Burnley - Millwall

Burnley under Eddie Howe became the serious play-off candidates, they are 3 points far but have two games in a hand. Since he took the charge, the Clarets have noticed six wins, two draws and only one defeat out of nine league games, have five wins out of last six and three in a row. Strikers Thompson and Paterson are out.

Millwall made a great win over QPR in the midweek, but their shape away from the Den is far from being impressive. They’ve noticed five defeats and a draw in last six games on the road and are winless since the middle of November (‘Boro 1-0). Midfielder Rowlands is back to the squad, but important defender Purse is suspended.

Home side has the best form in Championship, away side the worst on the road. Odd above even is very good price and I have no dilemma. Home win.

Bet: Burnley -0.5
Odd: 2.06 Pinnacle
Stake: 7/10
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Bets for Tuesday

Portsmouth - Burnley

Pompey are struggling as usual with all kind of problems, skipper Mokoena and striker Dave Kitson will miss again, Hughes and Brown are again out because of “ongoing contract issues” and they’re in winless streak of seven competitive games (six in league). However, their recent performances and fighting spirit promise better days. They unlucky lost at Nott Forest, then stopped Leeds at home (without same those players). Portsmouth are undefeated in 10 league matches against Burnley and have won the last four against them.

The Clarets are middle table side and they probably won’t go anywhere from the league. They’re also poor travellers as they won on the road just once of twelve encounters (seven draws though). Defender Carlisle faces a late fitness test.

Only thing that bothers me is Pompey concede too much lately, at last five in league conceded 13 goals. Anyway, I think it’s the time for their win.
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Bet: Portsmouth 0.0
Odd: 1.88 Canbet
Stake: 7/10

 Sheffield Wednesday – Yeovil

Wednesday suffered an embarrassment at East London for the weekend. Players apologised to the fans, Irvine to the fans and Mandaric, Mandaric gave support to the manager. I think they’ll strongly bounce back tonight, or it will be end of Irvine. They still have very quality players for this division and Leyton smacked them right in the mouth. I expect a response and rage on the pitch.

And Yeovil... It’s simply Yeovil.

Bet: Sheff Wed -1ah
Odd: 2.21 Canbet
Stake: 7/10

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Barnsley - Burnley

Interesting odds for this game. Barnsley, beside the decent home record through the seasons, are performing well recently. They have four wins of last five encounters (one draw) and kept a clean sheet in last three. They haven’t lost on Boxing Day since 2002. Only problem is missing of striker Gary O’Connor whose loan deal has expired.

Burnley, oppositely from the hosts, have a pretty miserable record on the road. This season it’s not better as they’re the only club that hasn’t noticed away win (6 draws and 3 defeats). They’ve conceded in every of last eight games and haven’t won at Boxing Day since 2005. And Oakwell is the hell place for the Clarets as they haven’t won there for about 79 years (last time it was in April 1932)!

I see this bet as a pure logic. 2-0 correct score.

Bet: Barnsley 0.0
Odd: 1.98 188 bet
Stake: 9/10

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weird results

Burnley 1 - 1 Bolton

Bolton remain in the relegation zone as Burnley fought back to earn a draw in a spirited Lancashire derby at Turf Moor.
After Steven Fletcher had missed a golden chance for the home side Matt Taylor deservedly put Wanderers ahead with a stunning 25-yard free-kick. 
Both sides hit the woodwork, before Bolton's run of failing to keep a clean sheet since May continued when David Nugent headed in Wade Elliott's cross. 
There were chances at both ends in a tense finish to an entertaining match. 
So Burnley are still without a league win over Bolton since the teams met in the old fourth division in 1987. 
More significantly for their first top flight campaign in 33 years the Clarets are now without a Premier League victory in eight matches. 
The strong home record, which had yielded 18 of their 19 points prior to this fixture and seen only Wigan triumph at Turf Moor this term, will be tested in contrasting fashion by Stoke and Chelsea during January.
On a bright, crisp afternoon with snow atop the hills beyond there were several unenviable records on show for both teams and Burnley must have feared the worst at the interval, having lost all seven games in which they had trailed at the break.
Bolton, in addition to their defensive frailties - the run of games without leaking a league goal stretching to 19 matches - are yet to win after conceding the first goal and it was Gary Megson's team who made the stronger start.
Burnley boss Owen Coyle:
"On the balance of the match I felt we were in control. 
"We should have been in front but found ourselves behind to an exquisite free-kick - if it was a free-kick, but Mr Foy thought it was. 
"I asked them to raise their game and I felt we fully deserved three points. 
"I felt when we scored we were going to go on to win but Jaaskelainen is a quality keeper and always has been and he showed it." 
Bolton manager Gary Megson:
"Before the game I would have been satisfied with a point given the home record Burnley have and some of the teams they have beaten. 
"But we were 1-0 up, way on top and had most of the chances and were disappointed not to be more than one up. 
"In the second half they were much stronger but if we'd taken the chance at 1-0 I don't know if they would have come back from that. 
"We rode our luck in the second half and a draw is a fair result for both teams."
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Cardiff 0 - 1 Plymouth
Bottom club Plymouth stunned promotion-chasing Cardiff with a smash-and-grab raid at the Cardiff City Stadium.
Gary Sawyer struck six minutes from time with a deflected effort after Paul Quinn's poor clearance. 
Cardiff had chances to take all three points but missed chances through Peter Whittingham, Michael Chopra, Jay Bothroyd and Joe Ledley late on. 
Argyle keeper Romain Larrieu also denied Mark Hudson's header as the visitors ended a run of five defeats. 
It was new boss Paul Mariner's first win in his third game in charge and his side's first goal in over 500 minutes of football. 
Cardiff keeper David Marshall had no chance with the goal though after Sawyer's shot deflected off Hudson. 
He did also keep Cardiff in it in the first half denying Alan Judge, but was the quieter of the two keepers as Cardiff blew the chance to close the gap on the Championship's top two. 
Frenchman Larrieu turned Hudson's header over the bar and then sent Whittingham's 20-yard effort to safety. 
Bothroyd then narrowly put the ball over the bar from inside the box before Chopra wasted a good chance. 
Cardiff piled on further pressure after Sawyer's goal, but Ledley drove just wide from 12 yards as Plymouth held on for a vital win as they climbed off the bottom and attempt to reach Championship safety. 
Cardiff manager Dave Jones:
"These are the type of games you have to see out and we had the chances to do that yet we never showed the creativity we are capable of and we have been caught by a sucker punch. 
"This division is a difficult one but we should still have been good enough to win and it is very disappointing to lose a game like this. 
"You could see it coming and three individual errors led to the goal. They were waiting for one opportunity and when it came they took it. 
Plymouth manager Paul Mariner:
"We worked very hard for that result but the signs have been there for a couple of weeks. 
"The players want to get this club out of the mess we are in and we knew we would get a resilient performance from them but three points is a wonderful result. 
"To keep a clean sheet against such a high powered attacking force as Cardiff have is a magnificent effort. 
"We haven't scored for a long time but you have to go back to the basics and that is what we have done today."
www.bbc.co.uk

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Btw. my Premier League prediction ended with six correct picks out of eight! Cheers to those who followed.

Burnley - Bolton

The Clarets are typical home team. Owen Coyle is forcing attractive style of play that is really nice to watch and it has been bringing good results at their home Turf Moor. They have just one home defeat (Wigan 1-3), while all three draws (in last three rounds) came from the games against top Premier sides Aston Villa and Arsenal and Fulham. In last round, they were defeated on the road against Wolves (0-2), but put a decent display and if they didn’t stay short for a penalty kick result probably would be different. However, this game for Burnley has the highest importance, lads had a training session instead Christmas celebration and I think they’re paying much more attention to this game, than to Monday’s trip to Goodison Park. Two central defenders, Steven Caldwell and Clarke, picked up groin problems in the defeat to Wolves (Caldwell is closer to appear), while another defender Tyrone Mears should be fit despite incurring a head injury in that game.

