Stoke

We focus on midweek Carling Cup betting action this week, as the last remaining sixteen teams in the tournament scrap it out for a place in the Quarter Finals. One of the big matches of the night is Stoke City v Liverpool, with the Potters having already beaten Liverpool at the Britannia in the Premier League this season. So Stoke boss Tony Pulis and his men will be looking for a repeat performance in shutting out Liverpool, who could only manage a 1-1 draw against Norwich at Anfield on Saturday. Online bookmaker Bet365 are showing a live stream of the match to accompany your Stoke v Liverpool betting. The highly ratted bookie, well known for the amount of live football streams which it provides for their customers, is bringing this all Premier League clash to its account holders on Wednesday, October 26th. All live streams at Bet365 are free, you just need to have some funds in your account, or have placed a bet on the match in question to get to see it. It is a great way to get closer to the action, especially if you are looking at enjoying some live in play betting as well. You can stream the live action and get your bets down right along side the game, so you can get a good feel of what live in play bets to take. Bet365 welcome new customers with the chance of a free £200 bet on a new account, so if you are not signed up there, there is even more good reason to do so! The bookie will match the value of your first deposit, up to the maximum of £200, but it gives you a huge opportunity to get some free cash in your new Bet365 account. Turning that free cash into profit can start with backing a winner in the Carling Cup this week.

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

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

The Club:
Stoke City are battling away in the qualification rounds of the Europa League. They did well to earn their spot there by reaching the FA Cup final last season, where they put in one of their worst displays of the season to be outclassed by Man City. Still, their rewards are a place in Europe and that will give boss Tony Pulis a new challenge and something else to get his teeth into. Stoke are a solid enough looking Premier League side. You don’t expect too many fireworks from them in terms of display, but they will battle and work their way through the season, causing upsets and then letting themselves down the very next game. Are capable of building a good run, and they should pick up enough points to maintain their status. The question about Stoke is whether or not they are just going to tread water from last season, or whether somehow they can find improvement and progression from somewhere.

Players/Manager:
Well Stoke boss Tony Pulis is no stranger to criticism. He drew a lot of attention last season from the likes of Arsene Wenger, who didn’t enjoy Stoke’s direct tactics. The thing about Stoke, is that they may not do things the beautiful way, but they seem to get the job at hand done well enough to keep them as a mid table safety team. There has been speculation about Stoke City taking the plunge and trying to get West Ham’s Scott Parker on board. Parker has been in demand even before West Ham got relegated, with several top teams all chasing his signature. West Ham are holding to their value on Parker, and after fellow Hammer Carlton Cole declined a move to the Potteries, Stoke could well come up empty handed. A better deal for them would be to go and snap up Joey Barton from Newcastle who could leave the Tyneside club for free. They have picked up the injury prone Jonathan Woodgate to try and maintain some solidity at the back, and with the squad at the Britannia acquitting themselves quite well last season, we can expect pretty much more of the same from them. This is one instance where you can look past the players and see what a huge influence the manager really is on the side. If Tony Pulis were to part ways, you wonder how well Stoke City would be able to pick up the pieces as this really is all of his work.

Last Season: 13th
A bottom half of the table finished, as they ran out of steam towards the end of the season. Still, they did reach the FA Cup final, and had some pretty good moments through the season. They scrapped and fought tirelessly, with energy abound and surprised many people. Stoke City did put up some impressive home stats, making the Britannia a very difficult place to visit. We can’t see them really being any more expansive than they were last season, but they do need to find a way to score a few more goals.

2011/12 Projection:
It will probably be more of the same from Stoke this year. They have not made enough move to really change and get better, nor have they been weakened. They are a pretty tight unit at Stoke, and they need to turn the Britannia Stadium into a fortress again, or risk failure. That will be where the bulk of their points will come from and they should be a good threat in the cups. As for their Premier League projection, you can’t see them being anything more than a mid table team. Sure they may well go on a good run and flirt on the outskirts of European spots, but maintaining that is going to be difficult. Tony Pulis is key here, but one wonders if Stoke will be found out more this season. They are a little one dimensional in their approach and opposing teams may have worked out how to get the best of them based on last season. Still, you can expect hard work, you can expect tough tackling, you can expect some direct routes to goal, you can expect plenty of criticism coming the way of Stoke, but at the end of the day, they should comfortably enough secure their Premier League status. They have enough week in week out to stay in mid table.

