StevieDay1983

Crystal Palace vs Tottenham
One of the less predictable games in the FA Cup 4th Round this weekend comes at Selhurst Park where Premier League sides Crystal Palace and Tottenham will go toe-to-toe in this 4pm kick-off on Sunday. Can the injury-hit Spurs navigate their way past this tricky tie?
Crystal Palace have slowly become embroiled in a relegation battle in the Premier League. The news is not much better on the transfer front with speculation that Wilfried Zaha has held initial talks with Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund. If there is one thing Roy Hodgson could do with right now it's the excitement of a cup run.
Tottenham will come into this game without a number of first team players. The trio of Harry Kane, Dele Alli, and Son Heung-min are ruled out but there is also the duo of Ben Davies and Moussa Sissoko added to the absentees. Spurs performed better than expected against Chelsea in midweek but with Premier League games coming up during midweek it'll be interesting to see what sides these two clubs line up with.
A few interesting stats coming into this game. These two sides last met in the FA Cup back in 2015/16. The Eagles sealed a surprise 1-0 win at White Hart Lane. Funnily enough, it was Palace who would go on and reach the final that season too. Could a victory here inspire a similar run?
The past six meetings between these two sides have ended in a 1-0 result. Tottenham have won 5 of these and Palace have won just 1. Unfortunately, Palace have also lost their last three FA Cup matches against top flight opposition. Combine that with this being Tottenham's chance to reach the 5th round for the fourth consecutive season and it's not looking good for Palace.
I'm tempted to back Palace to get something here. I still think Mauricio Pochettino is desperate for his first trophy but I just think they've got too much going against them right now to make them a solid bet. It should be a low-scoring game but I can see Palace taking this game back to Wembley at the very least. It'll be a great chance to forget their league woes and they have raised their game against the big teams this season.
Crystal Palace Draw No Bet @ 2.14 with MarathonBet
Total Goals Scored Under 2.5 @ 1.75 with Sportingbet

Crystal Palace vs Tottenham
One of the less predictable games in the FA Cup 4th Round this weekend comes at Selhurst Park where Premier League sides Crystal Palace and Tottenham will go toe-to-toe in this 4pm kick-off on Sunday. Can the injury-hit Spurs navigate their way past this tricky tie?
Crystal Palace have slowly become embroiled in a relegation battle in the Premier League. The news is not much better on the transfer front with speculation that Wilfried Zaha has held initial talks with Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund. If there is one thing Roy Hodgson could do with right now it's the excitement of a cup run.
Tottenham will come into this game without a number of first team players. The trio of Harry Kane, Dele Alli, and Son Heung-min are ruled out but there is also the duo of Ben Davies and Moussa Sissoko added to the absentees. Spurs performed better than expected against Chelsea in midweek but with Premier League games coming up during midweek it'll be interesting to see what sides these two clubs line up with.
A few interesting stats coming into this game. These two sides last met in the FA Cup back in 2015/16. The Eagles sealed a surprise 1-0 win at White Hart Lane. Funnily enough, it was Palace who would go on and reach the final that season too. Could a victory here inspire a similar run?
The past six meetings between these two sides have ended in a 1-0 result. Tottenham have won 5 of these and Palace have won just 1. Unfortunately, Palace have also lost their last three FA Cup matches against top flight opposition. Combine that with this being Tottenham's chance to reach the 5th round for the fourth consecutive season and it's not looking good for Palace.
I'm tempted to back Palace to get something here. I still think Mauricio Pochettino is desperate for his first trophy but I just think they've got too much going against them right now to make them a solid bet. It should be a low-scoring game but I can see Palace taking this game back to Wembley at the very least. It'll be a great chance to forget their league woes and they have raised their game against the big teams this season.
Crystal Palace Draw No Bet @ 2.14 with MarathonBet
Total Goals Scored Under 2.5 @ 1.75 with Sportingbet

For those looking for a fairly solid treble...I have been researching recent form and head to heads and for me you cant really look far beyond Arbroath, Ross County, and Peterhead this weekend. They have in recent times the so called gypsies on their respective opponents today. Treble pays 3.35-1 at Ladbrokes
For those that are even more adventurous  you can add East Fife, Airdrie, Hearts and Edinburgh to the mix in any combo.  
Obviously i'm not an expert and opinions are like arseholes .....

