Carling-Cup

Manchester City are the clear and outright favourites for lifting the Carling Cup now, as we hit the semi final stage. City booked their place in the last four with a 1-0 away win over Arsenal in midweek. The Premier League leaders are now clear favourites to win the tournament, but drew the tough semi final against Liverpool. The Reds scored a comfortable 2-0 victory over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge to book their place in the semi final. The Reds were happy enough to face a really lack lustre Chelsea to put themselves within touching distance of some silverware. The semi finals are played over two legs and it is City who will home advantage in the first leg, which is to be played on January 11th,  2012 with the return fixture coming on January 25th. City went to Anfield last weekend in the Premier League and walked away with a 1-1 draw after losing Mario Balotelli to a red card.

In the other semi final we have two Championship sides squaring off, so we will definitely see a Premier League v Championship Carling Cup final next year. Crystal Palace, who scored a huge victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford during the week, got their rewards by avoiding the two remaining Premier League clubs and will instead face off against Cardiff, starting the first leg at Selhurst Park. Dougie Freedman’s Palace are mid table in the Championship, while Cardiff are flying high up in third place. The Welsh side recently scored a 2-0 victory over Palace in the Championship, and will be favourites to move through to the final. Cardiff knocked out Premier League strugglers Blackburn at the Cardiff City Stadium to reach the Carling Cup Semi Final.

2011/12 Carling Cup Outright Winner Odds
Man City: 10/11 at Boylesports
Liverpool: 7/4 at Ladbrokes
Cardiff: 10/1 at Boylesports
Crystal Palace: 12/1 at Bet365

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This year’s Carling Cup is down to the final eight teams, and Manchester United are installed as the firm favourites after being handed one of the most favorable draws they could have received. After having an easy path through this year’s tournament, with wins over Leeds and Aldershot, Man Utd again got the favourable draw with a home fixture against Championship side Crystal Palace. That should pretty much ensure that we will see the Red Devils in the semi finals, and with Manchester City and Chelsea both involved in all Premier League ties, the draw looks wide open for some United silverware. Palace, who are fourth in the Championship and in a great run of form themselves, will likely be an energetic  handful, but you would bank on Man Utd, even with a weakened side, to get through this without too much trouble. Blackburn have  a tricky trip to Championship side Cardiff City in the other Premier League v Championship match in Carling Cup Quarter Final betting. Cardiff are running in fifth place in the Championship, and look good to challenge for a play off spot at the very least there. Cardiff squeezed past Leicester City 7-6 on penalties in the third round, before edging out Burnley 1-0 in the fourth round. As for Rovers, they have picked up just one win in the Premier League of course this season, and so will be favourites to be on the end of a cup upset. Blackburn knocked out Newcastle United 4-3 in extra time in the fourth round, and the Carling Cup looks to be their best chance of escape from the pressures of a relegation battle.

Which leaves us with the two all Premier League match ups, starting with Chelsea v Liverpool. This looks as if it will be a cracker, with record holders Liverpool, who have won the League Cup seven times head to Stamford Bridge to take on Chelsea’s creaky defence. Chelsea needed extra time to edge past Merseysiders Everton in the fourth round, and that was after needing penalties to see off Fulham in the third round. So they are battling their way through, but will have home advantage for this big clash, a repeat of 2007 clash when Chelsea won 2-0 at the Bridge. In the final fixture, Manchester City head to the Emirates to take on Arsenal in what should be a mighty clash. Manchester City, who are top of the Premier League and finally looking as if they are getting to grips with the Champions League have been hotly tipped for cup success this year, but they run into a stiff hurdle with a resurgent Arsenal. The Gunners edged past out of form Bolton in the fourth round, while City were rampant away at Wolves. An interesting draw for Carling Cup Quarter final betting, and we will lose at least two main contenders for the title. Because of the draw, United are now front runners over their city rivals.

