against Chelsea.. The youngster is a good signing for Bolton, and shows that they are looking for the future in their Premier League. It has been twenty matches since Bolton even kept a clean sheet against Chelsea, and so, Wheater will have his work to cut out. They need to start picking up points again, having gained just one point out of the last twelve.

Bolton hold a 42% win record at home against Chelsea, but the Londoners have a 32%, which isn’t too far behind. It totals to just six wins less than Bolton have managed in the fixture at home. The Trotters went on a three game streak where they conceded four goals per game against Chelsea, but is that likely to happen? Not really. Bolton are sliding backwards a bit, they have now slipped down to ninth and haven’t won a game in four matches. They have just two wins in their last eight, but their home record stands pretty strong and you would have to think that they are probably good for a draw on the night. That would be a big point for them, and the match will mark and honour Nat Lofthouse, who put in over 500 career matches for Bolton, who passed away last week. Honours even would sound about right, but the betting markets are suggesting that Chelsea are expected just to nick this one by the skin of their teeth. On an emotional night for the home fans, it could totally swing the other way and Bolton edge things for all three points.

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Bolton Wanderers v Chelsea Premier League Betting Statistics

Last 5 Head to Head
Chelsea 1, Bolton 0
Chelsea 1, Bolton 0
Bolton 0, Chelsea 4
Chelsea 4, Bolton 0
Chelsea 4, Bolton 3

Bolton Wanderers have an 45% win percentage at home in the league this season
Chelsea have a 27% win percentage away from home in the league this season

Bolton Wanderers are on a streak of 6 home matches with no defeat
Chelsea are on a streak of 6 away matches with no win

Bolton Wanderers have scored 22 goals, and conceded 13 at home
Chelsea have scored 14 and conceded 12 goals in their away matches

Bolton Wanderers average 1.18 goals per match at home this season
Chelsea average 1.2 goals per match away from home this season

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

Bolton Wanderers have opened the scoring in 52% of their matches
Chelsea have scored first in 54% of their matches

Bolton Wanderers 2010/11 top scorer: Elmander, 9
Chelsea 2010/11 top scorer: Drogba, 9

Bolton Wanderers 2010/11 Season Form: P23 79 D9 L7 GF34 GA31 Pts 30 (9th)
Chelsea 2010/11 Season Form: P22 W11 D5 L6 GF38 GA19 Pts 38 (4th)

Chelsea v Bolton Wanderers Betting Tip & Odds: Really strongly fancy a 1-0 win for Chelsea in this one (see below for more details about that), but with Correct Scoreline bets more of a risky business, we will stick in the field of Asian Handicaps for the tip here. Chelsea aren’t playing well, Bolton are doing ok. This should be a tough match, for both sides really, but the impetus is on the home side. They need to break out of their shell and get forward with some confidence. They have a good record against Bolton and you really have to expect Chelsea to break out of their six match winless streak at some point. This could just be the match they need to heal their bruises after the footballing lesson that Arsenal handed them. Short on confidence, short on goals, but Chelsea are still worth backing to win. A Chelsea -2 Asian Handicap is worth a punt at 27/20 at Bet365. However, there are some decent prices taking Bolton in the positive here, somewhere around Bolton +1.5 Asian Handicap for 43/40 at Bet365 is decent value, but there is a great price of 13/10 at Victor Chandler for Bolton +1.75 which is even better value for the coverage, and just edges the tip here.

Chelsea to win: 1/3 at Paddy Power
Draw: 5/1 at Victor Chandler
Bolton Wanderers to win: 11/1 at Totesport

EPL Match Preview: Where do Chelsea go next? No win in seven matches, having blown a five point lead at the top of the Premier League, to now find themselves in fifth, seven points behind leaders Manchester United, is something of a dire position. For all of the heroics that Carlo Ancelotti performed last year in winning the double with Chelsea, that is not happening this year. It is still the same crop of players with which he operated last season, but they have hit a brick wall. Just four goals scored in their last six matches. Three defeats in their last six matches. It is a far cry from the Chelsea side which won their opening five fixtures of the campaign, scoring 21 goals and conceding just one. Ever since assistant coach Ray Wilkins mysteriously left the club, Chelsea have not won a match. Coincidence? Their performance in their 3-1 defeat to Arsenal at the Emirates, suggested that they have a long way to go to get back to their best. They did get Frank Lampard back into the midfield, but as the game wore on, he became less effective, somewhat understandably. But having to keep him on the keep as he looks to get his match sharpness, highlights a major problem with Chelsea. They don’t have the strength in depth on the bench. They went into the match against Arsenal without a recognised striker on the bench, and when your main talisman Didier Drogba is not his formidable self, then you have problems. Strike partner Salomon Kalou was anonymous all night, and there was a stark lack of penetration, and even creation coming from Chelsea.

How does Ancelotti get over this? Does he deserve the boot? Realistically, no. There is just something not right at the club, a cog not turning in the machine properly. Immediately, the Lampard and Essien combination in midfield, gave them a better balance. Chelsea need Lampard, make no mistake about it. But Ancelotti’s hands are tied, in that he can’t change things up, because he hasn’t got the players at his disposal to do so. He has to stick with out of form players, he has no choice. The Blues defence looked very sloppy against Arsenal, gifting the Gunners two of their goals. The kind of mistakes which they made, come from lack of confidence. Chelsea do get Nicolas Anelka back into the squad, after missing the Arsenal match, but it has been over ten hours since he found the back of the net in the Premier League. Not inspiring stuff at all. Can they find something to get back on track? They can’t afford to drop more points, as already it is unlikely that Manchester United are going to drop over seven points during the rest of the season, just to allow Chelsea back in the title race. Ancelotti said that his side really need a wake up call, and their sleeping side have to shake off whatever Blues are plaguing them and beat Bolton. The defeat against Arsenal was a massive blow to Chelsea, now they are in an even deeper hole which they have to get out of. Chelsea do have a good record against Bolton at Stamford Bridge, winning 52% of the meetings between the clubs there, almost outscoring the Wanderers by a 2:1 ratio. The corresponding fixture last April produced a 1-0 win for Chelsea, and they would be extremely happy with that.

But Bolton are a much improved side this year, with boss Owen Coyle enjoying a wonderful season. This is the position which they are in. Bolton, with a win over Chelsea, could leap frog the Londoners in the league table, and take fifth spot. That would be an incredible achievement, and Bolton really are the surprise package of the season. They are in a spot of bother with injuries though, as they could barely fill their bench on Boxing Day, but they still triumphed over West Brom with a win. However, there are signs that their away form is taking a dip. They have lost their last two away matches, both by a score line of 1-0 (the same scoreline which they lost by at Stamford Bridge last season). They have struggled against Chelsea though, and haven’t won in their last thirteen attempts against the London side, and the weakened Wanderers may have to watch for Nicolas Anelka on his return. Anelka has hit four goals in his last six Premier League matches against the Trotters (15/13 Anytime Goalscorer at Unibet). There’s also Drogba, who has four goals in four matches against them (10/11 Anytime Goalscorer at Coral). Oh, and Frank Lampard, who has eight career goals against them (7/5 Anytime Goalscorer at Unibet). This really has the feel of a turnaround for Chelsea. A strong team is coming to Stamford Bridge, but it is a weakened one, and with history firmly on the side of the Blues, and with Bolton failing to keep a clean sheet against Chelsea in a staggering run of 19 matches, it points to a home victory. Chelsea need it, and their defence, which has the best home record in the league, should just seem them over the line.

