by ·Comments Off on Sunderland vs Leeds United – Match Preview
Sunderland vs Leeds United - Match Preview

Sunderland vs Leeds United – Match Preview – Championship action returns with Leeds travelling to Sunderland for their fourth fixture of the season. Both sides have started relatively well, occupying sixth and seventh place in the table both on five points. The ‘Blackcats’ and the ‘Peacocks’ will both be aiming for high finishes in the Championship this season so this game is of huge importance in their efforts to beat potential promotion candidates.

The hosts have shown some fighting spirit following an embarrassing previous season in the Premier League; finishing bottom of the table. Three tough fixtures to begin their Championship season has not fazed the northerners too much, most recently drawing away to Sheffield Wednesday.

Lewis Grabban has hit the ground running since his move to the Black Cats Photo Credit: skysports.com

New signing, Lewis Grabban has hit the ground running in red and white with a brace away at Carrow Road. Grabban must fill the boots of England legend, Jermaine Defoe, who transferred to Bournemouth in the summer and has begun his boot-filling process impressively. The Leeds defence have remained solid so far but Grabbans’ pace could cause havoc.

Skybet Anytime Goalscorer – Lewis Grabban to score a Brace – 7/1

Manager, Simon Grayson, has installed an attacking style of play that the Stadium of Light hasn’t seen for years. Frustrated with wasted chances away to Sheffield Wednesday, Grayson would have put the strike force through their paces in training to assure a more clinical Sunderland takes the field this Saturday. Can Sunderland capitalise on chances this time around?

Skybet Correct Score Group Betting – Sunderland to Win 1-0, 2-0 or 2-1 – 2/1

Leeds have had an unexciting start to their Championship campaign, with two bore draws from their recent outings. After coming agonisingly close to play-offs last season, the departure of Garry Monk at the helm and arrival of Thomas Christiansen is yet to get many Leeds fans off their seats.

Samu Saiz scored a hat trick in the win over Port Vale Photo Credit: skysports.com

One arrival that has pleased the Leeds faithful is attacking player, Samu Saiz. The Spaniard scored a hat-trick in their recent Carabao Cup victory over Port Vale. The strength and pace of the forward has proved to be a useful asset to Leeds but will it come in handy this Saturday?

Skybet Anytime Goalscorer – Samu Saiz to score Anytime in 90 mins – 100/30

Christiansen will be without defender Liam Cooper for the tie, and has expressed his fear in his predicted prolonged absence. Chris Wood scored on the opening day but is yet to find the back of the net since. Can Leeds strong attacking force be too much for Sunderland?

Skybet Match Result – Leeds to Win – 12/5

 

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by ·Comments Off on La Liga 2017/2018 – Opening Day Preview
La Liga 2017/2018 - Opening Day Preview

La Liga 2017/2018 – Opening Day Preview – La Liga is back! After two enthralling Spanish Super Cup games to whet your appetite, this weekend sees the return of the Spanish league. After comfortably beating Barcelona 5-1 on aggregate to lift the Super cup, Real Madrid are favourites to retain their La Liga crown. In the preview, we take a look at the Top 4 of La Liga from last season.

 

Sunday 9.15pm – Deportivo La Coruna V Real Madrid

Lucas Vasquez was on the scoresheet when Real defeated Deportivo 6-2 last season Photo Credit: skysports.com

The reigning European and league champions kick off their campaign away from home. Madrid will be without the services of Cristiano Ronaldo after he picked up a five-match ban in the Super Cup. The Portuguese talisman has already served one of those games, so will miss Real’s opening four matches of the season.

One man however who has stepped up is Marco Asensio. The Spanish playmaker has attracted huge interest from all over Europe, with some incredible performances and goals. At the tender age of just 21, Asensio is already beginning to look like the natural heir to Ronaldo’s throne, and I expect another big season for the Madrid youngster. Coupled with the fantastic performances of Isco, and not to mention Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema, Madrid will not be short of options in attacking areas, even without Ronaldo.

Last season, Deportivo finished 16th, five points above the dreaded dotted line. They have been linked heavily with Arsenal want away striker Lucas Perez, as they look to try and bolster their attacking options. The club will be hoping to avoid the drop once again, and Perez could be key to their chances of succeeding.

Prediction: I think Madrid will have too much for Deportivo, and will win 2-0. Safest bet would be Madrid to win to nil.