I'm not disagreeing with the post above as Saints have probably the best away form in the league at present and are difficult to break down. Just putting a different slant on it  Tynecastle in recent games has been a tough venue for them, the the last 6 games read 4 losses 2 draws. I expect a reaction from Hearts today, Levein i cant stand but i have a gut feeling Hearts wont lose this one, i'm going to back the home side. 

Hearts v St Johnstone
I can't believe the odds for the away win here. Hearts have been poor for a while now and the fans patience with Craig Levein is running out. He's a very limited manager, can only play one way and other teams managers have worked him out. St Johnstone manager Tommy Wright is one of the best in the league and I expect them to go to Tynecastle today and do a job. I can't see St Johnstone losing this. I've had a small stake on the away win @ 3.50, which is serious value but my main bet today is;
St Johnstone +1 @ 1.67

Oldham-Doncaster X 3.78
Brighton-West Brom X 3.90

Lazio vs Juventus
The big game in Serie A this week comes from the Stadio Olimpico where European qualification chasing Lazio welcome league leaders Juventus for a 7:30pm kick-off this Sunday. It's a big test for the away side as they look to build on their 9 point lead at the top of the table.
Lazio started this season well under Simone Inzaghi after an initial rough patch. However, a patchy spell of recent form that consists of just 2 wins in their last 5 league matches. It's seen the team drop to 6th in the table but they remain a dangerous side when they get playing.
Juventus continue to have a brilliant season. It says a lot that second placed Napoli are displaying decent title form with 15 wins from their 20 league games yet they're still 9 points behind Massimiliano Allegri's side. The Old Lady's only dropped points this season have come in draws against Genoa on 20th October, 2018 and Atalanta on 26th December, 2018.
The odds on the away win here have to be snapped up. Juventus haven't failed to impressive in their games against the top sides so far. Cristiano Ronaldo has put the tax fraud case behind him and even though the rape allegations remain in the background I think we could see him deliver the goods here now some of his off-field shackles have been broken.
Juventus to Win @ 1.92 with MarathonBet
Total Goals Scored Under 2.5 @ 1.85 with Matchbook
@Pep004, @Magic0024, @malabgd, @four-leaf, @allthethings, @betcatalog, @sajtion, @the bastardian, @chris666, @thegeneral55, @Mindfulness, @stephen m, @teddybear3011, @jazzman02, @Bayern, @Xcout, @Valkovets, @MangoTheThird, @DonPaulo, @Franger83, @fhuefdsa, @dinero, @laprikon, @cluelessG, @Skenderbeg, @Gabosbet, @thinkpink63, @VYA, @balkan-pro, and @scommetix, are you guys planning any bets for this game or in Serie A?