Chelsea v Bolton Wanderers Premier League Betting Statistics

Last 5 Head to Head
Chelsea 1, Bolton 0
Bolton 0, Chelsea 4
Chelsea 4, Bolton 3
Chelsea 4, Bolton 3
Botlon 0, Chelsea 2

Chelsea have an 75% win percentage at home in the league this season
Bolton Wanderers have a 22% win percentage away from home in the league this season

Chelsea are on a streak of two home games with no win
Bolton Wanderers are on a streak of two away matches with no goal scored

Chelsea have scored 18 goals, and conceded 4 at home
Bolton Wanderers have scored 11 and conceded 13 goals in their away matches

Chelsea average 2.25 goals per match at home this season
Bolton Wanderers average 1.22 goals per match away from home this season

Chelsea 2010/11 top scorer: Drogba, 8
Bolton Wanderers 2010/11 top scorer: Elmander, 9

Chelsea 2010/11 Season Form: P18 W9 D4 L5 GF32 GA15 Pts 31 (5th)
Bolton Wanderers 2010/11 Season Form: P19 W7 D8 L4 GF32 GA25 Pts 29 (6th)

Saturday 20^th October

English Premier League

Arsenal v Tottenham

It’s derby day once again in North London on Saturday as Arsenal entertain fierce rivals Tottenham at the Emirates.

Despite dropping silly points throughout the season thus far, Arsene Wenger’s men currently sit in second position just two points off of top placed Chelsea. They have recently dealt very well with a couple of tough away fixtures against Wolves and Everton. Six points from those games have gotten their season back on track after losing at home to Newcastle in a match which look to have really dented their title hopes. Their defeat against the Toon army was their second home reverse of the season after being played off the park by West Brom. Their critics are never far away from voicing their opinions of them being too soft and inexperienced as well as lacking in mental strength. Their recent results, however, suggest that some of the younger players are beginning to learn from mistakes made in previous seasons. It would be ludicrous to suggest that Wenger is under pressure from anyone, be it supporters or the board, but fans have been growing increasingly impatient with the lack of trophies of late so this season is certainly a crucial chapter in the Frenchman’s reign.

Harry Redknapp has worked nothing short of a miracle since taking over the hot seat at White Hart Lane a couple of years ago. Mainly regarded as a wheeler dealer and a man for the more unglamorous clubs, Redknapp has dispelled those notions by putting together a side that have qualified for the Champions League and not looked out of place in it. Sitting just three points from fourth position after 13 games, there is certainly room for improvement and evidence that they have been inconsistent. Some may say that it’s down to their involvement in the Champions League but their massive injury list will be just as much to do with it. The likes of Jermaine Defoe, Michael Dawson, Ledley King and Vedran Corluka are all still currently sidelined and were key players in their season last term. They go into Saturday’s game with a record of two wins and three defeats from six away games this season. It epitomises their season as a whole and the belief that they are much stronger at home than they are on the road.

Arsenal are entering a crucial part of their season as they face Aston Villa and Manchester United away in the next month after the derby on Saturday. Injuries wise, they are in a position of strength with the only real absence being Tomas Vermaelen the only one missing who would definitely command a place in the starting XI. Cesc Fabregas is back fit whilst Robin Van Persie is slowly recovering from a serious knee injury. Spurs can add Tom Huddlestone to their crocked list but could welcome Defoe back as the striker looks to gain a place on the bench.

Tottenham have failed to win a North London derby away from home in the league since 1993. It’s a deplorable record which will be broken on day, of course it will. The question must be asked, however, if they are good enough at the moment and conditions are right for it to be this weekend. I believe they are still a way short of Arsenal’s quality and will be playing second best to them for a while yet.

My selection: Arsenal to beat Tottenham

Best odds available: 4/6 available with several bookmakers including Betfred

English Premier League

Bolton v Newcastle United

Two of the inform sides in the Premier League clash at the Reebok Stadium as Bolton entertain Newcastle.

Owen Coyle has worked wonder in the time he’s been at Bolton and is transforming how Wanderer’s are perceived across the country with his style of football. Marked down as a physical, and at times dirty, team, Bolton were often written off as being ugly to watch. However Coyle has brought with him a brand of expansive football that he has used at previous clubs. He has kept the majority of players that were at the club before he took control but has given them much more freedom. It’s not been without effect either as they currently sit in fifth position just three points off a Champions League place. One defeat in eight highlights how good a run they are on and prove they are in rude health for the visit of Newcastle on Saturday.

