Celtic

There is a big Glasgow derby match on December 28th in the Scottish Premier League, as we get to enjoy some heated rivalry in Celtic v Rangers betting. Rangers have the edge at the top of the league going into the busy Christmas period, leading their rivals Celtic by four points. So it is going to be a big encounter , with both of the sides playing on Christmas Eve before the big derby clash. This is the second meeting in the league between the two Glasgow giants this season, with Rangers taking first blood at Ibrox with a 4-2 win back in September. So now it is round two of the Celtic v Rangers betting for the Scottish Premier League and it is a match in which Celtic really need to close the gap on their opponents, and take advantage of this meeting, assuming both will win their Christmas Eve matches. Both sides are in a good stretch of form, with the Bhoys starting to close the gap at the top already with a run of seven straight wins now, while Rangers have dropped five points from their last five matches. So the pressure is on, and the battle will resume. Rangers do have the better defence of the two sides, conceding just nine goals in their 19 league matches so far, while Celtic have conceded five more than that.

In the head to head between Celtic and Rangers, the Bhoys have won 71 of the meetings at home, while Rangers have earned themselves 48 wins, and 44 draws there. Last season’s corresponding fixture ended in a 3-0 win for Celtic. Celtic also picked up a home win over Rangers in the Scottish FA Cup last season as well, before losing at home to Rangers in the Scottish League Cup. Celtic have a W7 D1 L1 record at home this season in the Scottish Premier League. Rangers have a very impressive away record of W8 D0 L1 in the Premier League this season. There a big points on offer at Celtic Park on December 28th, will Rangers boss Ally McCoist be able to stretch his legs at the top of the table, or will Celtic’s Neil Lennon be able to reel in their rivals.

Online bookmaker Paddy Power have a money back special running for the Celtic v Rangers betting on December 28th. If there is a Red Card in the match then Paddy Power will refund all losing First Goalscorer, Last Goalscorer, Correct Score and Scorecast single bets which have been placed on  the match. So a wonderful bit of coverage for your Celtic v Rangers betting. Online bookmaker offer a free £50 bet for new customers registering an account. The bookie will pay out a free bet to the maximum value of £50, to match the value of your first stake on a new account.

There is a big night of action in Udinese v Celtic Europa League betting, as the group goes down to the wire. Celtic, who have managed only one win in the group stage so far, will now face their final test in order to make it through to the next round. The Bhoys simply need a win against Udinese, that is the simple formula for success for them. The Scottish side drew 1-1 at home against the Italians, and therefore, if they do win, they will finish level on points with Udinese, but will have a superior head to head record against them. So Celtic will reach the last 32 of the competition with a win on Thursday night. Celtic have managed just one point from their two away matches in the Europa League group stage so far though, losing against Atletico Madrid before holding on for a 1-1 draw against French side Rennes. Celtic’s only triumph so far, came on match day four, when they won at home against Rennes, to keep their hope alive, while Udinese was getting hammered by Atletico Madrid. But the Bhoys go into Udinese v Celtic Europa League betting on the back of a home defeat against Atletico on Match Day Five and now need to raise their game for one last, tough effort. A trip to Italy is never going to be a comfortable one, although the rails have just come off Udinese’s challenge over the past couple of matches. Celtic, who are trailing city rivals Rangers in the Scottish Premier League, are in pretty good form at the moment, winning their last six domestic matches, while Udinese are also going well in Serie A, currently tied for top spot.

Udinese are here because Arsenal knocked them out of the Champions League qualifiers, and after a strong start in their first three Europa League group matches, they have only managed one point from their last two games. The most recent being a 0-0 draw away in Rennes. The trouble for Celtic though, is that a draw on Thursday night would be enough for the Italians, who have won both of their home matches in the group so far. When the two sides met on match day two, Celtic took the lead from the penalty spot, before Udinese netted also from the spot with just two minutes to go. Udinese are a pretty strong side, and are good at home in the Europe. As for Celtic, well, their away form in Europe is pretty bad. Their only “win” was the default 3-0 victory handed to them after they had lost to Swiss side Sion in the qualification play offs, but who were then kicked out of the competition for fielding ineligible players. That “victory” as you will, is Celtic’s only win in their last nine road trips in Europe, and five of those nine have been defeats. To add more misery to your Udinese v Celtic Europa League betting prospects for the Scots, they have never won in Italy, having drawn two and lost six. Celtic’s over all record against Italian sides reads W5 D6 L7, but it is that away record which is worrying. So can Celtic pull of a historic win in continental Europe on Thursday night? A 1-0 win would be enough, they just simply have to get that victory or else they are out.

Udinese v Celtic Europa League betting odds
Udinese to win: 8/13 at Totesport
Draw: 3/1 at Stan James
Celtic to win: 11/2 at BetFair

Online bookmaker BetFred have their Double Delight, Hattrick Heaven promotion running for this match. Back a winning First Goalscorer, and if that selection scores a second goal in the match, then the bookie will pay you out double your original First Goalscorer odds. Even better, is if that winning First Goalscorer nets a hattrick in the game, you will be paid out triple your original First Goalscorer odds! This is superb value from the highly rated bookie. In the market, the ever dangerous Antonio Di Natale is priced at 7/2 favourite to open the scoring. Online bookmaker BetFred offer a free £50 bet for new customers registering an account. The bookie will match the value of your first stake on a new account, up to the maximum of £50.

Saturday 10th December

Scottish Premier League

Celtic v Hearts

Celtic have transformed their season in recent weeks and will be hoping to continue their good run with a victory over an out of sorts Hearts side at Celtic Park.

It wasn’t so long ago that Celtic were 12 points behind in second place and there were more than a few supporters who were calling for Neil Lennon to be sacked as manager. Fast forward a month or so and things are looking a lot brighter for the Bhoys. Having won their last five league matches they have cut the gap to just four points which makes the form side in the SPL. Their recent good form has been the result of some key players coming back from injury and getting a run of games under their belt. Gary Hooper is a prime example as the striker was out of sorts for much of the season because of niggling injuries whereas now he has hit the kind of form he was in last season, scoring five goals in his last three league games, including a hat-trick the last time Celtic played an SPL match at home against St Mirren. Hooper is now joint top scorer in Scotland and Lennon will be keen for his star man to continue his good form, especially as Celtic are due to play league leaders Rangers at the end of December.

Hearts started the season brightly enough despite Jim Jefferies being sacked. Paulo Sergio was installed as his replacement and the initial signs were good however there has been a total lack of consistency recently and the pressure seems to be affecting the manager as he has had several outbursts at referee’s and the other match officials. The other problem facing Sergio is discontent amongst his players who have been failed to be paid once again this season. The players must try and remain professional but they are also human and if their is no guarantee of their wages being paid before Christmas, it’s bound to have an effect on the field. Last weekends 2-1 home defeat to St Johnstone was a real low point and was their seventh defeat of the season already. They travel to Glasgow knowing that the last time they played Celtic they ran out 2-0 winners at Tynecastle in October so they will be aware of what level of performance it will take in order to repeat such a feat.

Celtic’s recent form has been impressive in terms of results and performance. The 5-0 demoltion of St Mirren two weeks ago was a signal of intent from Lennon and his men and the first half performance last Sunday away to Dundee United was also much more like they way they can play. Beram Kayal is in much better form alongside Victor Wanyama in the middle of the park and it’s their partnership which has provided more protection for the much maligned defence. This has been evidenced in the amount of goals they have conceded in recent weeks compared to earlier in the season with the opposition managing to breach the defence just twice in the last six SPL games.

Hearts have lost four of their last six matches in the league and the fans are beginning to get restless as the performances have dropped in recent matches. Sergio is a passionate person and will be hoping that his passion rubs off on his players heading into Saturday’s match as it looked lacking at times last Saturday. When they defeated Celtic in October the players were all up for it and they never stopped fighting for every ball and closing Celtic down at every opportunity. It’s now about transferring that kind of performance from Tynecastle to their travels as they have won just one match on the road all season.

Celtic are without doubt in much better form than the last time these two sides met and Hearts are regressing. Hooper and Stokes have 20 goals between this this season and will be a handful for the visitors defence whilst Kayal, Wanyama and Forrest in the midfield are full of energy and enthusiasm at the moment meaning it will be be difficult for the Hearts midfield to get a hold of the game. There is only one winner of this match for me and I can see it being a comfortable one at that.

My Selection: Celtic (-1) to beat Hearts

Best odds available: 21/20 available with Bet365

English Championship

Burnley v Portsmouth

Burnley have come from behind twice in the last fortnight to win away from home, this week they entertain a Portsmouth side yet to win away from home.

Eddie Howe came with a big reputation for such a young manager when taking over from Brian Laws last season. The former Bournemouth manager had been used to success and winning games when at his former club but it’s been a slightly different story at Turf Moor. Fans would have been disappointed after missing out on the play-off’s last season whilst this season, they have been unable to string a run of form together meaning they have been towards the wrong end of the table for much of this season. Signs are there, however, that Howe and his players are beginning to turn things around. After losing two late goals to Leeds resulting in a fourth successive defeat could have been a crushing blow but they have dusted themselves down and put a run of three wins together. They were behind against both Hull and West Ham but showed a new resilience and came back to win both matches. In between those games, they destroyed Ipswich at home which was arguably one of their most impressive wins of the season to date.

Portsmouth done the column a favour last weekend when they were successful against struggling Coventry but they face a different proposition against Burnley away from home. As mentioned, Pompey have not won an away game this term with a record of three draws and six defeats. They are one of only two sides who hold such a record so Michael Appleton definitely has his work cut out as he strives to improve his new club’s fortunes on the road. Last weekend’s victory was massive for a couple of reasons; they off-field drama seems to be never-ending at Fratton Park so the players showed how professional they are by gaining all three points and it was also the first win under the new manager. He will be hoping to build on that and ensure that Portsmouth can stay clear of the relegation zone as it’s getting very congested towards that end of the table. A win tomorrow, however, would mean that they would be just one point behind the Clarets.

Burnley’s home form has been patchy due to their inconsistency this season. They have won three, drawn three and lost the other four so if they do hold ambitions of being compeititive for a play-off spot they need to start winning more games at home. Last time out at Turf Moor their crushing win over Ipswich would have done a lot for confidence as it was also at home where they let slip a lead to lose 2-1 to Leeds late on the game beforehand. On loan striker Sam Vokes has been a breath of fresh air since moving from Wolves and he provides a different option upfront. His header last weekend which gave his new side victory showed his class and if they can retain his services to enhance their chance of promotion to the Premier League.

Portsmouth have lost six of their last seven away games in the Championship with their only point coming against Crystal Palace a couple of weeks ago. Their biggest struggle seems to be scoring goals as they have only managed one goal in their last six on their travels. Appleton may look to adopt slightly different tactics tomorrow but his hands are tied in terms of personnel as he is working with such a small squad. His options will be boosted tomorrow however as Liam Lawrence, Hayden Mullins and Luke Varney are all set to declare themselves fit after missing out last weekend.

Burnley don’t have a great home record by any means but they are hitting a bit of form and with Portsmouth so poor and toothless away from home, the selection is a home win.

My Selection: Burnley to beat Portsmouth

Best odds available: 21/20 available with William Hill

English League One

Walsall v Charlton

League leaders Charlton travel to Walsall on Saturday hoping to continue their excellent run of form which has left them seven points clear at the top of the table.

