West Ham look to exploit Chelsea’s home disadvantage

Chelsea/West Ham, 4pm Sun, Sky Sports 1, Best Odds, Free Bets

Gianfranco Zola returns to Stamford Bridge for the first time as a manager this Sunday alongside assistant Steve Clarke, who probably wishes he never left the title favourites for a relegation battle at West Ham. The Hammers took a point at Anfield a fortnight ago and will take heart from Chelsea’s poor home form but they are 16/1 with 888sport and Boylesports and are unlikely to travel back across London with any points on board. Here are all the key facts:

HOME DISADVANTAGE
Both Chelsea and West Ham have taken more points on the road than they have at home in recent times. This season Chelsea have taken a maximum of 24 points on their travels while picking up just half of that (12) from the same number of home games, winning just three of six. West Ham have taken eight points from their last six away games, which is double what they have taken from their last six at the Boleyn.

SLENDER MARGINS
Whereas Chelsea have scored eleven goals in their last three visits to the Boleyn, they tend to have to battle harder for the three points at Stamford Bridge. Last season it took a 75th minute from Joe Cole to sink their local rivals and on three of the last four occasions the tie has finished 1-0 to the Blues. Betfair offer 7.6 on Sunday’s encounter again ending 1-0.

CUDICINI EDGES CECH

Posted: December 13th, 2008 by Michael Lintorn | 1 Comment

Counter argument: five reasons why Chelsea won’t beat CFR Cluj

Chelsea/CFR Cluj, 7.45pm, ITV1, Best Odds, Free Bets

Chelsea could be eliminated from the Champions League tonight if they fail to beat Cluj and Bordeaux win away to Roma but nobody is really expecting that to happen. The general consensus is that even if Chelsea slip up, Roma will bail them out. However, the draw still seems ridiculously overpriced at 9.2 with Betfair (the away win is 27), so here are five reasons why Chelsea could stumble tonight:

1. Chelsea have gone three home games without a win and have only won one of their last five at Stamford Bridge.

2. The two sides drew when they met in Romania two months ago. Cluj won 2-1 away to group leaders Roma earlier this season and were only beaten by an own goal in Bordeaux.

Posted: December 9th, 2008 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

How many of England’s absent stars will score for their clubs this weekend?

Paddy Power offer 7/2 on three or more stayaways grabbing goals

Before they surprised most critics by winning 2-1 in Berlin, England’s friendly with Germany was labelled a farce because of the number of regulars who pulled out with injuries.

Rio Ferdinand and Wayne Rooney weren’t criticised too strongly because they had actually missed Manchester United’s game against Stoke but Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard’s withdrawals were met with suspicion after both played ninety minutes last weekend.

Paddy Power have decided to test just how serious these injuries are by opening a market on how many of Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, Wayne Rooney, Rio Ferdinand, Joe Cole, Ashley Cole and Wes Brown score this weekend.

For none of them to score is 2/1, for one to score is 7/4, for two to score is 5/2 while three or more is 7/2. After the jump is the chickendinner verdict on each player’s likelihood of scoring, although of course it will all depend on how many of them start:

Posted: November 20th, 2008 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

George Takei overtakes Joe Swash as I’m a Celeb favourite

Will the Star Trek actor become the first ever foreign winner?

George Takei has overtaken actor Joe Swash as the favourite to win this year’s I’m a Celebrity after the show kicked off last night. The Star Trek actor was 8/1 on Friday afternoon but has dropped to 5/2 with Swash close behind at 11/4 with Paddy Power.

There has never previously been a foreign winner but it’s been getting closer and closer with Australia’s Jason Donovan coming third two years ago and America’s Janice Dickinson coming second last year. Martina Navratilova is third favourite at a general 5/1, though you can back her at 6/1 with Paddy Power.

Carly Zucker is still 7/1 with Bet365 to finish as top female despite a promising first episode. Joe Cole’s WAG may also gain sympathy if Robert Kilroy-Silk continues to antagonise her.

Click here for all the latest odds.

Posted: November 17th, 2008 by Michael Lintorn | 2 Comments

I’m a Celebrity: The Women

Three WAGs, a lesbian and Esther Rantzen

There have only ever been two female winners of I’m a Celebrity but these five women will be battling it out to change that and earn the right to proudly declare themselves the new Kerry Katona:

Click here to place your bets

Carly Zucker
The personal trainer’s main claim to fame is being Joe Cole’s fiancée and while providing eye-candy keeps you in the jungle for a while, no glamour model or WAG has ever won. Zucker is this year’s youngest contestant and is just a year older than Kerry Katona was when she became the first-ever female winner.

Dani Behr
As well as dating Ryan Giggs and Les Ferdinand, TV presenter Behr used to go out with Jason Brown, who finished third in last year’s show. She won’t find it too difficult to adapt to the Australian climate because she currently lives in Sydney, where series five winner Carol Thatcher also spent four years of her life.

Esther Rantzen
In three of the last four series the top woman has been over the age of fifty: Janet Street-Porter (fourth, series four), Carol Thatcher (first, series five) and Janice Dickinson (second, series seven) while in series three Jennie Bond came second behind Kerry Katona. Last year’s oldest woman, Lynne Franks, came ninth but Rantzen should be nowhere near as annoying as her.

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