Betting odds England

Manager: Fabio Capello
Captain: John Terry
FIFA Ranking: 8
World Cup appearances: 12
World Cup Winner: 1966 

England Article: Squad

England Team Profile

England, sometimes referred to as ‘Three Lions‘, are a nation of which big things are always expected of them. Their loyal followers back home in what is a football mad country, always raise the expectation levels whenever a major tournament passes by their doorstep, and the 2010 World Cup in South Africa will be no different.

The English are well renowned for their big fan base and the news is there will be over 100,000 English supporters in South Africa cheering their team on to what they hope will be World Cup glory, and they head to South Africa in high spirits after the English sailed through qualification. However, the ease at which England bypassed what seemed a pretty competitive Group at the time, will only add to the demand of the English public back home in a nation which expects a Golden delivery.

It used to be Spain who held the mantle for being the biggest underachievers in World football, but then the Spanish claimed the 2008 European Championship and the tag fell onto England’s shoulders, as the English haven’t lifted a major International trophy since 1966 when they won the World Cup on home soil. It’s been an absolute age without anything to celebrate, and what hurts the English supporters the most is England have rarely even looked like going close to winning either a World Cup or a European Championship. That should hopefully change in South Africa but England have a knack of disappointing.

Manager

It’s fair to say that Capello‘s appointment at the England helm wasn’t exactly met with open arms by every England fan, although everyone knew changes were needed after their failure to even qualify for the 2008 European Championships. Fabio Capello, a manager with a seemingly flawless and impeccable managerial CV, was brought in to restore some English pride that was previously lost through their failings to reach the last major tournament, and Capello’s honesty about England’s chances of reaching South Africa was like a breathe of fresh air, as Capello claimed England would definitely make South Africa’s show-piece. The Italian was to be right as England stormed through qualification, becoming one of the first few teams in the European sector to book their plane tickets to South Africa, to the relief of a football hungry nation.

Fabio Capello has been a revelation for England, installing some Italian discipline into the England camp which was certainly missing during Steve McClaren’s and Sven Goran Eriksson’s reigns as England coach. The players now respect the coach and feel privilege to be a part of the England set up once again, something that was also missing from the England camp before Capello’s appointment. The players know no-one is safe from Capello’s sharpened axe, and that everyone’s place is up for grabs should they not perform. Capello’s disciplined manner and approach has greatly improved how the England team operates and they are arguably entering into a World Cup in the best form of any of the recent England teams, so the expectation levels back home are rightly high, and it’s all down to one man – Fabio Capello.

With England having gone nearly a decade without a World Cup, Fabio Capello could etch his name into English folklore should he mastermind a successful campaign in South Africa. With the English fans, though, he’ll simply be known as a ‘Legend’ forever.

England Key Players

John Terry

It’s been a turbulent year for the former England skipper, who only this year relinquished his hold of the captain’s armband thanks to his infidelity issues, a subject we will try to avoid for now. Some were hoping it would make John Terry stronger, Terry against the world they hoped, but it did have a big affect on the Chelsea defender, and for all the wrong reasons. Thereafter, however, Terry’s performances for Chelsea declined and he was no longer seen as the rock at the heart of the Chelsea defence.

Nevertheless, there’s an immensely talented defender within John Terry waiting for it’s rebirth. At his best he can take the form of the world’s best centre back, commanding his defence in his authoritative manner, reading the play with precision and never afraid to get stuck in with a bold but fair tackle. He’s been a little off form before the World Cup finals, but England fans will be hoping John Terry quickly bounces back to his reliable self in time for a successful World Cup challenge.

Steven Gerrard

The Liverpool skipper didn’t have the best of seasons for his club as they endured one of their worst campaign for some time, while Gerrard has had his fair share of England critics down the years, so Gerrard, who will be making his third apperance in the finals of a World Cup, will have something to prove in South Africa. His commitment in an England shirt has been brought into question on more than one occasion, as the Liverpool born midfielder seemingly doesn’t play in the same forceful and constructive manner for his country like he does for his club, Liverpool.

Steven Gerrard is arguably the very best at what he does and his game is about several aspects, all of which he does to a very high standard. The accuracy of his passing is second to none; switching the ball from flank to flank isn’t a problem for the Merseyside star, tracking back and helping out in defence he does to a more than satisfactory level, while the standard at which he creates chances for everyone else, and the regularity of them, are both outstanding and admirable. However, the one crucial factor you get with Gerrard that you don’t with most Midfielders is this unique ability to defy adversity time and time again. Granted he’s only really produced something wonderful and spectacular for Liverpool and not for England, but the simple fact he’s saved Liverpool from the pits of despair on half-a-dozen occasions in his illustrious career is a huge positive for every England fan as the Three Lions could be in a position where exit from the competition looks imminent, but when you have a player in your team which you know can pop up with the goods when everyone else’s luck is out, it’s priceless and that’s the best word to desribe Steven Gerrard, regardless of whether or not he’s having a bad game or a bad tournament, Gerrard’s winning mentality is priceless and he can win any game of football at any given time.

