Real Madrid’s spending spree fails to impress the bookies

Barcelona remain title favourites despite Kaka and Ronaldo deals

Real Madrid look set to break the world transfer record twice in one month but the arrival of a new wave of galacticos hasn’t intimidated Barcelona.

Barcelona president Joan Laporta taunted their rivals earlier this week by claiming to be “trebly calm” and the bookmakers agree that there is no need for the reigning champions to get flustered.

Paddy Power price Barcelona as 4/5 favourites to retain the title next season, with Real Madrid not too far behind on 5/4. La Liga trends support those odds: Barcelona haven’t had a single season of isolated domestic

Posted: June 12th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

Chelsea’s decision to appoint Carlo Ancelotti gains support

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Here at chickendinner we aren’t convinced that Carlo Ancelotti is the right man to guide Chelsea back into title contention but it appears that punters disagree with us.

Before news of the Italian’s appointment broke, the Blues were 4.2 to win the title but by the close of play they had been backed in to 3.85, although they have dropped back a bit this morning.

Chelsea, AC Milan, Real Madrid, Ajax, AZ, Marseille, Bayern Munich, Schalke and Wolfsburg have already made managerial changes for the coming season but the famed merry-go-round is going to gather even more momentum over the coming week. Juventus, Celtic, Portsmouth and Sunderland are already looking for a new boss and Roma, Lazio and Wigan look set to join them.

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

Aston Villa haven’t beaten a top ten team at home all season

Six stats about this weekend’s football

1. Aston Villa have played every team in the top-half at home this season and they have failed to win one of those games. Every other club in the Premier League have beaten at least one of the ten.

2. Spurs have lost just one of nineteen home games under Harry Redknapp and are now the sixth-best performing Premier League team since the weekend he arrived.

3. chickendinner felt Tony Adams was unlucky to get the sack two months ago but Portsmouth are flourishing under Paul Hart, losing just one of ten games under the former Nottingham Forest boss.

4. Lyon’s hopes of an eighth straight Ligue 1 title are in jeopardy after a run of two wins in seven, which leaves them four points off top with six to go.

5. Wolfsburg were languishing in eighth at the end of January before a run of ten straight wins propelled them to the Bundesliga top spot.

6. It’s easy to see why Arsene Wenger regrets not signing Didier Drogba when he had the chance; the striker has scored eight goals in his last seven meetings with Arsenal.

Posted: April 20th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

How not to prepare for the Champions League 1/4-finals

Villarreal and Bayern Munich wave goodbye to any momentum

While all of the Premier League’s Big Four head into the Champions League quarter-finals on the back of victories and Barcelona and Porto both won at the weekend, Villarreal and Bayern Munich were humbled.

Wolfsburg and reigning champions Bayern Munich were inseparable on points, goal difference, goals scored and conceded heading into their clash. However, there was a huge difference on the day as Jurgen Klinsmann’s side, who recently embarrassed Sporting Lisbon 12-1 on aggregate and travel to Barcelona on Wednesday, were stuffed 5-1.

Posted: April 6th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

The schedulers put the wrong match on television yet again

Aston Villa/MSK Zilina, 7.45pm, Five, Best Odds, Free Bets

Tonight’s televised UEFA Cup game sees Aston Villa, with a 100% record in their group host MSK Zilina who are yet to win and almost certainly heading out. Meanwhile you need a radio or a dodgy internet stream Portsmouth, who realistically need a win travel to Wolfsburg, who have won both of their group games so far. Here’s our preview of those games:

Aston Villa v MSK Zilina
Martin O’Neill’s side are unbeaten in Europe this season but have drawn two of their last three home games. and as they are fielding a weakened side, the general 4/1 offered on the draw is tempting. However, Villa should have enough to beat Zilina, who have only won three of their nine domestic away games this season and have failed to score in their last two UEFA Cup games. They are while Marlon Harewood, who opened the scoring in his last start against Litex is 10/11 to win to nil with Paddy Power11/2 with the Irish bookmakers to be the first goalscorer.

Wolfsburg v Portsmouth

Posted: December 4th, 2008 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment