Germany have been the most impressive team at this World Cup so far – scoring 13 goals, with 8 of them against England and Argentina in their last two games. Spain have not been playing to the standard they set in Euro 2008 yet they still find themselves in the Semi-Final which should not be discounted.

So far “Paul the German Octupus” has got every German result correct. For those of you interested he has predicted that Spain will win tonight and to be honest the pundit is inclined to agree with him. Without Muller (suspended) Germany may struggle to break down a Spanish defence that has only conceded 2 goals so far. Up front Spain have not been the attacking force we would expect, but Villa has been immense and Torres should spark into action at some stage.

Tonight will be another close game, between two teams set up to counter attack. The German hopes rely on Mesut Ozil and Klose, but with the Spanish defence and Xabi Alonso and Sergio Busquets sitting in front of them, Spain will be set up to stop the Germans, counter attack and give it to Villa or possibly Torres to strike at the vital moment.

Pundit’s View – Spain to win at 8/5 with Paddy Power, Spain 1-0 with Paddy Power at 13/ 2. Torres to score first at 6/1.

Tonight should be a close affair, with Diego Forlan in good form for Uruguay and lethal with his set pieces that he might just score one. Uruguay have been highly organized all tournament, and a similar approach will be expected this evening. However, they are without Luis Suarez and Jorge Fucile who are both suspended. In addition, their captain Diego Lugano is struggling with a knee injury.

On the Dutch side Robben has been hitting top form just at the right time and Sneijder and Kuyt have both been in sensational form all tournament. Overall, the pundit expects the Dutch to come out on top at the end of a game which is likely to be a tightly contested affair.

Pundits View- Netherlands 2-1 Uruguay at 8/1 with paddy power and over 2.5 goals at 11/8 with paddy power.

In terms of the all important clash between Man City and Spurs, the Pundit is inclined to favour City to come out on top. City were impressive against Villa on Saturday, particularly going forward, and their expensive forward line could prove too much for Spurs’ defence. Additionally, over the last month City have looked like a fresh enough team, while there is a hint that Spurs long cup run may have caused some fatigue. Goals are likely from both sides and a high scoring outcome would be no surprise.

Pundit’s view –

So what does this mean for punters out there? It is difficult to see if there will be any short term impact, but one would expect a merger of the Expekt and Everest players to a single platform, which would improve liquidity making for a more attractive platform in the medium term.

Consolidation has increased in the online sector this year, and more deals are likely. One thing is for sure – it looks like the larger players will continue to get bigger!

So okay a couple of excuses but not as bad a result as 3 out of 10 would suggest.

Don’t worry I will make it up over the busy christmas betting season – ah I can’t wait!

Anyway I have given my two cents worth on each game below and the Pundits weekend multiple is a €10 trixie with Paddy Power(i.e. 3 Doubles and 1 Treble) on the following three selections:
Blackburn to win @ 8/5
Stoke to win @21/20
Burnley v Fulham Draw @23/10

This bet costs €40 in total, and if all three selection come up will pay €382.
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Stoke v Wigan (12.45pm Sat – Live on Sky Sports 1)Stoke have been solid at home this season, putting together some impressive results. For tomorrow’s game against Wigan they welcome back key defender Ryan Shawcross and Dean Whitehead is back from suspension. Wigan face a late fitness test on keeper Kirkland following his back injury sustained last week. I reckon Stoke will prove too strong for inconsistent Wigan.
Pundit’s View: Stoke to win @21/20 with Paddy Power
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Birmingham v West Ham (3.00pm Sat)
West Ham come into this game with a number of key players injured – Upson in defence and Cole in attack. In addition, Dean Ashton announced on Friday that due to persistent injuries he has decided to retire from football at the age of 26. Similarly to Stoke, Birmingham have been solid at home this season and McLeish has them playing to a set formation which is working.
Pundit’s View: Birmingham to win @11/10 with Paddy Power
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Bolton V Man City (3.00pm Sat)
Bolton welcome back captain Kevin Davies after his one game suspension, and no doubt he will prove his usual menace to the opposing defence. Man City have been the draw kings of the season and another draw here would be no surprise. However, the team is starting to show signs of consistency and buoyed by last weeks win against table topping Chelsea, I expect them to kick on here with a win. Also, Bellamy and Stephen Ireland should be available following injury.
Pundit’s View: City to win @4/5 with Paddy Power
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Burnley v Fulham (3.00pm Sat)
Neither team is at full strength for tomorrow’s game. Fulham are without Andy Johnson, while Burnley are without the services of McCann, Paterson and Rodriguez. All in all, I think its a bit of a difficult game to call but I expect a draw. Why – while Burnley have been well organised at home – Fulham are equally as well drilled and I expect both teams to cancel each other out.
Pundit’s View: Draw @23/10 with Paddy Power
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Chelsea v Everton (3.00pm Sat)
Chelsea will have been hugely disappointed with last weekend’s loss to City, and they won’t have been to pleased with Tuesday home draw in the Champions League. Both teams have injuries coming into this game. However, with Chelsea’s superior strength in depth I expect them to win out despite what could be a spirited Everton display.
Pundit’s View: Chelsea to win @1/4 & Chelsea to win 2-0 @ 5/1 with Paddy Power
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Hull v Blackburn (3.00pm Sat)
Everyone has noted Hull’s better form in the last few months however the injury last week to Jimmy Bullard is a key blow to the side’s momentum. Except for David Dunn, Blackburn have a full squad to choose form. I expect an away win, but possibly by a small margin.
Pundit’s View: Blackburn to win @ 8/5 with Paddy Power
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Sunderland v Portsmouth (3.00pm Sat)
Poor old Portsmouth – having to borrow money to meet their wage bill which is no doubt likely to have an impact on player moral. Sunderland have looked excellent at times this season but have not been any way near consistent and they go into tomorrow’s game with injuries. While Portsmouth welcome back David James from injury I expect he may have his work cut out with Sunderland to strong in the end.
Pundit’s View: Sunderland to win @ 4/5 with Paddy Power
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Tottenham v Wolves (3.00pm Sat)
Looking at this game I am going for a home win. Spurs have looked quite good at home this season and have won 5 out of 7 home league games. Once they approach the game correctly, their attacking brand of football should prove too much for Wolves.
Pundit’s View: Spurs to win @2/7 with Paddy Power
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Man United v Villa (Sat 17.30, Live ESPN)
I went against United mid week and they came out and proved me wrong with a 3-1 away win. However, I feel the injury list they have will have to have a negative impact at some stage. While Vidic may well be back for this one, they will be without other key defenders for this one.
Under O’Neill Villa are a well organised side and last season nearly came away from Old Trafford with the points. I believe that the odds on offer for an away win are too good to avoid – 6/1 with Paddy Power. For those not as confident, I suggest having a look at the draw no bet odds of 4/1 with Paddy Power or opposing a United Win on Betfair.
Pundit’s View: Villa to win @6/1 Paddy Power or Villa to win draw no bet with Paddy Power at 4/1.
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Liverpool V Arsenal (Sun 4.00pm, Sky Sports)
Liverpool have been shockingly poor at times this season and have shown little resemblance to the team that finished last season on fire. The importance of Alonso has been underlined time and time again. Injuries to Torres and Gerrard have not helped either. Arsenal supporters will not have been too happy with their team’s recent displays.
Looking at Sunday’s game I fancy a home win for a number of reasons. Firstly, Liverpool’s injury list is significantly reduced and the squad is getting back towards full strength. Torres may start and despite not being fully match fit is still a huge threat as shown in the United game this season. Expanding that point Liverpool have a tendency to raise their game against the better opposition, especially at home. In terms of Arsenal, they come in to this game missing a number of key players – Van Persie, Clichy, Eboue, Eduardo, Rosicky and Djourou.
I predict a home win – with the main threat to this none other than Arshavin whom proved a thrown in Liverpool’s side last season netting four goals in the corresponding fixture.
Pundit’s View: Liverpool to win at 6/5 with Paddy Power
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In terms of Ipswich they host Peterborough at home tonight in a Championship relegation battle. Both teams have pretty dismal records so far this season which is highlighted by their respective poor league positions. However, I am inclined to go for the home team tonight. Firstly, Ipswich have looked better defensively more recently – they are unbeaten in their last eight games. In addition, they were unlucky not to win away to Bristol City on Saturday, missing a number of chances. Given the home advantage, better form more recently, I believe its only a matter of time before Ipswich get things right and start winning more games.

