Real good, but still not good enough

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The pundits in Madrid are going to be slobbering over a performance that saw Tottenham Hotspur put to the sword brutally for some time to come, but those who are not quite as enamoured with Real Madrid watched their game against Spurs in the knowledge that they failed to show a complete game that could help them defeat the likes of Barcelona or Manchester United in the future, with both of those sides far stronger defensively than Spurs were last night and who both have an immense counter-attacking unit that they could unleash against a defensively weak Real side that looked vulnerable at times even against the ten men of Spurs.

Sure, they have the offensive capabilities to really go for it when they have possession but they lack the defensive strength to show themselves to have the characteristics that previous Mourinho sides have displayed when they have gone all the way and won the Champions League. However, although they lack this, they may benefit from the fact that they will have the chance to face their greatest threat in the competition in the next round, rather than the final, as their likely opponents look to be Barcelona. However, before this can happen, they will surely see their defensive capabilities tested thoroughly by Spurs at the Lane as they look to play with no fear and with nothing to lose against Real. The Champions League betting odds suggest it could be an interesting game.

If they can progress as they are widely expected to, then they will subsequently need to show that they are good enough to beat Barcelona over two legs. Then, and only then, can the players hope to show Mourinho that they are good enough physically and mentally to go all the way to Wembley and pick up the Champions League trophy, making history for Mourinho in the process.

Barcelona Still Clear Champions League Betting Odds Favourites Ahead Of Man Utd

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It has taken a massive effort to knock Barcelona out of the Champions League in the last few years, over the past three years Barcelona have either won the Champions League or gone out to the eventual winners and so far they are looking good to continue that record.

Barcelona face Real Madrid in what could be the most exciting Champions League Semi Final in years and there is no surprise that it is once again Barcelona who are favourites to progress as they are the favourites to win the entire tournament. Barcelona are just even money with most bookies to win the Champions League, the fact that Real Madrid have been drawn against the favourites means they are now only the third most likely winners in the Champions League odds at around 10/3.

Progress in this semi final still won’t guarantee Champions League victory so a bet on either team to qualify for the final will offer a better bet for some punters, Barcelona are just 1/2 to progress in this tie whilst Real Madrid, who secured their place in the Semi Final by beating Tottenham twice, are 15/8 to reach the Champions League Final at Wembley this season.

It looks as though there could be English representation in this year’s Wembley Final, Man Utd who are the only remaining English team in the competition after they beat Chelsea in both legs of their Quarter Final, have been handed a favourable tie against Schalke who have been the surprise package in this year’s competition. Man Utd are now second favourites to win the Champions League and can be backed at 5/2 to win the tournament, Schalke are very unfancied despite their great results against Inter Milan in the Quarter Finals, Schalke can be backed at 14/1 to pull of a majot shock by winning the Champions League.

It is therefore no surprise that Man Utd are major favourites to reach the final, they can be backed at just 2/7 to progress against Schalke and should be a good bet to win both legs of the Semi Final whilst those who aren’t fans of Man Utd this season will get big odds on Schalke reaching the Champions League Final, the Germans are 11/4 to make it through.

The Champions League Semi Final First Legs take place in the last week of April. You can keep up to date on the latest Champions League odds and tips from the experts at OLBG.co.uk.

Premier League still wide open

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Recent results have thrown this season’s Premier League race wide open at both ends of the table. Whilst the recent downturn in fortunes of league leaders Manchester United have been dominating the back pages of our daily papers, there is also quite the relegation dogfight going on at the bottom, and for the first time in recent memory there are virtually no sets of fans who can relax as we enter the final quarter of the season.
The race for the Premier League title itself includes every team in the top four; the race for European qualification stretches down to arguably Everton in tenth. Meanwhile the relegation battle has had a number of usual suspects all season, but now includes all the teams in the bottom half with just eight points separating the teams between eleventh and twentieth. Now that most of the teams in the league have nine games left to play

Terry still believing

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If Chelsea can come out of this season with any sort of silverware, then it would be nothing short of a miracle. After such a mixed bag of a season, to still be in with any chance of success shows just how crazy this campaign has been. For football betting advice the league has been completely unpredictable.