Finishing Position Stoke City: Mid Table Safety

Premier League Top Ten Finish Odds:
7/4 at Bet365

First Three Fixtures
August 14th: Stoke v Chelsea
August 20th: Norwich v Stoke
August 28th: West Brom v Stoke

BACK TO 2010/11 PREMIER LEAGUE BETTING PREVIEW
 

Saturday 14th May2011

FA Cup Final 2011

Manchester City v Stoke City

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Best odds available: Even money with Totesport.

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

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

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

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

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

 My Selection: Blackpool to beat Bolton

 Best Betting odds available: 6/5 available with Betfred

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

Saturday 30^th October

English Premier League

Everton v Stoke City – Betting Preview

Everton and Stoke are level on points going in to tomorrow’s match at Goodison, so both sides will be desperate for points in an attempt to climb the table.

Everton are notoriously slow starters to their league campaigns and this season was no different. Without a win in the league until the start of October, Davie Moyes’ side are now unbeaten in their last three league games, amassing seven points. The last three games have been difficult fixtures away to Birmingham and Spurs, as well as the derby match at home to Liverpool. What Everton have done differently is play in a more attacking manner with an out and out centre forward. Yakubu has acted as a target upfront in recent games and although not scoring, he’s bringing others into the game, being a nuisance and causing havoc for centre halves. Before he was deployed as a sole strike, Moyes tended to go with Tim Cahill as the furthest man up the park. His strength is coming from deep and arriving late into the box from midfield, which he has been doing to great effect in the last month.

Tony Pulis has done a remarkable job since returning to Stoke City for the second stint as manager in 2006. He, and the club, are now embarking on their third consecutive season in England’s top flight after comfortably securing their status in the league for the previous two seasons. This season has witnessed Stoke being a bit more adventurous both on and off the park. Kenwyne Jones was added to the squad for a club record £8m during the summer, whilst other new additions included Jonathan Walters from Ipswich, Jermaine Pennant from Real Zaragoza and arguably their most surprising signing, Eidur Gudjohnsen on loan from Monaco. Their points total is probably a bit less than their performances have deserved with 10 points from nine games. Their away record boasts one win and three defeats, with their sole success being a victory over Newcastle at the end of September.

Everton will be hoping Mikel Arteta has recovered from the injury which forced him out of last week’s draw at White Hart Lane. The Spaniard is arguably the Toffee’s most important player and when on form, is as good as anyone else in the Premier League. Stoke have doubts over both Jones and Pennant for tomorrow’s match. Both have been shrewd signings up until this point so Pulis will be desperate for them to make the trip North.

Stoke have not recorded a win of any kind over Everton for 28 years, whilst it’s been even longer since they were victorious at Goodison Park. Everton have won four of the last five meetings when they have been at home and with the run of form of late, added to their well known reputation as being a ‘streak team’, I believe they will have more than enough to see of tomorrow’ visitors.

My selection: Everton to beat Stoke City

Best odds available: 4/7 available with several bookmakers including Skybet

Scottish Premier League

Motherwell v Hamilton – Betting Preview

For those unaware, Motherwell and Hamilton have a fierce rivalry in Scottish football so tomorrow’s match at Fir Park has all the hallmarks of being a battle more than anything else.

