Some weekends.....

Sometimes you have a few days in this game where things just go right. You just have to enjoy it when it happens because they dont come along often. Dont think the weekend could have gone much better really. United and Barcelona scoring in the first 2 minutes of their matches, own goals went my way in the Blackburn and AC Milan matches, Besiktas thump Bucaspor on Friday, Real scrape a lucky victory and the one bet I did lose was when I lowered my stakes. It was just one of those weekends and it has put me back in profit for January which never looked likely on several occasions this month.

I was really just going with form. Utd have dropped 2 points at home all season so I was happy with 1.23. Madrid have dropped no points at home this season so again I was happy to take 1.2ish even though it was a struggle for them. Barca at 1.07 were a bit short but they've only dropped 4 points at home all season and they last dropped points in October. The correct score on the Blackburn match was a bit of a punt as was Besiktas on Friday but they've made some impressive signing in the transfer window and could potentially prove to be a very profitable team to get behind for the rest of the season. Disappointing to lose out on the Inter match particularly after they had taken the lead but Udinese are a quality side. Di Natale and Sanchez always looked threatening and they could have won by more than the 2 goals. Thankfully I only bet small on that one. Things just went that way for me.

Not really sure about the Bolton Chelsea match tonight. Its very very tricky. Chelsea usually do very well at the Reebok but Bolton have been solid this season and Chelsea are most certainly not. Do I dare ruin the good work by getting involved or is the luck going my way at the moment?? Knowing me I'll probably get involved! Good luck everyone! Cheers!

January Struggles

Been a tough month so far but Im on somewhat of a recovery at the moment. Its tough to know where to begin. I've been up and down so many times I'm actually quite relieved to not have lost more. The lowest I was down was over 500ish but Im back to about half that now. The matches that have cost me so far this month are Spurs v Utd, l'arse ipswich and wolves chelsea. Just making the wrong choices at the wrong times. Also lost a few quid on an Atletico match in the correct score market. Not felt too clever on several occasions this month. I also forgot about the few quid I lost on the darts until uploading the screen shot. 

On a positive note, my last few bets this week have netted me around 240 without having to do too much and if betfair didnt go down yesterday it would have been more! Bloody ridiculous Betfair. Words cant even describe them at times. "Planned Maintenance" when really the site has done its conkers. Cheeky gits I also went each way on kauto star last saturday. Thanks for hanging on McCoy when Kauto decided to plough through the last instead of jumping it! Cant believe they want to race him at Cheltenham but anyway we'll see what happens. I thought Binocular looked amazing but I'm not that big into the horses. It all happens too quickly for my liking. And the moaning that takes place on the betfair forum when a horse doesnt win. Jesus its laughable. So many threads stating Kauto would have won if it was Ruby and its all McCoys fault??!!!  Great stuff. Could have sworn I saw Ruby on his ass at Cheltenham thanks to Kauto.....

I have a feeling that the coming weekend is going to be a big one. I dont know why. Its got that make or break feel to it. Could still end the month in profit or else do more damage. After a great December Im still feeling in pretty good shape although work is getting tough and Im having to spend alot of time with the other half. Its all about balance! Hopefully everyone else is getting on well. Good luck! Cheers!

New Year

Up and down start to the New Year. Was sitting on €100 profit from football on New Years Day and lost it all on the darts so as we've learnt in the past week this darts lark just ain't for me! Well at least we know that now! I love watching it but when it comes to betting on it I just seem to make the wrong calls....

So just left it to the football yesterday and upped my stakes a little because well I just felt like it! Barca didn't exactly make for easy viewing yesterday but I won and thats the main thing. They're really not the same without Messi are they?? Even when Xavi, Iniesta, Pedro and Villa play, they're still not the same without the Argentine wizard. The Chelsea match also put me through the motions because I was betting on it and because I really didn't want to see them win. You have to really love this game sometimes though. The prat JT thinks he's won them the match and then the Chelsea defenders decide to have a game of musical statues to celebrate their 3 points, the only problem is the bloody game wasn't over.... Honestly, how much time did Clarke have to nod in the equaliser?? The lad could have whipped out his pipe, slippers and swirled a brandy and the Chelsea defenders still wouldn't have reacted in time. Glorious. Having trouble uploading the screen shot but one is coming!