 

SKYBET: MADRID TO WIN TO NIL- 5/4

SKYBET: MADRID TO WIN 1-0, 2-0 OR 2-1- 15/8

SKYBET: ASENSIO TO SCORE FIRST AND MADRID TO WIN 3-0- 25/1

SKYBET: ISCO AND BENZEMA TO BOTH SCORE- 11/4

SKYBET: BOTH TEAMS TO SCORE AND DRAW- 5/1

Sunday 7.15pm – Barcelona V Real Betis

Barcelona defeated Betis 6-2 at home last season Photo Credit: skysports.com

Barcelona start their season at home to Betis, as they look to recover from a traumatic summer window. With the huge hole left by Neymar’s departure yet to be filled, and a damaging two-legged defeat to Real Madrid still fresh, can the Catalan side recover? The club appear to have made little progress in the transfer market, with Liverpool and Dortmund still adamant that Phillipe Coutinho and Ousmane Dembele are going nowhere.

Paulinho, Gerard Deulofeu and Nelson Semedo have come through the Nou Camp doors, but with many fans feeling unimpressed by the club’s activities, there is real pressure for them to add before the window shuts. Betis will not be easy opponents, having managed to earn a 0-0 draw at the Nou Camp last season. They will be hoping to build on last year’s 15th placed finish and earn an opening day scalp against a vulnerable Barcelona side.

Prediction: Barcelona to come out 3-1 winners. Home side will be nervous but will have enough class to get the result.

 

SKYBET: BARCELONA TO WIN AND BTTS- 11/8

SKYBET: BARCELONA TO WIN 1-0, 2-0 OR 2-1- 9/4

SKYBET: MESSI TO SCORE FIRST AND BARCELONA TO WIN 3-0- 11/1

SKYBET: MESSI AND PAULINHO TO BOTH SCORE- 15/8

Saturday 7.15pm – Girona V Atletico Madrid

Atletico Madrid will hope to better last season’s performances Photo Credit: skysports.com

Atletico take on recently promoted Girona on Saturday, with the visitors hoping to build on last year’s third placed finish. Despite being under a transfer embargo, some would argue they have done the best piece of business by keeping star striker Antoine Griezmann at the club. The French striker signed a new five-year deal at the Vincente Calderon after being subject to interest from Manchester United.

Diego Simeone will be hopeful of making a surge for the La Liga title, with Barcelona currently looking vulnerable. Atletico finished 15 points behind Real Madrid in third place, and this was a result of dropping points against sides such as Girona. If they are to improve on last year, three points on Saturday is a necessity.

With two sides never previously meeting, it offers Girona a perfect opportunity to claim an early scalp in the season. They finished second last season but managed to score the most goals in their division. Having been so prolific last season, it will be interesting to see if they can translate this to the top division, or whether their attackers will find the jump too much.

Prediction: I’m going for Atletico to win, 2-1. They have a habit of making things difficult for themselves on the road and I think Girona could make life difficult for them.

 

SKYBET: GRIEZMANN TO SCORE FIRST AND MADRID TO WIN 2-1- 19/1

SKYBET: MADRID TO WIN 1-0, 2-0 OR 2-1- 5/4

SKYBET: STUANI AND GRIEZMANN TO BOTH SCORE- 6/1

SKYBET: BTTS TO SCORE OVER 2.5 GOALS- 7/4

Saturday 9.15pm – Sevilla v Espanyol

Sevilla and Espanyol could be a fiery encounter Photo Credit: skysports.com

Having been busy in the transfer market, there is a fresh sense of optimism around the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán Stadium. Ever Banega, Nolito, Jesus Navas, Simon Kjaer and Luis Muriel have all come to strengthen the squad. They have however lost Adil Rami and Vincente Iborra with both moving to Marseille and Leicester City respectively.

Espanyol themselves were impressive last year, finishing in eighth place. With limited resources available to the club, manager Quique Sanchez Flores impressed in his first year in charge. Flores also lead Watford to safety in his only year in England, with many baffled as to why the club opted to part ways with their successful head coach.

Sevilla have won four out of the last six meetings against Espanyol, although the visitors have won twice in the last three. Last season these two clubs served up 14 goals in two hugely competitive matches. These games are also fiery, with two red cards being shown in the last five matches between the sides.

Prediction: I think Sevilla will win, but it will be tough for them. Flores has shown he knows how to make his team hard to beat, but I think Sevilla will just have the edge, winning 2-1.