With Steven Gerrard in your team, you can never be out of a game until the final whistle rings. If Gerrard has a big tournament this summer, then so do England!

Wayne Rooney

Wayne Rooney was pushing Lionel Messi, the kid some are saying is looking more and more likely to be the greatest ever, all the way for Europe’s biggest player accolade before injuries spurred his chances of personal glory with the FIFA Player of the Year award. Rooney isn’t all about winning awards though, although he does enter into the World Cup in the knowledge that he was rated the Premiership’s best player for the 2009-2010 season. No, Rooney is a team player and he will strive to ensure England enjoy a good run in South Africa.

Within a year Wayne Rooney has seemingly been transformed into the complete striker, almost the perfect player in many respects. Sir Alex Ferguson has added versatility to his game, boosted his temperament and and converted the former play-maker into a goalscoring machine. Rooney always had goals in him but he was never scoring them with the alarming regularity that he is now. He’s been playing in a more central role up front for his club and it’s paid dividends, with Rooney ending the campaign with 26 league goals, while England were reaping the benefits of Rooney’s new found lease of forward life as the Manchester United striker finished a successful qualifying campaign as England’s most prolific forward with 9 goals in 9 qualifiers; averaging a goal every game for his country.

Rooney’s fiery attitude has cost him and England in previous tournaments, but the Liverpool born star has matured significantly in recent seasons and is now in the shape and form of his life. South Africa could be a huge tournament for Wayne Rooney as he looks to show the rest of the world what everyone in England has been talking about.

Strengths

The support England will get from their travelling fans will be amazing throughout their time in South Africa, and so long as the Three Lions keep progressing, the support will grow and grow. There will be over 100,000 English fans in South Africa to watch their team take on some of the World’s greatest football teams aiming to get a glimpses at perhaps the first England side to win the prestigious tournament since 1966. The fans will be in full voice at their games, and in plentiful supply, so whoever comes up against England will need to quieten the crowd if they wish to thwart England’s bid for glory.

The strength is depth is also a massive plus. England have genuine world-class quality in every position, while their back up is also first class. However, it’s the strength of their starting line up which will leave many nations in awe. Their defence consists of two of the World’s best defenders in John Terry (Chelsea captain) and Rio Ferdinand (Manchester United vice-captain), while Ashley Cole is rated as one of the World’s best left-backs. The midfield looks very solid yet full of creative spark and guile, with Gareth Barry sat in that holding role while Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard dictate the play just in front of him. The latter two also have goals in them, Lampard especially as he takes England’s spot-kicks. Gerrard can strike a ball from just about anywhere, and if England need a piece of magic at some stage, don’t be surprised if Steven Gerrard steps up to the mark. Up front we of course have Wayne Rooney – One of the World’s best on current form. 

Weaknesses

England do lack an out-an-out striker and as a result, means the Three Lions aren’t as danger from an attacking point-of-view as one might wish for. That may sound a tad amusing considering England finished with one of the higher goal returns during qualifying from the European sector, but the English were dominant in their group and often strolled through their qualifiers against the lesser nations. Against those with stronger defences, England will need more fire-power up top to break them down and could be found wanting if Wayne Rooney, a man upon the nations hopes are resting, doesn’t perform to the high standard we’ve all come to expect, or if he isn’t found a suitable striking partner. Fabio Capello has tested several forward partners for Rooney, and it would seem Emile Heskey is set to lead the line alongside the feisty Scouser.

Also, more than ever before perhaps, we rely heavily upon the displays and performances of one man – Wayne Rooney. The Manchester United forward was in scintillating form for his club during the 2009-2010 season and finished as the club’s top goalscorer, but he’s let his country down in previous tournaments, while injuries have also played havoc with his International progress on the big stage. Without him, England aren’t as threatening or intimidating, and that’s a huge concern.

England Qualification for the World Cup

Sector: Europe

Group: 6

Position: 1st

Win-Draw-Lose: 9-0-1

Goals Scored: 34

Goals Conceded: 6

World Cup Potential: 5/5

Will 2010 be the year England’s dreams become a reality? The expectation levels are always high with the England supporters, and it’s to be expected as rarely do they take a weak squad into a major tournament. 2010 will be no different and it will in fact be one of the stronger squads England have ever had in South Africa, so a big tournament should beckon for the Three Lions.

There are expected to be somewhere around 150,000 English fans in South Africa by the time the finals kick-off, so every English game should be packed out with English supporters. The support will be tremendous, as it always is, but once again there is tonnes of pressure on the England squad to perform and to deliver the goods in the form of the FIFA World Cup,after so many years of heartache and empty promises. We all say it every World Cup but this could be the year when England end the wait with their first World Cup victory since 1966.

England World Cup Betting Odds

England to win the World Cup:         8/1 – William Hill

Before the World Cup the odds on England were 8/1 

Official England World Cup Squad

Goalkeepers

Joe Hart (Birmingham City)

David James (Portsmouth)

Robert Green (West Ham United)

Defenders

Jamie Carragher (Liverpool)

Ashley Cole (Chelsea)

Michael Dawson (Tottenham Hotspur)

Glen Johnson (Liverpool)

Ledley King (Tottenham Hotspur)

John Terry (Chelsea)

Matthew Upson (West Ham United)

Stephen Warnock (Aston Villa) 

Midfielders

Gareth Barry (Manchester City)

Michael Carrick (Manchester United)

Joe Cole (Chelsea)

Steven Gerrard (Liverpool)

Frank Lampard (Chelsea)

Aaron Lennon (Tottenham Hotspur)

James Milner (Aston Villa)

Shaun Wright-Phillips (Manchester City)

Strikers

Wayne Rooney (Manchester United)

Peter Crouch (Tottenham Hotspur)

Jermain Defoe (Tottenham Hotspur)

Emile Heskey (Aston Villa)

last update: 18 June 2010

World Cup 2010 England Fixtures – Group C

27/06 – 15.00 – Round of the last 16: England – Germany: 1-4

World Cup 2010 Group C - Table

World Cup Fixtures and Results

Penalty Shoot Out Looming For Old Foes?

Bloemfontein is the battle ground at the 2010 FIFA World Cup on Sunday, as the big England v Germany fixture kicks off. This is the coming together again of two proud nations from the Old Continent, and once again someone will be crying at the end of the match. Paul Gascoigne’s tears in 1990 are one of the most enduring images of England v Germany World Cup clashes, and now England will be hoping to be spared any more tears as they attempt to outshoot their old foes. It has not been an impressive campaign so far for England in front of goal, while the Germans have looked quite strong in going forward with their young side. SportingBet are firing up the rivalry, with their England v Germany 20:10 promotion.

When you place a bet of £20 or more at SportingBet on the England v Germany match, the online bookmaker will give you a Free £10 bet if your bet loses. It matters not whether you back England or Germany, just as long as the bet loses, then you will be compensated by getting a free bet to use on any other World Cup market at SportingBet. Place a bet of £20 or more on England v Germany match prices market (singles or accumulators qualify – and all bets must be at odds of 1.2 or greater). If your bet loses, SportingBet will look after you by refunding you a free £10. So, if you are going to back England at 4/5 to beat the Germans, and they fail to, then £10 will be coming back to you. Of course, there is always the threat of the dreaded penalties now arising during the World Cup knockout stages. You can always pick up prices on either team to win on penalties. You can pick England or Germany to win on penalties at a price of 9/1 at SportingBet.

England v Germany SportingBet Odds
Germany to win: 7/4
Draw: 39/20
England: 13/8

England v Germany World Cup History
1966 – England 4, West Germany 2 (AET)
1970 – England 2, West Germany 3 (AET)
1982 – England 0, West Germany 0
1990 – England 1, West Germany 1 (3-4 penalties)

Interesting Penalty Shoot Out Titbits:

• Ball at altitude in the final at Johannesburg travels 5% faster than at sea level
• Germany have the best World Cup Penalty Record = W4, L0
• England have the worst World Cup Penalty Record = W0, L3
• It is mathematically harder to save a penalty than it is to hit a baseball
• It is mathematically and physically impossible for a goalkeeper to save a penalty if they wait until the ball is actually kicked (well, unless they stand still and it is kicked directly into them). With a well taken penalty to the corner, there is not enough time for a goalkeeper to spot the direction of the ball, for their muscles to fire and to reach a goalpost on either side. We are talking in milliseconds here, but by the time the ball is halfway to the goal, that is when the goalkeeper will spot its flight. That does not leave enough time for him to dive. So that is why goalkeepers need to guess and go for it before the player kicks the ball.
• Goalkeepers guess right 57% of the time (that doesn’t mean they save them, just guess the right direction)
• Only 22% of World Cup Penalties have been saved
• In the last five World Cups goalkeepers wearing green have a 38% record saving penalties. Goalies wearing black have a 35% record, and goalkeepers wearing red have a 0% record. Nope, no goalie wearing red has ever stopped a World Cup penalty.
• Strikers score 74% of their kicks, midfielders net 58% of their kicks and defenders fire in 69% of penalty kicks.
• Older players tend to miss more, with under 23’s hitting 85% of their spot kicks, while anyone above has just a 71% record.
• Right footed players have a higher conversion record than left footed penalty takers (69% to 50%)
   

Boylesports Cash Back Promotion

England v Germany is the one second round match that the World Cup 2010 is waiting for. The old rivalry is resumed between the two nations on Sunday, and to some people’s surpise Fabio Capello’s England are actually edging things in betting. Maybe is was the display of more self belief in themselves against Slovenia, maybe it is because England are perceived as starting to gain momentum, while Germany have had to come through two sticky matches of their own, and have not looked anywhere near as convincing in their opening fixture against Australia. So England v Germany is the big match on Sunday, and one of the main threats to England’s back line, is Germany’s striker Miroslav Klose. Klose finished with the Golden Shoe at the 2006 World Cup, and despite being out of form for his club Bayern Munich, walked straight back into the line up. Boylesports are offering a cash back promotion, if the German hero is the last player to find the back of the net in the match.

