English Premier
2005-09-10 - Birmingham City vs Charlton Ath.
A Sports Betting Pick by Gooner
Let's start alphabetically, so it's off to St Andrews to take in Birmingham against fast starting Charlton Athletic.CHARLTON ATHLETIC 3-0-0 7:1 .. L5 WWW--
The visiting Addicks are perfect so far this season, including away wins of Sunderland (3-1) and Middlesbro (3-0). Combined with a home win over Wigan (1-0) that has the boys from the Valley in the top 3.
But tables at this time of the season are full of false positions, and you have to say that the fixture list has been kind to Chalrton early on with all three opponents looking less than impressive.
Still, Charlton have beaten them all, and are priced up at a tempting 3.00 to continue that run with another away win.
BIRMINGHAM CITY 1-1-2 4:7 .. L5 WLLD-
Birmingham had a poor start to the season with home losses to Manchester City (1-2) and Middlesbro (0-3!) but they were taken to task by manager Steve Bruce after that second loss.
The side responded with a much better performance in a 3-2 derby win at the Hawthorns over West Brom with big Emile Heskey grabbing a brace of goals.
HEAD TO HEAD
These sides have played in three consecutive seasons now, and recent history here favours the visitors with a pair of 1-1 draws sandwiching a 2-1 away win for Charlton two seasons ago.
In the six league clashes at both venues, Charlton lead the head-to-head 2-1 with 3 draws - all of them by a 1-1 scoreline.
THE VERDICT
It's tempting to look at the raw stats and go with Charlton, especially at those prices, but in reality both sides will be in mid-table again at the end of the season and there is little to choose between the two squads.
With that in mind, it is useful to remember that home advantage is a tangible statistic that proves itself season after season.
I do NOT expect Charlton to stay unbeaten much longer, and it would not surprise me if they were beaten here by a team improving in confidence after a derby win. The Pick :
Birmingham 2-1 Charton
BEST BETTING TIP :
I'll take the home side here at a fair price as BIRMINGHAM seek to get their first home points of the season.
It might be worth an exact score saver on the 1-1 draw.
Gooner’s Statistical Value Bet
The handicap is set at -1/4, which I will give as I think that BIRMINGHAM can win here.
Birmingham had a poor start to the season with home losses to Manchester City (1-2) and Middlesbro (0-3!) but they were taken to task by manager Steve Bruce after that second loss.
The side responded with a much better performance in a 3-2 derby win at the Hawthorns over West Brom with big Emile Heskey grabbing a brace of goals.
HEAD TO HEAD
These sides have played in three consecutive seasons now, and recent history here favours the visitors with a pair of 1-1 draws sandwiching a 2-1 away win for Charlton two seasons ago.
In the six league clashes at both venues, Charlton lead the head-to-head 2-1 with 3 draws - all of them by a 1-1 scoreline.
THE VERDICT
It's tempting to look at the raw stats and go with Charlton, especially at those prices, but in reality both sides will be in mid-table again at the end of the season and there is little to choose between the two squads.
With that in mind, it is useful to remember that home advantage is a tangible statistic that proves itself season after season.
I do NOT expect Charlton to stay unbeaten much longer, and it would not surprise me if they were beaten here by a team improving in confidence after a derby win.
The Pick :
Birmingham 2-1 Charton
BEST BETTING TIP :
I'll take the home side here at a fair price as BIRMINGHAM seek to get their first home points of the season.It might be worth an exact score saver on the 1-1 draw.
Gooner’s Statistical Value Bet
The handicap is set at -1/4, which I will give as I think that BIRMINGHAM can win here.
