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Early ante-post thoughts for the new domestic football season

The World Cup only finished 7 days ago, & yet the new domestic football season kicks-off in only 3 weeks time so although it still very early in terms of pre-season build up & of course daily transfer activity, here are our early Division by Division ante-posts thoughts for the new season ahead:

Premier League 2010/11:

Chelsea go into this season as reigning Premier League title holders & indeed League/Cup double winners and so deservedly head the market at around the 6/4 – 13/8. Chelsea have not made their expected big moves in the transfer market yet but that will surely come & anyway Chelsea are the team to beat as things stand now & that will only strengthen as more quality players arrive.

Sir Alex Ferguson will be totally determined to ensure Manchester United get what they perceive to be their Premier League trophy back & Manchester United do certainly rate the main dangers to Chelsea again & will push Chelsea but whether they have enough to get past them is another question all together.

Arsene Wenger is under pressure to win trophies with Arsenal & will want to challenge again in the league but they have to prove they have the stamina as well as the quality, Manchester City appear to buying on a daily basis but what they cannot buy is team spirit & unity and that may well be their biggest problem to over come this season & a title win still seems some way off until they can prove otherwise.

Of the others then Liverpool need to rebuild under Roy Hodgson who will do a good job but highly unlikely to be anywhere good enough to win trophies over the next few years, David Moyes will continue to push Everton forward & they will look to break the top 6 but that could well be their limit while Martin O’Neill continues to do a very good job at Aston Villa but this might be the season when they take a step backwards as they lack the real quality where it matters.

Premier League summary:

In our view, the 2010/2011 season will pan out much the same as last year with the likes of Everton, Man City, Arsenal, Tottenham & Aston Villa all being involved & challenging for the top spaces but ultimately in terms of who can actually win the Premier League then it looks a straight match between Chelsea & Manchester United and at this stage we are taking CHELSEA to prove too strong & too powerful over the season and follow up their title win of last season.

Recommendations:

CHELSEA to win the Premier League
Premier League Forecast: CHELSEA to beat Manchester United

Championship 2010/2011:

8/1 CO-favourites of three with Nottingham Forest, Middlesbrough & QPR all heading the market followed by a group of 12 teams who come within the 10/1 – 16/1 bracket and that just shows how incredibly competitive & nearly impossible to predict the Championship is again this season after what was a relatively straightforward Championship for punters last season.

Favourites Newcastle United & 2nd favourites West Brom dominated the market for the Championship last year & duly went up as 1st & 2nd in the league to make punters happy & bookmakers decidedly unhappy but there has to be every chance that the bookies will strike back this year because anything really is possible this time around.

As we mentioned Nottingham Forest, QPR & Middlesbrough head the market tied on or around the 8/1 mark and all three will have their followers & our view is that of those 3 teams, Nottingham Forest have the most solid chance but it’s certainly not a bet to re-mortgage your house on.

The 12 teams that follow the market leaders include teams like Burnley, Sheffield United, Leicester City, Norwich City, Leeds United, Cardiff City, Swansea & Reading and we really don’t see anything between those sides & any of them are capable of having strong seasons and our pick from that group at this stage is Reading who finished last season very strongly & will be confident to start that way again this year.

Of the other, bigger priced teams in the Championship then the likes of Derby, Preston, Coventry & Doncaster Rovers will all look to try & achieve the play-offs despite being rated as contenders for relegation and of those teams we think Coventry City appeal as a small value each way punt with Aidy Bothroyd taking over as manager this year.

Championship Summary:

The Championship looks like a football lottery at this stage & absolutely anything is possible but we are going to pin our hopes on Billy Davies inspiring NOTTINGHAM FOREST into having another good, solid campaign again while Brian McDermott certainly impressed everybody with the fantastic job he did at Reading & we like the value odds on READING having a good go this year while our Championship Long-shot vote goes to COVENTY CITY  who have Aidy Bothroyd as their new manager & he is proven at this level & can hopefully inspire Coventry to push to get back into the Premier League again.

Recommendations:
Nottingham Forest, Reading & Coventry City all each way

League 1 2010/2011:

League 1 was friendly to punters last season with favourites & 2nd favourites Leeds united & Norwich City both going up automatically with Millwall another popular each way choice going up via the play-offs so punters will be hopeful of more the same this time around.

To be fair, that does look the case again this season as current hot favourites Southampton, priced around 5/2, do deserve favourtism & definitely do look the team to beat in League 1 this season and Alan Pardew’s men do look a very solid bet to challenge for the League 1 title & achieve promotion.

Other contenders that will definitely get punters attention are Sheffield Wednesday who dramatically got relegated on the final day of last season & they will certainly look to bounce straight back although that might be tough for them while Charlton Athletic desperately want to get back into the Championship but are again another side who might feel the pressure of expectancy weighing heavy on them.

Southampton, Charlton & Sheffield Wednesday are the teams that head the market in League 1 & obviously they all deserve great respect but other teams who warrant respect at bigger prices are Lee Clark’s Huddersfield Town who did very well last season & also Gus Poyet’s Brighton who finished last season well & will look to kick on right from the start this year.

League One Summary:

SOUTHAMPTON are the hot favourites to win League 1 & we really cannot argue with that as Alan Pardew’s team look to have the strongest profile & have the excellent momentum & confidence from last season to push them on while we also like the look of HUDDERSFIELD TOWN at around 8/1 & BRIGHTON at around 14/1 as each way value picks.

League 2 – 2010/2011:

We said in our summary for the Championship that looks like a football lottery & to be honest we have the same views about League 2 which looks an absolute nightmare for punters to solve this season with the top 12 to 14 teams in the market all believing they have a fair chance of promotion & indeed winning the league.

Bradford are the current market leaders in League 2 & they command massive respect, while the likes of Gillingham, Northampton, Aldershot, Bury, Rotherham, Wycombe, Port Vale, Chesterfield, Morecambe, Stevenage & Oxford all warrant respect in a league where anything looks possible.

League 2 Summary;

Our view in League 2 is that any of the front 12-14 teams in the market can go well & challenge for the League 2 title as the league is so competitive & the teams are so closely matched so at this stage we are nominating a few each way plays NORTHAMPTON TOWN, ALDERSHOT & BURY  as our value each way contenders for the League 2 Lottery.

Those are our early ante-post views on the Premier League, Championship, League 1 & League 2 and the teams recommended are the teams that will be carrying our early ante-post money but remember there are still 3 weeks to go & a lot will change as players & managers move and we will keep an eye on everything & adapt as we see fit.

Remember to shop around for the best betting odds & terms and of course we wish you the best of luck with whatever bets you have this season.

– Capello to look for another English coach
– Heskey and Henry retire from international football
– Sir Alex expects Rooney to bounce back from South Africa woe

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David Beckham has insisted he has no intention of becoming England manager, nor does he see himself going in to coaching in the future. Beckham also blamed England’s poor World Cup showing on the players alone and not manager Fabio Capello, who is back in England today for the first time since going on holiday after their South Africa exit. England managed to move up a place in the FIFA world rankings however, with Italy’s group stage exit moving them below the Three Lions. Thierry Henry has officially joined New York Red Bulls after his release from Barcelona. The striker, who turns 33 next month, has signed a multi-year deal according his new club and will make his debut against old rivals Tottenham Hotspur next week in the Barclays New York Challenge. Manchester City have continued to splash the cash. Yesterday, they completed the signing of David Silva for 24m GBP, who completed a medical after celebrating Spain’s World Cup win.

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Howard Webb gives his reaction to the World Cup Final after he booked 13 players and sent off John Heitinga in a brutal encounter in Johannesburg. Harry Redknapp will be at Tottenham for the forseeable future after securing a new three-year deal at White Hart Lane, having guided them to the Champions League last season. Liverpool remain hopeful over Fernando Torres after he pulled up with another injury in the World Cup Final. Bolton are on the verge of signing Real Madrid left back Marcos Alonso, after they agreed a 2.2m GBP deal with the Spanish giants. Middlesbrough continue recruiting the SPL’s finest for their Championship assault this season. Gordon Strachan has snapped up Stephen McManus from Celtic for 1.5m GBP and is thought to have agreed a deal with Rangers for Kevin Thomson. And Pep Guardiola is staying on as Barcelona manager. He’ll sign a new deal today.

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Fernando Torres’ Liverpool future could be secured in bizarre fashion as the injury he picked up late in the World Cup Final could keep him out for two months. Meanwhile, it’s one in and out at Celtic, with Joe Ledley arriving on a free transfer from Cardiff City, whilst goalkeeper Artur Boruc is on the verge of leaving Parkhead to join Fiorentina. Sunderland manager Steve Bruce believes he’ll have to wait a few weeks longer to find out whether he’s managed to secure Sol Campbell for next season. The former Arsenal defender is weighing up options from other clubs, including Celtic. And in the Championship, Swansea City have failed in their bid to attract Hamilton manager Billy Reid to the Liberty Stadium.

