Today's Papers / Top Dog / 22 February 2008 / Leave a comment " class="free-bet-btn" rel="external" onclick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/G4/inline-freebet');" target="_blank">Free Bet

Betfair's top dog sniffs around the truth behind the latest tabloid tales

Top Dog
Betfair's top dog sniffs around the truth behind the latest tabloid tales.

• Cruft's champion - Top stories that can dominate the news agenda
• Pedigree chum - Insights that tell you something you don't know
• Dog's dinner - Speculation, guesswork, or ideas that just don't come off.

Top Dog says:

Sad, sad news about Gazza, and the Sun's Steve Howard sums it all up perfectly. The leeches, ponces and celebs have gone, but all Gazza really craved was warmth and affection. Top Dog joins the rest of football in wishing him well.

Cruft's:

Daily Mirror - '39th game plan is football's version of Ann Summers' - The FA have all but killed the plan, but Birmingham chairman David Gold is the last man who thinks Project Scudamore is a good idea. He says the scheme is a bit like his Ann Summers sex shops. Everybody panned them at first but now they are in every town in the country. (Apparently. Obviously Top Dog has never been in one).

Daily Express and others - Stars will shine for me says Capello - Unlike Sven Goran Eriksson it seems when Fabio Capello talks he's got something to say. He's given an interview to the Italian media and says England followed 80 per cent of what he asked from them in his first game. He'll also have a good topic of conversation if he calls up Jonathan Woodgate. Capello's grumbling at having to pay £2,100 a week for a flat in London!

The Sun - £578m: That's how much Red Rom has blown on Chelsea - Peter Kenyon says Chelsea will break even by 2010, but the account published yesterday show they lost another £74million last year which means Roman Abramovich has ploughed £578million into the club so far. And a Carling Cup win will cost him another £810,000 in bonuses. He can't even hope to cover that with a bet - Chelsea are [1.65] favourites to lift the trophy! Incidentally the Sun also say Frank Lampard will be IN Avram Grant's starting team at Wembley and given their links to Lampard and John Terry you can be sure that's right.

Pedigree Chum:

Daily Mirror - Bolton fans attacked by riot police - The Mirror's later deadlines help them react quickest to breaking stories and David Anderson in Madrid - together with their picture desk - have produced a disturbing back page showing more problems for English travelling fans.

Daily Mirror - Browned off - Sir Alex is angry with Wes Brown's agents because they are telling him to stick out for £50,000 a week in his new contract instead of the £40,000 on offer. He says modern day players are 'living in the pockets of their agents.' Mind boggling

The Sun - Gun grabber - Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov has bought more shares to become the club's biggest shareholder. Former vice chairman David Dein could still be back with him. One to keep a watch on as boardroom troubles always affect the team.

The Sun - Crazy! - That's the word Phillipe Albert uses to describe the fact that Newcastle have won nothing since his goal 12 years ago that helped the Toon thrash Manchester United 5-0. He reckons Kevin Keegan needs time to produce the same again. Odds of [8] for either team to score more than three goals tomorrow, but it's more likely to be United that do it! Toon are [8.4] the home win.

Daily Mail - Toure boost for Arsenal - Neil Ashton has had a good week for news stories, correctly forecasting that Paul Robinson would be back in goal for Tottenham last night. Now he says Kolo Toure believes he will be back in action for Arsenal within a fortnight where Gunners thought his torn calf muscle would be more serious. Good news for Gunners who remain [1.86] title favourites and are [1.58] to win at Birmingham tomorrow without him

Daily Express - I'll make Cherries ripe - Harry Redknapp has promised he'll use some of his own money to make sure Bournemouth don't go bust. 'I understand there are people ready to save the club, but if at the 11th hour there is still nobody I would not let them go out of business'. Harry has a 'dodgy' reputation that's unjustly earned but shows he's a proper football person with this promise. Incidentally he also reveals David James should have recovered from a stomach bug in time to face Sunderland. Pompey are [1.68] to win and [2.18] to keep a clean sheet

Dog' s dinner:

Daily Mirror - Snarling Cup final - Somebody at the Mirror clearly thought of this headline bearing in mind John Terry was sent off when the clubs clashed last year and tried to get Joe Cole to forecast a kicking match. Cole didn't oblige and just talked about the fierce rivalry between the London clubs, but they went for it anyway. It's [4.1] a red card in the final.

Daily Mirror - It looks bad for Lamps as Luka is lined up - Now if the Mirror believed this John Cross story it would be on the back instead of tucked away inside. He reckons a £12million summer deal for Luka Modric will spell the end for Frank Lampard at Chelsea. No, Top Dog doesn't believe it either

Daily Mail - Blind rage - The Mail reports UEFA's promise to take action over the laser shone at Cristiano Ronaldo during Wednesday night's Champions League clash, and makes it sound like they are doing something. In reality a spokesman says they will investigate the incident if there's anything in the reports and then Lyon might get a fine. In other words they'll do nothing

Daily Express - 39 stopped - Harry Harris says the FA's plan is dead and claims it's thanks to his newspaper's campaign. Right first time, but don't kid yourself, Harry. All the papers campaigned just as hard.

Today's other headlines:

The Sun - Robbo is fab again - Wes out in cash row - Joe Cole says Chelsea can do the quadruple - Scuby is smacked - Rob joy for Spurs - Megastar as Gary's heroes shock Spanish giants - Cracker Yak's a Brann buster - Adebayor says he'll make up for that miss

Daily Express - Robbo set for big day - Megson puts fans in Euro wonderland - Everton eat Brann for breakfast - Cole fires the afterburners - Milan mission is not impossible - Brown stand-off riles Fergie

Daily Star - World's end for game 39 - Yak's treble blast - We've all got to help Gazza now - Gazza, the tears, the fears and too many beers - Capello takes first look at Terry - Jamie holds Ram's nerve - Megson's marvels Mad for it - Wes pockets a rap - London pride a Spur for Joe - Hleb says Gunners can win in Milan - Giv Kev Tyne to lift Toon says Albert

Daily Mirror - Robbo now the saviour - Bolton's braves too tricky for Atletico - Moyes smiling again at Yak hat trick - Jens says I'm number one - Rio on United title bid

Daily Mail - The last rites as FA kill Premier plans - A final Spur for Robbo - Brave Bolton in rearguard action - Yakubu blasts back with a hat-trick - Andy Townsend's Euro files - That's £578m please Roman - Fabio gives England 80 per cent for effort

Tags: Bolton UEFA CUp, Carling Cup betting, Frank Lampard, UEFA Cup betting