*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widget, while in-copy odds are accurate at the time of publication but subject to change
12.30pm: Nottingham Forest v Bournemouth
If a week is a long time in football then a fortnight is an eternity. Two Saturdays ago Bournemouth hadn’t tasted victory in the league since their first fixture of this calendar year. Defeat at home to Sheffield Wednesday on the following Tuesday was enough to see Jason Tindall lose his job. Jonathan Woodgate and Harry Redknapp rocked up in caretaker roles and suddenly things are considerably rosier down at The Vitality with back-to-back Championship and FA Cup wins.
Saturday 12.30pm: Nottingham Forest v Bournemouth
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Their hosts on Saturday, Nottingham Forest, will be feeling a whole lot better at kick-off on Saturday’s early game than they were 14 days previous. Chris Hughton’s charges are slowly making their way up the table and have won two on the bounce, but drew one and lost two before that.
Short-price punt: Both Teams To Score
Even when things haven’t been going well for both of these sides, they have been able to find the net. Keeping it out at the other end has proven more difficult.
Nottingham Forest have scored in six of their last seven league fixtures, with only Barnsley being able to keep them at bay over that period. Bournemouth have scored in five of their Championship games over the same timeframe, netting seven times and shipping 10. Both Teams To Score feels like the safest play here.
Value Play: The Draw
Bournemouth’s away form has been one of the reasons their season is in danger of collapsing. They’ve drawn six of their 14 games with four wins and four losses completing their record.
Forest have a middling home record but have drawn as many as they’ve lost (five) and won four on home soil. Both of these sides are in a good place at the moment but something has to give and, with each fond of a draw, I’m backing that result as our value play in this game.
Long Shot: Junior Stanislas to Score 2 or More Goals
Junior Stanislas has been in fine goal-scoring form with three goals in his last four games. Granted, two of them have been from the spot but that gives us more hope this long shot could come off.
Bournemouth’s bevvy of quick, skilful attacking players lends itself to winning a lot of spot-kicks and with The Cherries looking dangerous again Forest will need to be on their toes. If the England youth international can score from open play or from the spot early it’s likely Stanislas will get another chance to bag 2 or More Goals in this game.
Saturday’s acca
Next we turn out attention to The Championship, League One and League Two to try and find some suggestions for your 3pm acca on Saturday. There’s some pretty grim weather about in England at the moment with plenty of snow and freezing conditions with a bit of rain thrown in down south so it might be worth biding your time before making your final selections.
3pm: Sheffield Wednesday v Swansea – Swansea to Win
The Swans are flying at the moment and their progress will not have been dented by a spirited 3-1 loss to the mighty Manchester City in the FA Cup during the week. The second tier’s 3rd-placed team have a game in hand after beating Norwich 2-0 last weekend but are four points adrift of Brentford in The Championship as they head to Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday.
The Owls’ recent improvement has been well documented and they’ve recorded three wins and two losses over their last five but remain in the relegation zone. Steve Cooper’s visitors are in great form and are a cut above their hosts this weekend so the way to play is to back the Swansea Win here.
3pm: Hull v MK Dons – Hull to win
We’re getting a really good price on the automatic-promotion chasing Hull to beat midtable MK Dons at home on Saturday. Hull’s results over the last five are a little concerning, but their poor results have come away from the KCOM Stadium recently and they’re 3rd in the season-long home form table.
MK Dons are 14th in the league and are in decent form, but their wins have been coming against the sides below them and they last time they beat anyone higher than them in the league was back at Sunderland in November. The last time The Tigers suffered defeat at home was back in December and Hull to Win is a good pick for any acca this Saturday.
3pm: Plymouth v Fleetwood – Plymouth to Win
Plymouth are a streaky side but right now they’re in really good nick. Since losing six on the bounce back in November and December they’ve lost just once and they boast the 5th best home record in League One despite sitting 12th in the table.
Their opponents on Saturday, Fleetwood, are one place below them in the league but have the 21st-best record on the road. They’ve drawn a lot of games but have won just once (last time out) in their last 10 games. Expect Plymouth to triumph in this archetypical mid-table clash.
3pm: Cambridge v Southend – Cambridge to Win
It’s top vs 23rd in League Two on Saturday and while Cambridge will be odds-on to beat Southend this weekend, they’re still an acca-backable price at the time of writing. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Cambridge are only second in the home-form table on goal difference while The Shrimpers’ away form has them in the relegation zone.
Southend did pick up a shock win at Newport in the week, but The Exiles are in freefall after their recent FA Cup exploits. United have only dropped two points at home from their last 15 available and it’s hard to see anything other than a Cambridge Win in this contest.
Tips for Saturday
12.30pm: Nottingham Forest v Bournemouth
Short price punt: Both Teams to Score
Value Play: The Draw
Long Shot: Junior Stanislas to Score 2 or More Goals
Saturday’s 3pm acca
3pm: Sheffield Wednesday v Swansea – Swansea to Win
3pm: Hull v MK Dons – Hull to Win
3pm: Plymouth v Fleetwood – Plymouth to Win
3pm: Cambridge v Southend – Cambridge to Win
These selections in an acca-insured four-fold will give you odds of around 15/1 with Paddy Power.
*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widget, while in-copy odds are accurate at the time of publication but subject to change
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