More football on again tonight so hopefully we can find a winner two to keep us moving along. Im up about 700ish for my last 30 days which im happy with considering i missed some weekends betting because I was away and I was playing with lower stakes. Im also considering entering the online poker world to see if it can be any way profitable. Any thoughts or tips would be most welcome. Good luck everyone. Cheers!

Less Darting Around Please!

Well it had to happen at some stage in December I suppose. My first loss of the month came in the darts. Paul Nicholson losing to that tart Peter Wright. Its an amazing game really is the darts because if you're not hitting the doubles then it really doesn't matter what else you do. Nicholson comfortably outscored Wright all match but was just atrocious when it came to the doubles. Strange really for a man who likes to think he is at his best when he is under pressure. Afraid not Paul!! Perhaps the Aussies getting spanked in Melbourne was on his mind although I dont really understand all this Nicholson is a dirty Aussie talk, whenever I hear him speak I just hear a Geordie.... Answers on the back of a post card to that one! Whitlock, now there's a proper Aussie!

So damage control was required and there is nowhere else to turn to then good old reliable football. I didnt chase as such as the tactics remained the same, just upped the stakes a bit to boost the winnings and get myself in profit again. Correct score on l'arse chelsea worked a treat and then it was match odds after that in the other matches. Thankfully managed to avoid the carnage at Anfield. Wouldnt touch a Liverpool match with a barge pole. Shocking to watch as well. The brum equaliser against utd was a bit of a sickener, handball, offside, Rio fouled.... Was strange how Bowyer wasnt tracked and had so much space that late in the game though. And VDS didnt exactly throw himself in the way of it did he?? Anyway, 3 points in the early kick off on Saturday would be a good tonic to cure the blues. Im also enjoying picking up a few quid here and there on Spurs particularly at White Harte Lane. Just good to watch and seem to deliver nearly all the time. No major stakes but just tipping along.

So unless I dabble in the darts again, thats it for December and the year. Im sure every gambler is starting the New Year with the same aspirations of having a good one and making it count etc. I suppose I'll be no different really. I'd like to wish fellow bloggers/gamblers a happy new year. After all, we're all in the same boat so we might as well try and keep each other going instead of joining the "I told you so" army. They have plenty of members already thanks very much! As Churchill once said, continuous effort - not strength or intelligence - is the key to unlocking our potential. Slightly corny I know but it keeps me going through the day job and the gambling! Have a great 2011 everyone! Cheers! Enda

St. Stephens Day

Happy St Stephens Day everyone and hopefully the xmas was good to everyone! Its looking like I'm going to make it through the dreaded December in profit. Update since the last post is below. Again I've not been risking too much but I feel like Im in good form going into the new year.

The only real blemish was Fulham earlier but if you told me that I would have a loss and still end the day in profit then I would take that all day long. Fulham really not in good shape at the moment. I actually think West Ham can stay up but signing Sidwell could be a sign that they're going to lose Parker and then they would be in bother. Utd just keep on delivering so was happy to risk a few bob on them today. Loving the form of Anderson in particular. Always rated him very highly and if you compare his performances to his Brazilian colleagues Ramires and Lucas then I definitely know which one I would be picking but I'm always biased. My old man walked in the door today and said that Newstalk 107 said Utd had signed Ashley Young!? Hasn't been a mention of it anywhere else all day so either Newstalk are the only news source in the world that knows this or the old man is starting to lose his marbles... A tiny win on Anderlecht rounded off the day. Never really dabble in the Belgian stuff but there you go!

Plenty more matches to keep us going over the next few days. Hopefully everyone is getting on grand and Happy Christmas and New Year. Lets hope a few winners come our way. Good luck everyone! Sláinte!

