Five good omens for West Ham against Aston Villa

WHU/Villa, Saturday 5.30pm, Setanta Spt 1, Best Odds, Free Bets

It’s the final leg of West Ham’s five match TV tour and while in the past the camera rarely used to add three points, the East London side have ended a year long run without a televised victory to win one, draw two (at Anfield and Stamford Bridge) and lose one of their first four consecutive televised games. Aston Villa arrive on a rich vein of form while West Ham continue to struggle at home despite going four games unbeaten away but here are five reasons why the festive season could kick-off with a shock:

1. It’s been over twelve years since Aston Villa last won a league game at the Boleyn and almost nine years since they won any match there, a 3-1 extra-time win in a replayed League Cup quarter-final.

2. Of the five London Premier League clubs, Villa have the worst record against West Ham when taking into account their last three league visits to each club:

Posted: December 19th, 2008 by Michael Lintorn | 1 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