Route One's Daily Football News Round-Up - 8/10/2012

We find the latest football news stories making the headlines, so you don’t have to.

Pic Courtesy of Team Talk

Two moments of controversy this weekend has prompted two managers to call on the FA to act swiftly and decisively.

Alan Pardew believes that Robin Van Persie should be punished for seemingly elbowing Yohan Cabaye during his side’s 3-0 defeat to the Red Devils. The incident was missed by referee Howard Webb.

He said: "He [Van Persie] has looked at Yohan and he has elbowed him. I think that perhaps needs to be looked at, if I am honest.”

Meanwhile, Tony Pulis wants the FA to have a look at Luis Suarez’s ‘light footed’ performance against his team yesterday.

The Stoke boss believes the Uruguayan went to ground far too easily in the goalless draw at Anfield.

"I've been on about and banging the drum about people who fall over," Pulis remarked. "It's an embarrassment. The FA should be looking at this."

The FA is set to take action against Ashley Cole however, following the Chelsea man’s vitriolic tweet from Friday.

The England left back called the Association “a bunch of t****” in the wake of the full report of the John Terry race trial, in which the validity of Cole’s evidence is questioned.

The 31-year-old is still set to link up with the England squad for training later today.

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo both scored twice as the spoils were shared in the first ‘El Clasico’ of the campaign.

A typically frenetic game ended 2-2, with Ronaldo’s brace finishing off a remarkable week during which he has found the net eight times in just three games.

Route One's Daily Football News Round-Up - 25/9/2012

We find the latest football news stories making the headlines, so you don’t have to. 

Photo Courtesy of the Belfast Telegraph

As the fall-out from Manchester United’s feisty 2-1 win at Liverpool on Sunday continues, it has emerged that referee Mark Halsey has complained to Police about the disgraceful tweets sent to him after the match.

Some of the messages referred to Halsey’s treatment for throat cancer in 2009. "I can confirm that my family have made a complaint to the police," he told BBC Sport.

The 51-year-old had sent Jonjo Shelvey off and given United a debatable penalty in the battle at Anfield.

Glen Johnson meanwhile has accused Antonio Valencia of ‘cheating’ to win that controversial penalty, which Robin Van Persie converted.

“It wasn’t a penalty. I didn’t touch him. I collided with Pepe (Reina) and I didn’t touch Valencia at all,” the England defender said.

“It’s cheating and that’s what people call it. Reputations go in front of people at times and because Valencia is not someone who is known as a diver, he gets the decision.”

To make matters worse at Liverpool, their injury problems continued with the news that defender Martin Kelly is set to miss the next six months with a cruciate ligament injury.

The 22-year-old joins Fabio Borini, Daniel Agger on the sidelines, with Shelvey set to miss three games as well through suspension.

In other news, Theo Walcott has hit out at critics branding his refusal to sign a new contract at Arsenal as ‘money related’.

The England man has stated that his concerns are motivated by a desire to play as a striker, not as a winger as he is usually deployed by Arsene Wenger.

"I've been judged, with people saying it's all about money. It's never been that with me," Walcott stated.

"Playing up front is important. It's one of the main factors for me." 

In the Monday night Championship action, Huddersfield Town toppled Blackpool 3-1, with goals courtesy of Lee Novak, James Vaughan and Oliver Norwood, to move above the Seasiders into second in the table.

And finally, Everton have taken former Aston Villa and West Ham midfielder Thomas Hitzlsperger on trial.

The German, famed for his powerful left foot, is a free agent after leaving Wolfsburg in the Summer.

Route One's Daily Football News Round-Up - 6/9/2012

Enjoy our quick round-up of the football news stories making waves across the globe.

In a ‘sensational’ interview Bacary Sagna has slammed Arsenal’s transfer policy.

The 29-year-old told French paper L’Equipe that he was “surprised” by Alex Song’s exit from the club. This followed the sale of Robin Van Persie to rivals Manchester United earlier in the summer.

"When you see your two best players from last season leave, you ask yourself questions." The defender mused.

Following yesterday’s EXCLUSIVE BOMBSHELL from the Sun newspaper that Neymar was approached by United on Transfer Deadline Day, they’ve followed it with this little gem.

Apparently Ashley Cole is ready to ‘walk out’ on Chelsea unless they offer him more than a one-year contract extension.

The England man is in the final year of his contract, and it is the London club’s policy to only give 12-month deals to players over 30. 

The newspaper failed to mention however that the 31-year-old is the best left back on Planet Earth, and would never be allowed to leave for nothing. Whoopsie.

Whilst Cole ponders his future whilst reclining on the England treatment table, he will be joined by Adam Johnson – who has been ruled out of his country’s game against Moldova with a thigh injury.

Meanwhile, back in London, Florent Malouda will be made to see out the final year of his contract training with Chelsea’s youth team, after falling out with boss Roberto Di Matteo.

The Frenchman revealed via Twitter that he had been banished, after failing to secure a move elsewhere during the summer.

An incredible show of Italian pettiness next, as Fiorentina demand that their summer transfer target Dimitar Berbatov pays the club back for the flights they paid to get the Bulgarian there.

The Italian club are furious that the Berbatov pulled the plug on a proposed move at the eleventh hour, and have invoiced his agent for two airline tickets and other expenses.

And finally, it has been claimed that the ‘Greatest Player in the World™’ is too fat for Serie A!

New Juventus signing Niklas Bendtner has been tucking into spaghetti & meatballs too readily for the liking of the club’s coaching staff, and he has been placed on a strict diet and exercise regime.

The 24-year-old has missed a bulk of pre-season training, but luckily for him stripes are said to be slimming....

Here at Route One we try to keep you abreast of all the latest football news around the globe, so keep your peepers peeled.

What Have We Learnt From the Opening Round of Premier League Games?

So the first week of the football season brought thrills, spills and plenty of goals. We're looking forward to the next 37 now!

It may be early days of course, but here's what we have learnt so far about how the campaign looks set to shape up:

Norwich are bang in trouble

Not that we enjoy being the harbingers of doom, but we did feel that the Canaries would struggle this term. They had a great season last time round, but much of that can be attributed to the now departed Paul Lambert. 

Similarly, it is hard to see Grant Holt having the same forceful impact as he did last campaign. Fulham may have looked lively, but in truth Norwich were ripped to shreds by a side tipped for mid-table obscurity. Expect a tricky nine months for Chris Hughton’s boys. 

Swansea are ready to surprise their critics

Here at Route One we – amongst many others – tipped the Swans to struggle. They’d lost their charismatic leader and brought in a managerial unknown in Michael Laudrup. QPR, their opponents, had invested heavily in new players during the summer. There was only one outcome, surely?

A 5-0 drubbing later, and the Swans were singing in the valleys well into the night. New Spanish sensation Michu scored twice and also hit the woodwork, and the platform for the beautiful game that Brendan Rodgers had put into place was well and truly continued at Loftus Road.

Liverpool and Arsenal are both works in progress

You couldn’t accuse either Arsene Wenger or Brendan Rodgers of putting their respective feet up this summer and taking it easy. The Frenchman may have lost his prized possession in Robin Van Persie, and the improving Alex Song by the looks of things, but he hasn’t rested on his laurels. He’s brought in Podolski, Giroud and Santi Cazorla, who put in a really eye-catching display in Saturday’s goalless draw with Sunderland.

Rodgers, on the other hand, has been tasked with reintroducing the silky football he developed at Swansea to the Anfield faithful, who have had to sit through the more ‘direct’ approach employed by ‘King’ Kenny Dalglish. 

And following the Reds’ 3-0 spanking at the hands of WBA, we have to surmise that this is very much a long-term project, rather than an overnight fix.

QPR need to bolster their defence. And fast

The transfer window slams shut in around 11 days time, and it will be painfully obvious to Mark Hughes, his coaching staff, the Loftus Road faithful and the players themselves that defensive reinforcements are required. Messrs Ferdinand, Onouha, Fabio and Hill were torn apart by the pace and trickery of Wayne Routledge and Nathan Dyer, as well as the midfield guile of Michu. 

The Hoops have brought in Jose ‘Eyebrow’ Bosingwa, but expect more to follow if Hughes’s men are to meet their pre-season expectations.

Hazard lights up Chelsea

A £32 million price tag would put a lot of pressure on most 21-year-olds, but it seemed on Saturday that young Eden has taken it in his stride. Despite an indifferent Community Shield the week before, Hazard lit up the DW Stadium with his inventive attacking play. 

We also got a glimpse of Oscar, and there was enough on show to suggest Chelsea could be right in the title race until Christmas at least.

Southampton aren’t just here to make up the numbers

The Man City and Southampton encounter on Sunday was a real crowd pleaser. Plenty of goals, plenty of endeavour and plenty of fancy footwork. And most notably – it wasn’t all from the team in light blue.

Nigel Adkins made a couple of bold decisions – leaving last season’s top scorer Rickie Lambert being the chief one – but what the Saints turned in was a gutsy, flowing performance that suggests they’ll be a handful for plenty of sides this season.

Same old, same old for Man City

And City did what City do well – get the three points when their backs are against the wall. Going 2-1 down to the Saints wasn’t on the agenda, but they did what all good champions do – fight back and get what turned out to be an unlikely victory. The injury to Sergio Aguero aside, things look ominous for the rest of the Premier League this season.

And what about Manchester United? They will be absolutely desperate to get one of their centre halves fit again, after witnessing Michael Carrick getting demolished by Marouane Fellaini in the air for Everton’s winner. And can they get at least two of Robin Van Persie, Wayne Rooney and Danny Welbeck into the same starting line-up? Only time will tell...

Whatever happens, stay tuned to Route One for all of the latest football betting banter, tips and news. 

The Weekend Preview – Value Bets in the Premier League and Beyond (Part 2)

*All odds courtesy of William Hill and Sporting Bet*

Saturday, August 18 (Kick Off 3PM)

West Ham v Aston Villa

This one has got draw written all over it, hasn’t it? Two sides who will huff and puff yet ultimately be unable to break the other down. West Ham under Big Sam will be especially cagey at home, and Villa - in our opinion - lack that bit of creativity to unlock the door. 

The Verdict: When Darren Bent is playing there is always the chance of a goal or two, but this looks like a low scoring bore draw to us. This is why the 11/5 on offer from William Hill for the draw really appeals. As does Sporting Bet’s ‘Draw – Under 3.5 Goals’ at 100/300, which is basically a really easy way to treble your money. Lump on.

Saturday, August 18 (Kick Off 5:30PM)

Newcastle v Tottenham

This is a cracking fixture to begin ESPN’s televised Premier League season. Newcastle will be looking to build on their fantastic last campaign, and will be looking to their African duo Demba Ba and Papiss Cisse to bother scoreboards across the country if they are to replicate that.

Spurs on the other hand have a new commander in Andres Villas-Boas, who will be determined to put his Chelsea nightmare behind him. His biggest headache will be a lack of striking options, although you can expect one or indeed both of Rafa Van Der Vaart and Gylfi Sigurdsson to cause mischief between the Magpies’ rigid defence and midfield.

The Verdict: Without wanting to get too technical, here at Route One we can see AVB’s favoured 4-2-3-1 formation causing havoc with Alan Pardew’s traditional 4-4-2 set-up. Expect RVDV to slide a pass through to Jermain Defoe at some point for the pint sized marksman to slot home (12/5, SB).

Sunday, August 19 (Kick Off 1:30PM)

Wigan v Chelsea

The Latics enjoyed a cracking run towards the tail-end of last season, and they wouldn’t have wanted the season to end. That will count for nothing against Roberto Di Matteo’s ‘Champions of Europe’ however.

To their credit, Roberto Martinez’s men will try and play their football, but that will play right into Chelsea’s hands. Buoyed by the marquee signings of Eden Hazard and Oscar, and the rejuvenated figure of Fernando Torres, the Blues look a dangerous outfit.

The Verdict: Torres is 4/1 with William Hill to score two or more, which we like very much, and Chelsea are 11/5 to win both halves with Sporting Bet. Both are very appealing.

Sunday, August 19 (Kick Off 4PM)

Man City v Southampton

Following their dramatic, last gasp crowning as champions last campaign, we expect the blue half of Manchester to continue to go from strength to strength. A full season of Sergio Aguero and Carlos Tevez playing together – with Super Mario waiting in the wings – is a mouth watering prospect.

Much will depend on how Rickie Lambert takes to life in the Premiership as to how Southampton will perform. If he’s more Grant Holt than Connor Sammon, then they’ve got an outside chance of survival. But come what may, Nigel Adkins’ men will be well organised, compact and difficult to beat. But as opening day assignments go, they don’t come much trickier.

The Verdict: Don’t touch any goals coupons here – this could be close or an absolute rout. Either way, Citeh will win – so let’s hedge our bets and make it 2-0 (6/1, WH).

Monday, August 20th (Kick Off 8PM)

Everton v Man Utd

Perhaps the most eagerly awaited fixture of the opening weekend this. Robin Van Persie’s signing has captured the headlines, but keep an eye on Shinji Kagawa’s performance if he starts. This lad comes bearing rave reviews. How Sir Alex incorporates RVP, Wayne Rooney and possibly Danny Welbeck into the same front-line will also come under scrutiny too.

David Moyes’ men may have lost Jack Rodwell and Tim Cahill, but they are made of stern stuff and have a decent record against the Red Devils by all accounts – remember the 4-4 draw at Old Trafford last season?

The Verdict: A bit of a bloodthirsty one we reckon, we can anticipate Everton taking the lead in this one – especially with Man Utd’s defensive frailties. Expect their dominance to eventually overcome the Toffees though. William Hill’s ‘First Goal Wincast’ of Nikica Jelavic to score first but United to win weighs in at 19/2, and that is our best value find.

The Route One Home Banker Treble

We are backing Fulham (Norwich), Fleetwood (Torquay) and Plymouth (Aldershot). A £10 stake returns £85.

The Route One Away Day Treble

We are backing Chelsea (at Wigan), Middlesborough (at Barnsley) and Coventry (at Yeovil). A £10 stake returns £90.

Good luck! And let us know how your weekend lays go.

Place Your Bets! A Few Cheeky Predictions for the Premier League 2012/13 (Part Two)

Here is our guide to the Premier League runners and riders for a top four finish, top goalscorer and first managerial sacking, plus a little Route One special.

Top 4 Finish

The top four can be purged from six in our opinion. Both Manchester clubs are in, Chelsea are in, and then it’s a North London showdown between Spurs and Arsenal for the coveted fourth spot.

It’s a tough one to call – at Tottenham you’ve got a good, solid squad, with a new gaffer in charge in the form of Andres Villas-Boas, who will be desperate to prove his doubters wrong. Unfortunately, at the time of writing, he has only one recognised striker on the books in Jermain Defoe, so he needs to get the cheque book out one would suggest.

The Gooners, on the other hand, are - for the first time in a long time – blessed with an armoury of attacking talent.  Alongside Robin Van Persie should he stay, are new signings Lukas Podolski – who tends to score regularly for club and country, plus Oliver Giroud, the latest addition to Arsene Wenger’s French battalion. Add in to the mix the explosive talents of Santi Cazorla, and for once Arsene has spent – and spent well.

The Verdict: For fans of a bit of value, Spurs are 2/1 with William Hill. But for purveyors of the smart money, pop down to Paddy Power for a quick lay on Arsenal (10/11).

Top Goalscorer

This coupon is always worth a cheeky punt on – with such an open field there really is some great value to be had. A lot may centre around RVP’s final destination – should he stay at Arsenal, he will be surrounded by a new wave of creative talent (Cazorla, Podolski etc), so expect another prolific season from the 10/1 priced Dutchman.

Another name in the frame could well be Fernando Torres (10/1, Ladbrokes). The Spaniard is set to start the season as Chelsea’s main man, following the departure of Didier Drogba. So expect him to be the spearhead in Roberto Di Matteo’s preferred 4-2-3-1 formation. With the likes of Juan Mata, Frank Lampard, Ramires and Sturridge around, this could well be the season that El Nino rediscovers his goal-den touch (boom boom).

Two others that are certainly worth a cheeky fiver are Papiss Cisse (20/1, William Hill) and Jermain Defoe (40/1, Paddy Power). Newcastle’s Ivorian loved his first season in the Premier League, banging in goals left, right and centre. Goalscoring looks so natural to Cisse that  it would be hard to see him fall foul of the dreaded Second Season Syndrome.

Defoe, on the other hand, will benefit from a change in guv’nor at White Hart Lane. Harry Redknapp obviously didn’t fancy the pint sized marksmen, but with Emmanuel Adebayor returning to his parent club Man City and Louis Saha being released, Defoe finds himself as automatic first choice unless new signings are made. His goal scoring record has never been in doubt, so expect some net busting from the wee man.

First Managerial Sacking

As ever, the vultures will start circling around October time, so it’s crucial that results keep those pesky birds of prey at bay.

