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Soccer Features: Long Term Hot Shots
Published: 16 Nov 09, By The Malteser
Long Term Hot Shots
By The Malteser
2009/10 Season
WINS: 12
LOSSES: 19
VOID: 1
STAKED: 82 points
PROFIT/LOSS: -4.73 points
ROI: 0.00
Last Weekend`s Recap
Excelsior vs AGOVV: Excelsior WIN @ 1.80 (1.5*) LOSE
This was the first home defeat of the season for Excelsior and only the second time in sixteen matches without scoring a goal. Fulltime 0:1.
Albacete vs Real Sociedad: Over 2.5 Goals @ 2.25 (2*) LOSE
I got this one totally wrong as it finished 0:0. It’s the first goalless match for Albacete this season.
Hercules vs Numancia: Over 2.5 Goals @ 2.37 (1*) LOSE
A good win for Hercules which moves them up one place into 2nd. Hercules missed a penalty before halftime but got the winning goal when they were awarded a second penalty. Numancia played the last 35 minutes with 10 men. Fulltime score 1:0
The Malteser Accumulator: De Graafschap vs Den Bosch (1.68) & Telstar vs Go Ahead Eagles (1.65) Over 2.5 Goals @ 2.78 (2*) LOSE
I choose the wrong Friday to pick over goals in the Dutch Eerste Divisie as only 5 from 10 matches ended up on over 2.5 goals. On previous week the total matches on over 2.5 goals were 8, 7, and 10.
De Graafschap vs Den Bosch ended in a 1-1 draw with both teams ending the match with 10 men.
Telstar vs Go Ahead Eagles match was decided by an early goal for the away side which puts them on top of the Eerste Divisie. Fulltime 0:1. This is the first time this season were a match featuring Telstar ended with less than 2 goals.
Midweek`s Hot Shots
A very quite midweek and very hard to find value anywhere so during this edition of the Midweek Hotshots I will divert the attention to some domestic league Outrights.
BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE
With a third of the season gone we have already lost one of the title contenders (Liverpool) as they are already 11 points behind the leaders Chelsea. So that leaves three teams fighting for the title: Chelsea, Man United and Arsenal.
Chelsea: In my opinion the strongest side in the league. New manager Carlo Ancelotti has earned all the players trust and everyone can see the difference on the pitch with attacking and entertaining football being played week in week out. They will lose some of their stars in January when they represent their countries in the African Nations Cup but the four fixtures that Chelsea have got in January this should not make any difference. (Home to Sunderland and Birmingham & Away to Hull and Burnley).
Man United: So far they have underperformed and have been disappointing away from Old Trafford with 3 defeats from 6 matches. It will take a long time to fill the gap that Cristiano Ronaldo has left. Last season the back four was very solid for United with only 24 goals conceded during the whole season (average of 0.63 goals per game) but this season they have already conceded 12 goals (average of 1.00 goals per game).They are five points off the pace but it’s going to be tough to win back to back Premier League titles.
Arsenal: Majority of us wrote Arsenal`s title hope off before the season even started but they have surprised everyone and are only 5 points of the pace but with a game in hand. They are the highest scoring team in the league with 36 goals (that’s 7 more than Chelsea and 13 more than Man United). This week they have been dealt a major blow when Van Persie got injured while playing for his country and will be out for at least 6 weeks. Bendtner is also missing for around 4-6 weeks as he`s having a minor groin surgery.
PICK: 2* on Chelsea LEAGUE WINNERS @ 2.00 (
BETFAIR)
PICK: 1* on 1st Chelsea / 2nd Man United STRAIGHT FORECAST @ 4.30 (BETFAIR)
PICK: 1* on 1st Chelsea / 2nd Man United / 3rd Arsenal STRAIGHT TRICAST @ 4.00 (SKYBET)
Chelsea: In my opinion the strongest side in the league. New manager Carlo Ancelotti has earned all the players trust and everyone can see the difference on the pitch with attacking and entertaining football being played week in week out. They will lose some of their stars in January when they represent their countries in the African Nations Cup but the four fixtures that Chelsea have got in January this should not make any difference. (Home to Sunderland and Birmingham & Away to Hull and Burnley).
Man United: So far they have underperformed and have been disappointing away from Old Trafford with 3 defeats from 6 matches. It will take a long time to fill the gap that Cristiano Ronaldo has left. Last season the back four was very solid for United with only 24 goals conceded during the whole season (average of 0.63 goals per game) but this season they have already conceded 12 goals (average of 1.00 goals per game).They are five points off the pace but it’s going to be tough to win back to back Premier League titles.
