Manchester City vs Hull City Preview | Odds, Stats & Team News

The two sides enter this match in different moods. However it is the title chasing Manchester City who are coming into this match after a loss. They will be keen to bounce back with a big win against Steve Bruce’s newly promoted Hull side. Manuel Pellegrini is unlikely to do too much transfer business before the window closes next Monday, centre back could be the only position the Argentine may look to strengthen, with Martin Demichelis as a target. Meanwhile Hull City won in the Capital One second round 1-0 against Leyton Orient after being taken to extra time but they played a weakened side so they shouldn’t be feeling the effects from this one.

Manchester City can’t afford to drop too many points at the start of the season so this match should be seen as a must win given the opposition. If the club falls too far adrift from the top of the table, they will struggle to pull it back. On the other hand, this match is really a bonus match for Hull as they aren’t expected to pick up any points. This will allow them to play with freedom which could cause the same problems for City that they faced against Cardiff last week.

In the match against Cardiff, Manchester City were disappointing as they allowed the Welsh club to play their natural game, and perhaps showed the newly promoted club too much respect. Their task was made harder as they were forced to play without their captain Vincent Kompany after he picked up an injury in their opening match against Newcastle. Javi Garcia had to play out of position in the heart of defence to cover for the Belgian. This may have played a part in City’s poor defensive display which allowed Cardiff to score three goals.

Meanwhile Hull City managed to win their first match of the season at home against Norwich City. Robbie Brady scored the winner from the spot. The win didn’t go to plan as they had to play for the majority of the match with ten men as new signing Yannick Sagbo was sent off for a headbutt. It’s important for promoted clubs to get a win on the board early to boost the confidence of the squad, plus it shows that they can compete at this level.

Interesting Stats

Man City conceded six PL goals from corners in 2012-13, however they conceded two against Cardiff, which is 33% of that total. This may have been caused by the makeshift defence in Kompany’s absence.

Robbie Brady scored four goals for Hull last season, and he has already got two goals in this season after netting in his last two matches against Norwich and Leyton Orient. The 21-year-old will be an important player if Hull are to stay up.

Key Players

Yaya Toure is the player who allows Manchester City to tick in the middle of the park, he offers a lot to the side. He can defend, score goals, create chances, retain the ball and he is also a born leader. He has made 207 passes already this season which is the third most in the league, the two who have made more have also played one more match than the Ivorian. This shows that he dictates the City play, and with a 91.3% pass accuracy, he is doing a good job. In the opening match against Newcastle, he gave an all action display and dominated a powerful Newcastle midfield which contained Moussa Sissoko and Cheick Tiote. Moreover he opened his account for the season with a brilliant free kick which shows yet another aspect of his game. On Saturday, he will need to play well against a well organised Hull side who have only conceded twice against Chelsea in their opening game. Steve Bruce’s sides are tough to beat so City will need Toure making powerful runs to open up the newly promoted side. Only 9.66% of the Ivorian’s passes have gone backwards which shows that he is more forward thinking than last season as the addition of Fernandinho gives him more freedom to express himself offensively.

Allan McGregor will play a huge part in this match for obvious reasons. He had a shaky start on his debut against Chelsea as he conceded a penalty and was beaten by a Lampard free kick which he should have saved. He did manage to save the penalty that he gave away so he redeemed himself there. In his next game, he gave an excellent display to maintain Hull’s one goal advantage with ten men. With City desperate to bounce back after their defeat against Cardiff, he could be in for a tough afternoon, but if Hull are to get anything out of this match, the Scottish number one will have to be in top form. His clean sheet against Norwich will give him confidence; he averages a save every 22.5 minutes which makes it 8 saves overall so far this campaign. He missed out on playing in the Capital One Cup as the experienced Steve Harper made his Hull debut. Having Harper as competition will push McGregor to keep up his good form, and I don’t think it will be easy to find a way past him on Saturday.

Team News

City will still be without Vincent Kompany who has a hamstring injury which will keep him out until late next month. New signing Stevan Jovetic is a doubt after picking up a knock. In better news Micah Richards is nearing a return from injury and could feature. This will be welcomed by City fans as he could slot into central defence in the absence of Kompany, a role currently filled by a midfielder. There have been rumours that Joe Hart may get dropped for Costel Pantilimon after recent poor performances by the English number one. Alvaro Negredo will be hoping he gets his first league start after opening his account in the Premier League last weekend.

Hull will be missing Yannick Sagbo as he serves the second match of his ban. They will also still be missing Stephen Quinn and Abdoulaye Faye who won’t return until next month. George Boyd and Danny Graham are the two players who will hope to replace Sagbo. It will be interesting to see if Bruce ditches his 3-5-2 formation against stronger opposition and employs a more defensive 4-5-1 or maybe even a 5-4-1. If he does choose to play one up front, Graham will be better suited than Sone Aluko as the on loan Sunderland striker can hold up the ball while Aluko can be shifted out wide by Bruce.

Prediction

Its very likely that Manchester City will win this match comfortable. If you want to tip City, you can get a very short price of 1.193. The odds of a draw look a little more tempting at 7.89. While if you fancy an upset the odds you can get for a Hull win stand at 18.240.

I feel Manchester City will win this easily 4-0 so a bet on there being over 3 and 3.5 goals is one that is very attractive. The odds for this stand at 2.040.

Premier League: Cardiff City v Everton Preview & Prediction (31st August)

Cardiff City v Everton
Football : England : Premier League
Saturday 31st August - Kickoff 3:00pm

---

Cardiff City

Cardiff City have cause the upset of the season so far and it would well be the performance of the season come May. Last season's Championship winners beat Manchester City 3-2 in their first ever Premiership home game and in their second they face another tough side in Everton.

Mackay's side were brilliant when playing at the Cardiff City Stadium last season and as with most promoted sides they need to maintain that this year.

In Cardiff's other game this year they lost easily at West Ham 2-0 so for their sakes they will want to replicate Sunday's performance and not the one from opening day.

The stats are not great for Cardiff, their average possession is 43% (3rd worst), they average 11 shots a game (17th worst) and are receiving 17 shots at the other end (5th wost). However, we know they will create pressure in their intimidating stadium which the stats don't register. Mackay also rested all 11 starters in their midweek win in the Capital One Cup, as a result this side should be ready and fresh ahead of Everton's visit.

Everton

Everton have started the season with 2 draws, 1 home and 1 away. Martinez won't be upset with the 2 points on the board but given he is in Moyes's shadow he will want to get that first win soonish before the pressure starts to really build.

I mentioned in an other preview that Everton purchased a couple of players from Martinez's old club Wigan. It looks as though Everton won't be diving into the market again and if they keep Baines and Fellaini in this window then they are the equivalent of new signings.

Everton should have won at Norwich (2-2) and had all the chances against West Brom (0-0) but they won neither. This team has the second highest possession average in the league with 65% only behind City. Their other stats are also impressive, top of the league for shots per game with 21 and their 7.50 against per game is only bettered by Tottenham's 6!

