Scottish Premier League > Ante-Post 2011-12 Season

[Spooner]

All odds available at http://www.odds-comparison.co.uk/ Antepost bets in here, winner, relegation, match bets etc :ok Clydesdale Bank Premier League Winner 500/1 BAR

[Kiddo112]

Re: Scottish Premier League > Ante-Post 2011-12 Season Any scottish fans got a view on the Top Scorer market? I got a good run out of David Goodwillie last year, and collected on my place bet. Gary Hooper heads the market, and obviously came up 1 short last year even thought Miller went to Turkey in Jan. Hooper had a lot of niggly injuries last season, so his haul of 20 goals in 26 appearances was fairly impressive. However I would have question marks around backing a Celtic player on the basis that the goals could be shared around too much. Penalty duties passed over and back between Hooper and Stokes last season if I recall correctly. Kris Commons should also get his fair share (13 last year), and the much mooted return of Bellamy throws another fly in the ointment. So to Rangers. In my opinion Jelavic will be extremely hard to keep out of the places at the very least. He had a serious injury last year, missing 3 months. But he still ended up with 16 goals in 23 app (20 starts), with 14 of then coming in his last 16 games. He has come out this week and said he is happy to stay at Rangers for at least one more year. Also, Mc Coist has said that he will spread his budget around, and so is unlikely to bring in another marque striker to take away from Jelavic's goal chances. Furthermore, Goodwillie is as short as 7/1, but I think this is mainly due to him being linked with Rangers. However I understand it is looking increasing likely that he will be heading south to Cardiff. Jelavic is 10/3 with Powers, but they only go 1/5 odds a place (first 3). Would be very nice if an extra half a point could be found somewhere to make it near a bet to nothing imo. Well that is my 2 cents worth, on a market I admit I don't know that much about. Anyone better placed to add anything? Or any longer priced runners worth a punt??

[AHughes]

Re: Scottish Premier League > Ante-Post 2011-12 Season Michael Higdon could be an interesting E/W bet at 26/1 for top scorer. He scored 15 for St Mirren last season and has now moved to Hearts.

[Lennox]

Re: Scottish Premier League > Ante-Post 2011-12 Season

Michael Higdon could be an interesting E/W bet at 26/1 for top scorer. He scored 15 for St Mirren last season and has now moved to Hearts.

Higdon signed for Motherwell, not Hearts. Still a fair shout for an E/W bet though.

[martin239]

Re: Scottish Premier League > Ante-Post 2011-12 Season Commons isn't a bad shout E/W for Top Goalscorer at 21.00 IMO. He scored 14 goals in 18 starts since signing at Celtic in January and including the first few months of the season at Derby, he scored 28 goals in 46 starts which is a great record for a midfielder. Looking at Commons' goalscoring stats throughout his career, his goal tally seems to grow each year with each club he's been at. Only once has he scored less League goals for his club than the previous season, and in that season he made 14 less appearances than the season preceding it. Stoke: 0 goals > 1 goal > 4 goals; Nottingham Forest: 6 goals > 8 goals > 9 goals > 9 goals; Derby: 5 goals > 3 goals > 13 goals; Celtic: 14 goals > ? If the trend continues, we should expect Commons to grab more than the 1 goal every 1.27 games that he averaged in his SPL appearances last season. Defences will be more aware of him this season after his impressive few months in Scotland and he may get less time on the ball and thus less scoring opportunities, but if he can get even close to that average over the course of a whole season, he should run the two favourites, Hooper and Jelavic, pretty close IMO.

[jtw1]

Re: Scottish Premier League > Ante-Post 2011-12 Season Waste of time looking at anyone who doesn't play for either Rangers or Celtic Leading scorers 1998/99 29 - Henrik Larsson (Celtic) 1999/00 25 - Mark Viduka (Celtic) 2000/01 35 - Henrik Larsson (Celtic) 2001/02 29 - Henrik Larsson (Celtic) 2002/03 28 - Henrik Larsson (Celtic) 2003/04 30 - Henrik Larsson (Celtic) 2004/05 25 - John Hartson (Celtic) 2005/06 32 - Kris Boyd (Kilmarnock/Rangers) 2006/07 20 - Kris Boyd (Rangers) 2007/08 25 - Scott McDonald (Celtic) 2008/09 27 - Kris Boyd (Rangers) 2009/10 23 - Kris Boyd (Rangers) 2010/11 21 - Kenny Miller (Rangers)

[Lennox]

Re: Scottish Premier League > Ante-Post 2011-12 Season Good to be back. One ante-post bet for me just now. Weighing up a couple more, but will see how the transfer market plays out over the next 10 days. To win SPL without Celtic & Rangers: Hearts @ 2.20 with Stan James (10/10 - NAP) Hearts have significantly strengthened what was already the third best squad in Scotland and I see them as heavy favourites to be crowned 'best of the rest' once again. In adding to their ranks, they've also weakened sides that last season were contenders in the top six. John Sutton, one of the most prolific strikers in Scottish football, has joined from Motherwell, whilst two of Kilmarnock's hardest-working men in Jamie Hamill and Mehdi Taouil have also made the journey east. Add to them ex-St Johnstone full-back Danny Grainger and a bright season should lie ahead at Tynecastle. Ismael Bouzid and Ruben Palazuelous are the key men to have moved on, but they've been well replaced. Hearts will be solid at the back, even if Lee Wallace does leave, efficient and creative in midfield and certainly pack a punch up front, with Stephen Elliot settled and Kevin Kyle due to return from injury. The supply line in Andy Driver, David Templeton and Ryan Stevenson will ensure chances are not at a premium. Of course, the Jam Tarts have had a tendency to implode when things are going well (in no small part thanks to owner Vladimir Romanov's 'hands-on' approach) but manager Jim Jefferies seems to be trusted by the club's hierarchy and after a difficult summer off the park (defender Craig Thomson has been released after being placed on the sex offenders' register) things look positive on the field. Of the main contenders, Dundee United are significantly weaker having sold their entire first-choice midfield while doubts remain over top scorer David Goodwillie's future. It's hard to see anyone else managing to develop the kind of consistency needed to compete at the top end for long stretches. Good luck all who play! :ok

[aliando]

Waste of time looking at anyone who doesn't play for either Rangers or Celtic Leading scorers 1998/99 29 - Henrik Larsson (Celtic) 1999/00 25 - Mark Viduka (Celtic) 2000/01 35 - Henrik Larsson (Celtic) 2001/02 29 - Henrik Larsson (Celtic) 2002/03 28 - Henrik Larsson (Celtic) 2003/04 30 - Henrik Larsson (Celtic) 2004/05 25 - John Hartson (Celtic) 2005/06 32 - Kris Boyd (Kilmarnock/Rangers) 2006/07 20 - Kris Boyd (Rangers) 2007/08 25 - Scott McDonald (Celtic) 2008/09 27 - Kris Boyd (Rangers) 2009/10 23 - Kris Boyd (Rangers) 2010/11 21 - Kenny Miller (Rangers)

Tbf, it's a valid point for a straight bet but what odds were these players? E/w bets can be more profitable without winning the overall top scorer.

[The Mug]

Re: Scottish Premier League > Ante-Post 2011-12 Season

To win SPL without Celtic & Rangers: Hearts @ 2.20 with Stan James (10/10 - NAP)

I'm on this as well. I just don't really see another non-OF team with equivalent squad depth. I wouldn't call it a 10/10 bet (whatever that means), but 11/8 (Coral) represents pretty good value IMO.

[Sprut]

Re: Scottish Premier League > Ante-Post 2011-12 Season Where to find SPL Preview 2011/12..?

[Lennox]

Re: Scottish Premier League > Ante-Post 2011-12 Season Taking two smaller outrights... To win SPL: Celtic @ 1.80 with Stan James (6/10) As ever, it'll be a two-horse race between the Old Firm rivals, but I can't help but feel Celtic might pull away and win the title relatively comfortably. There had been fears they'd lose a few players this summer, the likes of Hooper and Izaguirre being linked with moves to the Premiership. This hasn't happened and is almost as good as a couple of big-money signings. Rangers' experience gave them the edge last season. Pretty much to man, they'd been there and done it before. Celtic, it could be argued, threw it away with that loss at Caley 10 days from the end. That was with a squad with barely a winner's medal between them. Having been over the course, and since won the Scottish Cup together, I can't see them making the same mistakes. Everywhere you look through the Celtic team, there are goals. Hooper and Stokes lead the way, with Samaras, Commons, Ledley, Brown and Maloney all likely to get their fair share. Sure, the defence might still be a little bit suspect, but is nowhere near as poor as some commentators liked to make out last season. Kelvin Wilson, their new centre-back, is an unknown quantity and Lukas Zaluska is less than fully reliable in the sticks, however a new keeper is reported to be on the way. I think the problem for Rangers will be a staleness. Now, with a new manager at the helm, that shouldn't be an issue, but Ally McCoist had been Walter Smith's assistant, and I just can't see that transition proving successful. While McCoist will command respect, he's commanding a ship with the same passengers it's had for most of the last three seasons. His desperate unsuccessful scramblings in the transfer market suggest he doubts his squad's ability to go at it domestically and in Europe. New owner Craig Whyte seems reluctant to release funds, and I wonder if that's something to do with the fact McCoist wasn't his appointment. If Rangers don't start well, will Ally still be in a job come Christmas? Rangers fans aren't known for their patience. To be relegated: Kilmarnock @ 4.50 with Stan James (5/10) The Ayrshire men are in big trouble. For the most past last season, they had a great time. They played with a lot of verve and were always worth watching. Then manager Mixu Paatelainen left and his assistant Kenny Shiels stepped into the dugout. The Northern Irishman had a torrid time, barely scraping six points on to the board in three months. Somehow, however, he landed the job this summer on a permanent basis. His squad, though, bares no resemblance to the one that did so well last term. Bryson and Eremenko, the two playmakers, are gone. Hamill, the midfield workhorse, has left for Hearts, as has key man Taouil, while centre-back Wright has moved to St Johnstone. Last season's top scorer Sammon left in January and is still to be replaced. Shiels has replaced these key men with European journeymen and free agents from the lower echelons of English football. With no money coming in to the club, and a threadbare fan base backing them even on home turf, they face a real struggle. Other main contenders, St Mirren and the newly promoted Dunfermline have both strengthened and, on paper at least, appear to have better options. Good luck all who play :ok

[tadley]

Re: Scottish Premier League > Ante-Post 2011-12 Season CELTIC TO WIN HANICAP 9/1 MOST FIRMS Celtic give away 1 or 2 points to Rangers in most handicaps. That shouldn't be much of a problem as this year Celtic seem to have the bigger and better squad. I cannot see the other teams getting anywhere near to them despite the handicaps. The also rans (no offence meant) recieve 40+ points but considering there was a 60 point gap between the top two and the bottom three it hardly seems sufficent. Hearts receive 23 points and Dundee United 27 but considering they were 30 points behind last year I cant see it being enough.

[Dr Hook]

Re: Scottish Premier League > Ante-Post 2011-12 Season I've done the Hearts without OF wager. I heard Hearts have 6 x the player budget of non OF premier teams. All of the 20 odd posters on a Jambos page said anything less than 3rd would be a failure. I also note Sporting Life have gone with this. I've had a small each way on A.Stokes at 8/1 for top scorer for the simple reason he was level top voted for on a fair size poll with Hooper who's only around 9/4.

[Kiddo112]

Re: Scottish Premier League > Ante-Post 2011-12 Season

Any scottish fans got a view on the Top Scorer market? I got a good run out of David Goodwillie last year, and collected on my place bet. Gary Hooper heads the market, and obviously came up 1 short last year even thought Miller went to Turkey in Jan. Hooper had a lot of niggly injuries last season, so his haul of 20 goals in 26 appearances was fairly impressive. However I would have question marks around backing a Celtic player on the basis that the goals could be shared around too much. Penalty duties passed over and back between Hooper and Stokes last season if I recall correctly. Kris Commons should also get his fair share (13 last year), and the much mooted return of Bellamy throws another fly in the ointment. So to Rangers. In my opinion Jelavic will be extremely hard to keep out of the places at the very least. He had a serious injury last year, missing 3 months. But he still ended up with 16 goals in 23 app (20 starts), with 14 of then coming in his last 16 games. He has come out this week and said he is happy to stay at Rangers for at least one more year. Also, Mc Coist has said that he will spread his budget around, and so is unlikely to bring in another marque striker to take away from Jelavic's goal chances. Furthermore, Goodwillie is as short as 7/1, but I think this is mainly due to him being linked with Rangers. However I understand it is looking increasing likely that he will be heading south to Cardiff. Jelavic is 10/3 with Powers, but they only go 1/5 odds a place (first 3). Would be very nice if an extra half a point could be found somewhere to make it near a bet to nothing imo. Well that is my 2 cents worth, on a market I admit I don't know that much about. Anyone better placed to add anything? Or any longer priced runners worth a punt??

