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6/4 CHELSEA UP FOR THE CUP
By Derek Bilton of Bettingzone.co.uk
Liverpool are a side in rare form right now. The Reds have won their last seven, and have not conceded a goal in over 270 minutes of Premiership football.
Kop legend Robbie Fowler has scored in each of their last three games, and in their last FA Cup fixture the Merseyside giants blasted seven past Birmingham.
That's the good news if you are of a red disposition.
The bad news is on Saturday they face a Chelsea side they have failed to beat in four meetings this season.
The FA Cup semi-final at Old Trafford promises to be fascinating fare, and at 6/5 this pundit reckons Chelsea simply have to be backed.
The Blues have now all but secured a second consecutive Premiership title, and have shown signs in their last two games that their little stutter in March is well and truly behind them.
Key man Frank Lampard (two goals in his last two games) looks to be motoring again in centre midfield, while Didier Drogba is again making the headlines for his goals, as opposed to his theatrics.
Boss Jose Mourinho is back to his irascible best both in the dugout and in the press room, and the Portuguese would dearly love to lift the cup of legends next month.
For the FA Cup remains the only domestic trophy Chelsea have not secured since Mourinho took charge in the summer of 2004, and so you would imagine the 'Special One' will have his troops primed for battle.
This being a semi-final, and given the respective defensive records of the protagonists (Chelsea have kept five clean sheets in their last six games - Liverpool three in their last three), most people 'in the know' are certain that it will be a tight, low-scoring affair.
There will be plenty backing low goals at skinny prices hoping to make a quick killing, but punters should beware simply following the money like sheep.
For sheep, in my experience, seldom make good gamblers and sometimes to get ahead in this game you need to go against common logic.
Just because these sides have only managed eight goals in their last six meetings against each other, it doesn't necessarily mean that this one will follow suit.
Total Bet are 6/4 that there will be 2.5 goals or more, and with the attacking talent on display that's a price well worth considering.
As far as picking out who will get the goals, Joe Cole looks a bit of value at 9/1 to continue his fine scoring run with either the first or last goal Liverpool.
The England man scored the only goal in both Premiership meetings last term, and was on target again in October as the Blues ran riot at Anfield (winning 4-1).
He is in good form right now, and while Liverpool enforcers Jamie Carragher Sami Hyypia do keep a tight ship at the back, they could be vulnerable against the maverick skills of the former West Ham man.
Talking of West Ham, the Hammers are involved in Sunday's other semi-final against Middlesbrough, and Boro could be there for the taking.
The teams met just last Monday, and the Teessiders claimed a psychological edge for this one by emerging 2-0 winners.
However, the fact that they have turned into this season's cup specialists could work against them.
The are obviously going well in the FA Cup, but it's their UEFA Cup exploits that could prove their undoing in this match.
They have performed admirably in Europe, taking the scalps of Stuttgart, Roma and (memorably) Basle, but those wins have come at a cost.
Boro have a decent-sized squad, but having played so many games recently means the players are being stretched to their limits.
Key figures Gareth Southgate and Mark Viduka are doubtful for this with the latter having not travelled to Romania for Thursday night's UEFA Cup semi-final first leg date.
It's a fair old trek from Teesside to Bucharest and back I would imagine, and given Sunday's clash is at Villa Park Steve McClaren's boys simply aren't getting much preparation for this one.
In contrast West Ham are well rested, and will have been able to focus on the job in hand this week.
Alan Pardew's men have made many friends with their fluid play this season, and at 15/8 they are the value call here and will want a win to honour the memory of their late boss John Lyall, a man who led the Hammers to two wins in this competition in 1975 and 1980.
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