Premiership

Tottenham   -   Everton          1.85   -   4.70
Boring, boring Tottenham! The Spurs were plain boring in their season opener away to Sunderland. All their famous strikers featured in the match, but they lacked both inspiration and ideas. The surest 0-0 match ever witnessed, but Sunderland had other ideas and scored in the last seconds of the game. It looks like Tottenham will give Darren Bent a starting role tomorrow. Does it mean that we will see Bent and Berbatov together from the start? Or Bent with Defoe?

M Dawson could not play in the Tottenham defence up at Sunderland. He will have a late fitness test ahead of this match. Still no L King, G Bale or A Lennon.

Everton will most likely be unchanged. In other words the new signings, Pienaar and Jagielka will start on the bench and Cahill remain sidelined, as well as latest signing L Baines.

I opposed Tottenham at the weekend, they are a typical home side, in my opinion, although they managed to defeat Everton at Goodison Park last season. I expect an improved Tottenham display tomorrow but Enough to win against the compact Everton? I think so, but I am not impressed by the odds. (1.85)

Champions League qualifiers - first legs

Benfica  -   FC Copenhagen        1.47   -   8.10
Last season these sides played in the same group, together with Celtic and Man United. In Copenhagen, Benfica were looking for a 0-0 draw and they managed this without any problems. In Portugal they were quite superior. Benfica will be without strong players like Simao and Miccoli this season. Instead they have bought Cardozo, Luis Felipe, Zoro and the American super talent F Adu. Cardozo will play up front tomorrow, maybe L Felipe in defence, but the rest of the squad has a very familiar look. Veteran Rui Costa on the midfield for instance.

FC qualified for this round by knocking out Beitar Jerusalem. It was extremely tough for the Danes, but at last M Allbäck could score the deciding goal during overtime in Israel. Same Allbäck that scored the winner vs. M United last season. Midfield dynamo T Linderoth has left for Turkey.

Portugese football is usually stronger than the Scandinavian style , but it is a slight worry for Benfica that their domestic season has not started yet. Unrest in the team. According to reports at least 5 players want away from Benfica and they are all starters tomorrow.  Home win, I guess! (1.47)

Lazio   -   Dinamo Bukarest        1.57   -   7.50
I get the impression that Lazio come to this qualifier very well prepared. They have played numerous warm up games and should Lazio fail to qualify for the group phase it is not because they have not taking things seriously. Basically the same group of players as last season and we will once again see Rocchi and Pandev up front. Their defender Siviglia is on the injury list. Behrami will probably be preferred to Mudingay on the midfield.

D Bukarest have played 3 domestic league games so far. (2-0-1) They will be without two of their most important players tomorrow. I am referring to their defender Moti and the defensive midfielder Margaritescu. Terrfic home side, Dinamo, and I guess that they will play for a 0-0 draw at the Olympic Stadium. I trust Lazio to at least find the net once. (1.57)

Glasgow Rangers   -   Crvena Zvezda       1.80   -   5.15
Walter Smith, the present Rangers boss, is steering his ship in the right direction. Maybe no breath taking football, but they have been winning the right matches for quite a while now. It seldom happened during the spells of his different predecessors. Darcheville, Cousin and Beasley, some of their new signings, all played for Rangers at the weekend. Darcheville (ex- Bordeaux) from the start and Cousin (ex-Lens) as a substitute. The Lens striker scored one their goals. Papac, defender, is considered an injury doubt for this match

In the previous round Crvena could barely defeat Levadia Tallinn. Two 0-0 games, but then the Serbs could score the deciding overtime goal. Their first match domestically ended in a draw, and I fail to see any fresh form. Important player Basta is out suspended.

Home win. (1.80)

Valencia   -   Elfsborg       1.20   -   20.50
I just checked the probable Valencia line up. No room for new signing Zigic, but maybe Helguera will earn a starting role. D Villa and Silva will probably start up front and old favourites like Baraja, Albelda and Joaquin on the midfield.

Elfsborg is a typical Swedish club side. They work hard, follow their given tactics minutely, but unfortunately they cannot play (modern) football. Leading star is Anders Svensson. Same Svensson that only temporarily could hold a starting role in Redknapp's Southampton.

Valencia should win, 2-0 or 3-0! (1.20)