Balance

Its been a quiet enough 7 or days so. I spent last weekend in Carlow. Was able to pull off a couple of bets on Saturday but on Sunday I was stranded, helpless, nothing could be done. No laptop. No computer. I have a phone that doesn't accept betfair mobile. I'm not sure I've ever felt as frustrated. I suppose when you do the majority of your betting at the weekend and then something pops up its just a right pain in the ass. I think Im pretty good at balancing this stuff and the rest of my life but Sunday left me really pissed off. It wasn't so much that I was missing out on a good day of betting but I think my frustration is that everything feels very slow at the moment. I've spoken a bit over the last couple of weeks of my fear surrounding doing my conkers in December and perhaps it's affecting my mindset. Still though, winners are coming so its not too hard to complain.... Would love to take this thing to the next level. I suppose its good to develop a certain level of fear. There was a time where I could lose a hell of alot and just sleep like a baby!! I dont want to be that guy who is always pissed off when  he cant bet though, particularly when Im spending time with someone important.

Anyway, enough of the serious chat! Chelsea still cant buy a win. Oh its so delightful. But what was even more pleasing was seeing some Liverpool supporters on the Betfair forum looking forward to tearing Newcastle a new one on Saturday evening because Woy has the team playing well, Lucas is now world class, Meireles is settling in and Torres looking sharp. Just the 3-1 to the toon then! Its always tough to assess how teams with a new manager are going to play so thats why I stayed away from match odds.

Was looking forward to the match on Monday all day. Really didnt fancy Arsenal getting anything better than a draw and was super confident laying them. Thought they were really poor against Partizan last Wednesday and lets face it, they've lost to Newcastle and West Brom at home this season. Title contenders?? Get fourth and they will be doing well. And Wenger blaming the pitch capped off a very happy evening. A proper handbag so he is.

Just sort of tipped along for the last few nights. Nothing major at all but it was something. Not sure how the weekend is shaping up. Could end up being away again! Would love to see the Espanyol Barca match, even if I dont get to bet. Will be a good un! Hopefully everyone is looking forward to the Christmas. Good luck!

A Brief History of Carlos Tevez

A Brief History Of Carlos Tevez
The boy's got form...

Boca Juniors (2001-2004)
Tevez forces his way out of the club claiming that the press intrusion in Argentina is too much for him and his family and the club aren't doing enough to support him. Public bust-up with manager also ensues.

Claims he loves the club and supporters, and always will.

Time at club: Two-and-a-half seasons.

Corinthians (2005-2006)
Tevez forces his way out of the club, going on strike, after arguments - some physical - with teammates, the head coach and the club president.

Claims he loves the club and supporters, and always will.

Time at club: One season.

West Ham (2006-2007)
Tevez almost immediately falls out with the manager and players. Storms off and threatens to go on strike after being substituted. Goes AWOL to Argentina at one point.

Claims he loves the club and supporters, and always will.

Time at club: One season.

Manchester United (2007-2009)
Tevez complains of being fatigued and overplayed in his first season. In his second, he complains of being underplayed - drama queening it every time he's taken off - managing just five goals, despite playing more minutes than the league's third top scorer Fernando Torres. Parting shot of "I'll scream in Ferguson's face when I score against them".

Claims he loves the club and supporters, and always will.

Time at club: Two seasons.

Manchester City (2009-????)
Tevez is tired, homesick, wants to retire, takes time off to see his daughter and is caught on camera spending that time allegedly banging his mistress (the actual banging remains unphotographed), feels there's too much greed in football despite being the highest-paid player in Britain, hates football in general yet throws a wobbly every time he's taken off, wants his old life back, hates the club executives, claims that he would like to punch his young teammates and finally hands in a transfer request.

Claims he loves the club and supporters, and always will.

Time at club: One-and-a-half seasons so far, some of it begrudgingly.

Who would sign him now?

Source: Football365.com