Stoke vs Preston
There was only one game I was going to look into in the Championship this weekend and that's this clash between Stoke and Preston at the Bet365 Stadium (no, this is not a sponsored post!) in a 3pm kick-off. Why? It's only my boy Nathan Jones turning things around at the Potters!
OK, so Nathan Jones isn't my boy as such but he's a former Merthyr Town FC (formerly called Merthyr Tydfil FC when he was playing) player and I've been a big fan of his management style at Luton. It was a dodgy start to his tenure with the 3-1 loss to Brentford and then the 3-2 defeat to Shrewsbury in the FA Cup 3rd Round Replay. However, the 2-1 win at home to Leeds on the weekend suggested that times may be a-changing for the club.
Preston are a team struggling to keep their heads above water. I've always found Alex Neil a hard manager to like and I can't say I'm overly disappointed to see him experiencing the down side of management right now. The club is 18th and a safe 10 points clear of relegation but that could all change very quickly. The 4-1 win away to QPR on the weekend was a surprise after a run of 5 league games without a win but I can't help but feel it was more a freak score than a sign of improvement.
The Lilywhites have only won 3 of their 14 away matches this season and they've only picked up a point on three further occasions this campaign. Stoke might not be over-performing in 15th place but they're only 8 points outside the play-offs and have lost just 4 of their 14 home matches. Not bad for a team languishing down in the lower ebbs of mid-table.
I'm going to have to back a Stoke win here. I think Preston have the potential to make things difficult for teams but I think as Jones starts to get to know his players more he'll begin to maximise their attacking prowess. At their best, this Stoke team has the quality of a Premier League side. Jack Butland, Ashley Williams, Ryan Shawcross, and Joe Allen to name a few. They could be a worthwhile tip for a late push for the play-offs.
Stoke to Win @ 1.95 with BetVictor
Total Goals Scored Over 2.5 @ 2.22 with MarathonBet
@waynecoyne, @sajtion, @arvee, @canaries91, @Mindfulness, @betcatalog, @Magic0024, @malabgd, @CloughandTaylor, @Tiffy, @Gidds, @chris50, @PokerWolf1, @teddybear3011, @skyblues88, @allyhibs, @Icongene, @KikoCy, @willie82, @Neubs, @Papa Lazarou, @kulikTS, @Valkovets, @Pipoca, @padman, @Marek76, @silver fox, @neilovan, @HastGill1, @jazzman02, @andypaps28, @Kenton Schweppes, @rangers234, @newjack, @Kane91, @yossa6133, @The Sexless Innkeeper, @Xcout, @branskie, @Wanderer89, @four-leaf, @trevor8, @OppoArchitizerLady, and @the bastardian, are you guys planning on any bets this weekend in the Championship? What do you think of my preview here?

A great game today includes Serie A and is the evening between Milan and Napoli. "Roseneri" show a little more refreshed with two moves in their roster and at least try to play more aggressively. Napoli is always positive, so both teams score
AC MILAN vs SSC NAPOLI @@ Both team to score, odds 1.80

France also has a big game for the Friday program and is no different from Marseille - Lille. The truth is that the guests have stayed higher in this season, but the derby does not seem to be as effective. For her part, Marseille made the victory she was looking for on Sunday, passing by double from Caen's headquarters with 2-1 and things would be better if she wins today's game. Something that is required to make up for the lost ground so as to reach as close as possible the first three of the scoring, the two teams easily score and there is value in the many goals
OLYMPIQUE MARSEILLE vs LILLE LOSC @@ +2.50 Over, odds 1.95

Not so much Time today, but i think we can made some Profit today because Fixtures and first Matchweek after Winter-Break are good for todays bet.
For me today i like Hoffenheim to Win. I´ve wrote it in last Weeks Preview against Munich. Hoffenheim in full of Fitness after Winter Break and made a good Game against Munich. Freiburg on other Side only 1 Lose at Home against Hoffenheim in all Time but for me today and what i see on first Game after Break - Hoffenheim can win this.
Then for me i play Away Win on Leverkusen but only on DNB. Leverkusen lost First Game at Home againts Gladbach, but they shouldn´t lose such a Game. Leverkusen with many Chances and today agaisnt Wolfsburg who for me are a not the Same Quality like Gladbach. Think now after Winter Break Wolfsburg will slip slowly down in Table.
Also i see Dortmund will smash Hannover today - simple Reason here is - that Hannover´s Squad isn´t good Enough. Should become 4-5 Goals from Bremen last Week, but they didn´t score only once. So i think Dortmund with his quality can made this heavy today.

Hoffenheim @ 2.10 3/10 interwetten
Leverkusen AHC 0 @ 1.98 5/10 bet365
Dortmund AHC -2 @ 1.79 5/10 unibet

With a strong battle, the German side of the Bundesliga kicks off, with Herta welcoming Schalke. On the one hand, we have the Berlin team, which started its obligations for the second round with a double in Nuremberg by 3-1, but Schalke won with good play Wolfsburg and score 2-1. So, both are in good shape and especially aggressive, so they can offer us a good match today. To a point it can not be ruled out to go anywhere but the logic says both teams to score
HERTHA BSC vs FC SCHALKE 04 @@ Both team to score, odds 1.80

Of the teams that essentially claim the championship at the Premier Division, the one that is currently playing is Atletico Madrid against Getafe. A quite high hurdle for Simeon's team, however, has the seriousness of winning its opponent
ATLETICO MADRID vs CF GETAFE @@ ATLETICO MADRID, odds 1.60
 

After half of the season per round there are 4.15 home wins/3.2 draws/2.65 away wins. The last 2 seasons saw 4.72hw/2.26d/3.02aw; 4.76hw/2.34d/2.9aw. I assume there will be a reversion to the mean and more home wins in the second half of the season. 
One team that has underperformed at home is Real Sociedad with 2 home wins out of 9 games, leading to the appointment of Imanol Alguacil. The former coach of Real Sociedad B was also used as a temporary manager at the end of last season recording 100% win rate at home, including a 3:0 win vs Atletico Madrid. Those 4 home wins were all 1/1 Half Time/Full Time. If it was not for an own goal in the extra time of the first half in the recent 3:2 home win vs Espanyol, Alguacil's 5 home La Liga games in charge of Real Sociedad would have been 1/1 HT/FT. The team is yet to lose a game since his appointment this season, including a memorable 2:0 away win vs Real Madrid, a comeback from 2:0 down for an away draw vs Rayo Vallecano & 2 draws vs Real Betis that unfortunately led to the end of Sociedad's Copa Del Rey season.
Real Sociedad had 9 1/1 HT/FT home wins last season out of 10 home wins. Huesca have 5 away losses HT/FT this season (highest number in the league) and only 4 points from their away games, so they sit bottom of the table. In the last 3 seasons the team at the bottom of the table did not get more than 6 away points.
I am confident Real Sociedad will win at home vs Huesca and I am tempted for win 1/1 HT/FT.
What other home wins do you fancy this week?

It wasn't good!  Last 10 mins was ok, but he's only just come in and it could take a little while for things to settle down as the players liked Kranks. I wouldn't put any money on us at the moment for sure.

Chelsea vs Tottenham
The second of the two EFL Cup Semi-Finals is coming up tonight when Chelsea play Tottenham in this 7:45pm kick-off at Stamford Bridge. Spurs come into this game with a 1-0 advantage from the first leg but will be without their two big names in Harry Kane and Dele Alli due to injury.
Chelsea are navigating through some deep issues at the moment and it appears Maurizio Sarri has put the first nail in his managerial coffin at the club by slating the player commitment levels. Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte found out before him that it's a cardinal sin to criticise the Chelsea players... no matter how much they deserve it. It also doesn't help when you're playing Eden Hazard as a false nine and N'golo Kante far too high up the pitch.
Tottenham are plagued by injuries and selection problems. As mentioned, both Kane and Alli are out with injuries. Son Heung-min is also unavailable due to his involvement in the Asia Cup with South Korea. On the positive front, Lucas Moura and Moussa Sissoko could be back involved in the action.
The Blues come into this game knowing that a defeat would be the first time they had lost three consecutive games in a season to the an opponent since they did so against Manchester City back in the 2012/13 season. On the flip side, Tottenham are looking to win four games in a row against Chelsea for the first time since 1963.
I'm feeling that Chelsea could win this and take it to penalties. Mauricio Pochettino still has the ability to get his team to perform even without the big names. Chelsea seem at sixes and sevens right now. The club has struggled at home recently with just one win in their last three at Stamford Bridge. Tottenham might be weak but will be tough to break down. A moment of genius from Hazard is all it takes though.
Chelsea to Win on Penalties @ 6.00 with Boylesports
Total Goals Under 2.5 @ 1.89 with MarathonBet