As the season enters its home-straight, Carlo Ancelotti’s men still have an outside chance of clinging on to their Premiership crown as well as finally ending their Champions League hoodoo.

Currently fourth, two points behind Manchester City and nine behind leader United, Chelsea will have been fortunate to the inconsistent form of the teams ahead of them to still have a chance this year but I still wouldn’t recommend in football betting picks. Next weekend’s crunch match against City will have a major say as to whether or not Chelsea can keep clinging onto the leader’s coat-tails.

As well as the league, Chelsea are also still battling it out in the Champions League, heavy favourites to reach the quarter-finals when they take on Copenhagen at Stamford Bridge this week. Skipper John Terry has made it clear that he still believes this season is far from decided and has vowed to fight until the death to ensure the season doesn’t go down as a complete failure.

Championship race still far from clear

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With the season about to enter its home straight, the race for automatic promotion to the Premier League from the Championship is still being eyed up by six sides, with around half the league still realistically having a chance of finishing in the play-offs. Scunthorpe’s 1-0 defeat of Nottingham Forest this week was a prime example of exactly how open this league is and means there is still a lot to be learnt for football betting and tipping.

Before Christmas, it looked as though the top two places in the Championship were sewn up by QPR and Cardiff but that all changed over the festive period, both sides suffering their own losses in form. While the two front-runners have returned to the summit of the table, the chasing pack has all been given a renewed sense of confidence in their fight for the top two.

Neil Warnock looks to have moulded a squad capable of seeing the job through but Cardiff has the look of possible chokers about them. In a squad packed with as many talented players as Cardiff are blessed with, is sure to bring an ego or two up to the surface.

Dave Jones knows the pain of missing out on promotion with this side and he’ll be desperate to avoid that this season, which will bring its own pressure onto the manager. As it stands though the Welsh club are in the top two by right and it will take another club to earn their place in the top two.

For football betting tips, the coming games to watch will be a good indicator of who to back. Leeds and Norwich have both had impressive first seasons back in the Championship and the duo has shown they are in this race till the end. Forest will need to bounce back from the shock Scunthorpe defeat and go on another unbeaten run. Swansea and Leicester add to the unusually busy promotion race this year and one which looks certain to go down to the wire.

Master Minded still the one to beat in Champion Chase

Master Minded can still win the Champion Chase

Master Minded fans may have had a shock on Saturday, when the Victor Chandler winner’s lead was diminished to a disintegrating short head by the line, but the Paul Nicholls-trained eight year old is still the one to beat in the Champion Chase come March. Or so I reckon.

Let’s consider the facts. Firstly,  Master Minded won the race. Okay, he looked like he’d win by as far as he liked after Petit Robin fell and severely hampered Kalahari King (more on those two in a moment). Granted, he was all out to prevail by the narrowest of margins as they smiled for the photo finish. And of course, Somersby would have won in another stride.

But the Ascot race is a furlong further than the Cheltenham race. And the ground on Saturday was on the soft side of good, which it is unlikely to be come March. Master Minded is probably losing a yard of that brilliant speed he possessed earlier in his career (indeed one idiot on here – me, I think it was – suggested he might be a throwaway bet for the Gold Cup. Suffice it to say, I’ve thrown away that throwaway voucher!). For all that, he retains plenty and, bar the second horse, the remainder were seen off by twenty lengths and more.

The runner-up Somersby is both consistent and frustrating. Consistently frustrating, one might say, if one keeps backing him. Clearly, he has huge talent, as podium positions in five consecutive Grade 1 and 2 contests testify. As a reliable punting proposition, he’s a swerve for me though. I mean, even his trainer doesn’t know what trip he wants and reckons he’s a monkey… sorry, I mean a difficult horse to ride and train.

She, Henrietta Knight – trainer of Best Mate and Edredon Bleu, no less – said, “I was really pleased with him as he is not the easiest horse. We were so sure that we wanted the Ryanair but after today’s performance he showed that he is still able to hold his own at two miles so we might go for the Ryanair next year now.”

In other words, we don’t know what trip he wants and he’s a bloody nightmare to train. That is of course excessively harsh, but where my equine investments are concerned, I’m generally looking for a combination of greater certainty about ideal conditions and a bigger price than the 10/1 which is the best of the bookies’ odds.

