Watford may give City a scare

We made a handy profit last week with West Ham and QPR both winning, results which made up for Southampton’s defeat at home to Watford.

As I’m often pointing out, the bookmakers overestimate the Saints, who are hopelessly ineffective in front of goal. I though they’d do enough to beat Watford but the latter have bought very wisely, fought for every single ball and thoroughly deserved to win. They will surprise a few people this season and I wouldn’t rule out a favourable result against Manchester City on Saturday.

Of course, in terms of class – not to mention spending power – the visitors should win comfortably. However, Champions League matches sometimes take their toll, even after an easy victory. Watford will be well and truly up for it and I’d have a close look at the Asian markets, looking for a price about the Hornets with the draw. What I think overall is that City won’t LIKE this particular encounter and the 4/11 at best would not interest me.

The betting on the Crystal Palace v Southampton game is interesting. It would seem that player power soon accounted for Roald de Boer at Selhurst and now Roy Hodgson has taken over.

Roy divides people. Yes, there is the impressive record overseas and he did very well at Fulham and all right at West Brom. But against that he was ordinary at Bristol City and a disaster at Blackburn, where he memorably paid 4m plus for Nathan Blake. With England he was brutally exposed and lacked the grace to admit it. The senior players, Rooney in particular, were effectively running things as Euro embarrassment increased.

But he could still do a good job at Palace and the fans will be right behind the team in the lunchtime game on Saturday. I can’t really describe how poor Southampton are up front, though the strikers lack quick, effective service and Gabbiadini looks increasingly disenchanted. Also, it is many years since the Saints had a midfielder who could get into the box and score seven or eight a season. Frankly, the way things are going, I’m not at all sure that Mauricio Pellegrino is on much safer ground that de Boer. It’s not a game I’d bet on but Palace are the only value at 2/1 with three firms.

Neil Warnock can behave appallingly in the technical area and in the immediate aftermath of matches but he knows the game inside out and is doing a job at Cardiff. Sheffield Wednesday are picking up as well – they should have won last season’s play-offs – and I quite like the look of the draw.

FULHAM remain my pick in the Championship and may have too much fire-power for a poor Burton side, though odds-on about the away team has never truly been my game. I wouldn’t go shorter than the 10/11 available with at least two firms.

Selections

WATFORD (with the draw) to achieve a result against Manchester City.
Check best price available.

FULHAM 25 units at 10/11 to beat Burton

Cardiff v Sheffield Wednesday 10 units THE DRAW at 5/2

Football News, Fulham, Watford