Eve's Apples Gives Bra Tips to Cosmopolitan Magazine

EXTRA! EXTRA!
READ ALL ABOUT 'GETTING YOUR IDEAL BRA'!

Now in the February 2011 issue of Cosmopolitan Magazine US (with Mila Kunis on the cover), Eve's Apples' bra expert gives shopping tips on getting your best bra in The A-Cup Revolution by Mina Azodi, Senior Editor at Cosmo. The top four shopping tips for small breasts are:

1. Try a Demi Cup Bra
Demi Cups look great on women who have small busts, especially shallow breast tissue on top of the bust. Most women think they're small busted because they have shallow breast tissue. We love that Mina Azodi highlighted the importance of breast tissue. Mina wrote that, "Small breasts are typically larger on top than on the bottom, so this low scooping style (demi cup) gives just the right amount of support where you need it."

2. Go Tighter
Most women are wearing a band size too big! "Eighty percent of your bra is held in place by the band (not the straps), so it should be a snug fit. A good rule of thumb: You should be able to fit only two fingers between the band and your skin."



3. Eyeball the Underwire
Red Flag: This is SO important because most women are wearing are bra cup that is too small. Most bra consultations I give people have issues with the underwire cutting into the breast tissue, making the bra cup pucker away from the breast, similar to doing a peek-a-boo affect. Most women think that the bra cup is too big. Untrue, the bra cup is too small!

"If you aren't filling out the bra, double-check that the underwire is framing your boobs, not cutting them off. Otherwise, you may need to go up a size for a wider cup."

4. Check Out Your Profile
Turn to your side and raise your arms above your head. If the back of the band moves up, it's too big. It should be even all the way around your torso. Still frustrated on getting a bra that fits like a dream?

Try our Online Bra Consultation! We'll give you personalized, detailed information about your bra size, breast shape, body type and bras recommended for you based upon your needs and wishes!

Stay tuned for Eve's Top 10 Tips in getting your ideal bra!

Week 11 NFL Previews and Picks

“In this league, this year, no body knows anything!” – Al Michaels

The legendary commentator was on the mark again. This season has been one of the most unpredictable in recent history. There were so many back-door covers and stunning performances (both bad and good) in week 10 that it was a picker's nightmare. The worst place for crazy outcomes is in both West divisions, where who is good and who is bad seems to change every week. Denver, having been abysmal in its last two games came out and hammered the Chiefs, while Seattle bounced back from awfulness to beat the Cardinals on the road.

Week 11 throws up some classic grudge matches and can’t miss games, so let’s get down to it. Home teams in caps.

Chicago Bears (+1) over MIAMI DOLPHINS (Thursday Night Sky Sports 2, 1:20am)

I am still not quite sure how, after losing both Pennington and Henne before the third quarter, Miami were able to hold on against the Titans last week. But they cannot survive a whole game with Tyler Thigpen at quarterback against a tough Bears defence. As for Chicago, their offensive line is much improved and largely kept Cutler clean against the Vikings. While Miami’s defence has been impressive at times, they will need to carry the offence through large portions of this game and I just do not think they can do it.

Oakland Raiders (+7) over PITTSBURGH STEELERS

Oakland have been playing well recently and are coming off a bye week against a shell-shocked Steelers team. Pittsburgh did not play badly on Sunday night, but their patchwork offensive line was exposed by New England, and I fully expect Oakland to use the same plan to get to Big Ben. The Steelers were also weaker against the run on Sunday with ends, Keisel and Smith, out and their absence is set to continue and should open things up for an impressive Darren McFadden.

NEW YORK JETS (-7) over Houston Texans (Sky Sports 2, 6:00pm)

The Texans really cannot stop anyone through either skill or luck. Sanchez picked up a knock against the Browns on Sunday, but battled through and showed good poise in escaping about five sacks in their over-time victory. The Jets have been poor recently and needed 74 minutes to beat (and cover against) Cleveland, but they have been winning. Houston’s frailties on defence are starting to be just too great for the offence to cover up. This could be the death nail in what had been a promising season as well as Gary Kubiak’s reign in Houston.

Baltimore Ravens (-10) over CAROLINA PANTHERS

Baltimore had a chance to knock off Ryan and the Falcons last Thursday, but could not get the defensive stop they needed. It is not often that that is said about this Ravens team and you can be sure they spent the extra few days rest brooding, just waiting to get back out on the field. They are still top of the AFC North and amongst the best teams in the NFL. Now that Buffalo have got a win to their name, Carolina can rightfully take over the mantle of the league’s worst team. Clausen was not terrible last week, but he was hardly impressive either, and will need to show real signs that he can perform at the level expected from a starter if the Panthers are not to go after a QB come draft day.


TENNESSEE TITANS (-7) over Washington Redskins

This line is a little inflated after the disastrous Monday night performance from Washington’s defence, but they were truly abysmal in the hammering they took from Vick and the Eagles. But it does not get any easier with Chris Johnson, Randy Moss and Vince Young waiting to get stuck in. The Titans need a win here to keep pace in the division because the wild cards are almost certainly not coming from the AFC South this year. Another week for Moss to be integrated with the team. He did not see many targets in the loss to Miami, but was effective in keeping the safeties back and opening up room for Johnson. I expect to see a bit of a bounce back from Washington - if Haynesworth was ever going to be motivated to play hard it would be this game.

Detroit Lions (+6.5) over DALLAS COWBOYS

Detroit continue to play tough and keep games close, which is why I think that they will be able to cover here. Dallas benefited from a sloppy Giants performance on Sunday - receivers were running so open that Kitna looked like a pro-bowler. The pressure of not having won at home yet might get to the Cowboys here and a bad start will see the fans jump on the back of interim Head Coach Jason Garrett. Dez Bryant might be having the best rookie season for a WR since Randy Moss came into the league in 1998 - this guy is a serious ball player.

Green Bay Packers (-3) over MINNESOTA VIKINGS

Here we go again. Favre is 11-1 at home with the Vikings, but this is probably going to be the last chance for Rodgers to beat Favre, and if you do not think he is pumped up to do a double over the old man, then you are crazy. Minnesota were poor in Chicago last week, while the Packers have had a much needed chance to rest up and get healthy. The Vikings will need the defensive line, which has perhaps been the most disappointing unit for them this year, to step up and pressure Rodgers, otherwise it could be a long day for the Vikes secondary. This will be a very close game and could well come down to who has the ball last.


Buffalo Bills (+5.5) over CINNCINATI BENGALS

WARNING: GUS JOHNSON GAME! The explosive commentator has been involved in crazy finishes the last few weeks, culminating in the hail mary win for Jacksonville last week. This trend is one of the best things about the NFL. If you haven’t heard Gus Johnson call a game you need to watch this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wj5HtJidMZ8

Buffalo finally got the win their recent play has deserved and will be riding high. The Colts left the back door open last week and the Bengals covered by a point in a game they were widely outplayed in. Palmer continues to take three quarters of football to warm up and it cannot be long before Marv Lewis makes a change there - it might be the only thing that can save his job. The Bills are 1-2 in the last three games and all have been decided by three points or less - I see no reason why this will not go along the same lines and even end in a Buffalo win if they can get Fred Jackson rolling like he was last week.

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (-1) over Cleveland Browns

Cleveland continue to play tough and, barring a fumble in OT, would have knocked off the Jets last week. Colt McCoy has made things happen and looked the consummate Pro since coming in. Of course, having the battering ram that is Peyton Hillis behind him has helped! Jacksonville got a much needed win against Houston last week in the aforementioned hail mary finish. That play works maybe once in 200 tries and the Jags got lucky, but they have started to click on offence now and Garrard is making good reads, while Mo-Jo is getting going in the back field and should be a touch too much for the Browns.

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (-7.5) over Arizona Cardinals

Kansas are nowhere near as good as they were just two weeks ago, but hosting Arizona might just be the tonic they need to get back on track in the wild AFC West. The Cardinals defence is playing so badly at the moment that it is overshadowing the shambles at quarterback, which is a very worrying situation to be in. Charles and Jones are still running hard, while Cassel has started to hook up with WR Dwayne Bowe. The pair have eight touchdowns in the last five games. This one could get embarrassing for Arizona.

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (-12) over Seattle Seahawks

A well rested Saints team, a packed out Superdome and an up and down Seahawks team that has lost heavily to the last two competitive teams they have played. This is a combination that Drew Brees could feast on. Since the second half against Pittsburgh, the Saints have looked like their superbowl-winning selves and need to start stringing big wins together as the NFC South is now the closest division in the NFL. Reggie Bush could be back to face his old USC coach Pete Carroll - it is probably best for the both of them if they do not get snapped together this weekend.

Atlanta Falcons (-3) over ST LOUIS RAMS

This is a game that the best team in the NFC should be winning. Matt Ryan was stunning in Thursday's win against the Ravens, and Roddy White continues to play at a high level. They should do well against a very iffy Rams secondary. However, the Rams are much tougher prospect at home, having gone 4-1 there so far this season and Bradford continues to impress. But the Rams have only scored 20+ points in a game once this year and you get the feeling 20 just will not cut it against the no frills, highly efficient football of Atlanta.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+3) over SAN FRANSISCO 49ERS

Troy Smith has got the starting job locked down in San Fran for now and has been quite impressive, at least in comparison to what has come before him. Tampa have traditionally struggled going out to the west coast but this is a young team playing with no fear. LeGarrette Blount is playing up to the first round billing he had before losing his head in Oregon, while Josh Freeman continues to impress. Kellen Winslow got his first touchdown of the year and once he starts to get involved more in this offence the Bucs will really start rolling.

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (-3) over Indianapolis Colts (Sky Sports 2, 9:15pm)

The marquee match up of the season. The best two quarterbacks of their generation etc etc. Enough has been written about Brady vs Manning to fill several libraries, so let us talk about other things. Sunday night was a coaching clinic from Bill Belichick as he devised a game plan to absolutely dominate the Steelers. The Patriots exposed a weak Steelers offensive line and could well do the same to a Colts line that has deteriorated from seasons past. But blitzing Manning is a very dangerous thing to do - he is hooking up with no-name receivers out there and making them look like superstars. This game could go either way and is a classic “Last team with the ball wins”. Normally I would take the points here but after seeing a fired up Brady put in a vintage performance last week, I am taking him and his 24 straight wins in Foxboro.


PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (-3) over New York Giants (Channel 4, 1:30am)

Michael Vick is now a serious MVP candidate after ripping into the Redskins on Monday night. He finished that game with a staggering 413 yards of offence and six touchdowns, and the most impressive thing was how he worked through his progressions. In his previous incarnation, if Vick’s first choice receiver was covered, he would pull it down and look to run. Now he is comfortable in the pocket, keeps his eyes down field and, only as a last choice, takes off. As for the Giants, it was rather fitting that the lights went out at the start of the second half against Dallas, as it was an ugly performance and is reminiscent of their end of season collapse last year. The winner of this game will have sole possession of the NFC East.

SAN DIEGO CHARGERS (-10) over Denver Broncos

I have no idea what to think about the Broncos. They had been just awful until they started lighting it up against Chiefs. The Chargers gained ground in the AFC West last week despite not playing and have finished the season strongly under Norv Turner. Rivers is still the leading MVP candidate, but will continue to play without his favourite targets in Floyd and Gates. These games are usually high scoring affairs, but if the Chargers have sorted out their special teams woes, then that defence can smother any opposition.

Last Week: 5-9-0

Toby Durant

Week 10 NFL Previews and Picks

The NFL continues to throw the leaders back into the pack. We now have six two-loss teams after Cleveland walloped New England last week. Four of the league's best teams face-off against each other this week as Atlanta hosts Baltimore on Thursday, while New England stays in the AFC North to play at Pittsburgh in the big Sunday night clash (1:30am kick-off, live on Channel 4).

The AFC, with four of the 6-2 teams, will settle out over the next few weeks as the contenders face-off against each other. But the Giants and Falcons do not meet this year and will continue to stake their claims as the NFC’s best. At the wrong end of the table, Detroit and Buffalo will battle it out as the Bills try to avoid the ignominy of a winless season. There are eight divisional matches this week, which always poses a problem to predict, but here we go. As always, the home team is in caps…

Baltimore Ravens (+1) over ATLANTA FALCONS

The first Thursday night game of the season will provide a tough test for both teams playing on a short week. Atlanta managed to stave off a Tampa comeback in the Georgia Dome last week, but had to play every minute of that game hard. Baltimore were able to relax as they rolled over Miami. Both are 6-2 and looking good, but the Ravens finally have Ray Rice going - he picked up 180 yards of total offence last week as he and McGahee punished the Dolphins. The Falcons are an impressive home team, but the Ravens' defence is looking back to its dominant self with Ed Reed back in the secondary making plays.

Houston Texans (+1.5) over JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS

These are two of the most Jekyll and Hyde teams in the NFL. Both at 4-4, Jacksonville has lost their games by a combined 99 points, while Houston are coming off the back of consecutive losses. Andre Johnson is playing hurt and his numbers are down on recent years, but Arian Foster leads the NFL in rushing and should give the offence enough. The Texans' problems defending the pass are well documented, but Garrard will provide an easier test than Peyton Manning and Phillip Rivers have in the last two games. A must win if either team wants to remain in the hotly contested AFC South race.


INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (-7) over Cincinnati Bengals

The Colts are 3-0 against the spread at home this year, whilst Cincinnati are 1-3 against it on the road. As long as Manning has Wayne out there, it does not seem to matter who else is running routes for him. The T.O. – Ocho Cinco show continues to disappoint for the Bengals, who were well beaten by the Steelers, before again putting up numbers in garbage time when the game was over. Carson Palmer is now five seasons removed from his career year and has had about 30 interceptions dropped this season. He is not good any more folks! Time for the Bengals' front office to start thinking about drafting a new QB, and they could be in a very good position to do so come April.

Tennessee Titans (-1.5) over MIAMI DOLPHINS

The Randy Moss Show rolls into Miami for the second time this year. He did not catch a single pass in week three in Miami, which turned out to be his last game in New England. He has had the benefit of Tennessee’s bye week to learn another system and needs to replace an injured Kenny Britt this week. Miami have been poor at home this year and Chad Henne has to play another tough defence this week after going against Pittsburgh in week six and Baltimore last week. The Titans have made a living getting great pressure from just the front four and I expect that trend to continue. Miami were able to keep Chris Johnson to a season low 3.6 yards a carry last year and will need to repeat that performance it they are to claim a first home win of the season.

CHICAGO BEARS (+1) over Minnesota Vikings

After the Packers beat Favre in Lambeau earlier this year, Chicago may now be the place where he is most loathed. The Vikings' players seem to have had enough of their coach, Brad Childress, now and his job is as precarious as their play-off chances. A loss here and Childress could be shown the door quicker than Barack Obama at a Tea Party convention. Chicago are 5-3 somehow. They have not played well since grinding out a Monday Night win against Green Bay in week three, but they seem to have sorted their offensive line problems out, while the Vikes defensive line has struggled mightily this year. I expect the Bears to pull another close win out.

BUFFALO BILLS (-3) over Detroit Lions

The Bills have lost their last three games by a total of nine points and, given their upcoming schedule, this could be their last chance to avoid 0-16. Detroit are going to have to start 3rd string QB, Drew Stanton, this week after Matthew Stafford suffered a suspected grade three separation of his right shoulder. If they do not invest in their offensive line soon, they could find Stafford’s promising career never takes off. Ryan Fitzpatrick continues to play well and might just make the Bills front office think twice before jumping on Stanford’s Andrew Luck in the draft.


New York Jets (-3) over CLEVELAND BROWNS

Cleveland came off their bye week swinging against New England and caught the Patriots uncharacteristically off guard in their blowout win. Now Mangini has another ex-employer in his sights, and seems to have gotten them at just the right time. The Jets have struggled in the past two weeks and only got the win in Detroit due to Ndamukong Suh having to take an extra point. Colt McCoy is making things happen in his first three starts with the Browns and owns wins over Drew Brees and Tom Brady. However, the Jets play much tougher defence than the Saints or Patriots, and I do not think Peyton Hillis is going to find anything like the success he did last week.

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (-6.5) over Carolina Panthers

The Bucs came very to taking control of the NFC South last week and need a win to keep up with the Falcons now. Carolina are just a team in turmoil - if it wasn’t for the mess in Dallas, these guys would be getting much more coverage. They have flip-flopped all year between Matt Moore and rookie Jimmy Clausen at quarterback, with neither being even slightly impressive. They are very soft on defence and have now lost starting MLB Dan Connor. Rookie running back LeGarrette Blount has been impressive when he has been given the ball, and is challenging Cadillac Williams for the starting job. Tampa might not be the best team in the NFC as Head Coach Raheem Morris stated a few weeks ago, but with the young core in place, it will not be long before he is not the only one thinking they are.

Kansas City Chiefs (-1) over DENVER BRONCOS

Kansas threw away a promising start against Oakland and need to see more from QB Matt Cassel if they are to stay ahead of the surging Raiders and Chargers. Denver are coming off a bad performance in London two weeks ago and need to do something to turn around their struggling defence. Jamaal Charles and Thomas Jones will be licking their lips in anticipation of repeating Darren McFadden’s career day against this team, who are struggling for an identity on defence and seem to be suffering mightily from the pre-season loss of Elvis Dumervil and Robert Ayers.

St Louis Rams (+6) over SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS

Troy Smith will keep the starting job after his highlight reel of a fourth quarter in London. The 2006 Heisman Trophy winner faces off against the 2008 winner, who is looking like he has been in the NFL for years. Both teams have had a bye week to get healthy and prepare for this one, and while the Rams are winless on the road in a long time, this could be their best chance of breaking that duck. Both teams need the win with the NFC West very much still up for grabs.

ARIZONA CARDINALS (-3) over Seattle Seahawks

Arizona conspired to throw away a 24-10 4th quarter lead against Minnesota last week. Injury to Matt Hasselbeck handed Charlie Whitehurst his first NFL start after five years in the league, which should have been a clue as to what to expect, because Whitehurst was just awful against the Giants last week. The injuries on Seattle’s defensive line will not help against an Arizona team who are at least decent at home and are still finding a way to get Larry Fitzgerald the ball, despite the mess at quarterback this season. Arizona have been scoring a lot of points on returns, which has covered some of the holes on offence, but that can not be relied upon, so it is a case of buyer beware if you are thinking of taking the Cards this week.

NEW YORK GIANTS (-13.5) over Dallas Cowboys

Well Wade Phillips has gone and Jason Garrett is promoted to Head Coach for at least the rest of the season. However, the problems in Dallas are much deeper than simply the head coach. The players, some with multiple Pro-Bowls to their names, gave up on this season a long time ago, and any prospective new Head Coach (Bill Cowher and John Gruden are the front runners) will need to take a long hard look and see if that is the type of character they want on their team. As for the Giants, they continue to impress on both sides of the ball. Their pass-rush is fearsome, while Ahmad Bradshaw and Hakeem Nicks continue to make live very easy for Eli Manning. The Giants are not making many mistakes or taking many penalties - both signs of a very well drilled and confident team. They still have home and away games against Philadelphia and Washington to come, so they are by no means sure of a division title, but they are certainly going to be hard to stop.


PITTSBURGH STEELERS (-5.5) over New England Patriots

New England need to fix their defence. And that is something that is rarely said about a Bill Belichick defence. They simply cannot get off the field and are 32nd in 3rd down stops. Meanwhile, the Steelers continue to look impressive with Roethlisberger back at the helm and play tough defence. Expect to see Troy Polamalu spending much more time around the line of scrimmage with the Patriots' lack of a legitimate deep threat. There will be big hits aplenty in this one - James Harrison and Brandon Meriweather have accounted for $120,000 in fines for crunching tackles during this season. The Patriots host Indianapolis next week and cannot afford to get caught looking ahead like they did last week.

Philadelphia Eagles (-3) over WASHINGTON REDSKINS

The Michael Vick experience is the most exciting show in the NFL today. If you have not seen his play this year, you absolutely must. In his previous incarnation at Atlanta, Vick was a run-first Quarterback with a habit of launching the ball pretty much anywhere, but his transformation into a pocket QB who can also run has been a successful one. You have to defend the pass first now, especially with the threats of Jackson and Maclin at WR. Last week, Vick led Philly to a close win over Indianapolis and looked like he could take off for 12 yards anytime he wanted. As for Washington, where to begin? After Shanahan mysteriously benched McNabb in the last two minutes against Detroit in favour of Rex Grossman, and then gave several different explanations afterwards, it is hard to know what to expect from the Redskins as they come off their bye week. McNabb has said that claims that he did not know the offence well enough are ridiculous, and apparently the air has been cleared between him and his coach, but we will see. In the reverse fixture, Washington came out on top, but they did not play well and knocked Vick out of the game. A healthy Vick should be too much for the Skins.

Last week: 8-4-1

Toby Durant

Week 9 NFL Previews and Picks

BUFFALO BILLS (+3) over Chicago Bears

Buffalo are a better team than we think they are. Two over-time road losses in the last two weeks should give confidence to the winless Bills, whilst Chicago have been making opposing defences look great all year. Unless they have spent their bye week fixing the offensive-line problems, expect Cutler to be doing his best “deer in the middle of the M25” impression again.

San Diego Chargers (-3) over HOUSTON TEXANS

San Diego finally got a win after putting up big numbers. Their special team is still a shambles, but not as much as this Texans' defence. Houston ranks dead last in pass defence, while the Chargers are doing great things against run. But the numbers have not gone with San Diego this year. Approach with care, Houston need the win too.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+8) over ATLANTA FALCONS

JOSH FREEMAN JUST WINS FOOTBALL GAMES!!! But maybe not this one. Matt Ryan is 16-1 in the Georgia Dome during the regular season and Roddy White is playing MVP level football right now. With the Saints looking themselves again, both teams need a win here to keep a nose ahead. I think Freeman, another MVP candidate, should keep this one close, but Atlanta pulls it out.


MINNESOTA VIKINGS (-9) over Arizona Cardinals

This is a clear stay away game. Favre got banged up again in Foxboro, Harvin is hurt and Brad Childress seems to have gone mad after cutting Moss four weeks after trading a 3rd round pick for him. Arizona have been terrible on the road and have a lot of issues at quarterback themselves, but Minnesota’s defence has not been anything like it has in previous years. I’m very unsure about this pick.

New York Jets (-4) over DETROIT LIONS

Rex Ryan talks a good game, but he coached a bad one last week. You do not call a fake on 4th and 18 in a clear field-position game. Expect a big Jets bounce back here - they will pound the football all game with Greene and LT while taking away Calvin Johnson and getting after Stafford. Look for Detroit to try and take away the run and make Sanchez beat them, but I don't think they can do it. As talented as Suh is, I just cannot see Detroit hanging in on this one.

BALTIMORE RAVENS (-5) over Miami Dolphins

Baltimore have quietly won four of their last five, with the only loss coming in OT against New England. Miami have struggled to get Touchdowns recently, kicking 13 field goals in their last three games. Baltimore’s front 7 will swarm on the running game and make Henne put it up. And oh yeah, there’s a healthy Ed Reed back there.

New England Patriots (-4.5) over CLEVELAND BROWNS

I’m worried about this one. The Patriots have been getting the breaks and playing mistake free football on offence while the defence has been in bend but don’t break mode. Mangini will have had this game highlighted when the schedules were announced, and with the bye week to prepare for another match-up against his old master, the Browns could have a few tricks up their sleeve. Then again, any of McCoy, Delhomme or Wallace really doesn’t scare me.

New Orleans Saints (-6.5) over CAROLINA PANTHERS

The Saints are back. Drew Brees was in top form during the second half of the Halloween special vs Pittsburgh Sunday night, while the Panthers just stink. This line could be 14 and I would still take it. Carolina played them close in week 4 in the Superdome, but that was a different Saints team - this one looks like the defending Superbowl Champs.


New York Giants (-6.5) over SEATTLE SEAHAWKS

The Giants were rolling before their bye week, and are now rested up for a trip to noisy Qwest field. Seattle are a different team at home, so this is no sure thing. However, they are banged up again and the Giants have been playing good football on both sides of the ball. Hakeem Nicks is playing almost as well as Roddy White has recently.

Kansas City Chiefs (+3) over OAKLAND RAIDERS

Another tough one to call this week. Oakland have put up 92 points in their last 2 games while Kansas seem a little off. The Chiefs are 1st in rushing, last in passing so you know what their going to do - it just depends if Oakland can stop it. Darren McFadden is looking more and more like the 4th overall pick the Raiders spent on him in 2008 as he carves off 5.5 yards a carry.

Indianapolis Colts (+3) over PHILADELPHIA EAGLES

It does not matter who is on the end of his passes, Peyton Manning makes them look GOOD. The Eagles are better on defence than Houston, and Asante Samuel made his name on good performances against Manning, but the Colts will have too much here. Vick is starting, which makes this a must-watch game. However, expect the Eagles to be playing from behind for a lot of this game, and that opens things up for Freeney and Mathis to wreak havoc.

GREEN BAY PACKERS (-8) over Dallas Cowboys

Dallas are no longer an under-achieving good team. They are a bad team, and that is being nice. The problem is not just the absence of Tony Romo; if Garrard is launching touchdown passes to uncovered receivers, then you have got issues. Especially when you are going up to Lambeau to face a Green Bay team coming off the back of two massive wins. The Packers defence finally found its 2009 form in shutting out the Jets on Sunday.

Pittsburgh Steelers (-4.5) over CINCINNATI BENGALS

Carson Palmer is a bad quarterback and Pittsburgh eat bad QBs for breakfast. Do not let the stats fool you, Palmer isn’t the guy he used to be - his numbers have been put up when the game was already lost. The absence of Brett Keisel and Aaron Smith is clearly big for Pittsburgh, as seen by the inability to pressure Brees with the front three last week, but Cincy have very little about them this season.

Toby Durant

Saturday Betting Tips

FOOTBALL

Manchester United v West Brom

Despite concerns over their performances away from home, they have been impressive at home in the league, winning all three of their games, scoring three in each. Wayne Rooney’s form is still a concern, but Berbatov and Nani are in top form, and both Michael Owen and Javier Hernandez are capable of grabbing goals if necessary. Their defence is boosted by the return of Rio Ferdinand, and they will fancy themselves to keep a clean sheet here.

West Brom have been the surprise team of this season, and find themselves sitting in sixth place. They stunned everyone by winning at the Emirates a few weeks ago, but the loss of Peter Odemwingie for the game today is a huge blow for them. The likes of Bednar, Moore and Fortune are simply not good enough to impress regularly in this division.

United know they need to continue winning at home whilst they search to find some form away from Old Trafford. This should be a comfortable victory against a side missing their main goal threat.

Bet: Manchester United -1.5AH @ 1.83 (7/10)

Fulham v Tottenham

Fulham have been the draw specialists so far this season, drawing six of their first seven games thus far. They will be boosted by the return of Mousa Dembele, but are still without the likes of Zamora, Duff, Senderos and Andrew Johnson.

Tottenham still have injury concerns of their own, with Aaron Lennon joining Dawson, King, Defoe, Gallas, Kaboul and O’Hara on the injury list. However, in Rafael Van der Vaart, they have one of the most in-form players in the Premiership at the moment.

This should be a tight game and Spurs may have one eye on the Champions League match against Inter next week. 1-1 has been the most popular result in the league so far this season, and I can see this being another close draw.

Bet: Draw @ 3.3 (5/10)

Portsmouth v Watford

Portsmouth have improved since the arrivals of Dave Kitson and Liam Lawrence. 11 goals in their last 3 games have lifted them out of the relegation places, and they will be looking to keep the decent run going.

Watford are unbeaten away from home, and are scoring plenty of goals. 3 at Norwich, 2 at Bristol City and 6 at Millwall have seen them become the second highest scorers in the division. They are boosted by the fact that Marvin Sordell has been passed fit – his six goals have been crucial for them.

Both sides are full of goals at the moment, and I expect to see a high-scoring game here.

Bet: Over 2.5 goals @ 1.93 (5/10)

Port Vale v Gillingham

Port Vale sit top of the table, but have faltered recently with a last-gasp defeat to Oxford, followed by a draw with bottom side Hereford. Micky Adams has announced that he will be making a few changes, as he suggests some of the players are cracking under the pressure of being the league leaders. Even so, they have won four on the trot at home.

If Gillingham fail to win today, they will break a club record of 32 games without an away win. Hessenthaler has tried mixing things up, but his decision to take the team on the long trip to the league leaders on the morning of the game is a bit strange. Both strikers are out injured and they have conceded 13 goals in their last 3 away games.

Port Vale should bounce back to winning ways today as the Gillingham away jinx continues.

Bet: Port Vale to win @ 1.83 (5/10)

Mainz v Hamburg

Mainz have been the surprise package of Europe this season, having won their opening seven games in only their second season in the top division. A win today will break the record for the best start of any team in the Bundesliga. Under Thomas Tuchel, the likes of Lewis Holtby, Adam Szalai and Andre Schurrle have been ripping up the division.

Hamburg have ten players out injured for this game, including important players like Elia, Jarolim and Chupo-Moting. With only one win in their last five games, and only two wins in their last nine away games, this will be a huge challenge for Hamburg.

All the focus will be on whether Mainz can continue their record run, and whilst it will undoubtedly come to an end soon, I can’t see it being today.

Bet: Mainz to win @ 2.3 (6/10)

Barcelona v Valencia

David Villa picked up an injury on international duty and is likely to miss the game with his former club. If Xavi is still not fit to play, Barcelona are missing two very important players for them. Barca have not quite got going at home this season, having lost to Hercules, scraped a win against Sporting Gijon and drew with the notoriously poor travellers, Mallorca. They seem to rely too much on Messi to single-handedly win them games at the moment, and whilst he is a quality player, he cannot do it every single week.

Valencia have astounded the critics thus far, and are seemingly not noticing the losses of David Villa, David Silva and Carlos Marchena. Aduriz has been excellent, and they are boosted by the return of Pablo Hernandez from injury. They haven’t won at the Nou Camp since 2003, and the last three visits have resulted in 3-0, 4-0 and 6-0 defeats.

Barcelona have been struggling without Xavi, and the loss of Villa will harm them as well. Valencia are in excellent form, and will fancy their chances of an upset.

Bet: Valencia DNB @ 7 (3/10)

RUGBY UNION

Aironi Rugby v Bath

Aironi Rugby lie bottom of the Magners League, and lost their first pool game 30-6 away to Ulster. Whilst they are still searching for a home win this season, they have managed to keep the matches fairly tight, going down 9-10 to Edinburgh and 15-22 to Ulster.

After losing at home to Biarritz in their first pool game, this is a must win game now for Bath. The pressure is on for the underperforming Aviva Premiership side. Tom Biggs and Ben Williams replace Matt Carraro and Shontayne Hape in the back line as they look to change their recent fortunes.

Whilst Bath should win this, I would fancy Aironi to keep it relatively tight, even if they are unable to do enough to snatch an unlikely victory.

Bet: Aironi Rugby +11.5 @ 1.80 (6/10)

Racing Metro v Clermont Auvergne

Racing Metro sit top of the Top 14 in France, and battled bravely at Leicester before losing 38-22. They have won 4 out of 4 at home domestically, and in Steyn, Hernandez, Fall, Masi amongst others, they have plenty of quality. They beat Clermont 28-17 earlier in the season.

Clermont have lost 3 out of 4 away from home this season domestically, although secured a win in their opening pool game at home to Saracens. It will be difficult for them against a strong Racing Metro outfit.

Whilst both sides have injury concerns, it would be a surprise if Racing Metro do not win this, and I would fancy them to cover the handicap.

Bet: Racing Metro -6 @ 1.91 (5/10)

Jonathan Blaustein Tips : One Dollar Food

What food can you buy if you only have $1 in your wallet? See these photos taken by Mr. Blaustein and find out the answer.

Shurfine flour


A double cheeseburger from McDonald's


Organic grapefruit from a natural food store


Conventional grapefruit from Supersave


Tomatillos from Mexico


Candy necklaces from China


Shufrine white bread


Potted meat food product


Organic basmati rice from Whole Foods


Tea biscuits from Spain


Shrimp-flavored ramen noodles


Beef shank from Supersave


Pork floss, or rousong


Fenugreek seeds from India


Saffron


Side salad with ranch dressing from Burger King


Escargot in a can from Indonesia


Early-season organic blueberries from California


Dried smelt

Euro 2012 Betting Tips

Montenegro v Switzerland

Montenegro sit on maximum points in Group G with two wins from two games and two clean sheets. In Milan Jovanovic and Marko Vucinic, they have two talented attackers, but are still without star player, Stevan Jovetic. Whilst they maintain a 100% winning record, the games with Wales was a very poor quality encounter, and Bulgaria are a team in disarray at the moment. With only 2 defeats in 13 home games, they are a difficult team to play against.

With Switzerland, you know what to expect. They will not score many, but will be difficult to break down. However, only 2 wins in 11 games recently has seen pressure mount on the national side, although one of those victories was against the world champions Spain. They tend to be fairly strong away from home and played well against England until being reduced to ten men.

The bookmakers seem to have overreacted to Montenegro’s start, and the Swiss will be a difficult proposition for them. In Xherdan Shaqiri, the Swiss have a potential match winner, although it is likely to be a low-scoring tight affair.

Bet: Switzerland DNB @ 2.0 (7/10)

Andorra v FYR Macedonia

Despite not winning, Andorra have been improving rapidly in recent times. Twenty-six straight defeats is hardly unexpected, but they have only lost by more than 2 goals at home twice in the last 10 games, against Ukraine and Latvia. During that time, they have also played Russia twice, Croatia and England. In their last match against the Republic of Ireland, they even managed to get on the score sheet, their first goal in six matches.

Macedonia have been poor recently, drawing at home with Armenia and an away draw with Malta. Their attack is weak at the moment, and the defence is suspect. Whilst they are favourites for this match, they have bad memories of this ground, having the record of being the last team that Andorra beat in international football, back in 2004.

Andorra should fancy themselves to keep this relatively tight, and may even fancy themselves to nick a goal. It will be difficult, but there is an outside chance of an upset here.

Bet: Andorra Double Chance @ 5 (2/10)
Bet: Andorra +2.5AH (7/10)

Germany v Turkey

Germany were the surprise package at the World Cup in South Africa, destroying teams with their pacy attacking football. They have started qualification with two wins, including hitting six past Azerbaijan. However, Bastian Schweinsteiger is out injured, which is a huge blow, as he was one of the star players at the World Cup, both in attack and defence. He will be replaced by Toni Kroos, who needs to play well.

Turkey have also started with two wins, following up a win in Kazakhstan with a victory over the Belgians. They will have huge support in Berlin, with as many as 30,000 Turks expected out of a crowd of 75k. They will be hoping to attack the Germans in the hopes of grabbing an early goal, particularly with a number of the German players having started the season poorly at club level.

The Germans are rightly favourites for this game, but the loss of their captain is a big blow. The excellent support for the Turks may also drive them to raise their level for this game. They have improved a lot under Guus Hiddink, who will fancy his team to test the Germans.

Bet: Turkey +1 @ 2.1 (5/10)

Republic of Ireland v Russia

After coming so close to beating the French, Ireland now believe it is time to qualify for a major tournament again. They have started solidly with two wins against Armenia and Andorra, but the Russians will be their first major test. The Irish don’t tend to concede too many as one might expect under Trapattoni, but scoring goals is also an issue. Only six of their last 17 games has contained more than 2 goals.

Russia were a surprising omission from the World Cup, after losing to Slovenia in the playoffs. After the departure of Guus Hiddink, they have struggled somewhat, losing at home to Slovakia in their last game. Roman Pavlyuchenko will miss this game and the Russians are the best travellers, having only won 1 of their last 4 away games, including draws with Hungary and Azerbaijan, as well as the defeat in Slovenia.

There are unlikely to be many goals in this one, but Ireland will fancy themselves to sneak a win, and put themselves in pole position for qualification for Euro 2012.

Bet: Under 2.5 goals @ 1.6 (5/10)
Bet: Ireland DNB @ 1.85 (6/10)

Thursday Betting Tips

FOOTBALL

Liverpool v Steaua Bucharest

For Liverpool, the Europa League is a secondary concern to the Premiership. Despite this, they have racked up four victories in the tournament with a weakened side, scoring 7 goals and conceding only 1. Reina will start in front of Agger and Kyrgiakos, with Jay Spearing and Raul Meireles in midfield. This should provide a solid base for the likes of Ryan Babel, Joe Cole and David N’Gog to find the goals to give them the three points.

Steaua Bucharest were poor against a weak Grasshoppers side in the last round, and lost against a Unirea team that is in crisis at the moment. They have a number of injuries, as well as five new players who failed to be registered in time for this competition.

Liverpool will see this as a good chance to get back to winning ways, even with a weakened team. It would be a surprise to see the likes of Torres and Gerrard, particularly with a huge match against Manchester United at the weekend, but they should be strong enough in defence to restrict Steaua.

Bet: Liverpool to keep a clean sheet @ 1.83

Porto v Rapid Vienna

Porto have started the season in excellent form, winning 7 out of 7 competitive fixtures so far, scoring 18 and conceding only 4. They lost Raul Meireles to Liverpool, but brought in Joao Moutinho from rivals Sporting as a replacement. They have only lost 2 games at home since October 2008, against Manchester United and Chelsea, and will fancy themselves to win again here.

Rapid Vienna shocked Aston Villa for the second year running to reach the Group Stages. They looked relatively poor, and it was only a series of defensive errors that helped them. They have lost their best striker, Nenad Jelavic, and are without Heikkinen, Pehlivan, Eder and Vennegoor of Hesselink. They have lost their last two matches in the league.

Porto should win this comfortably, and will look to Hulk to get the goals, having scored 6 in his last 3 games.

Bet: Porto -1.5AH @ 1.87
Bet: Hulk to score first @ 6

Besiktas v CSKA Sofia

Besiktas have been in sparkling form recently, cruising through the qualifying rounds for this tournament, scoring 17 goals and conceding only 1. They have scored 4 goals in each of their last three games in all competitions. Turkey is a notoriously difficult place to go and play, and players such as Ricardo Quaresma, Guti and Nihat, combined with the managerial ability of Bernt Schuster, mean that they will be a hard team to overcome. However, they have a big derby with Fenerbahce at the weekend, so may have one eye on that game.

CSKA Sofia beat Cliftonville and The New Saints to reach this stage. In both ties, they wrapped it up with a 3-0 win in the home leg, but an unconvincing 2-1 win in Cliftonville, and a 2-2 draw with TNS suggests they struggle away from Sofia. They have had an uncertain start to the season, and lie in midtable ahead of this tie.

Besiktas will look for an early goal, and if that comes, they could open up as they have done in recent games. CSKA Sofia have admitted they will look for goals, and this could leave them open at the back.

Bet: Besiktas -1.5AH @ 1.96

Juventus v Lech Poznan

Juventus have started poorly, with a defeat at Bari, and a 3-3 draw at Sampdoria, and pressure is beginning to mount already. They may rest players here in preparation for Udinese at the weekend, being a more important match. They have come through two rounds of qualifying to reach this stage, but have only scored 6 goals in 4 matches against Shamrock Rovers and Sturm Graz.

Lech Poznan will look to keep it tight and maybe try to nick something against the odds. They tend to keep things low-scoring, as we saw in the previous round where there was only a single goal over the two legs against Dnipro. Under Zielinski, they lack creativity, but have all their first choice defenders back and fit again.

In front of only around 8,000 fans, we shouldn’t expect this to be a classic. Juventus should win, but even if they grab one goal, it would be a surprise to see them go all out to win by any more.

Bet: Under 2.5 goals @ 2.32

Dinamo Zagreb v Villarreal

Dinamo Zagreb are in good form, being undefeated in 7 games since their shock exit from the Champions League to Moldovan side, Sheriff. They scored twice home and away against Gyor in the last round, and key player Sammir is in excellent form at the moment. They will look to pick up as many points at home, so this means they need to attack and score goals.

Villarreal destroyed Espanyol 4-0 at the weekend to continue their excellent goal-scoring start to the season. They hit seven goals in two ties against Dnepr in the last round, and hit another 4 against Tottenham in a pre-season friendly. The likes of Giuseppe Rossi, Santi Cazorla and Joan Capdevila should start alongside several reserve players for this match.

Villarreal have the quality to win this game, but their squad selection raises questions about their motivation. Dinamo should be encouraged by a strong home support, and will look for an important victory to give them a chance of qualifying.

Bet: Over 2.5 goals @ 2.14

CRICKET

Guyana v Mumbai Indians

Guyana were pretty awful in their opening match against Royal Bangalore, being bowled out for only 103 runs, before going on to lose the match by 9 wickets. The Bangalore bowling attack was impressive, but Guyana have a number of internationals in their upper order, so should be able to play better than they showed.

Mumbai Indians scored an impressive 180, hitting an enormous ten sixes during their innings. They have plenty of big hitters in Kieron Pollard, Saurabh Tiwary, Ambati Ravadu and Harbhajan Singh, and the boundaries should be under constant bombardment. They did also concede 9 sixes during the South Australia innings suggesting their bowling was a little sub-standard, as they allowed the Australians to chase down their mammoth total.

The boundaries in Durban are fairly short, and there were 19 sixes in the last match, and ten in the match before that, despite Central District only making 94. The over 9.5 sixes looks a high line, but it is quite achievable, especially if we see the Mumbai Indians batting first.

Bet: Over 9.5 sixes @ 1.83

Thursday Betting Tips

Karpaty Lviv v Galatasaray

Karpaty have won 5 consecutive home games in all competitions, although their Turkish opponents should prove a more dangerous threat. They would sit 5th in the league, but were deducted 9 points for their part in a match fixing scam.

Galatasaray travel to Ukraine without Harry Kewell, Elano and Sabri Pino. The first two in particular are important players for them. Their season has hardly started in spectacular fashion, losing away to Sivasspor and a home defeat against Bursaspor. Milan Baros is still short of fitness, and there are rumours that a bad result could spell the beginning of the end for Frank Rijkaard at the club.

Galatasaray have some decent players, but the loss of Elano and Kewell will be a major blow for them. Karpaty know that a draw would be enough to send them through, but they showed they can score against the Turkish side, so it would not be a surprise to see them try and grab a goal to secure their position.

Bet: Karpaty DNB @ 2.63

Final Result: Karpaty 1 - 1 Galatasaray (BET VOID)

FC Utrecht v Celtic

Utrecht have started fairly well in the Eredivisie, recording consecutive victories against Breda and Willem II, following an opening day defeat away to Feyernoord. They would have been disappointed with their performance in the first leg in Scotland, but a 2-0 deficit is not insurmountable. They are strong at home, having only lost 4 games from their last 30 in a run stretching back to April 2009. Striker Ricky van Wolfswinkel has been in impressive form, scoring 8 goals in 8 games.

Celtic have had a good start to the season. Since a 3-0 defeat in Braga, they have won 4 straight games, including the return leg against the Portuguese side – a team that went on to win home and away against Sevilla. A 4-0 last time out against St. Mirren will be a good confidence boost.

This will be a close game, but Utrecht have to go out and attack to try and turn around the deficit from the first leg. There is a decent chance that if they are going to score, it will be from 21-year-old Ricky van Wolfswinkel.

Bet: Ricky van Wolfswinkel to score anytime @ 2.75

Final Result: Utrecht 4 - 0 Celtic (van Wolfswinkel x3) (BET WON)

Unirea Urziceni v Hajduk Split

This Unirea side is far removed from the side that impressed in the Champions League last season, beating Rangers and Sevilla, and drawing with Stuttgart. They now have serious financial problems at the club, with the coach and club president having left in recent weeks, as well as a number of key players. In the first leg, they simply looked disinterested losing 4-1. They are yet to record a win in the league this season following up four draws with four defeats. They picked up a draw last time out, scoring their first goal in five league games this season.

