Who Will Lift The Cup?
2009 FA Cup Final Betting Guide
It’s the FA Cup Third Round this weekend and with the minnows taking on the big boy’s it got us thinking who can win the Cup this season?
Well if history is to be believed it would pay to put your money on one of the big four reaching the final at least. Since the 1990-91 season there have only been two finals that haven’t featured Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United or Liverpool, one was last year’s Portsmouth v Cardiff final.
The big four are prominent in the betting this year as expected, with Chelsea 7/2 (Bodog), Manchester United 9/2 (Coral), Liverpool 7/1 (Skybet) and Arsenal 7/1 (Betfair). With all four sides still in Europe it will take a great effort to do well in both the Cup and Champions League and battling on three fronts-if you count the Premier League may be too much for some of them.
Liverpool seem to be putting in a concerted effort for that elusive Premier League Title and we don’t believe the FA Cup will be a priority and we wouldn’t be looking to back them. Arsenal could figure if they get decent draws, but they will probably field a young side in the early rounds and could come unstuck. Chelsea have a big enough squad to cope with all the games and have to be considered as possible winners, but we have seen already this season they are not invincible and can be beaten by lower league sides. That leaves Manchester United who we think will have a good chance of getting to Wembley if they can keep their squad fit.
Outside of the big four you could make a case for some other Premiership teams to do well. Aston Villa are playing well and look like a team who are extremely hard t beat. If they can avoid the big four until the latter stages of the competition they could be worth a bet at 16/1 (Skybet) to reach their first Final since 2000.
Everton are another team who are hard to beat on their day and at 20/1 (Bodog) are worth considering each/way. Defending Champions Portsmouth aren’t in the best of form and the 20/1 (Ladbrokes) looks far too short in our opinion and we wouldn’t be backing them.
We wouldn’t be too surprised to see Tottenham do well in one off games and they don’t look too bad a price at 16/1 (Bet365).
Teams from the Championship have performed reasonably well in recent years and a couple are worth considering doing well again including last years finalists Cardiff who are 2501/ (Skybet). Wolves 33/1 (Bodog) may well concentrate on winning the Championship and a Cup run doesn’t look likely to us.
Burnley have already shown in the Carling Cup they can be a match for anyone in a one-off game and a bit of each/way at 300/1 (Coral) could be worth a small bet. Sheffield United have had some decent Cup runs over the years and they could have some sort of chance at 100/1 (Coral) of making the Final.
It won’t pay to look beyond the Championship for a cup winner, but a bet on which League One team or League Two team who will progress furthest may give lower league fans a bit of interest. Scunthorpe at 8/1 to progress furthest of the League One teams looks a good bet as most other league One teams would appear to have stiff tasks to reach round four.
Ipswich 7/1 (Bet365) and Sheffield United 12/1 (Bet365) are our selections as the Championship sides to go furthest o the competition.
So who is going to win at Wembley? Well we’ll be looking for Manchester United to get to the final and Aton Villa look worth a bet. Our outside bet each way is Sheffield United who could go well if the draw is kind to them.