Ok, well looks like I may of dodged a bullet on this one, as looks like there is every chance Jelavic will be gone in the Jan transfer window. Anyone well placed to advise of the likelihood of this?? I had also read recently that Hooper was being looked at by an English PL club, any truth in this?? Current Standings with best price in brackets: Jelavic - 13 (13/8) Hooper - 11 (7/5) Stokes - 8 (8/1) O'Connor - 8 (25/1) Vernon - 8 (20/1) Daly - 7 (33/1) Heffernan - 7 (33/1) Higdon - 7 (28/1) Lafferty - 6 (28/1) I remember Spirit got some very nice prices on this market last season when Miller left Rangers, think the bets came up just short in the end. If Hooper was definetely staying then the 7/5 would make plenty of appeal imo. But if there is a chance he will go, is Stokes an EW bet to nothing (8/1 with Ladbrokes 1/5 odds first 3). What about Lafferty at Rangers. Would he become the main man?

[Kiddo112]

Re: Scottish Premier League > Ante-Post 2011-12 Season No views on this?? Hooper's price (6/5) has been cut as a result of him commiting to Celtic, and the ongoing uncertainty re: Jelavic (2/1), who said he is happy at Rangers but will leave if Rangers decide to cash in. A few have been cut after scoring, including Stokes (15/2) and Daly (22/1), while Lafferty has been ruled out for 5-6 weeks through injury. I suppose where there may be some value in a potential replacement joining Rangers if Jelavic is sold. They appear to have been linked with a number of strikers, including O'Connor (22/1) & Sandaza (33/1). The more interesting of those 2 would seem to be Sandaza, with his agent confirming yesterday that he had turned down a new contract and was likely to leave. His contract is up in the summer, and so it is suggested that he will see that out. However his agent said there had been interest from both Old Firm clubs, one much more-so than the other. I understand that this is Rangers, and given he has 9 already for St Johnstone, he would definitely appeal if he was to head for Ibrox this month. Anyone better placed with a view on the possibilities of Jelavic leaving, and his possible replacement? Cheers

[Kosher Readies]

Re: Scottish Premier League > Ante-Post 2011-12 Season Not certain that Jelavic will leave, for a good few years a lot of people have been saying that Rangers have to sell their best players like McGregor, Davis, Jelavic etc but it's never really turned out that way. Also I think some EPL teams will see him as somewhat of a risk condidering his injury history and patchy goalscoring form at times. Would avoid backing Stokes, Lennon tends to leave him out of the 'bigger' games and a fall out between the two never seems far away. Race between Hooper and Jelavic imo.

[Kiddo112]

Re: Scottish Premier League > Ante-Post 2011-12 Season Cheers KR I see McBookie are offering odds on which players will leave in the Jan transfer window (link below). http://www.mcbookie.co.uk/mcbookie?action=GoEvClass&ev_class_id=195 Jelavic is 1/3, and O'Connor and Sandaza odds against. The fact that you can't back these "to stay" suggests that the true odds on them going are much bigger. A case of wait and watch then.

[SpiritOf67]

Re: Scottish Premier League > Ante-Post 2011-12 Season

Not certain that Jelavic will leave, for a good few years a lot of people have been saying that Rangers have to sell their best players like McGregor, Davis, Jelavic etc but it's never really turned out that way. Also I think some EPL teams will see him as somewhat of a risk condidering his injury history and patchy goalscoring form at times. Would avoid backing Stokes, Lennon tends to leave him out of the 'bigger' games and a fall out between the two never seems far away. Race between Hooper and Jelavic imo.

After being left out against Motherwell I think Jelavic will be away, Rangers aren't in a position to knock back any reasonable bid.

[ilikemoney]

Re: Scottish Premier League > Ante-Post 2011-12 Season Have any bookies paid out on Celtic yet?

[sward73]

Re: Scottish Premier League > Ante-Post 2011-12 Season Paddy Power paid out last week Bud.

[ilikemoney]

Re: Scottish Premier League > Ante-Post 2011-12 Season

Paddy Power paid out last week Bud.

Ah, PP are quite good like that. Cheers. I'm still waiting on William Hill. :lol