The Golden Nuggets

By Sports Magician

2009/10-40
PICKS IN PLAY: 27
WINS: 66
LOSSES: 62
VOIDS: 3
STAKED: 441.50
TALLY: -5.62
ROI: -1.27

PICK IN PLAY SETTLEMENT
. CHAMPIONSHIP - WEST BROMWICH ALBION (EACH-WAY). Roberto Di Matteo successfully led West Brom back to the Premier League at the first time of asking. The Baggies couldn’t stop Newcastle from winning the title, but still provided us with a 1.50 points profit by finishing in the top three.
. SCOTTISH PREMIER LEAGUE & SCOTTISH DIVISION ONE – RANGERS & DUNDEE (DOUBLE). It’s just a matter of time before Rangers are crowned 2009/10 champions, but Dundee were not able to maintain their lead at the top of division one as Inverness went on a run of nine wins from ten to secure promotion to the SPL. 4.00 points lost.
. LEAGUE ONE – NORWICH. Paul Lambert’s side wrapped up the League One title with a 1-0 win over Gillingham. 2.00 points gained.
. PREMIER LEAGUE RELEGATION – WIGAN. Roberto Martinez led Wigan to safety in his first season as manager at the DW Stadium. 2.00 points lost.
. ARGENTINIAN CLAUSURA – BANFIELD. Team selection over the past couple of weeks made it abundantly clear that Banfield’s number one priority was progress in the Copa Libertadores rather than clinging on to their fleeting hopes of winning the Clausura. 1.50 points lost.

LAST WEEK RECAP
. SOUTHAMPTON v OLDHAM – SOUTHAMPTON. Southampton’s valiant push for a playoff spot effectively came to an end after a 0-0 draw with Oldham. 4.00 points lost.
. BAYERN MUNICH v LYON – BAYERN MUNICH. Arjen Robben was once again the match-winner for the Germans as they take a 1-0 lead to France. 2.25 points gained.
. BURNLEY v LIVERPOOL – LIVERPOOL. Steven Gerrard scored twice as Liverpool eased to a 4-0 win after a scoreless first half. 2.10 points gained.
. ARGENTINIAN CLAUSURA – ESTUDIANTES. Estudiantes’s 1-0 win over River Plate leaves them top of the pile and with their destiny in their own hands with three games remaining.
. TURKISH SUPER LEAGUE – FENERBAHCE. Fenerbahce laboured to a 1-0 win against Kasimpasa but their victory proved crucial as Bursaspor dropped points at Galatasaray. Fenerbahce lead Bursaspor by a point with three games remaining.

THIS WEEK’S NUGGETS

Crystal Palace v West Bromwich Albion



Monday April 26th (GMT)
Sky Sports 1 (19:30-22:15), Sky Sports HD1 (19:30-22:15)

The side with the quality has nothing to play for while the side who need to win don’t necessarily have the required quality to do so. In a match-up of need versus quality, the Golden Nuggets finds the value in quality. West Brom have secured promotion back to the Premier League and have nothing to play for but pride. Crystal Palace are fighting for their lives but their need to win does not override the difference in class between the two sides.

If anything, a more talented West Brom side will be playing with the utmost freedom, while a Crystal Palace side who have dealt with a lot of distractions off the pitch over the course of the season may end up being paralysed by the fear of relegation. It’s likely that Palace’s fate will be decided on the last day of the season in a showdown with Sheffield Wednesday.

PICK: 3*(DRAW NO BET) WEST BROMWICH ALBION BEAT CRYSTAL PALACE @ 1.91 (SPORTINGBET)


Darlington v Notts County



Tuesday April 27th 19.45 (GMT)

A win will ensure Notts County are crowned League Two champions and the Magpies should do so in style against relegated Darlington on Tuesday night. Golden Nuggets followers are set to cash in thanks to Notts County’s efforts this season as we backed them for the title at 6.50 before the season began. Top marksman Lee Hughes is also set to bolster our profits by ending the season as League Two top goalscorer, the Golden Nuggets backed Hughes at 4.10 to finish the season at the top of the scoring charts and he is well on course to doing so.

County lost their first game under Steve Cotterill at the weekend but are worthy of maximum confidence to bounce back in midweek with a win.

PICK: 5*NOTTS COUNTY BEAT DARLINGTON @ 1.50 (CORAL)


Barcelona v Inter Milan



Wednesday April 28th 19.45 (GMT)
ITV1 (19:30-22:00), ITV HD (19:30-22:00), RTE Two (19:00-22:00 Ireland only)

Barcelona have to overcome a 3-1 first leg deficit if they want to continue their quest of being the first side to retain the Champions League trophy. Much has been made of the tactical formula Jose Mourinho used to defeat Barcelona, but it’s worth remembering it was the same formula that Inter tried and failed to execute in the group stage matches against the Catalans. Barcelona outplayed Inter in the San Siro during the group phase but could not breakthrough and had to settle for a 0-0 draw. In the return match in Spain, minus Lionel Messi and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Barca made their domination tell with a comfortable 2-0 victory.

A similar result will be enough for Barcelona and I fully expect a fast start from Pep Guardiola’s side. The last twenty minutes at the San Siro will be the story for much of the ninety in the return leg; with Barcelona being camped in Inter’s half. The 3-1 victory flattered Inter, who were the beneficiaries of a goal that should have been chalked off for offside, as well as at least two penalty decisions that went their way. If luck is on Mourinho’s side again, then Inter may well find themselves in the final, but all things being equal, Barcelona should cause Inter plenty of problems on Wednesday. The Golden Nuggets will back Barcelona in two markets, to lead at half-time and full-time, as well as to qualify.

PICK: 3*BARCELONA BEAT INTER MILAN HALF-TIME/FULL-TIME @ 2.20 (BWIN)

PICK: 3*BARCELONA TO QUALIFY FOR CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL @ 2.25 (BLUESQ)

PICTURE OF THE WEEK

This week’s POW is Italian model Debora Salvavaggio. The runner-up in the 2003 Miss Italia pageant has a fondness for footballers as Christian Vieri, Pippo Inzaghi and Mateo Ferrari will know. Not much else is known about Debora, but it’s more about the pictures than the bio.



Sports Magician