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It’s Day 1 of England’s first Test match since their Ashes glory in Australia back in January.

Andrew Strauss’ team say they want to continue up the Test rankings and are gunning for the number 1 spot. First up it’s Sri Lanka at Cardiff, and Eoin Morgan has been given the nod to bat at six. The Irishman replaces Paul Collingwood who retired from the longer form of the game after the Ashes success.

To look ahead to all the odds you’ll need, we’re joined by SportingBet.com’s “Wise Man” – that’s Russ Wiseman to you and me!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

UEFA Champions League Final Preview – Manchester United vs Barcelona – (Saturday 7.45pm)

After a tremendously exciting, dramatic & action packed journey which saw the Champions League start way back in June 2010, the big moment of truth has arrived with two of european football’s super-heavyweight contenders, Manchester United & Barcelona set to do battle to win the Champions League & claim the greatest prize available in club football.

Wembley Stadium is a a magnificent stage for this year’s Champions League Final and now it rests between the giants of Manchester United & Barcelona to see which team can best hold their nerve on this momentus occasions & produce the necessary quality, team spirit & desire to claim the prize that every team in europe dreams of winning, no matter their previous history or success, the Champions League is the ultimate prize.

For UEFA & indeed the entire footballing world this is a dream final with Manchester United & Barcelona unquestionably the biggest names in club football today & certainly the best two teams seen anywhere in europe, maybe the world, this season & everything is in place for this repeat of the 2009 Final to possibly be a truly great, classic final that will be remembered for years to  come.

Sir Alex Ferguson of Manchester United & Pep Guardiola of Barcelona both bring their high quality squads into this showpiece event knowing they have the necessary talent & qualities within their squads to achieve their goals & win the Champions League but equally they both know & have massive respect for each others squads facing the reality that this is the biggest test either side could face & so the deciding factor could well be which side handles that test the best on the night.

The magnitude & intensity of this clash, the incredible mix of experience, quality & sheer talent that both Manchester United & Barcelona bring to this match is remarkable & the vast capabilities of both managers makes this Final an incredibly tough one to call & indeed one that could well go either way with the only certainty being the quality on offer, both Manchester United & Barcelona have won this great competitions 3 times before but who will make it 4 this time around?

I have had a good look at the likely set ups of both teams, their strengths & weaknesses, the likely tactical approaches of both sides & indeed the statistical records of both Manchester United & Barcelona in this years competition & based on all of that here are my own honest thoughts on the match & the betting recommendations that I feel offer value & worth consideration:

Key Statistics for Manchester United & Barcelona in this season’s Champions League:

Group Stage Records:

Manchester United:- played 6, 4 wins & 2 draws, 7 goals scored & 1 goal conceded

Barcelona:- played 6, 4 wins & 2 draws, 14 goals scored & 3 goals conceded

Knock-out phase records:

Manchester United:- played 6, 5 wins & 1 draw, 11 goals scored & 3 goals conceded

Barcelona:- played 6, 4 wins, 1 draw & 1 defeat, 13 goals scored & 5 goals conceded
Overall Records:

Manchester United:- played 12, 9 wins & 3 draws, 18 goals scored & 4 goals conceded – Unbeaten, 8 clean sheets in 12 matches & no away goals conceded

Barcelona:- played 12, 8 wins, 3 draws & 1 defeat, 27 goals scored & 8 goals conceded, 1 defeat & only 5 clean sheets in 12 matches

Manchester United vs Barcelona – (Saturday 7.45pm)

Manchester United vs Barcelona reads like a dream final on paper & really does have every single ingredient required to turn that dream into reality & produce what could be a sensational final that will be remembered for years but calling which way it will go is incredibly tough.

Manchester United 3 Champions League titles, Barcelona 3 Champions League titles, Sir Alex Ferguson, vast experience, unrivalled & unprecedented domestic success & 2 Champions League successes on his CV against Pep Guardiola’s great success in this competition as both player & manager and both Ferguson & Guardiola have incredible tactical awareness to go with it so no split to be found there either.

In terms of playing talent then Manchester United & Barcelona look very well matched & both have great quality in abundance and again very little, if anything to choose between either side on that score either.

Barcelona have the incredible, unique talent that is Lionel Messi & can back him up with the likes of David Villa, Xavi, Iniesta, Busquets & Pedro and those 6 players combined are a quite formidable unit when on form & virtually unstoppable if they are allowed to play together the way they want.

How that unit of 6 sublime talents combine is vital for Barcelona but equally so is how Barcelona’s defenders & defensive minded midfielders combine as well and for the likes of Messi, Villa, Iniesta & Xavi to give their best, the defensive unit of Barcelona will have to be at their focused best as well.

As shown above, the statistics for Barcelona highlight their strengths & potential weaknesses with 27 goals scored in the 12 games they have played highlighting their attacking prowess but only 5 clean sheets from 12 highlights that Barcelona can be attacked & do concede goals.

