Probably me Nope after we beat West Ham I checked the odds @ Ladbrokes and put 4 single £10 bets on winner, 2nd, top 4, top 6. So it is sort of each way. Odds after West Ham game were: Winner 2500/1 2nd 1000/1 Top 4 200/1 Top 6 33/1 at the very least I am hopeful of getting the 33/1+stake back The bookies didn't start shortening the odds again until we beat Newcastle 4-0 and even then the 'winners' only came down to 1500/1
The odds history is quite interesting actually. We went down as low as 500/1 in October before going out to 1000 again. I assume that was after the Spurs game: (click on the all history tab) http://www.oddschecker.com/football/english/premier-league/winner/bet-history/southampton/today
They cover themselves...our odds have dropped mainly because people have been putting money on us...rather than our ability to win has changed from preseason.
But you never see a poor bookmaker - that's why there are five paying in desks at a bookie's, but only one paying out desk
For Longs second goal, a Saints players was in an offside position (by about 15 mertres) but was not part of the play, he was then behind Long and was calling for the ball but Long went alone. My question is if Long had played the ball to him, would he have been called offside for the earlier position, as he had achieved advantage by being offside earlier?
Not worth Long taking the chance, but that did make me wonder. The commentator said he went for it rather than square it to his team mate, so guessing he thought it would be okay.
Full 90 minutes available to stream or download here: http://www.footballorgin.com/2014/11/premier-league-2014-2015-southampton-v.html
So being offside in the build up to Long's goal is irrelevant, then? The Leicester goalkeeper was faced with two forwards, Long, with the ball, and Pelle (I believe) at the other side of the six yard box. I'm not saying it would have changed things, but the keeper had to watch both players, so was unable to concentrate on Long. Even if this is within the rules, it strikes me as gaining an unfair advantage, by having a player in a position to affect play, who was clearly offside, very shortly before Long had his shot. I'm not complaining, but I might be if it was Leicester scoring
I do agree though...sometimes an uninvolved player can be a distraction for defenders, especially the keeper, but them's the rules.
I remember T.Henry being a master of this when the new rules came into play, defenders did not know whether to stick with him or leave him alone when he was standing 30m offside