Newcastle have exceeded all expectations since being promoted back to the Premier League last season. A point worse off than their next opponents, it’s not, unsurprisingly, been without incident as several of their layers have received negative press for incidents both on and off the park. Joey Barton is currently serving a three match ban for punching a Blackburn player last midweek whilst Andy Carroll, who made his English debut on Wednesday against France after starring for his club this season, has been involved in misdemeanours away from the football pitch. It’s nothing new for a club who have had to contend with issues like these over the years with the likes of Lee Bowyer, Craig Bellamy and Kieron Dyer grabbing headlines for all the wrong reasons in recent times.

The home side will be looking to Kevin Davies to respond to being left out of the England squad in the best possible manner. Despite being called up for the last squad, and coming on as a sub, two uncapped strikers were preferred this time around. Davies has been in sensational form again this season and scored two in Bolton’s last home match against Spurs. One of the uncapped players who took his place in the squad was of course Carroll. With seven league goals to his name this season, the young striker is proving a real handful for defences and is not too dissimilar to Davies himself.

Bolton definitely have the advantage when it comes to the head to head of both sides at the Reebok. From the last six meetings in this fixture, Bolton have won five of them which further enhances me belief that they can continue their excellent recent form with another home win. As well as that, I think there will be goals on Saturday as both sides have found it difficult to keep a clean sheet in the league (Bolton have not kept a clean sheet this season whilst Newcastle have kept one in their last 10).

My selection: Bolton to beat Newcastle at a best priced 6/5 available with Totesport

                           Both teams to score at a best priced 4/5 available with BlueSquare

English League One

Southampton v Peterborough

Southampton and their opponents on Saturday, Peterborough, were both fancied to challenge for promotion before a ball was kicked in League Two so it’s no surprise to see the two sides in and around the promotion picture.

Nigel Adkins was the man Southampton sent for after parting company with Alan Pardew early in the season. He was the man charged with getting the club promoted back into the Championship and, in turn, the Premier League. Things started very slowly with just one win of four games. However things have picked up of late and Saturday’s defeat away to Carlisle was their first dropped points in five matches. Unsurprisingly they have picked up most of their points at home with four wins and two draws from eight games. Their strong form has been emphasised with five wins in a row at St Mary’s in all competitions. Those results have to continue as a slow start has meant they are playing catch-up and are still a couple of points adrift of the play-off places.

Peterborough have been something of an enigma this season when it comes to the betting front. They have lost games you would expect them to win whilst winning games that looked beyond their reach. Whatever their results have been, one thing that can be guaranteed is goals. With 33 goals scored and 33 goals conceded, they have a remarkable level goal difference. They have conceded more goals than any other team in the league. It’s staggering when you think that they are just one point off a play-off position. Gary Johnson dropped down form managing in the Championship to take the reins at London Road and he must be scratching his head at his side’s inability to keep a clean sheet; they have failed to do so in their last nine games in the league.

Saturday’s game at St Mary’s promises to be a cracker as the sides have been responsible for some entertaining games already this season. Southampton will be eager to keep their excellent home form going whilst Peterborough will be looking to get back on track after a 5-1 mauling at home to Charlton.

The home side have a very good mix of experienced pro’s and some excellent youngsters. The likes of Lee Barnard, Ricky Lambert, Adam Lallana and Alex Chamberlain mean that any side coming to St Mary’s are in for a hard time and I believe they will continue their good form at home and pick up another three points.

