John Terry on his day is one of the best central defenders in the Premier League, and certainly an important player for Chelsea and England.

However, the 31-year-old is in danger of missing out on Euro 2012, after being stripped of his nation’s captaincy due to the ongoing allegations of racism against the Barking-born man. This, for sure, is not the first controversy to blight Terry’s career, as the following rap sheet shows.

• Fined two weeks wages for drunkenly mocking American tourists in Heathrow Airport in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of 9/11.
• Charged with assault and affray after a confrontation with a nightclub bouncer in January 2002, Terry was suspended from England duty and subsequently missed out on the 2002 World Cup. He was later cleared of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, unlawful wounding, possessing a bottle as an offensive weapon and affray.
• In February 2002 Terry was caught on CCTV urinating into a beer glass and dropping it on the floor of an Essex nightclub.
• Fined £60 for parking his Bentley in a disabled bay.
• In 2004, Terry was reported to have gambled up to £40,000 a week on horse and dog racing with Wayne Bridge and Scott Parker.
• Sent off against Tottenham in November 2006 at White Hart Lane, and accused of racially abusing Ledley King. Questioned the integrity of referee Graham Poll, and was later fined £10,000 for inappropriate conduct.
• Before marrying Toni Poole in 2007, admitted to cheating on his partner up to eight times. Jenny Barker, 17, claims that Terry cheated on Poole with her in a public car park.
• Investigated by Chelsea and the FA for reportedly accepting a £10,000 bribe to show a reporter around the London club’s training ground without permission in 2009.
• In 2009 the centre back’s father Ted Terry was filmed allegedly selling cocaine to an undercover reporter, months after his mother, Sue, and mother-in-law had been cautioned for shoplifting.
• In January 2010 Terry was alleged to have had a four-month affair with Wayne Bridge’s girlfriend Vanessa Perroncel. Bridge was deemed as one of Terry’s best friends, and Perroncel was the mother of the left back’s child. Fabio Capello stripped Terry of the England captaincy due to the scandal, handing it to Rio Ferdinand.
• Accused of racially abusing QPR defender Anton Ferdinand in a 1-0 defeat for Chelsea at Loftus Road in October 2011. Investigated by the FA and police, Terry will stand trial in July 2012. Stripped of his country’s captaincy for the second time.

Terry may well look back at the above list with shame and regret once his playing days are over, as the constant controversies in his life have taken away from his ability on the pitch.

With England producing some exciting young defenders in recent times, Euro 2012 could be Terry’s last swansong at a major international tournament, but his involvement is now not assured due to his July court date.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Useless. Flop. Goddamn waste of money. Adjectives are not too hard to come by when Fernando Torres is the topic of discussion. Few footballers have fallen as far and as fast as the former Liverpool hit man has in the past 2 seasons.

Once feared by the world’s finest defenders and revered by Kopites the world over, the Spanish striker has suddenly become something of a cruel joke in the Barclays Premier League. So indelibly has he left his mark in England that his very name has taken on added meaning in the English language:

Nando

Noun – an unbelievably easy goal scoring chance wasted due to woeful finishing.

Example: What a nando from Torres!

Verb – to miss an easy goal scoring opportunity by seemingly defying the laws of Physics.

Example: Dear god, please don’t let Torres nando this one.

But Chelsea didn’t shell out a whopping £50M for Torres to coin words. They need the troubled Spaniard to start hitting the back of the net with regularity. In order for that to happen however, they need to get Torres the one thing he desperately needs – a psychologist. What is psychology going to do that countless hours of training haven’t been able to? The answer is simple; rather than moaning every time Torres misses yet another golden opportunity, a psychologist will address the source of the problem. Consider these points:

1. Fitness

Many commentators like to claim that Torres “doesn’t look fit.” This, of course, is absolute bullshit. Fernando Torres has been available for selection for every single Chelsea game this season bar three – Bolton (away), Everton (home) and QPR (away). And even for those 3 games, he was not missing due to injury. Rather, Mr. Torres was serving a 3 game suspension after picking up a senseless red card versus Swansea.

So Torres is fit. And if even if you’re one of those nitpickers who distinguish between “fitness” and “match fitness” then we can still confidently say that Fernando Torres is match fit. The Spaniard has made 18 appearances in the league to date, even if quite a few have been from the bench. He’s been in the rough and tumble, he’s had to chase balls (haha!) and he’s also been given an extended run in the first team, especially with Didier Drogba off playing in the African Cup of Nations. Clearly then, Torres’ problem is not merely a physical one.

2. Talent

Is Chelsea simply asking too much of poor old Torres? Is Andre Villas Boas demanding the impossible? Hell no. We all saw what Torres did at Liverpool. Is the striker just “past it” then? Over the hill? Unlikely, at 27 years old the lad still has time on his side.

Admittedly, he has shown glimpses of his glorious best on occasion this season: small bursts of speed, clever assists as well as a few deft touches here and there have all been noticed and clutched at by desperate Chelsea supporters. Even if Torres’ performances have been dreadfully inconsistent, it is obvious that ability is not his major problem. He can do all the things he is being asked. He just isn’t.

The harsh reality, dear readers, is that Fernando Torres’ biggest obstacle to recapturing his former glory is his mentality. The man is royally screwed upstairs. Let us address 2 key issues:

1. Pressure

Is there anyone in the Premier League who is under more pressure right now than Fernando Torres? Perhaps not. The hapless duo of David de Gea and Steve Kean are in with a shout, but their troubles only began in August. Torres has been under considerable stress ever since the departure of Rafa Benitez from Liverpool in June 2010.

