Carling Cup Bets - Wednesday 24th August 2011

Hopefully you’ve been following us this week as we’ve gotten off to a fast start, and a poor Ebor meeting should be behind us. Sadly QPR (who I did not foresee blanking) and Zagreb let us down but the other three selections were easy money and with the likes of Norwich falling by the wayside at home a profit (1 pt more than staked) is good going, although the coupon in both Europe and here is harder.

Everton suffered a loss on home turf at the hands of QPR last weekend but were unlucky to do so in all reality and will see a home tie against Sheffield United as a cracking opportunity to get a win on the board.

In all honesty, Everton should have won that game - Cahill had a free header two yards out after Jermaine Beckford's cross which he put over the bar when it would have been easier to score, along with Leighton Baines hitting the bar with a trademark free-kick – And while critics will point out that they offered little more in attack then that but Sheffield United should present a much easier task for the likes of Beckford, so Everton -1 is worth a poke at 5/4 on that basis.

Bolton also appeal as a team that should be able to give a a beating to lower League opposition in League 2 Macclesfield, who have struggled to find consistency so far in their campaign – Admittedly their goalless draw against Bristol Rovers was an entertaining affair but even Bolton reserves will be harder to beat at home and a win looks in order.

Some would find appeal backing Bolton on the handicap but shocks like their 2-1 loss to Northampton, couple of seasons ago  damped the enthusiasm and maybe Bolton/Bolton is a better bet, as it has come through twice in the last three seasons for Bolton’s first League Cup game.

Elsewhere Blackburn don’t make much appeal at 4/7 given their injury woes of late, although Sheffield Wednesday won’t be making much of an effort too and could have gone out to Blackpool in the last round but for a couple of chances – Both teams to score is priced more than fairly given that neither side has kept a clean sheet in the six times they have met in the League Cup and both sides have scored in Blackburn’s opener for the last three years.

Exeter v Liverpool is the headline tie for the TV cameras and many of the Liverpool young guns or fringe players will be given a run out. That’s likely to put off those punting at 2/5 (who does anyway) although a double result for the travellers is evens, which will have its takers tonight but it’s worth looking at just how well Exeter did against Preston away - City manager Paul Tisdale says the 1-0 defeat at Preston North End was 'one of the best away performances' his side has ever played – and the game is left from this point of view.

Advice

1 pt Everton -1 (5/4 Paddy Power)

1 pt Bolton/Bolton double result (5/6 SkyBet)