THE BERNIE THE BOOK COLUMN
BUBBLES ARE RISING AND A LONG WAY FROM BEING BURST FOR MOYES AND THE HAMMERS
OCTOBER DAWNS TO A TRANSITIONAL PERIOD BETWEEN THE SPORTING SEASONS. Golf is whimpering out after the humiliation of Europe in the Ryder Cup, I did tell you could fill your boots on America at a whopping 4/7 and a points margin over 7 at 9/2 but that is scant reward for TV viewers.
Similarly the National Hunt season will be getting into full swing in a fortnight and we will be concentrating on that in next month’s column. I hope you backed my ante-post tip, the LA RAMS a few weeks ago as the 16/1 highlighted has shrunk to half those odds (8/1) after their fine start and their recent defeat of last year’s Superbowl champions, the Bucs, but one swallow does not a summer make.
Talking of Gridiron the resurgent DALLAS COWBOYS should be kept on your side and backed in multiples on the money line and handicaps apart from season ante-posts. They are 5/11, 11/1 and 25/1 presently for Divisional,
Conference and Super Bowl honours.
Onto this month. The EFL Cup has now reached the last 16 stage and all the usual suspects are still in save for Man United who were defeated at Old Trafford last month by West Ham. The last 16 stage is at the end of the month and I would have a tentative wager on WEST HAM UNITED to win the EFL/Carabao Cup. David Moyes’s men are certainly up for the challenge which may not be the case for some of the Premiership big boys (Liverpool in particular). And they have a home match and at 14/1 they represent superb odds. The one caveat is in the last 16 they are playing Manchester City who have won the cup four years running! It is my belief – and I am a staunch Blue – that there is something not right at the Etihad and in any event every run has to end sometime and should West Ham overcome Pep’s Blues then their odds would be nearer 5/1. So back them now. My second pick is the resurgent Arsenal under Mickel Arteta who have begun to hit their form. Currently at 7/1 they represent fair value and they now seem to have found their feet after a poor start to the season, but it is the Hammers for me to be blowing bubbles at Wembley (forever).
OCTOBER 2021
Talking of football we are now unbelievably nearly 20% into this current football season and certain trends can be analysed.
THE CHAMPIONSHIP Early indications are that the title looks to be between Fulham, West Brom and my pre-season pick, Bournemouth. They dominate the betting, but one team that looks to be under the radar is QUEENS PARK RANGERS who in some places are double carpet (33/1) to win the division. They are widely available at 28/1 and on the basis that it is still a quarter the odds of the first three, I think 7/1 for a place is incredible value. Back them now.
DIVISION ONE
If the Championship looks too close to call, then Division One, in my humble opinion, is a one-horse book and the 2/1 being offered about the mighty SUNDERLAND just has to be snapped up. They are by far the biggest club in the division and their last four years of hurt will be swept away by early April. Back the Black Cats at bottle now (Cockney rhyming slang – bottle the blue, 2).
DIVISION TWO There seems to be a massive bunfight going on and no outright favourite. My early season pick of Bradford seems to have been derailed, the big spending Salford are in mid-table with little prospect of advancing and a cursory glance of the table at present leads me to a tentative pick, again each way, of NORTHAMPTON at 25/1, for small stakes.
Finally, the T20 World Cup begins on October 17 and I think in this format it is best to pick a team that is used to all the nuances of the tournament which in many ways can be a toss-up on an individual game. With that in mind, New Zealand look strong at 7/1 but my outright pick is ENGLAND at Burlington Bertie – 100/30. Until next month and the start of the winter programme across a multitude of winter sports… Good punting.
Bernie the Book 97
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