Stoke vs Preston
There was only one game I was going to look into in the Championship this weekend and that's this clash between Stoke and Preston at the Bet365 Stadium (no, this is not a sponsored post!) in a 3pm kick-off. Why? It's only my boy Nathan Jones turning things around at the Potters!
OK, so Nathan Jones isn't my boy as such but he's a former Merthyr Town FC (formerly called Merthyr Tydfil FC when he was playing) player and I've been a big fan of his management style at Luton. It was a dodgy start to his tenure with the 3-1 loss to Brentford and then the 3-2 defeat to Shrewsbury in the FA Cup 3rd Round Replay. However, the 2-1 win at home to Leeds on the weekend suggested that times may be a-changing for the club.
Preston are a team struggling to keep their heads above water. I've always found Alex Neil a hard manager to like and I can't say I'm overly disappointed to see him experiencing the down side of management right now. The club is 18th and a safe 10 points clear of relegation but that could all change very quickly. The 4-1 win away to QPR on the weekend was a surprise after a run of 5 league games without a win but I can't help but feel it was more a freak score than a sign of improvement.
The Lilywhites have only won 3 of their 14 away matches this season and they've only picked up a point on three further occasions this campaign. Stoke might not be over-performing in 15th place but they're only 8 points outside the play-offs and have lost just 4 of their 14 home matches. Not bad for a team languishing down in the lower ebbs of mid-table.
I'm going to have to back a Stoke win here. I think Preston have the potential to make things difficult for teams but I think as Jones starts to get to know his players more he'll begin to maximise their attacking prowess. At their best, this Stoke team has the quality of a Premier League side. Jack Butland, Ashley Williams, Ryan Shawcross, and Joe Allen to name a few. They could be a worthwhile tip for a late push for the play-offs.
Stoke to Win @ 1.95 with BetVictor
Total Goals Scored Over 2.5 @ 2.22 with MarathonBet
@waynecoyne, @sajtion, @arvee, @canaries91, @Mindfulness, @betcatalog, @Magic0024, @malabgd, @CloughandTaylor, @Tiffy, @Gidds, @chris50, @PokerWolf1, @teddybear3011, @skyblues88, @allyhibs, @Icongene, @KikoCy, @willie82, @Neubs, @Papa Lazarou, @kulikTS, @Valkovets, @Pipoca, @padman, @Marek76, @silver fox, @neilovan, @HastGill1, @jazzman02, @andypaps28, @Kenton Schweppes, @rangers234, @newjack, @Kane91, @yossa6133, @The Sexless Innkeeper, @Xcout, @branskie, @Wanderer89, @four-leaf, @trevor8, @OppoArchitizerLady, and @the bastardian, are you guys planning on any bets this weekend in the Championship? What do you think of my preview here?

Barnsley vs Rochdale
League One dishes up an intriguing clash this weekend when play-off hopefuls Barnsley host relegation battlers Rochdale in a 3pm kick-off at Oakwell. All the form and stats are pointing to a home win but is it worth backing a big victory here to make the most of the value on offer?
The Tykes are reeling this week after Daniel Stendel saw his assistant manager Andreas Winkler join up with new Huddersfield manager Jan Siewert at the Premier League club. It will be interesting to see how Stendel's backroom staff shapes up after this departure. The club is in 5th place in the table and 6 points inside the play-offs. This has been helped by a run of 5 wins and 2 draws from their last 7 league games. Can it continue here?
Rochdale are lingering in an uncomfortable 20th place in the table. The Dale are just 1 point and one place above the relegation zone but the teams behind them have a game in hand. It's a worrying plight not made any better by the fact that the club hasn't won a game in 5 attempts in the league. This has included some demoralising results including a 4-0 loss at home to fellow strugglers Bradford, a 5-0 defeat away to Doncaster, and a 4-0 loss at home to Burton. It's a bad time to be a Rochdale fan. Keith Hill remains the man in charge though and it seems they'll be happy with just surviving this season.
It seems almost inevitable here that Barnsley will get the win. I'm concerned at how the departure of Winkler might impact on the Tykes in the long term but I think they'll be OK here. Rochdale could well be relegated this season. The past two performances have been an improvement on the previous three but the losing habit is hard to shake. I can see Barnsley winning this game by a comfortable 2-3 goal margin.
Barnsley HT/FT @ 2.25 with Ladbrokes
Barnsley -1 @ 2.25 with Bet365
@Papa Lazarou, @freestylerx, @allyhibs, @iBetting, @betcatalog, @Magic0024, @malabgd, @kulikTS, @golakeh1, @Unnamed, @willie82, @dogmeister, @TheEdge, @JJG, @allthethings, @Mindfulness, @the bastardian, @teddybear3011, @Marek76, @salmonman, @Unnamed, @mij0sim, @jazzman02, @Bobby Vegas, @Teodore, @Tiffy, @nenri981, @MangoTheThird, @Johnmccain, @Papa Lazarou, @VYA, @THEODORE-007, and @sajtion, what bets are you guys looking at this weekend then?

