League One Betting: Charlton good, Tranmere bad

English Football League / Alan Dudman / 10 September 2009 / Leave a Comment

Lloyd Sam is firing for Charlton

Best bets
Back Charlton to win 1-0 [5.00] and [6.2]
Back Walsall @ [3.10]
Back Walsall to win 0-1 [7.8]
Back Leeds to beat Southend @ [2.14]
Back Leeds to win 1-0 [8.20] and 2-0 [11.5]

Alan Dudman sees troubling times for John Barnes while all is happy in The Valley

Why is trying to find a decent hair product so problematic? You name it, my mop has experienced it... hemp, glue, wax, concrete, clay, putty, gunk - the list is endless. The aim is to create the 'rough and ready' look, but mine seems to be just plain old rough at the moment. Hopefully some winning bets from this weekend's League One fixtures may be a bit easier to dig out this coming weekend.

Incidentally, my online hair search guided me to some caviar shampoo that cost over £40.
FORTY QUID! Good grief. Bet it tastes nice though.

Charlton Athletic [1.68] versus Southampton [6.40]

Southampton manager Alan Pardew has always had a fine set of silver locks atop his bonce, but it's his return to The Valley that has caught the attention of the Sky cameras this Saturday. Not his hair.

I managed to 'Sky Plus' Charlton's 2-0 win last week and I was really impressed. The back four dealt with an organised Brentford who were favouring the more direct and set-piece route. Whilst going forward Lloyd Sam really caught my eye.

The Addicks have fielded the same team in all six league games, and they've won them all. They look organised and are keeping clean sheets as if it were a hobby.

Southampton need a win, and need some goals. Pardew's tactics seem to favour more width with the aim of getting balls into big frontman Rickie Lambert - who is strong and can score - but perhaps not quite so mobile. Pardew has concluded a deal this week to sign Fiorentina's Papa Waigo on loan, and he'll probably start in a 4-4-2 this Saturday, but I think the Londoners have got more than enough to cope with those two at the back, and should have control of the middle of the park.

Recommendations: Back Charlton to win 1-0 [5.0] and 2-0 [6.2]


Southend United [3.85] versus Leeds United [2.14]

I usually steer clear of getting involved with Leeds, simply because everyone else gets involved, and playing them at odds-on week-in week-out isn't my bag.

However, it looks as though the Whites could be a bit of value at [2.14] travelling to Southend this coming Friday night. I would be slightly worried about the fitness of mega-forward Jermaine Beckford - who missed yet another game last week with injury - but he should be fit in time for the trip to Essex.

Away from home they are set up nicely for a clean sheet and nicking a game on the break. Centre-backs Rui Marques and Patrick Kisnorbo are back from international duty after missing Saturday's 2-0 win at Stockport.

I am not fooled too much by Southend's 3-0 win over rivals Orient seven days ago. They didn't actually play that well, the O's were just poor. They are going ok, more draws than defeats and fairly solid at home, but Leeds should be up to winning this. Just.

Recommendations: Back Leeds to beat Southend @ [2.14]
Back Leeds to win 0-1 [8.20] and 0-2 [11.5]


Tranmere Rovers [2.56] versus Walsall [3.10]

These are worrying times for Tranmere Rovers. Saturday's 3-0 meek surrender at Carlisle was pitiful. Manager John Barnes is a man under under pressure. His words of 'total lack of commitment and desire' last weekend is a tell-tale sign that all things are not well at Prenton.

They've signed Grenada international forward Kithson Bain this week, his international permit is through, but defensively they are all over the place. And once desire is questioned, well, oh dear...

Their rivals Walsall have not scored in 371 minutes of football, but they have kept four successive clean sheets. They are defensively sound, organised, solid and have the basis of an 'alright' team... everything Tranmere ain't. A cover bet on 0-0 wouldn't be the worst bet of all time either.

Recommendations: Back Walsall @ [3.10]
Back Walsall to win 0-1 [7.8]


Best bets:
Back Charlton to win 1-0 [5.00] and [6.2]
Back Walsall @ [3.10]
Back Walsall to win 0-1 [7.8]
Back Leeds to beat Southend @ [2.14]
Back Leeds to win 1-0 [8.20] and 2-0 [11.5]