Hampered by niggling injuries after a goalless World Cup, Torres never really regained his explosive pace and sharpness under new Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson. The drop in his on-field performance, coupled with on-going frustrations with then Liverpool owners Tom Hicks and George Gillette ultimately led to his acrimonious transfer from Liverpool to Chelsea in January 2011.

But unknown to (or ignored by) Chelsea was the fact this this was not the Torres of old. Their new signing arrived in London with a lot of mental baggage. Torres was already under extreme pressure to recapture his lost form but now he also had to adjust to new surroundings, prove himself to a new club, face intense competition for a starting berth as well as justify his British record £50M price tag. Mix all of that with the ever present media pressure that hounds Premier League players on a daily basis and what you’re left with is a high-stress cocktail that few people can swallow.

Working in high pressure environments will always cause stress, and stress leads to anxiety. For world class athletes though, performance anxiety can be a motivating factor that’s spurs them to excellence. Increased anxiety leads to increased arousal and if this arousal is within the athlete’s optimal functioning zone, then it will lead to better performances. Pressure can bring out the best in football players. That is why we often see the best matches at major tournaments like the Euros, the Champions League or the World Cup (in the high pressure knockout rounds).

However, no one performs optimally under extreme pressure. Too much pressure will result in excessive arousal outside of the optimal functioning zone and that causes a significant drop in performance.

Fernando Torres needs to realize that being nervous is natural. He needs to harness his anxiety and use it constructively to improve his performances. He is simply becoming too worked up. He needs to relax. If he can’t manage to do that, his woeful form will continue to haunt him as the season progresses.

2. Confidence

Trying too hard without success leads to physical as well as mental frustrations and is a classic sign of a player in a slump. And let’s not ignore the facts; Fernando Torres is in a helluva slump. His confidence is shot. Scoring 2 goals in 23 games can do that to a guy. We can only imagine the mental turmoil he experiences each time he sees Andy Carroll ahead of him in the scoring charts.

The danger of suffering from low confidence is that the situation can quickly spiral out of control. Low confidence leads to a drop in motivation, which in turn causes decreased performance, ultimately resulting in even less confidence. It is like a vicious cycle, which if left unchecked, can completely destroy a player’s season or even his career.

So what can Torres do to help himself and get out of this rut? He needs to focus on the simple things. Uncomplicated gameplay will increase the chances that attempted actions or tasks are successful, resulting in elevated confidence levels. No more flick ons or backheels or stepovers for Pete’s sake. The groans of the crowd when those “tricks” fail to come off are far more damaging than you might think. Just run and shoot, Fernando. That’s all you have to do. Something is bound to go in sooner or later, and when it does you need to milk it and build from there.

As for you Chelsea FC, if you value your£50M investment at all, please get off your collective asses and get this man a shrink. “Run and shoot” is a simple enough command, but we wouldn’t want poor old Torres to take it out of context, now would we?

The author, Demetrie Thompson, is a lifelong football fan and the editor of What Is Psychology.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

According to Castrol EDGE Performance analysis, both Manchester United and Chelsea’s wingers have been key to both club’s positive play this season, with Antonio Valencia, Nani, Juan Mata and Daniel Sturridge all enjoying impressive campaigns.

So far this season, only David Silva has provided more assists than Valencia, with the Ecuadorian’s teammate Nani in joint-third, along with Chelsea’s Spanish schemer Juan Mata. Indeed, Mata has hit the ground running in England, and has created more goal-scoring chances for teammates than any other player.

Andre Villas-Boas has also tended to use young England star Daniel Sturridge in a wide right role, with the striker providing two assists so far. However, Sturridge has still provided a potent goal threat from out wide, netting nine goals in the league this season, a joint-high for the Blues.

Premier League 2011/12 – Assists, Chances Created & Goals

The importance of the flanks to both sides is also highlighted by the number of goals the two Premier League giants have scored that have come from crosses. Indeed, only new-boys Norwich City have scored more goals after crosses than Manchester United, while Chelsea find themselves fourth in this ranking.

Premier League 2011/12 – Goals From Crosses

TORRES SHOWING SIGNS

Castrol EDGE Performance data shows that Fernando Torres has an impressive record against Manchester United, scoring four goals in nine appearances. Moreover, with Didier Drogba on international duty, the £50 million Spaniard will be crucial to Chelsea’s attack on Sunday.

However, despite glimmers of promise, Torres is still struggling to find his best form, and indeed he has not scored in the league since the 24^th September 2011. This can be explained by his poor shooting accuracy; in the last seven games, this has been languishing at 23.1%, which is worse than the 46.7% he averaged in the first fifteen games of the season.

Despite this, Torres’ work ethic has improved, perhaps suggesting an increase in confidence of late.  As a result, in the last seven matches he has averaged more touches, shots and tackles per game, creating on average 1.3 chances per 90 mins.

*improvements highlighted in yellow

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

The extraordinary delays in a resolution to the Terry-Ferdinand affair have already resulted in the wholly unnecessary cop-out by the FA and the Premier League in asking Chelsea and QPR to forego handshakes in their recent league clash. The pointlessness of team handshakes apart, the worst that could have happened would have been the whole of the QPR contingent refusing to shake John Terry’s hand.

Now you might refuse to shake Terry’s hand on principle in any case, but the more likely explanation was that the football authorities wanted to avoid the sort of press fiasco that followed Wayne Bridge’s refusal to shake John Terry’s hand and therefore deny tabloids extra ammunition to throw at Terry / the FA / English football in general.

Fair enough – but surely this could have been resolved a lot quicker through an expedited judicial process where the relevant witnesses and parties involved would have been due in court regardless of their ‘footballing’ commitments? Unless the reasons for the delay have nothing to do with time and everything to do with Chelsea and the English FA.

John Terry’s history with racism

A lot of people forget that John Terry has priors when it comes to racist comments – a few years ago he was thought to have racially abused Ledley King during a Chelsea-Tottenham game. Terry was already getting sent off for an incident that happened in actual play, but the reaction of players on both sides was damning. King, Zokora and Chimbonda all squared up to Terry, with Essien and Makelele from Chelsea’s side running up to Terry and asking him to repeat what he’d said.

That incident is long gone from the memories of the tabloid press but it’s just one of many indiscretions by Terry (and his family) – and there’s sufficient evidence (even if the press isn’t using all of it) to suggest that if there are any moral standards to being a captain of Chelsea and England, John Terry shouldn’t be it.

The best of John Terry

There’s sufficient evidence to suggest that Terry plays at his best when he’s dogged by controversies (on or off the field). His performance against QPR is just one of many telling contributions he’s made in a Chelsea shirt, and after every controversy there seems to follow a hallmark John Terry performance on the pitch as if to underscore the point that regardless of what you may think of him as a person, as a footballer he must be respected.

Despite the negative headlines, Chelsea are likely to benefit from an under-siege John Terry, and England will also benefit from a charged up captain determined to prove that he’s still the best. So regardless of the questions made over his footballing ability, the fact is that if Terry is picked for the Euros, the press uproar will be good enough for him to raise his game to a sufficiently high level.

So now it comes to what impact his presence would have on the rest of the England squad. Before I answer that, consider the key influences in the England squad – Terry, Ashley Cole, Wayne Rooney, Rio Ferdinand, Gareth Barry, and recently Joe Hart (you can include Lampard and Gerrard in that list too). Rio’s injuries mean that he’s no longer first-choice for England, and all of the other players in the above list are generally close pals of John Terry.

You only have to look at Capello’s reinstatement of John Terry as captain to understand the support he has inside the team – with Rio’s injuries making him unavailable (ditto with Gerrard), the first choice for captain was Terry. With Rooney biding his time until the seniors retire, there are hardly any players in the England squad who would be both central to England’s chances in the Euros and would be opposed to John Terry being in the England squad.

So at the end of the day, Capello and the FA have a simple choice – they can take the moral ground, or they can put the squad first and value performances over everything else. We keep lambasting the FA for bowing down to the press and not making the right choice. This is the rare moment when (so far) they’ve stood firm against public outcry. It might not be the right thing to do, but it may actually help England’s performances at the Euros.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

You’ll find the latest Premier League Transfers (January 2012) listed here. Archives for older transfer seasons are at the end of this page. For the latest transfer rumours and confirmed transfers for other leagues, see our football transfer lists page.

If you find a transfer not listed here let us know and we’ll add it.

Last Updated: 1 February 2012

Arsenal

In: Thierry Henry (loan, New York Red Bulls); Thomas Eisfeld (£600,000, Borussia Dortmund)

Out: Luke Freeman (undisclosed, Stevenage); Vito Mannone (loan, Hull City); Daniel Boateng (loan, Swindon Town); Gavin Hoyte (loan, AFC Wimbledon); Paulo Botelho (loan, Levante); Emmanuel Frimpong (loan, Wolverhampton Wanderers); Sanchez Watt (loan, Crawley Town); Wellington (loan, CD Alcoyano); Sead Hajrovic (loan, Barnet); Rhys Murphy (loan, Preston North End); Ryo Miyachi (loan, Bolton Wanderers)

Aston Villa

In: Enda Stevens (undisclosed, Shamrock Rovers); Robbie Keane (loan, Los Angeles Galaxy)

Out: Nathan Delfouneso (loan, Leicester City); Shane Lowry (undisclosed, Millwall); Fabian Delph (loan, Leeds United); Elliot Parish (undisclosed, Cardiff City)

Blackburn Rovers

In: Anthony Modeste (Bordeaux, loan), Bruno Ribeiro (Grêmio Barueri, free); Marcus Olsson (free, Halmstads BK); Bradley Orr (undisclosed, Queens Park Rangers)

Out: Jason Roberts (undisclosed, Reading); Keith Andrews (free, West Bromwich Albion); Ryan Nelsen (free, Tottenham)

Bolton Wanderers

In: Tim Ream (£2.5m, New York Red Bulls); Ryo Miyachi (Arsenal, loan); Marvin Sordell (£3m, Watford)

Out: Gary Cahill (£7m, Chelsea); Jack Sampson (loan, Southend United)

Chelsea

In: Gary Cahill (£7m, Bolton Wanderers); Kevin de Bruyne (£6.7m, Genk), Patrick Bamford (£1.5m, Nottingham Forest)

Out: Nicolas Anelka (undisclosed, Shanghai Shenhua); Alex (£4.5m, Paris Saint-Germain); Rhys Taylor (loan, Rotherham); Sam Walker (loan, Yeovil); Ben Gordon (loan, Kilmarnock); Patrick van Aanholt (loan, Vitesse Arnhem); Josh McEachran (loan, Swansea City); Gaël Kakuta (loan, Dijon)

Everton

In: Darron Gibson (£500,000, Manchester United); Landon Donovan (loan, Los Angeles Galaxy); Nikica Jelavic (£6m, Rangers); Steven Pienaar (loan, Tottenham)

Out: Diniyar Bilyaletdinov (£5m, Spartak Moscow); Aristote Nsiala (loan, Accrington Stanley); James Wallace (loan, Tranmere Rovers); Louis Saha (free, Tottenham)

