With Euro 2008 coming up next month and the Premiership season winding down this week it looks like the madness and the sunshine has got to some football fans heads.  Here are some fan’s letters written to the newspapers:

‘If Spurs get rid of Paul Robinson  then we are just plain stupid.  Everyone has bad spells.   David James had one for a long time and just because Robbo has a poor season we are looking to sell him.  It’s pathetic.  To be honest, I think he is an outstanding goalkeeper.  ‘

Dan, Milton Keynes (Arsenal Fan)

Ok I made up the Arsenal fan part!!! But my sources have confirmed that Dan also goes by the name of A. Wenger.  I do agree it is sad to see someone of Robinson’s quality playing so poorly and possibly leaving a club where he made some great saves, but he’s had a dip in form ever since the World Cup ‘06 and being installed as the England number 1.  Ramos has tried to change this by dropping him and seeing if this sparks him into life, but this hasn’t worked.  Moving on to new surroundings and a new challenge could be a good thing for Paul Robinson and not mean the end for his career.

‘…It’s a disgrace Ronaldo is player of the year.  Torres, Gerrard and Carragher have been head and shoulder above.’

John Neath (big big big big Liverpool fan)

Obviously I’m only assuming John is a Liverpool fan, judging from that letter it is very hard to tell….  Alot of neutrals will agree that Ronaldo is on poor form this season, I mean he’s only scored 40 goals in all competitions, we expect much much more from a player that is rated so highly!!  Perhaps next year he’ll re-capture some form and play to his potential….

With Euro 2008 coming up, we’ll be able to see if Torres and Ronaldo can take their Premiership form on to the big international stage, I’m sure that a few people will be betting on both of them to win the Golden boot at the end of the tournament.  At the moment their respective countries Spain and Portugal have been installed as 2nd and 4th favourites at odds of 7.4 and 9.0.  Check back in the next few weeks for a proper run down of the odds and teams to watch out for, where we’ll be going Euro 2008 mad!!!

As you may know last Sunday the Times Rich List of 2008 was published, readers will be shocked to discover that the Queen ‘only’ has £320 million, just enough to afford to buy 10 Andriy Shevchenkos and have some change left over to buy Darren Bent.  With that type of budget she will have to be even shrewder than Arsene Wenger when he buys his players. 

It’s the penultimate weekend of the Premiership and it’s still very much undecided at the top and bottom of the Premiership.  Chelsea or Man Utd for the top spot?  Are Fulham going to achieve the great escape?  and will Derby qualify for the Champions League? (okay maybe not the last question).

Reading v Tottenham- Reading are one point above the drop zone and defeat at home will mean they are almost certain to find themselves back in the drop zone.  Reading have conceded 65 goals this term and Spurs have scored 65 goals with the last game between the two teams producing 10 goals, so what does this mean?  A 0-0 and Under 2.5 goals of course!! Well on the form I’m in with Premiership betting it will probably happen!!

Betting tip- Even though Reading haven’t scored in 5 consecutive games, I still think with a leaky Tottenham defence and an explosive Tottenham attacking line up we can still get over 2.5 goals.  Back Over 2.5 goals at odds of 1.91 on Betfair.

Man Utd and Chelsea will be hoping to get maximum point sthis weekend, if both don’t, then it could open the door for Arsenal to get win the Championship on the final day of the season ( I didn’t see that happening!!).   West Ham look to be a bit of a bogey team for Utd and Newcastle have been high on confidence lately, coming back from 2 goals down last weekend shows this.

Betting tip: Tevez will be facing the team he single handedly kept up last season.  Bet on him scoring anytime and being first goal scorer.

UPDATE: Well I was right about the Reading vs. Spurs match!!  Unfortunately I was right about being wrong!!  Only one goal in it, but there were plenty of chances to get more, I hope you backed the opposite to me in this instance.  Although Carlos Tevez did produce the anytime goal that I tipped against his old team West Ham.  So at least we had one winning bet during the weekend.

Aston Villa v Wigan
Blackburn v Derby
Bolton v Sunderland
Fulham v Birmingham
Man Utd v West Ham
Middlesbrough v Portsmouth
Reading v Tottenham
Arsenal v Everton
Liverpool v Man City
Newcastle v Chelsea

This week strikers were the main headline makers, that’s strikers as in teacher strikes as supposed to football strikers though.   All the Champions League and UEFA cup games ended up as draws with two out of the four matches having a 0-0 scoreline,  I wonder what the odds would of been if someone had predicted that?