Arsenal: Majority of us wrote Arsenal`s title hope off before the season even started but they have surprised everyone and are only 5 points of the pace but with a game in hand. They are the highest scoring team in the league with 36 goals (that’s 7 more than Chelsea and 13 more than Man United). This week they have been dealt a major blow when Van Persie got injured while playing for his country and will be out for at least 6 weeks. Bendtner is also missing for around 4-6 weeks as he`s having a minor groin surgery.
PICK: 2* on Chelsea LEAGUE WINNERS @ 2.00 (
PICK: 1* on 1st Chelsea / 2nd Man United STRAIGHT FORECAST @ 4.30 (
PICK: 1* on 1st Chelsea / 2nd Man United / 3rd Arsenal STRAIGHT TRICAST @ 4.00 (SKYBET)
SCOTTISH PREMIER LEAGUE
Usually in this league its Celtic and Rangers battling it out for the title and the rest fighting for a European place or to stay up but the big two have not found top form yet are only a couple of points ahead of Hibernian and Dundee United. Personally I still think that the top two will not be changed but the third place is up for grabs.
In the last three seasons there has been a different team finishing in 3rd place: 2008/09 Hearts 2007/08 Motherwell 2006/07 Aberdeen.
This season it looks like it is going to be a battle between Hibernian and Dundee United. Last season Hibernian finished in a disappointing 6th place but new manager John Hughes has changed the club`s fortunes in a very short period of time. In my opinion Dundee United have got the best manager in the SPL (Craig Levein). When he took over Dundee United used to be a club struggling to finish in the top half of the table but for the last two seasons they have finished in 4th place and this season they look to go one better.
Not a lot between these two clubs so the safe option is to back both teams to finish 3rd and if one of them does finish third you will be guaranteed a profit.
PICK: 4* on Dundee United W/O BIG TWO @ 3.05 (BETFAIR )
PICK: 4* on Hibernian W/O BIG TWO @ 3.10 (TOTESPORT)
In the last three seasons there has been a different team finishing in 3rd place: 2008/09 Hearts 2007/08 Motherwell 2006/07 Aberdeen.
This season it looks like it is going to be a battle between Hibernian and Dundee United. Last season Hibernian finished in a disappointing 6th place but new manager John Hughes has changed the club`s fortunes in a very short period of time. In my opinion Dundee United have got the best manager in the SPL (Craig Levein). When he took over Dundee United used to be a club struggling to finish in the top half of the table but for the last two seasons they have finished in 4th place and this season they look to go one better.
Not a lot between these two clubs so the safe option is to back both teams to finish 3rd and if one of them does finish third you will be guaranteed a profit.
PICK: 4* on Dundee United W/O BIG TWO @ 3.05 (
PICK: 4* on Hibernian W/O BIG TWO @ 3.10 (TOTESPORT)
SCOTTISH DIVISION THREE
After being demoted to the Third Division due to the clubs financial problems, Livingston FC are looking good to earn a promotion straight away.
The first few weeks weren`t so easy for the Livi Lions but lately they have been on top form with 5 wins and 1 draw in their last 6 matches. Currently sitting on top of the league, one point ahead of Berwick Rovers with a game in hand. They should prove to be too strong for this division.
PICK: 2.5* on Livingston LEAGUE WINNERS @ 1.83 (BOYLESPORTS,
BLUESQ , STAN JAMES, 888SPORT)
THE FUNNY SIDE OF FOOTBALL…
From hero to zero!
In April 2004, Schalke 04 were playing a Bundesliga match against Bayern Leverkusen when on the 77th minute Leverkusen were awarded a penalty.
The Leverkusen goalkeeper Hans Jorg Butt stepped up to take the penalty and scored but instead of running back to his goal he took ages celebrating with his team mates and by the time he reached his goal, Schalke had already kicked off and scored from the halfway line.
Luckily for Mr Butt the match finished 3-2 to Leverkusen!
During his career Butt has scored 26 goals from penalties in the German Bundesliga with Hamburg and Leverkusen.
The first few weeks weren`t so easy for the Livi Lions but lately they have been on top form with 5 wins and 1 draw in their last 6 matches. Currently sitting on top of the league, one point ahead of Berwick Rovers with a game in hand. They should prove to be too strong for this division.
PICK: 2.5* on Livingston LEAGUE WINNERS @ 1.83 (BOYLESPORTS,
THE FUNNY SIDE OF FOOTBALL…
From hero to zero!
In April 2004, Schalke 04 were playing a Bundesliga match against Bayern Leverkusen when on the 77th minute Leverkusen were awarded a penalty.
The Leverkusen goalkeeper Hans Jorg Butt stepped up to take the penalty and scored but instead of running back to his goal he took ages celebrating with his team mates and by the time he reached his goal, Schalke had already kicked off and scored from the halfway line.
Luckily for Mr Butt the match finished 3-2 to Leverkusen!
During his career Butt has scored 26 goals from penalties in the German Bundesliga with Hamburg and Leverkusen.