If Miroslav Klose scores the last goal of the England v Germany match (and this counts in the regulation 90 minutes only) Boylepsorts will refund your losing bets on the following markets. All losing single first, last and Anytime Goalscorer, Correct Scores and Scorecast bets on the this match will be refunded if Klose buries the last goal of the game. In what is expected to be a physically and emotionally draining match, not only for the players but for the fans as well, Klose will be a threat. After picking up a red card against Serbia and therefore missing Germany’s final group match, Klose will be back, fresh and ready to take on the England centre half pairing.

Boylesports Match Prices
England to win: 17/10
Draw: 21/10
Germany to win: 7/4
 

England v Slovenia Betting Odds

England to win: 1/2 at SkyBet
Draw: 10/3 at Bet365
Slovenia to win: 7/1 at Paddy Power

England

England coach Fabio Capello has apparently already made the decision of who will partner John Terry at the heart of England’s defence for their crucial final match of Group C. With Ledley King injured and Jamie Carragher suspended, West Ham’s Matthew Upson will get his chance to step up to the plate. Upson was called upon plenty of times during England’s qualification campaign, and it was to some surprise that Capello picked King and Carragher ahead of him. Without ever really shining, Upson is a steady defender, and may provide just a little more pace at the back than either King or Carragher could. While this change was forced upon the England boss, there are more changes brewing though apparently, with Capello saying that he will probably change others. The most likely other change would striker Emile Heskey dropping out of the starting eleven, as England need to go in search of goals. The last time England failed at the group stage of a World Cup, was in 1958.

England simply need to win against Slovenia in order to progress to the second round as expected. They were tipped to win the group from the off, and they can still do, but it was all supposed to be a lot easier than they have made it. England have struggled through two drawn matches, which may not prove to be too much of a disaster, but they have looked very slow with their running, passing and general movement. Whether it all down to the pressure and weight of expectation, but something needs to give. Even England’s talisman Wayne Rooney has looked below his best, but then the supply to him from midfield has been extremely poor. Fabio Capello held an opening meeting with his players after the dire performance against Algeria, giving everyone a chance to air their views. There have been rumours about the players not enjoying the Capello system, but that is hard to buy into after it is the same system which served them so successfully through qualification.

England look a shadow of the team they were during European qualification, and it is hard to put a question on why. Maybe over confidence. Maybe the pressure. Maybe they have underestimated the competition, and now they have had their wake up calls, things should be addressed in a professional manner. England fans want more, and now the players and the coach have to deliver as there will be no more chances for them. The life of an England manager is not an easy one, and now there are worries that Capello may quit his role if England do not make it to the last sixteen of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. But Capello has been honest in his assessment of his team, saying that he doesn’t understand why the players are unable to change tempo and get themselves motivated. It is hard to see Capello as a quitter, and regardless of what happens against Slovenia, it will be in England’s best interest to hold onto him. The performances are not completely his failings. It is basically the same group of players which have let England down so poorly before at tournament, like in Germany 2006, where they also looked uninspired.

Will Capello use Steven Gerrard in an attacking midfield role? That is the one area in which Capello has been criticised most, not using Gerrard to his full potential. Will he play Rooney as a lone striker, a role in which he relishes? This would pile responsibility on the Manchester United striker to grab games by the scruff of the neck, and could be the way to get him to respond. Will Capello then use the creativity of Joe Cole from the left? Something has to give, another turgid 4-4-2 display from England may not suffice. The passion has to be stepped up. The pride has to be stepped up. The drive, determination and the pace at which they play needs to be stepped up. Remember at Italia ‘90, England were in the same position in their group, having drawn their opening two matches. Coach Bobby Robson then made some changes for their final group match, beating Egypt to qualify. England reach the World Cup semi finals that year. So all hope is not lost for England and Capello. Can all of them rise to the occasion?

England World Cup 2010 Stats
Played: W0, D2, L0
GF/GA: 1/1
Cards: Y4, R0
Most Shots: Frank Lampard, 8
Top Scorer: Steven Gerrard, 1
Shots/On Goal: 33/14
Fouls Committed: 25
Total Passes: 1093
Pass Completion: 73%

Slovenia

If it is to some surprise that they have a healthy amount of points on the board, then it should not be. They were never going to be pushovers in the group, and were a good bet to steal second place behind England. They actually now have the chance to go one better than that, and win the group with a win over Fabio Capello’s side. While that would mean the unthinkable for England, for Slovenia it would be an immense success story. The European minnows have a good crop of players, and, as shown in the first half of their match against the USA, they were able to string together some quick passing and counter attack at pace. Pace is the one thing which England have lacked, and will have to be careful of the threat Slovenia pose in that department. Slovenia will also have two bustling, battling tough forwards in Milivoje Novakovic and Zlatan Ljubijankic, for Terry and Upson to try and contend with, and Slovenia, who beat Russia and Slovakia along the way in qualifying for the World Cup, will fancy their chances. They will have seen England struggle for momentum, and while the Slovenians fell apart in the second half of the match against the USA, they battled hard and still looked a threat on the break. Slovenia actually have a solid defence, which was stood up very well in their qualification campaign. England will have to show a lot more conviction and invention to break them down.

Slovenia top the group going into the final round of matches, and a draw would be sufficient for them to progress through. That makes England’s task even harder, as the Slovenians know that they can sit back and rely on the control that Birsa and Koren give them. A draw may suffice for England, but that would leave their fate in the hands of Algeria, who they would need to beat the USA for Capello’s men to progress in that situation. Even in this situation with Slovenia holding the slight advantage, there is belief in World Cup betting that England, who have the superior quality, will pull through. For Slovenia to stop that happening, they will need to play to their strengths. They work hard as a team, and can stroke the ball around when not under pressure. It is the pressure and tempo which England need, as they will have seen Slovenia crack under the high tempo game the USA played in the second half. All to play for, but have England left it too late?

Slovenia World Cup 2010 Stats
Played: W1, D1, L0
GF/GA: 3/2
Cards: Y6, R0
Most Shots: Valter Birsa, Robert Koren, 4
Top Scorer: Three players, 1
Shots/On Goal: 14/8
Fouls Committed: 25
Total Passes: 944
Pass Completion: 71%

Asian Handicap Betting Tip: England have to score, and you have to back them to do it. With the pressure on and the need to respond, you should see England as more of an attacking force, especially if Capello is going to be brave and shake things up. Experience in these types of situation is vital, and that’s where England could be much stronger.
England -1.25 for 6/5 at Paddy Power
 

Current England V Slovenia Odds:

England look to trim World Cup betting odds with convincing win

Of all the things which should be on his mind at the moment, the infamous World Cup ball seems to really be getting to England boss Fabio Capello. The Jubulani ball by Adidas was criticised before the World Cup started, by the likes of Gianluigi Buffon and Iker Casillas. England’s veteran keeper David James has also raised questions about it, along with former England manager Sven Goran-Eriksson. The ball, apparently, behaves irregularly in the air, giving goalkeepers problems. Yes, you know where this is heading. England’s keeper Rob Green, who will forever be remembered for the howler that he conceded against the USA, has said that Clint Dempsey’s shot did move unexpectedly. Green has been admirably brave in facing up to his error, but the big question now, is whether or not that mistake by Green has cost him his starting place for England’s second Group C fixture, which takes place on Friday against Algeria. That is just one of the changes which coach Fabio Capello is supposedly entertaining for the match, after England failed to capitalise and put the USA to the sword as they should have done. While England dominated possession, their lack of pace at the back, and lack of creativity in getting forward, was once again highlighted, as their indifferent pre tournament form carried through to their opening match.

Two other changes which Capello is contemplating, is bringing Gareth Barry back into the side, which should be a no-brainer, now that he is fit again. The other poser for Capello is what to do up front in helping out Wayne Rooney? Will Emile Heskey, who missed the most clear cut chance of the game, be cut? If so, who will be brought in? Will Capello go for the more dynamic option of putting Jermain Defoe in, who has proven that he can score goals, but has never partnered Rooney very well up front for England. There is still the option, now that Barry has recovered from his injured ankle, to move Steven Gerrard in behind lone striker Rooney, a position where he would be a major threat to opposition. But Capello likes his 4-4-2 and that means Gerrard will probably be back out on the left, which takes him out of the game a little. His natural tendency is to drift inside, and that leaves the flank exposed a little bit. That is the most likely scenario though, as Capello will pretty much be back to the midfield that carried England so well through European qualification. There is no doubt that England have missed Barry and can only improve after their stuttering first outing.

Hopefully, Barry will restore some balance to England, and what ever Capello does up front, hopefully it eases some pressure from Wayne Rooney, who has now only netted once in eight international matches for his country. England need Rooney to fire. Germany’s Franz Beckenbauer weighed into the England debate, stating that they have been going backwards in terms of playing ability, resorting to the old kick and rush style that used to be the feature of English football. It’s fair comment to say, that England’s play against the USA, lacked a lot of finesse. England’s lack of pace at the back has also been pinpointed, as Jamie Carragher is expected to start alongside Chelsea’s John Terry. England were exposed by the USA at the back on a couple of occasions, simply because the pace was not there down the middle. Capello’s other options in that position would be Matthew Upson or Michael Dawson, but again, Capello does not like to change things up too much, and if you see a line up of Green, Johnson, Carragher, Terry, Cole, Lennon, Lampard, Barry, Gerrard, Heskey and Rooney on Friday, then do not be too surprised. Why? Because the 4-4-2 is Capello’s A plan, and he seems to be determined to make it work. There is no need for England to panic against the Desert Foxes. They just need to put in a solid passing and moving game, and they will break Algeria down

England World Cup Betting. There are no two ways about this, England need to win, and should. They look a little short on confidence, though, and how much will that affect the comfort level of victory? Let’s look at the Anytime Goal scorer market first. Wayne Rooney is 5/6 at Bet365, Peter Crouch and Jermain Defoe are both 7/4 at Bet365, Frank Lampard is 2/1 at Paddy Power, with captain Steven Gerrard 12/5 at Paddy Power. All decent prices there. England to win by one goal is 3/1 at Ladbrokes. England to win by 2 goals is 3/1 at Coral. Fabio Capello’s men have drifted out in World Cup betting outright odds and are now best priced at 17/2 at Bwin. England have a big chance to be positive and start building confidence and momentum.
England Asian Handicap Betting Tip: -1.25 for 4/6 at Paddy Power

Desert Foxes feeling the heat

Algeria may be without goalkeeper Chaouchi for the England match on Friday. The first choice keeper sat out training in midweek after spraining his, and it was his mistake which gave away a goal to Slovenia. A goal that cost Algeria the match. Algeria who have not impressive since their managed to qualify for South Africa 2010, looked way off the pace against European minnows Slovenia in their opening match. It was a battling performance by both teams in the opening match, in which Algeria had Abdelkadaer Ghezzal sent off. Ill discipline also plagued Algeria at the Africa Cup of Nations earlier in the year, when they finished their semi final match against Egypt with eight men. They have shown very little in terms of enterprise in getting forward, despite words about them being less cautious in their approach to the England game. While anything can happen, and Algeria may well flood the midfield as they did against Algeria, they should find a top European side much harder work.

Algeria World Cup betting: Tough call to see Algeria contributing much to the match, as they haven’t put forth much optimism for their supporters. Would simply play them on something like the following to potentially make money on them.
Algeria Asian Handicap Betting Tip: +1.75 for 4/5 at Stan James

England v Algeria Betting Odds
England to win: 1/4 at Bet365
Draw: 5/1 at SkyBet
Algeria to win: 14/1 at Victor Chandler

World Cup Bets See Shift In Odds

How are your 2010 World Cup Predictions looking so far? While World Cup Betting has been flooding onto the action at South Africa 2010, but with the first round of group opening matches nearly completed, it’s time to look at the movers and shakers. We have just about seen every team so far in action, and while the action has fallen into the cagey tournament opening mode, things are expected to ignite once the race for qualification gets hotter. Teams will have to come out and attack just that little bit more, and caution will be thrown to the wind. So, where does that leave your World Cup bets? If you are betting on individual matches, then there should be an increase in results over the next coming week, and by that, I mean there should be less likelihood of drawn matches, so that is something to consider. Teams like France, Italy and England need to get wins under their belt to ensure qualification to the second round, after they all drew their opening South Africa 2010 fixtures. Indeed there has been a lot of parity around the tournament so far, with only Germany stepping up to the plate and showing some great attacking ambition.

Taking a look at the outright odds for World Cup Betting, Germany are one of the nations who have had their odds shortened. Premature? Maybe, because their 4-0 victory was only against Australia who were down to ten men, but Germany, as tipped here, could be a real dark horse threat to win the tournament. If you do fancy a World Cup bet on them, then the time to do it would be now. After their impressive goal fest, the only team to do so, so far, they have shortened to 9/1 at Totesport, level on World Cup odds with Holland who can be taken for the same price at BetFair. France, who were never realistically in the running when it came to odds, have drifted out further and are now best priced at 28/1 at SportingBet to pull off a miracle and win the World Cup. Longer odds have also started appearing for defending Champions Italy, after their less than impressive opening draw against Paraguay. The Azzuri are out at 20/1 at Skybet, while most other online bookmakers have maintained their price around the mid-teens. Argentina have held their group as third favourites, but there has been a little movement in them shortening in World Cup odds, as you can get then for around 5/1 at some online bookmakers, but the best price of 13/2 are still available at places like William Hill.

What of England? No, they weren’t impressive. Is there room for improvement? Yes. But they have taken a bit of a beating in the World Cup odds, as they have seen Germany move ahead of them. Fabio Capello’s men, who only managed a disappointing draw against the USA, have drifted out to as much as 10/1 at Boylesports, while some bookmakers are being more optimistic by keeping their price around seven or eight to one. If you haven’t backed England yet to win the tournament yet, you’ll be well advised to get your World Cup bet on them right now, as their odds will probably shorten again if they beat Algeria comfortably on Friday, which they are expected to do. 10/1 on England is the longest they have been for a while, and you may as well take advantage of that little bit extra if you are going to have a punt on them to come good. They have clear problems to address after the opening match, and now the focus will be on Fabio Capello and what he can do to fix them.

Well, that has been the main movement among the outright World Cup odds, with the two favourites, Spain and Brazil yet to play at the time of writing. But their odds will certainly be cut anyway when they pick up their expected opening wins. Spain are best priced at 15/4 at Bwin while Brazil are best priced at 9/2 at Bet365. Whoever you are going for, the sooner you get your bet down, the better odds you will be able to secure. In the Top Goalscorer market, there hasn’t been a lot of movement, apart from Brazil’s Luis Fabiano rightly having his odds cut down to 10/1 at Ladbrokes. Going up against North Korea in their opener, there is a chance he could get well ahead in the race. Germany’s out of form striker Miroslav Klose, who has a proven record for his country, is now 16/1 at Boylesports, while England’s Wayne Rooney, who has not scored for his country since last September has had his odds stretched out to 16/1 at SportingBet. Spain’s David Villa still dominates at 6/1 at SkyBet. If you want to track all of the latest odds from South Africa 2010, remember, you can keep up to date with all the latest World Cup Odds right here.

