Bruno Alves loses his place on our Christmas card list

Porto captain ruins our 50/1 treble with a 93rd minute winner

When it comes to multiples betting, chickendinner is the ultimate pessimist, always wary of a late twist no matter how well everything appears to be going.

On Saturday however, even we started to believe our 50/1 treble of World Cup Qualifying draws had come up trumps. First Bulgaria and Ireland shared the spoils and shortly after Luka Modric equalised for Croatia to earn them a 2-2 home draw with Ukraine.

We were left anxiously waiting the final whistle in Albania’s clash with Portugal and as the score had stayed 1-1 from the 29th minute all the way through to the end of normal time, it really looked as if our unlikely treble was about to deliver a big profit. Unfortunately, Porto defender Bruno Alves popped up with a header in the 93rd minute to ruin our weekend.

Posted: June 8th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | 1 Comment

chickendinner go fishing for World Cup qualifying draws

Ireland, Portugal and Croatia are 50/1 to all draw with Bet365

England’s trip to Kazakhstan looks almost certain to end in an away win - England have won all five of their qualifiers, they’ve lost their last four - so we’ve diverted our attention elsewhere. Identifying multiple draws is a tough task but the rewards can be spectacular. There are three games where we think the spoils are there for the sharing and should all three miraculously come in, you will win £50.97 for a pound stake on Bet365:

Albania v Portugal (7/2): Portugal drew with Albania at home and have won none of their last four qualifiers, drawing three. They do have Luis Boa Morte back though!

Bulgaria v Ireland (7/3): Ireland have drawn their last two away qualifiers and drew at home to Bulgaria. The hosts have drawn four of their five.

Croatia v Ukraine (5/2): This one is a long shot because the only group game these sides have drawn so far came against each other in Kharkiv but neither of them have lost to anyone other than England.

Click here for a £200 Free Bet Basket when opening a Bet365 account

Posted: June 6th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | 1 Comment

Away wins are a rarity in UEFA Cup semi-final first-legs

Dynamo Kiev/Shakhtar Donetsk, 5.30pm, ITV4, Best Odds
Werder Bremen/Hamburg, 7.45pm, ITV4, Free Bets, Best Odds

While the Big Four have dominated the Champions League for two successive seasons, the Premier League’s claim to the “best league in the world” moniker is brought into question by the fact that none of the not-so-big 16 have won the UEFA Cup in the last 25 years. We’ve grown accustomed to all-English Champions League semi-finals but tonight teams from the Bundesliga and the Ukranian Premier League fight it out for the right to represent their country in a guaranteed Germany v Ukraine final:

SEMI-FINAL STATS

» The away side haven’t won a UEFA Cup semi-final first-leg in any of the last six seasons and only one of the last 18 have ended in the visitors’ favour.

» There has only been one goal in this week’s three big televised games this week and there is a danger that the drought could continue - only eight of the last 24 UEFA Cup semi-finals have broken the 2.5 goal barrier.

Posted: April 30th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

Crouch’s goal ratio, Ireland’s San Nicola success and more

Five stats about the midweek World Cup qualifiers

1. Peter Crouch has an incredible goal-to-start ratio for England and has scored thirteen goals in the last thirteen games that he has started.

2. Italy had won all eight of their previous games in Bari before being held to a 1-1 draw by the Republic of Ireland last night at the Stadio San Nicola.

3. Northern Ireland have won eight and drawn one of their last nine competitive matches at Windsor Park, compensating for the fact they have taken just four points from their last seven away games.

Posted: April 2nd, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

Ten statistics about England’s qualifying clash with Ukraine

England/Ukraine, Wednesday 8pm, ITV1, Free Bets, Best Odds

England fans have a reputation for fickleness but the antics of the Wembley crowd must seem refreshing to Fabio Capello when compared to the actions of some supporters in his homeland. Italy fans in Bari are expected to boo Marcello Lippi, the man who won them the World Cup, tonight and cheer his predecessor Giovanni Trapattoni, the man who twice flopped in international tournaments. The reason? Lippi refused to call up their favourite son Antonio Cassano. Capello on the other hand can expect a hearty applause this evening despite trying to pick even Darren Bent ahead of Michael Owen. Here’s ten stats about tonight’s game with Ukraine:

1. Both teams are unbeaten in Group 6, with England winning all four of their games. Ukraine have won two and drawn one of their three.

2. Ukraine are unbeaten in eight games and have won four consecutive away games.

3. However, they have been seen off easily on their two previous trips to England - losing 2-0 in 2000 and 3-0 in 2004.

Posted: April 1st, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

Past meetings: There’s good news for Scotland and Wales

However the Republic of Ireland always lose away to Italy

chickendinner have put the records of all the home nations against their midweek opponents into a handy table to help you decide where there is money to be made betting on the World Cup qualifiers.

Scotland’s 100% record against Iceland makes the general 4/7 being offered on the home win look less stingy but hopes of the Republic of Ireland taking a point against Italy in Bari at 3/1with Bet365 are damaged by the fact the sides have never drawn in eight meetings. Does the fact Wales have won half of their meetings with Germany in Cardiff tempt you to back an unlikely home win at 7/1 with Boylesports?

Check out all the information in the table below before making your mind up:

Posted: March 31st, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment