Soccer Betting Advice

Soccer Betting Advice - Sample Message

The below is a copy of a past email as sent to clients in March 2008.

As it happens this was a good day with all but the Ipswich bet winning.

Obviously one can not expect a positive result every single weekend.

This service is about identifying value and producing a profit over a longer period such as a year.

Use the sample message below however as a guide to the style and content of what you will receive as a client. You can see that the advised bets are clear cut and easy to understand etc.

Soccer Betting Advice from The Oracle - 1st March 2008

1pt Ipswich to beat Southampton in the Championship 7/4 B365 or 13/8 widely available (Saturday March 1st 3pm ko)

It's now seven games without a win in all competitions for Southampton who are in free fall down the table. The loss of manager George Burley was a big blow and the squad was trimmed in January to cut costs. New manager Nigel Pearson has a big job on his hands if he's going to keep the Saints in the division. Southampton fans are also far from convinced that Pearson is the right man for the job. Mike O'Callaghan from the Saints Independent Supporters Association admitted he was taken aback at the appointment,

"Like everyone we're shocked as this is his first proper job. He's always been a number two," O'Callaghan said.

"There are other people out there like Micky Adams who is an ex-Saints player and has taken three teams up in Fulham, Leicester and Brighton."

Gregory Vignal's highly controversial penalty just two minutes from time last week against ten man Scunthorpe prevented a sixth defeat in seven games. Anyone who watched Southampton's FA cup exit to League one Bristol Rovers the other week would have struggled to work out who the Championship team was. Pearson's job is made all the more difficult by injuries to several of his defensive options including Alexander Ostlund, Chris Makin, Claus Lundekvam and key defender Darren Powell. Ipswich on the other hand are a team just one point from the play offs and thanks to new ownership, were able to strengthen the squad in January with the £2million capture of David Norris from Plymouth. They were also speaking to Portsmouth this week about taking David Nugent on loan with a view to a permanent move. The deal has not gone through in time for todays game but is a clear indication that Ipswich are a club on the up with finances available to strengthen the squad further. Jim Magilton's men have finally got over their away day hoodoo with wins over Crystal Palace and Sheffield Wednesday in the last month and they only lost narrowly at league leaders Stoke last weekend. In his interview on the club website Magilton clearly fancies Ipswich's chances of getting something today,

"They have some very good players in their ranks, Southampton, but they are low on confidence, it's not worked out for them this year and that can lead to a nervousness about the place. That's what happens when you are on a negative run of results."

"If they don't start positively the crowd will get nervous and we need to look to capitalise on that. We need to take every advantage going."

"Our away form has been pretty good lately, there was nothing really to choose between the teams in our defeat at Stoke last week, apart from a wonderful goal, I'm looking for a reaction from that defeat though."

Magilton's point about Southampton's nervousness could be a valid one as they have now lost three home games on the bounce. Should Ipswich take the lead then instead of rallying support from the home fans, Southampton are more likely to face abuse from an expectant St Marys with Premiership football still fresh in the memory. Ipswich won the reverse fixture 2-0 earlier in the season and I make them clear favourites to repeat the feat today.

1pt Arsenal and Aston Villa to draw in the Premiership 14/5 B365 or 11/4 widely available (3/1 in Paddypower shops if you have one nearbye) (Saturday March 1st 3pm ko)

I've said before that I think Arsenal have been punching above their weight a little bit this season and that they do not have a strong enough squad to last the pace. The injury list is growing and they will be without Toure, Eboue, Rosicky, Van Persie and Eduardo today against Aston Villa. Arsenal are creaking and the wheels are ready to fall off. They were dumped out of both cups with heavy defeats to Spurs and Man Utd and will have one eye on a crucial Champions league trip to Milan on Tuesday. Last weeks draw with Birmingham put a serious dent in their title aspirations and although it was a harsh penalty, the game should have been finished a lot earlier as Birmingham played the majority of the game with ten men. William Gallas's reaction was a sign of the strain Arsenal are under as he lambasted Gael Clichy for his loss of concentration, then stormed off in a sulk before the game had even finished. Gallas is Arsenal's captain for those of you who didn't know. Todays front two for Arsenal will be Adebayor and Bendtner and it was only a few weeks ago that these two squared up to each other on the pitch. It will be interesting to see how these two get on today. Aston Villa are a side I've tipped to push Liverpool for fourth place and it's not beyond them. Their away record is fantastic with just two defeats on the road to date and the twenty six goals they have scored away from home is the best tally in the division. Villa have drawn six of their away games and the draw is a big runner again today. The Villains have managed to take a point from Anfield, Stamford Bridge and White Hart Lane so far this season and drew the same fixture at the Emirates last season. Martin O'Neill yesterday spoke of his teams confidence going into this game,

"I know we are capable of going to Arsenal and winning the game. I genuinely believe that. We have got ability in the side and pace in the side.

"We know Arsenal are very good and also very capable of beating us but we are definitely going with a lot of confidence. We are going well.

"We are a much better team than we were 18 months ago."

Whilst a victory at the Emirates is probably unlikely, a draw is not. I opposed Arsenal in this fixture at Villa park earlier in the season and although Arsenal won the game, Villa's second half performance was very encouraging. Whilst they gave Arsenal space to play in the first half, they seemed to learn their lesson and gave them none in the second and made things very difficult for the Londoners. If Villa adopt a similar approach today and close Arsenal down and prevent them from playing their passing game then they have every chance of getting something.

1pt Barnet to beat Shrewsbury in League two 6/4 Skybet or 7/5 Sportingbet (Saturday March 1st 3pm ko)

Barnet and Shrewsbury are two sides on poor runs but I think Barnet are the more likely to come out of this one on top. Five straight defeats is not usually the sort of form that encourages you to back a team but upon closer inspection, Barnet's run of defeats is not as bad as it seems. Three of these defeats came against top four sides Darlington, Peterborough and MK Dons who are all very good teams. Barnet were also very unlucky to lose to Brentford after dominating the first half an hour. That game was turned on its head by a refereeing howler as a Barnet attack was halted by a blatant handball just yards from the referee who incredibly waved play on. Brentford then went straight down the other end and scored which completely took the wind out of Barnet's sails. Results in January paint a far clearer picture of what Barnet are capable of with fantastic away victories over MK dons and Hereford as well as taking League one Swindon to a replay in the FA cup. Shrewsbury however are on a poor run because they are a poor team. They have won just one game in their eleven fixtures since boxing day. The Shrews have also played no part in the unusually high number of away wins in League two which I highlighted last week. They have won just three away games and have the second lowest points tally on the road in the division. Skybets's price of 6/4 for Barnet to win at home suggested that Shrewsbury are the better side but although they are five points better off in the table, Barnet have three games in hand and will finish the higher of the two come May in my opinion. Key midfielder Neal Bishop returns from suspension for Barnet today and can inspire the bees to end their run of defeats.

1pt Over 2.5 goals between Deportivo and Sevilla in La Liga evens Ladbrokes and VC (Saturday March 1st 7pm ko)

Although Juande Ramos is no longer in charge, Sevilla continue to play very attacking exciting football. Their last three fixtures has seen an incredible 16 goals. In La Liga 16 (64%) of Sevilla's 25 games have witnessed three goals or more, in the Champions league 7 (78%) of Sevilla's 9 fixtures have witnessed three goals or more. 8 (80%) of Sevilla's last ten games in both the league and Europe have witnessed three goals or more. It is a little surprising then that Ladbrokes and VC both rate the chances of three or more goals in this fixture at evens (50%). Although Deportivo matches are not as high scoring, they have still scored at least once in each of their last five games. This fixture last season produced three goals and with Sevilla scoring goals for fun at the moment the odds of three of more in this game should definitely be odds on.three goals or more. 8 (80%) of Sevilla's last ten games in both the league and Europe have witnessed three goals or more. It is a little surprising then that Ladbrokes and VC both rate the chances of three or more goals in this fixture at evens (50%). Although Deportivo matches are not as high scoring, they have still scored at least once in each of their last five games. This fixture last season produced three goals and with Sevilla scoring goals for fun at the moment the odds of three of more in this game should definitely be odds on.

Best Wishes

The Oracle