Mad Max was third, and well beaten, seemingly without excuses. 40/1 for the Champion Chase is about right, I’d say, though again it wouldn’t tempt me. I can’t see how he could possibly reverse this form, and a place is as good as it can get for this chap.

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Spurs suggest they are still in the title race… but they aren’t

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Betfair in the USA - still a long way off

Over the past few months, there has been some excitement about the prospects of exchange wagering being permitted in the USA, particularly California and New Jersey. The governments of these two states have passed legislation to allow exchange betting on local horse racing, with Betfair heavily involved in the lobbying. All that has happened is the current gambling legislation has been expanded to include a racing-only betting exchange as an option, it's not a given, and it's certainly not a given that Betfair have the rights to it.

There are still some huge obstacles a betting exchange has to overcome before a Betfair-branded exchange is up and running in the USA.

1 - the debate over the ethics of laying horses. That hasn't occurred yet, and there's no reason to believe American racing people will be any less antiquated than the rest of the world when it comes to explaining that you can effectively lay a horse via current wagering systems, it's just more complicated with a fat margin on top. US racing has at least as much dross racing as Australia and the UK, with questionable standards of integrity and stewarding. Trainers found guilty of drug infringements in one state are free to move shop to another state and start all over again. Tracks have been known to have issues with owners/trainers running unfit horses in claiming races so they can ship them off to other owners. Without high standards of integrity particularly re vets and stewards, exchange betting becomes a risk for the industry - a PR disaster waiting to happen.

In Australia, Betfair had to cop such rubbish as senile Senator Bronwyn Bishop accusing them of laundering money for al-Qaeda, the NSW TAB mounting a billboard campaign accusing the company of being parasites on Australian racing, and all sorts of other ridiculous slander. They've got a long way to go to win the PR battle in the States, the negative campaigns haven't even started yet and if there's one nation that loves their baseless smearing political campaigns....

2 - the cut for horsemen and the government. In the UK, it's as simple as set up shop, pay the appropriate rate of tax, and then work something out with the racing industry. In Australia, it took a rogue state (Tasmania) and a big wad of cash up front from Betfair to get it over the line. The vote of racing authorities didn't particularly matter, although the Tasmanian industry was swayed by the big injection of cash. In the US, lobbying for legality is very different. It's state-by-state for starters, only the two states in question (at this stage) will allow it, no cross-border business at all (although a link between the two states may be possible). Currently the horsemen get a big chunk of wagering turnover to pay prizemoney. That's easy enough to do when the totes take 20% out of the pools on each and every race. Are the horsemen really going to agree to a deal which will equate to around 1/10th of what the tote (pari-mutuel) gives them?

According to the California bill, "All exchange wagering licensees must distribute a “specified amount of exchange wagering revenue to the existing jockey health and benefit welfare fund,” according to the Legislation."

So there's another hit. Betfair have already said that paying 1.5% of turnover on racing in NSW will severely damage the business. If commission rates have to go up significantly from a top rate of 5%, then the attraction of exchange betting diminishes rapidly. There's no way they will be able to cut a deal similar to the levy and tax rates they pay elsewhere. The horsemen groups have a history of incredible stubbornness and agreeing to nothing which will benefit the racing bettor. Why would they change their tune here if it means cannibalising the local tote pools to sign up to a betting platform which is unable to tap into the betting public outside of the state borders? California and New Jersey are big states - to splash the cash to gain the approval of influential authorities like they did in Tasmania will cost a lot more.

Imperial Commander Could Still Be A Starter

Posted by Leigh on November 29, 2010 · Leave a Comment 

Trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies has commented that his charge, Imperial Commander is healing well from his injury and could possibly still be included in the Boxing Day William Hill King George VI Chase at Kempton.

Carrick still has job to do at United

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Michael Carrick has made it quite clear that he wants to extend his stay at Old Trafford further than the 2012 end of his contract. The midfielder has reclaimed his place in United’s first team following a six week absence with his troublesome Achilles tendon. After four years in Manchester following his big money move from Spurs, Carrick is desperate to get contract talks up and running.
The 29 year old told The People,

Pakistani cricket - still in denial like deluded alcoholics?