Dirty Double: Wolfsburg to Win at EVS (Paddy Power) and Ipswich at 8/11 (Paddy Power)

However, overall it was not a bad weekend for the Pundit – 7 correct results out of the 10 premiership matches and we also recommended backing more than 2.5 goals in the West Ham v Man Utd game – so not a bad start and there will be more weekend reviews this friday

Elsewhere, the main football during the week is the final round of Champions League group games. Extra caution will be needed given that there are many meaningless matches which in the pundit’s experience can throw up many a “coupon buster”! However, I will review the games and post my thoughts tomorrow.

The Pundit’s Multiple of the Weekend Premiership Coupon is:

A Trixie (i.e. 3 Doubles and 1 Treble) on the following three selections

Wolves to win @ 7/5 (Paddy Power)
Tottenham to win @ 6/4 (Paddy Power)
Man City and Chelsea to draw @ 12/5 (Paddy Power)

A €10 trixie on the above would cost €40 and if all three selections were correct would pay €430.60. Any of the doubles coming in would pay at least €60.
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Portsmouth v Burnley (12.45pm Sat – Live on Sky Sports 1)

Two teams in the bottom half of the table clash in the first game of the weekend. Looking at the home side Portsmouth have a dismal home record – however, Burnley’s away record is equally as bad. The Pundit finds it hard to separate the two teams but the fact that Burnley’s captain is suspended for the game, while key Portsmouth players such as David James and Diop may feature, points to a home victory. However, it may be one to avoid watching!

Pundit’s View: Portsmouth to win @ 10/11 Bet365
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Arsenal v Stoke (3.00pm Sat)

Arsenal have lost their last two games 3-0, albeit one of these defeats was an under strength team in the Carling Cup game at Manchester City. They were poor against Chelsea last week but while Stoke have been performing well as of late, they offer a completely different proposition than Chelsea did. The last two games will have made Wenger furious, just ask Mark Hughes! – and a fired up performance against Stoke tomorrow is likely. Stoke’s task could be made all the more difficult by the fact they may be without their inspirational defender Ryan Shawcross.

Pundit’s View: Arsenal to win -1 @ 8/11 Paddy Power
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Aston Villa v Hull (3.00pm Sat)

How things have changed for Hull in the last number of weeks – a new chairman on board, unbeaten in four matches, and Phil Brown has got rid of the stupid headset! While things are looking up for Hull, their away record remains poor and Villa will have increased options going forward – Stuart Downing may experience his first league start for the club. The Pundit expects Villa’s forward options may prove too much for Hull and I go for a home win.

Pundit’s View: Villa to win @ 4/9 with Paddy Power
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Blackburn v Liverpool (3.00pm Sat)

Blackburn did excellently to knock Chelsea out of the Carling Cup on Wednesday evening, and the team will be on a high after the result. This is a tough match to call, probably the toughest of the weekend. However, the Pundit is inclined to go for the away side mainly due to the fact that the cup exploits may have taken its toll on the home team. While last weeks derby win was slightly fortuitous, it may well prove a kick start of sorts to Liverpool’s season.