Betting Verdict

It's funny that all the stats say back Everton when it comes to chances created/conceded etc but for me Cardiff have all the momentum ahead of this game.

Cardiff beat Man City whilst Everton failed to beat a very average West Brom. I know these games were played under Moyes but Everton enter this game on 9 match winless run away from home in Premier League matches. The signs are encouraging for Everton but I feel they are a little edgy as they seek that first win.

I also want to oppose Everton because they had to play 120 minutes midweek against Stevenage. Cardiff sailed through their game and made 11 changes, Everton made changes, not as many but then had to bring Fellaini/Coleman/Distin on and that's not ideal.

Everton should control this game but I'm happy to go against them one more week as Cardiff end a brilliant 7 days with at least another point to their tally.

Good Luck

The Statistics :

The Pick :

Cardiff City 1-1 Everton

European Champions League Final Qualifying Round: Arsenal v Fenerbahce Preview & Prediction (27 August 2013)

Arsenal v Fenerbahce
Football: European Champions League Final Qualifying Round
Tuesday 27 August 2013 - Kick Off 7:45pm
This game is live on TV

---

Arsenal

It was a devastating display of attacking fervour from Arsenal in Turkey last week which has almost certainly guaranteed that they will once again take part in the Group Stage of the Champions League this season. A 0-3 win gives Arsenal a huge edge in this tie and will also give Arsene Wenger the opportunity to strengthen his squad over the next seven days with the offer of Champions League football for prospective signings.

The win in Turkey means Arsenal will have to match their worst home defeat in Europe for them to be knocked out now and it is extremely unlikely that we will see that. Confidence has been restored with back to back away wins in Turkey last week and at Fulham over the weekend, but it will be interesting what kind of approach Wenger takes for this game. Will he rest players for the big North London clash with Tottenham Hotspur next Sunday or play a strong team to maintain momentum.

Arsenal didn't have a great time in the Champions League at home last season, winning 2 and losing 2 of their games at the Emirates Stadium. However, in their last 19 home games in the Champions League, Arsenal have won 15 and lost just the 2 games from last season.

There is little doubt that there will be some rotation from the team that started at Craven Cottage and the likes of Yaya Sanogo and Nacho Monreal could get starting berths. Jack Wilshire may return to the starting eleven after being given a substitute place on Saturday.

Fenerbahce

There were some concerns about what UEFA would do if Fenerbahce made it through to the Group Stage and then lost their appeal against their European ban from this competition after being accused of match-fixing... Anyway, that all seems a moot point after a terrible performance at home in the first leg where the 0-3 loss arguably flattered them.

Losing the Super Cup and then back to back games has dented the Turkish sides confidence, but they did get back to winning ways on Saturday thanks to a Dirk Kuyt goal. However, this looks too big an ask for Fenerbahce having failed to win any of their last 9 away games in all competitions, especially as they need to win by such a large margin here.

Fenerbahce have also won just 1 of their last 8 away games in the Champions League, although they only lost 1 of their 7 away games in the Europa League last season. The Turkish side won 4 of those 7 games, but to say they are behind the black ball in this one is a slight under-statement.

It will be interesting to see if there are many changes to the Fenerbahce team that started last week in the first leg, especially with the tie looking like it is already beyond them.

Head to Head

Arsenal and Fenerbahce met in the 2008/09 Group Stage of the Champions League and played out a goalless draw at the Emirates Stadium.

One other game between them in London ended 2-0 to Arsenal in the 1980 Cup Winners' Cup.

Prediction

With such a big lead, Arsenal don't have to push forward to win this game, but there was a big gulf in class between the teams last week and I would be surprised if the home side don't win this one.

Even with changes made to the starting eleven, the players coming in to the side will want to show the manager that they don't need to be replaced in the transfer window so the determination to win and score goals will be there for the home side.

If Fenerbahce push forward to try and close the deficit from Istanbul, Arsenal have the pace to really hurt them as they did last week and I will back the home side to win this by at least 2 goals.

The Statistics :

The Pick :

Arsenal 3-1 Fenerbahce

Manchester United v Chelsea Preview & Prediction (26 August 2013)

Manchester United v Chelsea
Football: English Premier League
Monday 26 August 2013 - Kick Off 8pm
This game is live on TV

---

Manchester United

This is the first huge clash of the early Premier League as two of the top three contenders for the title will compete against one another on Monday Night Football from Old Trafford. Manchester United's new manager David Moyes will have the spotlight on him as he takes charge for his first competitive game in this Theatre of Dreams and the added pressure of wide rumours that he beat out Jose Mourinho to the top job in British football.

That pressure means Moyes can ill-afford to lose the game, although the bigger concern would be seeing a gap open up between Manchester United and Chelsea at the top of the table. However, there were some very positive signs for United fans to take from the 1-4 dismantling of Swansea last weekend, albeit the scoreline being very flattering, while the Community Shield was also picked up. Manchester United won 16 of their 19 home games last season, although they did lose to 3 of the 4 sides that finished directly below them.

Manchester United have lost just 1 of their last 9 games in all competitions, although they have only won 5 of those games and that sole loss came at the hands of Chelsea. They did lose to Chelsea, Manchester City, Real Madrid and Tottenham Hotspur here last season so the importance of this game is unlikely to be lost on the home fans or David Moyes.

Rafael is back from suspension, but a hamstring injury looks set to keep him sidelined, while Nani, Ashley Young and Javier Hernandez are all likely to be absent. Wayne Rooney has been heavily linked with a move to Chelsea and it will be interesting to see if he picks up a 'knock' in the next couple of days.

Chelsea

The rumours I mentioned above have suggested that Jose Mourinho is bitterly disappointed not that Manchester United didn't offer him the job, but the fact that they refused to even speak with him. The public story is that Mourinho is just happy to be back at Stamford Bridge and while he has been calmer on the touchline in the first two games, we will know a lot more about his private thoughts from his actions on Monday evening.

On the field, it has been a positive start for the 'Happy One' as Chelsea have picked up maximum points from their opening 2 League games, courtesy of home wins over Hull City and Aston Villa. Chelsea were a touch fortunate in their last game against Villa as the away side were good for a draw, but all that matters is the points on the board that the Blues picked up. They did finish with 10 away wins in the Premier League last season, although Mourinho will look to improve their record when visiting the 'weaker' teams in the League.

That is down to the fact that Chelsea actually won 4 of their 5 away games against teams in the top six, but failed to win at Queens Park Rangers, Reading or Southampton. Chelsea are unbeaten in their last 12 games in all competitions, while they have won 4 of their last 5 away games last season.

It is possible that Chelsea will have signed Willian from under the noses of Tottenham Hotspur ahead of this game, while rumours around Juan Mata's future have gathered too. Mata for Rooney has been thrown around so the Spaniard may miss this game, although he is available for selection. David Luiz is missing as his future is still being discussed by the media with Barcelona lurking.

Head to Head

Manchester United and Chelsea met 5 times in all competitions last season and it ended with Chelsea winning 3 and Manchester United winning 1 game.

The 2 games at Old Trafford ended in a 2-2 draw in the FA Cup and a 0-1 win for Chelsea in the Premier League.

Prior to last season, Manchester United had won 5 in 6 at home against Chelsea in all competitions and had lost just 1 of their last 8 at Old Trafford against them.

Prediction

This is a huge game for both teams and for both managers and I can see this being tense and a tight affair.

Recent games between Manchester United and Chelsea have produced a lot of goals, but Jose Mourinho and David Moyes are likely to be a little more cautious at this very early stage of the new season.

My fellow writer LAMPS on this site has produced a strong argument for Chelsea on the Asian Handicap and I think the Blues are a big price considering their success against the top sides away from home last season. Chelsea have a lot of pace to attack on the counter and they look a side that can produce special goals with the talent they have which makes them very dangerous.

The midfield gives them the edge in the contest in my opinion, and Jose Mourinho won 2 of his 4 games here in his first stint as manager of Chelsea.

However, at 3.10, I think the Chelsea price could have been a bit bigger for me to bite and instead I will back under 2.5 goals in the match- as I said above, I expect this to be a tight game that neither side will want to lose and it could be settled by a goal either way.

Both managers would likely revert to a more defensive set up if they have the lead and would try and nick this and I think the under is a touch under-rated at 2.10 being offered. Of Mourinho's 10 games against Manchester United in his first spell at Chelsea, 7 ended with 2 or fewer goals.

During the same period, 2 of Chelsea's 3 visits to an Everton side guided by David Moyes also ended with 2 or fewer goals and I believe a 0-1, 1-0 or 1-1 scoreline is very much in play in this game.

The Statistics :

The Pick :

Manchester United 1-1 Chelsea

Preview & Prediction: Fulham v Arsenal (24th August)

Fulham v Arsenal
Football : English : Premier League
Saturday 24th August - Kickoff 12:45pm

---

Fulham

Fulham are known for being bad travellers over the years but that wasn't the case on Saturday when they went to Sunderland and won 0-1. The shock away win leaves Fulham in 6th and now they face the unpredictable Arsenal in a London Derby.

Jol has signed Riether and Parker along with 2 loanees who could make a big impact in Bent and Taarabt. Reither and Taarabt started at the weekend both having average games but Bent and Parker missed out but should be in contention this weekend.

The win at Sunderland was a little fortuitous as Sunderland had 58% possession as well as dominating the shot count 21-5! Still the only stat that matters is the score and Fulham will surely be buoyed by that win ahead of this game.

Arsenal

It has been a strange week for Wenger's Arsenal. They took the lead v Villa inside 10 minutes only to lose 1-3 but then midweek at Fenerbahçe they looked a different team, thumping the Turks 0-3.

Ahead of this game at Fulham on a short rest period Arsenal will be without Koscielny, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Arteta, Vermaelen and Diaby. With a lack of centre back options we could see Sagna partnering Mertesacker in the middle which is a worry.

Arsenal's form is good on the road having won their last 5 away league games. Although not known for their defence, Arsenal have had 5 clean sheets in the last 7 away league games as well as 3 straight under 2.5 games. Despite the encouraging stats it's hard to envisage an unders game given their current defensive crisis at the club.

Betting Verdict

I'm going to keep faith with Arsenal on Saturday and back them via the asian 1/4 ball line to beat Fulham. The hosts flattered in their win on Saturday and this weekend's game will be a tougher ask.

Arsenal responded very well to their Villa defeat and if it wasn't for the midweek trip to Istanbul I would back them in the fixed market.

Fulham have lost their last 4 home league games and players like Bent, Berbabtov and Taarabt despite their quality going forward can be passengers defensively. We know Arsenal will have lots of the ball and if someone playing deep like Wilshere gets to run the game Fulham will be in big trouble.

The Gunners like visiting Craven Cottage winning 3 of the last 6 league games here. With 1 loss in the last 4 visits I'm going back Arsenal -1/4 ball as I don't expect the hosts to leave with the 3 points on Saturday.

Good Luck

The Statistics :

The Pick :

Fulham 1-2 Arsenal

Hull City v Norwich City Preview, Tips, and Prediction (24th August)

Hull City v Norwich City
Football : English : Premier League
Saturday 24th August - Kickoff 3:00pm

Hull City

Hull City were given a horrible draw for their opening game back in the Premier League when visiting Europa League Champions Chelsea. Hull lost that game 2-0 but were not disgraced and should remain confident entering this game on Saturday.

Bruce has spent nearly £11m on 9 players this summer including Figueroa, Davies, McGregor, Huddlestone, Livermore and Graham all of whom will play their part as the season goes on.

Against Chelsea, Hull were dominated for the first 25 minutes but after that they steadied the ship and in fact were the better side in the second half. Chelsea had 23 shots at the Hull goal on Sunday but the visitors that day 49% possession which is not an easy task against a Mourinho side.

Norwich City

The Canaries played out an excellent 2-2 draw with Everton last weekend. Norwich went 1-0 up then 1-2 down but a debut goal for Ricky van Wolfswinkel ensured they took at least a point.

Hughton has been very busy this window spending over £19m and I believe his signings will be good enough to keep Norwich in the Premier League this season.

Against Everton, Norwich only had 8 shots but still scored 2 goals. A worry is that they conceded a huge 20 to Everton as well as keeping just 33% ball possession and this was in their own back yard!

Betting Verdict

Bizarrely Hull City are favourites for this game and I can't understand that. Of course they are at home but they are pointless and whilst this is a big game, anxiety will most likely be present here.

Norwich statistically were horrible against Everton but they scored twice and both goals were excellently taken. I expect Norwich to come here and attack and the stat 7 of the last 8 Norwich away league games going over 2.50 testifies to that.

Another stat that I like is that Norwich have scored 2 goals or more in 3 straight league games and man for man I like their matchups with Hull. We could well see a draw in this one but to have a head start on the better side is enough to draw me in and I'll take Norwich +1/4 ball.

Good Luck

The Statistics :

The Pick :

Hull City 1-1 Norwich City

Chelsea V Aston Villa – Line-ups, Injury News, Match Facts, Preview And Prediction

Chelsea V Aston Villa

August 22, 2013 2:45 AM MYT

Stamford Bridge — London

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho could rotate his squad against Aston Villa with Monday’s trip to Manchester United in mind. – BBC

Chelsea and Aston Villa play this year’s first midweek match (because of Chelsea’s involvement in the UEFA Super Cup) as the hosts will look to build on their 2-0 victory over Hull City in the opening day of the season. Aston Villa who faced Arsenal last weekend went home with a 1-3 scoreline and buoyed by their heroics, the Villans would be confident and will be hoping to do better as Paul Lambert’s previous visit to Stamford Bridge saw him lose 8-0 to the Blues.

Chelsea, who crusied passed Hull City had an impressive game. The first half saw them go all out on the tigers while in the other half, they took things slowly and finished off with an easy 2-0 win.

Injury news and team news

It will be interesting to see what Paul Lambert does as his side faces back to back difficult games. Christain Benteke will once again prove to be his main man and the likes of  Yacouba Sylla, Chris Herd, and Charles N’Zogbia who missed Arsenal’s game are still a concern.

Chelsea on the other hand may welcome David Luiz to the bench as he missed Hull’s encounter with a hamstring injury and Mourinho might not risk him with a starting berth as the Blues will have to face Manchester United in the league match very shortly after this. In other news expect Kevin de Bruyne, Oscar and Hazard to get the nod in the middle of the park while Mata’s fitness news have not been revealed so far.

And Mourinho is wary of Villa following their success at the Emirates Stadium. Talking to the press ahead of the game, he said:

“It’s not such a big surprise because Aston Villa can do that to any one of us,” Mourinho said. Last season they had more points away from home than at Villa Park. They are a team with qualities to play away, to play the counter-attack game they played at the Emirates. 

They are a good team. It’s not such a big drama, they can beat any one of the contenders.”

Possible Starting line-ups: 

Chelsea: Cech; Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry, Bertrand; Essien, van Ginkel; Oscar, de Bruyne, Hazard; Lukaku

Aston Villa: Guzan; Lowton, Vlaar, Clark, Luna; Westwood, Delph, Ahmadi; Weimann, Agbonlahor, Benteke

Match Facts

• Jose Mourinho has never lost a Premier League match at Stamford Bridge, winning 47 and drawing 14 of his 61 games in charge at the ground.
• But Mourinho has not won any of his last four Premier League matches against Villa (D3, L1).
• Chelsea have won 14 and lost just one of their 16 league matches played in August under Mourinho
• Villa are unbeaten in their last three Premier League away matches since a 3-0 defeat at Manchester United in April.
• They were the only Premier League side to earn more points away (21) than at home (20) last season.
• It’s a club record 23 matches since Paul Lambert’s side last kept a Premier League clean sheet at home to Stoke City in December 2012.

Prediction:

Chelsea 3-2 Aston Villa

How much will Arteta’s injury impact Arsenal? | Stats

Arsenal vice captain Mikel Arteta picked up a torn quadricep that will keep him out of the line up for 4-6 weeks.  This will be a huge loss for the Gunners as Arteta is one of the most important players in their team.  He will miss their start to the season and their two important Champions League qualifiers against Turkish side Fenerbahce.  One stat that really says a lot about what Arteta means to Arsenal: in Arteta’s first two seasons with Arsenal, they won 63.4% of the games he started as opposed to only 20% of the games he did not start.

Passing and Possession

Arteta plays as both Arsenal’s deep lying play-maker and defensive midfielder and, as a result, much of the play starts with him. Arteta attempted a whopping 2750 passes, the second most in the Premier League behind only Michael Carrick, and completed 92% of those passes. Arteta took a touch every 0.93 minutes which was the second most often, among players with at least 75 touches, in the Premier League only behind team mate Aaron Ramsey.  Arteta won possession back 233 times for Arsenal, sixth most in the Premier League, winning it back every 12.8 minutes while losing possession every 9.1 minutes and whilst being dispossessed 23 times.  This reflects his importance as the player who both starts and breaks up opposing teams play.

Defence

As the teams main defensive midfielder, Arteta has to thwart enemy attacks and help turn them into counter attacks, where Arsenal thrive. Arteta made 108 tackles last season, eighth most in the league, won 69% of his attempted tackles and made a tackle every 28 minutes. Arteta won 57% of his 310 attempted ground duels winning along with 52% of his 67 attempted aeriel duels. Arteta was able to make 101 interceptions which was an interception every 29.5 minutes. Even though he touched the ball so many times and is not a natural defensive midfielder, Arteta only made two defensive errors all year with only one of them leading to a goal.

Intangibles

Some of the things most important things Arsenal will miss without Arteta are things that won’t show up in the stats. Although Arteta is the vice captain, if everyone was healthy he would actually captain most of the games with current captain Thomas Vermaelen not in the normal first 11. Without Arteta, Arsenal lose their calming presence in the midfield and lose a lot of their shape offensively and their organisation defensively.  Barring Arsenal actually signing someone, Jack Wilshere will be filling in for Arteta next to Aaron Ramsey.  While the partnership of Ramsey and Wilshere could be very fruitful in the future, when they have played together as double pivots so far, they just haven’t really clicked. Both Wilshere and Ramsey like to go forward and with them both together Arsenal tend to lose their shape and the midfield can become disjointed.  It really shows in defence and sometimes they will be caught on the counter because both are too far forward and when other teams keep possession, as stated above, Arsenal tend to become unorganised and leave gaps in their defence. Arteta also brings years of Premier League experience and he seems more willing to just sit back take the ball and slow the game down giving  Arsenal more control of the game.

Arteta’s injury could really hurt Arsenal in their start to the season and may threaten their chances at making the Champions League.  With his injury, and all of the other injuries Arsenal are dealing with, Wenger could finally be forced into splashing some of that huge war chest he supposedly has.  With some huge games coming up for the Gunners, they will need to fill the big gap left by their vice captain Mikel Arteta.

Why Spurs Aren’t Going To Sell Bale (or at least why they shouldn’t)

It has been largely assumed that Spurs would have to sell Bale and would not be able to resist an 85 million pound offer from Real Madrid. Daniel Levy is now seen as just holding out to get a better deal from Madrid.  But when analysing Spurs past transfer history and the current dynamics of the market, it becomes clear that Spurs are most likely not bluffing. They want to keep Bale and have no intention of selling Bale this summer for anything less than an absurd 100+ million pounds.  And Spurs are exactly right in their approach. Bale is worth more to Spurs in 2013-14 than 85 million pounds.

Importantly, this doesn't mean Bale is worth more than 85 million pounds. Bale is an asset. And just like any property, just  because someone offers you a huge amount for your house doesn't mean it makes sense to sell. Timing matters and the timing doesn't make sense here.

But what about Spurs spending?

One reason to think Bale is on his way is that Spurs are spending likely drunken sailors – only Manchester City in the EPL has spent more this season. The logic goes that poor Spurs can’t afford this, so they must already be using the money they plan to get for Bale now. But there are reasons to doubt this.

As the transfer history shows, Spurs have money.  But until this summer, Spurs haven’t really spent considerably since Harry Redknapp’s first two years. Look at the last 8-9 years of transfer activity:

• 2013-14 (-47 mil euros net): Spurs have spent 69 million euros (Paulinho, Soldaldo, Capoue, Chadli) and sold 22 million
• 2012-13 (-4 mil): Spurs last year spent 72 mil euros and sold 68 million euros
• 2011-12 (+36 mil): (Redknapp’s last season), Spurs spent just 6 mill euros (Scott Parker) and sold 42 million euros.
• 2010-2011 (-23 mil): spent 26 million, and sold just 3 million.
• 09-10 (-9 mil):  spent 40 and sold 31.
• 08-09 (-50 mil): This was the year Spurs sold Berbatov and Keane (2 pts, 8 games) and then got Redknapp and had to panic buy in the January window, Spurs spent 140 mill and sold 90 mil
• 07-08 (-72 mil): 94 spent (Bent, Bale), 22 mil sold
• 06-07 (-23 mil): 61 spent (Berbatov), 38 mil sold
• 05-06 (-14 mil): 36 spent, 22 mil sold.

Over the last 8 years (excluding this summer), Spurs have spent an average of 20 million euros more per season than they have sold. But if you don’t count the last two seasons Spurs were spending 30 million euros more per season than selling for the 6 seasons between 2005 and 2011. But the past two seasons Spurs have been a selling club netting 32 million euros. So if Spurs could maintain spending at 30 million per season for the six years prior to 2011-2012 than Tottenham have likely been banking revenue the past two seasons.

This means that not only do Spurs have the 32 million euros they have netted the past two seasons, but likely are capable of spending an additional 60 million from a lack of spending. In other words, Spurs have not spent their transfer allotment the past two years.  That would equate to Spurs being able to afford to spend about 90 million euros net. Hence, despite already having a net outflow of 47 million euros this window, Spurs should have about an additional 30-40 million euros more they could spend, given the lack of spending the past two years.  This is what makes Tottenham’s bid for Willan and others financially viable. Furthermore, if Spurs plan on selling Bale next season, they can count on likely being in the black in terms of spending, likely making them more willing to push their spending limit.

Lastly, my guess is that part of the agreement in keeping AVB at Spurs (he turned down Real and PSG) is that he will be given the resources to compete. This current rate of spending is probably part of that deal.  So Spurs spending could easily be disconnected from any Bale sale.

But still why not sell at 85 million pounds – a Premier League record?

First, Spurs will increase their chances at qualifying for Champions League. With Bale Spurs, while not assured, will be favourites for the Champions League. That’s likely an additional 20 to 40 million pounds in revenue. Without Bale, Spurs have a good shot at CL, but the odds get lowered. So lets assume you don’t sell Bale this year and his value drops to 60 million, just because the amount that Real is willing to pay lessens. You still have likely come out even by keeping him and getting into the CL than by selling.

Second, it is harder to replace Bale now because you don’t have the attraction of CL. Next year, if Spurs make the CL they can actually use the funds to lure current CL quality players. Right now Spurs have to speculate more in the transfer market, as they have to find players that they think will be of that calibre.

Third, you gain global market share by keeping Bale. Bale is the best player in the Premier League and a human highlight reel. There’s a reason why Spurs ranked top in NBC’s chose your club promotion and its Bale. He’s on the Time’s Square billboard for god sakes. In politics this is called “earned media” – ie free publicity. Spurs will never be able to get this sort of free publicity again. This could hugely impact the potential earnings of the club, as new markets, with a growing fan base have thousands of people looking for a team to cheer for, for jersey’s to buy.

Fourth, Spurs actually have a shot at winning the league with Bale. Yes, with Bale (and with AVB and new signings), Spurs can win the title. The top 3 EPL clubs have new managers this season and while Mourinho isn't exactly “new” he has to reshape the squad and could face a couple hiccups. The winning point totals the past four seasons have been 89, 86, 80, and 86 points. There are reasons to believe that it will be less this year, due to competitive balance and new coaches. Let’s say 82-86 points wins this year. With Bale likely playing as a striker/attacking midfield from the get go and with Soldaldo and other new signings, Spurs will likely improve on the 72 points last year when they had no strikers scoring more than a handful of goals and had a new manager. It is by no means unreasonable to think Spurs could potentially be about 10 points better than they were last year. And at around 82 points they are fully in the title race.

Liverpool 1 Stoke 0: Debut Day Delight – Stats

For the first time in four attempts, Liverpool won an opening day fixture at Anfield by beating Stoke City 1-0 in the first match of the 2013/14 Premier League.

Whilst Daniel Sturridge scored the winning goal, and Coutinho created the most chances and attempted the joint-most tackles for the Reds, illustrating that he has a blend of both steel and style, I’m going to take a closer look at Liverpool’s three debutants: Kolo Toure, Iago Aspas, and penalty hero Simon Mignolet.

Toure’s most notable impact on the game was probably his header which cannonned off the Anfield Road end crossbar, marking the first of three occasions during the match that the frame of the Stoke goal was struck (and this after the Potters had rattled the Liverpool woodwork themselves, when Huth wasted the first of their three clear cut chances).

It should also be noted though that he won four aerial duels, which was the most of any Red on the day. He could be a key player in Liverpool’s next match, at Villa Park on Saturday; Christian Benteke won fourteen aerial duels against Arsenal on Saturday, which was the same amount as the whole Liverpool team managed between them. Toure’s aerial contribution could prove to be vital if the Reds are to keep a clean sheet against the Villains next weekend.

Iago Aspas had a fine game in his competitive debut for Liverpool. The former Celta Vigo man created five open play chances, plus a clear-cut opportunity, in just seventy-two minutes on the pitch.

It’s important to remember that this was just one game, at home, against the team that finished thirteenth in the league last season, but at the same time top chance creators average around three open play chances, and less than one clear-cut chance, per ninety minutes, so if Aspas can keep even close to the form he displayed at Anfield on Saturday then he will surely be near the top of the creative charts in May.

Unfortunately Liverpool missed all three of their clear-cut chances on the day (with Enrique, Coutinho and Henderson the guilty parties), but that they managed to create a few against a dogged and defensive Stoke City bodes well for when the other ‘park the bus’ sides visit L4.

Aspas set up Sturridge for the winning goal, completed an accurate through ball, and had one shot on target, a possession win in the final third, an interception and a successful tackle. A very tidy debut from the Spaniard.

To put it mildly, Simon Mignolet had something of a mixed afternoon. He initally looked very nervy, and missed a cross (something he did just three times in the whole of last season), but his confidence grew as he made some decent saves, and he capped it all with a double save in the final few minutes, as Stoke missed a penalty and the follow up shot.

According to Opta, Pepe Reina saved just seven clear-cut opportunities last season. By saving Jon Walters’ penalty and Kenwyne Jones’ follow up, Mignolet added two to his Liverpool account in the space of about five seconds!

It was a satisfactory day for the new boys overall, but the challenge now is to repeat the trick in the next two diffcult matches away at Villa and home to arch-rivals Manchester United. 

Swansea City Vs Manchester United Preview | Stats & Match Odds

Last season’s Premier League Champions Manchester United start their defence of the title with a trip to Swansea City. Both teams have already started their seasons, Swansea contending in the Europa League qualifying stages and United winning the Community Shield at Wembley last weekend.

David Moyes has had a difficult pre-season with missed transfer targets and poor results in friendlies, struggling to convince the pessimistic fans that he was the right man to follow Sir Alex. This has been outlined with the majority of bookies who have placed United as 3rd favourites to win the Premier League this season. These struggles make a Swansea win at 4.23 looks a decent value for those who want to take a risk; however a more realistic bet would be on a draw at 3.53.

