Sometimes a team’s price in a match is too big to ignore, even when instincts are telling you to back their opponents and this is exactly the situation ahead of Arsenal’s Champions League Final showdown with Barcelona.
The Catalan giants were all set to be the recommendation, after all, they have arguably the world’s best player in Ronaldinho, who forms part of a formidable attack, they cantered to the Spanish title and have only conceded four goals in the whole of the tournament to date. In most situations, the evens VCbet mark against them winning inside 90 minutes would have looked like a cracking wager.
However, this Gunners side have been outstanding in Europe so far, keeping clean sheet after clean sheet and seeing off the likes of Juventus en-route to the final. Additionally, the dodgy Lasagne in Spurs’ team hotel last week eased some of the pressure on Arsene Wenger’s men by guaranteeing them a place in next year’s competition regardless of Wednesday’s result and with Thierry Henry in blistering form at the moment, the 3/1 available with Gamebookers for them to triumph in normal time is undoubtedly of sufficient magnitude to make them the value call, even if Barca are worthy favourites.
That’s not to say it’s advisable to put all your eggs in one basket and, indeed, placing so much emphasis on the odds when risking your hard earned is not for everybody. Subsequently, it’s also worth flagging up wagers that provide a little insurance should the Gunners not convince enough and the best of these can be found with Pinnacle Sports who chalk Arsenal up at a superb 10/11 to either win or draw , a price made more tempting by the probable closeness of the clash.
Elsewhere, despite the offensive prowess of the two sides a game short on goals looks to be on the agenda as both defences have provided the platform for the duo to propel themselves into the final. This means the hotly anticipated head-to-head between the aforementioned Ronaldinho and Henry may not live up to the billing and as such the 6/1 available with BetFred for each to open the scoring holds less appeal than Bodog's 4/7 for the fixture to feature fewer than 2.5 goals.
Betrescue's Chris Hutcheon gives his predictions on all the live TV matches every Sunday, in Hutcho's Sunday Hunch.
Tottenham v Blackburn - Match Preview - 19 November 2006
Two sides looking for something to spark their seasons clash at Ewood Park on Sunday as 15th-place Blackburn hosts 12th-place Tottenham.
Rovers are favored to win at home at 2.50, and Spurs are set at 3.00. A draw is rated at 3.30.
Blackburn fought hard, but were shut out 1-0 at home by Manchester United last weekend. Blackburn were outshot 16-10, and were booked four times in the fixture.
Robbie Keane's 24th-minute penalty was not enough as Spurs were beaten 3-1 at Reading in their last league match. Spurs led in both shots and possession, but their defence could not hold firm.
Tottenham have won five and drawn twice of their past ten matches with Rovers, who hold a 10-9 lead in goals scored.