Fulham

In: Jack Grimmer (£200,000, Aberdeen); Pavel Pogrebnyak (£3m, VfB Stuttgart); Ryan Williams (undisclosed, Portsmouth)

Out: Alex Kacaniklic (loan, Watford); Bobby Zamora (£6m, Queens Park Rangers)

Liverpool

In: Jordan Ibe (£500,000, Wycombe Wanderers); Danny Ward (undisclosed, Wrexham)

Out: Danny Wilson (loan, Blackpool); Martin Hansen (undisclosed, Viborg FF)

Manchester City

In: David Pizarro (loan, AS Roma)

Out: Nedum Onuoha (£3m, Queens Park Rangers); Ben Mee (undisclosed, Burnley); Kieran Trippier (undisclosed, Burnley); Harry Bunn (loan, Preston North End); Alex Nimely (loan, Coventry City); Chris Chantler (loan, Carlisle United); Wayne Bridge (loan, Sunderland), Frederic Veseli (undisclosed, Manchester United)

Manchester United

In: Frederic Veseli (undisclosed, Manchester City)

Out: Darron Gibson (£500,000, Everton); Daniel Drinkwater (undisclosed, Leicester City); Mame Biram Diouf (£1.5m, Hannover 96); Joshua King (loan, Hull City); Féderico Macheda (loan, Queens Park Rangers); Ravel Morrison (£650,000, West Ham United); Oliver Norwood (loan, Coventry City); Scott Wootton (loan, Nottingham Forest)

Newcastle United

In: Papiss Demba Cissé (£10m, SC Freiburg)

Out: Alan Smith (loan, MK Dons); Philip Airey (loan, Gateshead); James Tavernier (loan, MK Dons)

Norwich City

In: Jonny Howson (£2m, Leeds United); Ryan Bennett (undisclosed, Peterborough United)

Out: George Francomb (loan, Hibernian); Oli Johnson (loan, Oxford); Korey Smith (loan, Barnsley); Chris Martin (loan, Crystal Palace)

Queens Park Rangers

In: Nedum Onuoha (£3m, Manchester City); Taye Taiwo (loan, AC Milan); Féderico Macheda (loan, Manchester United); Samba Diakité (loan, AS Nancy Lorraine); Djibril Cisse (£4m, Lazio); Bobby Zamora (£6m, Fulham)

Out: Matt Connolly (loan, Reading), Bradley Orr (undisclosed, Blackburn Rovers)

Stoke City

In:

Out: Danny Pugh (undisclosed, Leeds United); Florent Cuvelier (loan, Walsall); Ben Marshall (loan, Sheffield Wednesday); Tom Soares (loan, Hibernian); Ryan Brunt (loan, Tranmere Rovers); Matthew Lund (loan, Bristol Rovers); Michael Tonge (loan, Barnsley); Danny Higginbotham (loan, Nottingham Forest); Ben Marshall (undisclosed, Leicester City)

Sunderland

In: Wayne Bridge (loan, Manchester City); Sotiris Kyrgiakos (loan, VfL Wolfsburg)

Out: Trevor Carson (loan, Hull City); Louis Laing (loan, Wycombe Wanderers); Blair Adams (loan, Northampton Town); John Egan (loan, Crystal Palace); Billy Knott (loan, AFC Wimbledon); Jordan Cook (loan, Carlisle United); Ryan Noble (loan, Derby County); Nyron Nosworthy (loan, Watford)

Swansea City

In: Darnel Situ (£250,000, Lens); Josh McEachran (loan, Chelsea); Gylfi Sigurdsson (loan, Hoffenheim); Curtis Obeng (undisclosed, Wrexham)

Out: Vangelis Moras (loan, Cesena); Lee Lucas (loan, Burton Albion)

Tottenham

In: Iago Falqué (undisclosed, Juventus); Ryan Nelsen (free, Blackburn Rovers); Louis Saha (free, Everton)

Out: David Button (loan, Doncaster Rovers); Dean Parrett (loan, Yeovil Town); Andros Townsend (loan, Leeds United); Iago Falqué (loan, Southampton); Harry Kane (loan, Millwall); John Bostock (loan, Sheffield Wednesday); Tom Carroll (loan, Derby County): Sebastien Bassong (loan, Wolverhampton Wanderers); Vedran Corluka (loan, Bayer Leverkusen); Roman Pavlyuchenko (£8m, Lokomotiv Moscow); Steven Pienaar (loan, Everton); Adam Smith (loan, Leeds United)

West Bromwich Albion

In: Scott Allan (£300,000, Dundee United); Keith Andrews (free, Blackburn Rovers); Liam Ridgewell (undisclosed, Birmingham City)

Out: Roman Bednar (free, Blackpool); James Hurst (loan, Chesterfield); Romaine Sawyers (loan, Shrewsbury Town); Lateef Elford-Alliyu (loan, Tranmere Rovers); Chris Wood (loan, Bristol City); Gonzalo Jara (loan, Brighton & Hove Albion); Joe Mattock (loan, Brighton & Hove Albion)

Wigan Athletic

In: Jean Beausejour (undisclosed, Birmingham City)

Out: Daniel Redmond (loan, Hamilton Academical); Nouha Dicko (loan, Blackpool); Jordan Mustoe (loan, Barnet)

Wolverhampton Wanderers

In: Eggert Jonsson (£250,000, Hearts); Emmanuel Frimpong (loan, Arsenal); Sebastien Bassong (loan, Tottenham)

Out: David Davis (loan, Chesterfield); Sam Winnall (loan, Inverness Caledonian Thistle); Jamie Reckord (loan, Scunthorpe United); Sam Vokes (loan, Brighton & Hove Albion); Adlène Guedioura (loan, Nottingham Forest); Matt Doherty (loan, Hibernian); Andy Keogh (undisclosed, Millwall)

Premier League Transfer Archives:

Summer 2006
January 2007
Summer 2007
January 2008
Summer 2008
January 2009
Summer 2009
January 2010
Summer 2010
January 2011
Summer 2011

For the latest transfer rumours and transfer lists for other leagues, see our transfer news section.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Here’s a look ahead at the biggest matches in the FA Cup fourth round this weekend, along with top betting tips for each game.