Craig Brown has done a fantastic job since taking over the Motherwell manager’s role at Christmas last season; leading them from a relegation struggle to currently sitting in clear third place heading into November. Brown has only ever managed one side in Scottish football (20 years ago) before taking the hot seat at Fir Park in December 2009, so it was something of a risk for him to be given the reins at a club who had serious problems last term. He has, however, rebuilt an ailing side with a lot of younger and inexperienced players. One such addition is Nick Blackman who is on loan for the season from Blackburn Rovers. Just 22, Blackman has been a real gem of a signing with four goals already to his name. He’s linked up well with both John Sutton and Jamie Murphy, both of whom have benefited from the attributes that Blackman brings to the side with his pace, power and strength.

Hamilton have had to contend with the sale of their key players over the last couple of years. The likes of James McCarthy, James McArthur and Brian Easton have all departed for the English Premier League. Their loss has also been added to with injuries to Alex Neil and Mark McLaughlin, experienced campaigners who form the backbone of Accies team. Despite those losses and absences, Billy Reid has managed to keep his side competitive and in the SPL since 2008. This season has very much followed the previous one’s in terms of points and position in the table with six points out of a possible 27, and rooted to second point, just a point of bottom place. That being said, some of their performances have been pretty decent. They went ahead against Parkhead, lost out to Rangers in the very last minute and were 2-0 up away to St Mirren before only leaving with a point. Silly individual mistakes added to a lack of concentration are costly ingredients which Reid will have to expel from his players if they wish to survive in the SPL for another reason.

Motherwell have won two and drawn one of their last three home games, whilst their only defeat in the last eight games in all competitions was away to Rangers. They are in good form and they are difficult to beat. ‘Well also have the edge on their opponents in the derby games in recent years at Fir Park with 4 wins from their last 5 in all competitions. I think there will be goals in tomorrow’s game as Hamilton have managed to score at Parkhead and at home to Rangers, and both teams have scored in the last 6 matches involving Hamilton. I also believe Motherwell have the ammunition to gain all three points however, in their attempt to solidify third position.

My selection: Motherwell to beat Hamilton at a best priced 5/6 available with Victor Chandler

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

Stoke v Aston Villa Premier League Betting Odds

Stoke to win: 13/8 at BetFred
Draw: 23/10 at Ladbrokes
Aston Villa to win: 2/1 at SkyBet

Online Bookmaker Promotion: Stan James are running a season long Goalscorer promotion on their website. So, if you have a bet on any goalscorer market for this or any match, Stan James will refund any lost stakes if the game ends 0-0. This adds a nice bit of coverage on your betting, and for games which have a good chance of ending in a scoreless draw like this one, it makes a lot of sense. Stan James, a popular and famous name in UK sports betting also offer a free £25 bet for new customers. The online bookmaker will match your first stake on a new account up to the value of £25.

Stoke v Man City Premier League Betting Statistics

Last 4 Head to Head
Stoke 0, Aston Villa 0
Aston Villa 1, Stoke City 0
Aston Villa 2, Stoke City 0
Stoke City 3, Aston Villa 2

• Stoke have a 0% win percentage at home in the league this season
• Aston Villa have a 0% win percentage away from home in the league this season
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• Stoke have scored 1 goal, and conceded 2 at home
• Aston Villa have scored 0 and conceded 6 goals in their away matches
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• Stoke 2010/11 top scorer: Faye/Fuller (1)
• Aston Villa 2010/11 top scorer: Sanli/Walters (1)
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• Stoke have conceded 83% of their goals in the first half
• Aston Villa have scored 75% of goals in the first half
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• Stoke injuries/suspensions: Thomas Sorensen, Mamady Sidibe, Liam Lawrence
• Aston Villa injuries: Stephen Ireland, Fabian Delph
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• Stoke 2010/11 Season Form: LLL
• Aston Villa 2010/11 Season Form: WLW

Stoke v Aston Villa Betting and Match Preview:

