Celtic

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
 

The early start of the Scottish Premier League season may be causing upset to many fans, managers and players, but it does signal the return of some great online football betting opportunities. Rangers are the defending champions, but Celtic are being tipped by many to wrestle the title away from them this season. The big two will be the prominent forces against this year, and while the action starts on the weekend, we need to look at some of the Scottish football betting promotions which you can pick up around the web.

Gary Hooper shone so well for Celtic last season and Celtic fans will be hoping that the deadly striker can fire them to glory this year. Celtic start their season away from home, but with Hibs showing poorly last season, there could be the opportunity for goals. If Gary Hooper scores the last goal of this match, then Boylesports will refund losing stakes placed on a host of markets. Refunds will be paid out on First Goalscorer, Last Goalscorer, Anytime Goalscorer, Score 2 or More, Hat Trick and Scorecast bets placed on the match, if Hooper is the last scorer of the game. Great value for your Hibs v Celtic betting, and Boylesports welcome their new customers with a £40 free bet when you place a first bet of £20 or more on a new account.

BetFred 5 Goals Special

If there are five goals or more scored during the Hibernian v Celtic, or Rangers v Hearts matches on the weekend, BetFred will refund all losing First and Last Goal Scorer, Correct Score and Scorecast bets placed on the match. The coverage on this is up to £200, so provides some great insurance. When new customers register an account with BetFred ,they can receive a free bet up to the value of £50. Place a first bet on a new account of £5 or more, and receive a free bet from BetFred, to the same value, up to that £50 limit!

Paddy Power Money Back Special

If there are four or more goals scored during the weekend’s big matches of Hibs v Celtic and Rangers v Hearts (that’s four goals in the individual matches, not combined of course) then popular bookie Paddy Power will refund all losing First Goalscorer, Last Goalscorer, Correct Score and Scorecast singles placed on a match. The highly rated bookie welcomes new customers to their website with a £50 free bet as well. Sign up for a new account and the bookie will match your first stake, up to the value of £50 as a free bet!

Bet365 Bore Draw

Don’t forget that highly recommended online bookie Bet365 constantly run their 0-0 bore draw promotion. When you have a pre-match bet on any football match at Bet365, if the match finishes as a bore draw, then the bookie will refund any Correct Score, Half Time/Full Time, or Scorecast bets which have been placed on that match. This is great ongoing insurance for your football betting from one of the most highly rated bookies available. Bet365 offer a massive £200 free bet for new customers registering an account with them.

The Scottish Premier League, for all its criticism and discussions over change of format to a 10 team Premier League, it starts off the first serious domestic football betting opportunities. The English Premier League doesn’t start until August 13th, but the Scots are getting a good three week head start over most of Europe. This enraged Inverness boss Terry Butcher, who is livid at the short summer break the league has had, and questions whether the teams will really be ready for the early start of the new season. The limited time has affected the preparations of clubs bringing in new players, and getting new players fit into the squad. Most clubs have been vocal in their opposition to such an early start for the league, but regardless, for all the down sides of the league starting so early, it is here again, and the action starts on July 23rd. Naturally your Scottish Premier League outright betting is going towards the big Glasgow duo of Rangers and Celtic, but Hearts are drawing a lot of outsider bets, as they have assembled a decent squad who can challenge. But once again ,just a look at last year’s finishing table, where third placed Hearts finished a massive thirty points behind winners Rangers, suggests that the gap is really not as close as neutral fans, as well as Hearts supporters really want it to be. It is hard to see the 2011/12 Scottish Premier League title not going back to Glasgow. That means your betting options are limited a little bit, but because the two main sides here are so closely matched, there is still value on having a punt on either one. Here we take a look at the setups of the two clubs as the new season hits Scotland.

Glasgow Rangers

Rangers are the defending champions after beating Celtic to the finish post by a single point last season. There as been a big change at the top, with Ally McCoist stepping into the full managerial role. The big question is whether or not he can fill the immense boots of the departing Walter Smith, who brought the league title back to Ibrox for the past three seasons. Is McCoist ready? Well, there is no time like the present, and McCoist has been learning his trade for the past five years at Ibrox. The club was taken over by Craig Whyte in the summer, but there has not been a major influx of new players coming to the club despite the financial security. McCoist has had money at his disposal after being fully backed by the new man in charge, but actually spending that money on the players that they want has been far from easy. Rangers have had several bids for players rejected, and time is running out on them to get players signed before the Champions League deadline. But, McCoist is insistent that they are just not going to throw money around freely, they are going to do things the right way, even if that means being a little bit more patient. Rangers have lost a few free agents, but most of last season’s championship winning squad is there. With the rush to get back into the game, Rangers have not had the most impressive of pre season friendly result, as they failed to win any of their three tour matches out in Germany. They did respond a little bit better when they best Linfield and then Blackpool ahead of their season opener in the Scottish Premier League on Saturday. We are unlikely to see much difference between Rangers of last season and this. The style will be the same, as McCoist has been Walter Smith’s apprentice, and won’t see any drastic need to chance a winning formula. Things are pretty settled at Glasgow Rangers, but after only squeezing home by a point last year, Rangers know that Celtic will be gunning for them. The priority has to be the Scottish Premier League title against for the Gers, and getting back into the Champions League. The one question mark about Rangers, is whether or not they have the strength in depth compared to rivals Celtic. Rangers do roll out a good defence, and they are hard to break down, as Manchester United found in last year’s Champions League. If they can add to the depth in the squad, then Rangers should be in the hunt. This is a high pressure season for McCoist, as they are very much on a par with Celtic, and then it could come down to management decisions, so the heat will be on. A good start is crucial for McCoist and Rangers.
Prediction: 2nd

Glasgow Celtic

While rivals Rangers will be hoping that new boss Ally McCoist can pick up where the successful Walter Smith left off, Celtic will be hoping that boss Neil Lennon finally delivers. One advantage that Celtic do have over Rangers, is that they have a much stronger squad in terms of depth, ability and variety. Celtic have gone steadily through their pre season, most recently picking up a comfortable 1-0 away at English Premier League new boys Cardiff, in which Celtic’s goal was rarely threatened. That came off the back of a successful tour of Australia, as Celtic prepare to wrestle the Scottish Premier League title away from Rangers. Celtic are a good, creative threat going forward, and the youthful side plays with a great deal of tenacity and vigour. Neil Lennon really put up a good fight with Rangers last season, and Celtic did play with a lot of consistency. Their defence was really aided by their powerful attacking play, because teams couldn’t get near their back line. In many people’s eyes, Celtic, because they have a little more cut and thrust, a more complete and youthful squad than Rangers, are favourites to win the Scottish Premier League this time around. Although they ended up with the best defensive record last season, there is a small question mark of their defensive line when they get bombarded in physical games. However, you know that Celtic will score plenty as they push forward. After losing the league title and the League Cup final to Rangers, Celtic and Neil Lennon in particular need a bounce back season. Celtic, like Rangers have not been splashing the cash around much in the summer break, and will want to take as much fluency and consistency over from last season as possible.
Prediction: 1st

2011/12 Scottish Premier League Winner Odds

Celtic: 5/6 at SportingBet
Rangers: Events at Totesport
Hearts: 66/1 at BetFred

Saturday 4^th March

English Premier League

Fulham v Blackburn Rovers

 Mark Hughes faces another one of his former clubs a week on from visiting the City of Manchester Stadium as Blackburn Rovers travel to Craven Cottage tomorrow.

Fulham have been this season’s draw specialists with 14 to their name already. There are two ways of looking at it; one would be the fact they are hard to beat and do not lose many games, whilst the other viewpoint is that they struggle to win games. Either or, the end result is the same, a low points total which means they are still in contention for the drop. In recent weeks there have been signs of improvement, however, as the Cottagers have remained unbeaten through a difficult set of fixtures against Aston Villa and Manchester City away, as well as Newcastle and Chelsea at home. Hughes would have been frustrated that his side never came away with more than six points from those games as Fulham missed a last minute penalty against Chelsea which would have won them all three points. As well as not losing many games (just eight from 28 games) they also have one of the best defensive records in the league. Their total of 28 goals conceded is only bettered by the top four sides in the division, which certainly shows where their main strengths lie.

Blackburn Rovers currently sit bottom of the form table in the Premier League with just one win from their last six matches. It’s testing times for their new boss Stewart Kean who was a surprise appointment when getting the job before Christmas. If history tells us anything in football it’s that new owners, especially one’s pumping millions into a club, are not the most patient of folk. Kean will be only too well aware of this and will be under no illusions as to what needs to change if he wishes to lead Rovers in the Premier League next season. Like Fulham, Rovers are very much involved in the relegation dogfight as the season moves into its final quarter. It’s been on their travels where Blackburn have really struggled as well as they have lost 10 of their 14 matches on the road – only Wolves have lost more games away from home in the league. They have, in actual fact, lost eight of their last nine games in all competitions away from home.

Fulham are beginning to get their key players back, Bobby Zamora withstanding, Hughes now has more depth to his squad then he has since taking the job. They have more goal scoring options which can only be a good thing as they fight against the drop. Zoltan Gera, Moussa Dembele, Andy Johnson and Eidur Gudjohnsen really need to start taking more responsibility when on the park and chip in with more goals to support top scorer Clint Dempsey. Rovers also have a plethora of options going forward but few of them chip in with enough goals to move Blackburn away from danger. When your top scorer is only on five goals, you need to worry.

Fulham have only lost three games at home all season, and whilst they have only won five, they remain strong opponents and difficult to get the better off at the Cottage. Their wins have also come against sides in and around them or below them in the table. With Rovers on such a bad run of form on the road, I fancy Fulham to take a big step to Premier League safety tomorrow.

My Selection: Fulham to beat Blackburn Rovers

Best odds available: 3/4 available with Paddypower

English Premier League

Newcastle United v Everton

Everton have to pick themselves up after being knocked out of the FA Cup by reading as Newcastle will prove stern opposition tomorrow as they get back to league business.

Life after Andy Carroll has been nothing but eventful at St James’ Park. The comeback from 4-0 down against Arsenal was unarguably the most entertaining and one of the all time greatest matches in Premier League history whilst they have gone four games unbeaten since losing to Fulham at the beginning of February. Alan Pardew will no doubt be pleased by the resilience shown by his players in the midst of a lot of media attention and fans criticism for the sale of their former number 9 to Liverpool on the last day of the January transfer window. One man who has certainly stepped up to the plate is Leon Best. Hardly given a chance since his move to the club over a year ago, Best has done well since coming into the team as a regular starter in January. He has scored five goals in nine league games including a hat trick against West Ham. Although not completely safe from relegation, Newcastle are still in a comfortable enough position heading into the latter months of the season. In ninth position with 36 points, another couple of wins should see them safe for another season and a chance to spend the £35m burning a hole in Mike Ashley’s pocket.

Everton have been this season’s biggest enigma by far and must be a source of great frustration for their manager Davie Moyes. Their season could be summed up by their FA Cup exploits in recent weeks. Despite knocking out Chelsea in replay on penalties, and looking every inch potential winners of the competition, they undone all their hard work during the week as they were knocked out by Championship side Reading at Goodison Park. So many times this season, you expect them to kick on and put together a strong run of form like they have in previous season, only for them to hit a brick wall. It’s the main reason as to why they are fighting against relegation as opposed to challenging for a European place. Moyes has openly admitted that he is disappointed with the lack of consistency and will demand that he and the supporters get a big performance tomorrow after the disappointment of midweek.

For me, Newcastle still lack some firepower upfront. As well as Best has done since taking over Carroll’s mantle, he’s still very much a novice at this level. Kevin Nolan remains a threat, especially at set-pieces but they can’t continue to rely on the former Bolton man for goals. Everton do a much better job of sharing goals around the side. Three players have scored at least five league goals this season with Tim Cahill their top scorer with 9 to his name, despite missing a month due to the Asian Cup.

Aside from losing 2-0 to Bolton in February, Everton have done relatively well on the road recently. A narrow defeat to Arsenal was preceded by a very good derby draw with Liverpool. Their most recent away game was in the FA Cup replay at Stamford Bridge where they acquitted themselves really well. I like the balance Everton have, especially away from home. I also believe Moyes is an excellent manager and his players will be desperate to prove something to him after Tuesday night. Although you have to have a bit of faith and go against the form table a little, I think Everton are attractively priced to win all three points tomorrow.

My Selection: Everton to beat Newcastle United

Best odds available:  15/8 available with Victor Chandler

Scottish Premier League

Celtic v Hamilton

After an eventful Old Firm Scottish Cup replay, Celtic return to league action against Hamilton on Saturday hoping to stretch their league at the top of the table.

Three sending offs, fisticuffs in the tunnel, arguments between both benches…just another derby day in Glasgow. That was the case on Wednesday as Celtic kept their treble bid alive after defeating arch rivals Rangers 1-0 at Celtic Park. Neil Lennon’s side had been in tremendous form before crashing to a 2-0 defeat against Motherwell last Sunday. They responded with Wednesday success but know that the most important prize of all remains the SPL Championship. Currently five points clear but having played two more games than Rangers, anything but a win would be unwelcome, if not disastrous at this stage of the season. 10 wins from 14 home matches is good form but it certainly needs to continue with 11 games of the season left.

Hamilton are in big danger of being cast adrift of the rest at the bottom of the table Seven points behind and on level games with St Mirren, things look bleak for Billy Reid and his players. With just two wins all season, and none of those at home, it doesn’t take Columbo to see where they have to improve. You can sympathise with Reid and his plight as he has had to sell off his best players to doting admirers in recent seasons. James McCarthy, James MacArthur and Brian Easton have all left for England and have yet to be replaced with any real quality. Alex Neil is also a big miss as the captain has been injured for much of the season. All things considered, however, they don’t score enough goals, they concede too many and they are lacking in quality – there usually is only one outcome for those sort of traits.

Celtic have a big squad at their disposal and have the luxury of making changes ahead of tomorrow’s game. Anthony Stokes is likely to come back into the side after missing out on Wednesday, whilst Joe Ledley and Fraser Forster should also return after missing out through suspension. Stokes is the key one however as he is Celtic’s top scorer and the one capable of scoring from any situation. He has already netted against Hamilton this season and having not scored since the middle of February, will be keen to add to his tally of 12 league goals. Celtic have an exemplary home record against Hamilton in the Premier League having won four from four with 13 goals scored and just one conceded. I expect this to continue tomorrow.

My Selection: Celtic (-2) to beat Hamilton at a best priced 9/5 available with Coral

Anthony Stokes to score and Celtic to win available at a best priced 5/6 available with 888Sport

Saturday 29^th January

English FA Cup

Aston Villa v Blackburn Rovers

One of five all Premier League ties takes placed at Villa Park on Saturday as a rejuvenated Aston Villa play host to in-form Blackburn.

Gerard Houllier has had to endure a tough few months since taking over as Villa boss after Martin O’Neill’s resignation. Player unrest, unhappy supporters as well as a clear downturn in results, had some pundits calling for his head. That was a fortnight ago and that’s a long time in football. After a club record fee of £24m was paid for Darren Bent, and a couple of back to back wins against Manchester City and Wigan, things are beginning to look a lot brighter. The FA Cup always brings with it excitement and hope and that’s exactly the way Villa fans will be looking at it. With little or no chance of getting anywhere near the European spots at the end of the season, and already knocked out the League cup, the supporters need something to look forward to and Houllier and his players will be under no illusions that a home tie against a club such as Blackburn is an excellent opportunity to advance.