Manchester United come into this Champions League final scenario for the third time in four seasons highlighting they have the necessary quality, experience & character to compete & Sir Alex Ferguson side go into every game believing they can win & this will be no different, despite the great respect they have for Barcelona.

Wayne Rooney, Javier Hernandez, Antonio Valencia, Ryan Giggs & Ji Sung Park might not be regarded as potent or flair filled attacking combination as that Barcelona can provide but what they do offer that Barcelona don’t is more direct power, pace, energy & belief and that makes them just as dangerous a unit to try & contain.

Defensively Manchester United have been supremely strong in the Champions League this year achieving a fantastic 8 clean sheets, no away goals conceded & only 4 goals conceded in the tournament so far & without doubt the performances of Edwin Van Der Sar, Nemanja Vidic, Rio Ferdinand & Patrice Evra as the bedrock of Manchester United’s defensive unit will play a major part in this match.

Will Barcelona’s potentially fragile defensive unit hold up against Manchester United’s attacking unit & give their incredible attacking unit the platform to cut through Manchester United, will Manchester United’s formidable defensive unit be able to cope with the fluidity, control & technical brilliance of Barcelona’ attacking unit, those are key questions to be answered & indeed the key factor that will determine which way this final goes.

There is no doubt that the absolute key factor will be which side scores the first goal as whoever does that will have control of the game & both Manchester United & Barcelona are experts at controlling games when in front but in saying that both teams have the proven talent & experience to come back and it all just adds to making this a really tough call to make & making it look like a coin flip every time I look at it.

Barcelona & Manchester United have their key strengths & potential weaknesses, Sir Alex Ferguson & Pep Guardiola are two of the most talented & tactically aware managers around, both teams will be confident but equally have massive respect for each other & so an entertaining scoring draw does offer great appeal & it might just lead to another dramatic penalty shoot-out but I just have a feeling that it will be won in 90 minutes & that basis the odds become the key factor.

The bookmakers have Barcelona as strong 1/2 favourites to lift the trophy & a general even money to win in 90 minutes while Man United at 6/4 to win it outright & 11/4 to win in 90 minutes, those odds are understandable given Barcelona have been favourites all along but in saying that there I don’t believe that there should be such a variance in the prices for Barcelona & Manchester United win and therefore Manchester United look solid value to me.

With this being a one off event between two well matched sides & two great managers I cannot see what makes Barcelona Even money & Manchester United 11/4 & so while this game is likely to be an intensely competitive, high quality but equally tight affair at times then I have to go with my instincts to take the betting value & a Manchester United win in 90 minutes looks a great value bet to me but equally I have to finish by saying the safest bet could be to just sit back & enjoy what should be a great occasion & match.
Betting Recommendations:
Outright Match Result: Manchester United to win
Correct Score options: Manchester United to win 2-0/2-1
First Goalscorer each way/Players to score anytime: Rooney/Hernandez/Park
Scorecast options: Rooney/Hernandez/Park score 1st & Manchester United win 2-0/2-1
Double Result: DRAW H/T & MAN UNITED F/T

Well those are my views on the Champions League & hopefully you find them interesting, useful & informative and that they help guide you towards successful punts on what should prove to be a truly great occasions & Champions League final to remember.

Remember to check the latest team news before you bet & also to shop around for the best odds & best terms available and good luck with whatever bets you have.

Championship, League 1 & League 2 Play-Off Final Previews

Teams in the Championship, League 1 & League 2 face the arduous task of 46 seriously intense, competitive matches compressed into 10 months & all 72 teams give absolutely everything in the desire to achieve promotion & progress through the leagues.

Those 72 football leagues sides have 2 chances to achieve promotion, firstly automatic promotion via winning or finishing in the top 2 of the Championship or winning & finishing in the top 3 in League 1 & League 2.

That is the perfect & ideal way to get promoted but for those teams that don’t make it there is the extra chance of promotion via the Play-Offs & now after a fantastic series of Play-Off Semi-Finals, the Play-Off Finals are upon us with 6 teams agonisingly close to promotion but equally agonsingly close to failure.

Reading & Swansea are set to do battle in the Championship Play-Off with a place in the Premier League at stake, Huddersfield Town & Peterborough face each other to decide who will go into the Championship while Stevenage & Torquay are fighting for the right to play in League 1 next season and all 3 Play-Off Finals look tremendously close & hard to call.

I have had a good look at the set-up of all three Play-Off Finals & at the betting markets available for each final and here are my own views on the value bets that I feel are worth consideration:

Championship Play-Off Final Preview:- Swansea vs Reading – (Monday 3.00pm)

Swansea & Reading both had fantastic seasons in the Championship finishing 3rd & 5th respectively with only 3 points separating them at the end & this has all the makings of a really close, competitive & hopefully entertaining match that can go either way.

During the regulation Championship season Swansea actually did the league double over Reading achieving two 1-0 wins so that may give the Swansea players a slight mental edge & extra confidence but at the same time it should make the Reading players more determined than ever to make sure Swansea don’t make it 3 wins here.

