08-03-2011 Bets of the day

Match Odds: Barcelona 1.33, Draw 5.50, Arsenal, 9.0

Match Odds: Shakhtar Donetsk 1.95, Draw 3.60, Roma 3.75

1) Barcelona to win the first-half @ 1.57

Trailing 2-1 from the first leg the Blaugrana need to get a move on and fast. Since that defeat Barca have won four from four while the Gunners have endured a stinker, losing a cup final and drawing against Sunderland at the weekend.

Last season the Catalans ran riot in the first half in the identical fixture and were 3-1 up by the half-time break. A repeat of that is priced at 34.0 and you can back Barcelona to win the first 15 minutes at 3.75. On a conservative note opting for Barcelona to be in the lead at half-time at a shorter 1.57 looks the sensible option. Expect the favourites to give Arsenal a chasing in the opening 45 minutes. Barca to win both halves is 2.37.

2) David Villa to score anytime @ 1.91

Lots of money has been placed on Leo Messi who is a very short, and we're not referring to his height, 1.57 to score in the 90 minutes. David Villa looked sharp at the Emirates and is clinical enough to punish Arsenal just as he did in the first leg. At 1.91 he is better value too and you can back the Spanish striker at 4.50 to grab the opener like in the first match.

3) Shakhtar Donetsk to win @ 1.95

Bookies get it wrong. Frequently so. If they didn't the gambling industry wouldn't exist. Take for example the lines on Shakhtar to win in Rome (3.75) and the subsequent 3-2 away win set the wheels in motion for Claudio Ranieri to leave the Giallorossi.

Since then Roma have switched managers and results have improved but it's doubtful that will continue in Donetsk. As has been well documented the hosts have a frightening home record and are not going to surrender it to an out of sorts Roma unit.

Back Shakhtar to win at 1.95 and quite frankly get in on them on a -1 handicap @ 3.50. Roma can anticipate a caning.

4) Shakhtar to win from behind @ 8.50

Okay, so this one is just for kicks. Roma are the masters of blowing leads as evidenced in the first-leg against Shakhtar where they were 1-0 up only to surrender 3-2. They've done this repeatedly including Ranieri's final game, 3-0 up against Genoa to a 4-3 loss. Frankly, you wouldn't want Roma as your dancing partner as they can't lead. It wouldn't be a huge shock if Vincenzo Montella's team went in front and it certainly wouldn't be if they blew another advantage...again. Small stakes only.

5) Double on Barcelona & Shakhtar Donetsk to win @ 2.60

In the words of Steve Bull this is our Billy Boring bet. Yes, we are backing the favourites to both win in 90 minutes. At rather better than even money Barcelona and Shakhtar should get the job done and secure their passage into the quarter-finals.

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08.03. (Tue) 20:45 Barcelona - Arsenal

DID YOU KNOW?

* Barcelona were unbeaten in their first five Champions League meetings with Arsenal, drawing two and winning three - including the 2006 final and last season's quarter-final second leg, when a 4-1 win secured a 6-3 aggregate victory.

* This season they won each of their three home fixtures in Group D, beating Panathinaikos (5-1), Copenhagen (2-0) and Rubin Kazan (2-0), topping their section for the fourth consecutive year and qualifying from the initial group stage for the ninth successive campaign in which they've taken part.

* Barcelona have won 11 ties in Uefa competitions after losing the first leg away from home – but they've lost the other 12, including last season's Champions League semi-final, when a 1-0 victory over Inter at the Nou Camp wasn't good enough to overturn a 3-1 first-leg defeat in Milan.

* On Saturday Barcelona's 1-0 home win over Zaragoza in La Liga not only maintained their seven-point lead over Real Madrid at the top of the table, it also extended their unbeaten home run in all competitions to 20 matches.

* Pep Guardiola's side are without first-choice centre-backs Carles Puyol (injured) and Gerard Pique (suspended) for the Arsenal clash, but in Lionel Messi they boast a player with 46 goals from 44 games for club and country so far this season. The Argentine also netted all four Barca goals when Arsenal were the visitors last season.

* Arsenal have qualified for the Champions League in each of the last 13 seasons. This is the 11th successive time they have progressed beyond the initial group stage, and in four of the last five campaigns they've reached at least the quarter-finals.

* The Gunners have won the first leg at home on 15 occasions in Uefa competitions, going on to win the tie on aggregate no fewer than 14 times. Their one defeat - in the 2000-01 Champions League quarter-finals - was against La Liga opposition, a 2-1 home win over Valencia being followed by a 1-0 defeat in Spain and elimination on away goals.

* Arsenal were joint-top scorers in this season's Champions League group stage with 18 goals - the same number as their arch-rivals Tottenham Hotspur.

* Arsenal's first leg victory over Barca was their 99th win in their 200th match in Uefa competitions, and Andrey Arshavin's winner their 197th Champions League goal.

* Unbeaten in their last four away games in all competitions, Arsenal stretched their unbeaten Premier League run to 11 matches (seven wins, four draws) at the weekend with a 0-0 home draw against Sunderland, maintaining their record of not conceding in the opening 15 minutes of any Premier League game this season.

LAST MEETING
February 16, 2011: Arsenal 2-1 Barcelona

The Gunners earned a stunning first ever victory over Barca, showing resilience and verve at the Emirates to bounce back from the visitors' mesmeric passing game and David Villa’s first-half goal which looked for a long time to have settled the issue.

Wojciech Szczesny pulled off some impressive saves to ensure a comeback remained within the realms of possibility, before late goals from Robin van Persie (78th minute) and substitute Andrey Arshavin (83rd) duly secured a valuable first-leg lead.

PROBABLE LINE-UPS

Barcelona: Valdes; Dani Alves, Milito, Abidal, Maxwell; Xavi, Sergio Busquets, Iniesta; Villa, Messi, Pedro.

Arsenal: Szczesny; Sagna, Koscielny, Djourou, Clichy; Diaby, Wilshere; Nasri, Fabregas, Arshavin; Bendtner.

Prediction

While both sides have key players missing, Camp Nou is a difficult place to grind out a win - and Arsenal are sure to find that out.

Barca's makeshift backline may be open to attack, but with the hosts sure to dominate possession on home soil, the Gunners won't be able to play football the way they normally do, and coping the wave upon wave of Blaugrana attacks should prove too much for the visitors.

Barcelona 3-1 Arsenal

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08.03. (Tue) 20:45 Shakhtar - Roma

DID YOU KNOW?

* Shakhtar scored three goals in a 13-minute span in the first leg in Rome.

* The Miners have never lost at the Donbass Arena since it opened in 2009.

* Oleksandr Kucher will miss the match with a knee injury.

* Roma have not lost a match since Vincenzo Montella replaced Claudio Ranieri two weeks ago.

* Marco Cassetti and Jeremy Menez are suspended for the second leg in Ukraine.

* The Giallorossi needed a last minute penalty to down Lecce last Friday.

LAST MEETING

February 16, 2011: Roma 2-3 Shakhtar Donetsk

Roma jumped out to an early lead thanks to a Razvan Rat own goal before Shakhtar stormed back with a triple salvo during a 13-minute span in the first half. Jeremy Menez cut the deficit in half with a goal in the second session but it was too little, too late for the Lupi.

PROBABLE LINE-UPS

Shakhtar: Pyatov; Srna, Chygrynskiy, Rakytskiy, Rat; Hubschman, Mkhitaryan; Douglas Costa, Jadson, Willian; Luiz Adriano

Roma: Doni; N. Burdisso, Juan, Mexes, Riise; Pizarro, De Rossi, Taddei, Perrotta, Vucinic; Totti

Prediction

The Donbass Arena is a fortress where Shakhtar have won their last 18 competitive matches and Roma don't have the collective strength to break the Miners' impressive streak. The hosts play the Lupi off the park on Tuesday night.

Shakhtar 3-1 Roma

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Championship Opta Facts - 8 March

Barnsley v Scunthorpe

* Scunthorpe are unbeaten in their last five matches against the Tykes.
* Only four of the 27 league meetings between Scunthorpe and Barnsley have ended in a draw; but three of these have come in their last four games against one another.
* Barnsley have conceded more goals in the final 15 minutes of league games this season (17) than any other side.
* Scunthorpe have conceded a league-high 10 goals in the opening 10 minutes of Championship matches this season.

Bristol City v Portsmouth

* Portsmouth have won just once in their last nine league games against Bristol City.
* Just two of the last 11 encounters between these two clubs have seen the home side win.
* Portsmouth have scored a league-low two goals in the opening 15 minutes of Championship games this season.
* Bristol City have won their last three league games, with Nicky Maynard scoring in each match.
* Pompey have won six in a row. Should they win this match, it will be the best such-run in the Championship this season (seven wins).

Doncaster v Coventry

* The last six games between Doncaster and Coventry have seen just seven goals scored.
* Doncaster have won four and drawn three of their seven home games against Coventry.
* Coventry City have conceded a league-high 14 goals in the 15 mins leading up to half-time, while Doncaster have scored the most (13) in this period.
* The Sky Blues have won just two points in the Championship after falling behind this season; a league-low.


Hull v Burnley

* Burnley have won their last three games against Hull, scoring 10 goals in the process.
* Burnley have scored four goals from the penalty spot in their last three meetings with the Tigers.
* Burnley have scored 17 headed goals this season; more than any other side.
* Hull have lost just once in their last 11 league games.
* Just two of Matty Fryatt's league goals this season have come at home.

Ipswich v Reading

* Ipswich Town have lost just one of their last eight home games against the Royals.
* Just one of the last seven meetings between these two sides have ended in a draw.
* Paul Jewell's side have scored 13 goals in the 15 minutes after half-time in the league this term; more than any other side.
* Reading have drawn three of their last four league games away from home, losing the other.

Leicester v Norwich

* Five of the last six meetings between these two sides have seen at least three goals scored.
* Both of the last two matches between the Foxes and Norwich have seen the away side reduced to 10 men.
* 31 of Norwich's goals have come in the final half hour of games this season (56%) - a league-high.
* After going eight league games without defeat, Leicester City have collected just one point from their last three games in the Championship.

Middlesbrough v Derby

* Just one of the last eight games between these two teams has ended in a draw.
* Middlesbrough have won their last four home games against Derby County.
* Tony Mowbray's side have conceded 15 goals in their last five games; an average of three a match.
* Derby County have scored just four goals in their last 11 league games.

Millwall v QPR

* The last six London derbies between these two sides have seen just six goals scored.
* Millwall have won just one of their last seven home games against QPR.
* QPR have netted 18 goals in the final 15 minutes of Championship matches this season; a league-high.
* Millwall have not won in five league games, collecting just two points in the process.

Preston v Leeds

* The meeting between these two sides earlier this season ended 6-4 in favour of Preston; who in turn became the first away team to score six at Elland Road.
* The last three games between Leeds and Preston have seen 18 goals scored.
* Preston have lost 30 points from leading positions this season; more than any other side in the Championship.
* Leeds have suffered just one defeat in their last nine league games.

Sheffield United v Nottingham Forest

* The last five games between these two sides have seen just four goals scored.
* The last three meetings between these two teams at Bramall Lane have ended in a draw, with three red cards handed out in those matches.
* Sheffield United have conceded the first goal in a league-high 22 games this season in the Championship.
* Sheffield United have won just three points under Micky Adams in the 11 games that he has taken charge.

Swansea v Watford

* Watford have won just one of their last five league games against the Swans.
* Brendan Rodgers have won all three of his games against former clubs (Watford & Reading) this season.
* The Hornets have scored 31 goals in the first half of games this season; more than any other side in the Championship.
* Swansea have conceded just one goal in their last 397 minutes of Championship football.

Crystal Palace v Cardiff

* Five of the last eight meetings between these two sides have ended in a draw.
* Palace have lost three of their last four home games against Cardiff, scoring just two goals in the process.
* Cardiff City have scored the first goal in 21 games this season; more than any other side in the Championship.
* Crystal Palace have conceded just three goals in their last 848 minutes of league football at Selhurst Park.

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07-03-2011 21:00 Blackpool - Chelsea

DID YOU KNOW?

* Blackpool have spent 100 consecutive seasons in the Football League, but this is their first season in the Premier League.

* They have won only one of their last eight league matches.

* The Seasiders have lost their last four games on the road, conceding 13 goals in the process.

* Ian Holloway's men have the worst defensive record in the top flight, as they have conceded 55 goals to date - more than any other club in the Premier League.

* The home side are currently placed 15th in the league, with 32 points so far. This is only two points more than 18th placed Birmingham City.

* Chelsea have conceded only 23 goals so far, which is the lowest in the top-flight.

* The Blues score 1.78 goals per game, but this drops on their travels as they score 1.57 goals-per-game away from home. Going by numbers, they are the third most potent attacking force in the top-flight.

* Carlo Ancelotti’s charges have kept 12 clean sheets so far in the Premier League, which is the most by any team. Manchester City remain on par with the Blues in this statistic.

* Didier Drogba is the club’s top scorer in the league, with 10 goals to his name. Florent Malouda has scored nine, and so has Fernando Torres. But the Spaniard’s exploits were all at his former club Liverpool, and he is still waiting to break his goal scoring duck at Chelsea.

LAST MEETING
September 19, 2010: Chelsea 4-0 Blackpool

Chelsea cruised to an easy victory as Salomon Kalou and Didier Drogba scored one each, while Florent Malouda bagged a brace on the day. At the time, the west London outfit were protecting an unbeaten record in the league. But they went on to lose the very next game, a 1-0 defeat to Manchester City at Eastlands.

PROBABLE LINE-UPS

Blackpool (4-3-3): Kingson; Eardley, Evatt, Cathcart, Baptiste; Vaughan, Sylvestre, Southern; Varney, Beattie, Kornilenko.

Chelsea (4-3-3): Cech; Luiz, Ivanovic, Terry, Cole; Ramires, Essien, Lampard; Torres, Anelka, Malouda.

Prediction

Chelsea are much stronger than Blackpool, and should have no significant trouble easing past their opponents.

Blackpool 0-2 Chelsea

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