Blackburn Rovers are the latest Premier League club to have been taken over by an obscenely rich consortium. Sam Allardyce paid the price for not being attractive enough in the new owners’ eyes and was swiftly replaced with a relatively unknown in Steve Kean. Kean was Chris Coleman’s assistant for the last seven years but has been entrusted with the task of forcing Blackburn into European contention in the coming years. He has started relatively well as the club have climbed to seventh in the table and have won three of their last four in all competitions.  He has looked the strengthen as well with new arrivals in the shape of Jermaine Jones from Schalke and a former fans favourite, Roque Santa Cruz who was brought in from Man City. With the money available to Kean set to soar in the summer, it will be a matter of time before the Blackburn Rovers squad is transformed and the new arrivals will flood the squad.

When you consider the players still playing for Villa, then it’s a massive surprise to see them struggling as they have been. Ashley Young, Gabriel Agbonlahor and Stewart Downing are all English internationalists from recent seasons and have undoubted quality. As well as Bent, Jean Makoun has also arrived at the club to bolster the squad for the remainder of the season. Currently on their best run of the season to date with three wins and a draw from their last four, things are beginning to look up.

Rovers have a pretty poor record when travelling to the Midlands to take on Villa in recent seasons. Last year’s 1-0 victory was their first success in eight. The sides met in the FA Cup last season as well, in the third round. Aston Villa came out on top that day with a 3-1 victory.

I’m a firm believer in the ‘form is temporary, class is permanent’ line of thinking. Villa have plenty of class about them and even without Darren Bent, who is cup tied as he played for Sunderland in the previous round, I still fancy the home side to come out on top in what promises to be an entertaining match.

My selection: Aston Villa to beat Blackburn Rovers

Best odds available: 10/11 available with Stan James

Scottish League Cup

Celtic v Aberdeen

Either Celtic or Aberdeen can take a step closer towards the first piece of silverware in Scottish football this season as they clash at Hampden Park.

Celtic face Aberdeen just one week on from their league match at Celtic Park last Saturday. The home side ran out 1-0 winners thanks to a goal from Anthony Stokes. Since that match, both sides have recorded victories with Celtic brushing aside 3rd placed Hearts 4-0. It was a scintillating performance by the Hoops who turned in their best performance of the season on Wednesday. Stokes notched a double whilst James Forrest and Paddy McCourt also got on the score sheet. It made it 12 games unbeaten for Neil Lennon’s side, with seven wins and five draws. Another impressive statistic is the fact that they have only conceded one goal in their last eight matches. It’s an astounding record and one which they will hope can continue. Two young men can take a lot of credit for the shutouts with goalkeeper Fraser Forster and centre half, Thomas Rogne, at the heart of the defence.

Aberdeen were featured a couple of weeks ago in these previews and the job Craig Brown and Archie Knox have done thus far, is growing. Apart from the defeat at Celtic Park last Saturday, the Dons were victorious against St Mirren 2-0, whilst they also defeated Inverness Caley Thistle last time out by the same score line. Brown was pleased with the effort, organisation and discipline his side showed in defeat to the current league leaders last weekend. However, they rarely threatened the Celtic goal and struggled to make any clear cut chances. If they wish to be successful tomorrow, it’s something which has to change. One man who is capable of causing problems at the National stadium tomorrow, is Nick Blackman. The young striker followed Brown to Aberdeen from Motherwell and scored his first goal for his new club on Wednesday night. He has proved he can mix it with the best in the SPL in the early part of the season but the Dons will have to do without his services as he has previously played in the competition with Motherwell.

Lennon may look to shuffle his pack tomorrow as he has predominantly used the same players in recent weeks. He will have to replace James Forrest who misses out through injury, but there is no shortage of players ready to step into the wide position. Freddie Ljungberg has yet to start a match since joining earlier this month; McCourt will feel his goal on Wednesday should see him restored to the starting XI whilst Niall McGinn played the full 90 minutes last weekend. However, they may all be thwarted by the signing of Kris Commons from Derby. The Scottish internationalist signed on Thursday and will be eager to impress his new manager, colleagues and supporters.

Celtic have an enviable record over Aberdeen in recent seasons and they definitely have momentum going into tomorrow’s match. Neil Lennon won a treble as a player at the club and is only too well aware of the importance of this competition in the quest for all three trophies in his first season as manager. With such strength in depth going forward, and the confidence of players such as Stokes and his strike partner Gary Hooper, I’m predicting Celtic to win this win with a bit to spare.

My selection: Celtic (-1) to beat Aberdeen

Best odds available: 5/4 available with BlueSquare

Saturday 6^th November

English Premier League

Blackpool v Everton

Everton travel to Blackpool on Saturday, with both sides knowing that a win could lift them as high as 5^th position come tomorrow evening.

Blackpool survived a late scare against nine men West Brom on Monday as the visitors threatened an extraordinary comeback despite having two men sent off in the first half of the match. Ian Holloway will be delighted that his side managed their first home win of the campaign but will be disappointed in the manner of it as it should have been much more comfortable. Despite leading 2-0 against nine men with 10 minutes to go, West Brom missed a couple of chances in the last minute which would have earned them a point. Blackpool’s inability to keep possession was their greatest downfall and it will have served as a wake-up call for Holloway in their debut season in the Premier League. Four wins and 13 points from ten games is a decent return for such a young and inexperienced Premier League outfit. Their greatest test will be the next couple of months when the games come thick and fast and the injuries and suspensions start to pile up. It is, of course a cliché, however it’s also very relevant to such a small quality which relies a whole lot on several key players.