Walsall are currently in the relegation zone after a dismal run of form which has seen them fail to win any of their last six games in League One. Their last win was a 1-0 home victory over Preston back in October which was only their third win all season. Dean Smith has been in charge for just under a year but he is under pressure to get results and with the festive period coming up, he will be hoping his team can get some sort of confidence heading into one of the busiest periods of the season. Two of their three wins have come at home but they have also lost five matches at the Bescott already. In order to climb the league they need to make it harder for teams to take points off them, the visit of Charlton may well not be the type of team they will look forward to facing but if they were to get something tomorrow, it may well act as a catalyst and get their season going.

Chris Powell will be delighted with the start his Charlton side have made this season after so many coming’s and going’s during the close season. More than 20 players have been brought to the Valley under Powell but the supporters will not be caring about that so long as they continue to steamroll through the League One opposition. With just one defeat all season, an incredible eight wins in a row in all competitions and the top scorers in the division, the plaudits they have earned thus far have been well deserved. Their last league match was arguably the biggest of the season to date in England’s third tier as they came up against a Huddersfield side who had not been beaten for over 40 matches in the league. This Charlton side don’t care much for reputation or records though, and they accounted for them rather comfortably in the end, winning 2-0.

Walsall know that if they can string a couple of results together then it will mean a move out of the relegation zone. It is tight at the bottom of League One but the longer they go without winning, the harder it becomes to climb the table. Jon Macken is one of the most experienced players in the division and Smith will be hoping that his striker can put that experience to good use and prevent others around him for panicking as it’s the worst thing that could happen at this stage.

Bradley Wright-Phillips is one of the most inform strikers in England never mind League One. The former Manchester City trainee has 14 league goals to his name already including seven goals in his last six league matches. He is certainly capable of playing at a higher level but his attitude has been called into question at previous clubs. If Powell can keep his mind on his football and ensure he keeps putting the effort in, there is every reason to believe that he could finish up top scorer out of all the divisions in England this season.

Charlton are bang in form, Walsall are totally out of sorts so the away win looks the only wager here.

My Selection: Charlton to beat Walsall

Best odds available: 5/6 available with Coral

Club Bruges v Birmingham City
Group H Standings: Club Brugge pts, Braga 3pts, Birmingham 3pts, Maribor 0pts
Birmingham, with their away win in Slovenia on Match Day two, kept themselves in the hunt for a qualification place from Group H of the Europa League. The Blues had suffered a harsh 3-1 home defeat in their first match against last year’s losing finalists Braga, so the response against Maribor was pretty good. Birmingham now head off to face group leaders Club Brugge in Belgium, knowing that a defeat, and an expected win for Braga against bottom side Maribor, will leave the Midlands club reeling a bit. But Birmingham have picked up their domestic form a little bit winning their last two league matches in the Championship, but are still down in 15th place. They beat Leicester 2-0 on the weekend to take some confidence to Brussels with them. Club Brugge are going along nicely in their domestic league, having not lost a game in their opening ten fixtures and are averaging two goals a game. With a 2-0 opening win against Maribor and then an impressive away win in Portugal against Braga, Brugge are looking a bit stronger than many will have predicted. This will be a tough away test for Birmingham, but they really need to come away with at least a point to keep in the hunt. The Belgians are favourite to take three points though.
Club Brugge 10/11, Draw 11/4, Birmingham 18/5 at Victor Chandler

Rennes v Celtic
Group I Standings: Atletico Madrid 4pts, Udinese 4pts, Rennes 1pt, Celtic 1pt
After having been given a reprieve to stay in the competition, Celtic have not made the most of their second chance. The Glasgow club were knocked out in the qualification play offs, but were let back into the tournament because their opponents field an ineligible player. To be fair, Celtic were drawn in one of the tougher groups in the Europa League, having to go up against Atletico Madrid, Udinese and French side Rennes. Celtic lost 2-0 away in Madrid in their opener, and then could only manage a 1-1 draw back at home against  Italians Udinese. Which means that as they are only on one point so far, they need a win to get their qualification hopes rolling. Rennes though are a pretty decent side, sitting 5th in the French domestic league, and with Celtic already ten points behind rivals Rangers in the Scottish Premier league after three defeats in ten, there is much improvement needed by the Scots. They go into the fixture in France on the back of a 3-3 draw away at Kilmarnock, while Rennes won 2-1 at home against Lorient. The French side are pretty strong going forward, but have only managed a point as well in the group. They lost away at Udinese before earning a good home draw against Atletico Madrid. So both Rennes and Celtic really need to gun for a win here to keep in touch with the top. The French side do look a little bit stronger though, and with home advantage are favourites.
Rennes 8/11, Draw 11/4, Celtic 22/5 at Bet365

Wisla Krakow v Fulham
Group K Standings: FC Twente 4pts, Fulham 4pts, Odense 3pts, Krakow 0pts
Fulham could do with a win here, to keep up the charge for a place in the next round. This is a pretty close group, with Fulham earning a draw against Twente, and then winning away in Denmark against Odense on Match Day Two. This match will take the Londoners to the half way stage, with the relative comfort that they will still have two home matches out of the final three to come. So it is important to pick up three points for Martin Jol and his men on Thursday. They travel to Poland to face the bottom side in the group, and with Fulham’s great play in Europa over the past couple of season’s you would expect them to come away with a win. Their Premier League form has been nothing to write home about though this season, and they suffered their third defeat in eight games, as they went down 2-0 away at Stoke on the weekend. Fulham have picked up just one win so far this season in the Premier League, but they do play good football when they get going, and they always seem to keep good European performances in reserve. Krakow, who have conceded seven goals in their opening two matches, should really not offer too much to the class and experience which Fulham can deliver.
Wisla Krakow 11/4, Draw 12/5, Fulham 15/13 at William Hill

