Braeburn's Tenner - Week 9

A fine week for Braeburn's Tenner last time out with the win double rolling in courtesy of Swansea's thumping win over Sunderland and Jermaine Easter's last gasp equaliser for Millwall against QPR. Those two results more than made up for the disappointment of losing the Arsenal v Norwich correct score punt and gave us a tidy profit of £18.27. Fingers crossed we can keep the momentum going this week with a treble and another correct score wager.

Bet 1 - The Treble

Tottenham hit form again last week with a good win at Villa following up with another maximum in the Europa League on Thursday night. Unlike Michael Laudrup at Swansea, AVB has a big enough squad to rotate comfortably and so SPURS should have plenty left in the tank to turn over Hull City on Sunday. New managers often have a positive effect on a sides results and that is certainly the case at Derby County where Steve McClaren is taking the Rams in the right direction. Meanwhile over at Sheffield United the upturn in results began before Nigel Clough started warming the seat left vacant by David Weir's dismissal. We'll back Derby and Sheffield United to continue their recent good form with home wins against Birmingham and Crewe respectively.

Bet 2 - The Correct Score Spread

Crystal Palace have had a difficult week and so it is just the wrong time to receive a visit from in from Arsenal. The Gunners may have lost to Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday night but they still played pretty well and will be keen to bounce back to form against the Eagles. Let's go for 2-0 and 3-0 to Arsene Wenger's men.

Split this weeks tenner like so...

£5 treble on Derby, Sheffield United and Spurs all to win. (3.43/1 with William Hill - returns £22.16)

£2.90 on Arsenal to beat Palace 2-0. (7/1 with BetVictor - returns £23.20)

£2.10 on Arsenal to beat Palace 3-0. (10/1 with BetVictor - returns £23.10)

Fingers crossed.

Week 8 starting balance: £9.26

Profit/Loss: + £18.27

Week 9 starting balance: £27.53

And follow me on Twitter: @marcusbraeburn

I'm back 'Lawro' so you better watch out... Predictions week 9

Well I gave ‘Lawro’ a little bit of a pasting last week picking up 8 correct results and two scores bang on, giving me twelve points to Lawro’s six. This cuts the deficit to a mere 14 points so it is probably worth carrying this pointless folly on for at least one more week...

Palace v Arsenal

I have little time for Ian Hollowhead but that doesn’t stop me feeling a little sorry for him after his sacking this week. Expect Arsenal (and every team that follow them) to prove that Palace’s position has little to do with who is in picking the team and lots to do with their utter lack of quality and farcical transfer dealings.

My Prediction 0-3

‘Lawro’s’ Prediction 0-2

Villa v Everton

(Drum roll please) Let the battle of the big bruising Belgians begin! It will be crash, bang, wallop at Villa Park as Benteke and Lukaku go head to head on Saturday afternoon. Expect goals galore and plenty of defenders wishing that they were elsewhere.

MP 2-2

LP 1-1

Liverpool v Baggies

Me, ‘Lawro’ and Hansen all agree here. Both goals in the first half as Liverpool continue their great start whilst managing never to look any good.

MP 2-0

LP 2-0

Man Utd v Stoke

Despite looking like he has aged five years in two months you sense that slowly but surely Moyse might just be getting the hang of this United business. Stoke will give them a good game but ‘Wazza’ is too hot to handle right now and will prove the difference here.

MP 2-1

LP 2-0

Norwich v Cardiff

When Norwich need a result one generally seems to come along. Chris Hughton has a side good enough to stay in the division yet the people of Norfolk have good eyesight and at the moment they don’t like what they are seeing.

MP 1-0

LP 2-1

Saints v Fulham

It should be happy days for the Saints again this weekend, particularly as ‘Lawro’ has reverted to form by ignoring all the available evidence and underestimating Pochettino’s team once again. I sometimes think that the BBC’s football ‘expert’ must hate Southampton as much as everybody from Hampshire’s only habitable city hates him.

MP 2-0

LP 1-1

Mackems v Geordies

OOF! POW! ZAMMO! Gus likes a rumble almost as much as Di Cantio so expect Sunderland to be bang up for this one. Sadly for the Mackems their northeast rivals are starting to look more like the 2011/12 edition than last seasons shower of shite so another pasting looks on the cards.

MP 1-3

LP 1-1

Chelsea v Man City

Are these two teams the main contenders for the title? That is what they are saying and to be honest I agree with them.

MP 1-1

LP 1-2

Swans v Hammers

Swansea played a full strength team in midweek and the last thing they need is Big Sam’s continental false nine-ers turning up to grind out their usual 0-0 away draw. Yes, yes, they thumped Spurs on the road last time out but that was surely a blip rather than a sign of things to come? Wasn’t it?

MP 0-0

LP 2-0

Spurs v Tigers

Spurs are back in form and if ‘Lawro’ is putting his yellow neck on the line by predicting more than two goals for AVB’s team then I am glad I went one better with four.

MP 4-0

LP 3-0

Read BBC Football ‘Expert’ Mark Lawrenson’s full predictions here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/24604531

And follow me on Twitter: @marcusbraeburn

Current Scores

Lawro - 64 points

Marcus - 50 points

(I am also owed one point for the Chelsea v Villa game that I was unable to find ‘Lawro’s’ prediction on)

Braeburn's Tenner - Week 8

A big thanks to West Brom for giving Arsenal such a good game all those weeks ago before the International break. Seems like ages doesn't it? Not to me, I am still raw at Steve Clarke's side costing me a tasty return and plunging Braeburn's Tenner into debit for the first time this season. Still life is all about getting over the little obstacles in order to reach the greater goal and with plenty of season left, I am still optimistic of turning a tidy profit on these pages.