2011/12 Carling Cup Outright Winner Odds
Man Utd: 2/1 at Bet365
Man City: 3/1 at Totesport
Chelsea: 9/2 at Bet365
Liverpool: 7/1 at Paddy Power
Arsenal: 15/2 at Blue Square
Blackburn: 20/1 at Victor Chandler
Cardiff: 50/1 at Bet365
Crystal Palace: 100/1 at Bwin

Carling Cup Quarter Final Matches take place in the week commencing November 28th

Carling Cup betting swings back into action on Tuesday and Wednesday, as the football betting action just does not stop coming. Five of the eight fixtures over the two days are all Premier League team clashes, and the Championship will be guaranteed a couple of teams in the next round as well. The only Premier League team not to face another in the Fourth Round of this season’s Carling Cup, is Manchester United, who head off to play League Two’s Aldershot. Aldershot are the lowest ranked team left in the tournament at this stage and get to host a massive night for themselves after reaching this stage. Manchester City, heavily triumphant in the Manchester derby head to the Midlands to face Wolves, a match that Roberto Mancini’s men will be expected to win, keeping up their challenge for silverware on all fronts this season. Chelsea, who are starting to hit their stride head to Goodison Park to take on Everton. The two sides recently met in the Premier League, with Chelsea running out comfortable 3-1 winners. There is a tough draw for Liverpool, who dropped points at home in the league on Saturday, as they head to the Britannia Stadium to face Stoke. These two have already met in the Premier League this season at the Britannia, with Stoke running out 1-0 winners. Arsene Wenger will be relatively happy with his Fourth Round draw, as the Gunners remain at home and face the out of form Bolton. The Gunners should be driving hard for some silverware in this competition to keep restless fans a little happier. In the other all Premier League clash, struggling Blackburn Rovers host the high flying Newcastle, who have one of the meanest defences in England’s top flight. As for the all-Championship pairings, we see Cardiff host Burnley, while there is the big clash of Crystal Palace v Southampton, who are third and first in the Championship respectively.

In the outright betting odds to win the Carling Cup this season, you are not going to see any surprises at the top of the list. Manchester United, who will have the easiest passage through to the Fifth Round of all Premier League teams left in, go as favourites at 7/2 with Bet365. Their rivals Manchester City, hotly tipped for some silverware again from somewhere this season, are clicking along at 9/2 with Bet365 to lift the Carling Cup. Chelsea, who have a tricky Fourth Round tie at Goodison Park, are back at 7/1, a price which reflects how strongly the two Manchester clubs are expected to dominate things this season. Liverpool are also trading out at 7/1 with Paddy Power, and Arsenal are further back still to take the silverware, trading at 8/1 with 888Sport.

Carling Cup Fourth Round Fixtures
Tuesday, October 25th: Aldershot v Man Utd, Arsenal v Bolton, Cardiff v Burnley, Crystal Palace v Southampton
Wednesday, October 26th: Stoke v Liverpool, Wolves v Manchester City, Blackburn v Newcastle, Everton v Chelsea

Leading Carling Cup Winner Betting Odds
Man Utd: 7/2 at Bet365
Man City: 9/2 at Bet365
Chelsea: 7/1 at Stan James
Liverpool: 7/1 at Victor Chandler
Arsenal: 8/1 at Blue Square
Everton: 20/1 at SkyBet
Stoke: 22/1 at Stan James
Newcastle: 30/1 at William Hill

Back to some big Carling Cup action this week to fill the football betting void between weekends. The Premier League threw up some big results on the weekend, and most of the sides won’t be getting any rest as they are thrust into domestic cup action. This is where having a big squad will pay off for teams gunning for silverware on all fronts, while for some of the lower league teams left in, there is a chance for a bit of glory. There are just four all Premier League clashes this round, but it does mean we are going to lose some more top teams. We lost four Premier League teams from the previous round, and so we are whittling down some more right now. The top clash is the London derby between Chelsea and Fulham at Stamford Bridge. Can the Blues pick themselves up after their 3-1 defeat at Old Trafford in the Premier League on Sunday? Will Fernando Torres get another run out to help him get over his open goal miss? He looked almost back to his sharpest and influential best against Manchester United, but all his good work will have been undone by that horror show miss. But Chelsea do have strength in depth this season, so manager Andre Villas Boas will need to shuffle things up again in order to keep focus on the Premier League and the Champions League as well. They have a big home advantage against neighbours Fulham, who have yet to win a league match this season. Fulham earned their third draw of the season, coming back from 2-0 down against Manchester City at Craven Cottage on the weekend. That was a huge boost to them, and manager Martin Jol will be targeting a big scalp here. Fulham have not got a great record against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, so the Blues go as favourites. You would have to bank on Chelsea’s depth, especially up front to fire their way through this one. Chelsea are 2/5 favourites at Coral, with Fulham out at 9/1 with Bwin to take the victory. A draw will fetch 4/1 at SkyBet.

Stoke City v Tottenham Hotspur looks like it should be a very interesting match up. Both were involved in 4-0 score lines on the weekend, with Tottenham thumping Liverpool by that score at White Hart Lane, while Stoke crashed and burned badly against Sunderland, who had been struggling for goals up until that point. Stoke have proven to be a tough side to beat at the Britannia though, and they are sitting fifth in the Premier League after a fine start by Tony Pulis’s men. Spurs really woke up their season with a convincing victory over Liverpool, who were reduced to nine men. But boss Harry Redknapp will probably throw out the youngsters again, just as he did in the Europa League. He knows where the priorities are, and that is the league and pushing for a Champions League spot. Stoke are 8/5 at VC Bet to win, with Spurs at 9/5, so it is expected to be a close one. The draw is 12/5 at SkyBet.

Everton v West Brom is the third of the Premier League clashes in the Carling Cup. The Toffees, despite their financial problems, have pulled themselves up into seventh spot in the Premier League, one above their neighbours Liverpool, and face West Brom on the back of a 3-1 win against Wigan. As for their opponents West Brom, well it has not been a convincing start from them, as they sit rock bottom of the League and will be licking their wounds badly after a 3-0 defeat against Swansea on the weekend, which saw the Baggies become the first side to concede against the newly promoted Swans this season. Tough times for Roy Hodgson there at the moment, they need a morale boosting win, but it won’t come easy at Goodison. Everton are 8/11 favourites at Boylesports, while West Brom are heavy underdogs at 4/1 with Bwin. The draw is priced at 14/5 at Bet365.

The final all Premier League clash on the cards this week is Aston Villa v Bolton. New Villas boss Alex McLeish is silencing his critics with  Villa sitting in 6th place in the Premier League at the moment, after picking up a 1-1 draw against Newcastle on the weekend. There are troubles though for Owen Coyle’s Bolton, as they are second from bottom, losing out in a 2-1 defeat against Norwich on the weekend. With Villa having home advantage, they are the strong side to back at 5/6 with SkyBet, and Bolton are priced out at 7/2 with Victor Chandler, and the draw 13/5 at Bet365.

There are a few big Premier League v Championship matches to look forward to in Carling Cup betting this week. The notable one is Leeds United v Manchester United. The two old rivals clash again, and no doubt Sir Alex Ferguson will be sending out some of his back up players to try and conquer Elland Road. These two sides have produced some thrilling cup ties over the past few years, with Leeds glowing with their upsets. Leeds are mid table in the Championship at the moment though, looking for a bit more momentum to their season, while Man Utd look like a runaway steam train. Leeds are 11/2 at Bwin to take the victory, with United favourites at 4/7 with Coral. The draw is best priced at 17/5 with VC Bet.

Liverpool face a tricky Championship test as well, as they head to the south coast to take on Brighton. The Seagulls are sitting pretty in third spot in the Championship, and with Liverpool taking a heavy beating on the weekend, and having seen two red cards, boss Kenny Dalglish may well shake up his side. This then could be a great chance for the Championship side to strike, and are priced at 9/2 with Stan James to win, with Liverpool in at 4/6 on. The draw is best priced at 3/1 with Victor Chandler.

Manchester City also face Championship opponents, as they host Birmingham City at Eastlands. Such is the strength of depth in City’s squad at the moment, they remain one of the favourites to win the Carling Cup. Birmingham are sitting in 14th in the Championship right now, and the bookies aren’t giving them much of a chance. City are 2/9 at Blue Square to win, while Birmingham are way out at 14/1 with BetFred. A draw is trading at 11/2 with Bwin.