PAOK Salonika v Shamrock Rovers
Group A Standings: Rubin Kazan 4pts, Spurs 4pts, PAOK 2pts, Shamrock Rovers 0pts
This match up is in Tottenham’s group of the Europa League, where the Irish side have yet to pick up a point. They did famously take the lead at White Hart Lane against a second string Spurs side, but still ended up on the losing end of a 3-1 defeat. Another loss here would put them as firm favourites to finish Group A with the wooden spoon, as PAOK would pull five points clear of them. Having already conceded six goals in their two Europa League matches, it could be a tough night against for Shamrock Rovers. Greek side PAOK have earned themselves two draws against Rubin Kazan and Tottenham, and therefore should be favourites to take all three points at home in Salonika against Shamrock. Really don’t see anything other than a home win unfortunately, and PAOK have a lot to play for, because if there is a loser in the Spurs v Rubin Kazan match, PAOK would leap frog those losers into second place in Group A.
PAOK 1/4, Draw 5/1, Shamrock 14/1 at SkyBet

Stoke v Maccabi Tel Aviv
Group E Standings: Stoke 4pts, Besiktas 3pts, Dynamo Kiev 2pts, Maccabi Tel Aviv 1pt
Stoke can be pretty pleased with their Europa  League performances heading into the halfway stage. If they pick up a win against bottom side Maccabi Tel Aviv on Thursday, they will be in a pretty strong position at half way. Their big result was a battling 1-1 draw away in the Ukraine against Kiev, and Tony Pulis’ men were strong enough to back it up with a home win over Turkish side Besiktas. Stoke look as strong as ever at home this season, and really do not give all that much away. They beat Fulham at the Britannia Stadium on the weekend, and are sitting seventh in the Premier League. They do need to find a few more goals in their game though, as that is really the area which may let them down at the end of the day. However, the home fixture against the Israeli’s should afford them the chance to bag another three points. Never expecting goal fests from Stoke, so would look for a narrow win for them in your betting. Tel Aviv were thumped 5-1 by Besiktas in their first match, but then scored a home tie against Kiev, so a mixed back from them. Stoke should be physically strong enough though to record a win to keep them in control in the group.
Stoke 1/2, Draw 10/3, Maccabi Tel Aviv 15/2 at Stan James

Tottenham Hotspur v Rubin Kazan
Group A Standings: Rubin Kazan 4pts, Spurs 4pts, PAOK 2pts, Shamrock Rovers 0pts
Bit night for Spurs in the Europa League, as they can take firm command of the group with a win against Russians. Both Spurs and Rubin Kazan have earned themselves four points from their opening matches, Spurs drawing 0-0 at PAOK, and then running out 3-1 winners at home over Shamrock Rovers. Rubin hit a 3-0 win against Shamrock Rovers before drawing with PAOK as well, so they and Spurs are trading evenly. Spurs should have the slight advantage as they kick off at home here, but boss Harry Redknapp has made no secret of his frustrations about the tournament, how much of distraction it is, and has used back up players predominantly instead of his first teamers. A win here though is quite important if they want to progress, so he may be tempted to put out a stronger side against their strongest opposition in the group. He probably won’t though, trusting his youngsters instead, because Spurs want Premier League position over Europa League success, which is understandable. Spurs come in on the back of a 2-2 draw with Newcastle on the weekend in the Premier League and will start as favourites.
Spurs 7/10, Draw 11/4, Rubin Kazan 19/4 at Bet365

Europa League Outright Winner Odds
Tottenham: 11/1 at Bet365
Paris Saint Germain: 11/1 at Bet365
Atletico Madrid: 11/1 at SportingBet
Schalke: 18/1 at SportingBet
Bilbao: 19/1 at Bwin
Eindhoven: 20/1 at Bet365

Wednesday 19th October 2011

European Champions League

Chelsea v Genk

Chelsea are hitting form at just the right time after a less than impressive beginning to the season, they’ll be looking to continue it against Genk in the Champions League.

Andre Villas-Boas is starting to stamp his authority on Chelsea after arriving in the summer. The shape looks a lot better than before, players who were out of form have been given a new lease of life and it’s resulting in improved performances and results on the park. Saturday’s 3-1 victory over Everton in the Premier League was further proof that the Blue’s are heading in the right direction. Despite losing to Manchester United last months, Chelsea find themselves in the top three and just a three points off Man City at the top of the table. What will be especially pleasing for the manager as well as the support, is that they look more threatening and are scoring a lot more goals now compared to both the start of the season, and the end of last season. 12 goals in their last three league games is good by anyone’s standards, and the goals are coming from all over the pitch as well.

Genk have done well to qualify for the Champions League but their participation in Europe’s Premier competition looks as though it’s taking a toll on their domestic form. Despite finishing a close second in the league last season, they find themselves in mid-table after 10 games, winning just three of them. It’s not a surprise as teams who do not compete in European competition regularly often suffer as a result of their success in a previous season. The challenge is not just how you compete against Europe’s best, but how you manage a smaller a squad to challenge on all front’s. Another loss, this time way to Lokeren on Saturday means they have lost their last three games in all competitions and without a win in their last four.

Chelsea have four points from their first two matches but it really should have been six as they had so many chances in Valencia last matchday. A late penalty punished them and prevented them from having a 100% record going into their second home game of the campaign. The opening matchday saw them eventually breakdown Bayer Leverkusen after a stubborn first hald display from the German’s.

Genk are off the mark in their second season competing in the Champions League group stages. A draw with Valencia on matchday one was followed by a 2-0 loss to Leverkusen in Germany. Their first experience was back in 2002 when they amassed four points with four draws so they are capable of holding their own. This season’s performances are also testament to how hard they can be to breakdown as Leverkusen only settled the match in the dying moments.