Stoke vs Preston
There was only one game I was going to look into in the Championship this weekend and that's this clash between Stoke and Preston at the Bet365 Stadium (no, this is not a sponsored post!) in a 3pm kick-off. Why? It's only my boy Nathan Jones turning things around at the Potters!
OK, so Nathan Jones isn't my boy as such but he's a former Merthyr Town FC (formerly called Merthyr Tydfil FC when he was playing) player and I've been a big fan of his management style at Luton. It was a dodgy start to his tenure with the 3-1 loss to Brentford and then the 3-2 defeat to Shrewsbury in the FA Cup 3rd Round Replay. However, the 2-1 win at home to Leeds on the weekend suggested that times may be a-changing for the club.
Preston are a team struggling to keep their heads above water. I've always found Alex Neil a hard manager to like and I can't say I'm overly disappointed to see him experiencing the down side of management right now. The club is 18th and a safe 10 points clear of relegation but that could all change very quickly. The 4-1 win away to QPR on the weekend was a surprise after a run of 5 league games without a win but I can't help but feel it was more a freak score than a sign of improvement.
The Lilywhites have only won 3 of their 14 away matches this season and they've only picked up a point on three further occasions this campaign. Stoke might not be over-performing in 15th place but they're only 8 points outside the play-offs and have lost just 4 of their 14 home matches. Not bad for a team languishing down in the lower ebbs of mid-table.
I'm going to have to back a Stoke win here. I think Preston have the potential to make things difficult for teams but I think as Jones starts to get to know his players more he'll begin to maximise their attacking prowess. At their best, this Stoke team has the quality of a Premier League side. Jack Butland, Ashley Williams, Ryan Shawcross, and Joe Allen to name a few. They could be a worthwhile tip for a late push for the play-offs.
Stoke to Win @ 1.95 with BetVictor
Total Goals Scored Over 2.5 @ 2.22 with MarathonBet
@waynecoyne, @sajtion, @arvee, @canaries91, @Mindfulness, @betcatalog, @Magic0024, @malabgd, @CloughandTaylor, @Tiffy, @Gidds, @chris50, @PokerWolf1, @teddybear3011, @skyblues88, @allyhibs, @Icongene, @KikoCy, @willie82, @Neubs, @Papa Lazarou, @kulikTS, @Valkovets, @Pipoca, @padman, @Marek76, @silver fox, @neilovan, @HastGill1, @jazzman02, @andypaps28, @Kenton Schweppes, @rangers234, @newjack, @Kane91, @yossa6133, @The Sexless Innkeeper, @Xcout, @branskie, @Wanderer89, @four-leaf, @trevor8, @OppoArchitizerLady, and @the bastardian, are you guys planning on any bets this weekend in the Championship? What do you think of my preview here?