 

SKYBET: SEVILLA TO WIN AND MURIEL TO SCORE FIRST- 20/1

SKYBET: BTTS AND OVER 2.5 GOALS- 6/5

SKYBET: BEN YEDER AND MURIEL TO BOTH SCORE- 4/1

SKYBET: BOTH TEAMS TO SCORE IN BOTH HALVES- 14/1

 

SKYBET ACCUMULATOR: REAL, ATLETICO, BARCELONA AND SEVILLA ALL TO WIN AND BTTS: 75/1

by ·Comments Off on Horse Racing Preview – Newbury & Newmarket -18th August 2017
Horse Racing Preview - Ayr - 21st September 2017

Today’s horse racing preview comes from two meetings, with selections from Newbury and Newmarket.

 

13.40 Newbury – Don Deadman Memorial EBF Maiden Stakes (7f)

An intriguing maiden to kick off proceeding’s, it is worth probably staying around entrants that have had a previous run and this brings in two solid entries here in Richard Hannon’s Ateem and David Elsworth’s Merlin Magic.

The former ran a good fourth on debut at Salisbury when behind stablemate Move Over who won a shade cosily when beating John Gosden’s well thought of Ode to Autumn. That was in Novice company and drops in to maiden class this afternoon and has to be respected with Frankie taking over from Crowley.

However, the selection comes in David Elsworth’s colt Merlin Magic who finished third on debut at Ascot when behind Charlie Appleby’s Mythical Magic who has gone on recently to land a Listed contest in France. Both trainers have won this race in the past, Hannon in 2015 with Storm Rising who went on to win a 0-95 handicap, and Elsworth the year prior with Justice law who went on to land the Prix Le Mans.

The danger to the selection is Clive Cox’s Blue Laureate who finished third on debut at Sandown when behind Red Mist of Simon Crisford’s., however the vote just goes to the combination of De Sousa and Elsworth who partnered up to land this race back in 2014.

MERLINS MAGIC : 2pt Win @ SP (BOG)

16.20 Newbury – Big Group Insight Handicap (0-85) (5.1f)

Leading amateur apprentice Kieran Shoemark has a cracking chance to sustain his lead at the top of the table when he rides the bottom weight for Scot Dixon. Crosse Fire is still 7lb higher since winning at Pontefract off a mark of 64. That came in soft ground that day and with the rain being constant this month he could get another chance here to get into the winner’s enclosure.

The field looks over exposed in theory, at the top of the list looks to be Erissimus Maximus of Chris Dwyer, who has booked Ryan Moore to ride. Won well last time out in a 0-80 handicap at Yarmouth and has kept better company than this in the past, but with only won winning fav in the past five renewals it is worth siding each way with the selection here.

CROSSE FIRE : 2pts each way @ SP (BOG)

18.20 Newmarket – Fly London Southend Airport To Lyon EBF Novices Stakes  (8f)

Not the easiest to fathom out with most of the field having their first runs, but I would like to think that Charlie Appleby’s Distorted Humor colt, Kind Act, could go well under James Doyle. The dam Kind Words was placed in five of her eight career runs up to a mile, with the sire never winning a race even though competing at the highest level.

However, I am more interested in John Gosden’s newcomer Roaring Lion, he is by the very smart Kitten’s Joy who won over further than today’s index, and this could be a good factor to have that he is having a starting point at 8f. The dam Vionnet had just the two career runs in the US with a third-place finish in a Grade 1 over 10f.

ROARING LION : 1pt each way @ SP (BOG)

Best of Luck, Bet Responsibly

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by ·Comments Off on Burton Albion vs Birmingham City – Match Preview
Burton Albion vs Birmingham City - Match Preview

Burton Albion vs Birmingham City – Match Preview – Burton Albion host Birmingham City on Friday night in the Sky Bet Championship. With the home side yet to pick up a point this season, it already looks to be an important game for them as they look to avoid the drop.

Having already faced two of last year’s relegated sides, Middlesbrough and Hull, few will be surprised to see Burton struggling. Last year’s achievement of avoiding relegation was nothing short of a miracle, but this year it will be even harder for Nigel Clough to replicate that feet.

Can Clough gain victory over Birmingham as they did last season? Photo Credit: skysports.com

The club were dealt an early blow when new record signing Liam Boyce was ruled out for the majority of the season with knee ligament damage. With the budget at the Pirelli stadium already small, this was a huge loss for them. However, one thing Burton can seek solace from is their home form. Last year they picked up 28 points at home, which was a huge part of them staying in the division. Having lost their opening home game against Cardiff, they’ll be keen to get back to winning ways and record their first three points of the season.

