LAST week we compensated slightly with a 5/1 winner in the final game, which was for Wade and Price to tie the maximum count, with also Mensur Suljovic obliging for us on the night.
Michael Smith v James Wade – Wade leads 16-3
Betting Odds:
- Smith – 2/1 Ladbrokes
- Tie – 19/5 Boylesports
- Wade – 11/10 Betfair
A defeat for James Wade will make his task an uphill one as we enter the final week of the regular season. Luckily the head to head shows Smith has a poor record as his bogey opponent having lost all of the last nine meetings. The last victory was back in February 2017 and before that rewind three years to 2014.
Michael Smith was not at the races last week, looking dejected, and only has one position above him to fight for, so in some respects has this to fight for, but may play for more fluidity with nothing much else to play for. You could have made this argument last week also, and see what happened.
The betting prices are reflected on form, and the positions of both players. Wade can warrant a win here with a top four spot a reality!
Mensur Suljovic v Rob Cross – players tied 6-6
The head to head is even stevens at 6 apiece and the pair trade a victory each in the Premier League. Mensur won the reverse fixture in a tight contest and will face an inform Voltage, who is chalked at a general 5/6, but 10/11 with Boylesports.
Suljovic has to get something from this to make any case of making finals night and is evens with Marathonbet to win or draw the contest.
Rob Cross can land many maximums but has let us down earlier in the campaign. The combination of Cross to win and most 180’s should be over 2/1 but is only 7/4 with Skybet.
Daryl Gurney Vs Gerwyn Price – Price leads 8-2 (1 draw)
Price really confused us with his apparent style of play at times versus James Wade. There seemed to be a brief altercation that Wade had stepped into the exclusion zone too soon, or at least sooner than Price would have felt comfortable.
The rhythm of his play then suffered and fell to a loss and dashed hopes of a top four.
Price has the advantage on the head to head but looks as though Gurney is applying the right sort of pressure on a late rally to call his name inside the top four.
With the boos of the crowd, Price may slow things down knowing Superchin likes to get on with it. However you do feel Price may not quite have enough left in the tank mentally and may chin himself into defeat once again.
Michael van Gerwen Vs Peter Wright – Gerwen leads 55-15 (2 draws)
MVG made light work of the reverse fixture winning 7-1 and is around the 3/10 mark to get back to winning ways after a wobble last week.
Gerwen has always finished top of the Premier League in the six years of participating and is in real danger of letting that £25,000 bonus for top dog is out of his hands now and is relying on Cross to slip up.
MVG cannot be backed despite Wrights form, but feel he will want to get back to winning ways with Wright generally stepping up in these matches.
Recommendations
- Nights checkout U150.50 17/20 Sportingbet 1.5 pts (under week specials)
- Rob Cross to beat Mensur Suljovic – 10/11 general 1pt
- Daryl Gurney/Wade draw no bet double – 21/10 Skybet 1pt
