Hi all,
We’ve had the return of the Football League, and now it’s the turn of the Premier League and its clubs with crazy amounts of money to let their feet do the talking.
I bleated on enough about our 26/1 and 24/1 near misses in Monday’s post-weekend review blog – in which I tipped an Arsenal -1 and Crystal Palace -1 double at 6/1 (Bet365 – bet HERE) for this Friday/Saturday – so I’m not going to go on about it here.
Instead, we’re going to look ahead to a profitable weekend.
Dare I say it but the Premier League looks fairly straight forward on gameweek one, with many of the home teams odds-on to win, which I think is fair.
I’ve included Chelsea, Crystal Palace and Everton in my Win 5fold as they take on Burnley, Huddersfield and Stoke City respectively in home ties.
The one I’m most concerned about is Stoke at Everton, but the Blues have already played two competitive games in the Europa League, both of which they won 1-0, so they should be well up to speed. And they have better players.
Manchester City should also be able to do enough to see off newly-promoted Brighton in the late kick-off after making some seriously impressive summer signings, not least establishing the most expensive defence in football history after splashing more than £125 million on full-backs. More than some countries spend on their defences!
With all the talk about their backline it is easy to forget about their embarrassment of riches up front, including my Premier League top scorer tip Gabriel Jesus. I fancy him to make the perfect start with goals against the Gulls.
Hull City started slowly against Aston Villa in the late Championship kick-off last week but I was impressed with them in the second half and think they should have far too much for Burton Albion, so they make up the fifth and final choice.
Plus, they’ve had a rest this week thanks to a bye in the first round of the League Cup after finishing 18th in the Premier League last season.
I was tempted to go for Middlesbrough to beat Sheffield United at home, but Boro made a slightly sticky start with a 1-0 loss to Wolves, in contrast to the Blades’ opening day win over Brentford, so I’m leaving them alone.
I’m hoping the results in the Midlands this weekend will be as dull as this week’s weather as I’m plumping for West Bromwich Albion v Bournemouth, and Derby v Wolves to both end in draws.
Both home teams like to keep it tight at the back with West Brom unbeaten in 11 of their 19 home games last season, and the Rams shored up their backline with experienced defender Curtis Davies over the summer, so I’m not expecting many goals there, either.
That certainly wasn’t the case in League Two last week, so hopefully the division’s strikers have their shooting boots back on this weekend to help us land an Over 2.5 goals acca.
I’ve picked out three games in the fourth tier to be high-scoring, plus am praying for Jesus and co net some at Brighton.
Talking of goals, I fancy Liverpool to smash a fair few in this season with an exciting frontline of the likes of Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah, and they could well begin their scoring at Watford on Saturday lunchtime.
I’m not a fan of putting the early kick-off in an acca, but I can’t see there being under two goals at Vicarage Road so that’s made the Over 1.5 goals selection.
There will also hopefully be a few goals for my fantasy football players this weekend. Don’t forget to join The Set Odds Premier if you fancy having a go.
I’m off to Cardiff on Saturday to watch the mighty Aston Villa and I’m not that confident of a win, but fancy a low-scoring affair.
As long as the round trip doesn’t take 10-and-a-half hours, I don’t leave my coat at the services before the game and the weather isn’t a torrential Noah’s Ark-style tipping fest then it’ll be an improvement on Wednesday night when all of that happened to me at Colchester United away. At least we won. Just.
The Set Odds’ 4-4-2 Betting System
Chelsea, Crystal Palace, Everton, Man City, Hull all to win
2pts at 15/2 (Bet365 – bet HERE)
Watford v Liverpool (12.45pm kick off), Chelsea v Burnley, Brighton v Man City, Oxford v Portsmouth, Plymouth v Charlton, Barnet v Luton, Mansfield v Forest Green, Port Vale v Wycombe
2pts at 13/2 (Sky Bet – bet HERE)
Chelsea -1, Crystal Palace -1, Man City -1
1pt at 17/2 (Bet365 – bet HERE)
West Brom v Bournemouth, Barnsley v Ipswich, Walsall v Oldham to be drawing at HT
1pt at 7/1 (Betway – bet HERE)
West Brom v Bournemouth, Derby v Wolves
1pt at 19/2 (Bet Victor – bet HERE)
Brighton v Man City, Barnet v Luton, Mansfield v Forest Green, Port Vale v Wycombe
1pt at 12.5/1 (Bet365 – bet HERE)
Man City, Brentford, Oxford, Luton, Mansfield
0.5pts at 205/1 (William Hill – bet HERE)
Chelsea, Crystal Palace, Everton, Southampton, Man City, Hull, Blackburn, Mansfield, Swindon, Lincoln
0.5pts at 172/1 (Bet365 – bet HERE)
Barnsley v Ipswich, Cardiff v Villa, Leeds v Preston, Sheffield Weds v QPR, Northampton v Fleetwood, Walsall v Oldham
0.5pts at 22/1 (Bet Victor – bet HERE)
Brentford, Oxford, Luton, Mansfield
0.5pts at 293/1 (Bet365 – bet HERE)
Good luck and follow The Set Odds for more tips!
