Both Sunderland and Liverpool have chosen to hit the panic button at a very early stage of the season, having parted company with their respective managers after just eight Premier League games. The circumstances were markedly different however, with Dick Advocaat resigning his post at Sunderland, while Brendan Rodgers was sacked just hours after the 1-1 derby draw with Everton.
Both clubs have acted quickly to fill the vacancies, and both clubs appear to have got their man with Jurgen Klopp taking the reins at Anfield, and Sam Allardyce charged with keeping the Black Cats in the Premier League. The wily old coach may be unpopular in some football circles, but he’s long been known as one of the ‘go to’ men of English football, and he’s bailed many a club out of trouble. Klopp, meanwhile, earned a reputation as one of the most exciting coaches in Europe after his exploits at Dortmund, and his appointment can be considered something of a coup for the Merseyside club.
In terms of betting markets, there looks to be plenty of value in jumping on Sunderland to avoid relegation and Liverpool to make the top four, with very palatable prices at this early stage.
Big Sam’s Relegation Record
Sam Allardyce has the enviable record of never having been relegated in his career, and considering the fact that he’s spent most of it at mid to lower table Premier League sides, it’s an impressive record. He won’t have needed this position financially, but is obviously itching to get back into football and has an affinity with the club having played for them in the early 80’s. He becomes the first man to have held the top jobs at both Newcastle and Sunderland, and as fate would have it his first home game will be against their North-East rivals.
The man who has been much-maligned, perhaps unfairly so, for his style of football, showed how adept he is at re-building a club from the bottom up during his time at West Ham. When he took over the Hammers were in the Championship, in financial trouble as a club, with disharmony in the dressing room. Along with his talisman captain, Kevin Nolan, Sam went about restoring some pride at the club, creating a unified squad and helping them to promotion at the first time of asking. He went on to consolidate in the Premier League, with 10th, 12th, and 13th placed finishes respectively.
In many ways his (limited) success was his own downfall, and he parted ways with the club last summer after never quite getting the plaudits he probably deserved. One of his failings was not getting the fans of the club onside, and that gave him little leeway when results weren’t going the team’s way. That’s a mistake he seems determined not to make again, having already referred to the ‘Roker roar‘ and the ‘passionate Sunderland fans’.
In Steven Fletcher he has a striker who netted in his last league game, and who scored a hat-trick for Scotland in midweek. In Jermaine Defoe he has one of the best finishers in England, and he shouldn’t be short of goals of those two stay fit. Where Sunderland have been poor over recent years is at the back, and as a former centre-half, Allardyce will take no time in sorting out the back four. Thankfully for him, he has the experienced trio of John O’Shea, Wes Brown, and Younes Kaboul, and they will appreciate his grasp on defensive organisation.
The 4.00 on offer about Sunderland staying up with Skybet is well worth taking, with Sunderland just five points from safety with 30 games to play.
Klopp’s Attacking Philosophy
Meanwhile Jurgen Klopp has also been ingratiating himself with the Liverpool fans, after posing for photos with supporters on a night out. He has made all the right noises since his arrival, talking about his “playing philosophy that is very emotional, very fast and very strong”. He labelled it ‘full-throttle’ football, and promised to deliver at least one piece of silverware if he still holds the position in four years time.
It all went wrong for Brendan Rodgers after his three-year tenure ended without a trophy, making him the first Liverpool manager to fail to win something in the first three years. He can be considered somewhat unfortunate having lost the services of Jamie Carragher, Steven Gerrard, Raheem Sterling and Luis Suarez under his watch, as well as missing Daniel Sturridge for much of last season with injury.
Klopp will benefit hugely from the presence of Sturridge on a regular basis, with the hitman now back to fitness, and there’s plenty more talent in the squad. Benteke has only just made the switch from Villa, and Coutinho continues to impress. At the moment, despite a relatively poor start, Liverpool are only six points from the top, as Klopp pointed out in his press conference, and everything is still to play for.
Chelsea have had an awful start by comparison having amassed just 8 points after losing four games already, yet surprisingly they are still odds-on to finish on the top four. That’s some indication of what a strange season this is shaping up to be, with each of the top three – Arsenal, Man Utd, and Man City – having lost two of their eight games so far as well.
Klopps attacking brand of football could serve him well in this year’s Premier League where high-scoring games seem to be the norm, and away sides appear to be faring even better than usual. None of the ‘traditional’ top four look bullet-proof this season, and sides like West Ham, Crystal Palace, Southampton and Swansea are not only prepared to have a go, but have joined the likes of Spurs and Everton in actually taking points off the big boys. That means this could be one of the tightest leagues in living memory, and the 3.50 on Liverpool sneaking into the top four under Klopp with Skybet, BetVictor and William Hill looks well worth a poke.
Tips Summary
Sunderland to Stay Up
Premier League Season 2015/16
Odds: 4.00
Liverpool to Finish in the Top Four
Premier League Season 2015/16
Odds: 3.50
