Football Betting
World Cup Betting
It is crunch time in the international arena this week as nerve-racking playoffs will determine the teams that take the final qualifying places for the World Cup Finals next summer.
The Republic of Ireland are 11/5 to qualify ahead of France and I think that is terrific value. Giovanni Trapattoni’s side are unbeaten in qualifying and drew home and away with Italy in their group. Confidence is high and the Irish can see off France who might then finally get round to sacking Raymond Domenech.
Bosnia are 5/1 to qualify at the expense of Portugal which is also terrific value. Whilst they may not have Portugal’s household names they are a much better unit and in Edin Dzeko they have a genuine international class forward. It’s slightly speculative but they could follow neighbours Serbia to South Africa at long odds.
Russia should have just enough to see off Slovenia and I also like Greece to get past Ukraine at evens.
World Cup Betting
International Betting
Fabio Capello will be able to have a further look at some fringe players for his England side as they take on Brazil in a friendly match in Doha on Saturday. With injuries ruling out Steven Gerrard, Ashley Cole, Rio Ferdinand and Aaron Lennon and question marks over the club form of Gareth Barry, Ben Foster and Emile Heskey, Capello may well call on the likes of James Milner, Darren Bent and Michael Carrick in this one.
Quite what anyone learns from these sorts of matches, I’m not entirely sure but if you’re going to pick a side to face eight months before a World Cup, the five times champions are certainly the best.
There have been times in recent weeks where the Wales fans have taken their boots to the stadium with them in the hope they’ll get a match such has been the paucity of choices available to John Toshack. The Welsh face Scotland on Saturday and with pride not even at stake I suspect both sets of fans will be far more interested in their country’s respective rugby union matches than in this oddly scheduled encounter.
Northern Ireland have been punching above their weight on the international scene for some time now. In a tough group with four similarly matched sides qualifying for the World Cup was always going to be an uphill struggle but Nigel Worthington’s side face a World Cup qualifier, Serbia, on Saturday.
Serbia looked terrific in qualifying, consigning 2006 finalists France to the play-offs and with the likes of Nemanja Vidic, Branislav Ivanovic and Nikola Zigic they have some great players. It’s a tough ask of Northern Ireland but this is the sort of match they’ll be looking to win to continue their progression.
International Football Betting
League One Betting
In the absence of Premier League or Championship football thanks to the international break, the focus domestically turns to League One this weekend with two intriguing fixtures.
Huddersfield Town have made a bright start to the season under the stewardship of Lee Clark and thumped six past hapless Dagenham and Redbridge in the FA Cup last weekend. The Terriers host a Wycombe Wanderers side struggling at the wrong end of the table and under the new management of ex-Aldershot boss Gary Waddock. The home side should consolidate their play-off chances with a win at 2/5 in this one.
Were it not for Southampton’s points deduction, they’d be sat in 8th place, eight points ahead of Brighton going into this encounter. Brighton are another club who recently parted company with their manager as Russell Slade was shown the door for the Seagulls’ disappointing start to the campaign. Ex Chelsea midfielder Gus Poyet is the man charged with saving Brighton’s League One status.
It would be great to see Brighton’s loyal (and significant) fan base in a higher league when they finally move into their new stadium but with their current on-pitch form it’ll take some significant improvement for it to be in the next couple of seasons. The Saints should win this one at 4/6.
The less said about Charlton Athletic’s ignominious defeat at the hands of Northwich Victoria, the better. That will certainly be the case in Phil Parkinson’s household and the Charlton boss will be looking for his side to bounce back immediately with victory over their promotion rivals MK Dons at the Valley this weekend.
League One Betting
Scottish League One Betting
It is a top of the table clash at Dens Park this weekend as Queen of the South arrive at Dundee looking to stay in the one automatic promotion place.
The Doonhammers beat Dundee twice in September but Jocky Scott’s side are unbeaten since that defeat. The Dark Blues have won their last two home games 2-1 and with a close encounter in prospect they can be backed at 7/1 to make it three in a row.
Scottish Football Betting