As much as Genk may be difficult to get through, they face their stiffest test of their campaign when they travel to Stamford Bridge on Wednesday. It will not be a surprise if they adopt a defensive approach seeing as many teams often do that when travelling to a better quality of opposition, especially in Europe. With that in mind they may fail to pose much of a threat going forward so the 8/11 available with Stan James for Chelsea to win without conceding is definitely of interest. Another bet which may be worth considering is for Chelsea’s Fernando Torres to score at anytime during the contest. Torres is serving a domestic ban after being sent off against Swansea so it’s likely he’ll get the nod to keep his fitness up. He’s a best priced 5/6 with Boylesports.

My Selections: Chelsea to win keeping a clean sheet at a best priced 8/11 (Stan James)

Fernando Torres to score anytime at a best priced 5/6 (Boylesports)

Thursday 20th October 2011

Europa League

Rennes v Celtic

Having dropped more points in the league Celtic return to European action in search of their first win in the competition when travelling to France to take on Rennes.

Rennes have started the season steadily enough sitting in seventh position at the time of writing. Two defeats from their opening nine matches is evidence of how hard they are to beat which is further emphasised by the fact they lost just four times at home last season and after their opening four games at the Route De Lorient they have yet to taste defeat – winning one and drawing the other three. After finishing sixth, it was the first time in three years that they qualified for a European competition so a lot of the players are testing new waters. Their opening two group matches have been close fought encounters with Udinese and Atletico Madrid. As it is, they have gained just one point from a possible six but there are signs of encouragment for the French team heading into the round three match against Celtic.

Celtic have let readers of this column down twice in consecutive weeks with their lacklustre displays in the league. Only three late goals prevented them from losing their fourth game of the season on Saturday but the signs are there that all is not well at Parkhead. Their form in Europe has been patchy to say the least as they got through the backdoor initially after losing to Sion in the qualifiers only for the Swiss side to be thrown out as they fielded inelegible players. A loss to Atletico Madrid was followed by a draw with an understrength Udinese side last time. Celtic do have to overcome a horrific away record in Europe if they are to get anything out of Thursday’s match. A win in Moscow against Dinamo in 2009 was their only win in 31 European away games.

Rennes have won just once if their last six games in all competitions before hosting Lorient in Ligue 1 on Sunday evening so their form is not great either. Yann M’Vila
will once again be a big player for them as the French internationalist will look to dictate play from deep in the midfield. Fresh from helping his country qualify for Euro 2012, M’Vila is Rennes most impressive player and looks destined for bigger things in the future.

Whichever way you look at it when it comes to previewing this match, you cannot ignore Celtic’s deplorable away record in Europe. From my experience, bookmakers can often do this however, and the prices on Celtic’s opposition are often generous because of the history the Glasgow club have in European competition. I think that is the case once again as the price on a home win is 8/11 which looks too big to ignore, especially with how frail Celtic are at the back and the lack of confidence amongst the players as well as the supporters.

Having seen a lot of Celtic in recent weeks both at home and abroad, there is only one bet I could suggest and it’s another loss for Neil Lennon’s men on the road in Europe.

My Selections: Stade Rennes to beat Celtic

Best odds: 8/11 available with William Hill

Saturday 15th October 2011
English Premier League

Stoke v Fulham

Top flight domestic action returns after the International break and we are off to the Britannia as Stoke host Fulham.

Stoke have had a tremendous start to the new season both at home and in Europe. Tony Pulis will be delighted with how his side have coped with so many fixtures at the start of the season but will also understand that there is a long way to go between now and the end of the campaign. They have stuttered slightly of late in the league as they have failed to win any of their last three matches. Both their defeats have come away from home against Swansea and Sunderland, and both, incidentally, have come the weekend directly after competing in Europe which shows how difficult juggling the two competitions can be. Having brought in the likes of Peter Crouch and Cameron Jerome, there are far more options upfront which was a position they have struggled in the last 12 months. Associated with route one football, the acquisition of Crouch will not do that much to dispel such claims but no matter what way you look at it, it’s a massive coup and shows you the ambition of the Stoke board.

Fulham started the domestic season rather slowly under Martin Jol with their first win of the season alluding them until the last set of fixtures before the International break. The win was worth waiting for, however, as they demolished QPR 6-0 at Craven Cottage which will hopefully, for Jol, be the start of a run of positive results and performances. Missed opportunites against Blackburn and Aston Villa at home when they were the better side by far would have been a source of concern for the Dutch boss has stuck to his guns and continued to play attractive football which paid off in their last home game. Fulham will have to improve on the road though if they wish to stay clear of the relegation zone as they have a deplorable record on their travels in the Premier League.

Stoke are notoriously strong at home and they play a brand of football which is extremely hard to combat and opposition teams must be ready for a battle. Fulham have a decent record when away to Stoke as they have won on two of their last five visits, once in the league and once in the cup. Stoke have won two of their last three in the fixture though, so it’s a bit of a mixed bag.

Fulham’s away record in the last two and a bit seasons does not make for pretty reading. From 41 matches, they have been victorious just four times. With a record such as that the biggest surprise is that Fulham are still in the Premier League so it’s definitely testament to their home form as to why they are still competing in the top flight.

Stoke have been undone after playing in Europe then travelling away in their next league game. This week they have had to contend with some of their players playing in vital matches for their countries but the big difference is the fact they will be playing at home – I think that will be the deciding factor on Saturday afternoon. They have already held Chelsea and Manchester United at the Britannia so they certainly know how to get a result.

