Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2012 12:56 pm Post subject: Aberdeen v Ross County
Aberdeen look a better side this term than they did last season and were extremely unlucky away to the champions Celtic last week where a goalkeeping howler cost them the draw late on. Based on the performance last week and a couple of good signings so far I can see Aberdeen winning by a couple of goals. Their defence looks pretty solid and the attack has been bolstered with a couple of pacy and skilful wingers so can see newly promoted Ross County struggling
Aberdeen are evens at William Hill for the win which I feel is a steal
Brentford will hand debuts to Tony Craig and Farid El Alagui.
Craig has joined from Millwall, with fellow defender Karleigh Osborne moving in the opposite direction, while Moroccan striker El Alagui arrived from Falkirk.
Club captain Kevin O'Connor has made a welcome return to fitness over the summer after missing the last five months of last season with a foot injury.
Brentford had a good pre-season beating wycombe 4-1 away recently. There should be goals in this one. Dont think Walsall will cope with Brentfords strikers.
Brentford win@ 7/5
Over 2.5 goals 8/11, 4+goals 2/1
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Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2012 10:17 pm Post subject:
Cowdenbeath v Dunfermline
These sides have had a few games in the cup but league season starts tomorrow and a win is massive and a good start is crucial Bookies fancy Dunfermline to win it and Cowdenbeath to go down so based on that got to be a away win for me Last season Dunfermline was in the Scottish Prem and Cowdenbeath was in league two so quite a difference and despite being in the same league now I still think the gulf in class is the same Cowdenbeath was awful last week in the cup losing to a league three side and need to improve if they do not want a big defeat
Typical I spent the day doing some write ups for the tip comments & there is no tipping on the Carling, sorry Capital One Cup in the tipping comp. So here are the tips anyway as I'd done the work anyway.
Rochdale V Barnsley – Draw at 3.30
Rochdale were relegated back to League Two after a couple years in League One and they play Championship Barnsley in a repeat of the 2010 first round tie. That was won by Rochdale 1-0 but at Barnsley. Last season they made the 3rd round beating QPR at Loftus Rd, then going out to Aldershot.
Barnsley have not won a game in this comp since 09 when they made the last 16 losing to Man U, gone out in the last 2 years to Rochdale & Morecombe.
Obviously as a championship side Barnsley should win this, but they have a poor recent record in this and have to play away. Difficult to split this for me so I will go for the draw here.
Notts County V Bradford City – Notts County at 1.75
Notts County of League One host Bradford of League Two and will want to go further than they did last year losing the Nottingham derby on penalties. Bradford also went out at the first hurdle last year losing a Yorkshire derby to Leeds.
Bradford in huge financial difficulty and have had a huge change of players, 9 out, 8 in. I think those difficulties though will play into the hands of Notts County who will have had a more settled off season and had a solid season last year in League One.
Hull City V Rotherham – Hull City at 1.67
Hull have a poor record in this with just 1 win in the last 4 years, at home to League Two opposition in 09, however last year the lost at home to League Two opposition, Macclesfield.
Rotherham have lost 4-1 in the first round for the last two years against Championship opposition. Should be one of the more fancied teams in League Two this year and made some good signings with Nardiello & Odejayo joining.
Hull as the Championship side are the faves for this especially at home, but do face a tough tie in Rotherham, but I think they will just have the class to sneak through.
Carlisle United V Accrington Stanley – Carlisle United at 1.70
League One take on League Two and there is a little bit of comparative form as both sides played St Mirren in pre-season, Carlisle taking a 1-0 win, Accrington drawing 1-1. Obviously pre-season so a little pinch of salt required but a bit of a comparison. Carlisle made it through the first round last year on penalties to Oldham before going out to League Two Aldershot away.
Accrington went out in the first round last year at home to Scunthorpe and I think they will struggle to get through against the higher ranked team.
Doncaster Rovers V York City – Doncaster Rovers at 1.85
Doncaster made it through the first round last year comfortably 3-0 at home to Tranmere, before then going out to Leeds, and now host York who return to the league after 8 years. Whilst York had a great season last year returning to the league via the playoffs, Donnie had a poor season finishing bottom of the Championship, and returning to League One.
I think Donnie should be able to see off the new boys though as have some good players and signed Robbie Blake in the off season.
Crewe Alexandra V Hartlepool United – Crewe Alexandra at 2.25
Crewe looked impressive in gaining promotion through the playoffs to join Hartlepool in League One this season. They have lost young Nick Powell in the off season but had plenty of good youngsters like Leith-Smith & Max Clayton to take his place. Started last season poorly and that included a loss in the first round in this comp 3-2 away to Preston.
Hartlepool also went out in the first round last year on penalties to Sheffield United.
I think Crewe’s youngsters will take this as I say I was very impressed with them at the end of last season and can hopefully build on that.
Bury V Middlesbrough – Middlesbrough at 1.85
Bury don’t do well in this comp with just two wins in the last 7 years, one of which was last year against Coventry, 3-1 at home before losing at home to Leicester.
Boro made the 3rd round last year with away wins over Walsall & Peterborough, before going out to Palace, made the 2nd round in 2010 as well. Have re-signed Jonathon Woodgate which will boost their defence.
Boro have the quality to win this and done well away from home in this comp and so they will get my vote here.
Sheffield United V Burton Albion – Sheffield United at 1.53
United are the obvious faves here having just missed out on promotion to the Championship and are one of the faves for promotion this year. Went out to Hartlepool in 2010 but gained revenge last season beating them on penalties before going out to Everton.
This will be Burton’s 4th season in the League and they have yet to win a tie, play at home or play a team from the same division. For the last two years they have lost in extra time though 6-3 to Burnley last season & 4-1 to Cardiff the year before.
Difficult not to go with the League One side here at home against a side who struggled in the division below them last year.
Leeds United V Shrewsbury Town – Leeds United at 1.61
Leeds have not been knocked out at this stage for many years and last year beat Bradford & Donnie before losing to Man U. Have made a few signings in the off season with Paddy Kenny joining as well as Adam Drury & Luke Varney.
Shrewsbury also made the 3rd round last year with good wins away to Derby and then against Swansea, then going out to Arsenal. Newly promoted to League One this season.
Leeds have made some signings with premiership experience and I think that will count here, especially with home advantage too.
Cheltenham Town V Milton Keynes Dons – Draw at 3.30
Cheltenham were the surprise side in League Two last year reaching the playoffs but have just 3 wins in this comp since 04, none in the last 3 years. Last year they lost 4-1 in a tie that is repeated here, at home to MK Dons.
MK Dons then went on to beat Norwich 4-0 before going out to Burnley. They also had an unsuccessful playoff out in last season.
MK Dons may have won this comfortably last season but I don’t think they’ll repeat that this year so I think I will go for the draw in this game, Cheltenham’s home advantage helping them.
Wolverhampton Wanderers V Aldershot Town – Wolverhampton Wanderers at 1.33
At home you would expect the relegated premiership side to win at home to a mid-table League Two side, but Aldershot had a good run last year reaching the last 16 beating West Ham at this stage after they had just been relegated. Wolves went out at the last 16 too, to the other Manchester club, after two comfortable wins.
Despite their good run last year I’m not sure Aldershot will repeat it and it looks like Wolves have kept several of their good players despite relegation, so a home win for me.
Walsall V Brentford – Brentford at 2.62
An all-League One clash here and the pair met early last season at the Bescot & Brentford came away with a 1-0 win, with a 0-0 drew in the return later in the season. Walsall struggled last season and that has seen the make many changes to their squad over the summer, 8 in & out. They don’t have a good record in this either not winning a tie since 2006.
Brentford went out away to Hereford last year but had made the last 16 in 2010 beating Everton on penalties but going out on them to Birmingham in the next round.
Brentford were the better side last season and with all the changes at Walsall I think they’ll have the advantage here.
Watford V Wycombe Wanderers – Watford at 1.60
Watford were comfortably mid table in the championship last season whilst Wycombe were relegated from League One. So that would favour Watford. Last year they went out on penalties at this stage away to Bristol Rovers.
Wycombe beat Colchester on penalties at this stage last year before going out to Forest 4-1 at home. That was the first time they passed the first round since they made the semis in 06/07.
I think Watford will win this nicely made some nice signings in Almunia & Fitz Hall so should have too much for Wycombe.
One bet that stands out for me today is PSG to score over 1.5 goals at 4/7. PSG have scored in every game of their pre season, including two against Barcelona. Furthermore, in 24 home matches last season, PSG failed to score in just three and failed to score less than two goals in just 7. Even though Pastore is suspended, they boast an attack of Nene, Menez, Verratti, Lavezzi and Ibrahimovic. _________________ Twitter- https://twitter.com/HarryPabla
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Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2012 11:19 am Post subject:
I do fancy Mansfield to get off to a winning start today. I have it down as a ding dong between themselves and Luton for the title (see Luton sneaking it, mind.) and have made some good signings in Jake Speight, Nick Wright, Godfrey Poku and George Pilkington. I'm expecting goals from Speight as he had a great season last year at Wrexham and has now moved to be closer to his Sheffield home. The stability could see him get even more this year and if he hits it off with Matt Green then Mansfield could be in for goals galore this year.
Newport have fresh investment so should go better than the disappointment of last year. Justin Edinburgh has signed a new contract and they have signed 9 new players over the close season and are still actively searching for more. I think they will need time to gel and expect a comfortable win for Mansfield, possibly 2-0.
Mansfield win @ 1.73 (Coral)
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Posts: 8980
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Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2012 12:40 pm Post subject:
Watford v Wycombe
Watford have new owners and a new manager and many new faces and all will want to get off to a good start and see them having no trouble in the cup here facing Wycombe who are two leagues lower and main man Stuart Beavon may not play has many sides are interested and may not want him cup tied and without him scoring Wycombe do not score
Watford have signed well in Almunia and Fitz Hall and both have experience but have a quality midfielder who finished the season on fire in Sean Murray and scored many goals when he came in the second half of the season
Best signing was the capture of Udinese player Almen Aidi brilliant player and many games in serie a and europe
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