Andy Hillman and professional odds compiler Owen Goulding return for a look ahead to a weekend of sporting action.
Andy got stung by our cup shocker last week, but recovered with a 10/1 draw double during the week and his Nap came in as it tends to do. The Pro was more on the ball against MK, backing the away team with a plus .75 start at evens.
Well, safe to say I didn’t see the MK result coming last week, but luckily I got my Man City NAP and my Tuesday double in @ 10/1 (I noted down the odds incorrectly last week, 20/1 for a draw double would be lovely though!)
NAP of the week: Man Utd to beat Fulham @ 13/20
Look, it’s not going to make you rich, but this is literally buying money. Man Utd have won nine of their last 12, and six of their last seven against Fulham, who have numerous injury doubts on top of everything else. For better odds, you can get 11/5 on Rooney to score anytime and Man U to win - he’s scored four in his last four against Fulham...
QPR related bet: QPR to win @ Evens
I think we’re going to win. You have no idea how angry that makes me, knowing that this means that we won’t win. I was going to recommend a draw in an attempt to confuse the fickle mistress that is fate, but I think she knows what I’m up to. In other news, isn’t it nice to have a long odds centre back to score first market available again? We haven’t had a good one since Shittu left first time round. Samba’s 20/1 to score first - will probably stick a fiver on that every week like the good old days...
Longshot: Barnsley to beat Blackpool and both teams to score @ 15/2
Barnsley may be 22nd in the Championship, but have won four and drawn one of their last five games. Conversely, Blackpool have won only one of their last nine, and that was against Wolves, who have lost six of their last eight themselves. Bearing in mind that both teams score in practically every Blackpool game, Barnsley to win at nearly 8/1 with BTTS offers massive value if nothing else...
Winners so far:
NAP - Norwich vs QPR - Both teams to score @ 4/6, 24/8/12
LONGSHOT - Tottenham vs West Brom - Lay Tottenham @ 2/1, 24/8/12
NOTEBOOK - Stoke vs Arsenal, Liverpool vs Man City , draw double, 7/1, 24/07/12
QPR related Bet - Zamora to score anytime v Man City at 11/2, 30/08/12
Longshot - Tottenham vs Norwich - lay Spurs @ 1.4, 30/08/12
Notebook - Roma to beat Inter @ 3/1 30/08/12
Nap – Man Utd to win to nil v Wigan , 11/10, 13/09/12
Longshot – double as part of a Premiership Yankee at 10/1, 13/09/12
Longshot – Premier League double at 9/1, 21/09/12
NAP- Chelsea vs Stoke - Chelsea to win to nil @ 11/8, 21/09/12
Longshot – Premier League double at 4/1, 29/09/12
Europe to win the Ryder Cup at 2/1, 29/09/12
QPR related bet: Goal in the first 15 minutes v West Brom @ 9/4, 05/10/12
Notebook: Barcelona vs Real Madrid - Ronaldo to score anytime @ 13/10, 05/10/12
Longshot: Southampton v Fulham, Swansea v Reading draw double: @ 10/1, 05/10/12
NAP - West Brom vs Man City - Both teams to score @ 4/5, 18/10/12
Longshot - Goals Galore 8/1 Quad, 18/10/12
NAP - Sheffied United to beat Portsmouth @ 5/6, 25/10/12
Longshot - Sunday afternoon ‘Goals Galore’ @ 8/1, 25/10/12
Banker: Van Persie to score first against Arsenal @ 9/2, 2/11/12
NAP: Crystal Palace to win at Peterborough @ 7/5
Inevitable Scorers: Suarez to score first vs Wigan (4/1), 16/11/12
NAP: Arsenal vs Spurs - both teams to score @ 4/7, 16/11/12
NAP - Man Utd vs QPR - Man U to win & BTTS @ 7/4, 24/11/12
Other QPR Related Bet - Sunderland vs QPR - Draw @ 13/5, 24/11/12
NAP of the week - Lay Chelsea (vs West Ham) @ 16/15, 30/11/12
NAP of the week - Norwich to beat Wigan @ 16/13, 14/12/12
NAP – QPR and West Brom to draw, 5/2, 04/01/13
Longshot – Brighton to beat Newcastle 7/4, 04/01/13
Notebook – Cheltenham v Everton, both teams to score and Everton to win 9/4, 04/01/13
Aston Villa vs Southampton - Southampton to win @ 31/16, 11/01/13
Man Utd vs Liverpool - BTTS, Man U to win @ 9/4, 11/01/13
Nap: Liverpool & Man City to beat Norwich & Fulham @ 3/4, 18/01/13
NAP of the Week: Stoke vs Man City - Man City to win @ 4/5, 25/01/13
Notebook - Stoke vs Wigan, Sunderland vs Swansea draw double 10/1, 25/01/13
A new look QPR take on a Norwich side reeling from being the first Premiership side knocked out of the FA Cup by a non-league side since its inception. The fact is Luton were well worthy of their victory.
I won’t go into the merits or otherwise of the big gamble Mr Fernandes and Mr Redknapp have taken in the transfer market - there is enough debate on the message board to last a lifetime - but what I will say is Samba is a much needed addition. Finally we have a threat from set-pieces and considering the percentage of goals in the Premiership that are scored from these, and the fact the man can defend too, means that it can only be a good thing for Rangers on the pitch.
In many people’s eyes, Norwich are the model of how a club should be run. A certain Mr Lambert must be wondering what he was thinking when making the decision to leave Carrow Road, but it has left Chris Hughton with an excellent set up to which he has in the whole, continued the good work. The unsung hero in the Norwich side is Wes Hoolahan. His ball retention and general work rate was sorely missed in the early part of the season, but when he returned to the side back in October, the results improved immediately and Norwich saw out October and November with a surge up the table. However it all started to go wrong again in December and in fact they haven’t won since mid December, taking only two points out of a possible 21. Their away record is particularly poor like ours with only one win away all season - and they are looking nervously over their shoulders as their recent form could see them dragged back into a relegation fight that looked impossible a month ago.
Loftus Road should be rocking tomorrow and I am very surprised to see quotes of Evens still available on QPR. Rangers are unbeaten in the league this year having played three of the top four, and add Norwich's slide down table in recent weeks, it looks a bet to me. I worry about us conceding if Samba doesn’t start, but my bet of the weekend is still QPR to win at evens at Blue Square or Ladbrokes. Also I think Corals 11/2 for Remy to score first is worth a small interest. Enjoy the game.
Winners so far:
Norwich v QPR, 11/10 Under 2.5 goals 24/08/12
West Brom v QPR, more than 2.5 goals, 4/5, 05/10/12
James Morrison to score anytime v QPR, 5/1, 05/10/12
QPR and Everton to draw 13/5, 18/10/12
MK Dons at plus 0.75 v QPR, Evens, 25/01/13
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