Solid Seagulls can heap more misery on Langusihing Lions

We're avoiding the Premier League this weekend with value seemingly a little thin on the ground from the prices we can see although there are various money back offers on Sunday's derby games fro those wanting a punt so keep your eyes & ear open for them. We're instead looking to get a double up in the Championship where the season is already into it's 5th round of games.

The NFL season starts next week too & we should have a preview (maybe split in two parts for the AFC & NFC) up early in the week - it's a great competition to bet on with an edge to be found on plenty of markets & a great sport with a real cerebral side to add to the physicality. Be sure to check back for bets right through the season to add to the football bets already underway.

Brighton vs Millwall

In our first game we see Brighton host Millwall in a game that looks like it could be a good opportunity for the home side to make it three league wins in a row as their silky style of football could undo their less cultured opponents.

(Leonardo Ulloa is on fire up front for Brighton & could strike again here)

Brighton started off their season a little sluggishly with defeats away at Leeds & then more disappointingly at home to Derby but they scored in both games through their star Argentinian striker Leonardo Ulloa & they've since beaten Birmingham & Burnley to get their campaign rolling. After last season's histrionics at the end with their acrimonious split with manager Gus Poyet, plus their playoff loss to chief rivals Crystal Palace, it was understandable that they may have suffered a slight hangover (they also lost to Newport in the League Cup) but they now seem to got going under new coach Oscar Garcia. It's fortunate for the Seagulls that Ulloa is playing so well & scoring so frequently because due to a smallish selection of players & injuries he looks likely to be their only fit out & out striker here as Ashley Barnes looks doubtful for selection.

Brighton play some nice football right throughout their side with plenty of Latin influence meaning they pass the ball well, certainly amongst the best in the Championship, & build from the back - usually they have the fullbacks Inigo Calderon & Bruno as key cogs in the plan but Bruno's out with a hamstring injury meaning it won't be quite so straightforward. We like the permanent signing of Matthew Upson in central defence & he's added a real solidity at the back in his time at the club plus Tomasz Kusczak has a great deal of quality in goal & is proving his worth after spending too much time as a back up in Manchester. They've a bit of quality in midfield, both in the centre & out wide & Kemy Augustien looks like a potentially great signing from Swansea - they should be able to get service into Ulloa who's good on the ground & in the air.

(Shaun Derry on loan - as far as Millwall's resources stretch...)

Millwall have unfortunately started this season, much as they finished the last, in dire form meaning they are now on a streak of 7 losses & 2 draws in 9 games & they've only scored 3 goals over the period. That lack of forward threat doesn't look likely to change with Steve Morison out with a hernia op & they've been failing to fire ever since Chris Wood finished his loan spell after Christmas. They always have a bit of fight in them but the quality looks to be lacking & with no money to go around they've not been able to make significant improvements in the off-season, Shaun Derry's on loan from QPR but he's 35 & has always relied on work rate rather than class to succeed. This looks to be a long season for the Lions & we don't see any outcome other than relegation, they could be in a whole heap of trouble even by the end of September.

Brighton only lost 3 times at home in the league in 2012-13 & with Millwall failing to score in 3 of their first 4 games this year they'll feel confident that they can keep the visitors at bay whilst netting at the other end, only SkyBet go as big as 4/5 for the Brighton win & that should be taken.

Doncaster Rovers vs Bournemouth

This selection seems a rather simple one but we can't understand why BetVictor have gone a standout Evens about there being over 2.5 goals in the Doncaster vs Bournemouth game in the Championship.

(Lewis Grabban is finding the environs of the Championship to his liking)

Bournemouth have tended to be fairly open so far & seem to need to learn to defend at a higher level after conceding 5 to Watford then 6 to Huddersfield so far on their travels & Doncaster have scored in all 3 of their games so far including twice away to fancied Wigan & there were 4 goals in their League Cup game here with Leeds. There was only the one goal here when they met last season with Bournemouth taking the win but their other game saw the over 2.5 land & both teams have strikers who are in the goals with Lewis Grabban with 4 for Bournemouth & Doncaster's new signing Theo Robinson bagging in consecutive games against Blackburn & Wigan. We thought the price would be around the 4/6 mark so think this looks a great value bet & it's unlikely you'll see these sort of odds too often for a game that seems to promise goals.

Selections:
Brighton to beat Millwall at 4/5 (SkyBet)
Doncaster vs Bournemouth Over 2.5 goals at Evens (Bet365 & BetVictor)

Super Saints to get a Divine Start to the Season

Well... seeing as it's the start of the season in the top division in England we thought we'd better go for a Premier League double bill & have selections from games involving new England hero Rickie Lambert's Southampton & everyone's favourite manager 'Big Sam' & his West Ham side. So far we've started out with 2 of 3 outright selections hitting the mark with Peterborough in the first week of the season & Watford slamming home the pick with a 6-1 hammering, the loser was a 9/4 draw bet & we're hoping to improve this week! As always make sure you're following us on Twitter @LikeBuyingMoney - it's a good place to let us know your views & we'll put picks up there sometimes too.

West Bromwich Albion vs Southampton

Last year's overperformers West Brom host substantial summer spenders Southampton at the Hawthorns where Mauricio Pochettino's men will be hoping to add to their rather measly 3 away victories in comparison to 2012-13.

(Morgan Schneiderlin's exceptional 2012-13 season went unrecognised for the most part but people should sit up & take notice this time around)

Southampton have gone fairly big on the signings front in an attempt to avoid second season syndrome that sides promoted from the Championship that do well in their first season can tend to suffer; Victor Wanyama has come in from Celtic for £12.5m & should help shore up the midfield area in front of defence & Croatian centre back Dejan Lovren has come in for around £8.5m. We like the approach that Southampton have taken, bringing in relative youngsters (22 & 24 respectively) & going for quality rather than quantity in an attempt to strengthen in specific areas. We still reckon they may want to upgrade between the sticks at some point as Artur Boruc is slightly unpredictable & they don't appear to have much strength in depth behind new England cap winner Rickie Lambert with Jay Rodriguez not convincing on the goals front in the top flight so far.

(Ben Foster - England's No 1?)

The lack of strike options could cost Southampton over the season but we reckon Lambert will be bouncing after his debut against Scotland & could prove too hot for the West Brom defenders to handle - he'll already have had shooting practice against Ben Foster in midweek & will be ultra confident & that spells trouble for the Baggies who were pretty toothless, Lukaku aside, last year.

West Brom will have new signings in Nicolas Anelka & Matej Vydra still trying to bed in & goals could be at a premium for the first few weeks of the season & although they'll remain somewhat hard to beat with Yacob & Mulumbu physically dominating a lot of midfields those two probably don't have a great match-up in this one. Wanyama will be there for the Saints but will also be joined by the emerging Jack Cork & one of the stars of the entire league last season Morgan Schneiderlin whose stats last season were through the roof topping tackles & interceptions showing just what a good young player he is - there hasn't been much transfer talk around the young Frenchman but it wouldn't be surprising to see a big club come sniffing around before long. Adam Lallana & Gaston Ramirez should keep the West Brom fullbacks busy too & that should limit chances for Wes Brom. Just 3 away wins last season remains a concern & we'd rather not take them outright instead having the insurance offered at 13/10 with Ladbrokes on the draw no bet market we like the Saints chances of starting the season very brightly indeed.

West Ham United vs Cardiff City

West Ham bounced back up to the top flight last season & ended up just inside the top half with a very respectable 10th placed finish & they'll be looking to build on that this year whilst Cardiff's number one priority is to avoid slipping straight back to the Championship. This game is actually a repeat of their opening fixture from two seasons back in the Championship where Cardiff prevailed 1-0, West Ham however gained their revenge by beating the Bluebirds three times in a row after that including in the playoffs. We're keen on the home side again this time as they'll see this as an ideal opportunity to get the season off to a flyer.

(Andy Carroll & Kevin Nolan - maybe the Premier League's most effective partnership?)

West Ham can trouble pretty much any team in the Premier League because most sides just aren't used to dealing with many teams that play quite the way Sam Allardyce's sides do with Stoke maybe the only other side who've had a similar style in that they're quite happy to concede possession & instead make the most of when they do have the ball by getting it forward with pace. Allardyce clearly believes that he's got a squad capable of executing his plans because there haven't been too many major changes in the summer apart from clearing out a bit of expensive dead wood in Carlton Cole's departure & the recent signing of Stewart Downing. Romanian left back, the amusingly named, Razvan Rat has joined & the signing of Spanish keeper Adrian looks a smart move as Jussi Jaaskelainen's time as a top stopper looks to be coming to an end. Downing will join up with his ex-Liverpool team mate Andy Carroll who's been added as a permanent signing & although the big Geordie isn't everyone's cup of tea he fits just right at West Ham who always look to play to his strengths.

(Cardiff's Kim Bo-Kyung could take his game to another level in the top division)

Cardiff may be planning to play their new signing Andreas Cornelius in a similar type of role to that of Carroll because the young Danish international looks a bit of a beast at 6'4" & given the right service he'll cause teams problems - it might not be West Ham though who have strength & height (not to mention experience) across the back line & are rarely troubled by balls into the box. The Bluebirds looked very sound defensively last season & that'll help out here but they don't appear to have a proven goalscorer at this level, Frazier Campbell could be that man if he can stay fit, & they may also lack a little bit of guile in midfeld. Club record signing the Chilean Gary Medel probably won't add that creative touch as he's more of a destroyer type & although he's made himself into a club legend over the past 6 years Peter Whittingham never stood out as a youngster when with Aston Villa so has it all to prove. The young South Korean Kim Bo-Kyung could be the man to watch for Cardiff, he's settled in after a promising first season & may prefer the slightly less physical environment of the Premier League than the Championship - he's seen as a potential star by many fans & has taken on Park Ji Sung's number 7 shirt for his national team.

Cardiff continued to signal their intent with the slightly surprising signing of Steven Caulker from Tottenham, the North London club seemed to be singing his praises for much of last season but clearly he didn't feature in AVB's plans as he wanted to turn his team into genuine title challengers. Caulker could be a steal at just £8m, having the potential to be a mainstay for many years; he has only very recently signed though & may take time to settle in & that's a big reason why we reckon West Ham are good value for the win here. The Hammers have a very settled squad & they should look to take advantage of that over the first few weeks of the season starting here. They've retained the excellent Mo Diame & he should handle the Cardiff midfield whilst Kevin Nolan will be relishing linking up with Andy Carroll again further up the pitch, Matt Jarvis &, if he starts, Stewart Downing should keep the Cardiff fullbacks busy & this could be a long afternoon for the Welsh side's defence & keeper David Marshall. Take West Ham to get a win on the board at best odds of Evens with BetVictor or Paddy Power.

Selections:
Southampton to beat West Brom draw no bet at 13/10 (Ladbrokes)
West Ham United to beat Cardiff City at Evens (BetVictor & Paddy Power)

Watford's Hornets possess more sting than Brentford's Bees

Last week we set out our fancies for Championship success over the course of the season & for Twitter followers selected Peterborough as our bet of the weekend (successful at 11/10) but this week we're back with our first proper blog of the season & we've trawled the games & the stats to bring you some value tips.

Watford vs Bournemouth

We reckon that this is the game to watch this weekend with last season's highest scorers in the Championship, Watford, playing host to last year's top goal-getters from League One as Eddie Howe's Bournemouth roll into town.

(Watford's Almen Abdi shows off his smooth technique)

The two teams are some of the more interesting clubs around, both on & off the pitch, with Watford's strong ties to Italy & there being talk of potentially very substantial sums of money around Bournemouth who are part-owned by (amusingly named) Russian businessman Max Denim. Both sides are committed to playing attractive football & that comes from the coaches with Gianfranco Zola being one of the finest players to grace English football in the past 20 years & Eddie Howe one of the brightest young managerial talents around whose reputation was seemingly not harmed by his sacking from Burnley. That attacking philosophy is borne out not just by the fact that both teams were top scorers in their leagues but also because they happened to ship a few goals too with Watford's games containing joint-most overall last year & Bournemouth's 2nd most in League One.

Both teams have started out with 100% records with wins on the first league game of the season & then midweek victories in the first round of the League Cup so will be coming into this game with a little bit of a bounce in their step. That however may not be a good thing for Bournemouth as they are running into one of the Championship's top teams here who only missed out on automatic promotion by a couple of points last year & appear to have a top striker in Troy Deeney even if they couldn't persuade their top man from last year Matej Vydra to stay. The Hornets don't have to just rely on Deeney for firepower though with the diminutive Fernando Forestieri chipping in with a few & the excellent Almen Abdi ready to score as well as creat goals from midfield.

Bournemouth have tried to improve their options in defence with the signings of Ian Harte & Elliott Ward but more than that needs to be done if they aren't to concede with regularity & at the moment it remains to be seen whether their attack at the other end will be able to compensate although Lewis Grabban had a dream start bagging both goals in their 2-1 win against Charlton. We've no worries that Bournemouth will stay up this year as their home form seems likely to be strong but it's on the road that we worry & Watford should be slightly shorter than 8/11 to win this one - the odds of 4/5 for over 2.5 goals was tempting too but we'll stay with the home win.

Brentford vs Sheffield United

The other game we like the look of from a betting point of view is between last season's 3rd & 5th place League One sides, Uwe Rosler's Brentford & start-up manager David Weir's Sheffield United as the two well fancied teams battle it out for early season supremacy.

(Sheffield United will do well to hold on to 6"4 youngster Harry Maguire for another year)

Brentford have gone about increasing their squad size in the summer with loans & permanent signings, with Will Grigg probably the standout buy after the 22 year old scored 19 times in the league for Walsall last term. The Blades have been more cautious in the transfer market in terms of volume but have a big squad already & they'll be desperate for new signings Febian Brandy & Lyle Taylor to fire in the goals they need to add to their defensive solidity that Weir will look to maintain.

Both teams lost a joint league-low 9 games last season but came up with too many draws to claim an automatic promotion place & instead failed in the playoffs. With Sheffield United surely coming to first ensure they don't lose this could be a tense little encounter & that means the draw becomes a big player in the market & odds of 12/5 are very fair indeed. We think Sheffield United will be ultra conscious of the threat Clayton Donaldson provides the Bees & will attempt to defend in numbers to counter that & as they are so comfortable on the back foot a small play of No Goalscorer at 17/2 with BetVictor is advised also.

Selections:
Watford to beat Bournemouth at 8/11 (Various)
Brentford to draw with Sheffield United at 12/5 (Bet365 & SkyBet)
No Goalscorer - Brentford vs Sheffield United at 17/2 (BetVictor)

Championship Antepost Preview 2013-14 - Can't see the Woods for the Forest

It’s hard to believe that it will have only been 69 days since Crystal Palace were victorious in the Championship playoff final when the 2013/14 season gets underway on Saturday. It certainly won’t be long before the same old clichés of "anyone can beat anyone" and "it's the hardest league to get out of" are used again & to be fair it's possible to stake a claim for a dozen sides this coming season but having considered the likely promotion contenders we’ve got two selections... at the prices we think Nottingham Forest at 11/1 (Sky Bet) to win the league and Brighton at 11/2 (BetVictor) to earn promotion represent good value.

(Defender Eric Lichaj appeared in nearly half of Aston Villa's Premier League games last year & looks a solid addition to the Forest squad)

Billy Davies guided Forest into 8^th place last season. Davies took over as Forest manager for the second time with just 15 games of the season remaining, winning 7 of those 15 (46%). A full pre-season working with the players and the ability to sign his own players will certainly help the Forest cause. Lewis McGugan and David McGoldrick have departed however Jamie Mackie, Eric Lichaj, Gonzalo Jara, Jack Hobbs, Dorus De Vries, Djamel Abdoun and Jamie Paterson have all joined the club meaning more strength in depth across the pitch & they certainly look to have options at every position which is key in the grueling 46 league game season.

The ability to pick up points away from home is key in this division – it’s no surprise that the three sides that won the most away games in 12/13 filled the top three places in the table. Not only do Forest need to pick up points away from home but they also  need to turn draws into wins if they are to challenge at the top end of the Championship this season. In 12/13 they drew on 16 occasions, had three of these draws been victories they'd have finished above the eventually promoted side Crystal Palace, hopefully the signings of Mackie et al can improve their fortunes. If they can continue the upward curve that Billy Davies sent them on at the end of last season then Nottingham Forest have every chance of challenging for the top prize.

 

 (New Brighton boss Oscar Garcia will be hoping for no repeats of last year's 'dirty protests' in the dressing room)

We see no reason why the departure of Gus Poyet will destabilise Brighton who impressed many last season when finishing 4^th. The managerial saga was finally concluded in June when former Barca youth coach Oscar Garcia was announced as boss & clearly he's a top pedigree that should fit right in with Brighton's smooth passing style.

Like Forest if Brighton can turn draws into wins they can propel themselves even higher in the league, they accumulated a whopping 18 draws last season & they’ll be hoping that Garcia’s attacking style of play aids them in collecting maximum points more often. Just like Forest they finished last season strongly – 'winning' the second half of the season (claiming 41 points from 23 games).

There have been minimal tweaks in the playing personnel with the permanent signing of the experienced Matthew Upson a boost for the club. Wayne Bridge however will be plying his trade for promotion rivals Reading in 2013/14. We’re in no doubt that Garcia will add to his playing squad before the transfer deadline closes & if they can replicate their performances of last year they should put themselves in the mix once again & claim at least a shot in the playoffs & at a best price of 11/2 (BetVictor) for promotion we think that’s good value.

In the handicap market we think that Ipswich, under Mick McCarthy and Blackburn Rovers will improve on last season; however they’ll probably fall just short with +14 and +12 points respectively. Our selection in this market is Middlesbrough. At 25/1 with a +16 handicap we believe Tony Mowbray’s men can surprise a few and challenge for a top 8 position, giving them every chance in the handicap market. An improvement is required on their travels in they are to compete in the top half, having won 13 of their home games (same amount as promoted Hull) its obvious that the return of 17 points away from the Riverside needs to be bettered in 13/14. Boro finished just 9 points off the playoffs last term – quite remarkable given the fact that they amassed fewer points than any other side in the second half of the season, a summer to shake out the negative thoughts that must've crept in towards the end of the year will have done them the world of good.

(Jordan Rhodes is this division's most proven goalscorer & a worthy favourite for the golden boot)

It's hardly a selection out of the blue given that the Oldham born striker is the favourite but the £8 million hitman Jordan Rhodes bagged 27 goals in 43 appearances at this level last season and a similar return this year should see him triumphant with the only worry being that a Premier League club or maybe Celtic... could come in for him in either transfer window. Rhodes can be backed at 8/1 with BetVictor.

We also quite like a speculative 80/1 (Betfred) shot. Michael Chopra has moved from Ipswich to Blackpool in the close season and clearly knows where the net is. His off the field problems have been well documented and a move to Blackpool might not exactly change his ways however there's no doubt that at this level he scores goals & Blackpool have an attacking philosophy (often to the detriment of their woeful defence) that will help Chopra’s cause. His recent returns haven’t been that impressive but it’s likely that he’ll start far more games for Paul Ince's Tangerines and if he gets the service we can see the goals coming. At an average a goal every 3 appearances (including sub appearances) throughout his career it's feasible Chopra could get 16+ goals for the Bloomfield Road outfit & that should give him a better chance of sneaking into the each way places than odds of 80/1 imply.

Selections:

Nottingham Forest to win the league at 11/1 (Skybet)

Brighton to gain promotion at 11/2 (BetVictor)

Middlesbrough to win handicap with +16 points at 25/1 (BetVictor)

Jordan Rhodes top scorer at 8/1 (BetVictor)

Michael Chopra (e/w) top scorer at 80/1 (Betfred)

More Glory to come for Hannon & Hughes

A full day of betting opportunities this Saturday with football fixtures, good jump racing (including the Scottish Grand National & Champion Hurdle) at Ayr & some high quality flat racing at Newbury. We've a pick from the Championship plus two racing picks from Newbury as we look to keep turning a profit.

Bolton Wanderers vs Middlesbrough

The Championship is coming to its climax & Bolton are frantically chasing a playoff spot as they host Middlesbrough who appear to have thrown away their chance of a shot at promotion with an alarming post-Christmas slump in form.

(Improved & improving Marcos Alonso - just like Bolton)

This game really is a tale of opposites with Bolton starting their season disastrously when thought by many (including ourselves) to be strong title contenders but then really turning things around from February onwards with 9 wins from 14 games. Boro won their last game on Tuesday night against Nottingham Forest but that was only their 3rd win of 2013 after looking very strong through the first half of the season. Bolton lost last time out & that was against out-of-form Leicester but it was a road game & they've been far stronger at the Reebok with 13 wins from 21 games vs 4 from 22 away from home, Leicester have been under-performing for a while but they are a very good Championship side really & Bolton gave them a battle only going down late in the 3-2 loss.

Middlesbrough don't score often enough to relieve pressure on their defence, which is serviceable but certainly not impenetrable, they've only scored 4 in their last 8 games & have drawn a blank 5 times in that sequence. Bolton meanwhile have started to show a bit more in defence whilst maintaining their fairly potent attack that is even seeing David N'Gog occasionally scoring, Marcos Alonso is improving as a defender & is getting forward to support the attacking play as well as any full back in the Championship at the moment. Middlesbrough have lost 9 of their last 10 away from home & drawn the other one in that time, they come up against the Trotters who've won their last 7 in a row at the Reebok & haven't lost here since Boxing Day, backing Bolton at only a shade of odds on looks the best football bet of the day.

2.20 Newbury - Spring Cup

(Hayley Turner has a chance of riding another winner for the Queen)

25 runners line up for this competitive early season handicap & that should make things tough from a betting perspective but we think there are good reasons to get behind Border Legend off a light weight as Hayley Turner bids to follow up a win on the Queen owned Sign Manual here on Friday.

