MIKE HOPPER

It helps to be sports mad!

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Pre-season Football

August 2023

SEASON'S PREVIEW 2023-24

On the face of it there are a few bits and bobs of potential value though if theye are losing bets there is no value at all!

In the Premiership the price of Wolves to be relegated looks worth taking at around 7/2 since the belief that two of the promoted clubs seem to be regarded as certainties to fill two of the bottom 3 spots.

No such side issues in Div 1 but certainly Hull strike me as overpriced at 11/2 to go down. Simple as that.

Northampton aren't much of a price at 2/1 to be relegated from Div1. They've always been something of a yo-yo club and I find it hard to see that changing after they scrambled promotion last year. Steve Evans' style of football is awful but it seems to serve its purpose in Div 2 and it got Stevenage up last season; can't see that same up and under approach seeing the club safe at the higher level however. 11/4 to go down!

SUMMARY:

2PTS WOLVES TO BE RELEGATED FROM PREMIERSHIP @ 7/2

2PTS HULL TO BE RELEGATED FROM CHAMPIONSHIP @ 11/2

2PTS NORTHAMPTON TO BE RELEGATED FROM DIV 1 @ 2/1

3PTS STEVENAGE TO BE RELEGATED FROM DIV 1 @ 11/4.

TOTAL OUTLAY: 9 PTS. For a summary of all available prices find a full summary of prices on the ODDSCHECKER website.

 

 

SEASON'S PREVIEW 2022-23

* We came a bit of a cropper last season but I'm ready to persist and recommend Bradford City again to win Div2 outright this time under Mark Hughes.

The club finished last season with a flourish and have made a host of new signings. 7/1 is generally available to top te table.

* In the Championship we could be made to look foolish with a suggestion of Watford to be relegated but the 50/1 on offer in places does stare you in theface. This is a club which has been in total disarray in the PL and it wouldn't be the first time that a club has found the slippery slope too hard to handle and descended two divisions in consecutive seasons.

* In the Premiership , I find Nottingham Forest an intriguing club under a manager I definitely rate. For that reason the 9/1 and 8/1 avaiable for them to finish in the top half of the table distinctly reasonable.

SUMMARY: Season 2022-23

* 2PTS BRADFORD CITY @ 7/1 TO WIN DIVISION 2.

* 1PT WATFORD @50/1 TO BE RELEGATED FROM THE CHAMPIONSHIP

** 2PTS NOTTINGHAM FOREST @8/1 & 9/1 TO FINISH IN THE TOP HALF OF THE PREMIER LEAGUE.

TOTAL OUTLAY 5PTS. For a summary of all available prices find a full summary of prices on the ODDSCHECKER website.

 

SEASON'S PREVIEW 2021-22

After the chaos and upheaval of last season's crazy empty grounds, trying to predict what might happen this time round feels nigh on impossible. I'm going to stick my neck out and suggest one forecast centred around Bradford City in Div.2 Locals are fairly upbeat about the appointment of former Morecambe boss, Derek Adams, and while optimism is no guarantee of success I'm prepared to go along with that upbeat nature and suggest the following

2PTS ON BRADFORD TO BE DIV2 CHAMPIONS AT 10/1 GENERALLY

4PTS WIN BRADFORD TO BE PROMOTED AT 5/2 GENERALLY.

Fingers crossed. It's a long season!

SEASON'S PREVIEW 2020-21

I was very impressed with Blackpool, albeit in a friendly, against Liverpool last weekend. They predictably faded in the 2nd half, but the football they played hitherto that was first class. I would suggest 4 bets which seem to be value. Hills offer 10/1 about a top -2 finish and 5/2 about them finishing top 6; 6/1 is available, again with Hills, for them to be promoted. If any of those three bets have value then the plus-11 on the Handicap list with Sky Bet at 16/1 is worth a second look.

*** Blackpool finished 3rd and were promoted

In the same division, 5/2 (general) seems short enough for Shrewsbury to be relegated, but nevertheless, I think they are a side which seem destined to struggle.

In Div.2 Stevenage escaped by the skin of their teeth from being relegated last season (Macclesfield want down instead by virtue of a pts deduction. The 11/2 with Paddy Power and  Betfair looks over the top.

SEASON'S PREVIEW 2019-20

Last season I correctly suggested that Bradford was a club in disarray and would affect their performance and it did. Now I believe that some stability has been restored and I reckon with an experience manage in place, this is too big club to be sleeping in the bottom tier. I'd expect them to be up there this time round and are worth a wager to return at the first time of asking. The general price of around 7/1 is hardly generous, but it's probably as good as it gets.

In the Premiership, Crystal Palace can be backed at 4/1 to be relegated. Word has it that Manager Hodgson is only a couple of bad results away from the sack (mid-season replacements are invariably messy)and even at this late stage it seems certain that star winger Wilfred Zaha is going to be sold. Either way a figure of around 5/1 covers all the three bottom places.

SEASON'S PREVIEW 2018-19

I've concentrated my pre-season thoughts on two teams.
 

• I was impressed by the manner Wolves took the Championship by storm and it struck me that their style of hard pressing football would stand them in good stead in the Premier League. I reckon they won't be easy to play against and for that reason the 40/1 on offer in Betfred's Handicap list looks value.
BET 2PTS EACH WAY (1/4 ODDS 1-2-3-4) WOLVES 16/1 WITH A 40PTS START. SUCCESSFUL BET!
 

•Bradford City collapsed badly last season from a top 3 position before Christmas. There were some finaincial problems which new German owners felt obliged to settle before rebuilding in the close season.

There have been a lot of subsequent changes right through the club long with a rookie manager promoted from the youth team. Add to that, a tough looking opening period is not likely to do them any favours.

BET 3PTS BRADFORD TO BE RELEGATED 7/1 WITH BET365   SUCCESSFUL BET!

 
 

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