Swansea on the other hand have had a good pre-season, despite rumours of a fall out between Laudrup and the board, and added more quality to their team that won the League Cup last season; most notably the signing of Wilfred Bony who will add goals to a side that relied on Michu last season with 38% of the goals coming from the Spaniard.

Manchester United dominate the league last year without really getting into 3rd gear in most games, which is shown as they obtained 10 points from games against the rest of the top 4 – the same as Chelsea and lower than Man City. The Red Devils did gain 36 points out of 36 from the bottom 6 teams though.

Swansea were the one of only two teams, the other being Tottenham, that didn’t win a penalty all season – a surprising stat for a team with quick, direct wingers and play passing football that can frustrate the opposition into making rash challenges.

Team News

Wayne Rooney looks set to miss out as his transfer saga stumbles on, whilst wingers Nani and Young’s injuries could hand a Premier League debut to Zaha despite limping off last weekend against Wigan. Rafael is also suspended and Moyes will have to make a decision whether his twin brother Fabio will take the Brazilians spot or Phil Jones will move from centre back.

Jonjo Shelvey will return to the squad after suffering with an illness that ruled him out of the second leg Europa League tie against Malmo.

The key players for both teams will be their top goal scorers from last season. Van Persie reminded everyone of his class with two goals in the Community Shield, especially his first goal which presented his passing, movement and aerial threat – an area of his game that the Dutch forward has been working on – and it currently looks like the main goal scoring burden will be upon his shoulders again after scoring 30% of United’s goals last season.

The high pressing that Manchester United showed against Wigan will be utilised again against Swansea to combat their possession-style football, but the Swans will pose a more dangerous threat on the counter attack with the pace of their wingers. Michu will have to produce similar performances to those that made his debut season so successful with precise through balls to help Bony beat the offside trap or quick passes out wide before making late runs into the box to score himself.

Despite the last two meetings between the sides at the Liberty Stadium only producing 3 goals, in last season’s 1-1 draw there was a total of 34 shots altogether with 16 on target. With odds of 1.909 for over 3 goals available however the Swansea win at 4.12 seems the best value here.  Another tight match is to be expected though, so a Manchester United win by a single goal looks a decent shout at 2.03 a handicap bet of -0.5.

More more odds kindly visit Betmy.

The best possible resolutions to the Gareth Bale, Wayne Rooney and Luis Suarez transfer sagas

The new season is about to begin and the trio of international transfer melodramas that have consumed the transfer window with their volatile inertia continue to loom. Gareth Bale is still holding out for a move from Spurs to Real Madrid, Wayne Rooney wants to go from Manchester United to Chelsea and Luis Suarez is certain he needs to be in the Champions League yesterday. But what was a mild annoyance in the offseason becomes a potentially harmful distraction as the matches become meaningful and the transfer window remains open for another two weeks.

So with time running out and absolutely no one wanting this to carry on until the transfer window reopens in January, it's time to make some decisions. And all parties involved will be happy to know that we here at DT are generous enough to provide the best possible resolutions to each of these stand-offs.

Gareth Bale

The situation: The 24-year-old PFA Player of the Year (and Young Player of the Year) led Spurs to their highest ever point total in the Premier League last season and got them a wispy old man hair away from Champions League qualification. They obviously want to keep him, but big bad Real Madrid decided they might be willing to pay a world record fee for him just because they get off on that. Now Bale is pretending he's asleep until he gets carried to his new bed in Spain as Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy plays his favorite game of negotiation chicken and Real Madrid try to figure out if they're willing and able to scrape together the fantastical amount of cash they've been acting like they have at the ready.

The Guardian says that Bale won't play in Spurs' first three matches after battling injuries that may or may not be real (pun intended) and sitting out nearly the entire preseason.

What Spurs should do: Sell him to Atletico Madrid for a fraction of what's being demanded from Real, but confiscate his goal celebration trademark and charge him a massive fee every time he uses it for the rest of his career.

Wayne Rooney

The situation: In 2010, Wayne Rooney made his first transfer demand at Manchester United and after an angry mob showed up at his house threatening his life if he joined Man City, everything ended happily when Rooney got a fat new contract and everyone quickly forgot the whole terrorism house call business. But at the end of last season, Rooney decided that now he really wants out and as a result, Sir Alex Ferguson benched him for the last match of the title-winning campaign. New manager David Moyes (who Rooney isn't particularly fond of) has been adamant that he's not for sale all summer while Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has said that Rooney is the only one he wants.

Rooney started for England in a friendly, though he's been "injured" for Man United.

What Man United should do: Whatever Liverpool did to Fernando Torres before selling him to Chelsea. Then pack his bag full of cakes and cigarettes and send him on his way. His transfer fee can be put towards getting Cristiano Ronaldo back (who might be eager to leave if Bale arrives at Real Madrid) and Chelsea will be saddled with another high-profile shell of a once great star, thus helping Man United's title chances with their new manager.

Luis Suarez

The situation: Just last summer, Suarez signed a new contract with Liverpool, the club that has vehemently defended him through controversy after controversy. This summer, even though he's still serving a ban for biting Branislav Ivanovic (the second opponent he's bitten in his career), he decided that he needs to be playing in the Champions League now and accused Liverpool of breaking promises to him. Suarez thinks his best option is with Arsenal, but selling him to a club Liverpool need to overtake would probably be awful for them. So Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has been making Suarez train on his own while conflicting reports of the Uruguayan saying he now wants to stay in Liverpool for the fans and not saying he wants to stay in Liverpool for anything.

What Liverpool should do: Take a cue from medieval times and construct stocks outside Anfield to lock him in whenever he refuses to play. Then charge tourists to throw tomatoes at him and pose for photos where they pretend to let him bite their children. It will be a year-round attraction satisfying both rival fans and the Liverpoool supporters whose loyalty he betrayed. The money collected could be use to buy a striker who doesn't get banned for half of every season or continually invite awful publicity for the club. Also, the video game tie-in could be bigger than the FIFA franchise and Grand Theft Auto combined.

Will we ever see a female football manager?

On the face of it there is absolutely no reason why we shouldn't one day see a Football League club managed by a woman.

After all, out in the real world there are a great number of woman in high-powered managerial jobs and many of them will have men working for them.

As we know though the real world and the football world are two very different places.

Even in football though, of course we do have female chief executives and assistant referees.

However, these women of course are not managing a squad of red blooded, 25 testosterone-fuelled men.       

So will it ever happen?

Well, I recently attended a level one FA coaching course and of the 25 people on it, only one was female. So that would suggest that there is not a very large pool of female coaches to pick from. We do see men managing some of the women’s football teams so why can it not work the other way round?

One argument is that a squad of 25 footballers would not respect a female coach. There may be issues that she would face in the dressing room such as sexism. If all that is going on, as well as everything else, then this is obviously going to cause a distraction and results may suffer.

We should also consider this from the chairman’s point of view. Who is going to be brave enough to appoint the first female manager?

