Bookies Blog

We told you yesterday that the draw between Villareal and Man U had been well supported at 15/8, but we still managed to find 13/2 value in the form of the correct score.

Tonight’s Champions League actions on Sky Sports has a distinctly French taste to it, so who better to preview tonight’s encounters than bookies.com‘s resident Ligue 1 expert.

4/9 Liverpool are expected to come up with the goods against 8/1 outsiders Marseille, and over 2.5 goals is well fancied at even money. This is just the sort of match where the form book could be turned up on its head, just as Marseille proved with a shock 1-0 win at Anfield in last year’s competition. Mathieu Valbuena scored the only goal of that game, although he is injured this time around.

Punters looking for a big priced first goalscorer can take the under-rated midfielder Benoit Cheyrou at 33/1 with Ladbrokes, who has been banging on the door for the French national side for years now. Marseille have only won 2 out of their last 6 league games at the hostile Velodrome, and I think they are a tougher proposition away from home. For that reason I’m not at all fussed that Liverpool beat Marseille 1-2 in September, and besides, Marseille were certainly the better side so can count themselves as unlucky.

The attacking trident of Ben Arfa – Niang - Koné is a force to be reckoned with, regardless of whether Liverpool have kept recent clean sheets against the likes of Fulham and Bolton. We did well from laying the Liverpool clean sheet against Atletico, and we could repeat that bet as it’s trading at evens on the exchanges.

Chelsea have averaged 3 goals per game in their last 9 matches away from home, and there could well be a few goals in their trip to Bordeaux. Over 3.5 can be backed at a handsome 10/3 and the betting suggests it will be the away side, as Chelsea are just 1/2 to score 2+ with Skybet.

I was at Stamford Bridge for the first leg, and I have never seen such a great mis-match between 2 top flight sides. Chelsea won by a comfortable 4 goal margin, and it could well have been more. There are bits and pieces of money for the home side at 9/2 , but this match is a difficult one to call.  Both sides drew at the weekend, which can be backed with Bet365 at 13/5. As we fancy goals, the 1-1 correct score at 6/1 and 2-2 at 18/1 are the most tempting.

It isn’t known yet who’ll start up top for Chelsea, so I can’t take 5/1 Anelka or 11/2 Drogba in the first goalscorer market. Cavenaghi, dubbed ‘Cavenagol’, is always at threat at 10/1, but I’d prefer Gourcuff at 14/1 who has recently hit a rich vein of form.

Recommendation:

Lay Liverpool Clean sheet at 1/1 to win 2pts (Liability 2pts)

1pt 11/2 Marseille Draw No Bet

1pt 23/25 Under 2.5 Goals Liverpool v Marseille

Bordeaux v Chelsea Correct Score:

1/2pt 6/1 1-1 Draw

1/2pt 18/1 2-2 Draw

Last night proved how profitable it can be to check odds at bookies.com before placing a bet. The 0-0 draw at Villareal was well supported with some firms into 5/1, but we found 13/2 elsewhere.

Liverpool v Marseille Match Betting

Liverpool v Marseille First Goalscorer Betting

Liverpool v Marseille Asian Handicap Betting

Liverpool v Marseille Clean Sheet Betting

Bordeaux v Chelsea Match Betting

Bordeaux v Chelsea Correct Score Betting

Bordeaux v Chelsea First Goalscorer Betting

Sporting v Barcelona Match Betting

Cluj v Roma Match Betting