Back in the Gameweek routine after last weekend’s round of FA Cup fixtures, it’s time to pay a visit to our favourite bookmaker to scan their odds on the weekend fixtures, assessing their current thinking on the defensive and attacking potential on offer.
Clean Sheets
| Man United 1.83 |
| Tottenham 1.90 |
| Liverpool 1.90 |
| Man City 2.00 |
| Chelsea 2.10 |
| Newcastle 2.40 |
| Arsenal 2.40 |
| Aston Villa 2.70 |
| West Brom 2.87 |
Paddy have United out in front when it comes to shut-outs, edging both Spurs and Liverpool by a fraction. Alex Ferguson’s rearguard face Bolton, fresh from the Newcastle spanking, and there will perhaps be real reservations on the potential offered by their shell-shocked defence. Ferguson does at least have options this weekend, with Jonny Evans, Chris Smalling and Rafael possible starters. That could see Phil Jones back in midfield, although rumours of Rio Ferdinand’s tummy grumbles are perhaps a cause for concern. Owen Coyle will fancy nicking a goal.
Spurs and Liverpool look stronger options for our money. Harry Redknapp’s side have come a cropper against Wolves at the Lane before but come into the weekend on the back of two consecutive cleanies and having conceded just two goals in their last six. Liverpool, meanwhile, demonstrated their resilience at the Etihad in midweek and will surely be backed against a Stoke side that can struggle to penetrate on the road.
City’s odds at lowly Wigan look generous given the absence of Vincent Kompany and Yaya Toure, with Newcastle perhaps a stronger option, even with the Mark Hughes effect a likely factor when QPR pay visit to the Sports Direct this weekend.
Further down Paddy’s list, Villa and West Brom are seen as the long-shots – Alex McLeish’s unit look the better option for us. Everton are at Villa Park this weekend and seem be scratching around for goals, having drawn another blank at the Lane on Wednesday. It’s five goals in the last eight matches for Moyes’ men.
Anytime Scorer – Forwards
| Rooney 1.44 |
| Hernandez 1.50 |
| Welbeck 1.61 |
| Adebayor 1.61 |
| Berbatov 1.61 |
| Aguero 1.66 |
| Van Persie 1.72 |
| Balotelli 1.82 |
| Dzeko 2.0 |
| Sturridge 2.0 |
| Torres 2.0 |
| Bellamy 2.29 |
| Carroll 2.29 |
| Henry 2.29 |
| Bent 2.40 |
| Odemwingie 2.40 |
| Best 2.50 |
| Yakubu 2.70 |
| Zamora 2.87 |
Paddy’s faith in Wayne Rooney is unshakable. He is, once again, their favourite to find the net and, despite an ineffectual display at Newcastle, the United man does indeed look well-placed to punish Bolton at Old Trafford. United are clearly backed to hand out a spanking, with Javier Hernandez and Danny Welbeck also fancied ahead of Tottenham’s Emmanuel Adebayor, who, despite mustering just two shots over the double Gameweek fixtures, has Paddy’s backing to inflict the damage on Wolves at the Lane.
Robin Van Perise faces up to the Liberty Stadium resistance, although it remains to be seen if Swansea’s possession game can cut it against the visiting Gunners. Nonetheless, the Swan’s home record has an impact on Van Persie’s odds – he trails the United strikers, Adebayor and Sergio Aguero right now. It’s doubtful whether many Fantasy managers will be losing faith so quickly.
Darren Bent and Peter Odemwingie are perhaps the most interesting mid-price punts available – Paddy have them favoured above the much-fancied Yakubu, who faces up to a Fulham back-four well capable of frustrating struggling Blackburn. Villa and West Brom have home encounters with Everton and Norwich and, for us, Odemwingie looks a decent option given that he could find himself on spot-kicks with Chris Brunt sidelined. We’ve a Watchlist primed and on the way on the Nigerian later today.
Anytime Scorer – Midfield
| Van der Vaart 2.0 |
| Nani 2.20 |
| Lampard 2.29 |
| Mata 2.50 |
| Gerrard 2.50 |
| Bale 2.60 |
| Kuyt 2.70 |
| Dempsey 2.87 |
| Silva 2.87 |
| Ben Arfa 3.10 |
| Arshavin 3.10 |
| Walcott 3.10 |
| Tchoyi 3.40 |
Tottenham’s master Dutchman tops Paddy’s list of midfield anytime scorers once again, despite notching just a single goal in his last ten league showings. Like Adebayor, Rafael Van der Vaart failed to cover himself in glory in the double Gameweek gone by but, with the Wolves at the door, he’s likely to get a decent opportunity to make up for that midweek disappointment.
Nani and Frank Lampard rank next, the latter’s place in the Chelsea lineup far from assured, making Juan Mata perhaps the better proposition in Fantasy terms. The Liverpool pair of Steven Gerrard and Dirk Kuyt then follow, with Clint Dempsey’s odds remaining short as he attempts to build on his FA Cup hat-trick with goals at Ewood Park. Ben Arfa’s potential has been recognised by Paddy – interestingly they have him well above the coveted Stephane Sessegnon – his odds of 5.0 are perhaps surprising given his resurgence under Martin O’Neill and the gaps on show in the Chelsea back-four. Seb Larsson’s odds are even longer – 8.0 – looks generous given his accuracy at set-pieces.
Anytime Scorers – Defenders
| Jones 6.0 |
| Kolarov 6.50 |
| Terry 7.50 |
| Luiz 7.50 |
| Vermaelen 7.50 |
| Smalling 8.0 |
| Baines 8.0 |
| Kaboul 8.0 |
| Samba 8.50 |
| Riise 8.50 |
| Huth 9.0 |
| Shotton 9.0 |
| Richards 10.0 |
| M Dawson 10.0 |
Paddy clearly have Phil Jones earmarked for a role in the United midfield, ranking him the most likely Fantasy defender to find the net this weekend. City’s Aleksandar Kolarov and the Chelsea centre-backs then follow. City’s Micah Richards and Tottenham’s Michael Dawson appear to offer the most generous odds – 10.0. You can get 11.0 on Assou-Ekotto repeating his 30-yard effort from midweek, while Martin Skrtel at 11.0 to net anytime against Stoke looks decent given his goalscoring form this term and with Steven Gerrard’s delivery on the pitch.
Scout Specials
As usual, Paddy has created a string of markets linked in with our current Scout Pick thinking, including bets on Clint Dempsey, Peter Odemwingie and Hatem Ben Arfa. Take a gander at the odds now and look out for Money Mike’s Flutter before tomorrow’s deadline to find out where our money goes.
Money Back Special
Paddy’s refund special backs this season’s Fantasy darling. If Robin van Persie scores the last goal at the Liberty when Arsenal take on Swansea, Paddy will refund all losing first and last goalscorer, correct score and scorecast singles on the match.
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