This fixture will be all about new faces at both clubs. Stoke were one of the busiest teams in the Premier League come the close of the summer transfer window, while Aston Villa fans will await the arrival of their new manager Gerard Houllier. Aston Villa will start as favourites in the match, as they have gotten off to a fairly solid start to the season with two wins from three games under caretaker boss Kevin MacDonald. Stoke’s manager Tony Pulis will be starting to feel a bit hot under the collar though, as he has seen his team lose all three of their matches for the new season. That’s probably the big reason that he went shopping, as he looks to secure Stoke’s Premier League status, even though he has a lot of critics about the way he puts out his side. Bet from a football betting perspective, you look at the two clubs and would expect Villa to walk away with all three points, but it looks as if it is going to be a bit tougher than that. The corresponding fixture from last year played out to a 0-0 draw, and that looks as if it will be Stoke’s best chance of getting something out of this match. But, while planning your betting strategy, take into consideration that Villa don’t have a particularly glamorous record against the Potters, having only beaten them once in six attempts. The safer football bet here would be backing Aston Villa for a win, or taking a little coverage in a Draw No Bet on them. A draw is a strong possibility here, as Stoke could negate the qualities of Aston Villa quite easily on the day and is worth taking a lot at in your football betting.

Stoke v Aston Villa Betting Tip: Aston Villa +0.25 Asian Handicap 3/4 at Stan James

Stoke Betting

Well, Tony Pulis, who has been linked to the Wales job, has come under a lot of criticism for his tough tackling, physical and direct tactics, which doesn’t do much for the beautiful game. Still, it got them to another season of Premier League football, but they have gotten off to a poor start and he may regret turning down the Wales job in a couple of months. With defeats against Chelsea, Wolves and Spurs, they look to be already digging themselves a big hole to get out of. Sitting near the foot of the league already, three points here will be vital to them, and that is why Pulis has drafted in some new names. Top of that list is ex Chelsea striker Eidur Gudjohnsen. There have been questions over the striker’s fitness though after moving from French side Monaco but he should make an appearance for his debut. Gudjohnsen is a class act, and a technically brilliant player who delighted crowds at Stamford Bridge before landing himself a big move to Spanish giants Barcelona, and spent half of last season on loan at Tottenham. It’s quite a coup for Stoke to land him, but isn’t the type of player you would expect to see at Stoke. Perhaps Pulis is trying to change things to playing more football on the deck, as he has also brought in Jermaine Pennant on loan until January. Whoever Pulis gets to field, Stoke need to find something big in front of their home crowd here, as three points against one of the better teams in the league, would give renewed hope and some justification over the signings. They are not a great side, let’s be honest, but on their home turf you would expect to see them put up some kind of stern resistance, as well as taking some initiative and they can take heart that they haven’t been beaten heavily yet. Villa are a side which can be rattled, but Stoke will know that their opponents are the more composed side, and have the lions share of the creative talent. It may be back to basics in disrupting Villa’s game instead of concentrating too much on pretty football. Points are crucial for Stoke, but the best football betting option on them will be taking them in a slight advantage in Asian handicap football betting. Unlikely to out play Villa, but they could out compete the visitors and prevent them getting a win.

Aston Villa football betting

New boss Gerard Houllier is not quite there yet, as the former Liverpool manager has some final bits of red tape to clear ahead of his official arrival. Aston Villa are the better team here in this match, make no mistake about it, James Milner or no James Milner. There is still enough of a solid team and enough exciting creative players to produce another successful season for the Midlands side. They came badly unstuck however in their last away match, where Newcastle United thrashed them 6-0 and probably put the final nail in the coffin of caretaker boss Kevin MacDonald taking the job permanently. They did bounce back will with a controlled performance back at home against Everton, picking up a hard earned 1-0 victory. It is now how quickly they will have learned their away day lesson from the end of August, as to whether or not they can pick up three points. They actually have a good opportunity to do so here, because Stoke, while not in any great form, have also brought in new players which may disrupt the team even more until they have some time to gel. That could be one of the big factors in football betting for this one, because Villa are a pretty settled and consistent side. Yes, they lost Milner, but they got Stephen Ireland back in the deal (who is a slight doubt for this match), who is a solid and consistent performer, week in, week out. Villa are not a flair side, but they are hard working, and have dealt pretty well with the bombshell of former manager Martin O’Neill suddenly walking out on them ahead of the new season. They need to add stability though away from home if they are going to occupy a top six position in the league for a lengthy period of the season. It may be a tight battle, and probably not a pretty one at that, but Villa should be good for a win in your football betting here. Houllier, with all his Premier League experience, could be an ideal fit for Villa, who are described as being ambitious and caretaker MacDonald will probably want to go out on a high note.

