Premier League Betting: Blaming the ref and blaming the man in the mirror

Premier League / Ralph Ellis / 09 November 2009 / 1 Comments

Street striker or sulking striker? Wayne Rooney was one of the few shining lights for Man Utd in their defeat against Chelsea but he will need support from the other big-name players if they are to defend their title.

"About ten minutes before half time yesterday I laid United simply because I couldn’t see a single player – with the exception of Wayne Rooney – who had the magic to unlock a top defence. Whatever possession they have they just don’t look like scoring big goals."

As Sir Alex Ferguson once again blamed the referee for Man Utd's defeat, Ralph Ellis tells us why managers need to look at the performances of their own players first and foremost.

It was about two years ago when Gary Speed came up with one of my all-time favourite football quotes: "Referees," he said, "are like wives. Once you accept they are always right it's a lot easier to get on with your own game."

It's a point that Sir Alex Ferguson could do with remembering after finishing yet another Barclays Premier League game moaning about the man in the middle. Yes, it probably shouldn't have been a free kick when Darren Fletcher went into that challenge on Ashley Cole. And yes, Didier Drogba almost certainly pulled over Wes Brown as the winning goal flew into the net. Come to that, Drogba could easily have been ruled offside because if sticking out a hopeful leg at the ball doesn't make you "active", I don't know what does.

But when Fergie is grumbling that he is "losing faith in referees at times", then he's missing the point. United need to be looking not at the man in the middle, but at the man in the mirror. And at the moment when it comes to winning titles, they are not up to standard.

Don't you love in-running betting? The chance to watch a game and make an informed decision on what your eyes tell you? About ten minutes before half time yesterday I laid United simply because I couldn't see a single player - with the exception of Wayne Rooney - who had the magic to unlock a top defence. Whatever possession they have they just don't look like scoring big goals.

Hate to say I told you so, but it was in the middle of June when United were [2.98] favourites to land their fourth successive title that I said to lay them because without Cristiano Ronaldo they wouldn't score enough goals. After yesterday they are [4.9] and rising. They are not only five points behind Chelsea after losing 1-0 at Stamford Bridge but six goals, and that is equally significant.

Arsenal, up into second place, have scored an astonishing 36 in 11 games. Their 4-1 win at Wolves, when they didn't need to get out of second gear, underlined the range of options that Arsene Wenger has, and his team have gone in to odds on at [1.96] a top two finish.

The next highest scorers are Liverpool, and it's why they remain [1.76] a top four finish despite their problems. Curiously, while Carlo Ancelotti ruled them out as a title threat before the weekend, Wenger thinks they are candidates. "They may have lost five games already, but then everybody else has lost at least two," is his argument.

The League table underlines the importance of scoring goals. For all their problems Liverpool will move into fifth if they beat Birmingham tonight, and are the third highest scorers with 25 goals. Tottenham, in fourth place after beating Sunderland 2-0, have the same 23 as Manchester United. Manchester City's 3-3 draw with Burnley puts them on 21, Sunderland on 20 and Villa the same thanks to a 5-1 thrashing of Bolton.

Martin O'Neill's side are now [6.4] to be winner without the big four, and signs that John Carew is beginning to get among the goals while their defence remains strong make that tempting - all the more so because City's defence is leaking goals despite having spent nearly £40million on two centre halves.

Anywhere below that, and you're in a relegation fight. There's a five goal gap to Burnley, Everton and Bolton who are next best. Portsmouth at the bottom have scored only ten and were back to reality, throwing away a lead in a 3-1 defeat at Blackburn. Hull, for all their temporary joy at a late 2-1 win over Stoke yesterday, have found goals equally hard to come by and are [1.61] relegation favourites. Fulham clung on to a point with a 1-1 at Wigan yesterday thanks to a Clint Dempsey penalty but are still only five points from safety and have scored only 14.

The bottom line for all of them is that by this stage of the season, it's not random refereeing decisions that dictate where you are in the table but your own performances. Worth thinking about during the two-week international break.

Comments (1)

1. sula | 09 November 2009

   enjoy that text and check out man utd's zib to win the title this season. steven