Liverpool v Manchester United

No doubting the big game of this weekend’s FA Cup fourth round action as Liverpool play host to arch rivals Manchester united in what promises to be an action packed and explosive encounter.

There is always a hostile atmosphere when these two sides lock horns, but it’s going to be even more so in this lunchtime clash (12.45pm, Live on ITV1) in the wake of the fall-out from Luis Suarez’s eight-match ban for racially abusing Patrice Evra.

Both clubs have tried to ease tensions in the build-up,with Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard and United boss Sir Alex Ferguson pleading for calm in the hope that it is the football that takes centre stage.

The bookmakers make Liverpool favourites at 2.6, but it’s United who I fancy to come out on top at the 3.1 on offer with bet365 – despite the fact that they are battling with a growing list of injuries.

The Red Devils currently have 11 men on the treatment table, and Wayne Rooney is now a doubt to make the staring XI having not trained all week.

But hey have beaten their opponents on eight of the last nine occasions they have been drawn against each other in the competition, and have also only lost one of their last 16 FA Cup ties away from home.

Hernandez has scored in both of his visits to Anfield, and looks decent value at 8 with Paddy Power to net the opener.

The stats also reveal that e last seven times they have met in the FA Cup, the winning side has won by a single-goal margin so I am going to put up United to win 2-1 as the suggestion for those that like to play the correct score market.

That outcome is a massive looking 13 with Paddy Power.

QPR v Chelsea

Chelsea look a banker bet at 1.67 with Betfred to beat QPR at Loftus Road in a game which has already made the headlines ore than any other this week before a ball has even been kicked.

The Blues have only lost four of their last 35 FA Cup matches away from home, whereas the Hoops have lost 11 of their last 12 against top-flight sides.

Mark Hughes’ side win over MK Dons in the third round replay was their first in the competition since 2001, whereas Chelsea have a terrific FA Cup pedigree having won three of the past five finals.

there is certainly no love lost between the two sides, and much of the build up to this game has focussed on whether John Terry and Anton Ferdinand will shake hands before kick off.

It stems from an alleged racist comment made by Terry towards 26-year-old Ferdinand during the sides’ league clash at Loftus Road on October 23 which Chelsea lost 1-0, but he strenuously denies the charge and the case goes to court next week.

Paddy Power go 1.91 about there being no handshake, and I am pretty sure there won’t be one.

With Didier Drogba and Salomon Kalou on international duty for the Ivory Coast in Africa, bookmakers make Dean Sturridge favourite to open the scoring. He is a 5.5 shot with the likes of bet365, Boylesports and Betfred and that looks decent value given that Fernando “how do I score” Torres has been chalked up at the same price.

I fancy Chelsea to win 2-1 and that scoreline is a standout 8.5 with bet365.

Arsenal v Aston Villa

On Monday night, Arsenal look a steal at 1.57 to beat Aston Villa at the Emirates if the stats are anything to go by.

The two sides have met nine times in the FA Cup with the Gunners progressing on six occasions.

They have also won five and lost just one of eight home ties in this competition against the Villans, who haven’t won an away tie against a top flight side since 2000.

An even more impressive stat though is that Arsenal have lost only one of 33 matches on their own patch under Arsene Wenger.

On the team news front the Gunners could be boosted by the return of Spanish playmaker Mikel Arteta who missed the game against Manchester United with a groin strain.

On-loan Thierry Henry, who  was also missing against the Red Devils due to a calf problem, may also play a part if he passes a fitness test on Saturday.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is also likely to keep his place starting XI after a lively showing against United before being controversially substituted late on for Arshavin

The youngster has really impressed me in recent weeks and  appeals at the 8 on offer with bet365 to score first. He’s is also get 3 with Paddy Power about him scoring anytime and that looks a decent price given that he will be keen to prove that Wenger’s decision to take him off against United was the wrong one.

For those that like a punt on the correct score, I like the look of Arsenal to win 2-1 at a standout 8.5 with bet365.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

With United traveling to Arsenal and Tottenham going north to Manchester City, there’s a lot to look forward to this week.

Here’s a look at the top betting tips and the best matches this weekend.

Arsenal v Manchester United

Man United face arch rivals Arsenal in the big game of the weekend at the Emirates on Sunday, and at 2.62 look good value to beat the Wenger boys.

The Gunners were thrashed 8-2 earlier in the season at Old Trafford, and although they have improved since I can’t see why they can be fancied to gain their revenge.

They come into this on the back of a 3-2 defeat away at Swansea and have been finding it hard to find the back of the net at home having scored more than once in just four of their last 16 PL games on their own patch – netting just 20 in total over those matches.

Many will be quick to point out that they do have a good recent record in this fixture having won three and lost one of the last five, but United have by far the stronger current form coming into this and are more than capable of bagging all three points.

Wayne Rooney has scored six goals in his last six appearances against Arsenal in all competitions make him and Robin van Persie the market leaders to score first at around the 6 mark.

