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2006-10-24 - West Brom vs Arsenal
A Sports Betting Pick by Gooner
The Carling Cup. Surely the bane of any serious punters bank.Team line-ups are frequently not known until just before kick off and you end up having to take a punt based on rumour an innuendo.
With that said - I can see plenty of visitors looking for previews - so here is what I think MIGHT happen - but please keep all stakes small.
These Carling Cup ties are not the most attractive betting opportunities.
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West Brom will host "young" Arsenal in a game that has all the makings of a potential upset - but only if the home side are at full strength.
WEST BROM
Team news remains scarce at West Brom, with D Carter likely to be back for WBA, but K Phillips remains sidelined and there is a big league game for the club this weekend against rivals Birmingham City.
Maybe that league game is more important than this cup fixture?
If West Brom do field a strong side then they're in good form - with 4 wins in a row in the Championship - scoring 14 goals in that run.
The Baggies are also undefeated at home with a 5-1-0 record so far this season - and last year they did manage to beat a full strength Arsenal team 2-1 in the Premier League.
ARSENAL
Arsenal will take a second string side to the Hawthorns - with none of the team that started against CSKA Moscow and Reading starting is this game.
But it's still a very well known team with players like Walcott, Adebayor, Clichy, Flamini, Song, Aladiere, Almunia and Denilson. That quite a strong "second" Arsenal side.
It's also suggested that the bench may contain the younger first team stars with Toure, Fabregas, Rosicky, Hleb, Van Persie all mentioned as possibly travelling.
THE VERDICT
This young Arsenal team that Wenger likes to trial in the Carling Cup do amazingly well - and have beaten a lot of Premier League and Championship sides - including a 3-0 win over runaway leaders Reading last season.
And it is tough to know how the new WBA boss Mowbray looks upon this cup game. Maybe he is looking for wins in all games at this early moment with his new club.
This is just like the game on the weekend - Arsenal are most likely to win - but the extremely high price on the Baggies at home is certainly value.
The Pick :
West Brom 0-2 Arsenal
BEST BETTING TIP :
I'm not going to get caught into recommending a bet here - I "think" that Arsenal are most likely to win - but the price is poor.And I certainly would NOT put Baggies fans off a wee wager at a top price.
