Eidur Gudjohnsen is 2/1 to return to Bolton this summer

Click here to check out Sky Bet’s latest transfer specials

Gianfranco Zola yesterday publicly confirmed his interest in former team-mate Eidur Gudjohnsen but added: “I am sure West Ham are not the only team who are looking for a good player like him.”

A glance at the Sky Bet odds supports the Italian’s point, with a number of Premier League clubs considered to be in the running after the Barcelona forward described a return to England as “inevitable”.

Former club Bolton, who the Icelander spent two years with between 1998 and 2000, are the 2/1 favourites to sign him despite little press speculation

Posted: July 13th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | 1 Comment

Liverpool get another chance to go top against West Ham

WHU/Liverpool, Sat 5.30pm, Setanta Spts 1, Free Bets, Best Odds

This is the closest Liverpool have ever come to winning the Premier League and the TV schedulers seem to enjoy torturing them. Once again the Reds play before Manchester United, offering them the chance to experience being top with just two games to go, only to probably have it cruelly snatched away from them a day later. West Ham won’t be a pushover though - even if odds of 23/4 with 888sport suggest otherwise:

Key Trends

» West Ham have lost all five of their home games against teams above them in the league.

» Liverpool have the best record against top-half teams in the Premier League and haven’t lost to any of the top nine clubs.

» In only one of West Ham’s previous 13 Premier League seasons (2000-01) have they failed to beat any of the Big Four - this is their last chance to win against one of them this year.

Posted: May 8th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

Arsene Wenger hunts for first win over Gareth Southgate

Arsenal/Boro, Sunday 1.30pm, Sky Sports 1, Free Bets, Best Odds

Arsenal are unbeaten in 19 league games while Middlesbrough have lost their last nine on the road so at first glance this looks like a home banker where the hosts’ 4/9 odds are fully justified. However, Gareth Southgate appears to know exactly how to set his team up when facing the Gunners:

» Southgate has faced Arsenal five times as a manager but has never been defeated - winning once and drawing four.

» The Gunners’ unbeaten run won’t intimidate Boro, who ended Arsenal’s 15 game unbeaten start to last season with a 2-1 win at the Riverside.

Posted: April 24th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

Coventry look to cause an upset away from the cameras

Previews of Tuesday and Wednesday’s FA Cup fifth round replays

Anyone who saw the initial West Ham/Middlesbrough game will be baffled by ITV’s decision to televise that replay over Blackburn’s potentially dangerous trip to Coventry. Even the clubs were caught off-guard by the decision to move the match for the public’s pleasure, judging by West Ham’s failure to warn fans the date could change and Middlesbrough’s decision to send tickets out saying the game was on Tuesday. Here are all the key statistics about the first three replays:

Coventry v Blackburn (Tuesday 7.45pm)
ITV’s decision to ignore this tie could prove wise however as only one goal has been scored over the course of Blackburn’s last four away games. Paddy Power and Ladbrokes offer 23/10 on the game requiring extra-time and that looks enticing. Sam Allardyce’s side have won just one of their last eight away games - and that was away to Blyth Spartans - but at the same time they unbeaten in four, with three of those finishing 0-0. Coventry have lost just one of their last nine home games and knocked Blackburn out of the FA Cup last season.

Fulham v Swansea (Tuesday, 8pm)

Posted: February 24th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

Sheffield United stand a good chance of surprising Hull

Stats on all of the FA Cup games kicking off at 3pm tomorrow

Photo Credit: PA Wire

Sheffield United suffered their first home loss in 44 years to fierce rivals Sheffield Wednesday last weekend but they could bounce back by knocking out Premier League side Hull in the FA Cup tomorrow:

Blackburn v Coventry
Rovers were humiliated by the Sky Blues 4-1 at Ewood Park in the third round last year and haven’t won any of their last four home clashes against the Championship side, losing three. Former Blackburn player Chris Coleman’s side beat league leaders Wolves last week but have won just one of their last five away games, 1-0 against Blue Square Premier side Torquay in the last round. The hosts have lost just one of ten under Sam Allardyce.

Sheffield United v Hull

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

Shocking statistics about how often clubs change managers

It’s almost unheard of for a coach to spend five years at one club

Roman Abramovich’s decision to axe Chelsea boss Luiz Felipe Scolari this week means that he has sacked just one less manager over the last five years than fellow Londoners West Ham have in their entire history. It also means that Guus Hiddink will become the fourth man to coach the Blues in just eighteen months. Over that period they have lost just six league matches, which is the same number as Manchester United have lost during the same spell. Here are more crazy statistics about managerial casualties:

» Just seven of the 92 clubs in the top four tiers of English football have kept their current manager for a period of over five years.

» The clubs of the four longest serving Premier League managers - Sir Alex Ferguson, Arsene Wenger, David Moyes and Rafael Benitez - are all in the top six. Martin O’Neill has spent the sixth longest spell in charge of a top-flight club and Aston Villa are currently reaping the rewards for that continuity.

Posted: February 12th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | 1 Comment