EPL Bottom Half
Who will be finishing in the bottom half of the Premier League next season? It is a Premier League betting market which gets overlooked, but there could be some value in it. No-one really expected Newcastle United to be struggling so badly last season after finishing 5th just the season before, for example. So surprises do happen, and so it could be worth looking around and trying to pick up some value for your Premier League betting here. Naturally you are going to count out, probably around seven sides, with Mancehster United, Manchester City, Chelsea, Arsenal, Tottenham, Liverpool and Everton likely having enough resources to book themselves a top half of the table finish. But if you count out the seven spots, then that only leaves three other openings spare.
So the best value will be all around the teams who could flirt with a top ten finish. This is probably going to be the teams like West Brom and Swansea City. They are the kind of teams who are on the cusp of going either way. Swansea City though look as if they have bolstered their chances of booking a solid top ten finish by bringing in Wilfried Bony to play alongside Michu. They could have the guns to go a lot stronger even than their 9th place finish last season. But on the flip side of that, they could have to deal with a long Europa League campaign which can often be very draining and it is something which effects league form.
West Brom booked themselves a top ten finish last term, but then Steve Clarke’s men were helped out tremendously by the goals of the on-loan Romelu Lukaku. However, the Belgian striker is likely to be sticking around with his parent club Chelsea next season, which could leave the Baggies desperate for goals. No-one else broke double figures for West Brom last season, and that could have a major effect on their finishing position. There does seem to be a bit of positively around Southampton, with Mauricio Pochettino looking to drive the Saints upwards. They took only 14th place in the league last season, but they produced some good football, with Rickie Lambert shining up front for them.
Fulham couldn’t manage a top half of the table finish last season in the Premier League and could offer some value again, and we mentioned them before and we return to Newcastle as well. After a horrific season last term, surely their fortunes have to get better. Some terrible away form helped see them flirt with relegation for most of the season, so will it just be baby steps for them in terms of just securing a bottom half finish but away from the drop zone more comfortably? Perhaps though the biggest value of all is in another previously mentioned team here, and that is Everton.
With former Wigan manager Roberto Martinez now in charge, there could be some hesitation over them. Could they be contenders for a bottom half of the table finish? Martinez has brought with him Arouna Kona on a three year deal, so the former Latics man will need to impress alongside Nikica Jelavic and Kevin Mirallas. David Moyes made Everton such a strong team in the Premier League, will Martinez be able to at least solidify their position in the top half of the table?
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