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Today’s secondary featured game is the English Premier League game in the Midlands between Aston Villa and Arsenal.

In the past, Villa have given Arsenal some really good games and they’ve been glorious to watch. However, McLeish is destroying everything that Villa have become in recent years by turning them into a horrible defensive side that looks like they’ll be in the relegation battle if they’re not careful. Bent and Agbonlahor missed out against Liverpool and Villa had no impetus in attack whatsoever without them, thus showing how dependant this Villa side has become on their stars. In previous years, Villa would play as a united front and create lots of problems for opponents with pace and tenacity but this Villa side looks lethargic, uninterested, and frankly devoid of ideas. There’s potential in there but McLeish will not allow it to show because he makes his teams play a defensive game and I think Villa will sit back here. If Villa play as badly in this game as they did against Manchester United recently then they’re going to be destroyed here.

Visitors Arsenal lost 1-0 at Manchester City at weekend. The result was perhaps a bit harsh given that Arsenal actually played pretty well but that’s football; if you don’t score goals, you don’t win games and Wenger knows it. Arsenal are playing well and the fact that even Walcott is demonstrating his potential tells you that Arsenal must be doing something right! Van Persie is still arguably the most in-form striker in the league and Arsenal’s attacking style means that they should score least once in this game with offensive options a-plenty.

Therefore, the away win at 4/5 appeals to me massively here. I’d never have taken it in previous years because Villa used to give as good as they got but they look so poor nowadays that even a half-hearted Arsenal display should result in an away win.

Verdict: Arsenal to win at 4/5.

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Monday’s Picks

My tips:

As ever, please find my value tips listed below in no particular order:

Fulham vs Manchester United – away win at 4/5.

This is a similar one to the Villa vs Arsenal game. Jol and Fulham have not really clicked yet as he looks to turn them into a passing side, which they’rer just not. Fulham used to play a mixed style with plenty of physical presence and you had to play well to win here. You still do, to be fair – Craven Cottage is never an easy place for an away game – but Fulham don’t look inspired right now. They look a shade too defensive, very short on composure and a little short on belief. The fact that Zamora is not getting in this team often spells disaster for Fulham because his powerful aerial presence has been a successful recipe for Fulham for some time now, whether he’s scoring the goals or making them. Fulham don’t provide enough of an attacking threat at the moment and it’s been happening for most of this season. They look dour and uninteresting and I think they’ll struggle here.

United have had problems here in the past but I just don’t anticipate the same kind of game as United used to have here. Fulham look likely to sit back and play predictable football, which is basically Christians to the lions against an in-form United side. Despite numerous important absentees, United are doing what they do best by playing well with their backs to the wall. Carrick is proving his worth again and has been for weeks, not that any other United fan will ever admit it – everyone loves a scapegoat, eh? It’s no coincidence that United won the league for three years in a row when they signed Carrick, however – do bear that in mind. Rooney is back on his run of goalscoring and that makes United a threat anyway! United have played really well in their last two games – I mean really, really well – and had it not been for squandering their chances, they could have scored five or six in each game. Hernandez and Berbatov are back to give Fergie options up front and Ferdinand looks immaculate at the back so United look good to me right now. After all, this is when United start to reach their peak – the Christmas period. It’d take a braver man than me to oppose United here.

Therefore, the away win at 4/5 appeals to me here. Don’t go shorter than around 3/4 because nobody is worth less than that at Craven Cottage but the away win definitely appeals to me here.

Verdict: Manchester United to win at 4/5.

Everton vs Swansea City – away win with +1 Asian Handicap at 4/5.

Well, this one worked at weekend so I’m happy to take it again today. Everton yet again enter a game without many scoring goals in their previous game due to not creating chances. They can’t switch things around because they have no depth so times are frustrating for the hosts. They just have no option but to keep doing what they do and hope for a bit of luck. We all know Everton can produce the goods but will they? I wouldn’t think so.

Swansea are not a great side themselves but their expansive style causes problem for opponents due to their pace, especially on counter-attacks. They’re a resilient and fairly well-organised side that won’t break easily and they’ll fancy their chances in Liverpool today. Why not? Their hosts aren’t playing well, aren’t making chances, and aren’t scoring goals as a result. A single goal for Swansea here should be enough to see them avoid defeat, in my view, so that’s what I’m rolling with.

If Swansea lose this then I don’t see there being much in it so my call is the away win with a +1 Asian Handicap at 4/5 as it really shouldn’t lose either way!

Verdict: Swansea City to win with a +1 Asian Handicap at 4/5.

As ever, if there are any explanations required then please feel free to post a comment! For the remainder of my thoughts on today’s games, see below, although I feel compelled to write that the below are not necessarily my tips but merely my thoughts to prevent endless questions about my thoughts on certain games!

International Friendly:

Chile vs Paraguay (6) 1-2

Colombian Primera A:

Once Caldas Manizales vs Atletico Junior Barranquilla (7) 2-0

English Premier League:

Aston Villa vs Arsenal (7) 1-2
Manchester City vs Stoke City (8) -1.5 handicap
Newcastle United vs West Bromwich Albion (4) 1-1
Queens Park Rangers vs Sunderland (5) 0-0
Wigan Athletic vs Liverpool (6) 0-1
Everton vs Swansea City (5) 1-1
Fulham vs Manchester United (7) 0-1

French Ligue 1

Auxerre vs Dijon FCO (7) 2-0
Evian Thonon Gaillard vs Montpellier HSC (6) 2-2
LOSC Lille vs OGC Nice (8) 2-0
Lorient vs Stade Malherbe de Caen (6) 1-0
Stade Rennais vs Girondins de Bordeaux (6) 1-0
Sochaux vs AC Ajaccio (6) over 2.5 goals
Toulouse vs Stade Brestois (7) 1-0
Valenciennes vs Olympique Lyonnais (6) 1-2
Saint-Etienne vs Paris Saint-Germain (4) 2-2

Italian Serie A:

Udinese vs Juventus (5) 2-2
Atalanta Bergamo vs Cesena (6) 1-0
Bologna vs AS Roma (6) 1-1
Internazionale vs Lecce (7) 2-1
Lazio vs Chievo Verona (7) 1-0
SSC Napoli vs Genoa (8) 2-0
Novara vs Palermo (5) 2-1
Parma vs Catania (5) 1-1

Turkish Super Lig:

Antalyaspor vs Fenerbahce (6) 1-2
Kayserispor vs Ankaragucu (7) 1-0
Mersin Idmanyurdu vs Eskisehirspor (4) 1-1
Sivasspor vs Samsunspor (6) 2-1
Galatasaray vs Manisaspor (8) 2-0

Enjoy your free betting tips!