It’s not difficult to imagine how the supporters might react. They are unlikely to react positively. We only have to look at when Sian Massey became an assistant referee. She encountered a lot of sexist stereotypes such as she wouldn't know the offside rule, and she wasn't even given a chance.

As it turns out she is a very good assistant referee, one of the very best in fact, but our game certainly didn't welcome her in very warmly.

There are a few good female managers out there. Hope Powell would be one, she has progressed the England Women’s team very nice in her 15 years in the job.

They did fail at the Euros last month, but you don’t become a bad manager overnight. She was even linked to the vacant Grimsby Town manager’s job in 2009 shortly after guiding England to the final of Euro 2009. Of course, she didn't get the nod in the end, but until a chairman somewhere gives a woman a chance to manage a football club, gives her the time to win the players and supporters round and achieve some success, then we aren't going to see many female football managers.

It should happen though, as the likes of Sian Massey and Karen Brady have proved that women do have a place in the men’s game. After all, at the right club at the right time a female manager might not face too much sexism. 

Premier League 2013-14 preview: Chelsea to Sparkle as Happy One is back among his people

The Premier League lost a bit of gloss with the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson but it has been buzzing with life again, after the self-proclaimed Happy One returned back to Chelsea, for the second time around to fulfill some of his unfinished businesses.

Despite finishing third in the league last season, Jose Mourinho must be thankful to his predecessor, Rafael Benitez, for handing him a squad in good shape that needs some fine tuning but not many radical changes. Optimism and balance has been restored at the Bridge, with his arrival and Chelsea can look forward to a new beginning, though immediate surgeries are required.

However, the summer was dominated by media reports of departures of several star players from the club. Last season’s top performers Juan Mata and David Luiz have been linked away with moves away from London, with reports suggesting that Mourinho harbours doubt over their abilities, especially with the Brazilian, and could be ready to cash in on them. It created brouhaha in the media, as both Luiz and Mata were nowhere near London to communicate with their new boss, due to their participation in the Confederations Cup.

Likewise, the future of John Obi Mikel, Demba Ba and Fernando Torres were all heavily speculated in the media. But, Mourinho has quashed all doubts by revealing that none of his star players will be sold in the summer.

Needless to say, strike department is one of the key areas that need strengthening. The Blues have tried their best to lure Edinson Cavani from Napoli and are in talks to bring Manchester United’s unsettled striker Wayne Rooney to Stamford Bridge. With Ba and Torres, still not convincing enough, Jose has pinned great hopes on youngster Romelu Lukaku, who has impressed a lot in the pre-season.

Creative options have been bolstered in the summer with the purchase of Germany international Andre Schurrle for more than £18 million. The versatile play-maker can play on either side of flanks and just behind the striker as well. His arrival has paved the way for Marko Marin to leave on loan to Sevilla. The avalanche of creative midfielders at Chelsea – Oscar, Hazard, Mata, Marko van Ginkel, Moses and now Schurrle – can wreak havoc to any team on their day.

Likewise, Mourinho should not worry too much about the defence as well. The club has four central defenders, with John Terry the club skipper dropping down the pecking orders. Jose will be delighted with a reliable right back in Cesar Azpilicueta while Ashley Cole at left-back still remains one of the best in the business.

But, it is the central midfield which could pose few questions. Despite Michael Essien returning back to the club, it remains to be seen whether he can impose the same impact he once had. Meanwhile Frank Lampard and Ramires are not too convincing while playing deep either. Luiz was used as a defensive central midfielder by Benitez last season but it cannot be seen as a not a long term solution.

Jose will impart a sense of belief and attitude to this side. The sheer determination of finding a way to win matches, when things are not going according to plans was one of the trademark traits of the previous Chelsea squad under Mourinho.

The weakness in few positions can be covered with collective efforts, which Mourinho should be looking at, if he fails to add any top names before the transfer window closes down. With more options available to him, the Blues should challenge other contenders all the way for the Premiership title.

Nevermind Cristiano Ronaldo, is Gareth Bale set to be Manchester United’s new number 7?

The Independent remarkably run with the suggestion that Gareth Bale could be on his way to Manchester United.

While recent reports have linked Manchester United with a move for Marouane Fellaini, this recent suggestion that Gareth Bale could be Old Trafford bound certainly raises the collective eyebrows. It is reported that Tottenham Hotspur are seemingly more receptive to the English Premier League champions, after Real Madrid appear to have been ruled out of the running.

David Moyes has insisted that Wayne Rooney will remain at Manchester United, but Chelsea continue to be keen on the England international. Such a transfer could help finance the possible move for Gareth Bale. United, who won the Community Shield on Sunday, have been left frustrated by missing out on bold targets such as Thiago Alcantara and Cesc Fabregas. A marquee move for Gareth Bale would certainly offer renewed optimism at Manchester United, but a pacy forward is hardly the key spot that needs to be strengthened.

Manchester United are expected to make a joint £30m+ bid to Everton for Leighton Baines and Marouane Fellaini. David Moyes told reporters post-match: “We’re moving forward [to making signings]. Every day you get closer – and so does the [transfer] deadline – but if we have to I am happy to go with what we have. We have a lot of good, young English players.”

Arsenal Plan Final £50m Bid as Suarez Refuses to Apologise

Luis Suarez has told Liverpool that he has no plans to apologise and is set to force a move out of Anfield this summer, according to the Mirror. Brendan Rodgers has recently revealed that the player needs to publicly apologise to the club and fans before he is allowed to train with the first team.

"Initially, there will be an apology to his teammates and the club. Then, a recognition that he is ready to fight for the club. I know that we are not seeing the Luis Suarez I know. He has spent some days working on his own. When he comes back from Uruguay we will see how it goes further. We are all on the same page. He won't be going to Arsenal, that's for sure. When Luis is committed to the cause, we will welcome him back with open arms," Rodgers had said.

Meanwhile, the Telegraph reports that the Gunners are planning a final bid for the player, believed to be in the range of £50m, something which the north London club believe that Liverpool will be forced to accept. The Reds have already rejected a £40m plus £1 bid for the striker and are adamant that they will not be selling to Arsenal whom they see as their most attainable rival in the race for the top four. 

Suarez is currently with the national team where he will play a friendly against Japan and is likely to hold further talks with the manager once he returns. The player is suspended from the first six games of the Premier League next season after being handed a 10 game ban for his bite on Branislav Ivanovic. The 26-year-old has previously blamed Rodgers for going back on his word, stating that the former Swansea manager had promised him last season that he will be allowed to leave if they fail to finish in the top four.

"I don't feel betrayed [by Liverpool] but the club promised me something a year ago just as I promised them that I would stay and try everything possible to get us into the Champions League. They gave me their word a year ago and now I want them to honour that. And it is not just something verbal with the coach but something that is written in the contract. I'm not going to another club to hurt Liverpool," Suarez said.

