Welcome to the new look Own Goal column. Each week we’ll attempt to bring you enough news, stats and figures to capture your imagination for a few seconds.
Here we share the love between all four tiers of English Football, the greatest football system anywhere in the world. Occasionally we involve teams lower down too, and especially when it involves our favourite – The FA Cup.
So enjoy our thoughts, stats and best bets which are the best that money can’t buy.
- The bi-monthly whining about Arsene Wegner kicked off this week after the Gunners missed out on another win against Manchester United. Calls for his sacking were toned down by midweek after their passage to the knockout stages in the Champions League was confirmed. Their reward will probably be being knocked out of the next round by Bayern Munich. The reward for Manchester united was to have some red win hurled in their direction. One can only hope it was a McGuigan Red Label no less.
- Not immune from the sackings call is Liverpool’s Brendan Rodgers whose Liverpool side couldn’t beat Bulgarian powerhouses Ludogorets Razgrad in the midweek Champions League clash. One caller to the BBC said they would rather not qualify for the Champions League. Some are hard to please. Rodgers will be hard-pressed to please if Stoke are handed anymore than 0 points on their visit this weekend.
- Talking about calls for sackings managers – Alan Pardew manager of the month elect and his Newcastle side have now won 5 in a row. Just as unlikely as the 5 wins in a row with Pardew still at the helm, is that Pardew is now the fourth longest serving manager.
- The Championship continues with Derby looking the likely team to break away in 1st as is traditional in the second tier. The chasing pack however is much tighter with 5 points covering 2nd to 11th. new boy Malky Mackay at Wigan managed just a draw in his first game in charge.
- Previously high flying undefeated Bristol City had the League One title almost sewn up in November, but have had a decent taste of third tier reality with a pair of losses. They still sit atop of the ladded, but the gap is closing.
- Ched Evans fresh from his rejection at Sheffield Utd has been knocked back by bottom of the League Two Tranmere. It appears that if the worst team in the football league aren’t keen, he will need to drop down the a league or two or find another country to play in. Liechtenstein will probably have him they tend to overlook a lot of things
- Another new manager to say hello to and goodbye to another. Mark Yeates at Cheltenham was the third longest serving manager until last weekend. A bad run and a bad league position was enough to waive goodbye to a period in charge at least 5 times the average stay..
[soccer-info id=’2′ type=’table’ style=’blue_light’ columns=’#,Team,MP,W,D,L,F,A,G,P’ title=’EPL TABLE’ /]
[soccer-info id=’20’ type=’table’ style=’green_light’ columns=’#,Team,MP,W,D,L,F,A,G,P’ title=’CHAMPIONSHIP TABLE’ /]
[soccer-info id=’21’ type=’table’ style=’red_light’ columns=’#,Team,MP,W,D,L,F,A,G,P’ title=’LEAGUE ONE TABLE’ /]
[soccer-info id=’22’ type=’table’ columns=’#,Team,MP,W,D,L,F,A,G,P’ title=’LEAGUE TWO TABLE’ /]
– EPL – WEST HAM v NEWCASTLE –
Andy Carroll playing against his old team and his likely next team.
– EPL – SOUTHAMPTON v MANCHESTER CITY
Time for contender v pretender evaluation.
– EPL – QPR v LEICESTER
A good ol’ fashioned relegation six pointer.
– EPL – LIVERPOOL v STOKE
Can Brendan Rodgers turn it around?
– CH – CHARLTON v IPSWICH
Ipswich threatening to achieve something, Charlton hard to beat.
– CH – MIDDLESBROUGH v BLACKBURN
Two form teams hoping to consolidate top 6.
– CH – BRENTFORD v WOLVES
Both from L1 heading in opposite directions away/from a return.
– L1 – PETERBOROUGH v BRISTOL CITY
Two contenders on a bad run hoping to turn it around.
– L1 – SHEFFIELD UNITED V NOTTS CO
Two form teams meet – Notts Co best away team in L1
– L1 – YEOVIL v PRESTON
Relegation v Promotion
– L2 – SHREWSBURY v BURTON
Best home form v Hasselbank
– L2 – HARTLEPOOL v WYCOMBE
Last v First always interesting.
Here’s the rest of the upcoming fixtures.
[soccer-info id=’2′ type=’fixtures’ style=’blue_light’ title=’EPL UPCOMING FIXTURES’ limit=’10’ /]
[soccer-info id=’20’ type=’fixtures’ style=’green_light’ title=’CHAMPIONSHIP FIXTURES’ limit=’12’ /]
[soccer-info id=’21’ type=’fixtures’ style=’red_light’ title=’LEAGUE ONE FIXTURES’ limit=’12’ /]
[soccer-info id=’22’ type=’fixtures’ title=’LEAGUE TWO FIXTURES’ limit=’12’ /]
So it’s all come to this, our best selections and tips for you to turn into many dollar, pound, euro or rupee. Please accept our best bets.