Pundit’s View: Liverpool to win @ 4/5 with Blue Square
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West Ham v Man Utd (3.00pm Sat)

While United won the corresponding fixture last season, they have lost twice in Upton Park in the last three seasons. However, they rested a string of the first team on Tuesday and still managed to knock a near full strength Spurs team out of the Carling Cup. While United have their own defensive problems with Ferdinand out and O’Shea and Evans doubtful – West Hams defence has looked very weak even at home. The Pundit expects a spirited performance from the Home team but in the end United should be able to come out on top of what could be a high scoring affair.

Pundit’s View: United to win @ 1/2 with Skybet and More than 2.5 goals @ 17/20 with Betfair
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Wigan v Birmingham (3.00pm Sat)

A difficult match to predict an outcome – but one thing is for sure it is unlikely to be a classic. Birmingham have improved under McLeish and the team is functionally well with his one up front tactic. Given the sides involved and their league positions the easy thing to do would be go for the draw – however, the Pundit is inclined to go for Wigan given Martinez has a full squad to choose from while Birmingham have a few injuries. Back the home side but don’t bother waiting for the highlights of this one!

Pundit’s View: Wigan to win @ 11/10 Bet365
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Wolves v Bolton (3.00pm Sat)

Another game with two closely matched teams – well that’s what the table is telling us about these two bottom three sides. Wolves were pretty weak last weekend against Birmingham in the derby, but I expect Mick McCarthy will have been giving his team an ear bashing all week. While Bolton have a habit of causing any team problems they are without Kevin Davies whom is suspended for one game. This may likely turn the tide in the home sides favour and that is why I push for a home win.

Pundit’s View: Wolves to win @ 7/5 Boylesports

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Manchester City v Chelsea (Sat 1730, Live ESPN)
Ah the game the Pundit refers to as the “Clash of the Cash” takes place tomorrow evening – and its difficult to pick a winner.

City looked strong in the Carling Cup mid week but its best to ignore this in terms of this game. Chelsea are set to bring Cech, Terry, Lampard and Anelka back into the side for this game.

City haven’t looked strong at the back this season, and Chelsea have looked strong in the league as of late. However, the Pundit expects City to score at some stage and would not be at all surprised if City drew their eight game in a row.

Pundit’s View: Draw @ 5/2 Skybet

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Fulham v Sunderland (Sun 3.00pm)

Fulham have looked strong at home all season and on Sunday come up against a Sunderland side that have lost five times out of seven on the road this season.

Sunderland’s task is made slightly more difficult with the absence of Cattermole (long term) and Gordon, while Fulham look close to full strength. This should see the home side prevail in this one.

Pundit’s View: Fulham to win @ 6/5 ToteSport
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Everton v Tottenham (Sunday 4.00pm Live Sky Sports 1)

Everton had a good result mid week in the Europa League, but it came at a cost with two more players joining the clubs growing injury list – Gosling and Distin, while Jo looks doubtful. Added to this Heitinga is suspended for this one.

Spurs boss Harry Redknapp will be disappointed with his sides result on Tuesday to United in which they played better than the score line suggested. While Spurs have injuries to content with as well, they have a number of players that were rested mid week to use.

Pundit’s View: Spurs to win @ 6/4 Paddy Power

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Already clear favourites in the game Tottenham have a great home record.  Defoe is suspended, but with Keane and Crouch up front expect goals. Stoke haven’t won on their travels all season and are missing their German international center back Robert Huth on Saturday. The Huthenator is suspended for 3 games after punching Matthew Upson off the ball against West Ham recently. 

In the 2nd match up Newcastle’s home record is excellent and their team sheet really looks like a Premiership who’s who, with most of their monied players undoubtedly able to play in the top flight.  Doncaster don’t have to travel far , but they are winless away from home and expect this form to continue on Saturday. Newcastle are coming off the back of a 4 game winless streak and will be eager to break this cycle on Saturday.

The Punt of the week is a dirty double

Newcastle v Doncaster HOME WIN

X

Tottenham v Stoke City HOME WIN

10 UNITS @ 2.36 WITH BOYLESPORTS

RETURN = 23.6 UNITS

Stay lucky..

The Pundit…..