Birmingham have had a mixed start to the Championship season. Now under the guidance of Harry Redknapp, the Blues have lost, won and drawn in their opening three games. Redknapp has made no bones about saying he needs more players at St Andrews, and this is clear from his limited options from the bench.

Harry Redknapp will hope for a win away from home on Friday night against Burton Photo Credit: skysports.com

After a dismal defeat on the opening day to Ipswich, four points from Bristol City and Bolton at home is far from catastrophic. Without the injured Che Adams however, they do look toothless up front, with many fans calling for the owners to bring in some much needed firepower. Adams has impressed so far this season, registering three goals in the league and cup so far. He has attracted admirers across the league, with Birmingham knocking back a bid from former manager Gary Rowett, who is now manager at Debry County.

Incredibly, these two have only met twice in the league. Both of those games were last season, where Burton won both times. This means Birmingham have never beaten Burton, a record they will hope to amend come Friday. In both game last season, the games finished 2-0 to Burton, meaning the Blues have also never scored against the Brewers.

On Friday, I can see them breaking that record, with a hard fought 1-1 draw.

 

SKYBET: CORRECT SCORE 1-1- 9/2

SKYBET: BURTON TO WIN 1-0, 2-0, OR 2-1- 5/2

SKYBET: BIRMINGHAM TO WIN AND BOTH TEAMS TO SCORE- 9/2

SKYBET: DRAW AND OVER 2.5 MATCH GOALS- 12/1

SKYBET: DONALDSON AND VASSELL TO BOTH SCORE- 17/2

SKYBET: BURTON TO WIN FROM BEHIND- 16/1

SKYBET: BURTON TO IN TO NIL- 7/2

by ·Comments Off on NFL 2017/2018 – Top 10 Quarterbacks coming into the season
NFL 2017/2018 - Top 10 Quarterbacks coming into the season

NFL 2017/2018 – Top 10 Quarterbacks coming into the season – With a new season approaching in the NFL, let’s take a look at the top Quarterbacks coming into this season, all hoping for glory at the next Superbowl!

 

  1. Tom Brady – New England Patriots

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Fresh off winning his 5th SB ring, Tom Brady is the number 1 QB going into this season. Although he just turned 40, there are no signs pointing to any downside in Brady’s game. Not to mention a healthy TE Rob Gronkowski, signing TW Dwayne Allen, along with trading for Pro Bowl caliber WR Brandin Cooks, to go along with WR Julian Elderman, one could argue that Brady has the most weapons he’s had in his career.

  1. Aaron Rodgers – Green Bay Packers

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Aaron Rodgers had an MVP caliber season last year, winning 8 straight games and giving us the highlight plays we are accustom to seeing. Although he came up short in the NFC Championship, Rodgers at 32 isn’t showing signs of slowing down including recently mentioning he wants to play until he’s 40 years old. With TE Martellus Bennett being signed to go along with WR’s Jordy Nelson, Devante Adams, and Randall Cobb, expect another highlight filled season from Rodgers.

  1. Matt Ryan – Atlanta Falcons

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Matt Ryan was the league MVP last season, leading one of the best offenses we’ve seen during the regular season. Although Ryan and the Falcons suffered a crushing loss in the SB after being ahead 28-3, the Falcons haven’t lost any key pieces to their system. Expect Julio Jones, Devonta Freeman and Terrence Coleman to contribute to Matt Ryan having another successful season.

  1. Drew Brees – New Orleans Saints

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Mr. Consistent, Drew Brees, is always a lock to be atop any QB list. No matter what’s around him, he is able to make the best out of it, and is a lock to pass for close to 5,000 yards. With the addition of RB Adrian Peterson along with Mark Ingraham, the Saints will look to establish more of a running game to take pressure off of Brees. After his breakout rookie season Brees will be relying on Michael Thomas and veteran Willie Snead to contribute to his success.

  1. Ben Roethlisberger – Pittsburg Steelers

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Roethlisberger has arguably the most explosive offense in the league, and although retirement crossed his mind in the offseason, he is returning to make another SB Run. With All Pro WR Antonio Brown, along with Pro Bowl Running Back Le’veon Bell, Roethlisberger has two of the top 3 at their position’s skill players in the league. You add in rookie Juju Smith, along with reinstated WR Martavis Bryant as weapons; Ben is primed to have another great season.

  1. Russell Wilson – Seattle Seahawks

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Since the retirement of RB Marshawn Lynch, the Seahawks offense has revolved more around Wilson, and as a result he has looked more and more comfortable in that role. Wilson lost weight in the offseason and is looking to be more agile in the pocket, which will give him a chance to capitalize on his rushing abilities as well. WR Doug Baldwin and TE Jimmy Graham are Wilson’s top targets, and this season I am expecting Wilson to have his best season with his numbers. We will see if he can reach another SB.

  1. Derek Carr – Oakland Raiders

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Before his injury last season, Carr was deep in the league MVP discussion. Coming into this year he is expected to be in that discussion again. The signing of now unretired RB Marshawn Lynch will open the field more for Carr to connect with pro bowl caliber 3rd year WR Amari Cooper, and team leader in TDs Michael Crabtree. All eyes will be on Carr and the Raiders are viewed as legitimate challengers to the Patriots.

  1. Jameis Winston – Tampa Bay Buccaneers

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Winston had a good season last year, and coming into this season the pressure will be on to have an even better season. Tampa signed WR Desean Jackson to help spread the field along with drafting TE OJ Howard, to go along with Pro Bowl WR Mike Evans. Winston has a lot of weapons and is in a division where he will have chances to have great statistical games. I am expecting Jameis to have the breakout season we are all expecting.

  1. Matt Stafford – Detroit Lions

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While Stafford hasn’t experienced the team success as every other QB on this list besides Winston, Stafford’s numbers are consistently good, sometimes great. WR Golden Tate is returning along with hopefully a more consistent WR Marvin Jones as Stafford’s primary targets. The Lions are healthy, and have improved their offensive line in the offseason; hopefully it translates to team success this year.

  1. Marcus Mariota – Tennessee Titans

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The Titans didn’t make the playoffs last year but had one of their best season in the past few years. Mariota had good numbers and similar to has draft class mate Jameis Winston, the pressure for him to have a breakout season is there. The Titans drafted speedy WR Corey Davis, and Signed WR Eric Decker to Join WR Rashad Matthews, Pro Bowl TE Delanie Walker, and pro bowl RB Demarco Murray, giving Mariota plenty of weapons to help him relieve that pressure.

 

by ·Comments Off on Spanish Super Cup 2nd Leg – Real Madrid vs Barcelona – Match Preview
Real Madrid vs Barcelona - Match Preview

Real Madrid vs Barcelona – Match Preview – After a very eventful first leg, Real Madrid return home for the second leg of the Super Cup final against Barcelona with a 3-1 lead on aggregate. And, as ever, El Clasico provided footballing drama and some huge talking points have been dominating headlines since the final whistle.

Despite scoring the vital second goal for Madrid in impressive fashion, Cristiano Ronaldo has been handed a five-match ban following a red card incident and some rather unsportsmanlike behaviour whilst leaving the field. The Portuguese talisman shoved the referee in disbelief after being shown his second yellow card in three minutes and will be a huge loss for Zinedine Zidane.

Gareth Bale featured for much of the first leg and will be likely to start the second leg. Bale will be one of a few faces in the Real Madrid attack who will surely be looking to entertain the home crowd. Zidane could order his players to sit back and defend their aggregate lead however that isn’t the Zidane style. Can Madrid put the nail in the coffin?

Skybet Correct Score Group Betting – Real Madrid to Win 3-0, 3-1 or 3-2 – 4/1

Can Iniesta, Messi and Co overturn the match at the Bernabeu Photo Credit: skysports.com

Barcelona missed the creativity and flair of Neymar in their front three and will have to reinvest the whopping £198 million they received from PSG. In front of a home crowd, the Catalans were limited to few chances. Their only goal came from the penalty spot, with the incident splitting opinion on whether the penalty should have been awarded. Barcelona will face an even tougher test now at the Bernabeu but the ban for Cristiano Ronaldo is good news. Can they pull it back?

Skybet Full Time Result and BTTS – Barcelona to Win and Yes – 5/2

Asensio looks set to replace Ronaldo in the 2nd Leg Photo Credit: skysports.com

The usual faces were impressing; however, the show was stolen late by Real Madrid prodigy, Marco Asensio. The young Spaniard dropped jaws with his finish and many will tip him to start the upcoming second leg in Ronaldo’s absence. Can he smash the back of the net once more?

Skybet Anytime Goalscorer – Marco Asensio to Score Anytime in 90 mins – 2/1

El Clasico is well renowned for how many cards are brandished and the first leg was no different. With 105 booking points in the last match, will this be the case once more?

Skybet Total Over Booking Points – 90 or more Booking Points – 11/10

 

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by ·Comments Off on UEFA Champions League Qualifier – Hoffenheim vs Liverpool – Match Preview
UEFA Champions League Qualifier - Hoffenheim vs Liverpool - Match Preview

Hoffenheim vs Liverpool – Match Preview – Liverpool’s Champions League campaign begins with the first leg of their qualifier against German side, Hoffenheim. Jurgen Klopp will be hoping his side can bounce back from their devastating 3-3 draw away to Watford on the opening day of the Premier League. The hosts are entering the fixture on the back of a 1-0 victory over Erfurt in the DFB Pokal round of 32.

Liverpool will be looking to gain an advantage to head back to Anfield with for the second leg the following week. Much buzz has been surrounding the club off the field this past week with Coutinho dominating the headlines with a bizarre transfer saga. Virgil van Dijk is also a name that has been murmured around Melwood after he handed in a transfer request to Southampton in his aim to play for a bigger club.

Klopp came out and stated he is happy with his defence, however following the Watford match, many fans have laughed at the statement whilst replaying the comedic defending on their Sky + box. Liverpool often fare well in the Champions League and have a very successful history in the competition; lifting the trophy in 2005 being the highlight. Can Liverpool reach the group stages and be the fifth Premier League team to be in the draw for the 2017/18 Champions League campaign?

Skybet Correct Score Group Betting – Liverpool to Win 1-0, 2-0 or 2-1 – 5/2

Hoffenheim had a very impressive 2016/17 season in the Bundesliga. A fourth finish behind Bayern Munich, RB Leipzig and Borussia Dortmund earnt them this qualification two-legged tie. 30-year-old manager, Julian Nagelsmann has installed a fresh style of play at Hoffenheim; possession based football that is both attractive and clinical. It isn’t often a manager will steal the headlines, however he is paving the way for young coaches in Germany.

Firminho will come up against his former club in the Qualifiers Photo Credit: skysports.com

Klopp is very aware of Hoffenheim’s threat and has mentioned that Liverpool must be at 100% otherwise they will be knocked out. Striker, Sandro Wagner, provides a big threat to Klopp’s shaky defence with his unpredictability and aerial ability. Can Hoffenheim get a huge victory in front of a home crowd?

Skybet Match Result – Hoffenheim to Win in 90 mins – 2/1

 

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by ·Comments Off on NFL Preview 2017/2018 – Return of the King
NFL Preview 2017/2018 - Return of the King

NFL Preview 2017/2018 – Return of the King – Every major sport has a period where the eyes of the public are on them, and this year, sports have experienced record breaking ratings. The World Series between the Cleveland Indians and the Chicago Cubs was a back and forth battle between two teams both looking to break years of not winning a championship. The deciding game 7 was the highest rated MLB game in years, and featured an overtime win for the Cubs breaking their 100-year curse.

In Basketball, some say globally is becoming the biggest sport which also features many of the most popular athletes on earth; Lebron James, Steph Curry, Kevin Durant etc. Off the Cleveland Cavaliers winning their thrilling Championship over the Golden State Warriors, this year’s NBA season featured many storylines. Durant leaving Russell Westbrook, how the Warriors would try to recover, will Lebron continue to reach the finals etc.

The NBA didn’t disappoint with the Warrior vs Cavs championship, Kevin Durant, Steph Curry and the Warriors won their 2nd championship in three years defeating the Cavs. The championship was the highest rated finals in NBA history, and lead to a thrilling offseason as well.

With the resurgence of baseball and the surge in popularity with the NBA, the biggest sport has been quiet, however with the fall approaching, the world’s top sport is set to return to give us the greatest drama, excitement and entertainment us sports fans crave the most.

With so many storylines, and intriguing things to look forward to this upcoming football season, let’s take a look at some of the teams I will be paying attention to.

New England Patriots

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Last year’s Superbowl between the New England Patriots and the Atlanta Falcons featured the NFL’s first overtime Superbowl, and an epic comeback win for the Patriots giving them their 5th title since 2000. During the offseason, somehow the rich got richer with the defending champs signing key free agents WR Brandin Cooks, RB Mike Gillislee, and TE Dwayne Allen – the champs are in prime position to repeat.

