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13 December
2006
Midweek Soccer Analysis For
December 13/14
Online bookmaker
Pinnacle Sports offer their thoughts on betting options for
the midweek soccer action.
After Sunday's home draw
with Arsenal, Chelsea find themselves in the unusual
position of chasing Manchester United, who currently lead
the Champions by eights points having played a game more.
The Blues have an opportunity on Wednesday night to close
that gap to five points with the visit of Newcastle United,
who they have beaten on their six most recent visits,
guiding Pinnacle
Sports to price
Chelsea 1.877 (-1.5) on their Asian Handicap.
Though in public Jose
Mourinho has appeared unfazed by the unique position his
untouchables find themselves in, he must be secretly
contemplating some tough decisions. The Special One has up
to now retained faith in striker, Andriy Schevchenko, but
the record signing has paradoxically become the club's the
weak link, demonstrated with another poor display against
Arsenal, where he was replaced by Arjen Robben after 67
minutes.
Mourinho recently said
that he has a list of 'untouchable' players, and that Sheva
isn't one of them, so he must decide how long the rest of
the side can carry the Ukrainian. Though Chelsea have a
convincing record against the Geordies - who have lost on
their last six visits without even scoring - they cannot
afford to drop any more points. It might therefore be the
attacking formation that ended the game strongly against
Arsenal that starts at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday night,
with the GBP30million man warming the bench.
Newcastle's record away to
Chelsea makes sobering reading, and supports Pinnacle
Sports's Asian Handicap price of 2.05 (+1.5), but recent
results do offer a ray of hope for their supporters. Despite
being dogged by a horrendous injury list - ruling out the
return of Chelsea rejects, Damien Duff and Scott Parker -
the Magpies have won their last three Premiership fixtures
and are unbeaten in eight games in all competitions.
Nigerian striker, Obafemi Martins, signed for GBP10million
from Inter Milan, has shown signs of acclimatising to the
Premiership. With three goals in his last two games, his
pace will prove a handful for Terry and Carvalho, while
Antoine Sibierski has proved a revelation. After his summer
move from Manchester City, where he struggled to get a game,
the Frenchman has notched six goals from midfield, making
him the club's joint top-scorer.
Have Arsenal Turned the
Corner?
Though Arsenal's draw at
Stamford Bridge extended their win-less away run to four
games, Arsene Wenger will have taken a great deal of heart
from the manner with which his inexperienced defence rose to
the challenge. The Gunners must now translate the intensity
of their performance in the London Derby to the JJB Stadium
on Wednesday night, where Pinnacle Sports price them slight
favourites 1.833 (-0.5) against Wigan 2.1 (+0.5).
Arsenal are one of a
handful of sides scrapping for the all important Champions
League berths, and must start picking up points on the road
or risk missing out on the financially critical European
competition next year. The Latics would certainly consider
themselves candidates for continental football, as a win
here would move them up to ninth. Having previously never
met, the sides played each other four times last season,
with Arsenal coming out on top on three occasions including
both league outings. Arsenal will however, line up without
Thierry Henry, Willam Gallas and Tomas Rosicky.
UEFA Cup Group Stages
Reach Conclusion
The UEFA Cup group section
concludes midweek, and though the fate of all the British
clubs is already known - as Rangers, Spurs, Blackburn and
Newcastle are all through to the knock-out stage - teams
that top their group earn the right to play a third placed
qualifying team in the last 32, so there is plenty still at
stake. Rovers must avoid defeat at home to Nancy on
Wednesday night to qualify in top spot, which is the same
position in which Tottenham find themselves, welcoming
Dinamo Bucharesti to White Hart Lane on Thursday
night.
With both Blackburn and
Nancy already through the game at Ewood Park is about
finishes top of Group E. Pinnacle Sports rate Rovers slight
favourites 2.04 (-0.5), on the strength of their form in
this competition rather than the Premiership where they have
won just one of their last nine games. The Ligue 1 visitors
are priced 1.893 (+0.5) with Pinnacle Sports, but their
progress in this competition and the Championnat is founded
on home form. Nancy are without a win in eight away games in
the French first division, so they could be expected to
struggle.
The Lilywhites warmed up
for their game against the Romanians with an emphatic 5-1
win at home to Charlton, and though Robbie Keane and
Jermaine Jenas are injured, Martin Jol has the services of
Dimitar Berbatov, who is currently on fire. Both Spurs and
Dinamo are already assured of qualification, but Pinnacle
Sports rate the home side 1.877 (-0.5 & -1) while the
visitors are 2.05 (+0.5 & +1) on the Asian
Handicap.
Elsewhere there are
several big clubs fighting for their survival in this
competition including PSG, Leverkusen and Feyenoord who must
all win to avoid elimination.
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