Hajduk Split have started well, taking 13 points from a possible 15, scoring 19 goals in the process. Their European campaign looked to be heading for an early conclusion, losing 3-1 to Dinamo Bucharest, but they bounced back to qualify with a 3-0 home win, and have continue in similar form.

Unirea are in major difficult at the moment, and with further players expected to quit the club after this game, it is only set to get worse. Hajduk are unlikely to come here with the intentions of scoring four more – they are already through, but they will not want to lose.

Bet: Hajduk Split DNB @ 2.15

Final Result: Unirea 1 - 1 Hajduk Split (BET VOID)

Aston Villa v Rapid Vienna

After an impressive 3-0 victory over West Ham, Villa came crashing back to earth with a 6-0 defeat to Newcastle. A truly abject performance, caretaker manager Kevin MacDonald seemed incapable of turning it around. However, the players will be looking for redemption here against the team that eliminated them at this stage last year. They drew 1-1 in the first leg with a virtual reserve side, but the likes of Carlos Cuellar, James Collins, Ashley Young, John Carew and Gabriel Agbonlahor should all return here in a strong Villa side.

Rapid Vienna have won 3 straight games in the league, so confidence should be high. However, the loss of key striker, Nikica Jelavic, in a bitter dispute that culminated in a transfer to Rangers, has weakened their attack, and they know that they have to score in Birmingham, which may leave them open at the back.

After the weekend result, Villa will be looking for a good performance to win over the fans, and the strong line-up suggests this will be the case. The loss of Jelavic is a huge blow for Rapid Vienna, even though he didn’t play in the first leg, he was key to the away goals victory last year.

Bet: Aston Villa -1.25AH @ 2.03 (BET LOST)

Final Result: Aston Villa 2 - 3 Rapid Vienna

Manchester City v FC Timisoara

Manchester City looked very impressive in a 3-0 victory over Liverpool on Monday night, and victory here against their Romanian opponents looks all but a foregone conclusion. They are expected to make 3 or 4 changes for this game, but considering this is likely to be the introduction of the likes of Adebayor, David Silva and Shawn Wright-Phillips, they should be too strong for their opponents.

Timisoara do not have the strongest defensive line, having conceded 3 goals at home to MyPa in the last round. They have won 3 of 8 games this season, but have drawn both their away games in the league so far.

Manchester City will be looking to send another statement of intent in this game, and they have quality both on the pitch and sitting on the bench. They will be too good for their Romanian opponents.

Bet: Manchester City -2.75AH @ 2.5
Bet: Manchester City to keep a clean sheet @ 1.67

Final Result: Manchester City 2 - 0 FC Timisoara (1 BET LOST, 1 BET WON)

Brondby v Sporting

Brondby got their tactics perfect in the first leg in Portugal, and recorded a very impressive 2-0 victory. They have only lost 1 of their 11 games so far this season, and are currently unbeaten in nine. Away from home, they have won 4 straight games, including a 3-1 victory against Nordsjaelland, who Sporting eliminated in the previous round.

Sporting have started the season very slowly. They sold Miguel Veloso and Joao Moutinho over the summer, bringing in Alberto Zapater, but they are struggling to replace the long-serving midfield duo. They lost their first league match away to Pacos, and needed a last minute winner to beat Maritimo. An unconvincing 3-1 aggregate victory against Danish opposition in the last round hardly helps to breed confidence.

In terms of sheer quality, Sporting are several levels above Brondby. However, they have started slowly, and looked relatively disinterested in the first leg, suggesting this competition is not particularly important to them. They need to attack and score at least two goals, but they have not looked impressive thus far.

Bet: Brondby DNB @ 2.4

Final Result: Brondby 0 - 3 Sporting (BET LOST)

Levski Sofia v AIK

Levski Sofia are a strong team at home. In four home games this season, they have won four, conceding 3 goals, but scoring an impressive 17. This includes a 5-2 victory against Swedish side Kalmar in the previous round. They played a conservative game in the first leg, drawing 0-0, but they should open up back in Bulgaria.

AIK are in all kinds of problems, being involved in a relegation battle in Sweden. Their major problem is scoring goals, having only scored 16 in 20 games this season, and having only scored 3 goals in their past 9 games. Away from home, they haven’t scored a goal in 8 games.

Levski dispatched fellow Swedish side Kalmar in the previous round, and should be favourites to do the same here. They will be aware of the risks of conceding an away goal, so should keep it tight at the back, whilst having the quality to score goals themselves.

Bet: Levski Sofia to win to nil @ 2.1

Final Result: Levski Sofia 2 - 1 AIK (BET LOST)

Trabzonspor v Liverpool

Trabzonspor have started the season well, winning the Turkish Super Cup 3-0 against champions Bursaspor, and following that up with league wins against Ankaragucu and Fenerbahce. A 1-0 defeat in Liverpool was a decent result, and gives them hope of progressing to the group stages. They have also been promised £20k each for qualification to provide added motivation.

Liverpool have travelled to Turkey without Gerrard, Torres, Agger, Maxi Rodriguez, Javier Mascherano and Milan Jovanovic. Their defence looks relatively solid with the likes of Reina, Carragher, Johnson and Skrtel all playing, but they seem to lack a creative and offensive threat.

Trabzonspor have an excellent opportunity to get a result here, and give themselves a chance of pulling off the shock and eliminating their illustrious rivals. Liverpool appear not to be taking this competition particularly seriously.

Bet: Under 2.5 goals @ 1.69

Final Result: Trabzonspor 1 - 2 Liverpool (BET LOST)

Lokomotiv Moskva v Lausanne

Lokomotiv Moskva have been in poor form recently, having not won in 6 games since mid-July, including games against both the bottom 2. They lost the Moscow derby 3-0 to Dinamo Moskva at the weekend in a truly abysmal performance. A 1-1 draw in Switzerland has given them a decent chance of qualification after Sychev equalised Traore’s first half goal.

Lausanne are a second division side that qualified for this competition after a dream cup run last season, although it ended in a 6-0 final defeat to Basel. They are unbeaten in all competitions this season, with maximum points from their 5 league games, and draws away in Bosnia and Denmark so far in this tournament.

Lausanne have nothing to lose against a superior, but low confidence, opponent. They are unlikely to have played in games like this before, and may not again in the future, so they will give everything. Lokomotiv have been poor recently, but they know a 0-0 will take them through, so will look to keep things tight.

Bet: Lausanne +1.25AH @ 2.3

Final Result: Lokomotiv Moskva 1 - 1 Lausanne (BET WON)

Gent v Feyernoord

Gent were unlucky to lose the first leg 1-0 in Rotterdam. They were outclassed against Dinamo Kiev in the Champions League, but have overcome an unconvincing start to the season to sit fifth, with 9 points from 12. Gent rested a number of players in their last league game in preparation for this match and will be playing in front of a sell-out crowd tonight.

Feyernoord are a young, inexperienced side, and have been disappointing so far this season. Defeat against Excelsior in the derby and a draw with Heracles is hardly the form to worry their Belgian opponents. Vlaar and Wijnaldum are the only two quality players in this Dutch side, who will struggle to finish high in the league this season.

Feyernoord have been poor this season, and will have to play well to avoid defeat here. Gent are a decent side, but are prone to the odd collapse under pressure, which they will be hoping to avoid tonight.