Pittsburg Steelers

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The Pittsburg Steelers came up short in the AFC championship against the Pats results in another playoff exit. QB Ben Roethlisberger briefly debated on retirement, but ultimately decided to return for his 13th season. Star RB Le’veon Bell was franchised tagged while seeking to become the league’s highest paid RB, and second highest paid WR.

Bell is betting on himself to have a great season and pressure the Steelers into giving him the contract he seeks. With WR Martavis Bryant returning from suspension the Steelers have a top 3 offense in the league and are looking to make another deep playoff run.

Oakland Raiders

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Last year the Raiders had a resurgent season by making the playoffs, and if not for MVP candidate QB Derick Carr getting injured, many were considering the Raiders a threat to the Patriots. With one of the best offensive lines in the league, the Raiders signed RB Marshawn Lynch who came out of retirement and is coming to play for his hometown.

The Raiders also signed Packer TE Jared Cook with home of increasing their redzone efficiency. With Carr healthy, the progression of WR Amari Cooper, signing Lynch, and more chemistry on defense, the Raiders are looking to bring a SB back to Oakland, before their move to Las Vegas after next season.

Atlanta Falcons

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Last season the Falcons surprised many with their offensive explosion, resulting in QB Matt Ryan winning league MVP. Star WR Julio Jones had another pro bowl season, and the expansion of the Falcons running game definitely gave fans entertainment every week. The Falcons were ahead 28-3 over the Patriots in the SB before being on the losing end of the biggest comeback in SB history. The Falcons come into this season with a new offensive coordinator, along with a few pieces on defense that will be missing from last season. The question will be how will the Falcons recover from their devastating SB loss, and will they be able to reach the big game again for revenge?

Dallas Cowboys

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While the Dallas Cowboys came up short in their comeback attempt against the Green Bay Packers, last season left fans with a great feeling about the future. Rookie QB Dak Prescott and Rookie of the Year RB Ezekiel Elliott had pro bowl caliber seasons, and are looking to take the next step this year.

The Cowboys have the best offensive line in football along with a top RB, and WR, so in the draft they looked to improve the other side of the ball by drafting Taco Charleston.

Long time veteran QB Tony Romo also retired and joins the commentary booth for this season. The Cowboys secondary is young, but with an improved defensive line hopefully the pass rush will have a greater impact. 2nd Year RB Ezekiel Elliott is now suspended for the first 6 games of the season, question for the Cowboys will be how well can they hold off until Zeek gets back.

 

Green Bay Packers

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Aaron Rodgers and the Packers came up short in the NFC Championship against the Falcons, causing their season to end sooner than expected. Rodgers being arguably the number 1 QB in football and at worse number 2, hasn’t made a Super Bowl in 6 years and with the pressure beginning to mount this upcoming season, the Packers are expected to make a Super Bowl run. The Packers had the most injuries on defense coming into the playoffs, and the Falcons took advantage of their banged up secondary. The Packers, also due to injuries, were forced to star WR Ty Montgomery at RB late in the season.  The Packers lost defensive back Mica Hyde and will be relying on a rookie and young players off injury to replace him. While TE Jared Cook left on free agency to join the Oakland Raiders, they upgraded at TE with the signing of SB champion Martellus Bennett.

 

While basketball, baseball, soccer, golf, and other sports have experienced great years, the NFL is without a doubt the most popular sport in the world. The NFL has the most narratives, most drama, most entertainment, and the Superbowl is the most watched television show for the past 50 years. This year in a great year of sports, with great ratings, great entertainment, and great drama, I am more excited to see what this NFL season has to offer. We are one month away from the Return of the King!

by ·Comments Off on Manchester United vs West Ham United – Match Preview
Manchester United vs West Ham United - Match Preview

Manchester United vs West Ham United – Match Preview – The Premier League’s hugely anticipated return is upon us! Pre-season is officially over and England’s top tier is all systems go with yet another pulsating year in store.

The weekend’s action concludes as Manchester United kick-off their season at Old Trafford against Slaven Bilic’s West Ham, looking to begin their challenge for the Premier League title.

Jose Mourinho’s side won three trophies last campaign but missed out on the opportunity to claim their first of 2017/18 by losing to Real Madrid 2-1 in the UEFA Super Cup on Tuesday.

The match will have been a real eye-opener for the Portuguese manager as to the level he wants his team to be, so they will be eager to start the season positively. Brushing aside the home troubles endured in 2016/17 and comfortably beating West Ham on Sunday will do just that.