Roger Charlton's 4 year old gelding looks unexposed with just 5 runs behind him & has one piece of form which reads very well indeed when close up to Lahaag at Nottingham & that reads very nicely as that one then finished close to Chapter Seven who runs here but gives 12 pounds to the selection & that should put Border Legend past that one. Dance And Dance deserves respect even though heading the weights & if Belgian Bill could run closer to his best artificial surface form he'd have a chance but we like the chances of Border Legend at decent odds of 9/1.

3.30 Newbury - Greenham Stakes

Trainer Richard Hannon & his son-in-law jockey Richard Hughes have already tasted 2,000 Guineas trial success with the hugely impressive Toronado (tipped here) in the Craven at Newmarket on Thursday & they can follow up with a win in Newbury's trial with Olympic Glory.

(Olympic Glory can give Richard Hannon another Greenham winner)

The selection has already achieved a very high rating for a two year old of 117 & comes into his 3 year old season with very high hopes after only being beaten once last year, in the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot, by 2,000 Guineas favourite Dawn Approach. Already proven over a mile with a Group One win at Longchamp (doesn't carry any penalty for that) it looks like he only has one rival to face here with comparable form (although being lightly raced horses the others could improve) & that's Marco Botti's Moohaajim.

Moohaajim is actually only rated 1 pound inferior to Olympic Glory & won the Group Two Mill Reef Stakes in record time before only finding the exciting Reckless Abandon too much in the Middle Park Stakes next time. The issue with Moohaajim is that both of those aforementioned races were over 6 furlongs & the step up another furlong may not suit Botti's colt as much as dropping back the furlong will suit Olympic Glory. Moohaajim looks a real speedster & has the potential to turn into a top sprinter but 7 furlongs is a bit of a specialist distance. Hannon has good experience with getting horses to excel at this particular test, I'm thinking of our old favourite Paco Boy here (winner in 2008), & he can get his 6th Greenham winner with Olympic Glory at odds of 4/5 with Ladbrokes.

Selections:
Bolton Wanderers to beat Middlesbrough at 5/6 (BetVictor)
2.20 Newbury - Border Legend to win at 9/1 (General)
3.30 Newbury - Olympic Glory to win at 4/5 (Ladbrokes)

Talented Tigers can savage Toothless Tractor Boys

We haven't been inspired by the football betting in recent weeks & plenty of teams across the divisions have lacked consistency making betting a dangerous proposition. We've gone for one Championship game this Saturday as we look for a nice odds against win.

Ipswich Town vs Hull City

In the Championship promotion chasing Hull travel down to Ipswich to take on Mick McCarthy's Tractor Boys who have shut down opposing teams' attackers down impressively since the turn of the year with just 7 goals conceded in their last 15 games & clean sheets in their last 5. It won't be easy for Steve Bruce's men but this is the kind of game that they will feel they'll need to win if they are to close out automatic promotion.

(George Boyd - a man without conviction...?)

Ipswich have enjoyed a real turnaround since dismissing Paul Jewell & bringing in proven Championship manager Mick McCarthy (we've always felt McCarthy lacks the ability to attract true Premier League quality players to his sides). McCarthy has concentrated on ensuring Ipswich have a sound base to build on & even though it has come at a cost to their goal creation & scoring (lowest goal tally in Championship with just 40 in 41) it has proven to be a successful tactic. Ipswich have been a little lucky in their last two games though with Derby hitting the woodwork & missing a penalty last time & Millwall only denied by the woodwork as well. Much of their run of good defensive performances in 2013 came with West Ham loanee Stephen Henderson in goal but he's now left & Scott Loach is back between the posts. Loach has played very well in these last 3 games since Henderson returned to the Hammers but it's unlikely he's at the level of Henderson overall & it is a downgrade at the no.1 position. At the attacking end of the pitch Ipswich are again weakened by a loanee's time coming to an end with David McGoldrick now unavailable & that means they look a little toothless at the business end of the pitch.

Hull are no defensive slouches themselves with only 46 goals finding their net even though they've had a couple of aberrations since January when conceding 4 to Bolton & Crystal Palace. In goal for the Tigers is Fulham loanee David Stockdale who was on loan at Ipswich last season & he was in decent nick as Hull overcame woefully out of form Middlesbrough last Saturday & it looks likely he won't be caused too much trouble as Ipswich employ their somewhat reductive approach. Hull do occasionally look like they struggle to break teams down though & it was no surprise to see them pick up attacker George Boyd on loan in February with Sone Aluko ruled out for some time with injury. Boyd offers inventive play & an eye for goal & he's got 4 in 8 to repay the faith shown in him so far & he along with Hull's Egyptian contingent & creative lynchpin Robert Koren need to take the game to Ipswich here. Hull looked flat last weekend after defeat to promotion rivals Watford in midweek but they have had a week to prepare for this & we expect to see them fired up & they can take the away victory at odds of 13/8 with 888sport. We also like the enhanced odds available by backing Hull to win without conceding & that's on offer at 13/4 with Ladbrokes.

Selections:
Hull City to beat Ipswich Town at 13/8 (888sport)
Hull City to win to nil at 13/4 (Ladbrokes)

Super Swans can ruin Bantams cup dream

We were scuppered last weekend by Brian Laudrup's very weakened team selection for his Swansea side against Liverpool & it served a reminder that you have to take in as much information up to the betting event as possible before laying down your hard worked for cash. Of course that does come with the caveat of it being relevant information, if you ever read or hear stats about how teams are 'bogey sides' or a player happens to have scored plenty of times against an opposing side then try to ignore this info that may have been gathered over several years of fixtures where personnel changes have taken place & are more to do with chance than true trends - beware 'trash stats'.

Blackburn Rovers vs Leeds United

This is an interesting game with two slightly erratic teams in terms of form who can both come up with good results & then  lose to sides you'd expect them to overpower but there's good reason to believe that Blackburn may be a bit of value against poor travellers Leeds.

(Grant Hanley can dish out some punishment for Blackburn against Leeds)

On away form only Leeds are 23rd in the Championship & they've conceded an average of nearly two goals a game (30 in 16) on the road & here they'll come up against the fearsome young forward Jordan Rhodes. Rhodes isn't top scorer this season in the Championship but he is surely the best forward & maybe the league's best player full stop - he's been lethal for years & will prey on any weaknesses in the Leeds defence. The Leeds defence really is quite young with no one aged over 26 in their regular back four & whilst keeper Paddy Kenny is experienced we've never been great fans of his & overall there's a little bit of a lack of quality back there.

Blackburn meanwhile have tried to do things about improving their defence, it's of course not been helped by various managerial changes but the replacement of Paul Robinson as the starting keeper is a sensible decision & Scott Dann & Grant Hanley are some clunking great centre backs who should thrive in this league with the right managerial team behind them. Leeds lost Robert Snodgrass to Norwich in the summer & striker Luciano Becchio followed him in the January window & it means that a little too much now rests on Ross McCormack's shoulders. The two sides are likely to have a good scrap in midfield but we can see Blackburn being more able to take the chances that arise & they should be a little more rested after playing on Saturday & Tuesday versus Leeds' Sunday & Wednesday schedule. With home advantage behind them Blackburn are the team to be on & the Lancashire side can go above their West Yorkshire rivals with a win at odds of Evens.

