Football Betting & Transfer Deadline Day

Transfer deadline day in the Premiership is always frantic with the media rumour mill going into overdrive and fans texting in to the BBC sports website and other outlets saying they have spotted a player at a training ground, whilst other fans have spotted the same player somewhere else. Even Twitter got involved this year, with fans tweeting rumours and player sightings. In the end, however, there was less than £20 million spent and the day something of an anti-climax. Let’s look at the deals that did take place and analyse their impact on your soccer betting for the rest of the season.

Championship leaders Newcastle Utd strengthened their squad during January with the signing of Leon Best from Coventry, completing the permanent signing of full back Danny Simpson from Man Utd and Mike Williamson from Portsmouth. They also loaned Patrick Van Aanholt from Chelsea who is said to be a good prospect and Fitz Hall from QPR. This strengthening of the squad should help them consolidate their position at the summit of the Championship and make a real push for promotion.

Premiership strugglers Sunderland loaned Alan Hutton from Tottenham to shore up their back line and managed to hold onto Kenwyne Jones who was subject to intense speculation over his future. With one win in fourteen games they need all hands on deck to avoid being sucked into the relegation battle. By improving their defence and keeping one of their best goal scorers, I am expecting Sunderland to turn around their bad run of form.

It turned out to be a quiet transfer window for the top teams. Chelsea did not splash out in the transfer window and despite the rumour mill alleging that Michael Owen was about to sign for Aston Villa the deadline passed without any news of a transfer. Manchester City, whom we must now consider one of the top sides in the league, signed young winger Adam Johnson from Middlesbrough. This signing surprised me as they could go after any player and have chosen a prospect rather than an established star. Time will tell whether it will have an impact but this does not alter my thoughts on their chances of winning the league and with Robinho leaving the club on loan to Santos, perhaps the fear of Man City will diminish slightly towards the end of the season, making them vulnerable.

Tottenham and their wheeler-dealer manager Harry Redknapp were very active as always on deadline day. Asmir Begovic was put up in a nice hotel but disappeared before sun break and signed for Stoke from Portsmouth. This means Redknapp will be forced to stick with Gomes in goal for the rest of the season. Their strike force was improved with the loan signing of Eidur Gudjohnsen from Barcelona allowing Robbie Keane to leave and join Celtic on loan. The defensive signing of Kaboul from Portsmouth will make a good central partnership with Bassong. This could ensure Spurs make a real push for the Champions league and I back them to have a good second half of the season.

Hopefully this article has helped you research the impact that the transfer window activity has had on your betting on soccer between now and the end of the season. Chelsea and Man Utd are favourites for the title, but good signings made by Tottenham and Man City may have closed the gap even further on the top teams. Rumour has it that Fabregas may leave Arsenal in the summer, so Arsenal will need to do well to persuade their captain to stay at the club.

It promises to be an intriguing season so get your bets on early for the football and enjoy the action.

By Malcolm Clarke