There naturally has been significant fall out after England’s failure to beat the USA in their FIFA 2010 World Cup opener. Has the magic of Capello and his relationship with the English media, and the English game itself started to fade already? Or is everyone again just naturally hitting the panic button after watching England stumble through yet another unimpressive World Cup outing? It was, after all, nothing but a fluke goal that found parity for the USA, but is that the easy answer when England should have done a lot better in closing out and wrapping the game up in the first place? For the first time in his England tenure, it has to be said that there have been some big gambles made by Capello, who you would usually associate with playing it tactically safe. The inclusion of Ledley King was a huge gamble right from the off, given the problems which he has with his knees. Was it even the right decision to take him to South Africa? Why pick him ahead of fitter, more mobile options, such as Matthew Upson, who has filled in competently, if not spectacularly before at the back?

Now England are left with the pairing of John Terry and Jamie Carragher, who was probably lucky to still be on the pitch after his lack of pace was exposed. England can probably get away with the pairing over the next couple of matches, but if they are to run into Brazil and Spain as expected, then that half of yard of pace that the England back line is missing, will certainly hurt them. England sealed 58% of possession against the USA, whose midfield went missing in the second half, and England had their chances to sneak another goal, but the match should not have been that close. The USA goal should never have happened, and with a little more flair and composure, England should have been out of sight. So while we await Rooney to do what is expected of him, the main worry is over the defence. Is there better cause to throw the less inexperienced Michael Dawson into the mix against Algeria, who are the weakest side in the group, and keep Carragher as a back up? If Capello is still worried about Gareth Barry, then Carragher could do that job as holding midfielder, and then move captain Steven Gerrard further forward to play off Wayne Rooney, which leads us to another question.

Was it right to pick Heskey? Yes, he has some nice flicks ons, but the glaring miss when bearing down on goal with only the keeper to beat, was even more of a bitter pill to swallow that Rob Green’s gaff. If that had been Rooney, it would have been game over. If that had been Defoe, it would have been game over. If that had been Peter Crouch, you would have fancied your chances of seeing the Robot dance goal celebration at the end of it. With Wayne Rooney not having scored a competitive England goal since last September, England need someone who can ease pressure and put the ball in the back of the net. Will Capello stick with the big man, or shake things up for the Algeria match. While he is limited only by the players he has with him, he still does have some good options. Crouch would be one, if he is going to stick to the 4-4-2, or Gerrard playing behind Rooney with the defensive midfielder in place would bring a lot more balance to the side, and let Rooney do the role he loves best, playing as lone striker. That really would get the best out of him.

It is a must win game for England, but realistically, Wayne Rooney and Jermaine Defoe could play as the centre half pairing and England should still keep a clean sheet against the North Africans. As mentioned, Capello has options, but will he bend, as he prefers his 4-4-2 over everything else? What if Barry is fit, then will he move Gerrard back out onto the left where he is wasted? Gerrard was the most impressive England player on the pitch, but the attacking Frank Lampard faded into a non-entity, simply because he didn’t have his usual freedom of knowing the holding and steadfast Barry was behind him. There is a way to accommodate Barry, Gerrard and Lampard if Capello is brave enough, but that leaves the left midfield spot open, which leads us to yet another question. Why James Milner when he had been ill? Why Shaun Wright-Phillips as a replacement when the impressive Joe Cole was sat on the bench? The final products of Wright-Phillips and Aaron Lennon left a lot to be desired.

What now for England? Do they keep faith with Robert Green? Do they go for “experience” with David James, or throw rookie Joe Hart into the fire? It’s hard to see the latter happening, and for England’s sake, the best option will be to let Green play through it, because the law of averages stats that he should redeem himself. So it is on to Algeria on Friday, with a lot of questions still being asked of the England coach. This is most pressure he has been under since taking over the job, and now we should see the master tactician that he is. There really is no need to panic for England fans, as there is room for improvement, and we all know England can play better under Capello. We have seen it, and we just hope that it happens again very soon.

To Start in Goal Against Algeria
Robert Green: 11/10 at Coral
David James: 7/4 at Paddy Power
Joe Hart: 8/1 at Paddy Power

Match Odds
England to win: 1/4 at SkyBet
Draw: 11/2 at Bet365
Algeria to win: 12/1 at BetFred

England To Win World Cup: 17/2 at Bwin
 

Saturday will bring together England v USA at the 2010 World Cup. It is the big moment that Fabio Capello has been working towards. It is now D-Day for the Italian, as he leads England into the lion’s den at Rustenburg. It is just over two years since Capello took charge of England, and has successfully, and impressively led them through a World Cup qualification group that saw them just lose one game, and saw Wayne Rooney and Jermaine Defoe explode in front of goal. Suddenly England showed a new attacking prowess, with goals flowing freely, especially against lesser ranked teams in their group. But the build up to South Africa 2010 has not been a smooth one for Capello, with the stress building around injuries and player’s personal lives, even the cool Italian has shown signs of cracking after shouting at invasive press pointing their cameras into Camp Capello. The England of today are a much better prospect than they were when Capello took over, even though the squad remains largely the same.

