Five Players Who SHOULD be Given an England Chance

Michael Owen in 1998, Theo Walcott in 2006 and Luke Shaw in 2014 – every youngster wants to emulate the achievements of those young upstarts, all of whom shocked an entire nation by appearing in their respective World Cup squads.

 

 

The 2017/18 season has been a crucial one in terms of helping England youngsters realise their boyhood dream. In the past few months, England boss Gareth Southgate has granted debuts to several breakout players, including Liverpool defender Joe Gomez, Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford and Crystal Palace’s loanee midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek.

Those three already have a fair chance of making it into Southgate’s final 23, but with only a handful of warm up games left, England chances for other fringe players or uncapped youngsters are coming at a premium. One development that has worked in favour of players aiming to break through is England’s presence in a group seen as one of the easier of the eight to negotiate.

England’s relatively high buy/sell price in sports spread betting at Sporting Index for World Cup groups is a reflection of the near-universal belief that the Three Lions can coast through, even if some fringe players make a surprise appearance. So just who else deserves an England call-up for the big one? In no particular order…

1. Jack Cork

He has picked up a reputation as something of a journeyman across the lesser lights of the Premier League, but the product of Chelsea’s youth system has found a home at Turf Moor. With tireless industry and the ability to act as an enforcer or a visionary as the situation dictates, Cork has emerged as a major cog in the midfield engine that makes Sean Dyche’s Burnley squad so difficult to face.

Though he has made his England debut, Cork did so as a late substitute on 10 November against Germany. He has yet to truly prove himself on the international stage, but all he can do is keep on getting results for Burnley and live in hope.

2. Danny Drinkwater

In a Faustian twist, the Chelsea midfielder has faded from the England scene since making a move from Leicester to the bright lights of Stamford Bridge on deadline day. His inexplicable omission from Roy Hogdson’s Euro 2016 plans, in favour of a half-fit Jack Wilshere, was met with rage from a nation preparing to mourn half a century of trophyless hurt.

The Premier League title winner has never recovered from that disappointment, but there may yet be a place for him on the plane to Russia. His playing time has been limited under Antonio Conte, but Gareth Southgate may still see him as something of an experienced wild-card to play in times of desperation.

3. Dominic Calvert-Lewin

While he has much to learn before getting anywhere near the England squad, there can be no denying that Calvert-Lewin has given wholehearted performances when wearing the royal blue of Everton.

Despite being tasked with spearheading every attack under Sam Allardyce, he has netted some important goals under pressure. Standout examples are the killer second goal against Huddersfield, Allardyce’s first game as Everton manager, and – perhaps most crucially of all – the equalising goal against Watford, on a fraught Bonfire Night that began with Everton in the drop zone.

4. Demarai Gray

Gray has emerged as one of Leicester’s most improved players after the disaster that was Ranieri’s second season at The Foxes. Since becoming Leicester manager, Claude Puel has shifted to a game plan that involves Gray in a more expansive range of playing phases, making optimal use of his youthful dynamism on the pitch.

This has brought out the best in the Birmingham-born winger, and it is surely just a matter of time until he makes his senior England debut. One friendly appearance will not be enough to get him on a plane to Russia, but inclusion in the Euro 2020 squad is certainly on Gray’s radar.

5. Tom Davies

The second Evertonian in this list of left-field picks for Russia 2018, and something of a victim of his own success, Davies has not hit the same heights he did at the beginning of 2017. However, his presence guarantees crunching tackles, relentless harrying, and the sort of forward drive that occasionally has shades of a prime Paul Gascoigne.

Born on the same day that David Beckham infamously saw red for lashing out at Diego Simeone in Saint Etienne, Davies has made just two appearances for the England U21 side so far, but he is as ready as he will ever be to make the biggest leap of all.

 

 


 

Image credit:

Andrew Wilkinson

 


 

Ashes 17/18 Third Test Preview

Australia will aim to take a 3-0 lead in the Ashes series when they host Joe Root’s beleaguered troops at The Waca in Perth this week. They have reigned supreme so far, winning both tests comfortably, and they are favourites to pile more misery on a lacklustre England team. If they do so they will reclaim the urn with two tests to spare and will be on course for another whitewash. But it will not be easy as England can call upon the talents of several world-class players, and Steve Smith and co will have to be at the top of their game once more.

Over at https://www.oddschecker.com/au/cricket the bookmakers have Australia as the $1.57 favourite to win the third test, while England are all the way out at $4.70. That is the shortest price yet on Australia winning a test during this series and is a reflection of their dominance up until now.

No England player has been up to scratch on a consistent basis, while very few Australian players have underperformed. The hosts have drawn some criticism for their sledging tactics, but they have clearly been effective. Australia have once again got under England’s skin and won the psychological battle.

And once again the English batsmen just cannot seem to live with the pace, aggression and all-round ferocity of the Australian attack. Mitchell Starc has cut through England’s weak tail with gleeful aplomb. He ended the second innings in Adelaide 5-88 and is a constant thorn in the visitors’ side. Pat Cummins takes crucial wickets and is also handy with the bat, so he is en route to cult hero status.

Nathan Lyon promised to end England careers before the series and has delivered on that fighting talk with some exceptional performances. Smith has used him as a devastating weapon to break up partnerships and Lyon has become a real leader in this team. Alastair Cook must be sick of the sight of him, while Lyon’s diving catch to remove Moeen Ali will live long in the memory.

England’s biggest names in the batting department have underwhelmed, regularly getting bowled for pitiful scores. James Vince rescued England in the first innings at The Gabba and has since been woeful. Cook must want the ground to open up and swallow him whole. Root, Dawid Malan and Mark Stoneman have blown hot and cold. Johnny Bairstow has failed to deliver on his promise and has been made into a figure of mockery by brutal Australian sledging. Contrast them to Smith, who batted with grim-faced determination at The Gabba and killed the match as a contest with a first innings score of 141 not out. He has not hit those heights since, but Australia have always managed to find more than enough runs, with David Warner, Shaun Marsh and Cameron Bancroft racking up plenty strong scores.

Smith has thus far won the captain’s battle against Root and Australia have never looked in serious trouble of losing a test. England badly miss all-rounder Ben Stokes, suspended while he is investigated for assault, and if he were to return to the fold it could liven things up. Without him, England have an elongated tail and they have struggled for runs, while his absence also places too much pressure on the ageing James Anderson and Stuart Broad. But even Stokes would struggle to revive this limp, jaded England team. They have shown flashes of brilliance, like bowling Australia out for just 138 in the second innings at the Adelaide Oval, with Anderson and Chris Woakes in inspired form, but those flashes have been few and far between.

The home side has won the Ashes on six of the last seven occasions and Australia look to be cruising towards victory in this series. England struggle in hostile surrounds and foreign conditions, and Root has a huge job on his hands if he is to instil confidence in his men.

They have sent a young and inexperienced side to Australia and they have been pitilessly exposed by Australia. In the words of England legend Geoffrey Boycott: “Let’s be brutally honest: for the all the upbeat talk from our players and the hopes and expectations from our supporters, Australia are better than us. The Ashes are gone. We are not coming back from 2-0 down. England will have a massive job avoiding a 5-0 thrashing.” Australia have them on the ropes, and they simply need to kill them off in Perth this week.

 

 

 


Image credits: 
Nic Redhead

 

Are Golden State and Cleveland Headed for third Championship Battle?

The Golden State Warriors just beat Houston to extend their winning run to 10 games and they are now all but guaranteed the top seed berth in the Western Conference. A couple of weeks ago the Warriors were in real danger following Kevin Durrant’s injury sparked a bad slump in form. They have bounced back in style and are now 4/5 favourites with Betway to win the NBA Championship.

There are just six or seven games to go before the end of the regular season now, and the playoff picture is becoming a lot clearer, with several teams having already punched their postseason tickets. Yet a few teams’ chances of making the playoffs are teetering on a knife edge, so there are lots of big games still to bet on.

Futures Update

There are no longer any lines on the division winners as they have been pretty much sewn up by Golden State, San Antonio, Utah, Cleveland, Boston and Washington. Futures betting now hinges on who will win each conference and the Championship. In the west, Golden State has hit form at just the right time. When Durrant returns they will be even stronger and look destined for a third consecutive Finals appearance, despite the threat of San Antonio and Houston. Paddy Power has 4/9 on Golden State. Whether it will meet Cleveland for a third year running is another matter entirely.

The Cavs have led the way in the east for most of the season, but have ceded the lead to the Celtics in the past week. If Boston can hold on and claim the top seed spot, they can really be a threat in the playoffs and look a good option in the east at 6/1 with William Hill and Ladbrokes, while Washington is an interesting outsider at 10/1 with Bet Victor.

There is also the small matter of who will be named regular season MVP. James Harden is leading the way but it is still very close between him and Russell Westbrook, who have been the best two offensive players in the league by some distance this season. One thing worth noting is that while most bookmakers will only go to 1/2 on Harden, William Hill is offering 4/5, so that is a generous set of odds as he is expected to just about pip Westbrook to the honour, as his Rockets have been better than Westbrook’s Thunder this season and he has been breaking all sorts of records.

Upcoming Games

In the east three teams – the Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat and Indiana Pacers – have an identical record but only two can go to the playoffs. Their games should prove interesting in the week ahead. Chicago is on a three-game winning streak and should beat the Knicks ( who are 3-7 in their last 10) on Wednesday and cover a reasonable spread, but the Pacers are likely to lose to the Raptors. On Thursday, Miami faces a tough game against the Hornets and Charlotte looks a good bet.

United Need to Find Another Gear

Much has been said of Manchester United’s supposed recent good form. The reality is that they have been far from convincing. Despite reaching the last eight of the Europa League and winning the EFL Cup, they are still some way off reaching the top four in the Premier League. Their main problem has been in finding the net and a second striker that will deliver enough goals. They haven’t found anybody to partner Zlatan Ibrahimovic who can share the workload in terms of scoring.

United are a team that dominate possession in most games but don’t find the net often enough. This has been a repeating pattern all season. Wayne Rooney has fallen out of favour with manager Jose Mourinho. To make matters worse, Anthony Martial has been misfiring and still doesn’t appear to be true United quality.

No Top Class Striking Options

Too much has been asked of young Marcus Rashford. This young lad is still learning his trade and hasn’t really kicked on this season. Too much has rested on the broad shoulders of Ibrahimovic. His recent suspension has come at a bad time for United. It was no surprise on Saturday to see them labour to yet another draw at home to West Brom.

The pattern is all too obvious. United dominate the game in terms of possession but don’t score. They badly need to find a long term striking option for next season. At 35 years of age then it is clear that Ibrahimovic simply cannot go on for much longer. Even if United were to go on and lift the Europa League, that will still only paper over what is really needed at Old Trafford.

Will United beat the Blue half of Liverpool?

United face Everton on Wednesday in what is a vital game for them. They are in a serious fight to finish in the top four. This wasn’t something that the United fans expected when Mourinho took charge. Everton under Ronald Koeman has been a much tougher nut to crack this season.

They will surely want to bounce back after their 3-1 defeat to Liverpool at Anfield. The question is will they? This match represents an interesting betting proposition. Clearly United are struggling to score goals at the moment. Everton, on the other hand, is somewhat resolute in defence. So the draw at 16-5 with BetVictor appeals to us.

BetVictor also go 20-21 on their under 2.5 goals market. This is yet another bet that we feel may be value. Anything less than a win for United on Wednesday will really turn the pressure on them in terms of a top four finish this season.

Wenger To Have Another Tough Afternoon

IT’S tough times at the Emirates at the moment and it looks like it’s going to get a lot worse at the weekend when Arsenal host Man City.

The Arsene Wenger “out” brigade will be in full voice on Sunday and another defeat will see the pressure mount even more on the Premier League’s longest-serving boss, and the removable object that is Wenger looks set to be in for a very difficult afternoon both on and off the pitch.

Arsenal and, for the first time in his long tenure, Wenger looks to have finally lost the respect of the majority of the fans, and more importantly certain sections of the dressing room.

Star man Alexis Sanchez has already come out publicly with his plea to leave the club and play with a side of “winners” joining Mesut Ozil and Alex Oxlaide Chamberlin, who have also expressed their desire to leave at the end of the season; that is hardly the ideal preparation ahead of one of their biggest tests of the season.

The Gunners’ have won just three times in their last 10, but alarming they’ve had SEVEN defeats in that period. The way they performed last time out in the 3-1 defeat at West Brom, with a lack of desire, heart or team spirit, and how they are as short as 2.87 with William Hill for the win at the weekend has really got me scratching my head.

City has looked good since they were dumped out of the Champions League by Monaco at the last 16 stage, which was the worst performance in Pep Guardiola’s managerial career.

They played a very big part in an entertaining 1-1 draw with Liverpool last time out, which stretched their unbeaten domestic run to 11 matches and I can’t see anything other than a City win in this one, which is a very tempting 2.36 with Paddy Power.

Embarrassment Likely for the Gunners!

I fear, with the anti-Wenger chanting, that if the home side falls behind early on, this could be a long afternoon for the Frenchman. Unlike previous times, when the Arsenal manager has had his back against the wall, he won’t get out of jail this time around, and Man City -1 at 3.20 with most bookies looks tempting as well.

For goals punters, this certainly looks one that will feature a few and over 2.5 goals and both teams to score “yes” will probably be winning bets, but have been priced up accordingly by the layers; instead, I am going to have a small wager on City to heap my misery on the Gunners’ with a 3-1 win which is 18.00 at Paddy Power.

 

Manchester United v WBA: United Out To Narrow The Gap

After an enforced two-week break due to the international calendar, Manchester United return to Premier League action on Saturday afternoon when they welcome West Bromwich Albion to Old Trafford.

United manager José Mourinho will be looking for his team to kick on and keep up the pressure on the top-four as they seek qualification for next season’s Champions League. Currently occupying fifth place in the league four points behind Liverpool but with two games in hand, United could conceivably see the gap increase to seven points if their north-west rivals emerge victorious from the Merseyside derby on Saturday lunchtime.

Mourinho Missing Key Men Aplenty

United will be without talisman and top goalscorer Zlatan Ibrahimović who serves the last of a three-match suspension while Mourinho, who earlier this week voiced his complete opposition to international football friendlies, will also be unable to call on the suspended Ander Herrera while world record signing Paul Pogba and England defenders Phil Jones and Chris Smalling are also all likely to miss out through injury.

West Brom supremo Tony Pulis meanwhile will travel to ‘The Theatre of Dreams’ with an almost full strength squad, winger Matt Phillips and defender Gareth McAuley the only players rated doubtful. Mourinho’s incorrect assertion earlier this week that West Brom had only one player away on international duty in comparison to United’s 14 or 15 may have inspired the Baggies playing staff and support and Pulis will likely use the inadvertent slight on his club as extra motivation on Saturday.

Baggies on Target to Match Best Ever Finish

The Baggies, who were in fact, able to boast six international call-ups, are on course to equal their best-ever finish of eighth achieved four seasons ago. However, with seventh-placed Everton holding a seven-point lead over Pulis’ men with just nine games to go and a gap of seven points separating themselves and ninth-placed Stoke, West Brom will have to put together an impressive sequence of results to improve upon their finish from 2012-13.

Yet the bookmakers, despite United’s sizeable list of absentees and West Brom’s record of two out of three victories at Old Trafford on their last three visits, remain unconvinced of the Baggies chances on Saturday with BetVictor offering them as long as 19/2 to emerge with all three points. There’s little value in backing a United win however with odds varying only between 1/3 and 2/5. More value is to be found in backing them to extend their unbeaten run of 18 league matches courtesy of a draw, currently 17/4 with Unibet.

Premier or Europa League the priority?

A draw could turn out to be very costly for United with the club facing a daunting schedule of seven league matches and a Europa League double-header against Anderlecht in April alone. Currently, the odds of United winning the Europa League are roughly the same as them finishing in the top-four of the Premier League, around the 5/4 with a variety of bookmakers. Yet with United still to travel to top four rivals Tottenham, Arsenal and Manchester City and with champions-elect Chelsea due at Old Trafford in mid-April the safest market looks to be a wager on United to win the Europa League, and that’s exactly where I’d place my money given a choice between the two.

Back to Saturday and our prediction for this game? It has to be a both-teams-to-score home win despite Zlatan’s notable absence with odds of 5/2 available from Bet365 amongst others. Alternatively, for those looking for a bigger return, a 2-0 win for United just as they achieved earlier in the season at the Hawthorns is available at tasty odds of 11/2 with the same bookmaker. A tenner on either looks good value from where I’m standing. Best of luck to you whichever way you turn!