I previewed Everton’s last match at home to Stoke and tipped them up as being a sound bet to which they duly obliged. This week is a different sort of test as Blackpool will be more open and attacking in their approach as they are at home. Stoke soaked up a lot of pressure and threatened on the counter attack last weekend which rarely suits Everton’s game when playing at Goodison. Davie Moyes was able to call on Mikel Arteta against Stoke and it’s difficult not to overplay how important the Spaniard is to the Toffee’s. His range of passing aligned with his set piece delivery and ability to shoot from long range make him pivotal to the way Everton play. His presence in the side also frees up Tim Cahill to play ahead of him and behind the lone striker. It’s a system which works as it’s effective and the depth in their attacks also means it’s hard for teams to defend against.

Blackpool will look to Charlie Adam once again as the man to create and dictate the play on Saturday. The Scot has been linked with Everton, as well as Liverpool, of late due to his high quality of play this season. His penalty on Monday makes him the joint top scorer for the club emphasising his importance even more. For Blackpool to survive in the league this season, it’s vital that he is fit and available for the majority of their games.

Games at Bloomfield Road tend to be open and have plenty of goals and I expect this one to follow suit. Blackpool do not boast a resolute defence and go for the jugular when at home. Unfortunately for them, however, that style plays right into Everton’s hands. They attack with pace and precision on the break. I think it’s certainly a match up which promises goals but I also think it’s the sort of game which Everton have come accustomed to winning in recent years with their experience and quality being the key factors.

Another bet I see value in is Tim Cahill to score tomorrow. He has been unlucky not to add to his four goals already accumulated in recent weeks and his late runs into the box may prove fatal for the home side tomorrow.

My selections: Everton to beat Blackpool at a best priced 5/6 available with William Hill

                             Over 2.5 goals at best priced 17/20 available with Bet365

                             Tim Cahill to score anytime at a best priced 11/5 available with Stan James

Scottish Premier League

Celtic v Aberdeen

Celtic benefited from Rangers slip up at home to Inverness last weekend and a win tomorrow afternoon at home to Aberdeen would see them return to the top of the SPL.

Neil Lennon suffered his first dropped points as Celtic manager a fortnight ago when his side lost to arch rivals Rangers at Celtic Park. It was a poor performance from the Hoops and one which may have deflated some players who had only known success in the SPL since coming to the club. They have, however, followed up with two successive wins – both against St Johnstone. Last week’s win over the Perth Saints in the league was as comfortable and as routine as they come. Lennon will have been very pleased with his side’s reaction to the derby defeat. He will also be satisfied that they have gotten on with their business in the midst of a refereeing scandal which has blighted Scottish football in recent weeks. Lennon knows he has to put all the controversy behind him as they head into a crucial part of the season which sees Celtic play 5 games in the next 3 weeks. It’s a period of the season which may make or break their season heading into the festive fixtures

Mark McGhee is into his second season in charge of the club he once starred for as a player. His time as manager has been nowhere near as successful however, and he is under real pressure to bring consistency and results. Six defeats in 10 games has been a dreadful start but in all honesty, it’s not a surprise in the least. For years the Dons fans have had to suffer as the club have underperformed and failed to live up to their expectations. A key reason of this has been their inability to hold on to their top players in recent seasons. The likes of Barry Nicholson, Lee Miller and Scott Severin all left for the Championship for more money as Aberdeen were unable to compete with clubs down south, financially. McGhee has sought to bring through a number of youngsters as well as trying to wheel and deal in the transfer market. As yet, it’s been a relatively unsuccessful method but he is adamant that he will get it correct and has no plans to leave the job until he does get it right.

Neil Lennon will be able to recall Gary Hooper and Shaun Maloney who both missed the 3-0 win over St Johnstone. Both are key players and their inclusion will only strengthen the chances of a home win tomorrow.

Celtic have a fantastic record against Aberdeen over the last decade. Celtic have won 30 of the last 40 matches between the two with the Dons last win in Glasgow coming over 5 years ago. I see very little in the way of changing this record tomorrow but you won’t get rich backing the 2/9 on offer for a Celtic win. I’ve looked elsewhere for a bit of value.

My selections: Celtic (-1) to beat Aberdeen at a best priced 8/11 available with Betfred

                             Over 3.5 goals at a best priced 11/8 available with Victor Chandler

Saturday 25^th September

English Premier League

Birmingham v Wigan

Both Birmingham and Wigan only have one win apiece this season so neither side will be lacking in fight or desire at St Andrews tomorrow.

Alex McLeish has recently signed a new long term contract with the midlands club which is a sign of intent as he has done a fantastic job and transformed the club into an established Premier League outfit. He will be satisfied with his start to this season but frustrated nonetheless. An opening day draw at Sunderland was followed up with a home win over Blackburn. Since then, they have suffered their first defeat of the season in the derby against West Brom last week. Their most impressive display was arguably their home draw with Liverpool. But for Pepe Reina, the Blues would have easily won the game.

