Carling Cup Bets - Tuesday 23rd August

The Carling Cup is much maligned by all but the addition of Premier League team opens up the coupon and gives a fair few betting opportunities, even if it’s not a completion to put your house on.

Looking at last year’s results made for some really interesting reading – Only Blackpool, who treat the competition with disdain even by Premiership standards – went out in the first round from the top tier, and an outstanding amount of top sides let in goals, which is a big hint to those looking at both teams to score across the coupon, with some really strong Championship sides presenting a stern test.

Wolves were one of a few Premiership teams to struggle when needing a scrambled a winner in the last minute of extra time to get past Southend but there’s a better feel about the side this year round following on from wins against Blackburn and then Fulham in the Premier League and circumstances mean that a decent team is likely to be named.

The likes of Dorus De Vries, Jody Craddock, George Elokobi, Kevin Foley, Nenad Milijas, Adam Hammill, Michael Kightly and Sylvan Ebanks-Blake are set to get a run-out against the League Two side and as was shown when they went and took on Manchester United reserves in the competition last season in a fashion some would even call harsh given how they’d fought back in the second half before Javier Hernandez came off the bench to score a last-minute winner.

League to Northampton are nursing a few knocks following the weekend defeat to Cheltenham, with Ashley Westwood and John Johnson amongst those players who are doubts which could make this a reserves v reserves game and at that 4/5 I’d only want to be with the Premiership Side, while taking notice of the scope for a shock.

West Brom are likely to ring the changes for the clash with Bournemouth, with the likes of Graham Dorrans and Marek Cech likely to be given a run-out, but that didn’t stop them beating Leyton Orient before going on to enjoy their best League Cup run in 7 years and at evens they look well worth a poke to beat struggling Bournemouth, who have lost their last in the League and gave up 70% possession to Carlisle when losing 2-1 last time out.

The home side also have a few injury troubles with strikers Steve Lovell and Royal Doble being doubtful at least, while Joe Partingon sidelined too. West Brom overall seem like an improved outfit and are well worth chancing at evens to go through to the next round.

QPR were also of interest at 8/13 to follow up a confidence boosting win against Everton and beat Rochdale having scored at least two goals in four of their last six League Cup matches at home (courtesy of Opta) but a gap of 2 divisions was not enough to stop Port Vale putting three past them at Loftus road last season. Much more appealing is the 10/11 being offered that both sides score, which happens in the majority of League Cup games nowadays.

Advice

1 pt Wolves (4/5 Paddy Power)

1 pt West Brom (10/11 general)

1 pt Both teams to score in QPR v Rochdale (17/20 VCBet)