Also with the long awaited Wii Fit finally being released in Europe, it has been rumoured that an ‘A. Reid from Sunderland’ and an ‘A. Mido from Middlesbrough’ were one of the first people to receive their pre-orders to get fit during the summer.

Most people’s eye will be on the Saturday lunch time kick off, Chelsea vs. Man Utd, surely the winner in this match will take the Premiership crown? Chelsea haven’t been beaten at the Bridge in the league since 2004, but if anyone is going to test this record it’s Man Utd.  This game is  another test for Avram Grant, can he do what he did against Arsenal?

Betting tip: I’m thinking that this will end up as a draw (especially since Man Utd haven’t won at the Bridge since 2002), but I’m going to take a risk and back Man Utd to win (3.3 odds). Get your free £25 bet, with Betfair, use the banner below and quote BFB425.

It’s another week which doesn’t inspire betting wise (Dennis??), but looking at the Man City v Fulham game, I think Man City at home will be too strong for Fulham, and unfortunately for the Cottagers defeat will mean certain relegation.  In play betters may want like to know that when Man City have scored first, they have never lost.

Betting tip: Back Manchester City to win at 1.91 on Betfair.

Anyone brave enough to back Derby, might like to know that they are currently at 13.5 on Betfair to beat Arsenal….maybe…just maybe…or probably not!!   I’ll take full credit if it happens though. 

UPDATE: Oh BALLACKS!!  Is the quote of the weekend for many reasons. Chelsea deserved their win against Man Utd and advantage seems to have gone to them in the title race.  I was thinking to tip Ballack as first goal scorer and anytime scorer, but I had a doubt in my mind, if only I went through with it!!  When Ballack stepped up to take the penealy, there was no doubt in most people’s mind that he could handle the presure and score.

Man City were cruising 2-0 in the first half but Fulham made a spirited come back in the second, showing that they will fight to the end for their Premiership status.  Unfortunately that meant another losing tip, not a good weekend for the city of Manchester at all!!

Birmingham v Liverpool
Chelsea v Man Utd
Man City v Fulham
Sunderland v Middlesbrough
Tottenham v Bolton
West Ham v Newcastle
Wigan v Reading
Everton v Aston Villa
Derby v Arsenal
Portsmouth v Blackburn

Take a look at the Sun’s Premier League Team of last weekend, can anyone spot the mistake? See below for the answer(click on the picutre to get a better view).

Liverpool player Skrtel in a Chelsea shirt??!! After this week, surely it should be Risse no??(sorry Riise, an own goal by me)

Only joking Liverpool fans, we all know his right foot is his weaker foot….

01/05/2008 Betting Update-At last!!!  Some winning bets.  The tips to back Chelsea & Man Utd to reach the final paid off(with a little bit of luck).  After two weeks of losers in the Premiership it’s good to get some winning tips in.  With Chelsea to qualify at 1.88 and United to qualify at odds of 1.6 on Betfair, it wasn’t fantastic value, but hopefully it has landed some of you some profit.  Betting on the two in a double at 3.15 to be the finalists was the more value bet and another winner!!

Liverpool v Chelsea

Liverpool play Chelsea for the fourth successive season in the Champions League tonight and with Torres describing tonight’s match as a potential ‘bore’, it may not be a coincidence that the BBC are showing ‘Waking the Dead’ at 9pm tonight.  So who will win?   Well it’s a very tight one to call, with both teams familiar with each other’s style of play and both managers under some sort of pressure.  Benitez seems to have the edge over Grant tactically and the records show that the Champions League is becoming his specialist subject.  Alot has been said about Grant not winning the ‘big games’ but he proved alot of critics wrong by beating Arsenal in the league.

Betting tip: Liverpool had that little bit of extra luck against Arsenal in the quarter finals and are always a different class in Europe, but something tells me that over two legs Chelsea can make it through to the final.  No doubt a ’special’ effort will be made after Roman reminds everyone that the final is in Russia.  Back Chelsea to go through to the final: 1.88 on Betfair.

Barcelona v Man Utd

Many neutrals have said this is the game that draws their attention, both teams unbeaten in the Champions League and a delight to watch when firing on all cylinders.   Although I’m not too sure whether Ferguson will allow for such an open game as expected.  I will be surprised if Hargreaves doesn’t start the match (if fit), he’ll be important to cut out and break up any Barca attacks.  Ferguson for me is more tactically astute than Rijkaard and this gives the edge to Man Utd, Barca have been pretty poor this season in the league but they have put in some good performances in the Champions League.

Betting tip: Go for Man Utd to get to the finals(1.6 on Betfair).  Also put a bet to nominate the finalists: Chelsea and Man Utd at 3.15.