Five reasons why Burnley should progress to Wembley

Reading/Burnley, 7.45pm, Sky Sports 1, Free Bets, Best Odds

1. Just one of the last ten Championship teams to have taken a first-leg lead in the play-offs have failed to reach the final (Ipswich against West Ham in 04).

2. If an aggregate score was taken from the two Reading/Burnley league clashes, the Royals would have won. However, in two of the last three seasons the side in the fourth-versus-fifth play-off that has had the worst of the league showdowns has triumphed.

3. Reading have won just six of their last 24 games and haven’t won any of their last eight at the Madejski - losing four of the last six.

4. Whereas Burnley are ending the season on good form having lost just one of their last 12. A draw is enough for them to progress.

5. The Clarets have lost just three of their last eight away games against Reading in league competition.

Posted: May 12th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | 2 Comments

The world’s ultimate Second Season Syndrome sufferer has been affected again

Norwich sack Glenn Roeder after things go wrong in season two

Glenn Roeder is a manager who divides opinion. His supporters point to the fact he took both West Ham and Newcastle into the top seven during his first season with each as proof of his ability but the doubters will quickly point out that things turned sour after that.

The term Second Season Syndrome is commonly used to refer to teams like Ipswich and Reading who overachieved in their first Premier League season only to struggle the next but if the downturn was to be renamed in one man’s honour, it would almost certainly become known as Glenn Roeder Syndrome, as shown by the fortunes of his last three clubs:

West Ham

Season One:

Posted: January 15th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

The betting superfacts for Derby/Manchester United

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

If Derby didn’t already have a tough enough task on their hands overcoming Manchester United over two legs, they have taken a risk by confirming the appointment of Nigel Clough the day before the home leg. This means that caretaker boss Chris Hutchings, who was hoping to get the job full-time, is out of the picture and someone new, academy boss David Lowe, has been forced to take charge of this game at incredibly short notice. Here are the key statistics about tonight’s Pride Park collision:

» While Derby have won on two of their last seven trips to Old Trafford, they have yet taken just a point from their four meetings with them at Pride Park.

» The Rams last home win over the reigning Premier League champions came twenty years ago in August 1989 in a season where Derby did the double over United.

Posted: January 7th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | 1 Comment

Redknapp hunts FA Cup win number four against Man Utd

Five stats about this weekend’s football

1. While Tottenham were knocked out against Manchester United in the FA Cup fourth round last season, they have a manager more than capable of causing an upset at Old Trafford. Harry Redknapp has won FA Cup games against the Red Devils with three of his four previous clubs. He won 2-0 at home to them with Bournemouth before enjoying 1-0 away wins while managing West Ham and Portsmouth.

2. If Chelsea see off Southend in their replay they will face Ipswich at home in the fourth round. This will be the ninth time in eleven third-to-fifth round draws that Chelsea have been given a home tie with a lower league club.

Posted: January 5th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

The bottom three may be cast adrift by Watford tonight

Things will get even worse for Charlton and co if Norwich lose

Even though there are only two matches being played tonight in the Championship, both could prove pretty significant. Here are a few statistics about both fixtures:

Watford v Norwich
Fans of Doncaster, Nottingham Forest and Charlton will be hoping for a draw here when two of the three sides just above the bottom three collide at Vicarage Road. However, the stats suggest that Brendan Rodgers may pick up his first victory since taking charge of the Hornets. Watford are unbeaten in four meetings with Norwich, winning three of them and while Norwich won the “Old Farm” derby at the weekend, they have won consecutive Championship games just once since February and haven’t won away in London since April 2004. 888sport offer 23/10 on a home win.

Ipswich v Bristol City

Posted: December 10th, 2008 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

The first name on Spurs teamsheet should be…

West Ham/Spurs, 8pm, Setanta Sports 1, Best Odds, Free Bets

He may be on a mini goal drought having failed to score in his last three Premier League experience but Darren Bent has a great scoring record against West Ham, having scored four goals in four Premier League starts and two substitute appearances against them. Prior to that he had scored the winner in a 1-0 play-off victory over the Hammers while with Ipswich.

Bent is 7.6 on Betfair to score the first goal and you can check all the first goalscorer odds out here.

Click here to subscribe with Setanta Sports to watch this game.

Posted: December 8th, 2008 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment