There are quite a few strategies that revolve around the first half of a football match.
Some very straight forward, others that need a lot of studying before being employed in earnest.
Fairly basic is, back 0 – 0 (Correct Score) at half-time and also back the first goal minutes, up to FIFTY minutes.
(On the exchanges the goal minutes are backed in TEN MINUTE BLOCKS). Yu need to choose your games very carefully, as the odds on offer vary to a large extent and sometimes are unbackable. So be alive to the dutching possibilities or otherwise.
The workings are fairly obvious. If there isn’t a goal you win the basic bet. If there is a first half goal then you win the secondary bet.
Looks nice and simple. However some research wouldn’t go amiss. Find a couple of teams who have a good record for scoring in the first half, or look for a match where both teams are adept at defending.
A team which has a good scoring record against a team which defends well isn’t the type of match to choose.
the way teams are now constructed, most goals come from MISTAKES. So no matter how free scoring one team may be the team which defends well will always have the upperhand. The fewer mistakes they make the more solid they are.
A few facts from the past. Teams which either score or concede in the first half.
Very prominent are, Chelsea, Sunderland, Bolton, Arsenal, Man. City, Aston Villa and ‘Spurs.
teams likely to score the first goal of the game are, Sunderland, Chelsea, Arsenal, Wolves (surprisingly).
With the odd exception the first goal in a game will be scored by the HOME side.
The average time of the first goal is adjudged to be 27 minutes.
A few stats regarding first half scoring habits.
These cover the last five seasons of the Premiership. As the exchanges band times in 10 minute blocks I’ve included goals scored up to the 50TH minute.
The sides are in no particular order.
10/11 09/10 08/09 07/08 06/07 TOTAL AVERAGE 11/12 PROJ. 'Spurs. 29 31 23 32 33 148 30 10 38 Bolton W. 20 25 25 21 23 114 23 7 24 Man. City. 34 39 31 27 15 146 29 12 41 Liverpool. 34 29 31 29 27 150 30 7 24 Newcastle U. 32 -- 17 -- 21 70 23 10 34 Wigan A. 16 14 20 14 22 86 17 6 20 Man. Utd. 38 32 32 38 40 180 36 13 45 Arsenal. 38 41 33 33 26 171 34 11 38 Chelsea. 32 47 40 32 32 183 37 14 48 Everton. 28 26 27 24 25 130 26 4 15 Wolves. 24 20 -- -- -- 44 22 6 21 W.B.A. 22 -- 13 -- -- 35 18 7 24 Blackburn R. 25 19 17 20 29 130 26 8 28 Stoke C. 22 20 12 -- -- 54 18 2 7 Aston Villa. 27 28 24 29 25 133 27 8 28 Fulham. 23 16 21 16 15 91 18 5 17 Sunderland. 23 27 16 17 -- 83 17 7 24
The PROJECTED (proj.) figure is purely for amusement only and is based on games played to date this season. OBVIOUSLY it’s unlikely that any team will finish with the calculated figure but it can be updated at any time and give an indication as to the teams ability at that point of the season. Whether the team is on the up and up or on the slide. Not really scientific but merely
as an indicator, of sorts.
It can be seen that Wigan, Stoke and Fulham appear to find it “hard work” to score an early goals. They regularly fail to hit more than 20 “early goals”. If maintaining their current reluctance to find the net, they will once more be at the wrong end of the scoring table.
On the other hand, Sunderland and Newcastle are definitely on the up and up, according to last season’s returns, with the former still finding it a little harder this this.
What kind of sides are ideal for the “early goal” treatment? That is definitely down to individual choice. An early goal will not necessarily have too much effect on a result, especially if scored by the underdog. As the odds offered immediately the goal has been scored will testify. Occasionally “things” will go wrong but there should be amply opportunity to rectify or at least pull back some cudos from the situation.
The “early goal” strategy has much to recommend it. Firstly the odds are infinitely better than when simply backing a team to win their match. It will take a little study to arrive at your chosen “time-line” but multiple choices are there for the taking.
An added attraction to a “first goal” bet is that you can actually get the choice of team WRONG but still be on a WINNING BET.
Whichever way you come from, don’t be afraid to check on previous matches between the sides involved and their individual scoring form at the present time. Whilst historic form often holds good, recent form is ALWAYS to be consulted.
I have one or two “variations” on a theme which can be applied to the Early Goal strategy, which I want to check out before putting before you. I’m certain that they will be of interest to many members.