Throughout the warm up matches though, that attacking composure seemed to have deserted the English side, and there could be some edgy nerves around Rustenburg on Saturday, if England do not settle quickly. They were guilty of very slow starts in the warm up matches, and they run the risk of being caught cold by a spirited American side. So not only is this D-Day for Capello, but for a lot of the England players, this may represent their last chance of securing the greatest honour in soccer, winning the World Cup. What England do have over Saturday’s first opponents, the USA, is experience, and while England don’t have their ideal first team available, it should be more than enough to see their way past the Americans. Frank Lampard has been stressing the importance of such experience, with the players having gone through a lot of tournament football together, as well as individual domestic campaigns playing at the top level. How much does this count when it comes to match day? For certain it helps with composure and with playing games out safely, but England need to get off to a good start to calm nerves, and start building confidence.

Only Brazil have an older average age in their squad at South Africa 2010, and while people are wondering if defending Champions Italy are too old, no-one has brought the same thing up about England. First matches in big tournaments are often the time when upsets can be caused, as teams are a little rusty and naturally nervous. But nerves should not come into play so much, for the experienced side who have been there before, and who should be fuelled by past disappointments. Capello has said that he knows his side, and it is likely to have newly instilled captain Steven Gerrard in the middle alongside Lampard. It should be a dynamic pairing, but it is one which has not produced before, and would probably work better with a holding midfielder behind them. But Gareth Barry is not ready, and that means Gerrard comes back into the middle. The midfield is largely where the battle will be won on Saturday, as that is where England can control the pace of the game. They do not need to go out all guns blazing at pace against the Americans, they simply need to show poise and composure, and their skills will play around them.

What of the Americans? Having personally watched a lot of build up about the US squad, they are naturally confident, something you would expect of the Americans. They have come along way, with more exports playing in Europe, and rising standards of the MLS. There is some pressure on them to perform, even though they are not expected to win. They have a lot of belief that Tim Howard is the best goalkeeper in the World, and that they have a secret weapon in striker Edison Buddle, backed up by youngster Jozy Altidore and Landon Donovan drifting in from the left. However, there is no way, on the evidence of having watched the Americans play their warm up matches, that their defence is capable of stopping England’s heart, Wayne Rooney. A lot of the USA’s focus at the back has been surrounding Oguchi (Gooch) Onyewu. He is the big solid centre half that would be battling Rooney and Heskey, but, quite frankly, he has been making his way back from a knee injury, and he has looked well short on pace, positing and ability. It will be a big risk for US coach Bob Bradley if he plays him. He will not get close to Rooney.

Landon Donovan going up against Glen Johnson, who is not the most tactically astute defender in the England set up, should be very interesting. If England snuff Donovan out of the game, there goes their inspiration and link up. Frankly, England should not be troubled by the USA attack at all, even if Ledley King is partnering John Terry at the back, which means that there won’t be a lot of pace there. The key is simply the England midfield doing their job tracking back, which may be difficult for Gerrard and Lampard who naturally like to get forward. The USA will be physical and will exert a lot of effort, but as seen in their build up, their energy is often wasted with lack of technical ability to play the right ball, and use what is in front of them. They don’t have a great deal going forward, certainly not anything that England should be concerned about, as they lack a creative, crisp game plan in transition from front to back. But this is the World Cup opener for these two teams, from which, different things are expected at South Africa 2010. The time is now for Fabio Capello to display his famous tactical genius, and time for the England players to deliver for their nation. A nation expects.

England v USA Betting Stats

Last 5 Matches
England 2, Japan 1
England 3, Mexico 1
England 3, Egypt 1
Brazil 1, England 0
England 3, Belarus 0

USA 3, Australia 1
USA 2, Turkey 1
USA 2, Czech Republic 4
Holland 2, USA 1
USA 1, Honduras 3

Last 5 Match Goals
England: 11 For, 4 Against
USA: 9 For, 10 Against

Recent Stats
England: P50, W33, D8, L9 with a 66.0% win percentage
USA: P45, W18, D6, L21 with a 40.0% win percentage

World Cup Stats
England: P55, W25, D17, L13, GF74, GA47
USA: P25, W6, D3, L16, GF27, GA51

Match Odds
England to win: 8/15 at Paddy Power
Draw: 10/3 at BetFred
USA to win: 13/2 at Totesport

Asian Handicap Betting Tip: England are expected to win comfortably, wherever you look at the best bookmakers for betting on the World Cup. Therefore, it is going to be tough to find a lot of profit by backing England, unless you go big of course. Best chance of profit would be taking the USA in a plus, and there are range of semi decent value odds to do that. USA +1 is Evens at Bet365, but if you simply want to put all of your eggs in the England basket, then England -1.25 is 13/10 at Paddy Power. On paper, England should comfortably be two goals better than the US, it’s whether nerves on the opening game will get the better of teams.