The League Cup Final - Bradford City vs Swansea City

Ahhhh, the romance of a cup final & the chance of some lower league underdogs coming up with a famous victory against a top flight side... nah, we're not having any of it! Swansea are a very good 'footballing' side with great passing ability & are one of the country's best at retaining possession, Bradford may have been able to give some unprepared teams a hard time at Valley Parade but they are surely lambs to the slaughter on the wide open spaces of Wembley against Laudrup's men.

(Michu can help Swansea celebrate their first major cup win on Sunday)

As we mentioned at the top we were stung by Laudrup's team selection last Sunday where he rested key players including Ashley Williams, Angel Rangel, Nathan Dyer, Wayne Routledge & super striker Michu, but it looks like it'll pay dividends with those players fresh & healthy for what has been described as the biggest game in the club's history. We personally don't see why there was any need to rest players for a game taking place a week later against opposition three leagues below, particularly as it wasn't like they were taking on one of the league's big hitting sides, but it was done & it will allow a performance here of high intensity from the start & Laudrup has indicated they will take the initiative.

It's been a pretty middling season for Bradford in the league & they'll be hoping for some more magic from their top scorer Nahki Wells & another inspired performance between the sticks from experienced keeper Matt Duke who was excellent in their quarter & semi final matches. It seems difficult though & we like Swansea on the handicap with a one goal deficit at odds of 11/10 with Ladbrokes, they've managed two or more goal wins 6 times in the league this season against far better opposition & can out-pass & outplay the Bantams throughout here.

Selections:
Blackburn Rovers to beat Leeds United at Evens (General)
Swansea City to beat Bradford City with -1 goal on the match handicap at 11/10 (Ladbrokes)

A Tale of Two Welsh Cities

An ace bit of Champions League action in midweek will be hard to follow up but we'll be getting excited if the two top Welsh sides can bring up a double for us in televised games on Saturday early & Sunday afternoon! If you aren't doing so already you can follow us on Twitter where you'll see us happily discussing betting in general plus football, horse racing & the NFL (got my tickets to both Wembley games later this year!) by clicking the Follow button above or finding us on there @LikeBuyingMoney.

Liverpool vs Swansea City

Many a shrewd punter (+ many people with two brain cells to rub together) has worked out that even thinking about backing Liverpool, at consistently shorter prices than they should be, for the last couple of seasons is a sure way to ruin & they look a side to avoid again this weekend when they take on Swansea at Anfield after a long & fruitless European trip to Russia.

(Swansea will want to make impressive loanee Jonathan de Guzman's signing permanent)

Liverpool haven't managed to beat a team in the top half of the table this season & Swansea sit two places & a point clear of them in the league & the Welsh side have been tough to beat holding Chelsea & Man United plus beating Arsenal already. Michael Laudrup has continued the good work Brendan Rodgers started at Swansea & added in some excellent signings, particularly the revelation that is Michu, to improve them in their 2nd top flight season in a row. The Swans possession stats remain excellent with their defenders as confident as their midfield players to play the short passes that frustrate opposition sides & limit the chances they concede. Ashley Williams has been particularly key at the back & Leon Britton has continued his good work from last season in midfield whilst the loan signing de Guzman has added another attacking dimension whilst being another who is confident on the ball.

Liverpool have only won one of their last five in the league & last weekend suffered a reverse at the hands of woefully out of form West Brom. The Reds got a lot of credit for 2-2 draws against Arsenal & Man City but in both games they quickly lost leads (from 2-0 up against Arsenal) & there looks to be a bit of vulnerability creeping in defensively - they've been merely average this season when they have been pretty resolute in past years. It's interesting to see Luis Suarez chirping up about wanting new contract talks so soon after signing a long term deal & the suspicion is that he's preparing the ground for a summer move to gain Champions League football, that's not good news for them as a club trying to move forwards & his recent form isn't good news for them as a club now as he's dropped off his electrifying early season performances.

Liverpool played a full strength side in their Europa League game & even though this is a Sunday game that hands Swansea an advantage especially as their possession game tires sides anyway, odds of 8/13 & shorter for a Liverpool win look plainly wrong. The wager looks to be Swansea on the draw no bet market at odds of 15/4, they draw a lot of games so getting the insurance of your money back with a draw looks better than taking 5/1 for a win.

Cardiff City vs Bristol City

Some regular Twitter followers will know that one of our number is a big Bluebirds fan but that isn't why we think they're a great bet when they take on lowly Bristol City, in what is a bit of a local derby at home in the early game on Saturday.

(Cardiff have themselves a player who was playing for England this time last year in Frazier Campbell)

Cardiff are looking certain for automatic promotion as they're 11 points clear at the top & they've lost just once in 15 league games whilst Bristol are 2nd from bottom & have been the worst away team this season with just 11 points from 15 games. Cardiff have some added incentive to beat Bristol too as they suffered a 4-2 defeat to the South West club early on in the season & it seems unlikely they'll be so slack defensively again as they've only conceded more than once in games in 6 of 30 games this year (that's 20% folks). Ben Turner & Kevin Naughton should both be available for selection for Cardiff & that will further bolster their solid back line & it is needed as Bristol have scored a surprising amount of goals for a club so near the bottom with their somewhat gung ho approach at times. Bristol will be hoping that joint top scorer Sam Baldock can gain fitness after a calf strain otherwise they'll be looking thin on the ground up front as their other main man Steve Davies is also a slight doubt after taking a knock.

Cardiff haven't necessarily been the most exciting team in terms of scoring goals but they have been rock solid & the signing of Frazier Campbell has added a little more firepower & another option for them. Cardiff look far superior to Bristol & the prices for teams with similar levels of disparity in the Premier League would have the better team as far shorter favourites than 4/7 - take that tempting carrot of a price that Coral (not "Corals" as even the people who work there often call them!) offer.



Selections:
Swansea City draw no bet to beat Liverpool at 15/4 (Coral)
Cardiff City to beat Bristol City at 4/7 (Coral)

Potters can ensure City get stuck in mud on way to cup progress

Two out of two wins for us on the football last week (the NFL was not so successful though) with nice wins for Doncaster & Cardiff at decent odds. We've another two selections at odds against for matches from this Saturday's fixture list including a cup match featuring the finalists from 2011. As always you can keep up to date with our latest thoughts & blog updates by following us on Twitter @LikeBuyingMoney by finding us on there or clicking the Follow button above, our Super Bowl preview will be up soon & we're continuing to provide the winners with regularity.

Stoke City vs Manchester City

In the early FA Cup game of the weekend (12.45 kickoff) overall joint favourites for the cup Man City travel to take on Stoke at the fortress like Britannia Stadium but this is a significant hurdle on the path to Wembley for the Citizens & we've a feeling their odds on status for this one looks a false price.

(Asmir Begovic is a top keeper & can help keep the starry City strikers at bay)

Stoke have encountered a rare rough patch of form in the league recently with three successive losses but those games were far from easy, starting off with a 3-0 loss to today's rivals City at the Etihad, then their only home loss of the season in 90 minutes when two own goals & a missed penalty from Jon Walters contributed to a 4-0 defeat by Chelsea. Last weekend they fell foul to the slick of passing & high in confidence Swansea, they'll feel far better back at home & with the chance to gain vengeance for their 2011 cup final loss to City.
Before this sticky patch Stoke had really been going great guns with 5 wins & 5 draws in an unbeaten league run from early November & even with their lack of goals (22 in 23 games) they remain hard to beat & are the Premier League's draw kings with 11 so far (48%).