The state of cricket in Pakistan is still a complete mess. On one side you have Mohammed Asif cancelling his appeal against his spot-fixing suspension, virtually an admission of guilt. On the other, Salman Butt and Mohammed Aamer (Amir) are still protesting their innocence in the matter, although Aamer has been reported as saying he was influenced by peer pressure.

Add to that the debacle of cricket administration in the country - trying to cover their own arses by throwing out random and baseless accusations about other countries fixing matches whilst remaining in complete denial about the state of the cancer in their own system. Yesterday's flee to safety of Zulqarnain Haider from the touring party in Dubai after allegedly receiving death threats because he defied orders to throw matches simply shows it is just more of the same. Access to players obviously isn't being blocked, and there must be others still in the squad who continue to insult their country and the world of cricket by chasing a quick buck rather than play to the best of their collective ability for the glory of their nation.

The first stage of overcoming an addiction such as alcoholism or problem gambling is first admitting there is problem. Very few people in the Pakistan cricket system are prepared to admit that, and those who do seem to be kicked out. Denial will just ensure it continues until the rest of the cricketing world want no part in playing against the once-proud cricketing nation of Pakistan.

Ban them, ban them now and for a long, long time. No other message will get through.

UPDATE ---

And it gets worse. Read this story about a Pakistan domestic match, featuring Haider again and Salman Butt. Blind Freddy could spot a fix with that scoreline, yet the PCB couldn't???

TestMatchSofa's Legside Lizzy has written an excellent piece on the fate of Zulqarnain Haider. He has major issues to deal with now....Posted byScott Fergusonat09:50

Workforce still a doubt after first Kentucky spin

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Frankel Still Has Much To Prove…

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Kranjcar Still Has Role to Play At White Hart Lane

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It’s easy to go unnoticed at Tottenham these days. Such is the quality of the squad at White Hart Lane that if you are not at the very top of your game it is easy to slip under the radar. There was a time last season when it was the Croat duo of Niko Kranjcar and Luka Modric who the team revolved around – the latter in fact was identified as the key player and a lot of effort was put into persuading him to sign a new deal and ward off interest from Manchester United.

One year on and the spotlight is firmly on new boy Rafael Van der Vaart and the rejuvenated Gareth Bale. Not unfairly – the Dutchman has been sensational since arriving in a deadline day move from Real Madrid, while Bale is now showing the talent we all knew he had and is firmly developing himself as one of the best, if not THE best left sided players in the world.

Modric, of course, remains a crucial element of the Spurs squad, although it may take him a few games to adapt to the adjusted role he will have to fill now that Van der Vaart has taken centre stage. The focus on the Dutchman may indeed be a good thing for the little Croat, whose game is more subtle and craftmanlike rather than looking to take the game by the scruff of the neck. With the emphasis on the Dutchman, Modric will hopefully be afforded more time and space to work his magic and it’s fair to say if Harry Redknapp can get both him and Van der Vaart playing, he has quite a midfield combination.

Kranjcar’s future on the other hand is a little more uncertain, with Monaco among the latest admirers to express an interest in a January swoop. Niko fired a timely reminder of his worth however, scoring twice in Croatia’s 2-1 win over Israel on Saturday, a result which moves them top of their Euro 2012 qualification group.

The one thing that is more evident than ever in Tottenham’s season is the importance of a squad. Despite sitting 5th in the table after 7 games, defeats by Wigan and West Ham have cost Spurs the chance to take the jump to the next step and compete for the Premiership title. As talented as the likes of Modric and Bale are, they cannot be expected to perform week in week out.

That is why Niko Kranjcar remains an important element of the Spurs squad. Firstly, his versatility is an asset with him able to play on the left, on the right or centrally. He also provides a crucial skill in his ability to score from distance. With Tottenham increasingly coming up against packed defences, sometimes they may find that a blast from range is the easiest way through teams.

Of course, Tottenham are not Man City and there is a balancing act to be done with finances. It may be that Kranjcar is essential pawn in securing the funds necessary to recruit the world class striker the club needs to push onto the next level, but if possible, I would like to see him stay at White Hart Lane.

Written by Colin Hill, a sports blogger who writes about new football boots.