Arsenal vs Manchester United
It's the big tie of the FA Cup 4th Round kicking things off on Friday night when Arsenal and Manchester United play against each other in this 7:55pm kick-off at the Emirates Stadium. It's tough to gauge what state either of these sides are in right now but with such a high level of unpredictability about this game it felt right to plunge head first into it!
Arsenal come into this game off the back of an impressive 2-0 win at home to Chelsea. That win now means that Unai Emery's side are in 5th place and just 3 points outside the play-offs. Heading into this game, Emery's side will be aiming to build on the 3-0 win over Blackpool in the previous round. The Gunners are without Hector Bellerin after it was confirmed he would miss the rest of the season after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury.
Manchester United are flying under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. The club legend has won all seven of his games in charge so far across all competitions yet the fans still aren't convinced he's the man to lead them on a full-time basis. Admittedly, his only real stern test so far has been against Tottenham but his side came through that game with a win and a clean sheet. What more can he do?
History stands on the side of Arsenal ahead of this game. The Gunners have won both of their two previous FA Cup home games against Manchester United. Emery's side have also only lost 2 home games in all competitions this season. Interestingly, the Gunners have gone on to win this competition on the three previous occasions that they have eliminated United.
There is some optimism for fans of the Red Devils mind. United have won 13 of their last 14 FA Cup 4th Round ties. It's also a competition that Alexis Sanchez loves. The Chilean attacker has scored 9 goals and grabbed 9 assists in his 19 FA Cup appearances for both United and Arsenal. What's that famous saying about former players coming back to haunt their old clubs? I'm not sure there's a lot to separate these two in this game but I think Arsenal might sneak it.
Arsenal Draw No Bet @ 1.92 with MarathonBet
Anytime Scorer: Alexis Sanchez @ 3.40 with UniBet
@Mindfulness, @Pep004, @MaliMisko12, @betcatalog, @sajtion, @godofhorses, @Tiffy, @waynecoyne, @The Sexless Innkeeper, @Magic0024, @malabgd, @Duke_Tm, @dogmeister, @Arkadi Manucharov, @derbent, @fat, @allyhibs, @6avin24, @discipline, @the bastardian, @Bronxie, @Bett, @KikoCy, @teddybear3011, @markus808, @allthethings, @Kenton Schweppes, @vasilli07, @Dylan Lynch, @neilovan, @JKos, @zemo91, @kulikTS, @mrclubbie, @Judeksi, @Henind666, @Dave1X2, @canaries91, @jazzman02, @sajtion, @Darran, @postmanplod69, @eddiem, @bartonbank, @yossa6133, @Teodore, @thinkpink63, and @AndreBR, what do you guys think ahead of this weekend's cup action?
 

great tip stevie-well done

Chelsea vs Tottenham
The second of the two EFL Cup Semi-Finals is coming up tonight when Chelsea play Tottenham in this 7:45pm kick-off at Stamford Bridge. Spurs come into this game with a 1-0 advantage from the first leg but will be without their two big names in Harry Kane and Dele Alli due to injury.
Chelsea are navigating through some deep issues at the moment and it appears Maurizio Sarri has put the first nail in his managerial coffin at the club by slating the player commitment levels. Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte found out before him that it's a cardinal sin to criticise the Chelsea players... no matter how much they deserve it. It also doesn't help when you're playing Eden Hazard as a false nine and N'golo Kante far too high up the pitch.
Tottenham are plagued by injuries and selection problems. As mentioned, both Kane and Alli are out with injuries. Son Heung-min is also unavailable due to his involvement in the Asia Cup with South Korea. On the positive front, Lucas Moura and Moussa Sissoko could be back involved in the action.
The Blues come into this game knowing that a defeat would be the first time they had lost three consecutive games in a season to the an opponent since they did so against Manchester City back in the 2012/13 season. On the flip side, Tottenham are looking to win four games in a row against Chelsea for the first time since 1963.
I'm feeling that Chelsea could win this and take it to penalties. Mauricio Pochettino still has the ability to get his team to perform even without the big names. Chelsea seem at sixes and sevens right now. The club has struggled at home recently with just one win in their last three at Stamford Bridge. Tottenham might be weak but will be tough to break down. A moment of genius from Hazard is all it takes though.
Chelsea to Win on Penalties @ 6.00 with Boylesports
Total Goals Under 2.5 @ 1.89 with MarathonBet

Noice!

Spurs are favourites at Palace.  Not sure what sort of team Palace are going to put out, but spurs injury problems are well documented and they have a short turnaround from the Chelsea game tonight.  Instinct is Palace have a good chance in this one even if they do weaken down a bit.

Brighton V WBA
I think that even with changes, Brighton will be too strong at home for this team concentrating on promotion
BRIGHTON TO WIN