The Potters have struggled in recent weeks with injuries at the full back positions & to cover that weakness they may look to pack the midfield & frustrate City who are without key player Yaya Toure & even though they've won 4 in a row in the league that run may be a little less impressive than it looks. The 3-0 win against Stoke was certainly a good result but City looked porous when beating Norwich 4-3, their 2-0 win against Arsenal came after Koscielny was sent off early on & the 2-0 win last week came against Fulham who are in free-fall & are dreadful on the road. You can of course only beat what's put in front of you but we recall that Mancini's men were frustrated & beaten at Sunderland on Boxing Day & had laboured to a last gasp win against Reading before that. Mancini may switch things around in terms of team selection but any potential of weakening would be a mistake against a resolute Stoke side, the best odds look to be for a draw at odds of 11/4.

Charlton Athletic vs Sheffield Wednesday

In the Championship we see two in-form teams in Charlton & Sheffield Wednesday at the Valley but we reckon this will be the end (at least temporarily) for Wednesday's ascent away from the relegation zone as Chris Powell's men look to turnaround their loss at Hillsborough a month ago.

(Yann Kermorgant can help Charlton dominate the Wednesday midfield)

Charlton have picked up three wins in a row (all by the odd goal) & look to be well clear of the drop zone & could even make a surprise push for a playoff place in the congested division. The Addicks have carried a bit more of an attacking threat in recent games with the goals shared around various players, it's a shame that last year's regular scorer Bradley Wright-Phillips has been unable to reproduce his form at this higher level. Charlton's home form hasn't really been that impressive this year but they have been beaten the leaders Cardiff (in a dramatic 5-4) & 2nd place Leicester so victory agaisnt 4th from bottom Wednesday should be within their scope.

Wednesday had looked like they may be fighting a lost cause up until early December - they'd gone on a losing run of 7 which closely followed a previous run of 7 losses & 2 draws but they've recently been far better with just one loss in 7 (2-0 to Burnley). It's difficult to ascertain where this improvement has come from as new signings haven't happened & look unlikely to do so without other players moving on. Llera remains a rock at the centre of their defence & Antonio's form has certainly seen an upswing with his pace a constant menace even though his final product remains inconsistent. They may have just run into some flaky teams recently (Bolton are chief culprits in this category) & we can't leave Charlton alone at odds bigger than evens, take odds of 11/8 for a home win.

Selections:
Stoke City vs Manchester City to draw at 11/4 (Various)
Charlton Athletic to beat Sheffield Wednesday at 11/8 (BetVictor)

Table Toppers to Topple Medicore Midtablers

We stayed away from last Saturday's football fixtures & it was just as well as we wouldn't have found much joy from a tough set of fixtures. This week we've a couple of bets on teams riding high in the Championship & League One & they could form a healthy double at some prices we think are a little on the large side.

Blackpool vs Cardiff City

In the Championship, clear leaders Cardiff City travel to Bloomfield Road to play Blackpool in the late kickoff televised on Sky Sports. Cardiff have an eight point lead & have 23 more points than managerless Blackpool who sit below mid-table in 15th.

(Captain Mark Hudson has been solid all season for Cardiff)

Cardiff will be disappointed with only a point last weekend against a resurgent Ipswich Town but they have taken 13 points from a possible 15 in their last five league games. In these games they've kept four clean sheets & the solid Mark Hudson & Ben Turner have been excellent, the Bluebirds had their difficulties on the road earlier in the season but they seem to have put them to bed recently with four wins & one draw with impressive victories over Blackburn Rovers & Leicester City. Peter Whittingham has always seemed a cut above most players in the Championship & supplies the vision & ammunition for others whilst the dependable Icelandic Aron Gunnarsson has popped up with some important goals.

Blackpool are looking for their 3rd manager of the season with Ian Holloway & strangely Michael Appleton moving onto Crystal Palace & Blackburn respectively. With all this chopping & changing results have suffered in recent weeks with three defeats & two draws in their last five league games. They still have the outstanding Tom Ince but it seems likely he will end up in the Premiership before January ends which only adds to the uncertainty & on Tuesday night they had to endure 120 minutes against a weakened Fulham side & the deflation of an 90 minute equaliser leading to a 2-1 extra time defeat.

Cardiff will look to take advantage of this uncertain period for Blackpool & cement their healthy lead at the summit at the attractive price of 9/5.

Doncaster Rovers vs Leyton Orient

We've been cheering on Doncaster with our money in several games recently & the grand old club can continue their superb recent form under newly appointed manager Brian Flynn as they take on Leyton Orient at the Keepmoat.

(Kyle Bennett & Tommy Spurr have contributed to some ace wingplay for Doncaster Rovers)

Doncaster have risen to 2nd place in League One & that has come on the back of a tremendous run of form where they've won 8 of their last 11 games & lost just once in that time with several late goals helping out - that's a sign of a well-drilled side with a good attitude. Of course being well-drilled is one thing but Doncaster also have a lot of quality about them not least down the wings with the full backs Tommy Spurr & Paul Quinn giving good support to Kyle Bennett & maybe the division's outstanding player David Cotterill. Cotterill has been prolific in terms of scoring goals & setting them up too & it's unsurprising when you think he was at Premier League side Swansea at this time last year.

Leyton Orient had a nice little run through November & early December where they won 5 in a row but they've tasted victory just once in their last 4 & have already been beaten 2-0 by Doncaster in the reverse fixture. The O's are the 5th lowest scorers in the league & come up against a decent Doncaster defence, their forwards Dave Mooney & veteran Kevin Lisbie aren't convincing for us & we reckon they'll be kept at bay here. 10/11 for Doncaster to win against an average Leyton Orient side looks a steal & should be backed, the loss of Dean Saunders as manager shouldn't hold back their promotion charge.

Selections:
Cardiff City to beat Blackpool at 9/5 (Various)
Doncaster Rovers to beat Leyton Orient at 10/11 (Various)

Leeds lighting the way back to the big time?

We're back & so is the lower league action that we so missed last weekend with FA Cup games instead, we've actually only one game from below the Championship this time round but it's nice to have the betting options. Last weekend we had 3 out of 4 picks being successful (1 of 2 on the footy & 2 of 2 on the NFL) & we're remaining pretty red hot - if you're struggling for Christmas gifts for your friends & family you could always just let them know our web address! Follow us, if you aren't already, on Twitter by finding us there @LikeBuyingMoney or by clicking the Follow button above.

Derby County vs Leeds United

We were against Derby last weekend & they took a bit of a thumping against Leicester, we're not seeing too many reasons to side with them this weekend either as they host on a roll Leeds United who've won their last 3 in a row & look to have a real bounce in their step since their takeover was finalised.

(Luciano Becchio is becoming a true Leeds hero)

Derby have been solid at home with just one loss in 10 games but if you look more closely at the form you'd notice they've only won two games against opponents currently sitting in the top 10 all season & one of those was early on against Watford before the Hornets had settled down after a summer of change. The Rams have lost 3 of their last 5 & we've a suspicion that opposing teams have worked out how to stop them playing, which is by getting in & about their coveted young star Will Hughes & Leeds won't be afraid to bring out a physical aspect to the game.