Expect the spotlight to fall on two novices of Premier League management: Michael Laudrup and Steve Clarke. Laudrup has had a mixed career in management as it is, but replacing Brendan Rodgers is a massive task. He will continue the Swans’ passing philosophy - which is to his credit – but Swansea will be missing the goals of Gylfi Sigurdsson and quite the guile of Joe Allen. A few disastrous early results and the great Dane could be joining the queue down the Job Centre.

His appointment at West Bromwich Albion is Clarke’s first as a manager, although he does boast an enviable reputation as an exceptional coach following stints at Chelsea and Liverpool. That will count for nothing though as he looks to maintain the decent job performed by Roy Hodgson. Another one who will be looking over his shoulder if the Baggies endure a tough autumn...

A bet of real value could be Roberto Di Matteo being the first to get his marching orders. This sounds madness in the light of his achievements of last campaign, but his employer is renowned for his lack of patience, and there is a theory known as the ‘Caretaker Effect’. This concept revolves around the notion that nine times out of ten the good work performed by a caretaker gaffer will often come undone when they are given the gig on a permanent basis.

The Verdict: It’s a bit of a long shot, but pop down your local bookies or scout around online for odds on Roberto Di Matteo to be the first managerial sacking of the season – especially with Harry Redknapp currently signing on and looking for work.

Route One Special:  QPR for a top ten finish (9/4, William Hill). Just wait and see.

Place Your Bets! A Few Cheeky Predictions for the Premier League 2012/13 (Part One)

The 2012/13 football season is just a few weeks away now, with pre-season in full swing. This is historically the time of the year when experts and armchair pundits alike make their big predictions for the year ahead, and at Route One we’re no different. 

We’ve had a quick scout around the leading bookmakers and tried to snoop out some tasty morsels of value. Here’s what we found: 

Champions

To be honest, we can’t really see any surprises here. Following last season's thrill ride, culminating in one of the greatest last day's of drama in memory (Paul Merson on Soccer Sunday clearly agreed), it looks to be a two horse race once again, with the Manchester sides dominant. The bookmakers agree – with the best price for Man City to be had at William Hill (6/5), and pop down to Ladbrokes for 5/2 on Man United.

Neither club has made any ‘marquee’ signings as yet, although there is a few weeks of course before the transfer window slams shut. RVP to Man Utd? The jury is still out on that one. 

But Sir Alex Ferguson’s signing of Shinji Kagawa looks a shrewd one, although there are still a few question marks over the goalkeeping position and the centre back pairing, with Rio Ferdinand not getting any younger, Nemanja Vidic recovering from a long-term injury and Jonny Evans not really up to scratch as yet.

The blue half of Manchester has yet to see any new faces arrive, or any of the existing ones leave – in stark contrast to this time last season. The popular money is on Edin Dzeko to depart however, but with Carlos Tevez seemingly back in the fold the Bosnian’s presence won’t be missed.

The Verdict: A lot will surely depend on any transfer dealings that occur in the next few weeks. But as things stand we think it will be a Blue Moon come next May, with City retaining their crown.

Relegation

The relegation battle is always keenly contested, and it’s usually the three promoted teams who come under the closest scrutiny. It’s fair to say that Southampton, Reading and West Ham will all be flirting with the dreaded trapdoor, but at Route One we can foresee a mix of sensible management and some gritty performances keeping that triumvirate safe.

For us, the value is with three existing clubs who may struggle for similar reasons. It would be a big shock to many if Roberto Martinez saw out another season at Wigan (7/4, Coral), as a promising young manager who likes his teams to play the game the right way. For a side that has barely squeaked home these last two seasons, that could be catastrophic.

Two of the neutral spectator’s favourite team’s have both lost their respective managers in the close season - Norwich and Swansea. In the case of the Canaries, Chris Hughton has come in. A bright young manager without doubt, but one with a mixed Premier League pedigree. Take the 5/4 offered by William Hill.

Down Swansea way, in comes Michael Laudrup – a superb player in his day, but one that lacks crucial top flight management experience. Add into the mix the dreaded ‘second season syndrome’, and at around 2/1 punters have got good value on one or t’other packing their bags and departing the promised land.

Keep your eyes peeled for Part Two of this piece, where we'll have a look at the latest odds for Top Four Finish, Top Goalscorer, First Manager Sacked and a little Route One Special for y'all.