Saturday Review

The first Saturday of the season was certainly something of a thriller, with a host of interesting storylines and new information to put in the notebook. In particular:

·         NOTTINGHAM FOREST are clearly still a work in progress as many people predicted after their 0-0 draw at home to Barnsley.

·         All the Championship new boys – BRIGHTON, SOUTHAMPTON and PETERBOROUGH – were victorious, but some of the football played by the Saints was sublime, and they will be a team that can claim many scalps, especially at home.

·         The game at Ashton Gate may reveal a lot about the prospects for both Ipswich and Bristol City, or at least one of them. Michael Chopra could prove to be a fantastic signing for the Tractor Boys and he could have made no better start today for Paul Jewell.

Obviously, drawing conclusions from one game would be quite the opposite of sensible, but still, football is back and that is something that provides genuine topics for conversation that don’t necessarily revolve around the theoretical.

SUMMARY OF BETS:

One win – Brentford 2-0 Yeovil

One no bet – Stevenage 0-0 Exeter

Three losses – Walsall 1-0 Leyton Orient
                         
                          Shrewsbury 1-1 Plymouth (90^th minute heartbreak!)

                          Preston 2-4 Colchester

TOTAL LOSS: 2.17pts based on 1pt level stakes across all matches as suggested

Saturday Selections

The first weekend of the new football league season is an absolute minefield – even more so than the betting on some well researched friendlies and Europa League ties that have been the fodder for many during the last weeks. Nearly all of the sides are unknown quantities to at least some degree and gaining a reliable edge over the oddsmakers at this stage is a tough proposition.

However, this being a betting blog it would be a pretty poor effort not to have a go, and in that spirit there are a few teams whose ante-post value could also point towards some early season profit. Even so, stakes probably ought to be small at this time of year while the sun is still shining and no-one is worried whether the game at Macclesfield will it make it past the pitch inspection.

Links to previews are able for three of the five selections below. The reasoning for the remaining two:

Exeter and Leyton Orient both have excellent draw no bet claims, as they travel away to teams who are expected to be at the bottom end of League One. For all of the good feeling around Stevenage, their promotion to League One came in spite of a poor home record verses the top sides in League 2 last season. Further, their opening match in the Football League a season ago – with all of its hype and expectation – saw them have to come from behind to scrape a 2-2 draw with lowly Macclesfield. A feel good factor will not be enough to push Stevenage over the line against Exeter City.

Leyton Orient, meanwhile, look very much like a dark horse playoff contender on paper with excellent manager Russell Slade at the helm and a selection of summer signings that include Jamie Cureton and Marc Laird. After only just missing out on the playoffs, Orient are value to steal an opening day win against a Walsall side who look destined for a finish at the lower end of the league (even if they should improve on their relegation form of a year ago).

SUGGESTIONS:

BRENTFORD v Yeovil – 1pt @ 5/6 @ Blue Square, 888 Sport and Coral

PRESTON NORTH END v Colchester – 1pt @ 5/6 @ Bet365

DRAW NO BET – Stevenage v EXETER – 1pt @ 6/4 @ Bet365 and William Hill

DRAW NO BET – Walsall v LEYTON ORIENT – 1pt @ Evs @ Paddy Power, Skybet and Unibet

SHREWSBURY v Plymouth – 1pt @ 10/11 @ various (11/12 @ 32Red)

Results will be posted by close of Saturday - all comments welcome!

Shrewsbury Town v Plymouth Argyle

The case has been made to me, rather convincingly, that if Plymouth Argyle were in the Football Conference, they would not be allowed to start the season. However, despite their frankly awful financial predicament, the fans of the Pilgrims will be able to take their minds away from off the field issues for at least 90 minutes tomorrow as they head to Greenhous Meadow to take on Graham Turner’s Shrewsbury.

Shrewsbury fans have some reason to feel bitter at still being in League 2 after coming so close to automatic promotion in 10/11, but Graham Turner has managed to hold onto a very competitive squad for the new season. Marvin Morgan has come in from Aldershot to boost the depth of the frontline, and with the bulk of the squad maintained Shrewsbury will once again be aiming to be there or thereabouts. One concern is that Joe Jacobson, impressive in pre-season, will be missing thanks to a suspension.

For Plymouth, the farce of creditors and players not being paid is becoming almost old hat now, but veteran manager Peter Reid has done a tremendous job to keep a squad together that still possesses the ability to create some problems for their opponents. Warren Feeney adds more of a goal scoring potential to the squad as well as key experience for what will be a young starting eleven overall, but on the road against a team as talented and secure as Shrewsbury, Plymouth can expect a difficult start to the season.

 

SUGGESTION:

SHREWSBURY – 1pt @ 10/11 @ various (11/12 @ 32Red)