Newcastle, who are unbeaten in all competitions so far this season, take on Championship side Nottingham Forest. Forest are struggling to get out of the starting blocks this season though, sitting down in 22nd in the Championship, a far cry from the challenge they were putting up for the play offs last season. Still, a tricky tie for the Magpies, but they are expected to come out on top with their good form. Forest are 11/5 at Bwin for the win, while Newcastle are in at 11/8 with VC Bet. A draw is 12/5 at SkyBet.

Perhaps one of the most interesting ties will be watching Arsenal entertain Shrewsbury. With just one win in the Premier League this season, the pressure is growing on Arsene Wenger. Following a 4-3 defeat against Blackburn on the weekend, the Gunners need something positive. They should win this, with Shrewsbury down in League Two, currently occupying third spot there. Wenger may throw some of his fringe players into action, to try and get something going at the club. Another defeat here would be unthinkable for the Frenchman, and Arsenal are 2/9 at Victor Chandler to see this out, while Shrewsbury are out at 12/1. A draw is 11/2 at BetFred.

Arsenal’s conquerors on the weekend, Blackburn, host Leyton Orient, who are rock bottom of League One, so it should be a good opportunity for under fire boss Steve Kean to settle the restless fans again. Rovers are 4/1 at Bet365 to win, with Orient out at 17/2 with Victor Chandler to cause the upset. A draw is 4/1 at Victor Chandler.

Carling Cup Outright winner odds
Manchester City: 5/1 at Stan James
Chelsea: 6/4 at Victor Chandler
Manchester United: 7/1 at Coral
Liverpool: 7/1 at Stan James
Arsenal: 9/1 at Stan James
Spurs: 14/1 at Victor Chandler

The draw for the third round of the Carling Cup has been made, and time to look at some more Carling Cup betting. There have been favourable draws for some of the big guns involved, who will take refuge in home fixtures. The teams who are involved in European competition all skipped entry until this round, and with Premier League teams including Norwich, QPR and Swansea bombing out in the second round, the third round throws up some interesting ties, with some interesting Premier League v Premier League clashes on the cards. Chelsea start their Carling Cup campaign with a home tie against London rivals Fulham, and the Blues from Stamford Bridge are still one of the favourites to take the Carling Cup honours this year. Troubled Arsenal, who are working hard at the transfer deadline, will also take comfort in a home fixture in the third round. They square off against Shrewsbury Town at the Emirates. Outright favourites to win the 2011/12 Carling Cup, Manchester City start at home as well, as they take on Championship outfit Birmingham City, who were relegated from the Premier League last season of course. Manchester United start their efforts with an away match however, as they were drawn against Leeds United in what could be a tricky and fiercely contested tie. Remember the two sides meeting at the start of 2010 in the FA Cup third round, in which Leeds pulled out a 1-0 at Old Trafford. Liverpool also get to start away from home, as they travel to the south coast to take on Brighton. Some big all Premier League clashes are Stoke City v Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa v Bolton and Everton v West Bromwich Albion. So now the big guns have entered and we will have to lose at least four Premier League teams in the third round, and Carling Cup betting starts to get very interesting!

Carling Cup Third Round Draw – Matches to be played week beginning September 19th.
Cardiff City v Leicester City
Wolves v Millwall
Chelsea v Fulham
Aldershot Town or Carlisle United v Rochdale
Arsenal v Shrewsbury Town
Burnley v MK Dons
Leeds United v Manchester United
Brighton v Liverpool
Nottingham Forest v Newcastle United
Manchester City v Birmingham City
Blackburn Rovers v Leyton Orient or Bristol Rovers
Swindon Town or Southampton v Charlton or Preston North End
Everton v West Bromwich Albion
Crystal Palace or Wigan v Middlesbrough
Aston Villa v Bolton Wanderers
Stoke City v Tottenham Hotspur

2011/12 Carling Cup Betting Odds – Outright Winner
Manchester City: 11/2 at SkyBet
Chelsea: 6/1 at Blue Square
Manchester United: 6/1 at Totesport
Liverpool: 15/2 at Totesport
Arsenal: 10/1 at Victor Chandler
Tottenham Hotspur: 14/1 at Paddy Power

