Roker Riches: Back To Winning Ways At Wigan?

Week Twenty-Two Recap

Well, well, well this losing streak is getting a little out of hand now. With both Karl and Simon opting for goalscorer bets which were wide of the mark and my rather, as it turned out, negative pick for a draw we were all left tearing up our betting slips. We didn't fare any better away from the Stadium of Light either with Leeds' shock defeat to Barnsley costing Karl his double while West Brom and Middlesbrough killed off Simon's treble and Hull somehow managed to lose at home to Sheffield Wednesday to blow my double out of the water.

Anyway, there are plenty more fixtures to sink our teeth into this weekend to try an put some profit on the board.

Karl Jones

Tuesday's FA Cup replay was a cruel, untimely reminder of just what happens when you get your hopes up as a Sunderland fan. Yet, recent form (discounting the 2-0 defeat to Bolton), price, and without being disrespectful to Wigan, their visitors on Saturday have a stronger squad whilst Ivan Ramis and Arouna Kone are absent for differing reasons. The quest towards mid-table should continue.

I'm hoping, for yours and my my sake, that this week follows the season pattern so far: lose, lose, and when I'm down my last bits of a positive balance, a double placed on https://sports.bwin.com/en/sports/4/betting/football gets me out of trouble. So first up, we'll head to France. The promotion-chasing Principality have lost just twice on the road and the league's top scorer has 10 of his 16 goals away from Stade Louis II. Pair them with Lazio, who have won four on the bounce and not lost since the first week of November.

• Sunderland to beat Wigan - 29/10 - £10 Stake
• Monaco to beat Istres, Lazio to beat Palermo - 6.48 - £10 Stake

David Boyle

Much like Karl I suspect that Wigan will severely miss Ivan Ramis at the back and may have to change from their system of three at the back to accommodate his loss and Arouna Kone is obviously a big miss in the attacking third for the home side. Sunderland also stand to receive a boost in the shape of Mangane in the back four as well as both Cattermole and N'Diaye possibly figuring at some point to add much needed steel to the midfield. Sunderland look good value to me despite the midweek defeat.

For my second bet I am going to opt for a Championship double where I believe that inform Watford can take all three points from struggling Huddersfield at Vicarage Road and am also tipping Brighton to come away from St. Andrews with a victory following impressive wins over Newcastle, Ipswich and Derby of late.

• Sunderland to beat Wigan - 29/10 - £2.50 Stake
• Watford to beat Huddersfield & Brighton to beat Birmingham - 4.5/1 - £2.50 Stake

Simon Walsh

Back to losing ways, but hopefully not for too long. I'm extremely high on confidence despite the Bolton game midweek, and truly believe that that game was a one off. For this weekend I can see us really battering a Wigan side devoid of top striker Arouna Kone.

Elsewhere I can also see some good value in wins for Peterborough, Macclesfield and Sheffield United.