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·22 October 2024
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·22 October 2024
Birmingham are looking to maintain their title charge this Tuesday at home to Bolton
Back Arsenal striker Kai Havertz to have at least one shot on target and to be fouled at leasat once against Shakhtar Donetsk on Tuesday night, was 4/7, now super-boosted to 1/1.
Havertz is averaging 1.25 shots on target this season, and he's been fouled an average of once every game played. To take advantage of the superboost simply click on the odds in the below bet banner to go directly to the pre-loaded betslip.
Wigan's 2-0 loss to Cambridge was notable at the weekend for all the wrong reasons (for Wigan fans) as it broke Garry Monk's losing record at the Abbey - and his first since Noah and the Ark. Well 19 games in fact, so patience is admirable.
Meanwhile Mansfield decided to end their 100% record in four matches when I tipped them and they duly failed to score at home in a 0-1 defeat to Stevenage.
That was the first time Mansfield drew a blank in the league all season and they've gone down to an unbelievable free-kick worthy of Zola. Mansfield got to the byline down the right on so many occasions yet failed on the pull-back on just as many occasions.
One performance doesn't make them a big team and Nigel Clough was at a loss on Saturday. He did change the formation at the weekend in the second-half and that at least worked. I give them another chance.
KEY OPTA STAT: Mansfield have won each of their last two away league games, keeping a clean sheet each time; not since October 2018 have they recorded three successive shutouts on the road in the Football League.
Stockport are turning into the 1-1 specialists this term with four in ten games and while the draw would be fairly obvious to stick with considering that particular running, I cannot have Northampton recording back-to-back wins after Saturday.
The Cobblers were another team who won despite showing some wretched form prior and their 1-0 success against Orient was in the face of another very poor display from the Londoners.
Stockport have failed to win their last two home league games (D1 L1), while they last failed to score in successive league matches on home soil in March 2023, so that's a slight worry, but Northampton have won just one of their previous 10 away league matches (D3 L6), conceding 20 goals in that time, four of which came in their most recent such game against Wrexham.
KEY OPTA STAT: Northampton Town are winless across their last six away league games against Stockport County (D2 L4), last beating them at Edgeley Park back in October 1986 (3-0).
Birmingham's near and almost perfect record at St Andrews goes on the line against Bolton on Tuesday, and I am surprised somewhat at the prices here. You can back Blues to win at 5/6, and it's not often the case they'll be such a good price.
And whatever way you fancy Bolton and their three away wins, I think there's a bit more juice in playing the BTTS 'Yes' angle here as Ian Evatt's team have been involved in some thrillers.
Count them; 4-0. 4-2, 5-2 and 5-1 and they have scored eight on the road. For all Blues' attacking talents, you do have half a chance at their back with them and four teams have scored against Chris Davies' men at St Andrews, and even Posh scored twice there.
The 4/6 offer for both to net is the way to go here, although I was tempted too with the Over 3.5 Goals.
KEY OPTA STAT: Birmingham are unbeaten in their last seven league games at St Andrew's (W6 D1), winning each of their previous four; the Blues last won five in a row there in the league in April 2003.
Grimsby are picking up points and goals are often linked to their games, and they look overpriced for Tuesday's trip to Tranmere.
David Artell's team delivered a good win for the column at Salford recently and they seemed to have found a balance between playing their possession football and then retreating in defence with cover. Artell said of the Salford win: "We were great out of possession here as well as at Gillingham, so we're now trying to balance right between being good in possession and killing the game off after 70 minutes so we don't have a frantic end."
Tranmere have drawn three times from five at Prenton and have scored a measly and pathetic two goals at home all season. Grimsby for the outright win is an attractive bet, but with Tranmere's draw column so heavy, we can back still a decent price for the double result as they have won each of their last three away league games, as many as their previous 32 beforehand (W3 D13 L16).
KEY OPTA STAT: Tranmere are the lowest home scorers in League Two this season, netting just twice - their joint-lowest total from their opening five home matches of a Football League season (also 2 in 1981-82).
Doncaster's 23 points from 12 games keeps them firmly in the League Two title picture alongside Port Vale and surely the 8/13 looks one of the best odds-on pokes for a home win this Tuesday?
Donny have won three of their last four and gained a last-gasp victory on Saturday against Swindon with a 94th minute winner, although it was deserved as they had created an xG figure of 1.99 and previously had earned a massive 2.47xG at home to Crewe in a 1-1.
The hosts have won 12 of their last 14 home league games (D1 L1), although have failed to win two of their last three while Bromley are winless in four away league games (D2 L2), failing to score in both of their last two.
KEY OPTA STAT: This will be the first ever Football League meeting between Doncaster Rovers and Bromley, while the Ravens will be Donny's 127th different opponent in the top four tiers.
Scott Lindsay is a man on mission. He had a full week's training in the job prior to Saturday's 1-3 win at Morecambe, and Lindsay's message of cutting out "making a gazillion passes and not go anywhere" worked, at least for now.
They were encouraging the previous week against Port Vale in terms of a first-half display, but they were deserving winners at the weekend with Scott Hogan reminding everyone he is still playing with his first MK goal.
They created two big chances at Morecambe with an xG of 1.7, but they did give up 1.52xG despite their 418 accurate passes record.
I do see goals again as Accrington Stanley have never won an away Football League game against MK Dons (D1 L5), conceding 2.7 goals on average per match during that time.