2010-2011 Free Premier League Preview

Tue, Aug 3, 2010

By James Cochrane

Welcome to the Bettrends previews of the 2010/11 domestic football season.

The team enjoyed plenty of success twelve months ago, finishing with an ante-post profit of over 45pts so let’s hope this year’s previews prove just as profitable.

Hot on the heels of a profitable season last year, the football updates once again thrived in South Africa, finishing the World Cup ahead by over 8pts.

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OUTRIGHT

Despite only taking the title by one point, from the outside, CHELSEA looked fairly comfortable winners of the Premier League and wrapped it all up with a somewhat convincing 8-0 drubbing of Wigan. Didier Drogba had a great season and although participating in the African Nations, still scored 29 goals. They have a number of key injuries coming into the season but looking at their opening few games it may not be a massive problem. They have pretty much kept the team together and the returning Michael Essien will be like a new signing, he could well be the difference this year.

Manchester United pushed Chelsea close but relied heavily on Wayne Rooney and I don’t think any United fan could argue that the team struggled when he was injured. The England star had a poor World Cup and although I’m not trying to excuse his performances, he looked completely drained. The break should have done him the world of good and Fergie is sure to have him fired up for the coming season. The worry for United fans is the fact they have not signed anyone of note after a season that would suggest they need to add to their squad.

Despite Manchester City strengthening an already capable squad with the likes of David Silva and Yaya Toure but I’m still not convinced, with Roberto Mancini in charge, that they will be able to sustain a title challenge for the whole season. I’ve no doubt they will improve on last year’s finish but there is a massive difference between improving on fifth and challenging for the title. They just don’t have the team that can keep it up for 38 games.

I’m going to be totally honest; I won’t personally be touching the outright market. It’s not a market I have every really got involved in but there is just no value to be had, I mean Manchester City, 5/1?

However, I do believe Chelsea will win another title. They have great strength in depth, they have key players that are coming back from injury who should now be fresh and they have a very clever manager who I underestimated last season. Drogba is likely to miss the start of the season due to a groin operation but with Anelka, it shouldn’t be too much of a problem (the last time the Ivory Coast star was injured Anelka finished the league’s leading scorer). The return of Michael Essien is massive and I truly believe he will be the difference between Chelsea winning the league and not.

Bettrends Advice

Chelsea – 13/8 (General)

TOP SCORER

The top scorer market looks a really tough one to call. Due to the lack of transfer activity, especially in regards to strikers, it makes it hard for us to get heavily involved. They are a number of players that take my interest, especially considering I don’t believe the winner will be near 29 goals this season. I feel someone who could surprise a few is Dimitar Berbatov. Obviously having a family of Spurs supporter’s means I was a big fan of the Bulgarian and although not disappointed, it wasn’t easy watching him struggle at United. The reason I feel he may go well at 50/1 is because he is supposed to have flopped last year but yet he still scored 12 goals. It is very speculative but there is no reason why he will not settle this season and in the right system could easily score 20+ goals, I just feel 50/1 is fairly big.

Didier Drogba and WAYNE ROONEY both sit at the top of the market at around the 11/2 mark and they are both good prices. Its not very original but when one of them (most likely both) will almost certainly be near the top of the scoring charts, you can’t leave them out.

The fact Drogba will most likely miss the start of the season, and the fact it is unlikely the freak results that Chelsea had last year will be repeated, I would rather be with the United striker. The style of play at United completely suits Rooney and he will want to push on from last season’s tally. The fact United rely on him so heavily means he is given many of the team’s chances and, due to his ability, he converts the majority of them. It may seem a little boring but with the transfer market going the way it is, I don’t want to part with too much money in this market and to be honest, at 6/1, Rooney is a good price.

I have also had a small stakes bet on NICOLAS ANELKA. I feel he could well get off to a good start in the absence of Drogba and at 25/1, I felt it’s worth a nibble. He won the Golden Boot the season before last and as he is likely to start in a forward role at the start of the season he could replicate that form with ease. I feel we won’t see the winner on 29 goals this season and therefore he may not be far away with around 16-20 goals which in my opinion, is well within his reach.

Bettrends Advice

Wayne Rooney – 6/1 (VC)

Nicolas Anelka – 25/1 – each-way – (Skybet, VC)

RELEGATION

We had a cracking winner last year as Paddy Power were massively overpriced on their relegation trebles and they have set up the same market this year.

I think we can all agree Blackpool are going to go down. I’m afraid there is no chance of a fairytale season or any amazing run, its plain and simple, they are going to be relegated. It was a massive achievement getting to the Premier League but the team just isn’t good enough and the fact they have no money for signings to dramatically improve the team and only a squad of 20 players, they could very easily do a ‘Derby’.

West Brom are harder to decipher this season and it’s hard to say how they will do. Di Matteo has done a great job so far and proven to be a good manager but I’m not sure he will be able to do anything about his side being relegated this season. They play nice football but that isn’t going to keep them up in my opinion. They don’t really possess Premier League class players and when Eric Djemba-Djemba is a main target, aspirations don’t look too high.

It’s the third team I am struggling to decide on and I am going to have to go with two. The first is Wigan. I thought the Latics would go well last year but they struggled with inconsistency and finished only 6 points above the relegation zone. Since last term they have lost Titus Bramble who, although the butt of many jokes from many, had a fairly solid season for Wigan and he most definitely leaves a hole. The signing of Paraguayan defender Antolin Alcaraz is encouraging but it is hard to work out how he will settle in.

The second team I believe will struggle is Wolves. They only finished 8 points above the bottom three last season and I’m sure another struggle is on the cards. They picked up some good results along the way but they were few and far between and their home form was shocking with only Portsmouth having a worse record. No team should rely on their away form to keep them up and that may well be their downfall. Scoring goals was a massive problem and I don’t see that changing, its looks a season of struggle for Mick McCarthy’s men.

Bettrends Advice

Blackpool/West Brom/Wigan – 12/1 (Paddy Power)

Blackpool/West Brom/Wolves – 12/1 (Paddy Power)

HANDICAP

At last, my favourite market for the Premier League. It looks incredibly tight this season but there are a couple of teams that really take my fancy. Everton look to be set high at +24 after their second half of the season but I would be worried about where the goals are going to come from. Blackburn look a good bet to be around the mid table mark once again and look to be on a good mark at +39, however it is team of similar ilk that really takes my fancy.

BOLTON looked in all sorts out trouble when Owen Coyle took over but he steered them to safety and did so by 9 points. He tightened up their defence which was crucial and that is going to put them in good stead this season. He has also made some very good signings. Martin Petrov may not have got much of a look in at City but I still rate him highly and I believe he will do a very good job for Bolton. Add to Petrov, Robbie Blake, and all of a sudden the Trotters have a very busy line up going forward. I would hope they will bring in a striker before the season starts and if they can meet the demands of Ivan Klasnic then I would be even more confident. Chung-Yong Lee looked to be enjoying his football last season and after a fairly productive World Cup, confidence should be high. I really rate Coyle as a manager and I believe at +41 they are a cracking bet.

Bettrends Advice

Bolton +41 – Each-Way – 15/1 (Betfred)