 The Gunners have kept Wayne Rooney as a fall back option should they fail to Suarez, but the striker is fixated on a move to Chelsea to play under Jose Mourinho. Meanwhile, Arsenal are also closing in on their first big transfer this summer, with a deal reportedly close for Bayern Munich midfielder Luiz Gustavo. 

Messi says ‘sacrifice’ took him to the top

Lionel Messi on Tuesday attributed his stunning achievements to hard work and sacrifice as his Barcelona side prepare for the first game of their Asian tour in Thailand.

The Spanish champions have returned to Asia three years after their last tour of the continent - home to a huge fan base and prime marketing territory.

After facing Thailand’s national side on Wednesday, Barca travel to Kuala Lumpur to play a Malaysia XI on August 10 before returning to Europe.

Quizzed on the secret of his success at a Unicef event in Bangkok, the Argentine four-time World Player of the Year said dedication was the only route to the top.

“You have to fight to reach your dream. You have to sacrifice and work hard for it,” he said.

“Training is very important. Now we have no competition we are training a lot. When the season starts we have to play matches so we will train only one or two hours a day.”

The diminutive 26-year-old has enjoyed a remarkable career in a Barca team widely considered one of the finest sides of all time.

Speaking at the event with the club’s partner charity Unicef, Messi advised members of Thailand’s Special Olympics “unified” football team - players with and without intellectual disabilities -- to lap up the experience when they travel to Brazil next year for the Global Unified Cup.

“The most important thing is to enjoy the experience,” said Messi, who will be hoping to fire Argentina to glory at the next year World Cup, also next year in Brazil.

“The chance to travel to a new place, meet new people... whether you win or lose is not the important part.”

Beckham, Ronaldo, Neymar top Most Famous Footballers Social Chart in July 2013

Cristiano Ronaldo lost the No.1 spot to David Beckham in the social media chart for July, whereas Barcelona’s Neymar beat them both for the most Facebook fans obtained.

It was all about high numbers and switch of places at the top of the footballers’ social media standings for July 2013. The highlight of the month, undoubtedly, was Beckham collecting over two million followers on a single network in a period of only 31 days. Read on for more statistical data for each of July’s Top 3 players.

Becks still has it

1. David Beckham

The former Los Angeles Galaxy superstar might have retired after a stunning accomplishment with PSG last season; but his permanent inactivity on the pitch now does not mean that he is out of the spotlight. On the contrary, he is still garnering as much interest as ever.

Beckham was at the centre of attraction at the UCLA campus in Los Angeles late last month when he posed with Real Madrid players during their training ahead of their game against LA Galaxy in the International Champions Cup.

A set of catchy commercials throughout the month – including his campaigns for Sky – were tempting enough for the public to give him close to 460,000 new Facebook fans and 220,000 YouTube views. However, his Singapore trip at the beginning of the month could be the main reason behind his collection of 2,100,000 new Sina followers and 920,000 Tencent fans.

Ronaldo still above Neymar

2. Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo is also profiting from the International Champions Cup through a much-appreciated tour in the US, which is surely useful to help him grow his popularity among Americans. Ronaldo made the most of his time in Los Angeles last month by dropping by the Dodger Stadium to throw the ceremonial first pitch at the baseball game between New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers.

Watch the video below to see Ronaldo juggling with a baseball:

Ronaldo was talked about 1.1 million times and got over 560,000 fans on Facebook, while he also received 700,000 new Twitter followers and 120,000 YouTube views.

3. Neymar Jr.

Neymar dropped one place on the list as he moved to the third place. With no 90-minute performance with Barcelona in July, it was still impressive to see the Brazilian winger hold on to the Top 3 of the social media rankings. Although he got more than 60 times less Tencent fans than the English chart-topper, Neymar managed to grab more Facebook fans an  d YouTube views than Ronaldo and Beckham.

He grasped over 640,000 Facebook likes, 360,000 Twitter followers and close to 420,000 YouTube views.

Valerenga v Liverpool preview: The Pride of Oslo set for more whipping by European elite

Event Date: August 07, 2013 18:50 CET

Liverpool will travel to Oslo next Wednesday where there will take on Norwegian Eliteserien’s football club Vålerenga at their Ullevaal Stadion.

This will be the Merseysider club’s second-last practice match of their ongoing pre-season, and after this one, they will jet off to Scotland to play Celtic before returning back home for the start of the new Premier League campaign. They’ve had a good pre-season so far, having won all of their five games quite comfortably although almost all their opponents were quite easy too with the exception of their latest victims Olympiacos, who still got beaten 2-0 at Anfield.

If things go according to plan then Valerenga should be no match for the Reds in this one. But as with most Scandinavian countries, Norway’s league is at its full swing too, and so theoretically their players should have a slight fitness advantage. Having said that, however, Liverpool are at the end of their pre-season campaign, and so their fitness levels should be quite high too, which makes this whole ‘fitness’ argument somewhat weak.

Valerenga were recently thrashed 7-0 by the visiting Barcelona, and while coach Brendan Rodgers’ are no Catalans, they can at least secure a multiple goal victory here. They play here, therefore, is to back Liverpool for an outright win with Betmy at a return of 1.60.

Sports Betting Systems - Should You Use One?

If you're anything like me then you like to wager a bit on sporting events. I'm probably more of a degenerate gambler than most in the fact that I will bet on just about anything with just about anybody. However I also do my best to keep informed by at the very least watching sports center on a religious basis. Which is actually pretty easy because it's generally on 24/7 in all casino's that I play poker in.

I guess what you could say is that when it comes to sports I'm at the very least in the know & probably have a bit of an edge over your average Joe. When it comes to betting with the books be them local or offshore though, they generally know the same things that I do BUT they have a major problem that I don't have.

The books have to set a sports betting line to try to even out the amount of money that will be bet on each side of a single sporting event because that's how they make money. They need to think about how the betting public loves to take the favorite because that's all most people really understand is who the better team is, nobody thinks about HOW MUCH BETTER a team is than another team. Most of the public also doesn't think about home field advantage or other information that factors in to how a team plays. This is where you do your cherry picking when it comes to handicapping.

Now think about trying to make those kind of picks, you're basically trying to take advantage of people who do this for a living. The bread on their table is there because they are good at what they do which is setting a line. Their only weakness is that they have to compensate for what the "sharps" (bettors in the know) and the "public" (casual weak bettors) are going to bet. So when they make their lines there's generally some value if you know what you're doing & knowing what you're doing is what betting systems help you do!

With that said just stop and think for a few seconds about what you've known about any of the sporting events that you've ever placed a bet on. Have you ever missed out on some injury news, maybe a last minute trade, a star player hasn't been playing like a star for the past 3 games? If you answered yes to any of those questions or thought of something else that you missed out on and it cost you money, well then you aren't taking your betting all that serious then are you?

Therefore if you don't take your betting serious and have no desire to because you don't care if you win or you lose then betting systems are not for you, plain and simple. However if you want to bring yourself up to speed, understand more about the games you are wagering on & want to give yourself a greater edge over the books or whoever you bet with then betting systems are for you.