The Four by Four column: A quartet of English football selections

27Apr 2013

Betfair

Every weekend, four of betting.betfair's football writers will contribute one selection each from the top four leagues in English football, giving you, the readers, an exciting Fixed Odds Multiple option...

Stoke 2.05 v Norwich 3.75; The Draw 3.25

Stoke and Norwich both won last weekend, a situation so rare that it was just the second time in 52 Premier League matchdays that both triumphed. Then again, the fixture computer kindly dealt them Championship-bound QPR and Reading, so it is risky to assume that either have evaded their crises.

Prior to exploiting QPR's generosity, Stoke had scrimped and saved five points from a possible 39 in 2013, while Norwich experienced victory once in 16 matches before having the good fortune to face Reading to Carrow Road. Neither have form compelling enough to even whimper "back me".

The draw is very seductive though. QPR are the only side to have tied more home encounters than Stoke's seven this season and Norwich are league joint-leaders at drawing at any venue with 14, pocketing a point from five of their seven trips to teams yet to reach the 40-point comfort blanket.

Michael Lintorn's selection: Back The Draw @ 3.25

Ipswich 2.15 v Birmingham 3.4; The Draw 3.3

On an incredibly difficult day of football in the Championship I'm going to put forward Ipswich as my selection, though confidence is far from at a maximum.

It's difficult to have any confidence in a game where both sides have virtually nothing to play for, but for Ipswich to be in 14th position after the dreadful first half of the season they had is a great job done by Mick McCarthy. I'm sure he'll want to end the season in the top half, and with The Tractors Boys being in very good form generally, as well as at Portman Road, they can take the win.

Birmingham have done terrific too lately, and they are now in the top 10 already. I'm not saying Lee Clarke's men will take the foot off the gas, but the effort they've put in during the last six weeks might just start to show now that the pressure is off.

Mike Norman's selection: Back Ipswich @ 2.15

Leyton Orient 1.9 v Oldham Athletic 4.2; The Draw 3.2

Orient narrowly failed to make the play-offs, but their manager Russell Slade should be fairly happy with their final league position, which certainly gives him something to build on for next term.

The Os are in a good run of form at Brisbane Road with five successive victories. Oldham recently secured their League One survival under Lee Johnson, and the rookie manager made eight changes on Tuesday for their midweek clash at Shrewsbury. They lost 1-0, and Johnson described some of the fringe players as 'not being good enough'.

Opta stats back up the chances of Orient, with Bournemouth (24) the only team that have picked up more points than Orient (20) in their last 10 games, and I am hoping they can sign off in style in front of their own fans.

Alan Dudman's selection: Back Leyton Orient @ 1.9

Torquay 2.0 v Bristol Rovers 3.5; The Draw 3.3

There's never a dull moment at Plainmoor, where Torquay are one of seven clubs with a chance of going down. The seventh-bottom Gulls are in fact the outsiders at 30.0 as it is almost impossible to be relegated as Dagenham (fourth bottom) face York (fifth bottom) and Aldershot looking doomed on goal difference.

However, before they clarify their management position early next week - Alan Knill is still just standing in for the ill Martin Ling - they will want to show that their end of season form can be the start of better things.

Knill said this week that notes on them left behind by Barnet, saying the Gulls' confidence was shot, have inspired them. Torquay followed up a 3-2 home win over the Bees with a 2-0 win at Torquay.

Opta state that Torquay are without a win in three at home against Bristol Rovers, but the visitors' rally which got them out of trouble has petered out. They have long since secured safety and allowed Accrington to do likewise with a victory over them last week. One point in three matches shows minds have switched off already.

Ian Lamont's selection: Back Torquay @ 2.0

Recommended Multiple

Back The Draw in Stoke v Norwich @ 3.25; Back Ipswich @ 2.15; Back Leyton Orient @ 1.9; Back Torquay @ 2.0; The Mupltiple pays approximately 26.0

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