My Selection: Stoke City to beat Fulham

Best odds available: 6/5 available with Bet365

English Championship

Middlesbrough v Millwall

The Championship was also on sabbatical last weekend and the action resumes with second top Middlesbrough at home to second bottom Millwall.

Tony Mowbray will be pleased enough with the fact his side are sitting in one of the automatic promotion places, two points off top, just a game away from a quarter of the season gone. He will be disappointed, however, with the home form as they have won just one of five games. They do remain undefeated at the Riverside with four draws but their best performances have come on the road. The draws already gathered may well prove to be crucial come the end of the season but Mowbray will know that he needs to start turning one point into three if they wish to sustain their title and promotion charge. Saturday’s match against Millwall will be another won where ‘Boro are expected to win so it’s also a test of mettle of the players as they need to prove they can handle the expectation and demand from fans.

Millwall started the season with a win and a draw but it’s been downhill since then in what is proving to be difficult season. Many expected the Lions to struggle this year for several reasons, not least the sale of Steve Morison to Norwich as he was their top scorer in the last two season. Teams also tend to struggle a little bit more in their ‘second season’. With so much enthusiasm and belief after a promotion campaign, the following season can prove to be successful as well – it’s the proceeding year that can be dangerous, and that seems to be the case here. Four consecutive defeats in all compeitions, five from their last six, has meant they have tumbled out of the League Cup and find themselves just one spot off the bottom of the table. Kenny Jackett will know just how tight the division is though and one win could see Millwall climb up to 18th in the table.

The one criticism of ‘Boro this year has been their inability to break down sides who come and look to hit on the break at the Riverside. It can be the difference between success and failure so they will have another chance to rectify things on Saturday.

Millwall have yet to win on the road this season so will be looking to put that right as soon as possible. With just five goals to their names, and only two more conceded, it doesn’t take long to figure out where they need to improve.

You could argue that the draw would be a decent bet in this game as ‘Boro don’t score many at home whilst Millwall don’t concede or score many. However Middlesbrough have played well enough at home this season without getting their rewards and you get the sense that confidence is low within the Millwall squad so I think Tony Mowbray’s men can gain their second home win of the season.

My Selection: Middlesbrough to beat Millwall

Best odds available: 10/11 available with Victor Chandler

Scottish Premier League

Kilmarnock v Celtic (12.30)
Celtic are 10 points behind Rangers at the top of the table so another defeat to Kilmarnock at Rugby Park is basically unthinkable.

Kenny Shiels has done well since rebuilding the squad in the summer and has earned many plaudits for his side’s style of play. With so much debt and the loss of key players such as Craig Bryson and Connor Sammon in the last 12 months, it was a hard task for Shiels but he seems to have steadied the ship and Killie lie in mid-table. Shiels will be looking for some consistency now to go with the good football as three losses in a row have taken a little gloss of their start to the season. Last time out against St Johnstone would have been a sore one as they got back into the game after going behind only to lose a late goal. Their two wins thus far have both come at home, against Hibernian and Dunfermilne, but that last victory was over a month ago.

Neil Lennon has been under intense scrutiny since losing his third league match of the season. It means that even if Celtic win their game in hand, they will still be seven points behind their arch rivals before the turn of the year. Lennon has been unfortunate with injuries as a plethora of his top players have been, or are currently, out injured. But it’s the measure of a good manager to how they deal with such circumstances and unfortunately for Celtic, he has not come out of it with great credit. In their last match against Hearts it was yet another case of not being able take their chances and mistake after mistake at the back. Celtic supporters are becoming increasingly frustrated at Lennon’s blindspot with some players to Saturday’s team selection will be of great interest.

Despite some poor recent form, Celtic do have a fantastic record in Ayrshire against Kilmarnock. From the last 18 fixtures at Rugby Park, Celtic have won 17 of them with the exception being Robbie Keane’s debut in 2010 when Kilmarnock were successful 1-0. Most of the 17 victories were rather comfortable so if Celtic can get their act together then they have landed on their feet with regards to their opponents if history is anything to go by.

My Selection: Celtic (-1) to beat Kilmarnock

Best odds available: 11/10 available with BlueSquare

Sunday 2nd October

Scottish Premier League

Hearts v Celtic

The chances are Celtic will be ten points behind Rangers when they travel to Edinburgh to face Hearts so despite it only being October, it becomes a must win game for Neil Lennon’s men.

Paulo Sergio is not everyone’s cup of tea at Tynecastle and has work to do in order to win over the Hearts faithful. After replacing Jim Jefferies in August, the former Sporting Lisbon manager has failed to build on the success that Jefferies had last season. The odd good performance, mainly at home, has been undone by half hearted displays on the road, most recently against St Johnstone last weekend when they lost 2-0 in a match that they never looked likely to get anything from. It was the fifth away game in the league for them this season and they are still without a win on their travels. They’re still fourth in the table but with only three wins to their names it’s simply not good enough for the club who are supposed to be the third biggest in the country. That said, they have won three out of four at Tynecastle, including their last three without conceding a goal, so they are strong on their own patch.

Neil Lennon’s men had victory snatched from them on Thursday night in the Europa League when a late penatly denied them all three points against Udinese. Most fans consider tomorrow’s match to be the biggest game of the week however as last months defeat to Rangers, added to the fact that their will have played two league games since Celtic’s last match at home to Inverness, means there is little margin for error, even this early in the season. Celtic have stuttered at times this season even when winning matches. Last Saturday’s 2-0 win at home was not without a few scares as the centre of defence looks anything but solid. The Hoops have won every other away game apart from at Ibrox so they are strong on the road but they usually find it difficult in Edinburgh.