Arsenal are outright favourites to win the Carling Cup in your football betting, after progressing through the semi finals with a midweek 2-0 victory over Wigan. The semi final draw has seen them paired up with Championship side Ipswich. Arsene Wenger will grab this opportunity with both hands now, as Manchester United crumbled out of the competition in a 4-0 defeat away at West Ham United. That was the real last threat to Arsenal and their hope of ending their silverware drought by winning the Carling Cup, a tournament which they have won twice before. They have landed a favourable draw against the lowest side left in the competition, Roy Keane’s Ipswich. Ipswich, who are struggling for a bit of form in the Championship, saw off Premier League opposition in the form of West Brom, to secure their place in the semi finals. Out of the four remaining combatants, Ipswich are the only team who have not tasted League Cup final action.

The other semi final will see Birmingham take on West Ham. The Hammers produced a fantastic, and completely unexpected result against tournament favourites Manchester United on Tuesday night. Granted, United did not have a full strength side out, but the Hammers really put them to the sword. United’s second string was completely invisible, and that will have been the brightest spark in West Ham’s season so far. Birmingham saw of Midlands rivals Aston Villa at St Andrews, by a 2-1 scoreline, and if Arsenal get past Ipswich, then they will fancy their chances against either of those in the Carling Cup final at Wembley. The semi finals of the Carling Cup are played over two legs, with the first legs being played during the week of January 10th. The second legs will played a fortnight later.

Carling Cup Outright Winner Betting Odds

Arsenal: 4/7 at Stan James
Birmingham: 9/2 at Paddy Power
West Ham United: 5/1 at Unibet
Ipswich Town: 16/1 at Bodog

Carling Cup Semi Final First Leg Ante Post Prices at Bwin

Ipswich: 5/1,  Draw: 58/19, Arsenal: 5/11

West Ham: 11/10, Draw: 11/5, Birmingham: 11/5

West Ham United v Manchester United Betting Tip & Odds: An away win banker here? There is a gulf in class between the two teams, even though United won’t bother sending their strongest side to Upton Park. There’s really not much need to. The Hammers will give a spirited display no doubt, but the extra quality level that United can produce will win them this game. It is just by a matter of how many really, as United have a good recent record against the Hammers. Manchester United/Manchester United Halftime/Fulltime bet 2/1 at Blue Square

West Ham United to win: 3/4 at Totesport
Draw: 57/20 at Bodog
Manchester United to win: 9/2 at SkyBet

Carling Cup Match Preview: Manchester United laid down a huge marker to their rivals in the Premier League on the weekend, firing seven goals past Blackburn. It’s unlikely that it will be the same team that takes to the field at West Ham for this Carling Cup quarter final match, as boss Alex Ferguson will no doubt ring the changes. With such a variety of attacking options available to him, this is the perfect opportunity to give starts to the likes of Javier Hernandez and Federico Macheda. The central defensive pairing of Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic will probably also get the chance to have a rest, not that they had a lot to do on the weekend against Blackburn. United are the defending champions, and how much will it mean to them to defend their title? If they can do it with a second string team, then all the better for Alex Ferguson, who has a lot bigger fish to fry than this. So don’t expect a strong Manchester United side for this one, but nonetheless, it really should be strong enough. But, with Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City falling by the wayside early in the competition, the road has pretty much been left open for them. Realistically the only challenge to the Red Devils in their quest to defend the Carling Cup, will be Arsenal. So will a much changed team have a big influence on the football betting for this one?

Not a great deal really. But there are some considerations to be factored into all this. Manchester United have found wins on the road hard to come by in the Premier League this season, and that was with stronger teams than which will take to the field on Tuesday night. West Ham are also unbeaten in their last three matches at home as well. However, while the depth of the Manchester United squad really is not as good as one would expect it to be, it has still shown that old United magic of pulling through even when they have looked down and out. Fergie will field players who are fighting for starting places at the club, and that should be enough incentive for these fringe players likes Chris Smalling who will get the chance to start in defence again. The other big factor is looking at the level of opposition here. West Ham are not going to be able to cope with that extra touch of quality, and it may only take a flash of genius here and there from United to win this one, without breaking too much of a sweat. That is the difference between a top side and struggling one at this level. They are both Premier League teams, but divisions apart in truth. United won 3-0 against West Ham at the start of the season in the League, and have now hit 10 goals in their last three matches against the Hammers.

