Paul Hart’s good start, Boro’s strong home form and more

Five stats about this weekend’s football

1. Only Manchester United and Liverpool have taken more points at home than Tottenham since Harry Redknapp took over in October. Spurs have won seven, drew four and lost one of their twelve under the former Portsmouth boss.

2. Middlesbrough are now unbeaten in six league games at the Riverside and would be four points clear of the drop right now if only home results were taken into account.

Posted: April 14th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

A good omen for Everton, another Charlton collapse

Five stats about this weekend’s football

1. Everton have lost just one of their last seventeen games, with their only defeat over that period coming away to Manchester United. The last four teams to knock Middlesbrough out of the FA Cup have reached the final (and lost), meaning that Everton could be the team to end the Red Devils sextuple bid in the semis.

2. Arsenal have failed to score in their last three home league games but they have managed eight in their three cup games at the Emirates over the same period, winning each game to nil. The only team to have scored against the Gunners in their last eight games was West Brom.

3. Fulham’s 4-0 home loss to Manchester United was the first time since last April that they have been beaten by more than one goal at Craven Cottage.

4. Charlton’s 3-2 loss at home to Watford at the weekend marked the third time in seven games that they had led at half-time only to end up being beaten.

5. Now that they have rediscovered some form, Wolves look likely to become the sixth team in six seasons to win automatic promotion a year after finishing just outside the play-offs in either seventh or eighth.

Posted: March 9th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

Eleven brilliant betting statistics for Spurs/Pompey

Spurs/Portsmouth, Sun 4pm, Sky Sports 1, Free Bets, Best Odds

Obviously this game is of huge importance because it sees two clubs in desperate need of three points collide but the collision is also littered with so many subplots (Harry Redknapp v Portsmouth, Tony Adams v Tottenham, Jermain Defoe v Pompey, Sol Campbell v Spurs). Here are eleven of our favourite stats that could help you bet on this weekend’s big match:

1. Despite being in the relegation zone, Spurs have the fourth best home defence in the Premier League, having conceded just seven goals in ten games at White Hart Lane.

2. Spurs haven’t led any of their last eleven games in all competitions at half-time and have been ahead at the break in just two league games all season. Portsmouth have led just one league game under Tony Adams at half-time (versus Hull) and on that occasion ended up drawing.

3. The North Londoners have won all five of their Premier League home games against Portsmouth.

4. Since Harry Redknapp’s arrival Spurs have lost just one of eleven home games in all competitions. Their last two league games at the Lane finished 0-0.

Posted: January 16th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

Stats for all of tonight’s FA Cup games (Part Two)

The games at Histon, Leyton Orient, Norwich and Peterborough

Photo Credit: Chris Radburn/PA Wire

chickendinner have already told you why we think that Bristol City will eliminate Portsmouth but here are a few stats to help you bet on the other eight games taking place tonight:

Histon v Swansea
The Welsh side will feel like proving a point after the Histon players reacted underwhelming to being drawn against them in the third round. Histon haven’t lost at home in the league or FA Cup since August while Swansea are unbeaten in nine. However, at this stage last year Swansea were eliminated by non-league side, Havant and Waterlooville.

Leyton Orient v Sheffield United
Leyton Orient are winless in six while Sheffield United are unbeaten over the same number of games so an away win appears the most likely outcome. Another impressive statistic in the Yorkshire side’s favour is that they are unbeaten in seven away games since losing to their rivals Sheffield Wednesday while Orient have won just one of their last ten at home.

Norwich v Charlton (replay)

Posted: January 13th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

Are Blackburn really going to welcome Graeme Souness back with open arms?

Former boss is the 11/10 favourite to return with Ladbrokes

Paul Ince has today become the sixth Premier League manager to leave their post this season, in the process saving what was in danger of being a chronically slow news day. Here are the leading contenders to replace the Guv’nor at Ewood Park:

Graeme Souness (best price: 5/2 with Paddy Power)
Souness took the club back into the Premier League and won the League Cup during his first spell as manager between 2000 and 2004 and starts as the early favourite to regain the position after newspaper reports over the last few days linked him to the post. He walked out of the club four years ago for Newcastle after a winless start which left Rovers in the relegation zone and at the time it was rumoured that Souness had jumped before he was pushed.

Sam Allardyce (best price: 3/1 general)
In case you haven’t read a newspaper since January, Sam Allardyce is pretty interested in finding himself a job and having previously overachieved without spending much money at Bolton, he is a strong candidate. However, Blackburn opted for Ince over more experienced candidates like Allardyce and Steve McClaren in the summer so Big Sam may bear a grudge.

Alan Curbishley (best price: 10/1 with Paddy Power)

Posted: December 16th, 2008 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

Charlton have a huge chance to turn their season around

Charlton/Derby, 7.45pm, Sky Sports 1, Best Odds, Free Bets

In the two-and-a-half years since Alan Curbishley’s exit, Charlton have fallen from being a steady mid-table Premier League club to an unsteady relegation-threatened Championship club. They are managerless, winless in twelve games, bottom of the league and five points from safety. Derby aren’t looking too good themselves though so tonight’s game represents a great chance for Charlton (generally 7/5) to win, leap up two places and galvanise their season.

» Charlton have won their previous two home games against Derby, both by one-goal margins (2-1 and 1-0).

» The Addicks are unbeaten in five straight games against the Rams dating back to 1998.

» Paul Jewell’s Derby have taken just one point from their last five league games.

» And they have lost each of their last four away games without scoring a single goal, going six without a win.

Posted: December 15th, 2008 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment