Premier League Opening Weekend Shocks

Still think that you know your betting? The opening weekend, indeed, weeks, are notoriously difficult to predict in any league, but the opening weekend of this season’s Premier League was a clear indication of why seeking the advice of a professional football tipster really can be worth its weight in gold.Here are just a few of the results from the Premier League’s first weekend that maybe didn’t go according to plan.

Arsenal Hammered!

Top of the pile on the heap entitled ‘upsets’ was West Ham’s surprise win at the Emirates Stadium. Arsenal have been spoken about in many quarters as serious challengers for the Premier League title (and indeed they may well turn out to be), while West Ham manager Slaven Bilic found himself in the rather curious position of being under pressure from some sections of the Upton Park faithful after some rather inept performances in the Europa League qualifying rounds before the Premier League season had even kicked off (which must be some kind of record). In fact, so poor were the Hammers’ showings in Europe that they only scraped past Maltese side Birkirkara (on penalties) and were eventually knocked out by Romanina side Astra Giurgiu. Arsenal, of course, were fresh from their 1-0 Community Shield victory over last season’s Premier League champions Chelsea. So, hands up if you predicted a Hammers’ win – and by two clear goals? Although not many Professional Football Tipsters would have been backing a West Ham win, an Arsenal victory (at as low as 1.31), was never any value.

The Blues Sing The Blues

Chelsea themselves didn’t fare much better. Facing a very winnable home fixture against one of last season’s surprise packages, Swansea City, the 2-2 draw, which saw the Stamford Bridge side play the final 40 minutes with ten men after ‘keeper Thibaut Courtois was sent off for bringing down Swans striker Bafetimbi Gomis, which led to the big Frenchman equalising from the penalty spot, would have spoiled many a punter’s coupon, including some Professional Football Tipsters – after all, we’re all human.

Any other surprises?

Depends who you ask, but if the bookmaker’s odds were anything to go by, Aston Villa were far from favourites to claim a victory at Dean Court, even if it was Bournemouth’s first ever game in the Premier League. Villa were as far out as 3.75 to claim a victory, which they did thanks to Rudy Gestede’s debut winner less than twenty minutes from time. And although rather shorter in the odds (2.25), Liverpool were far from convincing favourites to claim a victory at The Britannia stadium less than three months after their 6-1 mauling at the same venue. And then there was Watford, who set many hearts fluttering with their performance at Goodison Park to earn a 2-2 draw with Roberto Martinez’s Everton side. A strange result indeed, until that is, that you consider that in Martinez’s two previous campaigns in charge at the Toffees, the opening day results read 2-2 and 2-2. Pre-match, the draw was 3.80. That’s why professional football tipsters are professional, and the rest of us are, well, not.

The Result?

Well, it’s just the nature of the best, isn’t it? Football betting is not a one-weekend wonder, and these results can, and do happen. But what the professional football tipsters know, and what it is our duty to learn, is that over the course of the season, although there will be ups and downs, and results that will raise eye-brows, the cream will eventually rise to the top. Professional football tipsters play the long game, and if we want to make money, that is how we should be playing it too – with their help. By:  Steven Paget]]>