West Ham received a boost on the weekend, when they managed to pick up their second victory of the Premier League season, as they bottom side club took a vital three points off Wigan. Boss Avram Grant is a man under pressure though, and the Hammers look odds on favourites to be playing Championship football next season. The quality is not there, neither up front or at the back, but they do have pretty much a full squad to pick from, including Kieron Dyer, who is looking hopeful for a place in the team. Although they have been going badly in the Premier League, a loss against a side of Manchester United fringe players would be just as demoralising for the West Ham fans. West Ham need to be better than that, but neither form nor stats are really on their side. Even though the Hammers really do have a pretty good home record against Manchester United (West Ham have won 45% of home matches against Manchester United) recent form needs to be looked at primarily. They have lost in their last six matches against Manchester United, and not only that, the Hammers have failed to score against United in the last five games also. Manchester United are unbeaten this season in all competitions and it is likely to stay that way as well after Tuesday night’s game at Upton Park. United have a good recent history in the Carling Cup, and they should be well on their way to the final after this.

Last 5 Head to head
Manchester United 3, West Ham 0
Manchester United 3, West Ham 0
West Ham United 0, Manchester United 4
West Ham United 0, Manchester United 1
Manchester United 2, West Ham United 0

Arsenal v Wigan Athletic Betting Tip & Odds: Home win without much shadow of a doubt really. Yes, Arsenal have had some uncharacteristic slip ups at home this season, but they are still a quality side. They showed a lot of mettle in beating Aston Villa on the weekend after some poor defeats, and they have the creativity to create hatfuls of goals. This could turn into something of a goal-fest again, as the Wigan defence is unlikely to be able to match the flair and quality of Arsenal. Arsenal to win by 2 goals: 16/5 at 888Sport

Arsenal to win: 2/7 at Totesport
Draw: 5/1 at SkyBet
Wigan Athletic to win: 14/1 at Victor Chandler

Carling Cup Match Preview: The Carling Cup quarter finals are upon us, and for Arsenal, they represent a great chance of ending a barren spell of silverware. Although the Gunners have, to many people’s surprise, lost their last two home games in the Premier League, there appears to be little chance of an upset here in the Carling Cup, against a Wigan side who are struggling to find form of their own. Arsenal bounced back from a bruising week in the Premier and Champions Leagues with a 4-2 away win at Aston Villa on the weekend, in a performance which was typically brave and attacking from the Gunners. That was without Cesc Fabregas and Robin Van Persie, but the latter could well be in line for an appearance. His return to the side would make a nice problem for Wenger, as fellow forwards Marouane Chamakh and Samir Nasri really are in excellent form at the moment. Arsenal will still be without the services of Cesc Fabregas for the visit of Wigan, but that really shouldn’t affect their chances of reaching the semi finals of the competition too much.

What Arsene Wenger has done this year, is buck the trend a little bit and fielded stronger sides in the Carling Cup that he has historically done. Usually this competition was used to give the young Gunners a first team run out, but not this season. This is how important it is for Arsenal to get some silverware into the club. For one of the best teams in England, and one of the best footballing teams around, it would really be deserving. Arsenal have seen off Newcastle and Tottenham in the competition so far, and have been pretty emphatic in the goal scoring charts. That is the power that Arsenal have, and it is one which should, more often than not, see them through. Arsenal have a 100% record at home against Wigan in all competitions, and have outscored their opponents 18 goals to four in their seven matches played at Arsenal. Wigan have only won twice in eleven matches, with one draw, so that shows the class and dominance that Arsenal have over Wigan, and that is exactly where your betting should go. Arsenal are strong favourites, so shop around in some of the alternative sub market betting for the Arsenal v Wigan Carling Cup match. It will probably serve you better in terms of odds.

