After staying out on the opening weekend of the season to avoid the notoriously strange results, we can get into the thick of the action this weekend with some bets in Football League games. Obviously staying with our principle, we’ll leave the opening Premiership weekend well alone!
Starting with the Championship, there are a lot of close calls but surely Leicester are much too long at 3/1 to win at Ipswich. They’ve recorded 2 wins from 2 already this season after taking League 1 by storm last season. Whilst this is worth a nibble at those odds, we’ll refrain from adding it to our list. Instead look at Cardiff away to Blackpool; the Bluebirds thumped Scunthorpe last weekend and Blackpool are going to be in for a struggle this season. There is enough value in the odds to insure ourselves a little by taking 4/5 on the Welsh side to win on the draw-no-bet.
One more selection at the top end of the Coca-Cola leagues, this time Bristol City. They are at home to Crystal Palace who were given a fright by Torquay in midweek before edging through. That followed a disappointing home draw with Plymouth although a word of caution – Palace did create a lot of chances but fail to convert. City threw away a 2-goal lead at Preston last weekend after a largely good performance and don’t expect them to be so wasteful this week. 11/10 on them to win looks fair and we’ll take that.
Moving into League 1 and particularly Millwall. They’re at home to Carlisle this weekend who were totally dominated by new boys Brentford last weekend. They responded with a 1-0 home win over Oldham in midweek but it took a last-minute winner. Millwall on the other hand were impressive in gaining a 1-1 draw at Southampton and then were thoroughly professional in thrashing League 2 Bournemouth 4-0 in midweek. The Lions will really have to try hard to lose this one so the 4/6 about them winning is to be taken.
In League 2 there isn’t too much around although Morecambe are very tempting to win at Burton with odds of 2/1. Burton look to be in for a season of toil after already being stuffed twice this week, and we’d normally chomp up those odds, were it not for the Shrimpers’ dodgy start to the season. Instead we’ll go for the bet that is probably staring everybody in the face – Notts County to win at Macclesfield. County are only 10/11 but their vast array of talent and last weekend’s 5-0 warning shot mean they should win, even though the Silkmen have made an encouraging start themselves.
Finally, a little bit of a curveball. In the Bundesliga, VfB Stuttgart are at home to newly promoted Freiburg. Even in gaining promotion they didn’t have the best away record you’ve ever seen, and VfB have a habit of beating promoted sides on their own patch. They often score first, and when they do, they very seldom lose. They’re short at 4/9 but with good reason and we’ll have some of that.
