Bournemouth can pile the misery on Paul Lambert’s Villa
FOR A team that only secured their Football League status back in the 2008/2009 season with a late winner on the final day of the campaign, Bournemouth’s meteoric rise to the top of the Championship has been a brilliant advertisement of the club’s management.
The Cherries have played extraordinary football at times this season, smashing in 57 goals in the league – eight more than anyone else. They have handed out 8-0 and 6-1 thrashings to Birmingham and Blackpool, as well as a 5-1 drubbing to Rotherham in the last round of the FA Cup – all away games.
Their free-flowing football makes the side look a great bet to upset struggling Aston Villa at Villa Park on Sunday in their FA Cup fourth-round tie at the 2/1 offered by Betway.
Villa have endured a miserable season scoring a Premier League-low of 11 goals in their 22 games. That’s eight fewer than any other team has managed.
Betway make them a 5/2 chance to suffer relegation and Paul Lambert’s men have shown little of late to suggest that quote is unfair.
The only victory they have recorded in a sequence of eight fixtures that has included four losses was the 1-0 win over Blackpool in the last round, which saw them score only their second goal since 20 December.
Bournemouth have failed to keep a clean sheet in their last 14 FA Cup ties, but the Villa attack is hardly one to fear and, with their firepower up top, led by Callum Wilson, they are good value to hammer what could be the final nail into Lambert’s coffin. The Scot is as short as 7/2 to be the next top-flight manager to leave his post.
Leeds did beat Bournemouth on Tuesday night at Elland Road, yet the visitors should have taken at least a point. They had a goal disallowed and then Yann Kermorgant missed a late penalty.
Assuming they can bounce back in front of the nervy Villa faithful, I can see the visitors reaching the fifth round for only the second time in their history.
I wouldn’t put anyone off selling Villa’s supremacy at 0.1 with Sporting Index as even a draw would make a marginal profit. The time of the hosts’ first goal is pitched at 50-53 with the spread betting company and that’s not the worst buy to have for small stakes considering Villa’s record in front of goal.
■ Pointers…
Bournemouth at 2/1 with Betway
Buy time of the first Villa goal at 53 with Sporting Index