Bet 1 - The correct score spread

Arsenal entertain Norwich on Saturday afternoon and there is absolutely no reason to believe that they will not record a straightforward win. The Canaries are in dodgy form while the Gooners will be keen to put this one to bed early with Dortmund to come in midweek. I'm going 2-0 and 3-0 with half my tenner to provide a tidy and much needed profit.

Bet 2 - The double

Swansea to beat Sunderland, Millwall to draw with QPR. Enough said, it's just shy of 5/1 with Victors.

Split your tenner thusly...

£3 on Arsenal to beat Norwich 2-0. (13/2 with Bet Victor, returns £22.50)
£2 on Arsenal to beat Norwich 3-0. (17/2 with Bet Victor, returns £19.00)

£5 on Swansea to beat Sunderland and QPR to draw at Millwall, with Bet Victor. (returns £28.27)

Week 7 starting balance: £19.26

Profit/Loss: - £10.00

Week 8 starting balance: £9.26

And follow me on Twitter: @marcusbraeburn

Drinking in the bar next door to the last chance saloon.

Well it was a long time ago but ‘Lawro’ creamed me up a goodun on the last round of Premier League predictions by a score of 13 points to 3. I am starting to realise that perhaps, just perhaps ‘Lawro’ (Hansen really but, you know) is better at me than this. However this is mainly because he has nothing to do all week apart from his predictions. I meanwhile have to work, move house, nurse a terrible gambling addiction, sleep on an awful single mattress and drink quite a lot of free Heineken at Leicester Square film premières. So as we move into week 8 of the season I hereby declare that unless I give the goatee bearded one a pasting this week then, well, the experiment may well be over. This time could surely be spent better elsewhere. Especially as nobody reads this anyway.

Geordies v Liverpool

Hansen is clearly away again and so ‘Lawro’ has gone for a Liverpool draw. Ridiculous.

My prediction 1-3

‘Lawro’s’ Prediction 1-1

Arsenal v City (N)

It never fails to upset me when ‘Lawro’ and I agree. Considering how often this happens how the feck is he 20 points ahead? Kermit Ozil is out but Santa Cozorla is back. An easy win for the Gunners with tougher tests ahead.

MP 2-0

LP 2-0

Chelsea v City (C)

More agreement. Yawn.

MP 3-0

LP 3-0

Everton v City (H) (Tigers)

Blah.

MP 1-0

LP 2-0

Man Utd v Super Saints

I have completely lost interest in this whole thing but I both hope and think that ‘Lawro’ is wrong about this. Saints play better the better the opposition and United will have to go hell for leather for three points here, thus playing right into our hands! Mwah ha ha.

MP 2-2

LP 2-0

City (S) v Baggies

Don’t care.

MP 0-0

LP 2-1

City (Swans) v Sunderland

There is only one manager currently active in England that might rival Paulo Di Canio for being an idiot and it is Gus. Enjoy the Championship next year Sunderland.

MP 2-0

LP 2-1

Hammers v City (M)

Blah.

MP 1-3

LP 1-1

Villa v Spurs

Spurs to bounce back.

MP 0-3

LP 1-1

Palace v Fulham

6 pointer turns into 1 point eacher. Both gaffers out by Xmas.

MP 0-0

LP 1-2

Read BBC Football ‘Expert’ Mark Lawrenson’s full predictions here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/24552155

And follow me on Twitter: @marcusbraeburn

Current Scores

Lawro - 58 points

Marcus - 38 points

(I am also owed one point for the Chelsea v Villa game that I was unable to find ‘Lawro’s’ prediction on)

Braeburn's Tenner - Week 7

A small loss for Braeburn’s Tenner last weekend with Rickie Lambert and Edin Dzeko bringing in £7.56 in the anytime goalscorer trixie but we are still in profit so things can not be too bad.

Bet 1 - The Double

A change of tack this week with all the money on one big fat double. Saints are hitting form and will have too much at home to Swansea who will be all tired out after tough game in the Europa League midweek. Pair them up with Arsenal who are on a great run and despite West Brom’s win at Old Trafford last weekend the Gunners are a much tougher prospect right now. Lump the full tenner on with Bet Victor at tasty odds of just under 3/1.

Week 5 starting balance: £21.70

Profit/Loss: - £2.44

Week 6 starting balance: £19.26

And follow me on Twitter: @marcusbraeburn

drunk predictions

it is late and I am very drunk so here are the predictions... remember this is all ‘Lawro’ has to think about. I, on the other haaaaaaand am a frunk adn tortured soul. Pleaase note that the coward ‘Lawro’ once again doesn’t predict more than 2 goals for any one team. What a muncher. althogh he did turn me over 5 points to 8 lalsst week. Git.

City (M) v Everton

meh.

My Prediction 3-2

‘Lawro’s’ Prediction 2-0

City (C) v Newcastle

MP 1-1

LP 1-2

Fulham v City (S)

MP 0-2

LP 2-0

City Tigers (H) v  Villa

MP 2-3

LP 1-1

LIverpool v Palace

MP 4-0

LP 2-0

Sunderland v Man Utd

MP 1-1

LP 0-2

City (N) v Chelsea

MP 1-1

LP 1-2

Saints v City (Swansea)

MP 2-1

LP 2-1

Spurs v Hammers

MP 3-1

LP 2-0

Baggies v Arsenal

MP 1-2

LP 1-1

Read BBC Football ‘Expert’ Mark Lawrenson’s full predictions here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/24338311

And follow me on Twitter: @marcusbraeburn

Current Scores

Lawro - 45 points

Marcus - 35 points

(I am also owed one point for the Chelsea v Villa game that I was unable to find ‘Lawro’s’ prediction on)