If United do not claim the Premier League this season it will have been half a decade since the last time they achieved that feat, further amplifying the diminished dominance The Red Devils hold in the English game. A strong start is key to preventing that from happening.

All teams inevitably want to get off the mark as quickly as possible, but after West Ham’s truly sluggish start to the season last time around they will be keener than most. An 11th place finish after an injury-plagued campaign was barely a disaster – but after finishing 7th the year before anything similar would be hugely disappointing for Slaven Bilic and his team.

West Ham new signing Hernandez will come up against his former club on Sunday Photo Credit: skysports.com

It will be very interesting to see how each team’s new respective strikers fare, Romelu Lukaku and his huge £75m fee demands instant results but more eyes will be on Javier Hernandez – making his competitive debut for The Hammers against the club that brought him to England in 2010. A goal would set the tone for his West Ham career rather nicely.

Team News 
After being suspended for the Super Cup match, both Phil Jones and Eric Bailly are available for United again and will compete for centre-back berths with Tuesday’s starters Victor Lindelof and Chris Smalling. Lukaku, Lindelof and Nemanja Matic will all be expected to make their first competitive starts for the club. Luke Shaw, Ashley Young and Marcos Rojo are still unavailable with long-term problems.

In great news for The Irons; key players Manuel Lanzini and Aaron Cresswell are both expected to return for the start of the season. However, the squad is still depleted following the side-lining of Andy Carroll, Michail Antonio, Diafra Sakho, Cheikhou Kouyate and Sofiane Feghouli.

Paul Pogba must improve his performances for Manchester United to progress this year Photo Credit: skysports.com

Player to Watch
His world record transfer fee has been broken this summer by Neymar, but Paul Pogba is undoubtedly still one of the biggest players on the planet. There is a lot of pressure on the broad shoulders of the French international but with a year’s further experience upon returning to England the marauding midfielder is expected to shine. A devastating partnership with friend and teammate Romelu Lukaku could be exactly what United need to power them to major honours this season.

 

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by ·Comments Off on Spanish Super Cup 1st Leg – Barcelona vs Real Madrid – Match Preview
Spanish Super Cup 1st Leg - Barcelona vs Real Madrid - Match Preview

Barcelona vs Real Madrid – Match Preview – El Clasico returns to our television screens rather early in the season as it is the Super Cup final between Barcelona and Real Madrid. The two titans of Spanish football will face off over two legs before the La Liga season gets underway on the 20th August.

Nou Camp is the home for the first leg of the Super Cup final, where Barcelona will face their first competitive test without Brazilian winger, Neymar. If you haven’t heard of Neymar’s departure you should get out from under that rock of yours as the tricky forward was sold to PSG for a record breaking £198 million. Astonishing.

Real Madrid are fresh from their UEFA Super Cup victory over Manchester United. Casemiro and Isco’s goals were enough to overcome the English outfit, however plenty of off the field talk has dominated the papers. Following the Neymar departure, many football fans then turned their attention to Welsh winger, Gareth Bale and many speculated on where his future lies.

Bale started the match whilst Cristiano Ronaldo took a seat on the bench. The winger has insisted his future remains in Madrid, however he has been amidst rumours of a transfer ever since he got to the Bernabeu.

Messi and Suarez will have the burden of providing goals since Neymar’s departure to PSG Photo Credit: skysports.com

Barcelona will look to begin their domestic campaign with an important home victory in the first leg of this Super Cup final. The Catalans will however also be looking to get their revenge on their Spanish rivals in La Liga to reclaim the league title after Real Madrid won the impressive Champions League and La Liga double in 2016/17. Can the Catalans get an ideal win in the first leg?

Skybet Correct Score Group Betting  – Barcelona to Win 3-0, 3-1 or 3-2 – 9/2

Ronaldo and Bale will hope to win the League again with Madrid Photo Credit: skysports.com

As aforementioned Real Madrid will look to hit the ground running domestically following their UEFA Super Cup victory. Zinedine Zidane has impressed since taking over the throne at the Bernabeu and many believe he will replicate that success once more this season.

With the only major departure so far being Alvaro Morata to Chelsea for £70 million, he can count himself lucky to still have players such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Luka Modric and Sergio Ramos in his arsenal. The shared feeling is that Zidane would be happy with a draw at the Nou Camp as he will have confidence his players can overcome a Neymar-less Barcelona back in Madrid for the second leg. But will Madrid continue to showcase their ruthless, clinical edge?

Skybet Match Result – Real Madrid to Win – 12/5

 

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