If, at the start of this
year’s English Premier League, you told me Newcastle would take on Bolton in a
“six-pointer” I would have assumed both teams were treading water
just above the relegation zone.
But on Saturday the 20th
November 2010 Newcastle go to the Reebok Stadium in a 3pm
KO on a tense “six
pointer” to try and prise 5th place from the Lancashire
team’s fingertips. Both the Geordies and the Trotters are competing (for now at
least) for the European football that 5th place in the league
promises.
The straight head ups football
betting odds are - Bolton to win is 11/10,
while Newcastle are at 13/5 both with
Bet365.
It’s been a topsy-turvy
season for the newly promoted Geordies as the fortress that was St. James Park has
become a veritable tombola of possibilities, the amazing dissection and
domination of Aston Villa (six goals for the Geordies with a side of a clean
sheet) was followed by home losses to Blackpool (2-0) and Stoke (2-1) more recently
and (as predicted here) the Magpies put on a similar display in the local derby against Sunderland (a historic 5-1 victory) was
followed by and worrying draws with Wigan (2-2) and, most recently Fulham (0-0)
Bolton meanwhile looks to have finally
broken out of their mid-table mediocrity after bobbing around the centre spot
in the league for years
All credit for each teams’
performance must go to each manager, and despite what some chattering classes
might say The Newcastle’s Boss’s job should the safest in the North (in this
time or recession) after the thumping he orchestrated against Sunderland.
Owen Coyle may forever be
known as Judas (somewhat harshly) after he deserted Burnley for Bolton, and Burnley
(who beat Manchester
United under his leadership) slipped out of the Premiership that same season.
Coyle has gone from
strength to strength with Bolton who now sits
5th n the table.
Newcastle are one point behind them (with a superior
goal difference) but are three positions lower, in 8th.
However it’s a revealing
stat to the season that between Bolton in 5th are (somehow) just six
points away from 18th place Birmingham,
and the relegation zone!
Newcastle go looking for a fourth away victory of the
season on Saturday when they face Owen Coyle's Bolton who have only been beaten
once in the last six (but that was at home).
Expect plenty of comment on Newcastle Striker Andy “Tabloid
Favorite” Carroll who failed to find the net in his first (much debated) international
call up for England on Wednesday against the French. And while England
lost (deservedly) 2-1 Carroll
made a decent start to his international tenure despite being starved of
meaningful service by a below par England. Carroll is 6/4 to score
anytime.
Carroll is 5/1 to open the scoring, the same as Bolton’s Kevin Davies with Ladbrokes.
Selected Paddy Power odds:
Kevin Nolan to score in a 1-0 win at 45/1 Newcastle to keep a clean sheet at 16/5
Bolton have won six of the
last seven Premier League matches at home to Newcastle United and have only
lost one of their last eight Premier League home matches.
The Magpies have won three
of their last four Premier League matches after winning only three of the
previous 32 on the road at this level.
Newcastle have scored more headed goals
(eight) than any other team in the division and Bolton
have gone 12 games without a clean sheet in the Premier League.
Stick these two facts together
and see if you can find a sportsbook willing to allow you to bet on Carroll
heading the Magpies to victory.
Newcastle will still be missing Joey “Bad
Boy” Barton after he lost a great of good faith he was building up by punching
Morgan Pedersen in Newcastle’s 2-1 loss to Blackburn last weekend.
All
in all it will be a very tight game, but hopefully these teams won’t even each
other out
And
just because of Newcastle’s
away form I’m backing an away win, inspired by the head of Andy Carroll.
Prediction: 3-2 to Newcastle.