My selection: Southampton to beat Peterborough

Best odds available: 8/11 available with several bookmakers including 888Sport

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As for Sunday’s match itself, Liverpool go into the match on the back of a hard earned win over Blackburn last weekend, a match in which they made hard work of things against a very poor team. The victory still left them in the relegation zone though, and they need to pull themselves clear quickly. They may find Bolton in a more resilient mood than they would hope, and this is a Bolton side which held Manchester United to a 2-2 draw earlier in the season. With rumours now rife that goalkeeper Pepe Reina is being head hunted by Manchester United and expecting to leave in the January transfer window, along with Fernando Torres who also wants to leave the ailing club, Liverpool really need some cheer right now. New manager Roy Hodgson is a man under pressure, and will be looking to hang on to his job at least until the January transfer window where he should be able to go shopping and look for some quality players to drop straight into the starting eleven. Clearly the main core of players aren’t good enough to be winning titles at the moment, and change needs to happen soon. As for Bolton, under Owen Coyle, they have actually managed to get a foothold on their season. Bolton can still be seen as difficult opponents, even now under Coyle they go about their football in a different way, to the direct physical stuff they were known for under Sam Allardyce. Bolton have yet to be beaten at home this season, and have only lost once since the start of the season, which was an away trip to Arsenal, so that can be forgiven. Bolton have won as many matches as Liverpool (two) but the big difference is, that Bolton have drawn six of their other seven matches, whereas Liverpool have only drawn three and lost four. That means that Bolton are three points ahead of the Reds, and it is only three points which separates them in eighth place in the league, and Liverpool down there in 18th. A draw seems a likely outcome on this match, so check out both fixed odds betting and spread betting markets at Extrabet for fantastic coverage.

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A Football Betting Guide to Bolton (Back to Football Betting Guide Intro)

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Football Betting Prediction: Bottom Half Safe

Premier League Start: Bolton 0, Fulham 0

The Strengths: The move from Burnley to Bolton by manager Owen Coyle, looked a bit of a strange one last season, and didn’t look a particularly great football betting decision on his behalf. He will have been justified in his decision though, as Bolton were saved from relegation, while Burnley found themselves having to play Championship football this season. For that reason, Coyle has to be earmarked as a real strength, and could just scrap around for the pieces that will again ensure survival. They got their new season off to a half decent start, and playing at home, they need to pick up as many points as they can. The one strength about Bolton, is that Coyle really hasn’t changed much in terms of personnel. The same squad which got the club safe from relegation in the end, is pretty much the same one which is going in to the new season. That means Coyle must have a lot of faith in them, and he will be expecting to be hanging around mid table for safety.

The Weaknesses: Bolton may not have improved enough over the summer transfer market. They are probably going to be a stronger and more organised side under Coyle now from the start of the season, but they are not going to threaten too much near the top half of the table. The stability which Coyle has benchmarked, could be the thing which gets them into trouble. This is a transition period for Bolton somewhat, who were always kind of seen as the Premier League bully boys under Sam Allardyce, but Coyle will try and get some prettier looking football into the club. Whether the personnel is there to do that, and secure Premier League status for next season, is a different matter entirely.

Bolton Betting Home: Bolton will win games at home, although they really struggled to last season. They cannot afford to be drawn into things like that again, and you should expect a marked improvement over last season’s stats. Bolton are not going to be great, but they are not going to be a complete disaster either so keep an eye on them in Barclays Premier League betting. They only had six wins at home last season, rounding out to a 32% win percentage at the Reebok. Not good enough, but look for that stat to improve a little. They did draw 6 home matches as well, which makes them prime for home Draw No Bet options.

Bolton Betting Away: This is the real test of teams which are destined to scrap around the bottom half of the Premier League. Picking up points away from home in the Premier League is no easy task of course, but Bolton have always been seen as having a good abundance of resilience in battle away from the Reebok. Last season they struggled, winning just four matches on the road. Twelve away defeats though will hurt a team in the season, and that is where they have to be more resilient. Look for Asian Handicap bets which lean towards Bolton just in the plus. They will probably do enough to hang on in enough matches for this to pay off.

Bolton Best Betting Stat: Bolton to win 1-0 at home. That was their favourite scoreline at the Reebok last season when they did win. Expect more of the same from them.

Bolton Best Football Betting Odds

Season Points: Exactly 39-43 9/4 at Victor Chandler

Top Goalscorer:
Ivan Klasnic: 2/1 at Victor Chandler
Kevin Davies: 2/1 at Victor Chandler

More betting information:
Best Betting Site