Stoke v Aston Villa Football Betting Prediction: Away win

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

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Football Betting Prediction: Bottom Half Safe

Premier League Start: Wolves 2, Stoke 1

The Strengths. Belief, no that’s not the name of a new signing, it is something which the club seems to run on. Up in the Potteries, there is no resting on their laurels, no sitting back and just trying to survive in England’s top flight. The board of Stoke are fully ambitious in wanting their club to strive forward and take steps up the table towards European football. Stoke are battlers, and they will of course need to invest in order to be more a threat in the division, and the board is fully prepared to spend some. They certainly don’t have the spending power of the Premier League elite, but they will work with what they have, and continue to be a thorn in the side of most other teams. They did run out of steam a little bit towards the end of the season, but to their credit they finished eleventh, after being touted as potential relegation candidates. Now the pressure is on to do something which will step up the level of achievement again. With one of the best home crowds in the Premier League, Stoke have a lot of positive foundations to build upon. They have picked up striker Kenwyne Jones from Sunderland, who will hopefully be able to fill his potential after not really making a mark at his previous club. His arrival should  mean extra goals.

The Weaknesses: Tony Pulis and his managerial style. Not to take anything away from him, he got the job done in securing the Premier League future of Stoke, but he certainly didn’t win any fans for his style. To say that Pulis rivals Wenger in terms of playing the beautiful game, is like saying that PM David Cameron is fire breathing alien from Mars. He’s not, and Stoke are not pretty to watch, even though their home matches are played in an incredible atmosphere. Pulis puts out a tough tackling side which takes the most direct route to goal, and this somewhat simple style has gotten on the nerves of some of the Premier League’s stalwart managers. Arsene Wenger wasn’t happy when Ryan Shawcross broke Aaron Ramsey’s ankle with a fierce tackle. Others have complained about the physical nature of Stoke, but Pulis is happy with his work and has priorities in the league, saying that cups are just a distraction. It could be that their home support carried them a lot of the time, as their away record (which included a 7-0 hammering at Stamford Bridge), especially in front of goal wasn’t great. Still, a stubborn team, but could be found wanting this season as teams will have learned how to play them.

Stoke Betting Home: Did ok at home, and worth a punt against similar levels of opposition. Picked up points in 13 of their 19 matches, but only a 37% win percentage, so don’t be afraid to back them for a draw. You should be able to get decent odds on Stoke at least getting a point at home, and that will remain their best opportunity to pick up points, so expect spirited games for your football betting on Stoke.

Stoke Betting Away: Again look for drawn matches, or at least Asian Handicap betting which covers the event, or has Stoke in the plus to start the match. 42% of Stoke’s away matches ended in draws. Didn’t fare very well in front of goal, scoring just 10 but shipping 27. Outright wins may be at a premium away from home for Stoke, so they will be covered on Draw No Bet selections.

Stoke Best Football Betting Stat: To Concede Final Goal – Stoke let in 18 goals in the last fifteen minutes of the match over the course of the season.

Stoke Best Football Betting Odds

Stoke Relegation: 6/1 at Ladbrokes

Season Points Under 40: Evens at Victor Chandler

More betting information:
Online Betting Sites

With the 2010/11 Premier League football betting scene on the near horizon, there are still plenty of chances to fine tune your new enthusiasm for the new domestic season with club friendly matches. The Premier League sides are quite active at the moment, even if naturally it won’t be the main starting elevens. With tours going on in the State, across Europe and on the domestic front, there is plenty of football betting to get your teeth into. Here is a list of the forthcoming club friendly matches and best odds to satiate your online football betting cravings.