Wigan have been this season’s whipping boys, especially at home. Blackpool, Chelsea and Manchester City have all comfortably won at the DW Stadium already. Roberto Martinez’s side did spring a surprise on the road when they held on for a 1-0 success against Spurs at White Hart Lane. That, to date, is their only away match of the season thus far so Martinez will be hoping his side can replicate that form at St Andrews tomorrow. The biggest problem for Wigan has been their defence as they have conceded 13 goals already, the joint worst record in the Premier League along with West Ham. Add to that the fact they’ve only scored two goals all season (the worst in the league) then it’s fair to say that drastic improvement is needed if they are to survive this season.

Birmingham have a fantastic home record which they will be looking to preserve for as long as they can. The last side to take three points from St Andrews was Bolton Wanderers just under a year ago. It’s testament to how hard they are to beat and the belief that McLeish has instilled to the club. Wigan, on the other hand, have only won twice in 12 away games in England’s top division.

Alexander Hleb surprisingly moved to Birmingham on loan from Barcelona at the end of August. But it’s another midfielder who has caught the eye already – Craig Gardener. The former Villa player has been in scintillating form and has three goals already to his name.

Wigan are an unknown quantity away from home as they have only played the one match on the road and Spurs were particularly poor that day. However, you cannot get away from how strong the home side are on their own patch and I’m taking them to enhance their fantastic run at their ground with their second 3 points of the season.

My selection: Birmingham to beat Wigan

Best odds available: 5/6 available with several bookmakers including Betfred

English Championship

Norwich City v Hull City

These sides were separated by two divisions this time last year but both Norwich and Hull are both vying for wins in the Championship, at opposite ends of the table.

Paul Lambert has been in charge of Norwich for little over a year but what a year it’s been. The club were propping up the League 1 table before Lambert joined but the Scot got them playing attacking, winning football, and before long, they were well clear and won the League 1 Championship. This season has been much of a continuation and they find themselves in the Play-off places after half a dozen matches. Despite losing their first match of the season, at home to Watford, they have surprised many with such a young, and small squad.

Hull City have had a complete opposite start to the season.  An opening day win at home has been their sole success of a terrible season thus far. Nigel Pearson knew what he was inheriting when he took over in the summer – an ageing squad which needed trimmed due to massive financial problems. He has had to deal in free transfers as well as loans from the EPL in order to try and build a squad capable of staying in the division let alone being promoted. From their three away matches this term, they have zero points, conceded nine and scored one, it doesn’t bode well for their trip to Carrow Road.

Norwich have defeated Swansea and Barnsley already at home and will be looking for their third consecutive win to carry on their momentum. Key to their fortunes will be Grant Holt who is their main source of goals and their captain. He is the experienced head in amongst the youngsters around him and will be pivotal to anything that Norwich which to do this season. Hull have recalled Jimmy Bullard lately despite the fact he looked destined to leave due to his high wages. He could prove a talisman but you have to question how much desire he has at this level.

I watched Hull’s last game at home to Nottingham Forest and it was such a poor match, low in chances, low in entertainment and low in quality. Norwich can take advantage of the disarray tomorrow’s opponents find themselves in and add to their already decent tally at this stage of the season.

My selection: Norwich to beat Hull

Best price available: Evens available with several bookmakers including William Hill

Scottish Premier League

 Celtic v Hibernian

Celtic will be looking to maintain their 100% domestic record as Hibs travel to Parkhead tomorrow afternoon.

Neil Lennon is still boasting a 100% record in the SPL since taking over in March and it shows no signs of stopping soon. Since they were last previewed, Celtic have defeated Hearts and Kilmarnock in the league before destroying Inverness 6-0 in the league cup during the week. Lennon will be hoping that the run can continue with the first Old Firm game of the season creeping ever closer with the 24^th of October looming. He will also know that Rangers are doing just as well as his own side and will want to keep the pressure on their arch rivals as they play on Sunday this week.

Hibs have had a dreadful run since winning on the opening day of the season away to Motherwell. Two defeats at St Mirren and at home to Rangers have been in amongst a couple of poor home draws with Hamilton and Inverness. Boss John Hughes will feel the pressure even more now since his side crashed out of the League Cup away to Kilmarnock despite taking the lead. On top of all that, they lost their star striker, Anthony Stokes, to tomorrow’s opponents.

Celtic are a different proposition at home than they are on the road. Three narrow away wins have kept their run going but it’s at Celtic Park where they have been most impressive. A 4-0 thumping of St Mirren was followed up with a 3-0 success against Hearts and as already mentioned, the 6-0 win over Inverness means from three domestic home games, they have scored 13 and conceded zero.

With the form Hibs are on at the moment and the fact confidence is low within the Easter Road camp, you fear for them when they travel to Glasgow. They look toothless upfront and very leaky at the back so it probably won’t come as a surprise to note I am siding with the home side for a very comfortable win.

Also, Stokes has scored 3 in 2 for his new club and should start against his old club. It would be typical if he notched another against his former employee’s so it would be negligent not to side with him

My selections: Celtic (-2) to beat Hibernian at best priced 12/5 available with Paddypower

                            Anthony Stokes to score at anytime at a best priced 10/11 available with Bet365

Saturday 11^th September

English Championship

Queens Park Rangers v Middlesbrough

Top of the table QPR host the pre season title favourites Middlesbrough who are desperately looking for a kick start to their stuttering season. 