Bet: Gent to win @ 2.28

Final Result: Gent 2 - 0 Feyernoord (BET WON)


England v Pakistan

England's batting has hardly been outstanding in this series so far, and in cloudy and damp conditions at Lords, there will be plenty on offer for bowlers. As a result, it is conceivable that England could only post a score of around 250 in their first innings. With the return of Mohammad Yousuf, Pakistan have a more solid batting line-up and should get a decent enough total.

James Anderson was the standout bowler in the first test, and has continued to pick up wickets in this series. He will not be easy to face in the conditions, and is the most reliable of the English bowlers to pick up wickets.

Matt Prior has been in good form with the bat this series, hitting a century at Trent Bridge, and an impressive innings last test that helped England to recover to a decent first innings score. He enjoys playing at Lords, and few of the other specialist batsmen are in good form.

Bet: Pakistan +80.5 runs 1st innings lead @ 1.91
Bet: James Anderson top England bowler @ 3
Bet: E/W Matt Prior top England batsman @ 11 (1/5 1,2,3)
Bet: Mohammad Yousuf (+3.5 runs) to beat Kevin Pietersen @ 1.83 (BET WON)

Saturday Betting Tips

Celtic v St Mirren

Celtic have made a decent start to the season, with home victories in Europe against Braga and Utrecht. Although losing 3-0 against Braga in Portugal was a blow, Braga’s result against Sevilla proved that they are a classy side. A 1-0 victory away to Inverness CT last week made a winning start to the new season. They have lost Aiden McGeady over the summer, but the signings of Joe Ledley, Efrain Juarez and Gary Hooper have brought in some decent players. They will also be looking to avenge their 4-0 defeat to St Mirren last season.

St Mirren managed to hold Dundee United to a 1-1 draw at home last weekend, conceding a late equaliser. However, having changed manager over the summer, it may take time to adapt to the new man. Their last two visits to Celtic have resulted in 3-1 and 7-1 defeats.

Celtic are beginning to gel, and they are always a strong team at home. They will also be looking to avenge last season’s humiliation against their opponents.

Bet: Celtic -1.75AH @ 1.9 (3/10)

Cardiff v Doncaster

Cardiff have been given a huge boost by the signing of Craig Bellamy. Bellamy could feasibly be playing for a top 6 side in the Premiership, so should get plenty of goals at this level. When you include the likes of Michael Chopra and Ross McCormack, plus the creativity of Peter Whittingham and Jason Koumas, Cardiff have the potential to score a lot of goals.

Doncaster have made a decent start, with 4 points from their opening two games. However, a home defeat to Accrington Stanley in the Carling Cup was a surprise. Billy Sharp has been a decent signing, but it would be a surprise if they can stop the euphoria surrounding Cardiff this week.

Craig Bellamy is likely to have an impact on this game, but if Doncaster focus too much on him, Cardiff have other players who could benefit from the additional space.

Bet: Cardiff -0.75AH @ 2.2 (4/10)

Leeds v Millwall

Leeds have made a slow start to their new season, with 1 point from two games thus far. A 4-0 win in the Carling Cup against Lincoln would have boosted confidence. The loss of Jermaine Beckford was a blow, and his replacement, Billy Paynter, is injured at the moment.

Millwall have been on fire this season, scoring 7 and conceding 0 in their 2 games so far. A 3-0 win away to dark horses, Bristol City, was followed up by a 4-0 demolition of Hull. Their strong, athletic approach unsettles a lot of teams, and in Steve Morrison, they have a quality striker at this level.

Millwall went to Elland Road last year and won 2-0, putting on an excellent performance. They have started this season brilliantly, and it wouldn’t be that much of a surprise to see them push on here.

Bet: Millwall +0.25AH @ 1.85 (3/10)

Lyon v Brest

Lyon have started poorly and have plenty of problems at the back, missing several players. They conceded 3 against newly-promoted Caen last week. However, they are dangerous in attack, with Gomis, Delgado, Briand and Pjanic providing a real threat.

Newly-promoted Brest have had a tricky start to the season, picking up 1 point from their 2 games. They have a strong attack with Roux and Toure, but they may struggle in defence against a strong Lyon attack.

Brest may well score in this, but it would be a surprise not to see Lyon putting a couple past them as well.

Bet: Over 2.5 goals @ 2.1 (4/10)

Rennes v Saint-Ettiene

Rennes have had a decent start with a draw against a strong Lille and an impressive 3-0 away win against Nancy. They are generally strong at home with only 2 defeats in 15, although they haven’t won in 6 at home. However, they will be boosted by the return of Ghanaian striker, Asamoah Gyan.

This season is likely to be another struggle for Saint-Ettiene. They are fairly poor away from home, and are without their main striker, Sanogo, for this match. They will be in a fight to remain in this division, but they will pick up the points at home.

Rennes should be too good for Saint-Etienne, and will be boosted by the return of Gyan to get the goals they need.

Bet: Rennes -0.75AH @ 2.11 (3/10)

Friday Betting Tips

Hrvatski Dragovoljac v Istra

Both of these sides have lost their first three games of the new season, conceding nine goals each in that time. Dragovoljac have the home advantage in this game, and have been showing some decent performances, despite their results.

Istra have looked poor, trying to play an attacking style, but lacking the quality to create anything when they get close to the opposition penalty area. They are also expecting to be without up to six players through injury tonight.

This will probably be a tight affair between two teams looking for their first points of the season. I cannot see Istra winning here, and the handicap gives a little cover for the draw.

Bet: Dragovoljac -0.25AH @ 1.74 (3/10)

SC Bregenz v FC Lustenau

Bregenz play in the third division in Austria and have picked up four points from their opening two games this season.

Lustenau are a division above their opponents and are beginning to find some decent form. They are unbeaten in five games and have picked up consecutive victories away from home.

Although it is the cup, and anything can happen, Lustenau are in good form in their own division, and I would fancy them against a team in the division below.

Bet: FC Lustenau to win @ 2.24 (3/10)

Sierning v Hartberg

Sierning play in the fourth division in Austria, although their season hasn’t started yet. They had a reasonable record at home last season, only losing 3 out of 13 games, with a goal difference of +12.

Hartberg have had a terrible start to the season, picking up only 1 points from their first six games so far. With only 4 wins in their past 18 away matches, they are not in good form at the moment.

Hartberg have superior quality to their opponents, but they are out of form, and in the cup, anything can happen.

Bet: Sierning to win @ 6 (1/10)

Le Mans v Reims

Le Mans impressed in their first game in this division with a 2-0 win away to Nantes. They have retained most of their players after relegation last season, and despite missing a couple of players here, they are a very strong team.

Reims are always a little unconvincing away from home. They play an attacking 4-3-3 formation, but look a little light at the back, which could be exposed against a strong and quick Le Mans attack.

Le Mans should win this to continue a good start to their attempt to win promotion at the first attempt.

Bet: Le Mans -0.75AH @ 2.04 (5/10)

Evian v Vannes

After winning promotion last season, Evian have begun well with 2 wins from 2 this season. Their first home game in this division has led to a sell-out crowd, and they play at altitude, which could cause a few problems for visiting teams.

Vannes won last weekend, but are without four players for this match. This will affect their defence, and against an Evian side who looked impressive on the break last weekend, this could be a problem. They also look a little lightweight up front.

Evian will be looking to kick their new home campaign off in style, and I think they can do it.

Bet: Evian to win @ 2.06 (3/10)