However the best bet surely has to be Rooney in the anytime goalscorer market at the 2.4 on offer with bet365. That looks a huge price for a player on the top of his game.

Given that Arsenal will be out keen to avoid another heavy humiliating defeat I can’t see this being a goal fest, and fancy United to win 2-0 or 2-1.

The former is a 15 chance with Paddy Power, while the latter is 9.5 chance with bet365 and Boylesports.

Bolton v Liverpool

Liverpool have an outstanding record against Bolton and at 1.67 with Betfred and Paddy Power look a banker bet to maintain that at the Reebok.

The Reds have won the last 10 Premier League games in a row against the Trotters, and the home side have also managed to keep just one clean sheet in the last 13 games on their own patch.

Kenny Dalglish’s men really should prove too strong for Bolton, despite the fact that they come into this on the back of a disappointing 0-0 draw with Stoke and have failed to score in three of their last four Premier League away games.

They have found goals hard to come by since Suarez picked up his ban, but will never find a more accommodating side than Bolton to put that right.

Steven Gerrard is looking stronger with every game and Craig Bellamy has been devastating away from home.

The latter is a 6 shot with Paddy Power to net the opener, and that makes plenty of appeal from a punting perspective.

Liverpool to win 2-0 is my idea of the outcome at 7.5 with bet365 and Paddy Power.

Norwich v Chelsea

Chelsea travel to Carrow Road to take on Norwich and at odds of 1.62 should have little difficulty bagging all three points.

The Blues come into this on the back of three consecutive sins in all competitions, and have an excellent record against their rivals.

They have won the last five meetings with them in all competitions, scoring at least 3 goals in each game.

AVB’s men have also lost just one of their last nine Premier League matches (W5 D3 L1) and face a side who have conceded in all 10 of their home games this season.

Frank Lampard has been a key player for Chelsea, and his last four goals have seen draws turn into single goal victories.

He is a tasty looking 7 with bet365 to net the opener, and that looks worth a wager as does the 2.88 on offer with Boylesports for him to score anytime during the 90 minutes.

I fully expect Chelsea to put the Canaries to the sword, and like the look of 3-0 and 3-1 in the correct score market at 15 with Paddy Power and 12 with Betfred respectively.

Over  2.5 goals at 1.63 with bet365 also looks a rock solid bet.

Manchester City v Tottenham

Man City face another tough game when they play host to Spurs at the Etihad on Sunday, and the draw looks worth a punt at the 3.75 on offer with bet365 and Betfred.

City have only won five of the 29 Premier League games against Tottenham, but have triumphed in the last two meetings (W5 D5 L19).

They also come into this having lost their last two games on their own patch and struggled to beat Wigan 1-0 at the DW Stadium last weekend.

They are not looking as invincible as they once were and Harry Redknapp’s boys have enough class to grind out a share of the spoils.

The Londoners have lost just one of their last nine PL games and now have a squad capable of mixing it at the highest level.

I fancy them to grind out a 1-1 draw, and that scoreline is a general 7 chance.

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With Tottenham tied on points with Manchester United and City hitting a bump in form, the title race is becoming more wide open, and in turn it leaves three teams – three of the original Big Four, Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea – fighting it out for the fourth place. Here’s a look at the best betting odds for the weekend’s top games:

Liverpool v Stoke

Liverpool turn their attentions back to the Premier League this weekend after their 1-0 FA Cup win over City at the Etihad and are 1.44 with Betfred to take care of Stoke.

The Reds go into the clash boosted by the news that skipper Steven Gerrard has signed a new long-term deal which is likely to see him end his playing career at Anfield.

His return to action has been a terrific boost for the side following Luis Suarez’s controversial ban, and he is beginning to hit top form.

Liverpool, who now sit in sixth spot in the table, are looking to to maintain their push to finish in the top four and that mean’s that Kenny Dalglish is likely to put out his strongest starting X1 for this game.

The stats are certainly good as far as Liverpool are concerned, as Stoke have never won in 48 top-flight visits to Anfield (39 defeats, nine draws).

Liverpool have also lost just once in 19 games at home since Dalglish took over it’s hard to see the Potters posing any real threat.

The last time the two sides met at the Britannia it was Suarez that inspired Liverpool to a convincing League Cup win.

In his absence, Andy Carroll will be expected to finally start delivering the goods and he is a 6 shot with Paddy Power to net the opener.

That looks a decent price, and the big man is certainly due a goal.

In the correct score market,  Liverpool to win 2-0 makes plenty of appeal at the 6.5 on offer with Paddy Power.

Chelsea v Sunderland: Another upset at the Bridge?

A couple of months ago Chelsea would have been expected to comfortably beat Sunderland, but the arrival of Martin O’Neill has seen the Black Cats turn around their season and they look value at 6.5 in the draw/no bet market with bet365 in their game at Stamford Bridge this weekend.

Since O’Neill took over the Black Cats they have looked a different outfit and have won five out of seven games

They were 18th when O’Neill selected his first Sunderland side and they are now 10th and looking solid. having at one time looking to be relegation material they are now looking pretty certain of a top half finish.

The stats reveal that the Blues have won 13 of their last 14 games against Sunderland, and that’s presumably the reason why bookies make them 1.4 shots for another victory.

But Chelsea have only won four of their last nine home games across all competitions and  will be without Salomon Kalou and Didier Drogba due to Africa Cup Nations commitments.

Sunderland showed when beating Man City 1-0 recently that they are not a side to be taken lightly anymore, and have the ability to grind out results.

That makes them look terrific value at 6.5 in the draw/no bet market given that they are as short as 8 in the outright betting.