If you were lucky enough to read this last week, we finally gave you a winner in League Two. Bet early – bet often.
[table caption=”EPL MULTI – $1 pays $62″ width=”500″ colwidth=”100|100″ colalign=”left|left”]
Bet, Game
MAN UTD to win,v Hull
SWANSEA to win,v Crystal Palace
BURNLEY to win,v Aston Villa
SOUTHAMPTON to beat, v QPR
DRAW, Sunderland v Chelsea
[/table]
[table caption=”CHAMPIONSHIP MULTI – $1 pays $18″ width=”500″ colwidth=”100|100″ colalign=”left|left”]
Bet, Game
DERBY to win,v Leeds
WIGAN to win,v Shef Wed
BRIGHTON to win,v Fulham
BOURNEMOUTH to win,v Millwall
[/table]
[table caption=”L1 MULTI – $1 pays $17″ width=”500″ colwidth=”100|100″ colalign=”left|left”]
Bet, Game
LEYTON ORIENT to win,v Bradford
MK DONS to win,v Colchester
SWINDON to win, v Fleetwood
PRESTON to win,v Yeovil
[/table]
[table caption=”L2 MULTI – $1 pays $80″ width=”500″ colwidth=”100|100″ colalign=”left|left”]
Bet, Game
TRANMERE to win,v Portsmouth
PLYMOUTH to win,v York
BURY to win,v Dag & Red
WYCOMBE to win, Hartlepool
LUTON to win,v Mansfield
CHELTENHAM to win,v Yeovil
[/table]
So you want more? Well we shall reward your perseverance thus far and dazzle you with some more important stats that matter. Or don’t. Whatever.
EPL
[table caption=”EPL Form,” width=”300″ colwidth=”125|125|50″ colalign=”left|left|center”]
Result,Team,Games
Unbeaten,Chelsea,12
Wins,Newcastle,5
Without Win,Aston Villa,8
Loss,Hull/Liverpool,3
Most Draws,Sunderland,7 (12)
Best Home Record,Chelsea,18pts (6)
Worst Home Record,Aston Villa,5pts (6)
Best Away Record,Chelsea,14pts (6)
Worst Away Record,QPR,0pts (6)
Most Goals Scored last 6,Southampton,13
Least Goals Scored last 6,Leicester/Villa,2
Most Goals Conceded Last 6,Sunderland,13
Least Goals Conceded Last 6,Southampton,2
[/table]
[table caption=”Championship Form,” width=”300″ colwidth=”125|125|50″ colalign=”left|left|center”]
Result,Team,Games
Unbeaten,Bournemouth/Blackburn,8
Wins,Brentford,4
Without Win,Shef Wed,10
Loss,Watford/Wolves,3
Most Draws,Charlton/Shef Wed,9 (18)
Best Home Record,Cardiff,21pts (9)
Worst Home Record,Blackpool,5pts (9)
Best Away Record,Derby/Middlesboro,17pts (9)
Worst Away Record,Blackpool,3pts (9)
Most Goals Scored last 6,Bournemouth,18
Least Goals Scored last 6,Shef Wed,1
Most Goals Conceded Last 6,Notts Forest/Blackpool,12
Least Goals Conceded Last 6,Shef Wed,3
[/table]
[table caption=”League 1 Form,” width=”300″ colwidth=”125|125|50″ colalign=”left|left|center”]
Result,Team,Games
Unbeaten,Milton Keynes,7
Wins,Swindon,3
Without Win,Peterborough,5
Loss,Colchester,3
Most Draws,Oldham,9 (18)
Best Home Record,Milton Keynes,20pts (9)
Worst Home Record,Doncaster,6pts (8)
Best Away Record,Notts Co,18pts (8)
Worst Away Record,Gillingham,3pts (9)
Most Goals Scored last 6,Rochdale/Notts Co,12
Least Goals Scored last 6,Chesterfield/Yeovil,3
Most Goals Conceded Last 6,Coventry,12
Least Goals Conceded Last 6,Shef Utd,2
[/table]
[table caption=”League 2 Form,” width=”300″ colwidth=”125|125|50″ colalign=”left|left|center”]
Result,Team,Games
Unbeaten,Newport,7
Wins,Southend,3
Without Win,Tranmere,13
Loss,Cheltenham,4
Most Draws,York,9 (18)
Best Home Record,Shrewsbury,25pts (9)
Worst Home Record,Hartlepool/York,6pts (9)
Best Away Record,Wycombe,20pts (9)
Worst Away Record,Carlisle,4pts (9)
Most Goals Scored last 6,Shrewsbury,14
Least Goals Scored last 6,Wimbledon/Mansfield,3
Most Goals Conceded Last 6,Cheltenham,16
Least Goals Conceded Last 6,Plymouth,2
[/table]