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Spain have been crowned Champions of the World after securing a late win against 10-man Holland in Johannesburg. Andres Iniesta was the scorer, netting his second goal of the tournament after Jonny Heitinga was sent off for two bookable offences in extra-time. A tough, at times brutal encounter saw chances wasted by both sides, most notably Arjen Robben who couldn’t find a way past Iker Casillas in the Spanish goal despite being in the clear twice. Meanwhile we look at the Golden Boot and Golden Ball winners, as well as the Young Player of the Tournament.

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The World Cup Final: Spain vs Holland – (Sunday 7.30pm)

Well this is the moment that Spain & Holland have worked towards for the last two years through all the qualifying matches, all the group stage matches & then of course, taking on the high pressure matches in the 2nd Round, Quarter Finals & Semi Finals to reach their ultimate goal & their ultimate moment of truth.

2 years of hard work, commitment, team organisation & indeed incredibly high levels of individual & collective technique have seen Spain & Holland deservedly achieve their places in the biggest games of their lives and now it all comes down to which side can produce their best on the day.

The players of both Spain & Holland are vastly experienced & have year in, year out experience of the Champions League & indeed the Spanish squad have recent experiences of winning the European Championships but this World Cup Final is an incredible, special event that towers above everything else in terms of pressure, prestige & importance to their respective countries.

Both Holland & Spain have totally deserved their places in this incredible event and so the question now remains, which of Spain or Holland has what it takes to go that extra distance & produce exactly what is need on the day it matters most & which of the Spain or Holland squads have the collective mental strength, the combined desire to win & the belief they can take the ultimate prize in football.

Spain came into this World Cup with the expectancy & pressures of the footballing world on their shoulders & the long term favourites have certainly not disappointed, with their Semi Final victory over Germany a fine example of the amazing quality within the Spanish squad.

Spain disposed of Germany with real skill, technique & controlled efficiency in the Semi Final, playing a style of controlled, passing football that Germany simply could not handle & we certainly do expect them to adopt a similar tactical approach against Holland.

Spain will be fully aware of the attacking threat of Holland with Robben’s pace & trickery which he uses to induce fouls, Wesley Sneijder’s creative brilliance & eye for goal plus the presence of Robin Van Persie who is yet to shine but is definitely capable of producing enough to win the game if on his best form but equally Spain will know they have the defensive strength & organisation to cope with those threats.

The absolute key element for Spain is that know Holland vulnerable defensively & they will know that if they themselves stay solid, organised & use their possession correctly they will get the opportunity to create chances & as we have seen in the previous 3 or 4 games, Spain only need to score one & then can control the game completely from that point.

Spain’s defensive record speaks for itself & the likes of Iniesta, Xavi, Pedro, Villa & even Torres & Silva coming from the bench know that they have the capabilities & skills to take this Holland defence apart as long as they play with control & patience.

Holland deserve great praise for getting to the final & certainly any team that defeats Brazil in a World Cup & particularly this current Brazil side that had looked liked champions themselves.

Holland came into the World Cup with a strong reputation that they were going to be the team to watch & the team who would entertain us all with the fast, fluent attacking style of football and yet they have done the exact opposite to win their way through to this World Cup Final.

Holland have been functional, professional, organised & particularly uniquely for them they have displayed a strong team spirit throughout the entire tournament and those are the characteristics that have carried the team to the point of ultimate football glory.

That is not to say Holland have been dull or boring, but they have not yet played the sensational, attacking football expected and we don’t really expect Spain to allow them to do that in the Final so if they are to win this prize they will have maintain what they have been doing throughout the tournament but that will not be easy against Spain.

Arjen Robben, Wesley Sneijder & Robin Van Persie are the best known & most creative, attacking players within the Holland squad and of course they carry all the expectation of Holland on their shoulders but the real key players for Holland might well be the defensive unit & the goalkeeper.

The bookies have Spain as around even money favourites to win this in 90 minutes while Holland are 11/4 shots and that does seem entirely accurate & fair in our view although that does make this match an easy call to make because the quality within both sides makes any result entirely possible.

There will be those that will be tempted by the price of Holland & indeed if Holland turn up in their best form then 11/4 could well end up looking like the bet of the century but Spain were our main tip to win the World Cup before it all started & we are not about to desert them now.