Can Bolton hand Manchester United a third league defeat in a row?

Following their terrific performance to knock City out of the FA Cup it’s back to Premier League business this weekend for Manchester United who are a top priced 1.16 to beat Bolton at Old Trafford.

The performance put in by the Red Devils to beat City 3-2 at the Etihad would have delighted Sir Alex, and if they turn up in the same frame of mind for this one then three points look assured.

United have won 12 of their last 14 meetings with the Trotters and thrashed them 5-0 at the Reebok earlier in the season.

They have also won their last 8 league home games against Owen Coyle’s men and it really should be a matter of how many they put past them to register another victory.

OK, Bolton have managed to secure 7 out of the last 12 available and United come into this following back to back defeats in the league.

However it’s more than 10 years since Sir Alex’s team lost three league games in a row, and I can’t see that happening here.

I think that they will win this with a bit to spare, and fancy Rooney to net the opener and fire them to a wide margin victory.

He is a top priced 3.75 with bet365 to score first, and that looks a big price given his current form and the fact that he is as short as 3 with several firms.

I fancy United to win 3-0, which is is a 7.5 shot with bet365 and Paddy Power.

Henry could start for Arsenal away to Swansea

Arsenal face tough away trip to Swansea on Sunday knowing that a win will get them back into the Premier league top four, and they are 1.8 shots with bet365 to emerge victorious.

The Gunners trail fourth-placed Chelsea by one point after losing 2-1 to Fulham in their last league start, but regained some confidence with a 1-0 win over Leeds in the FA Cup thanks to a goal from Thierry Henry.

Whether the on-loan Frenchman will make his first league start for the club in five years remains to be seen as Arsene Wenger can confirmed that Robin van Persie will be making the coach trip down to Wales.

The flying Dutchman has scored 17 of Arsenal’s 36 goals this season and since he has been rested Arsenal have looked to be lacking badly in front of goal.

But given that Swansea have a good home record and only one side – Manchester United – have managed to secure three points on their own patch this season he will surely be in the starting X1.

He is a 4 shot with bet365, Boylesports and Paddy Power to net the opener, and If anyone is going to break the deadlock for the Gunners it will surely be him once again.

bet365 also go 1.91 about him scoring anytime and that also looks worth a punt.

It definitely won’t be easy for the Gunners, but I think they will edge it 2-1 and that scoreline can be backed at  and 8.5 with bet365.

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Liverpool are 1.12 to beat Oldham tonight and progress into the next round of the FA Cup, and it really should be a case of how many they win by despite their poor home record.

The Reds have won all three previous meetings between the two sides in this competition, and although they have been eliminated at this stage in each of the last two seasons it’s 88 years since they went three consecutive seasons without making it past the third round.

In  reality there is a huge gulf between the two sides.

The visitors are currently contesting their 15th consecutive season in the third division and sit 52 places below Liverpool in the Football League.

Dalglish is likely to rotate his squad tonight, which could mean recalls for defenders Jamie Carragher and Sebastian Coates who have not started since the Carling Cup win at Chelsea in late November.

Striker Luis Suarez serves the second game of an eight-match ban, and that is likely to mean a return for Craig Bellamy, looks good value to score first and set them on the way to victory at the 4.75 on offer with bet365.

He is the type of player who thrives on this stage, and his terrier like attitude is likely to cause the Oldham backline all sorts of problems.

Liverpool to win to nil also looks worth a punt at 1.83 with Paddy Power. That looks a huge price given their cramped odds in the outright market.

1-0 to United?

Manchester United are 3.5 shots to gain their revenge on City in this weekend’s derby clash at the Etihad and the stats suggest their may not be as much to choose between the two sides as the odds suggest.

This is will be the eighth FA Cup meeting between the two sides, and the Red Devils have won four compared to City’s   three so far.

United have also only been eliminated at this stage once in 26 attempts since 1984 – that defeat coming in 2009/10 against Leeds.

There has also not been much between the two sides in their last seven clashes at the Etihad, with five of those games ending 1-0 – twice to City and three times to United.

Sir Alex Ferguson’s side will be keen to banish the memory of their meeting in the league earlier in the season at Old Trafford which saw City register a 6-1 victory.

The problem is that they have struggled with injuries in recent weeks, and come into the game on the back of losses to Blackburn and Newcastle.

It would be no surprise if Sir Alex started with a five-man midfield in a bid to try and stop the Citizens playing free-flowing football.

If that’s the case then Rooney could well play as a lone striker, where he will go head-to-head with Kompany in what could be a titanic battle.

I fancy United to sneak it 1-0, and that scoreline is an 11 shot with bet365.

Chelsea v Portsmouth

Chelsea are 1.2 shots to beat Portsmouth in their 3rd round FA Cup tie at The Bridge, and they really should run riot and register a wide victory.

The Blues have won their last six matches against Portsmouth in all competitions, conceding just one goal in the process.

They are also unbeaten in their last 16 FA Cup games since the start of 2008/09 – not including penalty shoot-outs -  winning 13 and drawing three.

It really should be a question of how many they put past their opponents, and Didier Drogba the one that appeals to get the opener and things underway.

He has scored in his last three appearances against Portsmouth and is a standout 4.5 with bet365 to net the opener. That looks cracking value given that he is a short as 3.25 in a place.

I also think  backing Chelsea in the HT/FT market looks a solid wager at 1.57 with Paddy Power as it’s nigh on impossible to envisage them not being ahead after 45 minutes.

I fancy them to win this 4-0 which is an 11 shot with bet365.