After a run of 8 games without a win (although there were 4 draws & 3 losses by just a single goal in the sequence) Leeds have looked resolute & hugely tough in their past 3 games, coming up with wins against top sides in Crystal Palace & Leicester at home & then pouncing on fading Huddersfield away last week. Leeds' Luciano Becchio continues to be dependable up front & he's hit the back of the net in their last 3 games whilst Michael Tonge is playing some decent football again now back under Neil Warnock's management (previously at Sheffield United together). Odds of 21/10 with BetVictor & 2/1 at other firms are too big for a Leeds victory & it's well worth a wager this Saturday.

Coventry City vs Walsall

Down in League One, Coventry City host Walsall at the Ricoh Arena. Coventry are in 15th position but have picked up after a disastrous start whilst Walsall are in 19th & only one point behind.

(Mark Robins has got the Sky Blues back on track since his appointment)

After no victories in their first seven league games; Coventry relieved Andy Thorn of his duties & replaced him with Mark Robins. Robins faced defeat in his first match against Carlisle United but since then the record reads 6 wins, 3 draws & 3 defeats in 12 league games, with confidence now installed in the squad they have embarked on 4 wins in their last 6 in the league & 14 goals in the process. Attacking duo David McGoldrick & Carl Baker are in fine form with an impressive 15 league goals between them & seem to be enjoying their football in the process.

Walsall are really struggling at the moment & haven't recorded a victory in the league since September, that coming against Bournemouth, they came from behind last time out to draw with basement side Hartlepool United 1-1 to make it three consecutive draws which at least indicates a modicum of improvement. On the road all their victories came in the initial weeks of the season & they've found the net just 10 times in all away matches which has resulted in changes & leading scorer George Bowerman has been benched in recent weeks.

With the side brimming with confidence Coventry should have the beating of a struggling Walsall side & the best price of 37/40 with BetVictor is a value bet.

Treble time

(Taunton born (like us!) Ben Hamer can keep Charlton's goal safe against the Brighton attackers)

Finally, we know you punters love to have a treble so we'll add in an under 2.5 goals bet in the Charlton vs Brighton game in the Championship. 12 of Brighton's 20 games & 13 of Charlton's have had 2 or less goals in & Charlton now have a sequence of 5 games going under the total, in those 5 they've conceded just once & manager Chris Powell will be immensely proud of that seeing as he was a supremo defender himself.

Selections:
Leeds United to beat Derby County at 21/10 (BetVictor)
Coventry City to beat Walsall at 37/40 (BetVictor)
Under 2.5 goals in the Charlton Athletic vs Brighton & Hove Albion game at 4/5 (BetVictor)

A £10 treble at BetVictor would return £107.42 if all 3 selections are successful!

Baggies to Bounce Back against Pallid Potters

Most of the League One & Two sides are in cup action this weekend so our regular bread winners have had to be deserted but we think there is money to be made by backing a couple of decent teams to bounce back against some low scoring dodgy travellers in the Premier League & Championship. We're looking for yet another profitable weekend, last time was middling but still profitable thanks to 3 out of 5 selections obliging including the 9/4 draw in the Charlton v Huddersfield game.

West Bromwich Albion vs Stoke City

In the Premier League, West Bromwich Albion entertain Stoke City at the Hawthorns, West Brom sit in 4th place with eight victories so far whilst Stoke are just above mid-table in 9th spot. The sides come into this one on the back of conflicting results with Stoke battling back impressively to win 2-1 after falling behind against out of form Newcastle & West Brom conceding 3 goals in the first half to lose 3-1 to Swansea.

 (Steve Clarke has already had plenty of reason to celebrate in his new job as manager)

Steve Clarke has made a seamless transition from a right hand man to manager & has earnt plenty of plaudits for their impressive start. Clarke has learnt his trade under a number of different managers, most notably Jose Mourinho, & has always had the reputation of making sure the sides he's involved with are well organised & defensively solid. When you add into the mix three strikers in Shane Long, Peter Odemwingie & loanee Romelu Lukaku who have 14 league goals between them then we can see why they have started so well - of course the outstanding Roy Hodgson's role in setting West Brom on the right path should also not be underestimated. West Brom are particularly strong at home where they have won six out of seven league games with their only failure coming with a defeat against defending champions Manchester City.

Stoke are now a established Premier league side these days but have always struggled on the road & so far this season it's been no different. They have failed to win any of their seven away league fixtures with four draws & three defeats against Manchester United, Chelsea & Norwich City. All season they have struggled to find the back of the net with only 13 goals at less than a goal a game & leading scorer Peter Crouch hasn't found the net since September.

Although the Baggies lost to Swansea on Wednesday they face very a very different style of opponent here & if they can get their midfielders on the ball they will fancy themselves to score & with Stoke so goal shy they'll fancy themselves to bag all 3 points - back West Brom to continue their excellent home form at the general price of 21/20.

Leicester City vs Derby County

Leicester disappointed on Tuesday night with a loss away to Leeds but Elland Road can be an intimidating stadium & we like the look of them to make the most of their home advantage against a merely average Derby side this Saturday.

(Kasper Schmeichel & the rest of the Leicester defence can keep Derby at bay)

Derby got themselves a good result with a 1-1 draw at home to high flying Cardiff in midweek but were maybe fortunate to run into the Bluebirds when they were suffering from several injuries & they were 1-0 down until Craig Noone got himself red carded after fouling twice in quick succession. Derby do have an excellent youngster in Will Hughes & the 17 year old midfielder is reportedly catching the eye of big clubs in this country & around Europe but his best form has tended to be at home much like the rest of his teammates. Derby have lost 5 of their 9 away games & only Ipswich have scored less goals on the road & that doesn't bode well coming up against Leicester's excellent defence that have only conceded 17 in 19 games. Theo Robinson is certainly proving a threat up front for the Rams but he very much needs service to thrive & he might not get that in away games.

Leicester really felt the absence of their star striker David Nugent against Leeds but still offered a threat with the improving Martyn Waghorn hitting the bar - ironically Nugent is out with a neck injury & Waghorn himself has no neck at all but it doesn't stop him from being a skillful player. The Foxes are hopeful of getting Nugent back & fit for this one but even without him they'll feel confident of getting all 3 points with their strong defence continuing to impress, Kasper Schmeichel has always been a decent enough young keeper but he eventually seems to be really making his mark & thriving in the Midlands. With 7 wins from 9 home games we think Leicester should be shorter than 7/10 to beat Derby who sit 19th in the away form league table.

Selections:
West Bromwich Albion to beat Stoke City at 21/20 (various)
Leicester City to beat Derby County at 7/10 (BlueSquare, 888Sport & William Hill)

Addicks & Terriers in a tricky tie but home wins elsewhere

We're back with more football picks as we look for another successful weekend, there are plenty of juicy ties to get your wagers on but we think that value is very thin on the ground in the Premier League so we've gone to the Championship & League One for our bets this Saturday. If you aren't doing so already make sure to follow us on Twitter @LikeBuyingMoney by clicking the Follow button above or finding us on there & keep yourself notified of our fancies.

Charlton Athletic vs Huddersfield Town

We see an interesting game in the Championship with a resurgent Charlton coming up against fellow League One promotees Huddersfield who've performed with credit all season & currently sit in 8th place just outside the playoff places.