Both Swansea & Reading look to play positive, attacking football & they both showed that with their excellent winning performances in the 2nd legs of their Semi-Finals with Reading getting a very impressive 3-0 win at Cardiff while Swansea saw off a good Nottingham Forest side 3-1 and hopefully both teams will recreate that positivity & creativity here.

This should be an open, entertaining game but the absolute key factor will be whichever of Swansea or Reading can handle the intense pressures the best on the day, the prize at stake is truly massive & failure will be a major disappointment so it’s all about which set of players can control themselves the best on the day & let their football do all the talking.

Reading & Swansea are very well matched in terms of player quality, Swansea won more games & conceded few goals but also lost more games than Reading who themselves scored more & achieved positive results in more games so there really is nothing between them although the bookmakers do have Swansea as favourites to take it.

Swansea do just about deserve favouritism & they will certainly be very well prepared by Brendan Rodgers to be organised, controlled & positive in looking for the win but then again the same can be said of Brian McDermott’s Reading side and the fact Reading are a bigger price does make them more appealing to me.

This is essentially a coin flip in my opinion & should be a close game with a scoring draw a seriously tempting option but I tipped & backed Reading for promotion before the season started & I think they still look good value to get the job done in 90 minutes & seal their place in the Premier League for next season.
Betting Recommendations:
Outright Match Result: Reading to win
Correct Score options: Reading to win 2-0/2-1
First Goalscorer each way/Players to score anytime: Long/Kebe/MCanuff
Scorecast options: Long/Kebe/MCanuff score first & Reading win 2-0/2-1
Double Result: READING H/T & F/T

Leauge 1 Play-Off Final Preview:- Peterborough United vs Huddersfield Town – (Sunday 3.00pm)

League 1 has been absolutely fantastic this season & certainly Peterborough United & Huddersfield Town have been two of the major players providing fantastic entertainment & quality for anybody who witnessed them play so this should be an excellent game that might go all the way.

Peterborough United had a remarkable season in terms of goals in their games with Peterborough United themselves scoring an incredible 106 league goals but also conceding 75 goals with entertainment & drama guaranteed in most of the games.

Those goalscoring & goals conceded statistics clearly highlight the strengths & weaknesses of Peterborough United and it how they balance their attacking strength against their defensive fragility that will decide which way this game goes for them.

For Huddersfield Town this match represents another match Lee Clark’s impressive team to have a crack at extending their incredible unbeaten run in the league that stretches back 25+ games & there is no doubting Huddersfield Town will be tough to beat again here.

To go unbeaten for so long takes some doing in any league but for Huddersfield to achieve it in the notoriously competitive League 1 then Lee Clark’s team really do deserve great praise for the character, quality, determination & excellent team spirit they have maintained all year.

The Play-Off Semi Finals reflected both teams well with Peterborough losing a goal packed thriller & then winning at home while Huddersfield Town fought out 2 hard draws & battled through on penalties showing real character so this game represents a real quandry as both teams are more than capable of winning this on the day & in the 90 minutes.

It’s a total one off & anything can happen on the day so the fact Huddersfield finished 9 points clear of Peterborough should not matter here but what might well matter is Huddersfield Town’s superior consistency & resolute nature and that makes Lee Clark’s side Huddersfield Town side appeal as a lively bet worth taking to win this & put them back in the Championship again.
Betting Recommendations:
Outright Match Result: Huddersfield Town to win
Correct Score options: Huddersfield Town to win 2-0/2-1
First Goalscorer each way/Players to score anytime: Rhodes/Afobe/Kilbane
Scorecast options: Rhodes/Afobe/Kilbane score 1st & Huddersfield Town to win 2-0/2-1
Double Result: HUDDERSFIELD TOWN H/T & F/T

League 2 Play-Off Final:- Torquay vs Stevenage – (Saturday 3.00pm)

Both Torquay & Stevenage were outsiders to win their respective Play-Off Semi-Finals but there was certainly no fluke about their victories & they will now both believe they have a great chance of promotion so this should be a really intense, competitive match.

In terms of their performances in the standard league season then there was only one point splitting the two sides after 46 league games with Stevenage finishing 1 point & 1 place above Torquay so everything points to a close battle in this one & indeed it may go all the way to penalties.

Both Torquay & Stevenage are well matched in terms of quality, both are well organised squads who look to play possession based football so while it’s hard to dismiss either side from winning this in 90 minutes, a close, competitive game looks the sensible call here & appeals a value bet worth taking with the match to be won in extra time or penalties also worth consideration.
Betting Recommendations:
Outright Match Result: DRAW
Correct Score options: 1-1/2-2
First Goalscorer each way/Players to score anytime: Zebroski/Charles/Tomlin
Scorecast options: Zebroski/Charles/Tomlin score 1st & 1-1/2-2
Double Result: DRAW H/T & F/T

As ever they are my views & hopefully they help in your decision making process for any bets you maybe considering on the Play-Offs, please take the time to check team news before placing bets & shop around for the best prices, value & terms