The Golden Nuggets

By Sports Magician

2009/10-42
PICKS IN PLAY: 8
WINS: 77
LOSSES: 80
VOIDS: 4
STAKED: 548.00
TALLY: -25.72
ROI: -4.69

PICK IN PLAY SETTLEMENT
. LA LIGA WITHOUT THE BIG TWO - SEVILLA. Sevilla are still fighting for a Champions League spot but third place is now out of reach. 5.00 points lost.
. SUPALIGA – BENFICA. Benfica won their first title for five years. 3.00 points gained.
. BUNDESLIGA – BAYERN MUNICH. Bayern completed the first leg of what they hope will be a historic treble. 3.10 points gained.
. LEAGUE ONE – CHARLTON (EACH-WAY). Charlton began the season very well but eventually slipped back to fourth place. 3.00 points lost.
. LEAGUE TWO TOP GOALSCORER – LEE HUGHES. Lee Hughes capped off a title winning season as top scorer in the division. 7.75 points gained.
. PREMIER LEAGUE WITHOUT THE BIG FOUR – MANCHESTER CITY. A top four spot was the least City should have expected given the financial outlay, but it wasn’t to be. 5.00 points lost.
. BOLTON SPECIAL – NOT TO FINISH IN THE BOTTOM SIX. Owen Coyle steered Bolton away from relegation and into fourteenth spot. 2.63 points gained.
. WAYNE ROONEY SPECIAL – SCORE MORE THAN 27.5 PREMIER LEAGUE GOALS. Injury prevented Wayne Rooney from adding further to his goal tally as he ended the season on twenty-six goals. 4.00 points lost.
. WAYNE ROONEY SPECIAL – SCORE 30 OR MORE PREMIER LEAGUE GOALS. As above. 1.50 points lost.
. RAFA BENITEZ SPECIAL – TO LAST THE SEASON. Benitez lasted a turbulent season at Anfield, but how much longer will he last? 2.00 points gained.
. GIANFRANCO ZOLA SPECIAL – TO LAST THE SEASON. Gianfranco Zola kept West Ham in the Premier League but his future is anything but certain for next season. 2.48 points gained.
. TRAPDOOR SPECIAL – SELL @ 87. The bottom three sides ended up with a combined total of eighty-eight points as Burnley unexpectedly came from 2-0 down to beat Tottenham. 3.00 points lost.
. ARGENTINIAN CLAUSURA – GODOY CRUZ. The fairytale is over as Godoy’s Clausura challenge came to an end on the weekend. 3.00 points lost.

LAST WEEK RECAP
. REAL ZARAGOZA v ESPANYOL – REAL ZARAGOZA. Zaragoza essentially secured their La Liga safety with a 1-0 win. 1.70 points gained.
. MANCHESTER CITY v TOTTENHAM – MANCHESTER CITY. In the match that decided the remaining Champions League, Tottenham outplayed their hosts and should have won by more than the late solitary goal that they did. 2.00 points lost.
. HERTHA BERLIN v BAYERN MUNICH – BAYERN MUNICH. Bayern completed their league campaign with a 3-1 win at relegated Hertha Berlin. 2.49 points gained.
. BLACKPOOL v NOTTINGHAM FOREST – NOTTINGHAM FOREST (DRAW NO BET). Forest lost 2-1 after going ahead early. 2.00 points lost.
. CHAMPIONSHIP PLAY-OFF QUALIFICATION – NOTTINGHAM FOREST. Forest return to the City Ground hoping to overturn a one goal deficit.
. BENFICA v RIO AVE – BENFICA TO SCORE MORE THAN 3.5 GOALS. Benfica opened the scoring after just three minutes but missed a host of first chances before playing very cautiously in the second half. A second goal was scored, but not the four we desired. 4.00 points lost.
. ESTUDIANTES v ROSARIO CENTRAL – ESTUDIANTES. Juan Sebastian Veron’s first half red card might have proved very costly as Estudiantes drew 0-0 at home. Argentinos Juniors came from 3-1 down in the final fifteen minutes to beat Independiente 4-3 to leave Estudiantes trailing by a point going into the last weekend of the season. 5.00 points lost.

THIS WEEK’S NUGGETS

Nottingham Forest v Blackpool



Tuesday May 11th 19.45 (GMT)
Sky Sports 2 (19:30-21:45), Sky Sports HD2 (19:30-21:45)

Nottingham Forest have been outstanding at home all season and the City Ground will need to be witness to another home win if Forest are to reach the play-off final. Blackpool have now beaten Forest three times this season but were fortunate to come away with the win on the weekend in an even contest. Tuesday’s match will be very different from the opening leg with Ian Holloway’s side having to absorb a considerable amount of pressure that will, in all likelihood, tell in Forest’s favour.

PICK: 4*NOTTINGHAM FOREST BEAT BLACKPOOL @ 1.80 (CORAL)


Atletico Madrid v Fulham



Wednesday May 12th 19.45 (GMT)
Five (19:00-22:05)

Atletico Madrid play the first of their two cup finals this week as they face the Cinderella story of the Europa League - Fulham. Roy Hodgson’s side have continually defied the odds in each knock-out round and will hope to do so again in Hamburg, whom they knocked out in the last four. By no means are the Golden Nuggets underestimating the capability of the Londoners, but the difference in a potentially tight encounter can lie in the Atletico front two. Diego Forlan and Sergio Aguero provide the Spaniards with that added class that can prove decisive.

PICK: 2*ATLETICO MADRID BEAT FULHAM (90 MINUTES) @ 2.25 (STAN JAMES / BLUESQ)


Bayern Munich v Werder Bremen



Saturday May 15th 19.00 (GMT)

Bayern Munich hope to complete the second leg of a potential treble in the German Cup on Saturday evening. Louis Van Gaal’s side look primed and ready despite a long season, with Arjen Robben continuing to play at an incredibly high level. Robben was the difference maker again at the weekend as his two late goals ensured Bayern ended the league campaign with a win. Werder Bremen ended the season in strong fashion and attempt to defend the trophy they won last year. Bayern are riding the wave of momentum and despite Bremen’s recent form it’s the Bavarians who are the selection here.

PICK: 2*BAYERN MUNICH BEAT WERDER BREMEN (90 MINUTES) @ 2.00 (STAN JAMES)


PICTURE OF THE WEEK

This week’s POW is Sara Tommasi. The Italian has dated too many footballers to mention in her quest to stay in the limelight. After reaching the finals of the 1998 Miss Italy pageant Sara appeared on the Italian version of ‘I’m a celebrity, get me out of here!’ and is now a fulltime model.




Sports Magician