For Wigan, it has been a season of struggles under Roberto Martinez, who have really struggled away from home this season. Fighting in the relegation zone in the Premier League, the Carling Cup could be their silver lining, having beaten Hartlepool, Preston and Swansea along the way. However, Wigan have one only once on the road in the Premier League this year, and their last four trips away have all ended in defeat. With a shaky defence on show, the last place a team wants to go to is the Emirates Stadium. But there is some interesting little bits of history between the two clubs, as Wigan knocked out Arsenal on their way to the Carling Cup final back in 2006, winning the tie on away goals. The sides also clashed last year in the tournament, with Arsenal running out easy 3-0 winners. When Wigan went to Arsenal last season in the league, Arsenal ran out 4-0 winners, and the time before that Arsenal won 3-0, so the Gunners have enjoyed plenty of success against the Latics. There doesn’t appear to much going for Wigan in this one. This is a third in the league placed team against third from bottom placed team. With Wigan only winning one of their last eight matches, there really is only one apparent outcome on the cards.

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

Ipswich Town v West Bromwich Albion Betting Tip & Odds: Well, Ipswich have a good home record against West Brom, however Ipswich seem to be in a very generous mood at the moment. They are gifting away goals and points, something which boss Roy Keane understandably is not too happy about. Funnily enough, the two sides have even records in defence and attack, so there doesn’t look to be too clear and advantage there. Can Ipswich cause an upset against the Premier League side? Ipswich are just too fallible at the moment to back with any confidence, even though West Brom aren’t in fantastic form. The Baggies do have the edge in quality, and that has to win out in your betting strategy. Method of Victory West Brom in Extra Time 10/1 at Bet365

Ipswich Town to win: 11/4 at BetFred
Draw: 13/5 at Bet365
West Bromwich Albion to win: 11/10 at 888Sport

Carling Cup Match Preview: The Midlands are being pretty well represented in the quarter finals of the Carling Cup this year, with Aston Villa and Birmingham going at in Wednesday’s other tie. West Brom, who have earned themselves some deserved plaudits this year, square off against the lowest team left in the competition, Ipswich from the Championship. Despite a lot of early promise and guts, West Brom have slowly been sliding backwards down the Premier League, winning only one of seven matches. But they topped up their numbers on the weekend, with a great away performance at Everton of all places, where the Baggies hit four goals. That win has left them in mid table mediocrity in the league, and boss Roberto Di Matteo really has the chance here to do some further good with the club, by getting them to the semi finals of the Carling Cup. This competition is great for teams like West Brom, as it offers a glimmer of a chance of silverware, with bigger clubs historically fielding weaker side. West Brom are the big club in this fixture however, and they need to put in a good, professional performance in order to get the job done against Ipswich.

What Roberto Di Matteo has done for West Brom, is give the Baggies a good footballing identity. There is that touch of Italian flair there in the side, a desire to play the ball on the ground, to play it out from the back. However, you do still need the quality of player to pull it off, but West Brom’s biggest downfall, really has been their defence, which hasn’t been sharp or strong enough this season. West Brom have only managed to keep one clean sheet this season, back in their second match of the season. They have been good to watch this season though, and they just need a little more solidity and they should be able to comfortably secure Premier League football next season. They have had some bothersome results of late though against opposition which they should be beating. They lost to Blackpool, drew with West Ham and lost to Wigan, the teams against which, they really need to be picking up points if they are going to make life easier for themselves. They have shown good qualities though this season, beating Arsenal at the Emirates and holding Spurs to a draw, all part of a six game unbeaten streak they went on. They are just in a slump at the moment, but perhaps the big victory away at Everton will see them get back on track, and play with a bit more confidence.

They renew a meeting against a side which they were familiar with last season. The sides met in the Championship last year, with the Baggies winning their home fixture, and drawing away at Ipswich. This is why this could be a tricky match for West Brom. Ipswich have a very good record at home against West Brom overall, with a 57% win percentage against the Baggies when they come to down. However, Ipswich are not a team in any kind of form at the moment. After suffering the humiliation of a 4-1 defeat at bitter rivals Norwich on the weekend, that has left Ipswich with just three wins in their last eleven matches. This is a serious downward turn, after showing a lot of promise at the start of the season under boss Roy Keane. Keane admitted himself though that the club aren’t likely to win the league, and at the moment promotion seems a long way away, at least in the league standings. However, Ipswich may be down in 16th, but they are only six points off sixth place, so there is a lot to play for. Jason Scotland leads the way in the goal scoring charts for them, with five league goals this season, but having lost their last two home matches, there is a lot to turn around at the moment. Roy Keane really needs his troops to respond at Portman Road on Wednesday. Better form and they may have just edged this one. West Brom to battle through though.

