Ipswich vs Arsenal – Bet on visitors in handicap market
Published:Arsenal’s odds are 2/5 to beat Ipswich in the first leg of their Carling Cup semi final, but perhaps better value may be found in some of the other betting markets.
Match Odds
Ipswich come into the game low on confidence after a 7-0 battering by Chelsea in the FA Cup and they must be fearing the worst against another of the Premier League’s big boys.
New boss Paul Jewell is still not in place to take over managerial duties and so the responsibility will again fall on the shoulders of Ian McParland to attempt to fare better than he did against Chelsea.
Ipswich are 7/1 to beat Arsenal, but perhaps their best hope of a positive result will be a draw at Portman Road, which can be backed at 7/2.
However, they may take confidence from the last time the pair clashed in the Carling Cup, as Ipswich triumphed 2-1 in 2000.
Ipswich have also lost ten of their last 14 league games and it is surely a case of how many Arsenal will win by, rather than if they will simply take an advantage to the second leg at the Emirates.
Arsenal Goals and Handicap
Arsene Wenger will surely field close to his strongest side as he will know that the Carling Cup represents their best chance of silverware this season and potentially their first trophy since 2005.
Meanwhile, he may also want to get a healthy lead to allow him to play some of his fringe players in the second leg.
Because of this, perhaps the best betting opportunity is that Arsenal win by more than a single goal, which is available at 10/11.
Carling Cup odds are 9/4 that Arsenal succeed even if they give Ipswich a two-goal handicap head start, while it is 6/5 that Arsenal score a minimum of three goals in the first leg.
A £25 bet on Arsenal winning the first leg 4-0 could see a return of £400. New Ladbrokes customers can sign up here for a free £25 bet.