Golfwise Extra: Toms still looking good in McGladrey Classic

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Pietersen admits England are the underdogs – but believes they can still win

Whilst the England team are currently riding high in the ICB rankings (potentially overtaking the Aussies should they lose their upcoming series against India), the English Ashes team is still considered by most bookies, experts, and more than a small number of fans to be a group of players potentially on a hiding to nothing and, at the very least, massive underdogs in the Ashes betting odds for the Ashes cricket series.

Although mind games are relatively rare in cricket compared to many other sports, the majority of England fans will be hoping that Kevin Pietersen’s latest outburst (which saw him admit all too readily that England are the underdogs) is simply the start of a psychological war of words, rather than a worrying sign that England’s players are already fearing the worst ahead of a series that saw them humiliated 5-0 the last time they were on Australian soil.

However, with Pietersen also suggesting that the England team is fully prepared to put up a good fight, whilst also hinting that there is even an air of quiet confidence surrounding the team, their status as underdogs and an unusual lack of pressure from the UK press and public should see the English lads play their cricket without the burden of fear or expectation, something that could provide a significant boost to the side’s prospects out in Australia.

With Pietersen having been handed the opportunity to regain some kind of form in his native South Africa, Graeme Swann playing some wonderful cricket at the moment, and the England players always able to take full advantage of a close team spirit and togetherness, the English do have a few reasons to be hopeful in their quest to pull off what would be a shock result remembered by fans of cricket across the world for many years to come.

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Sans Frontieres Still Hopeful for Melbourne Cup

Posted by Leigh on September 21, 2010 · Leave a Comment 

While possibilities in the USA, Canada and Japan are being given consideration as optional goals for Sans Frontieres, his most probable goal will be the Melbourne Cup, Barry Simpson, racing manager for owner Sir Robert Ogden stated on Monday morning.

International Soccer – French National team still a disappointment

Laurent Blanc

If you have to take a look at the biggest losers from South Africa World Cup 2010, the French must have to be among the top three, if we cut some slack. Now if we are bit more critic about what the French were expected to do, and what they finally did, they were by far the most disappointing team out there, not only for their poor performance in the field but also because of what happened behind the cameras in the locker rooms.

France had to return to the basics and rebuild its team from scratch. But the fall of French football is far from over, as most Les Blues could testify after their 1-0 loss against Belarus in their opening game for the Euro 2012 Championship qualifier stage. Oh, and by the way, the French were playing before 72,000 fans that had filled the Stade de France in Saint Denis.

Sergei Kislyac was the men who opened up the French defense like a knife into butter and took a good shot against the French keeper who could not do much to keep the ball from entering the right top corner of his goal. Vyacheslav Hleb skillfully managed to make a lot of trouble in the right side of the penalty box. He held control of the ball for a couple of valuable seconds, made a quick move from the outside to face the goal. He could have taken a shot against French keeper Hugo Loris, but instead send the ball back to Kislyac who fired from a distance to finish off the French squad with little over 4 minutes left in the game.

And it was there. The odds were certainly on the side of the French. But considering how they have been playing lately, considering that despite the change from Raymond Domenech to that of Laurent Blanc on the helm, it seem very plausible that despite the new skipper, the French boat was still vulnerable and very capable of sinking. And so it did.

The French Soccer Federation really has to take a look at what is going on with its players. Not only have their men not lived up to the standards, not to say the expectations; they even went to strike on a training session. Yes, that is right, they made a strike. We are talking about players who in the lowest-end of spectrum make over a million dollars of net income per year.

But it keeps getting better. Not only did they had their own little strike, this is a team that has not won a game in the South Africa 2010 World Cup, but they failed to make it pass on the first round of the Euro 2008, where, they did not win a single game either. Now, those guys really need to have some courage to go out there and go on strike.

Laurent Blanc has now a very difficult road in front of him. He has to change the mentality of the group; he has to deal with a team with many big names but no sense of unity. The French team is in crisis. And they better figure out a good plan before they go out to face Bosnia on Thursday.

Laurent Blanc had urged his players to sign the national anthem. He even gave out copies with the lyrics so that his players could sign along. He is got to do much more then just get his men singing.