Neil Warnock has went about his transfer business quietly over the summer and has sought to bring in players who he knows and trusts. Paddy Kenny played under Warnock for years at Sheffield United and was brought in as Rangers’ new number 1 whilst Shaun Derry was Warnock’s captain at Crystal Palace and has been brought in to add a bit of steel in the middle of the park. Other signings include Bradley Orr at full back, Clint Hill at centre half and Jamie Mackie upfront. These signings were added to on deadline day at the end of August with the purchase of Rob Hulse from Derby and the loan signing of Tommy Smith from crisis club Pompey. Both attackers are proven at this level and look set to excel in a side that are full of confidence and play with a purpose. QPR remain unbeaten after the first 4 games with 3 wins. Both home games have been straightforward, routine victories against Scunthorpe and Barnsley. They have yet to concede a goal at Loftus Road but will face their biggest test yet with big spending ‘Boro visiting tomorrow.

Gordon Strachan is under big pressure to succeed after spending millions over the summer and recruiting big names from the SPL. Despite taking over last season with the club in the play-off positions, Strachan endured a poor start and never really recovered. This season hasn’t been much different with just 4 points from a possible 12. Their two defeats have came against Ipswich and Millwall, two sides at the top end of the table. Their sole victory was in their most recent league match at home to struggling Sheffield United. It was a very disappointing match with little creativity on either side. Strachan will know that the quality and consistency will have to improve if his side are to challenge for play-off position, let alone automatic promotion. He will be looking to the likes of Barry Robson, Scott McDonald and Kris Boyd to provide the quality after all 3 came South with SPL winners medals with Celtic and Rangers. One man whose confidence will have been given a boost is Stephen McManus. The big centre half scored Scotland’s winning goal on Tuesday night in the 7^th minute of injury time. He, and Boro supporters, will be hoping it’s a catalyst for his club form.

The last times these sides met at Loftus Road the home side were on the wrong end of a 5-1 drubbing from Strachan’s charges. It was a game which turned out to be manager Jim Magilton’s last home match as he was subsequently sacked later that month.

Tomorrow’s game should be an entertaining match with the attacking options on show for both sides but Middlesbrough have rarely been entertaining under the stewardship of Strachan. He tends to set his sides up with two solid banks of four and the two strikers. It’s likely he’ll go with this again but his side will have to show some more attacking ambition soon if they wish to turn their season around.

Neil Warnock knows this league inside out and will realise the pressure Strachan is under at the moment. An early goal for the home side could make things exceedingly difficult for his counterpart so it would be no surprise if his side come out flying. With the extra quality upfront in Smith and Hulse, added to the likes of Taarabt and Mackie, I think the home side will be too strong for Middlesbrough. It may not be a classic but QPR should do enough to stay on top of the league for another week.

My selection: QPR to beat Middlesbrough

Best odds available: 11/10 with several bookmakers including Betfred

Scottish Premier League

Celtic v Hearts

Both Celtic and Hearts put their unbeaten records on the line at Celtic Park tomorrow in what is always a keenly contested encounter.

Neil Lennon has still yet to drop a single point in the SPL since taking over as Celtic manager in March. His record is currently: Played 11, Won11. It’s a fantastic effort and one which he’ll aim to ensure is further enhanced tomorrow. Celtic have been impressive in the league to date and have still yet to concede a goal. It’s basically a brand new team the manager has to play with the introduction of 11 new first team players. Most of these signings have taken up positions in the first eleven as well with only a select few players from the previous season remaining. Scott Brown, Shaun Maloney and Jos Hooiveld are the only three who look likely to command a regular starting slot in the coming months. Celtic’s last signing of the transfer window was Anthony Stokes from SPL rivals Hibernian. Stokes notched 23 goals last season for his previous club and he will be looking to be involved from the off against a side who’s fans will already loathe him from his time in Edinburgh.

Hearts have started the season solidly enough with two draws and a win from their opening 3 games. Jim Jefferies has started building from the back and made Hearts stronger as a team. He has done this with most of the players he had at the end of last season with the only difference being the introduction of Darren Barr from Falkirk. The right back has made the step up and has been impressive for his new club. Hearts, however, were dealt a massive blow in midweek with the news that Lee Wallace will be out for the best part of the season after injuring his knee in Scotland’s win at Hampden. Wallace has been exceptional for Hearts for the last 18 months and his absence will be massive for Jefferies as he looks to challenge for 3^rd spot.

Celtic will have Gary Hooper back in contention for the first time in the league this season. The striker injured himself in pre season and he will be desperate to play some part tomorrow to show the Celtic fans why Lennon paid over £2m for him. Fraser Forster will continue in goals for Celtic after debuting in their last game at Fir Park whilst the likes of Baram Kayal and Efrain Juarez will be looking to regain their starting places after being rested last time out.

Hearts will have Kevin Kyle leading their line once again and a lot of responsibility will lie upon his broad shoulders. Kyle is dominant in the air and will be looking to bully Celtic’s defence and cause them as many problems as he did for his previous club Kilmarnock. With Andy Driver still absent through injury, the creative influence will once again fall with Suso Santana. The tricky wide player has already scored this season and will be desperate to add to his tally tomorrow.

Celtic have an excellent record over tomorrow’s opponents at Celtic Park in recent years in the league with 4 wins from their last 5 encounters. Going by their domestic form already this season, I can see another 3 points for Neil Lennon’s Bhoys and it could be comfortable if they managed to get an early goal. The 2/5 on offer for a home win is decent enough, but I see value on the handicap as Celtic brushed aside St Mirren 4-0 in their only SPL home game thus far.

