Advertorial: Trading Talk – FA Cup Quarter-Finals

If spread bettors were asked to pick the last eight of the FA Cup in August, I doubt there would have been many to select the teams that will do battle at the weekend.

Reading are the Championship’s lone representative and they face Aston Villa. The other games see Fulham host Tottenham, Portsmouth take on Birmingham and Stoke travel to Stamford Bridge.

The action gets underway for spread punters on Saturday lunchtime as Portsmouth play host to Birmingham. Spread buyers of Pompey’s win index will be hoping that last weekend’s victory at Burnley can galvanise the side and provide some much needed confidence. Although sellers will be aware that Pompey have only won three home league games this campaign.

Sporting Index’s time of the first match goal spread market will spark debate among spread bettors, as games at Fratton Park involving Birmingham have featured early goals. In the side’s last three meetings on the South Coast, the opening goal has arrived in the 6th, 4th and 10th minute.

The Cottagers have once again been strong at home this season, which will please those looking to buy their win index spread against Harry Redknapp’s team. Fulham have won four of their previous six league games at Craven Cottage, while they have won both matches they’ve played at home in the FA Cup.

However, those looking to buy Tottenham’s win index can draw comfort in the fact that Fulham’s home cup games were against Notts County and Swindon.

Spread bettors looking to buy Tottenham’s supremacy should note that the side haven’t fared too well in their recent visits to West London. Spurs have not won on their last three visits to Fulham, but buyers will be hoping for a repeat of the FA Cup meeting in 2007- a match that Spurs won 4-0. The sides’ last meeting at Fulham ended 0-0 to the delight of those that sold total goals that afternoon.

Those looking to buy the same spread this weekend can take encouragement that the previous four meetings between these sides have produced 15 goals.

Reading face the Villans on Sunday, a side they’ve beaten once in their five meetings since 2000- sellers of Villa’s supremacy spread will note the Royals’ 2-0 win in 2007. Punters looking at the bookings spread will have seen that the last three games between these sides has only accumulated a total of 80 points on the spreads.

However, buyers will point to the 2007 meeting at Villa Park, where Ibrahima Sonko was sent off and 55 points were made up on the spread.

Chelsea’s impressive form in the FA Cup has continued under Carlo Ancelotti to the joy of spread punters who bought their outright win index (100pts to the winner, 70pts to runner-up, 50pts to losing semi-finalist) – currently at 78. Chelsea have defeated Stoke in every game since the Potters’ promotion to the Premier League, whilst they also beat them 2-0 in the 2003 FA Cup.

Punters looking at the total goal minute spread will be interested to know that the last three meetings have featured late goals. The total goal make-up for games between Stoke and Chelsea since 2008 has been 167, 238 and 112.