boro_boy
21-06-2007, 17:17
After last season's disappointing campaign, the bookmakers have the Gunners down as third favourites for the Premiership at 7-1. Sportingo's Mark Rivlin reckons that could be a very good bet.
Here are the odds generously offered by Ladbrokes for the coming season's Premiership. Chelsea and Manchester United are 6/4, Liverpool 9/2, Arsenal 7/1 and then the silly bets start with Spurs at 66/1 and end with Derby at 5,000/1.
Now I know you never see a bookie in anything other than a Rolls or Porsche, and that they can afford to hire the best actuarial brains in the country, but it seems to me that if you like the thrill of a chase, your money should be on the Gunners. At 7/1, this really is a very good bet.
Yes, I know Manchester United and Chelsea are deserved favourites but last season wasn't exactly a walkover for either club. United lost five games (the maximum a title-seeking team can realistically afford), but they won the title on the strength of the fewest draws (five compared to Chelsea's 11, Liverpool's eight and Arsenal's 11).
I think it's fair to say that had Arsenal won, say, six of those drawn games (in fact, the actual number they drew at home), they would have been in a position to make a title challenge. November proved to be Arsenal's black hole - they lost three, drew one and won one game, which ultimately proves that one bad month and you are out of contention. And it won't have escaped Arsene Wenger that they scored 20 fewer goals than United. It is, of course, stating the obvious, but unless that record is improved in the coming season, Arsenal are not going to win the title.
Having said all of that, I'm prepared to risk £10 of my hard-earned money to win £70 of Mr Ladbroke's money and plump for Arsenal. And I'll tell you why. I don't particularly like Wenger but I certainly respect what he has achieved - he is a winner. He has built two great Arsenal teams and I think this season will see the launch of the third. But my bet certainly depends on the redoubtable boss staying at the Emirates. Tuesday's papers are full of clandestine meetings with a Catalan club.
Assuming he stays, Wenger will unveil a team which has served an apprenticship (and certainly not with Alan Sugar!) in relation to Premiership football. And if you look at the ages of the first-choice players, you will see there is a lot of experience: Jans Lehmann (37), Emmanuel Eboue (24), Kolo Toure (25), William Gallas (30), Gael Clichy (22), Tomas Rosicky (26), Gilberto Silva (30), Cesc Fabregas (20), Aleksandr Hleb (26), Thierry Henry (30) and Robin van Persie (24).
This makes the average age around 26, which is not that young and certainly equipped to make a realistic stab at the title. In fact, it is potentially a team with exactly the right blend of youth and experience.
Let me say from the outset I have no affinity for any of the three clubs involved (and I'm sure it will be three, sorry Liverpool fans), but I think those odds are unusually generous for a team which has the tools to win the title.
Another factor in Arsenal's favour is that they are now bedded in at the Emirates, where they disappointed last season. When they entertain Fulham in the first game of the season, they must not make the same mistake as the opening game against Middlesbrough last season, which set a precedent of unlikely draws.
But for me, the reason my money is on the Arsenal is down to their rivals. Chelsea are simply not the force they were two seasons ago and United relied too much on Cristiano Ronaldo, who, brilliant as he was, will not be able to sustain that kind of form for another season. And you can be sure that having secured the title for the first time since 2003, they will now be after another Champions League. That applies to Chelsea, too.
Ladbrokes and their colleagues in the gaming industry are, of course, assuming that Henry goes. But, given his disappointing campaign last season, it's better from a gaming perspective to have a less talented but hungry striker than the great man not being on song.
I'm not saying Arsenal WILL win the title, what I am saying is that is worth a tenner to find out.Forget Chelsea, Man United and Liverpool - Arsenal are the best title bet - Sportingo (http://www.sportingo.com/football/forget_chelsea_man_united_liverpool/1001,3756)
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I agree with them saying Chelsea are not the force they were two years ago and that United rely too much on Ronaldo.
Here are the odds generously offered by Ladbrokes for the coming season's Premiership. Chelsea and Manchester United are 6/4, Liverpool 9/2, Arsenal 7/1 and then the silly bets start with Spurs at 66/1 and end with Derby at 5,000/1.
Now I know you never see a bookie in anything other than a Rolls or Porsche, and that they can afford to hire the best actuarial brains in the country, but it seems to me that if you like the thrill of a chase, your money should be on the Gunners. At 7/1, this really is a very good bet.
Yes, I know Manchester United and Chelsea are deserved favourites but last season wasn't exactly a walkover for either club. United lost five games (the maximum a title-seeking team can realistically afford), but they won the title on the strength of the fewest draws (five compared to Chelsea's 11, Liverpool's eight and Arsenal's 11).
I think it's fair to say that had Arsenal won, say, six of those drawn games (in fact, the actual number they drew at home), they would have been in a position to make a title challenge. November proved to be Arsenal's black hole - they lost three, drew one and won one game, which ultimately proves that one bad month and you are out of contention. And it won't have escaped Arsene Wenger that they scored 20 fewer goals than United. It is, of course, stating the obvious, but unless that record is improved in the coming season, Arsenal are not going to win the title.
Having said all of that, I'm prepared to risk £10 of my hard-earned money to win £70 of Mr Ladbroke's money and plump for Arsenal. And I'll tell you why. I don't particularly like Wenger but I certainly respect what he has achieved - he is a winner. He has built two great Arsenal teams and I think this season will see the launch of the third. But my bet certainly depends on the redoubtable boss staying at the Emirates. Tuesday's papers are full of clandestine meetings with a Catalan club.
Assuming he stays, Wenger will unveil a team which has served an apprenticship (and certainly not with Alan Sugar!) in relation to Premiership football. And if you look at the ages of the first-choice players, you will see there is a lot of experience: Jans Lehmann (37), Emmanuel Eboue (24), Kolo Toure (25), William Gallas (30), Gael Clichy (22), Tomas Rosicky (26), Gilberto Silva (30), Cesc Fabregas (20), Aleksandr Hleb (26), Thierry Henry (30) and Robin van Persie (24).
This makes the average age around 26, which is not that young and certainly equipped to make a realistic stab at the title. In fact, it is potentially a team with exactly the right blend of youth and experience.
Let me say from the outset I have no affinity for any of the three clubs involved (and I'm sure it will be three, sorry Liverpool fans), but I think those odds are unusually generous for a team which has the tools to win the title.
Another factor in Arsenal's favour is that they are now bedded in at the Emirates, where they disappointed last season. When they entertain Fulham in the first game of the season, they must not make the same mistake as the opening game against Middlesbrough last season, which set a precedent of unlikely draws.
But for me, the reason my money is on the Arsenal is down to their rivals. Chelsea are simply not the force they were two seasons ago and United relied too much on Cristiano Ronaldo, who, brilliant as he was, will not be able to sustain that kind of form for another season. And you can be sure that having secured the title for the first time since 2003, they will now be after another Champions League. That applies to Chelsea, too.
Ladbrokes and their colleagues in the gaming industry are, of course, assuming that Henry goes. But, given his disappointing campaign last season, it's better from a gaming perspective to have a less talented but hungry striker than the great man not being on song.
I'm not saying Arsenal WILL win the title, what I am saying is that is worth a tenner to find out.Forget Chelsea, Man United and Liverpool - Arsenal are the best title bet - Sportingo (http://www.sportingo.com/football/forget_chelsea_man_united_liverpool/1001,3756)
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I agree with them saying Chelsea are not the force they were two years ago and that United rely too much on Ronaldo.