Spain incredibly have their critics who say they are slow & boring but for us that translates to incredibly controlled in possession, dominant in terms of technique & quite simply a team force that looks likely to be too strong for Holland & hopefully for us David Villa can finish off the World Cup in the style he has shown all tournament & get the goals to give Spain the World Cup & help himself to the Golden Boot.
Betting Recommendations:
Outright Match Result: Spain to win
Correct Score options: Spain to win 2-0/2-1
First Goalscorer each way/Player to score anytime: Villa/Pedro/Iniesta
Scorecast Options: Villa/Pedro/Iniesta score 1st & Spain win 2-0/2-1
Double Result: Spain H/T & F/T

Germany vs Uruguay – (3rd/4th Place Play-off, Saturday 7.30pm)

Now with both Germany & Uruguay having suffered the major disappointment of losing in a World Cup Semi Final, it is hard to imagine either side being totally up for this one & it is even harder to understand why the game exists in the first place.

Of course, we all know the real reason is another opportunity for FIFA to generate more advertising & TV revenues plus of course the chance to fill another stadium with people prepared to spend big to be there.

Now this match really does have very little, if any importance whatsoever to either side & so these games become almost impossible to predict but at least with the pressure now off Uruguay & Germany there is real scope for this to be a good, entertaining game.

There is no reward for winning this game & no prize to aim for but we do at least expect both Germany & Uruguay to attempt to play the football that deservedly carried them both to a World Cup Semi Final & at least try to reproduce the team spirit, work ethic & indeed the quality that has brough them both many fans during this World Cup.

Germany have had an excellent tournament & have won many admirers for the way their young squad has performed, showing great ambition, positivity & indeed playing aggressive, attacking football.

Of course, Spain’s control & excellence proved too much for Germany & they were totally unable to produce anything in the Semi Final & that would have left the German management & players feeling disappointed & that should at least drive them on to give it one last proper go.

We are expecting Germany to respond to their inept performance against Spain & look to bounce back in this game by taking the game to Uruguay & going for the goals to finish off their World Cup campaign in style & with a good, positive win.

Klose has the added incentive to equal or indeed beat the World Cup goalscoring record and the likes of Podolski, Ozil, Kadira, Muller & Schweinsteiger will all look to give their best to help Miroslav Klose achieve that fantastic target & we do expect good, positive football from Germany in this one.

Uruguay can also be extremely proud of their tremendous World Cup campaign & indeed they went out of the World Cup against Holland with their heads held high after another excellent, committed team performance and they certainly can be proud of what they achieved.

Diego Forlan has been one of the real stars of this World Cup with his fantastic goals combined with allround excellent play for the team & he will want to finish by scoring more goals & trying to guide Uruguay to victory in this one while his strike partner Luis Suarez will want to get noticed for scoring goals & not saving balls on the line in this one.

We expect Uruguay to have a go at this game & look to finish as strongly as possible & show pride in their performance but whether they have enough left in terms of mental capacity is another matter and that could ultimately be the key in this one.

The pressure is off in this game with Uruguay & Germany having the opportunity to have one last shot at putting on a performance & to finish with a win so this match should be fairly open & positive football should be the order of the day and that will suit Germany perfectly in this one.

An open, flowing game of football will give Germany the opportunity to play to their strengths & we are taking the likes of Klose, Schweinsteiger, Muller, Ozil, Podolski & Kadira to produce one more excellent team performance & guide Germany to a win here & finish on a high.

Betting Recommendations:
Outright Match Result: Germany to win
Correct Score Options: Germany to win 2-1/3-1
First Goalscorer each way/Player to score anytime: Klose/Podolski/Muller
Scorecast options: Klose/Podolski/Muller score 1st & Germany win 2-1/3-1
Double Result: Germany H/T & F/T

Four years of waiting are almost over as we wait to see which new name will win the World Cup for the first time. Around two billion people are expected to tune in Sunday night from all around the world as Spain and Holland do battle at Soccer City in Johannesburg. It’s the first time the Spanish have reached this stage, having never managed to get past the Quarter-Final stage, whilst this is Holland’s first final appearance since coming runners up in both the 1974 and 1978 tournaments. Will Wesley Sneijder and Arjen Robben manage to break down the Spanish defence? Or will Xavi, Iniesta, Villa and co confirm what we’ve all been thinking since their European Championships success and be crowned as the best side in the world?

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Who will join Holland in Sunday’s World Cup Final? That’s the question on every football fans’ lips going in to tonights much anticipated clash between Spain and Germany. The free flowing football of Vicente Del Bosque against Joachim Louw’s free scoring German side. It’s a repeat of the Euro 2008 final where Spain triumphed, but they are yet to beat Germany in a World Cup.

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