 

Bolton ended a run of five competitive defeats in six games with two excellent results. First stopped Man.City at home (3-3), then also at home defeated West Ham (3-1). Despite collected four points, Trotters stayed under the rellegation line and it seems Gary Megson has been pulling the maximum from the players who, I think it is fair to say, lack in quality and Bolton seem as a serious contender for moving down to Championship. Also, they have maybe more important game at Monday, when will host Hull City. On the road their defense line looks shaky, especially for crosses and set pieces which could mean Robbie Blake and Chris Eagles will run the riot. Wanderers have failed to keep a clean sheet in their last 18 league games. However, key midfielder Fabrice Muamba is suspended after picking up his fifth booking of the season in the win over West Ham, while his fellow midfielder Gavin McCann will miss out for the third successive game with an ankle injury.

 

Despite not so good results lately (seven games without a win), Burnley’s performances look decent and at home already defeated much stronger sides than Bolton are. Visitors made two excellent results at home, but I can’t imagine them making third and winning at Turf Moor. Just because the fact Burnley noticed three consecutive home draws and three of the last four meetings between these sides have ended in draws, I’ll chose dnb option instead home win that should be considered as a gamble.

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Burnley 1-0 Sheff Utd

Wade Elliott's sensational strike ended Burnley's 33-year wait for a return to the top flight as they defeated Sheffield United in the Championship play-off final.
Elliott scored with a curling 13th-minute strike into the top corner that was worthy of winning any Wembley occasion. 
Indeed, victory for Owen Coyle's team was fully deserved as their 61st game of a long and successful season culminated in promotion to the Premier League for the first time. 
The Clarets, founder members of the Football League, played with freedom and ambition - and should have doubled their lead after the break but Nick Montgomery blocked Joey Gudjonsson's hooked shot while Kyle Walker made a superb challenge with Robbie Blake poised to strike. 
Burnley created a series of chances and went close from distance several times - in stark contrast to their Yorkshire opponents, whose best hope of an equaliser came from two penalty appeals. 
The first, for a challenge on Brian Howard, was debatable, but Christian Kalvenes's crude challenge on Walker after the break was a clear foul.
However referee Mike Dean, whose appointment Blades boss Kevin Blackwell had criticised in the build-up to the match, sided against United on both occasions. 
It was a miserable afternoon for the Blades, who saw Jamie Ward red carded late on after he picked up two bookings in four minutes. 
But Coyle and his squad, who earlier in the campaign came within minutes of reaching the Carling Cup final, have now ensured their season would not be one of near misses with their Wembley victory.

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Burnley: Jensen, Duff, Carlisle, Caldwell, Kalvenes, Elliott, Alexander, McCann (Gudjonsson 27), Blake (Eagles 69), Thompson (Rodriguez 73), Paterson.

Subs Not Used: Penny, McDonald. 
Booked: Carlisle, Kalvenes. 
Goals: Elliott 13. 

Sheff Utd: Kenny, Walker, Morgan, Kilgallon, Naughton, Montgomery, Howard (Lupoli 82), Cotterill (Ward 58), Stephen Quinn (Hendrie 85), Halford, Beattie.
Subs Not Used: Bennett, Bromby. 
Sent Off: Ward (80). 
Booked: Ward, Lupoli. 

Att: 80,518 
Ref: Mike Dean (Wirral).
www.bbc.co.uk

A quick view on Monday

I stay behind my words and still think it was about the pride (Barcelona-Osasuna). Real M lost at home too, against Mallorca (1-3), but they weren't my concern. Both giants got a lesson from dignity from English four. Man.Utd., Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal, although they didn't need the points, won their games and finish the season with a style. That's why Primera never will be Premier.

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Final at Wembley starts at 4pm. Burnley and Sheffield United contest a £60million winner-takes-all showdown for a place in the Premier League, in the richest club game in world football. The Clarets have full squad available, while Blades have a few injury concerns with doubts over Darius Henderson (Achilles), Jamie Ward (hamstring) and John-Joe O'Toole (ankle). Bookmakers learnt from their mistakes and this time don't underestimate Burnley, offering about 2.60 for their win (against Reading on the road, odds were about 4.70). United is the most consistent team in Championship, Burnley is mentally the strongest. Once again, I give a small advantage to Burnley and follow my instinct with a gamble bet. 888sport offers 2.70. Burnley to win.

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