Expert Jury: Sterling, not Ronaldo, can be Chelsea's golden boy
Racing Post writers deliver their verdicts
We asked our top team of writers and a leading odds-compiler for their thoughts on this week's big talking points and this is how they answered ...
What is your best sport bet this weekend?
Racing Post's Aaron Ashley The fourth and final T20 Blast quarter-final takes us to Taunton, where Somerset play host to Derbyshire, and backing Tom Banton to score 23 runs or fewer at 5-6 with bet365 makes plenty of appeal. Somerset's flamboyant right-hander is very hit-and-miss and in this year’s Blast he has averaged just 19.57, with him passing a total of 23 in only three of his last nine innings in the competition.
Racing Post's Steve Davies Over 22.5 games in the women’s final at Wimbledon. Don’t be surprised if there’s a drawn-out ending to the most sub-standard women’s singles competition at the All England Club in living memory. The signs are both Jabeur and Rybakina are enjoying themselves but little evidence one is much better than the other. Expect loads of errors and three sets.
Racing Post's James Milton Wayne Madsen to be Derbyshire's top runscorer in their T20 Blast quarter-final at Somerset. Derbyshire are missing Pakistan opener Shan Masood, the second-highest runscorer during the group stage of the Blast, so all eyes are on Madsen, whose last five innings in the competition were 100 not out, 70, six, 73 and 55.
Jason Murphy of Betfair Norway or draw double chance against England in the Women’s Euros. You will get around evens with most sportsbooks on it but you could lay England on the Betfair Exchange for bit more value. I think the market rates the gap between these two teams a little too big so the value lies with Norway. Plus both teams have won their opening games, so if it's a draw with ten minutes to go then both will probably settle in and take a point.
Is Raheem Sterling a good fit for Chelsea?
Racing Post's Aaron Ashley I think so - and he looks good value at £45m. While Manchester City scored 99 Premier League goals and Liverpool managed a tally of 94 last season, Chelsea netted just 76 times, but Sterling’s arrival bolsters their attacking options. The England international wants regular minutes in the lead-up to the World Cup and he should get plenty of playing time at Stamford Bridge while his title-winning experience can only benefit his younger teammates.
Racing Post's Steve Davies This could be anything. If Sterling went to Chelsea for regular game time he’s going to be left disappointed and if he starts reverting to missing open goals he won’t find the coach’s arm round his shoulder, either. Far from it. You have to ask yourself how many frontmen play for Tuchel and flop and is he going to be just another Werner or Lukaku? I genuinely haven’t a clue how this works out.
Racing Post's James Milton It certainly makes more sense than their rumoured interest in Cristiano Ronaldo and I expect Sterling to do well at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea have been crying out for a wide forward with an eye for goal and, having slipped down the pecking order at Manchester City, Sterling should benefit from the extra responsibility at Stamford Bridge.
Jason Murphy of Betfair In the modern day, we consider transfers in terms of what you are getting for your money and how the player will fit into a team’s system. So Lukaku was a bad fit. Sterling on the other hand is a good fit. He is 27 and has one year left on his contract. On the pitch, I think he will fit Tuchel’s style perfectly. He has missed chances in big moments but in a Tuchel team he will continue to get into good scoring positions, and his goal contribution, as well as his general contribution to the team, will make him a really good fit.
Where will Cristiano Ronaldo be playing at the end of the transfer window?
Racing Post's Aaron Ashley If Champions League football is imperative then the options look limited, particularly if the Portuguese superstar is unwilling to take a trimming of his wages. The betting suggests Chelsea is the most likely destination but I’m not sure that looks the right fit plus Sterling’s wages won’t be cheap. Bayern Munich would need to see Robert Lewandowski leave before targeting Ronaldo so, with all the implications and the season edging nearer, he may have to stay put at Old Trafford.
Racing Post's Steve Davies Manchester United reserves unless he pulls his neck in over his wage expectations. There aren’t many clubs who can afford the 37-year-old and, if he is to be believed, they have to be playing in the Champions League or he’s not interested. He just doesn’t look a good fit at a club like Chelsea – who have been mentioned – so he could easily still be at Old Trafford.
Racing Post's James Milton He may not have as many suitors as he expects given his age and wage demands so it could be Manchester United, which would provide something of a headache for Erik ten Hag. Ronaldo's goalscoring record amid the shambles at Old Trafford last season was impressive but Ten Hag wants a fresh start and a disgruntled wantaway superstar could complicate matters.
Jason Murphy of Betfair As a United fan, anywhere but Old Trafford is fine by me. If a player wants to leave then let him go. I said when he re-signed that he will score goals but in terms of improving the team that it was a step back. He maintained his reputation, possibly even enhanced it with his goal tally in a poor team. Salah took two penalties more and Son played a lot more minutes, suggesting Ronaldo could have won the golden boot in United’s poorest ever Premier League team. We have seen most bets on Chelsea and Bayern Munich. He will want to go to a Champions League club, and give that and the World Cup a good crack.
Who do you fancy to be the Premier League's top promoted club this season?
Racing Post's Aaron Ashley At the prices, narrow preference would be for Nottingham Forest, who have done the best business so far. Fulham are turning into a bit of a yo-yo club and Fabio Carvalho’s move to Liverpool is a big blow while Bournemouth, who were reliant on the goals of Dominic Solanke last season, look the weakest of the trio. There is a lot to like about the tactical awareness of Steve Cooper and, although this is a learning curve, I expect them to thrive much like Brentford did last season.
Racing Post's Steve Davies Nottingham Forest. There’s a positivity about them, and I can see them doing a Brentford, going up via the playoffs and utterly eclipsing the two teams they were promoted behind. There has been plenty of transfer activity at the City Ground, Brennan Johnson appears to be staying put and above all that, Steve Cooper’s coaching prowess will ensure they stay up with room to spare.
Racing Post's James Milton Nottingham Forest have the best manager of the three promoted clubs and their Championship record after Steve Cooper's arrival was outstanding. They relied heavily on some classy loanees last season but seem to be recruiting well to cover for that and they can pip Fulham with Bournemouth looking the weakest of the new boys.
Jason Murphy of Betfair Nottingham Forest at the prices sound like the better bet of the three. They opened 9-4 in places, but are a general 7-4 now. I like some of the transfer business they have done, would rate them ahead of Bournemouth for sure and at that price they could give some interest against Fulham.
Give us the value bet in England against Norway in the Euros on Monday?
Racing Post's Aaron Ashley England look a touch too short to me and at slightly bigger odds I prefer a bet on both teams to score. The Lionesses have plenty of firepower with Ellen White spearheading their attack, but so too do Norway. The Nordic nation, who have Lyon’s Ada Hegerberg back leading their line, thrashed Northern Ireland 4-1 in their opener and have failed to score only twice in their last 14 internationals.
Racing Post's Steve Davies England and over 2.5 goals. England got the nerves out of their system with a 1-0 win over Austria and wasted a load of good chances. They and the Norwegians are both pretty attack-minded, neither defence is to be trusted, so expect more goals this time round.
Racing Post's James Milton England's finishing was the one concerning aspect of their opening win over Austria and they can expect to create fewer chances against main group rivals Norway. BoyleSports offer 11-10 about under 2.5 goals and that could be worth a bet given the mutual respect between the teams and the fact that England have conceded just three goals in 15 games under Sarina Wiegman.
Jason Murphy of Betfair The value is to side with Norway. There's also still value to be had on Norway in the outright market at 14-1 plus interesting each-way bets on Hegerberg (16-1) and Hansen (25-1) in the top goalscorer market.
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