In all of the media chatter over the past day or so about Celtic’s official complaint regarding refereeing decisions given against them, I have yet to hear or read one important phrase “Let’s take a look at the decisions this season and see if there is any merit in their claim.”  The absence of this statement kind of backs up my point last week doesn’t’ it?

We know there’s a problem and I have commented on here that the bookies do too.  Why else are Rangers always favourite to get a pen when we play them (current odds – Rangers to score a pen 11/2, Celtic 13/2.  Rangers to miss a pen 16/1, Celtic 18/1).  Regular readers will know I don’t do predictions for these games, I just look at the odds and the stats, and this weeks Paddy Power’s bets include odds on any Rangers player mimicking Robbie Keane’s goal celebrations whilst the on-loan Spurs player is a stand out 13-2 to score the opening goal of the game in his first Old Firm derby.  We’ll also look at the stats of a Hibs supporting ref in this important week.

SPL

Despite Rangers regularly being a dirtier team throughout a season, and especially in Europe, these following odds are not unusual;

First booking

Evs      Rangers

8/11     Celtic

Team with most cards

5/4       Rangers

11/8     Celtic

3/1       Tie

Goal Celebrations

2/1       Robbie Keane to score and cartwheel

5/1       Any Rangers player to score and do a cartwheel

(Even if he did score, Boyd’s too fat for this one)

With our defence, and Robbie Keane’s movement I wouldn’t be surprised to see goals, so some of the higher scoring options such as us at 3-2 might be a good bet;

First Goalscorers

6 Fortune, Rasmussen; 13-2 Keane, Kamara; 8 Samaras; 10 McGeady; 11 McGinn; 12 McCourt; 14 Zhi, Ki-sung Yen; 16 Brown; 22 N’Guemo, Crosas; 25 Hooiveld, Loovens; 33 Caddis, Rogne, O’Dea, Wilson; 40 Hinkel, Braafheid, Naylor, Thompson

Following his two efforts last week, should he play Rogne at 33/1 might not be a bad bet here.

One thing we need to do this season is show more character.  Only twice have we been drawing at half-time and gone on to win at fuul-time in the last 20 games.  Nine times we’ve drawn or lost;

Dougie MacDonald has ref’d 13 spl games this season.  In that time he’s shown 33 yellow cards and 4 reds.  Famously he doesn’t get to manage Rangers v Hibs games, oh but he did do a Hibs Celtic game this season.  You may remember that one in August, we won 1-0, Hibs had 3 players booked and we had 4, including McGeady wh was yellow carded twice.  To be fair he sent off Boughera when Rangers played Motherwell in September.

Away from Sunday we look Paddy Power have a whole assortment of odds on the EPL and Carling Cup.  This week Paddy Power pay special attention to the Carling Cup Final and the reunion of John Terry and Wayne Bridge in Man City’s Saturday game at Chelsea.

For the first domestic cup final of the season in England Paddy Power have betting on BBC’s Man of the Match as well as a host of beer themed bets for the lager sponsored League Cup including ‘down in one’, ‘a good head’, ‘on the house’ and ‘you’re barred!’ markets.

There is also a focus on two of the Premier League’s leading providers this season Antonio Valencia and James Milner with betting on the first assist in the game, which player will have the most assists and how many assists Valencia will provide his United team mates in the match.

Paddy Power have a number of markets on Wayne Bridge and John Terry when the two players come face to face again including the first City player to foul Terry, whether the two players will shake hands, swap shirts or if Bridge will be booked for a foul on Terry amongst many others.

Following Wayne Bridge’s international withdrawal today Paddy Power is offering odds of 33/1 that Fabio Capello drops John Terry from the England squad in preference to accommodating Wayne Bridge into the suddenly problematic left back berth.

With Wayne Bridge now 5/2 to play for England in a competitive match again Bridge’s retirement and Ashley Cole’s injury are threatening to wreck Capello’s plans for World Cup glory this summer.

And as so often happens with the football fixture list a further twist to the tale has been added with Wayne Bridge lining up against his former team mate on Saturday when Manchester City travel to Chelsea. Paddy Power are offering 25/1 that Bridge gets his name on the scoresheet and 40/1 he is booked for a foul on Terry. The bookie is also offering 6/1 the former best mates shake hands on the pitch before the game and 20/1 that the woman in the middle of the scandal, Vanessa Perroncel, is spotted in the crowd by Sky Sports cameras during the match.

It’s 4/1 that a City player scores against Chelsea on Saturday and reveals a “Team Bridge” shirt although having not scored at Stamford Bridge since 2000 city have to get themselves on the scoresheet first.

Darren Haines, spokesman for Paddy Power, said: “Capello’s worst fears are coming true and Terry’s alleged indiscretions are now coming back to haunt England. Without a doubt all eyes are only going to be on two players during Saturday’s match between Chelsea and City.”

England Left Back Betting

With Wayne Bridge’s international withdrawal will also increase speculation on who will cover for the injured Ashley Cole when England meet Egypt next week. Stephen Warnock is Paddy Power’s 5/4 favourite to get the nod from Fabio Capello followed by Leighton Baines and Joleon Lescott at 15/8 and 9/4, respectively.

Bookie’s aren’t completely ruling out a change of heart from Bridge although the odds on the City left back going to the World Cup have now gone right out from 4/9 to 7/1.

PADDY POWER WAYNE BRIDGE BETTING

5/2 Wayne Bridge to play for England in a competitive game again

33/1 John Terry to be dropped by Capello to select Wayne Bridge

Will Wayne Bridge go to the World Cup?

7/1 Yes

1/20 No

Chelsea v Man City Specials

Terry/Bridge Specials

25/1 Wayne Bridge to score

80/1 Bridge to score first goal of the game

6/1 Terry & Bridge to shake hands before the game

7/2 Terry & Bridge to shake hands after the final whistle

40/1 Bridge to be booked for a foul on Terry

20/1 Bridge & Terry to swap shirts at the end

20/1 Vanessa Perroncel to be spotted in the crowd on Sky Sports

4/1 Any City player to score and reveal Team Bridge shirts

25/1 Any Chelsea player to score and reveal Team Terry shirts

First Man City player to foul John Terry

11-4 Tevez, Bellamy; 13-2 De Jong; 8 Lescott, Zabaleta; 9 Wright-Phillips, Kompany; 10 A Johnson; 11 Barry; 12 Ireland; 14 Bridge; 33 Given

So there we have it.  All the odds, all the comment and all the stats.  On Sunday it’s about pace up front for me.  Keane, Kamara and Fortune.  Can Rangers cope?

Failure is not an option!