FA Cup 4th rd

[Anders]

Arsenal -3 v Farnborough Town

The "public" bettors will fall in love with a side getting a three-goal start. But Arsenal are the value play here. Don't be fooled by the Premiership leaders being listed as the away side either - the match has been shifted to Highbury because of safety/crowd reasons.
Arsenal won't start all their stars - chief goal-getter Thierry Henry, defender Sol Campbell and attacking midfielder Sylvain Wiltord are all likely to be rested - but that simply means chances for the likes of Kanu, Francis Jeffers and Pascal Cygan to impress and push for a first-choice spot. Inspirational midfielder Patrick Vieira should be back from injury to drive Arsenal on.
The Gunners have netted 31 goals at home in the Premier League this season in 13 matches at an average of 2.38 and conceded just 12 - and that's against the cream of English football. They've struck 3 or more v WBA, Sunderland, Spurs, Aston Villa, Chelsea and West Ham at home so even with Henry they are well capable of getting 5 or more v the minnows.
It's not like Farnborough are an outstanding non-league side either - they are 10th in the conference table and have won just twice away in 12 matches and lost 5-0 at Stevenage Borough on Dec 28.
Arsenal should cruise here with the visitors being happy if they only concede four or five,

Watford 0:0 v West Brownwich Albion

Great spot for the 1st Division side to knock over the Premiership team on the level-ball handicap.
Watford have lost just twice at home this season in the league - to former Premier League outfits Leicester and Ipswich Town and have won nine and drawn four of their 15 home games.
In contrast, WBA - mired at the bottom of the Premiership in their first year back - have won just once in 12 trips away and have gone 7 league matches without a win.
WBA do get powerful and pacy but unprolific striker Jason Roberts back from suspension but are without handy wing-back Igor Balis for the Cup tie. Watford are close to full strength and have players with tough Premiership backgrounds like Neil Cox and Graham Hyde to spur them to an upset in front of a packed Vicarage Rd crowd.

Blackburn Rovers -3/4 v Sunderland

I expect Blackburn to try and emulate their excellent League Cup run which ended midweek in another scintillating match v Man Utd which could have swung either way.
Rovers home record in the league has been strong of late with wins over Man Utd and Middlesboro balanced by disappointing draws against West Ham and Birmingham.
Sunderland's away form is awful - just one win away in 13 league matches and that was at Leds in August. The transfer controversy that surrounded a possible move to Man U by David Bellion this week indicated that Bellion, one of the few creative, flair players at the North-east club, knows his side is very limited in talent.
These two sides met at Sunderland in the league on Jan 11 and drew 0-0 in a match Rovers dominated for 60 minutes and should have had in the bag but for a combination of poor finishing and great goalkeeping before Sunderland nearly snatched a win late. After a 4-1 away win in the 3rd rd of the Cup at Villa, Blackburn should be primed for another big performance here with goalkeeper Brad Friedel capable of dealing with Sunderland's limited attacking capabilities.

Plays:

ARSENAL -3 over Farnborough Town (2 units) $1.77 @ Pinnacle
WATFORD 0:0 over West Bromwich Albion (2) $2.00 @ Pinnacle
BLACKBURN ROVERS -3/4 over Sunderland (2) $1.82 @ BetInternet

GL

 

[ChuckyTheGoat]

GL, Anders.

I'm thinkin about following u on a few of these. American Friedel is a monster in net. He turned away Dugarry and company quite often last week.

Not sure I can personally touch Arsenal. Henry is SO potent right now. He's just deadly. Not sure I care to hope for cohesion among the world class 2nd teamers.

Hope u sweep the board, mate.

 

[ChuckyTheGoat]

Anders:
I'm sure you're up to date on this. But a Sunderland article just in case:


Wilkinson down to the 'bare bones'


Sunderland boss Howard Wilkinson is down to the 'bare bones' as he tries to prepare his side for their FA Cup fourth-round tie at Blackburn.

Wilkinson faces the prospect of having to reshuffle his defence as the Wearsiders struggle with injuries ahead of tomorrow's encounter at Ewood Park.

The right-back position is a particular concern for the Premiership strugglers after latest incumbent Darren Williams suffered a thigh strain in last week's 2-1 defeat at Everton.

First-choice right-back Stephen Wright, who has been sidelined with a hamstring problem, is unlikely to return and other options Mark Rossiter and Joachim Bjorklund remain out of action. Jason McAteer, who played in the position on numerous occasions for Liverpool, is only just returning to training after a five-month lay-off.

Wilkinson told the club's official website: 'It's just going to be a question of which players I have available and who can play where. We are down to the bare bones.

'At the moment every right-back on the books is injured and (Sean) Thornton who is a right-sider is struggling. It's a problem.'

Thornton, who has impressed since breaking into the side in the third-round replay with Bolton, is doubtful with a thigh strain.

Former England Under-21 boss Wilkinson may now need to use left-siders George McCartney or Michael Gray in an unfamiliar position or push Phil Babb across from central defence. Wilkinson could also choose to dip into the youth ranks.

Wilkinson admits Rovers will prove a tough proposition and expects them to be hungry for victory after their Worthington Cup semi-final loss to Manchester United.

The Black Cats, however, have spent a few days away this week at a training camp in Spain and Wilkinson hopes the warm weather will have a positive effect on his players.

He added: 'Blackburn will want to do well after going out on Wednesday. It will make tomorrow's game a tougher proposition.

'But taking the players away at this time of year is something I've always liked to do as a manager. The weather is akin to a spring day in England and it makes training much easier.

'It makes it easier to work because the weather in the north-east can be a problem at this time of year.'

 

[kickserv]

Nice job Ian 2 outta 3 ......sweet

 

[Anders]

Great to hear from ya CTG

Cheers guys - like the great Meat Loaf sang .....

Looking at Sunday games now, should be back with something tonite NZ time...

 

[ChuckyTheGoat]

Nice pickin, Anders. Thx for the insights.

How did poor Sunderland solve Friedel the Great? :shrug:

 

[alb]

Who would have figured Sunderland would (could) score 3 on the road? I had 9 picks today that included the same as yours. Ended up breaking even .

What song is that from?

 

[Anders]

Exactly guys - 3 from the abysmal Black Cats
That's why we ain't millionaires doing this stuff

... yet ...

My signature tune? From the great - and soon to be late - man himself, Warren Zevon

Think I might get a new one next week...

 

[alb]

Actually I was referring to Meat Loaf (best concert I ever saw back in 1990)!

 

[Anders]

Right....

"Two outta three ain't bad...."


"Now I remember how she left me on a stormy night...."