The last time these sides met back in May, Lennon was attacked by a Hearts supporter whilst celebrating Celtic’s second goal. It provided proof, if there was a need for it, that this game can bring the worst out in supporters as well as the staff. There is a poisonous element amongst the Hearts support when Celtic visit which does not seem to be prevelant against any other SPL team. Lennon will be the first to say that his concentration will be solely on his side gathering all the points as opposed to matters off the field.

Joe Ledley is a doubt for Celtic as he came off at half time against Udinese whilst Scott Brown still remains out due to injury. It means that even more responsbility will be heaped on the shoulders of Beram Kayal as the stand in captain looks to lead his players to a victory which would boost everyone in and around the club. Hearts may well look to John Sutton upfront despite the striker being out of favour for much of the season. Sergio has stated that he is not a fan of the Englishman but his strong style of play could unsettle a Celtic defence who have been exposed several times already this season.

Celtic ran out comfortable winners in May despite all the troubles and events off the park but they’re not playing as well at the moment. That being said, it really is a must win game for the Bhoys. If they lose then the minimum deficit would be seven points and that’s huge to claw back when the competition is so thin on the ground. I can’t see the title race being over in October so for that reason alone, I’m siding with the away team to take all three points.

My Selection: Celtic to beat Hearts

Best odds available: 8/11 available with PaddyPower

Well Celtic were handed a second chance at the Europa League. Celtic were knocked out in qualifying by FC Sion from Switzerland, but the Swiss side were then reproached by UEFA for fielding ineligible players. Sion were kicked out of the tournament and Celtic were re-instated and so now get a second bite of the cherry. That second chance starts with a tough group fixture against one of the tournament favourites, Atletico Madrid. This will be the fifth match between the two sides in Europe, with the Spaniards coming out on top in a clash back in the 1985/86 Cup Winners Cup, and in the 1973/74 European Cup. So a little bit of history, but nothing else recent. Atletico Madrid though have a good home record against sides from Scotland, winning three and drawing one, never having lost at home to a Scottish team. They have tasted one defeat against a Scottish side though, losing at Hearts in the 1993/94 UEFA Cup. Atletico Madrid’s overall record against Scottish sides is W4 D2 L1, so are in a strong position to go and win this match, something which is firmly reflected in the match odds that bookmakers have set out here. While Celtic have gotten off to a good start on the domestic front, winning five of their six matches, scoring 14 and conceding just 2, things are expected to be a lot tougher for the Hoops on continental Europe on Thursday night. They will have been disappointed by the way they bowed out to Sion initially, as that was opposition they really could have taken on and beaten, but now they get a chance to redeem themselves.

But Celtic have a poor record against Spanish sides. Over all, Celtic have won six, drawn five and lost eleven matches against Spanish opponents in Europe. More worryingly perhaps, and a good indictor for your Atletico Madrid v Celtic betting, is that Celtic have never, ever won in Spain. Out of eleven attempts, they have lost eight times and drawn three matches. They just have never been able to make much of an impact on the scoreboard on their travels to Spain and Thursday doesn’t look as if it going to present too much of an opportunity to change that. Atletico Madrid won the Europa League back in the 2009/10 season, and only suffered defeat in one of their nine European matches last season. The Spaniards are firm favourites here, as they have history, past and present on their side. They are going to be a big threat in the tournament, especially after picking up Falcao, Micael and getting Tiago back as well.

Atletico Madrid v Celtic Europa League Betting Odds
Atletico Madrid to win: 5/11 at Bwin
Draw: 3/1 at Totesport
Celtic to win: 7/1 at Stan James

Saturday 13th August

English Championship

Ipswich v Hull City

The Premier League takes centre stage this weekend as it stages it’s first round of fixtures but our first stop takes us into the Championship which started last week.

Ipswich started the season in impressive fashion defeating Bristol City 3-0 away from home. It was the perfect start for Paul Jewell who begins his first new season at Portman Road since taking charge at the start of the year. Jewell has been relatively busy in the summer with players coming and going. Connor Wickham, Gareth McAuley, David Norris and Pablo Counago are the most notable departures from Portman Road whilst they have brought in Lee Bowyer, Ivar Ingimarsson, Jay Emmanuel Thomas and Michael Chopra, amongst others, in their quest for promotion. Despite losing a lot of their mainstays of recent seasons Ipswich look stronger this year and expectation is high amongst the fans. Jewell himself is no stranger to the league and has gained promotion with Bradford and Wigan from the Championship, so they certainly have the right man in charge.

Jewell has further strengthened his midfield with the loan signing of Keith Andrews from Blackburn, it’s another quality addition and he looks set to make his debut tomorrow.

Hull have stabilised since being relegated two seasons ago and Nigel Pearson has done well to bring in some much needed reinforcements. Matty Fryatt and Aaron McLean are two players who bring with them goals and have had a few months to get used to their new surroundings after signing last year, more will be expected from them this time around. Jack Hobbs was their most expensive purchase of the summer after signing from Pearson’s old club Leicester City. Pearson has also signed the likes of Kevin Kilbane, Dele Adebola and Paul McKenna which will bring much needed experience to what is a relatively young group of players. Hull were denied by Blackpool in their opening match of the season with the Seasiders pinching a late goal to take all three points at the KC Stadium. It was a reminded to all that the Championship is one of the most competitive leagues in English football.

Ipswich will be looking to Michael Chopra for a lot of their goals this season and the prolific striker got off to the best possible start with a double in last Saturday’s 3-0 success. He is used to scoring goals, it’s what he was bought for and his partnership with Nathan Ellington will be one of the most potent in the division.

Hull will be hoping they can secure their first points of the season after their sticky start last Friday so it would be no surprise to see them set out with a defence minded approach. Pearson likes to build from the back so will look to frustrate Ipswich who are at their best when allowed to dictate the pace of the game and get the likes of Bowyer and Lee Martin on the ball.

Success in this league revolves around a strong home record which Jewell will be well aware of. With so much attacking options in the team, the home side have the definite advantage and I think it will be enough for them to secure their second straight league victory.

My Selection: Ipswich to beat Hull

Best odds available: 21/20 available with William Hill

Scottish Premier League

Celtic v Dundee United

Celtic play their first home game of the season tomorrow, after two away matches, against a so far unbeaten Dundee United side who will be hoping they can repeat last years feat of taking a point from Celtic Park.

Neil Lennon and his Celtic side have enjoyed a 100% record thus far after two away matches at Hibernian and Aberdeen. They have yet to concede a goal either but have been struck down with numerous injuries so early in the season. Mark Wilson, Beram Kayal and Glenn Loovens all look set to miss out tomorrow but the biggest blow to Lennon is that last season’s player of the year, Emilio Izzaguirre will be out for up to six months with a broken leg sustained in the victory at Pittotdrie last Sunday. Charlie Mulgrew will deputise in his absence for now but it the little Honduran is a big player who will be missed. Scott Brown looks set to take the armband for the first time this season after missing the opening games through suspension, he picked up a knock whilst on international duty but should shake it off in time to lead out the Hoops tomorrow afternoon.

Dundee United have a different look to them this season after three of their best players have moved on in recent weeks. David Goodwillie followed Prince Buaben and Morgao Gomis out the door. Peter Houston is unable to delve into a massive transfer budget so the free transfers of John Rankin from Hibs and Willo Flood from Middlesbrough are decent alternatives in the midfield. Houston will be hoping that Johnny Russell can take a further step forward this season and attempt to fill the void that Goodwillie has left. Russell is certainly talented and will score goals, but it’s a matter of whether this will have come a little too soon for him, time will tell. United have one win and two draws from their first three games. Their only away game thus far resulted in a 1-0 victory at Tynecastle over Hearts so there will be a belief when they travel to the East end of Glasgow tomorrow that they can come away with something.

Celtic have not been the busiest of clubs in the transfer window this summer so the team looks very similar to last season with only Kelvin Wilson and Adam Matthews added to the starting XI for tomorrow’s match. It means that going forward they will rely on the likes of Anthony Stokes, who has already scored twice this term, Kris Commons and last years top scorer Gary Hooper. Hooper has failed to get off the mark yet this season but has scored several in pre-season and will be itching to get going in competitive football.

The odds on a home win are a little primivative to say the least and seeing as though United are no pushovers, I’m inclined to give the handicap a miss with this game. Instead, I see value in Gary Hooper to score at anytime during the match and for Celtic to be victorious. Four bookmakers carry odds for such bets with the best odds available with BlueSquare and 888Sport.

My Selection: Gary Hooper to score in 90 minutes and Celtic to win

Best odds available: 5/6 available with BlueSquare

The strong British presence in the Europa League has caused a clash in the play off stage as the teams vie for a place in the Group Stage. Tottenham Hotspur will square off against Scottish Premier League side Hearts for a place in the competition proper. After tasting the highs of Champions League football last season and impressing many, Tottenham have come back down to earth with a bump and now have to negotiate their way through qualifying for UEFA’s second tier tournament. Spurs boss Harry Redknapp is a little concerned that endeavours in the prolonged tournament is going to take away a lot from their challenge in the Premier League. So it will be interesting to see how Tottenham do this year. They surely won’t pass up the chance of silverware, as they will be one of the front runners to take the Europa League title this year.

Last season’s defeat FA Cup finalists Stoke City, making their foray into the Europa League, scored a great victory over Croatian Hajduk Split to move into the final play off round. Tony Pulis now takes his men on to face FC Thun from Switzerland for a place in the main stage of the competition. Also joining Stoke in the final play off round, is Fulham who safety negotiated their way past RNK Split this week. The Craven Cottage crew, now under the guidance of Martin Jol, will face a long trip to the Ukraine as they take on Dnipro. Birmingham City, who were relegated but made their way to the Europa League after winning the Carling Cup will take on Nacional from Portugal. There were worries that Birmingham’s dire financial situation would prevent them from playing in the Europa League, but they were granted licence to do so by UEFA. Glasgow Rangers will also be putting in an appearance in the Europa League Play Off draw, as they face Maribor from Slovenia, while Scottish Premier League rivals Celtic have a trip to Switzerland to battle it out with Sion. Ireland will be represented by Shamrock Rovers as they face Partizan.

So there are huge British football betting opportunities for you in the Europa League at the moment. Sadly we will have to lose at least one British side with the interesting Tottenham v Hearts clash on the cards. The Europa League is a long test of endurance over the season, but many are fancying Tottenham to do the business and they are the favourites out of the British entrants to lift the trophy this year. But the stiffest opposition in the way will come from the Spaniards Sevilla and Atletico Madrid. We will present the latest outright Europa League betting odds below, but remember that third placed teams from the Champions League group stage join the competition at a later stage as well.

Europa League Winner Odds
Sevilla: 12/1 at SkyBet
Atletico Madrid: 14/1 at Boylesports
Paris St Germain: 14/1 at Totesport
Tottenham: 14/1 at Blue Square
Roma: 16/1 at Paddy Power
Lazio: 20/1 at Stan James

Other British Europa League Winner Odds
Fulham: 40/1 at SkyBet
Celtic: 66/1 at Victor Chandler
Stoke City: 100/1 at Victor Chandler
Hearts: 150/1 at Totesport
Birmingham City: 150/1 at Paddy Power

Europa League Play Off Draw involving British Clubs
Hearts v Tottenham
Maribor v Rangers
Dnipro v Fulham
Sion v Celtic
Nacional v Birmingham
FC Thun v Stoke
Shamrock Rovers v Partizan