Betting.Betfair

[u]Peterborough v West Ham[/u] I'm a massive believer in digging out current form, short-term trends and recent results when looking for bets in the all-too-unpredictable world of the Championship. But with this one I am shifting slightly, simply because even allowing for their indifferent recent form, the Hammers should be able to win this. If they don't, then their game in hand is spent and they will be at least a win behind the top two. And let's be honest, even though their recent form is no wins in five attempts, this is a West Ham side that has not lost in 10 league games, dating back to January 31. The fact they have drawn seven and only won three of them is the reason why we can back a team arguably stronger than any in this division at 2.06 to win at a side that was playing...

[u]Portsmouth v Birmingham, KO: Tuesday 19:45[/u] Surely it can only be Birmingham's form before the weekend that is allowing us to back them at greater than even-money in this one? The Blues have been through a sticky patch that saw them go four without a win in the league, but they bounced back to ease past Middlesbrough on Saturday. They also know how to beat struggling teams, having won seven of their previous nine games against teams in the bottom six. And they don't come much more 'struggling' than Pompey: in administration, eight points adrift of safety and hurtling towards the gaping trap door that leads to League One. Manager Michael Appleton has seen four players loaned out in the last three weeks, and so it's little surprise that Portsmouth have not won in nine league...

[u]Crystal Palace v Cardiff, 20:00, Sky Sports 1[/u] Every year at this time, you can bank on this writer dragging out his Carling Cup semi-final party piece, one that seems to grow in stature rather than diminish with each passing season, about how home advantage is everything in these ties. More so than in title deciders, season-defining play-off games and epic Champions League clashes, it is at this stage of this competition that playing in front of your fans lends an air of invincibility. The stat proving so is that 11 of the last 12 Carling Cup semi-final matches have been won by the hosts. In just two of the last 24 by contrast have the visiting team triumphed, so it is quite a shock despite their superior performance in the Championship to see Cardiff rated 2.42 favourites,...