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Tuesdays Soccer – by Chris.

The Premiership

Arsenal   -   Newcastle        1.33   -   13.10
Newcastle were the stronger side in the first half of the FA Cup fixture between these sides at the weekend. They played some good football, were very aggressive, but if you do not take your scoring chances you are bound to get punished by Arsenal. That is exactly what happened in the second half when Arsenal upped their game and won the match comfortably, 3-0. I have certainly seen Arsenal play better but it helps when Adebayor is in the form of his life and winning matches on his own for Arsenal right now. T Rosicky looks like missing this match with Walcott his replacement. Both Almunia and Sagna will be back.

Viduka will not be ready for Newcastle, but J Barton is included in their squad again. Emre completes his suspension period tomorrow. Looking at the odds there is only one choice for me and if I would choose to be involved betting wise in this match, it would be the away win (13.10). Maybe Owen will find the Arsenal net in the first half this time.

Arsenal 0 Newcastle 3

Bolton   -   Fulham         1.97   -   4.38
Thank God that I do not have to watch this game. It will not be pretty out there. There is much at stake and both sides are quite low on quality at the moment. Fulham must not lose this match and that sounds like a tough assignment, considering their ever present lousy away form. This season they are 0-4-7 on their travels and it has been much the same story these last seasons. They have signed three new players, Hangeland, Andreasen and Eddie Johnson. The way I see it these new signings will not be able to prevent Fulham from going down, although I heard some good things about the American striker E Johnson. Could be that Hangeland will be the first in action, replacing the suspended Stefanovic in defence.

Bolton played with Davies as the lone striker away to Newcastle in their last match (0-0). It worked quite well at Newcastle but I should think that Bolton are after the three points tomorrow and will use a more offensive formation. Stelios from the start? Braathen? Hadji-Diouf is in Ghana and Bolton are short on offensive alternatives. Both their recent signings M Taylor and Steinsson will play tomorrow. 1X, I suggest cowardly.

Bolton 0 Fulham 0

Middlesbrough   -   Wigan         1.95   -   4.20
Both sides will be strengthened offensively tomorrow. Mido is back for the home side having made his come back at the weekend as a substitute at Mansfield with Boro winning 2-0. Tuncay Sanli and G O'Neil will also be back but Pogatetz is an injury doubt. S Downing and G Boateng also had bench roles in the cup but should be playing this match. Downing seems to be on his way away from the club.

New Wigan striker Marlon King will make his debut at the Riverside. That is what I call a good signing. Heskey and King ought to cause some problems for the Boro defenders tomorrow. Could be that J Koumas will be in the starting line up for Wigan. He impressed as a second half substitute in the Chelsea fixture. New defender E Edman could also earn his first start. J Woodgate has been sold to Tottenham. Why Ramos, why?  Woodgate is constantly in the treatment room and it has been years since he was any good. I must have missed something. Playing for R Madrid I remember him mostly for a perfect own goal. And £8 million? Surely the English players are overpriced. Boro have the bigger potential but they are hardly a dominant force at the Riverside (2-4-5 so far). Wigan are hard to beat and maybe I will settle for the draw in this match (3.30).

Middlesbrough 1 Wigan 0

Sunderland   -   Birmingham        2.35   -   3.21
Like the Bolton - Fulham encounter this is a true six pointer game and I expect another tough battle. Football connoisseurs should probably avoid the Stadium of Light tomorrow. For Sunderland new signings Rade Prica and P Bardsley are ready to make their debuts. Prica is a proven goal scorer,  successful both in Germany and Denmark. He cannot compete with Ibrahimovic and Elmander but he is probably amongst the top four Swedish international strikers. My feeling is that he will do a good job for Keane. M Chopra is out suspended and K Richardson is out injured. McFadden is of course a Birmingham player these days and offensively Birmingham have quite a few options. All about hard work and fighting abilities tomorrow and maybe I prefer the home win (2.35).

Sunderland 2 Birmingham 0

The Championship

Southampton   -   Norwich        2.20   -   4.00
Second division Bury gave the Saints major problems at the weekend. Bury were the stronger side for large parts of the game but failed to make the most of their chances. Instead they were punished by Southampton late in the game. The home side were certainly far from impressive and now three home defenders will have late fitness tests.

The Norwich players had no game last week and should be well prepared for this match. Since Roeder took charge of Norwich they have played like they are a team destined for the top half of the table. In their last four away games for instance they are 2-2-0. Huckerby was sidelined in their last game and it looks like he will be missing again. In form Norwich will get my vote (4.00).

Southampton 0 Norwich 1

Cardiff   -  Q P R             2.05   -   4.00
Backing another outsider (4.00). Definitely nothing wrong with the Cardiff form, unbeaten in 7 games, but also QPR have come good of late. Only yesterday Cardiff played a FA Cup game at Hereford, winning 2-1 and maybe this game with QPR  comes one or two days too soon for the Cardiff players. Reports say that several Cardiff players are struggling with injuries. Hasselbaink and Enckelman are expected back in the Cardiff starting line up.

QPR did not have a game at the week end and they visit Wales with a fully fit squad, incuding fit again G Mahon, C Barker and A Bolder. I have backed QPR before this season and I am pretty convinced that I will pick them as winners on numerous occasions in the future. Starting with tomorrow (4.00).

Cardiff 3 QPR 1

Wolves   -   Sheffield Wednesday          1.93  -  4.33
I cannot really say that I like the odds, but nevertheless, Wolves will be my choice (1.93). I suggested at the weekend that Wolves will have some good months ahead. They started off by outclassing Watford 4-1 in the FA Cup. So far so good! Keogh was involved in all the four goals and he had a great game. Tomorrow his offensive colleague Ebanks-Blake will be back from his suspension but F Eastwood will be sidelined again. M Kightly will not be involved.

I would never underestimate this Sheffield Wednesday side. They were quite superior in the Sheffield derby recently and it is never easy to know what they are up to. Quite simply a very erratic side, but the league table does not lie, they mostly disappoint.  S Watson is out for S W. Home win for Wolves (1.93).

Wolves 2 Sheffield Wednesday 1

Ipswich   -    Plymouth          1.83   -   4.71
I have to support the tremendous home side, Ipswich (1.83). They are 11-3-0 in their home games. No game at the weekend and new signing A Quinn is ready for his debut. Sito and Trotter are out suspended while J Walters is considered an injury doubt.

Plymouth played a strong match last week against neighbours Portsmouth in the cup, losing the match 1-2, but they made life extremely difficult for Pompey.  D Norris is on his way to Ipswich and he will take no part in this match. Seip, a regular defender, will not be available. Record signing S MacLean (from Cardiff) will play up front with most likely R Fallon. Home win, but the price is certainly not great (1.83).

Ipswich 0 Plymouth 0

Chris.