The boys are back with a look ahead to the crunch game with Wigan on Saturday, and the rest of the sporting weekend.
Once again, I owe my betting column to Robin Van Persie, as I seem to do every week. He scored first against Swansea for a £30 profit, cancelling out my £20 of losses in the Newcastle game. My accumulator rolls over to next week as Juventus, the last team I needed to win, somehow conspired to draw at home despite being at the top of Serie A, and playing rubbish opposition. Betting on Serie A is close to being banned in this column.
So this week's game is at home to Wigan , and is, in my eyes, the first 'must win' game for us. We're available at 21/20 for the win with most bookmakers, and I'll take a gamble on better than evens at home against Wigan , despite having watched the shower that was the MK Dons game(s). I'd normally stick some money on a first goal scorer at this point, but I just don't know who's going to get the goals, so I'll swerve that market for a change.
Elsewhere, Sir Robin of Van Persie is playing Man United this weekend, and he's 19/4 to open the scoring with Bet Victor, who are offering double odds if he scores twice. That game forms part of a the 'Super Revenge Sunday' on Sky, alongside Man City vs Spurs, and I'll have two singles and a double on both games being draws.
Finally, my accumulator, and there really is precious little to go for this week - i've managed to eek out a fivefold - Rangers, Roma, Liverpool or the Draw, Twente and West Ham - it's only pays 9/2, but nothing else really appeals...
For the weekend:
QPR vs Wigan - QPR win - £15 @ 21/10 (Various)
Van Persie to score first - £10 @ 19/4 (BetVictor)
Arsenal vs Man U & Man City - double and two singles on draws - £15 @ various (Betfair)
Fivefold accumulator - Rangers, Roma, Liverpool or the Draw, Twente and West Ham - £10 @ 9/2
Tuesday's scrappy affair could be the springboard for the revival. A home win against 11 men should give us the boost to get a narrow win, I don't think we will keep a clean sheet but Bartons return to the midfield will make a difference. The 2-1 win is priced at 8-1. On the first scorer front I am going to go for Jamie Mackie. There are rumours of Cardiff sniffing round but his work rate can be rewarded with a goal at 17/2.
Finians Rainbow is a short priced 9/4 favourite for the Victor Chandler Chase and also a big chance in the Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Festival in March. Two wins from two this season make him a worthy jolly and my selection. However at 14/1 the Irish challenger Forpaddydeplasterer could run him close and I will have forecast on the 2 mentioned.
Elsewhere in the football Newcastle to beat Fulham is a 3/1 chance. The Geordies are well organised and can quite easily beat our near neighbours. On Sunday sees a Manchester/North London double header and I think Manchester will come out on top in both games although I think Spurs can run City close. Finally a 4 team acca to round off this weeks selections
For The Weekend:
£5 QPR to win 2-1 at 8/1
£5 Jamie Mackie to score first 17/2
£12 win Finnians Rainbow 9/4
£1.50 RFC Finnians Rainbow/ForPaddytheplasterer
£7.50 win Newcastle to beat Fulham 3/1
£7.50 double
Man City 10/11
Man Utd 13/8
£10 acca
Burnley 10/11
Rotherham 11/10
Cheltenham 4/5
Bury 11/10
Professional odds compiler Owen Goulding says…
QPR enter this game after being outplayed for long periods by a League One side in midweek. I won’t go into the excuses for this as there certainly are some, but the truth of the matter is the side that played on Tuesday can only be marginally improved upon as it stands. Barton will come straight into side but barring any new signings that will be it. It seems clubs are holding us to ransom at present knowing the dire need we are in and I expect most of our transfer business to be done in the very closing stages of the window. But needs must now and we have no doubt our most important game to date in the Premiership this Saturday.
Wigan are the only side in the league to have scored less than us this year, and looking at their line-up, you can see why. Moses has undoubted pace and talent but makes the wrong decision far too often. Rodallega has gone off the boil massively- placing much pressure on the likes of Gomez and McCarthy in midfield. Wigan's problem is their midfield spend more time running towards their own goal than the opposition's. As the squads stand, this is very much a close encounter. I will be interested in where Mark Hughes chooses to play SWP. Let’s get this straight once and for all - SWP is a right winger. He is NOT a left winger. He is NOT a centre midfielder. He is NOT a striker. There is no doubt in my mind he is playing left wing for one reason only. This is to accommodate Jamie Mackie.
Warnock did it for a long time and it now seems Mark Hughes has followed suit. I put this down to the lack of alternatives but I can’t see this persisting much longer. I have also read reports on this site that Ferdinand and Gabbidon played really well in midweek. I am afraid in my opinion, watching this from a tactical point of view, that wasn't quite the case. MK strikers McDonald and Ibere were moving them around far to easy getting them into positions they shouldn't be in as experienced Premiership defenders. An Alex or a Samba is much needed in my opinion. That all said, Wigan are poor too. There is no denying it. I think in a few months the two squads will look very different, but as it stands, there is very little difference in quality and I see this ending in a result neither team wants - the draw.
Recommended Bet - Draw 5/2 Bet Victor.
Elsewhere my bet of the weekend comes from London Road. Brighton were made to work very hard for their replay win in the FA Cup at Wrexham and combining extra time, the long travelling etc, I believe their recent revival could come to an abrupt end at the hands of the Posh.
Bet Of Weekend - Peterborough to beat Brighton 11/10 (general)