(Oliver Norwood is beginning to flourish under Simon Grayson's tutelage)

Three games ago Charlton were in 21st place & had only managed 3 wins from their first 14 games but they came up with a stupefying 5-4 victory over Cardiff after being two goals down & they've since won & kept clean sheets in the progress against Bristol City & Burnley with even their less than prolific striker Danny Haynes scoring in those games. Johnnie Jackson remains the key player in Chris Powell's team & he looks set to be joined in midfield by loanee from Arsenal Emmanuel Frimpong, the youngster is outspoken & rather reckless but has talent & could be just what Charlton need to toughen themselves up. Before their last 3 games Charlton had just lacked a bit of resiliance & bite, not being able to turn draws into wins & close losses into draws (5 of their 6 losses were by a single goal) - they still lack the goalscorer needed to push themselves right up the table unless Bradley Wright-Phillips can get himself going again.

Huddersfield have coped well after the sale of their young goal machine Jordan Rhodes to Blackburn, they've pretty much won the games you'd give them every chance in but fallen to stronger opposition which is helpful from a betting perspective as you can peg their form pretty accurately. The Terriers brought in a couple of Premier League youngsters in the summer in Oliver Norwood (Man Utd) & James Vaughan (Everton) & both have something to prove after not quite making it at their respective clubs & have performed well so far for manager Simon Grayson. They've also got proven Championship striker Jermaine Beckford on loan from Leicester & he's knocked in 3 in 6 games & Adam Clayton has rejoined his former Leeds manager & has added additional quality in midfield. Huddersfield are still a work in progress but they've room for improvement & they'll fancy their chances of taking something against Charlton with the improved squad they have at their disposal.

There is something alluring about both these teams' records with exactly 23 goals conceded & scored by each team & Charlton even have 23 points too, the Addicks look a little too short on the prices to back here but are on a roll so we can't take Huddersfield either & the best bet looks to be the draw at 9/4 with Boylesports. Neither side are high scorers (Charlton scored more than 2 in a game just once & Huddersfield only twice) & that increases the chances of a draw even more, look for this to be a terse affair.

Doncaster Rovers vs Scunthorpe United

In League One, Doncaster Rovers entertain Scunthorpe United at the Keepmoat Stadium. Doncaster are in 4th place & only five points behind current leaders Tranmere Rovers with a game in hand whilst Scunthorpe are second from bottom.

(Doncaster winger David Cotterill has been in storming form this year)

Doncaster under the management of Dean Saunders have recorded ten victories from their 18 league games & have won their last two against Portsmouth & Carlisle United. Their 3-1 win Tuesday night was described by Saunders 'best we have played all season' & Welshman David Cotterill scored one & assisted two. He has been in fine form this season with six league goals & also provides the ammunition to striking duo Iain Hume & Billy Painter.

Scunthorpe lost at home to fellow strugglers Bury the other night & that put pay to a run of seven points from three league games. It was their best run of the season where they have amassed ten defeats & only four victories (against teams in 15th or lower) in their 19 league games. They heavily rely on Leon Clarke's goals (11 so far) but his efforts are usually undone by a leaky defence. They have only kept two clean sheets & have conceded one or more goals in their last 11 league matches.

Relegated from the Championship last year Doncaster should be too strong for their League One compatriots Scunthorpe & are available at evens with Stan James & Coral.

Blackburn Rovers vs Millwall

Elsewhere we like the look of Blackburn to end Millwall's unbeaten run of 10 games since the end of September (5 wins & 5 draws) when Rovers host the Lions at Ewood Park.

(Dickson Etuhu will help Blackburn win the midfield battle against Millwall)

Blackburn got their first win under new boss Henning Berg last week when running all over Peterborough with star striker Jordan Rhodes bagging himself a hat-trick, that could really light the fuse with Rhodes & the £8m man has to be feared by opposing defences. Blackburn have kept a remarkably strong squad together considering the unconventional way they are run so the players must feel they are being treated (or at least compensated) reasonably well. Millwall have their own impressive young striker in Chris Wood who joined from West Brom in the summer & he's scored 7 in 11 games. Millwall have looked pretty tough in recent weeks & gained an outstanding 4-1 win away to Nottingham Forest but we have a feeling that Blackburn are about to open up & show their class to the rest of the league from now on so odds of 11/10 for a home win look too big to leave alone - get on!

Selections:
Charlton Athletic vs Huddersfield Town to draw at 9/4 (Boylesports)
Doncaster Rovers to beat Scunthorpe United at evens (Stan James/Coral)
Blackburn Rovers to beat Millwall at 11/10 (BetVictor)

Foxes to rule the roost at the Kingpower

After midweek's international fixtures, & Zlatan Ibrahimovic sticking it to the doubters with incredible quality, we're back to the regular domestic action & we've gone for a couple of fixtures this Saturday.

Leicester City vs Ipswich Town

This game looks an ideal opportunity for a strong Leicester side to get back on track after a bit of a stumble against Ipswich who are still finding their way with new manager Mick McCarthy.

(Leicester's Martyn Waghorn looks set to lead the line this Saturday)

Ipswich have won 2 of their last 3 but took a 5-0 beating away to Crystal Palace in between those wins that came in slightly uninspiring contests against ordinary Birmingham & Burnley. Ipswich's big problem is their lack of goals with just 13 all season & they've only scored more than once in a game three times, they're going to find it tough to break through here against Leicester who've only conceded 6 goals in 8 games this year & it's easy to see why with a solid back 4 & keeper. Kasper Schmeichel is gaining more consistency & the experience & quality of Paul Konchesky is unrivalled in the Championship plus the signings from Manchester United of Danny Drinkwater & Ritchie de Laet have been unqualified successes.

Leicester are actually without a win in four games as they've come up against some decent teams in red hot Palace, improving Watford, underperforming heavyweights Bolton & hard to beat Nottingham Forest. If you go back before these last 4 games Leicester had won 8 of their opening 12 & will see this as the ideal opportunity to get back on track even with top scorer David Nugent a doubt with an injured neck for this one. Nigel Pearson will be confident his defence can handle Ipswich's lacklustre attack meaning he can commit resources forwards & Jamie Vardy should be recalled to the starting lineup alongside Martyn Waghorn & they can rely on good service from talented midfielder Anthony Knockaert. Leicester look a decent bet at odds of 4/7 & we like them to block Ipswich out & we'll take 7/1 about a 2-0 win too.

Northampton Town vs Wycombe Wanderers

In League Two, Northampton Town entertain Wycombe Wanderers at the Sixfields Stadium. Northampton are in mid-table whilst Wycombe are struggling down in 22nd spot & only staying out of the relegation places by goal difference.

(Adebato Akinfenwa will be licking his lip at the prospect of facing a leaky Wycombe defence)

Northampton under the management of Aidy Boothroyd have been inconsistent so far this season but they have picked up seven points from their last three games with victories over Port Vale & Accrington Stanley. Goals aren't a problem for the side & much travelled striker Adebato Akinfenwa has come back into the side with a bang scoring a hat-trick last weekend to make it 9 league goals now. At home they are more than decent & have won four & only suffering defeats to current league leaders Gillingham & 4th place Bradford City.

Wycombe are struggling & have lost nine of their 16 league games & haven't recorded a victory in their last five league games. In-experienced player manager Gareth Ainsworth has to deal with a side brittle in confidence & a whole host of injury problems. On the road they have lost five matches & have conceded just under an average of two goals per game.

Northampton can prove too strong for a weak Wycombe side & continue their run up the table at odds of 10/11.

Selections:
Leicester City to beat Ipswich Town at 4/7 (Various) & to win 2-0 at 7/1 (Various)
Northampton Town to beat Wycombe Wanderers at 10/11 (Various)