Last 5 Head to Head

Ipswich 1, West Brom 1
West Brom 2, Ipswich 0
Ipswich 2, West Brom 0
West Brom 4, Ipswich 0
West Brom 2, Ipswich 0

Birmingham City v Aston Villa Betting Tip & Odds: At first glance there really doesn’t appear to be much to separate these teams. However, dig just a little bit deeper and you may well be leaning towards an Aston Villa away win for this one. Thehttp://www.online-betting.me.uk/links/, even though it should be another tight match between two organised sides. There are probably not going to be chances galore, but for reasons explained below, Villa are the tip to go with on this one. Astpn Villa 0 Asian Handicap 6/5 at Victor Chandler

Birmingham City to win: 7/5 at Victor Chandler
Draw: 9/4 at Bet365
Aston Villa to win: 9/4 at William Hill

Carling Cup Match Preview: There’s a very entertaining Midlands derby prospect happening at St Andrews on Wednesday, with a Birmingham v Aston Villa Carling Cup quarter final match. When the word “interesting” crops up to describe a football match, then it is because the two teams are evenly matched and there really isn’t all that much to say about either of them. Such is the case of Birmingham and Aston Villa, who sit together in the Premier League table. They both have seventeen points from their fifteen matches, and when the two sides met in the league earlier this season, it played out to an expected 0-0 draw. That really was no surprise and not too hard to call in your football betting, and this is probably where you should be heading again for this one. The two sides are evenly matched, as both have decent defensive systems, and both teams work hard for the ball. However, neither of them are really as good as they would like to be at the moment, especially Villa, who really are failing to keep pace with the top six, where they were expected to be hovering around. Anyway, this is the Carling Cup, a semi final place is at stake, so there is a call to be more adventurous.

If you are looking for adventure in these two teams, then you will need to point your magnifying glass towards Aston Villa, because that is where you will find the bulk of it. Villa were expected to be able to maintain a stronger, more consistent challenge in the top half of the table, especially with the experience that boss Gerard Houllier could bring to the table. However, with just one win their last eight games, it’s easy to see the problem. They just have not got that extra cutting edge need to turn one point into three. They are still a tough side to break down, because four of those eight matches have ended in drawn games, however, they are now on a two match losing skid after being outgunned by Arsenal on the weekend. However, they are the side which should carry the bigger threat, because they play quite good football. Villa do play with some good width, which serves them well, but they are just a little to conservative to be a great side. They do not have the firepower up front, although the return of Gabriel Agbonlahor to fitness will only help them. In this one though, their limited attack may just be enough. It should just be the kind of game which suits them. One in which they can do a smash and grab job.

Birmingham, to little surprise again, come into the match on the back of a draw. That is their eighth of the season in the Premier League, and just like Midlands neighbours Villa, cannot find the cutting edge. These two teams last season were very hard to beat, but both are just that little bit more vulnerable this year, and they are finding it hard to get that extra attacking gear when needed. So this is two evenly matched teams, and will Villa’s extra attacking quality be negated by Birmingham, who have home advantage? While you look at the two sides and see a lot of similarities in quality, there is one football betting influence which should grab your attention. That is, the fact that Villa have won six of the last seven matches against Birmingham City, and the only blemish there was a 0-0 draw in the league last season. That’s a big shot in the arm for your betting on Aston Villa, plus they have done pretty well at St Andrews. Birmingham have a 38% win percentage against Villa at home, but Villa have a close 37% win percentage when visiting Birmingham, and that is a pretty good record. It’s certainly one to take notice of in your betting. The last time the two sides met in the League Cup was back in 1994 when Villa won both legs 1-0. That is a plausible scoreline again here, as neither team will give too much away, so it could all come down to that one moment of glory for someone.

Last 5 Head to Head
Aston Villa 0, Birmingham 0
Aston Villa 1, Birmingham 0
Birmingham 0, Aston Villa 1
Aston Villa 5, Birmingham 1
Birmingham 1, Aston Villa 2