Monday 28th October 2024

In Across the Leagues today:

• I live and breathe this stuff…

• What do Oxford and Wolves have in common?

• Goalscoring defenders can pay big… 

Nerd Alert? This isn’t just a day job…

‘Nerd Alert’ is one of my wife’s go-to phrases. Hurled at me in jest whenever I head off down one of my facts & figures wormholes…

It could be the year a song or album came out. The ‘hidden references’ in a movie. Or pointing out the differences between the original Skoda Yeti and the 2013 post-facelift models (for example of course. Ahem)...

The same goes for sports, betting, and the stats. It’s not all in my head. I have spreadsheets, too!

When I’m not watching football, or tennis - I’m not far from checking the latest scores on my phone. This isn’t a 9 to 5 job…

I’d be lying if I said I ‘switch off’ once I’ve sent you my weekly emails, updates, predictions, analysis - and of course, bet advice.

Ah, the bets. It’s glory-days when we win big. It’s a bleak winter of despair when I send us on a losing streak. Ups and downs…

As a kid, I remember my grandad telling me he’d been ‘offered’ the chance to buy into a racehorse. Its name was Rollercoaster. Yep, that sums it up. And I never heard about that horse again…

Why the ramble today? Well, maybe the weather has got to me. I feel like I’ve had a cold or worse for pushing three weeks now. It’s started to get me down - and I’m not normally grumpy. More likely, subconsciously, even. A lack of winners lately has got me feeling the burn…

It happens. But we always bounce back. We’ve hit two-out-of-four-legs from our two recent 50/1+ Bet Builders. All three of Saturday’s 57/1 Win & Both Teams to Score picks got the ‘Win’ part right - but only one also got the goals at both ends. We’re getting close enough to be kept very interested, and produce the odd tingle of excitement…

When we next strike big - and it is when, and not if. Then I’ll have a spring in my step, whatever the weather.

That brings me back to today’s headline…

Nerd Alert? That’s me. More than just a day job? Correct. The sport never stops, and neither does our quest. The stats are always growing, and throwing up angles - and I love finding them, and passing them on to you…

For example…

Oxford United were ‘out-cornered’ (can I copyright that phrase?) again at the weekend. Oxford have now played 12 games in the Championship this season, and won the Most Corners in just one of them. In other words, as we did the other day against Derby County - look to back Oxford Utd’s opponents in the Most Corners/ Corner Match Bet/ Corner Handicap markets.

While we’re at it. Wolves are the only team in the English Premier League or Football League yet to win the Most Corners in a single game this term. Wolves are none from 9 in that department.

Also in my notes - goalscoring defenders…

Virgil van Dijk scored for Liverpool yesterday. His central defensive partner Ibrahima Konate has got a couple of goals this season, too. And if we look at the Premier League’s official chart for Goals by Defenders in 2024/25, then these boys should be kept on the radar for fancy-price betting opportunities in the Anytime/ First/ Last Goalscorer markets:

And finally for today…

When I say this is more than just a day job: I really do mean it. As you may have seen in recent emails from us, exciting changes are afoot behind the scenes. Spa Publishing Group is soon to become our new company name, and a couple of my closest and longest-serving colleagues and I are going ‘all in’ as part of this venture. There’s lots to look forward to. Watch this space…

In the meantime, I’ll see you on Wednesday with some more standout stats, a look at the midweek fixtures - and a look ahead to the weekend action.

Enjoy the football…

P.S
Got any thoughts on today’s article? You can email me at:

oliver.upstone@oxonpress.co.uk

Best wishes,

Oliver Upstone

Across the Leagues