Arsenal v Leeds

Arsenal are a top priced 1.29 to win their FA Cup 3rd round tie against Leeds at the Emirates on Monday, a game which could see a first start for Thierry Henry since his return to the club.

Henry completed his return to the club today when he signed a short-term loan deal from the Major League Soccer’s New York Red Bulls.

The move to bring back the 34-year-old former France international, who left the Gunners for Barcelona in 2007, had long been expected and he is a 5.5 shot with Betfred to make a dream start and net the opening goal.

That looks a decent price given that he 11 goals in 11 games against Leeds in all competitions, including four in his last appearance against them at Highbury.

You can also get 2.25 with Betfred about him scoring anytime, and that makes plenty of appeal if Arsene Wenger decides to give him a start.

Whether he plays or not Arsenal’s record in this competition suggests they should win with the minimum of fuss.

The Gunners have made it past this round in each of the last 15 seasons and have lost only one of their last 35 FA Cup games at home under Wenger.

I fancy Arsenal to win this to nil, and they are a massive looking 2.3 with Paddy Power to do so.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

The New Year weekend will most likely see Manchester United end 2011 at the top of the table (albeit having played a game more than City), although City will be away to Sunderland on Sunday and it should be business as usual at the top of the table for them come Monday morning.

Here’s a look at the top games this weekend and the best football bets on offer:

Manchester United v Blackburn

Manchester United are 1.14 shots to round of their fantastic festive period by beating Blackburn at Old Trafford, and it’s hard to envisage anything but a wide margin win for Sir Alex Ferguson’s side.

The Red Devils come into this having registered back-to-back 5-0 wins over Fulham and Wigan and the Premiership whipping boys should be easy fodder for them.

The stats are also good as United are unbeaten in their last 10 Premier League games against Blackburn (winning seven) and have won all of their last seven games against Steve Kean’s men in all competitions.

The visitors have also kept just one clean sheet in their last 28 Premier League away games and currently sit bottom of the table after some truly shocking performances.

United registered a 7-1 victory over them in this fixture last season and it really should be a case of how far they win by.

Dimitar Berbatov, who scored five goals in that emphatic victory, will surely be relishing the chance to shine again following his hat-trick against Wigan and makes plenty of appeal in the first goalscorer market at 4.5 with bet365, Betfred and Paddy Power.

He is also 1.91 chance to score anytime with Paddy Power and that also looks solid value for a striker in form.

It will also be a major surprise if they do not win both halves in this game, and at 1.44 with Paddy Power in the double result market that looks an extremely attractive punt compared to the 1.14 on offer in the outright market.

I fancy United to win 4-0 or 5-0, and those scores can be backed at 9 with Boylesports and 13 generally.

Arsenal v QPR

Arsenal are 1.29 shots to end the year with a bang and win their derby game against QPR at the Emirates and they really should prove too strong for the Hoops.

The Gunners come into the game on the back of a disappointing 1-1 draw against Wolves but they have still picked up 26 points from their last 12 games and that ratio, over the course of an entire campaign, would have been enough to win them the title last season.

By stark contrast their opponents have mustered just 10 points from a possible 39, and that’s clear relegation form given that they have also taken just two pints from their last six games.

It really should be a comfortable win for Arsenal on paper, but Arsene Wenger must decide whether to rest Robin van Persie, who is two shy of equalling the Premier League record for goals, as his fitness is the key to them keeping up their challenge for a top four place,

However it will be a surprise to me if Wenger does not give van Persie a start and a chance to equal or beat Alan Shearer’s record, and at 3.25 with bet365 and Betfred to net the opener he looks a terrific price.

I fancy Arsenal to win this 2-1, and that’s a 9 shot with Betfred. Both teams to score also looks value at 2.1 with Betfred, Boylesports and Paddy Power.

Chelsea v Aston Villa

Chelsea are a top priced 1.3 with Paddy Power to round off the year with a win over Aston villa at Stamford Bridge, and anything but three points will be utter disaster for the Blues.

AVB’s boys looked to be back to their best when beating Man City 2-1, but since then they have failed to go and have registered three 1-1 draws on the bounce.

However Villa have won none of their last nine visits to The Bridge in the Premier League and have also failed to score in five of their last 7 games.

They are a negative side who seem to find bagging three points as hard as opening a letter, and it will be a major surprise if Chelsea do not take advantage and register a comfortable success.

So that brings us to the matter of who is going  to score the first goal and fire them to the expected victory.

Step forward Frank Lampard who has scored five goals in the last two home Premier League games against the Villans, and can be backed at a very tasty looking  6 with bet365,Betfred and Paddy Power.

For those who like to play in the correct score market I am going to suggest that Chelsea will win this either 2-0 or 3-0, and those scorelines can be backed at 6.5 with Paddy Power and 8 with Betfred.

Split stakes on both should hopefully net us a nice bit of profit.

Stoke v Wigan

Stoke have rediscovered their form of late and look cracking value at 1.67 to beat Wigan at the Britannia.

Tony Pulis’s men spent most of November in the bottom half of the table but they have put together a good run of results which have seen them climb back up the table to a very respectable 8th.

They have beaten Spurs, Blackburn, Wolves and Everton in recent weeks, and a repeat performance of any of those wins would see them easily dispose of a woeful Wigan outfit.

The Latics are already odds-on for the drop, and it’s hard to see how a side that lacks any fight is going to be able to cope with a Potters side who like to get stuck in.

I can see Peter Crouch causing the Wigan defence all sorts of problems, and the frontman makes plenty of appeal at 6 with Paddy Power to score the opener.

Stoke to win 2-0 is my idea of the outcome and is an 8 shot with bet365.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News