For anyone who likes coincidences then you need look no further than former Hibernian striker Anthony Stokes making his debut against their arch rivals Hearts for his new club Celtic. Stokes is a prolific goalscorer at this level and it would be just like him to score on his debut against a side who love to hate him.

My selections: Celtic (-1) to beat Hearts at best priced 15/13 with BWIN

            Anthony Stokes to score at Anytime at a best priced 11/10 with Bet365

Celtic to learn Champions League fate on Friday

It is time for some complicated brain bending, as qualification for the 2010/11 Champions League is made a little bit clearer on Friday, when the third round draw is made. Actually, with UEFA, it’s not that straight forward, as the second legs from the Second Qualifying round matches won’t have been played by the time the draw is made. Before the draw though, the first legs of the Second Qualifying round takes place on July 13th and 14th, with a total of seventeen matches to come over two legs at this stage. There were only two matches in the first qualifying round. None of this affects Premier League side Tottenham just yet, as they will enter the fray in Qualification Play-offs, which come after the third qualifying stage (confused yet?). But, in Friday’s draw for the Third Qualification round, are notable names such as Celtic, Zenit St Petersburg, Unirea Urziceni and Dutch side Ajax. For the third round draw, thirteen clubs entering the qualification process will join up with the 17 winners from the second qualifying round. It’s not as easy as it all sounds though, because the teams which are in the mix then at that stage, will be separated out in the draw, either going into a “Champions Path” or a “Non Champions Path”. Celtic will be in the latter because they did not win their league.

Champions League Qualification Explained

Here we try to explain. Firstly, all of the Football Association leagues in Europre are ranked. For example, England are Ranked 1, Spain Ranked 2, Germany Ranked 3 and so on (this coefficient is all based on previous Champions League and UEFA Cup performances by the clubs of each nation, over the past five years.)

• The First Round of 2010/11 Champions League qualification involved four teams from Associations 50-53, which will produce two winners to go through to the next round. This is complete already with Birkirkara and Rudar Pljevlja qualifiying.
• So, all of the teams in the Second Qualification round are Champions of their Leagues, all from Associations ranked 17 to 49. There are 32 teams entering here, plus the two from the first round, giving a total of 34 teams.
• The Third Qualification round, is where things get split up. The 17 winners from the Second Round (remember all those are actually Champions of their respective leagues) will join three Champions from Associations 14-16, giving a total of 20 Teams on the “Champions Path.” Entering the tournament also here, are 9 Runner’s-up from Associations 7-15, and the third placed team from Association 6, which go into the “Non Champions Path” of the draw. So, basically at this stage, there are twenty teams now on the “Champions Path” and ten teams on the “Non-Champions Path.”
• The Play-Off round will comprise of ten winners from the “Champions Path” of the previous round. The five winners from the “Non Champions Path” from the Third Round, will be joined in a draw by two third placed teams from Associations 4 and 5, and three fourth placed teams from Associations 1 to 3. The latter includes Tottenham Hotspur from the English Premier League.
• Champions League Proper: Five winners from the Champions Path, and five winners from the Non-Champions Path, will join up with the 22 clubs who gained automatic qualification for the main tournament.

All of this was designed by UEFA boss Michel Platini, who was keen to give more Champions a chance to actually play their way into the Champions League. We are talking about Champions from lesser Associations, such as Malta and Liechtenstein, for example. Their Champions have a right to have a crack at the Champions League proper, as they are winners of a European league. It was supposed to give minnows a chance of some glory in getting some kind of taste of Champions League football, but there is a lot of hard work to do for these minnow teams in getting to the Group Stage of the main Champions League draw. Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal will all be in the Group Stage of Champions League, and the arguments against the new system, is that smaller (ergo lesser quality teams) are getting into the main draw, whereas before it was simply made up of Europe’s best from the top leagues (even if they weren’t all Champions). This makes the tournament more predictable, as to who will get through from the Group Stages. Anyway, there are probably not going to be many teams that you will recognise the names of taking part in the Second Round, but there is some betting to take note of, and could be a great chance to build up some accumulators. Partizan Belgrade for example will be firm favourites against Pyunik, and likewise Sparta Prague of Metalurgs. It will be worth checking out your online bookmaker for these match odds.

As far as the main 2010/11 Champions League is concerned, Barcelona have been installed as favourites to lift the trophy, especially as they now have Lionel Messi and David Villa in their team. They are in at 4/1 favourites with BetFred. Current Champions Inter Milan, who won last year with a severe lack of Italians in their side, are well back in the betting after losing coach Jose Mourinho to Real Madrid. Inter Milan are 14/1 at Boylesports to retain their European Crown. The Spanish giants Real Madrid are hot on the heels of Barcelona in the Champions League Betting, as they sit in as second favourites. Real Madrid are 5/1 at Paddy Power. The two Spanish side are actually very strong favourites, as third in the list of Champions League betting for the outright winner, is Chelsea who are back at around six to one (but can be taken at as much as 8/1 at Bwin). Manchester United, who are struggling with injuries at the moment, are out at 17/2 at Bwin, while Arsenal are a little further out again, priced at 16/1 at Stan James.