THE BERNIE THE BOOK COLUMN PAGE HEADER
QUIET REVOLUTION AT THE BRIDGE COULD HERALD LONG-TERM SUCCESS!
DON’T SAY IT TOO LOUDLY, but CHELSEA is on the way back. Quietly, softly, slowly but definitely moving forward and inhabitants of The Shed (is that still standing?) but certainly of those walking down the Kings Road to visit Stamford Bridge are buoyed with enthusiasm. So what’s going on?
The benefit of appointing Pep’s understudy, Enzo Maresca, in the summer, fresh from leading Leicester to the Championship title cannot be overstated. It also shows a steely, clinical attitude to succeed and in a game not steeped in loyalty, can anyone really be surprised? (It will be interesting to hear the Foxes’ welcome when he returns to the KingPower this year.) For further proof, just ask Raheem Sterling! So despite boardroom wranglings between Todd Boehly and his partner, it might just be that Chelsea’s modus operandi of buying multiple players and paying big wages in long-term eight-year contracts might be the way forward in these days of FFP. What is irrefutable is that Chelsea is a big time club in search of big time honours and I don’t subscribe to the view that EUFA’s third tier Conference Cup is something the club would be interested in (available at a ridiculous 7/4!!). However, that still leaves domestic honours and specifically the EFL Cup at a succulent 9/1. Not quite a top priority for Man City, Liverpool or Arsenal (that’s not to say they wont take it), but at a time when schedules will be built around Europe, I think the 9/1 on offer about CHELSEA to a team that is beginning to gel represents excellent value.
EUROPEAN COMPETITIONS Speaking of which, the newly formatted Champions League and Europa League have begun. Let’s start with the Europa League. With no extra places at the cup stage for third placed teams from the Champions League to jettison into, we already know the make-up of the Europa League and the value is clearly ATLETIC BILBAO at a nice 12/1. Forget Spurs and Man Utd, they will find the rigours of our domestic season too problematic, and anyway, they are priced up based on English bookies, not on global layers.
PHTM OCTOBER 2024
I also think the new format in the Champions league has to be viewed analytically, as it’s not just a case of the top 8 qualifying, with positions 9-24 in a one match cup tie to qualify for the final 16 with teams 25-36 eliminated, but it is also imperative to finish in the top two places in the league format as those two teams will not meet until the final. So predicting Man City (3/1) and Madrid (7/2) to avoid each other at those outright prices represents scant value at present.
So where is the value? My two against the field are BAYER LEVERKUSEN at 20/1 and BARCELONA at 14/1.Who knows how far Xabi Alonso’s journey will take him, but for minimum outlay and large rewards, I am prepared to sign up for the ride as well as Barca returning to Europe’s top table.
SELF CROWING
Who tipped the winners of the US Open tennis before an ace was served? Why Bernie the Book of course! (see below) and I hope you enjoyed the 20/1 double
SUPER LEAGUE The playoffs are under way and those of you who followed me in and backed WARRINGTON WOLVES at 5/1 should now be looking forward to a semi final showdown with Hull at around 11/
4.Game on
AND FINALLY… Just to add a touch of glamour (not to mention sequins) to proceedings, it’s the reality season and just started again for the 20th time is SCD. For those of you who need a fix on a Saturday night, slight preference at this early stage is for SAM QUEK at 10/1. She ticks most boxes..engaging, BBC regular, not professionally trained and a crowd pleasing partner in Nikita Kusmin.
Until next time.... Good punting
Bernie the Book 75
JANNIK SINNER is a hard court expert and if you can still get 5/2, then take it now.... The Womens’ is more open, but I feel that SABALENKA possesses the all round game to win at around 4/1 – small stakes only.
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