The EFL Acca Tips: A Pick From Each Division in The EFL

It’s time for The EFL Acca Tips.

This is what the Championship, League One, and League Two are known for. Relentless action as teams play weekend-midweek-weekend. No sooner has the Championship finished a midweek slate than Jack Wright is typing up his favourite selections from this weekend’s full fixture list.

A clean sweep gives odds of 7.40.

• Leicester vs Bristol City: Leicester -0.75 Asian Handicap
• Cheltenham vs Stevenage: Both Teams To Score – No
• Notts County vs Forest Green: Over 10.0 Asian Corners

Acca odds: 7.40

Odds via bet365 as at 05:00, September 21st, 2023. Odds may now differ. 

Leicester vs Bristol City: Title favourites to out Fox the Robins

England, Championship, Saturday, September 23rd, 15:00 (UK)

The last seven days have undoubtedly seen Leicester flex their promotion muscles. Last Friday saw Enzo Maresca take his side to Saint Mary’s to do battle with fellow relegated side Southampton.

It took Jamie Vardy 22 seconds to show his side’s intent as he gave them the perfect start by firing past Gavin Bazunu in the Saint’s goal. Further strikes from Kasey McAteer, Wilfred Ndidi and Stephy Mavididi saw them cruise to an emphatic 4-1 victory.

This was the Foxes’ most comprehensive victory after an impressive return of four wins from the opening five games. All the other successes had come by a single goal.

Another test lay in wait on Wednesday evening as Norwich aimed to show they intended to be a part of the promotion conversation come May. Boasting a 100% record at Carrow Road this term, the Canaries were full of confidence.

Leicester put in a composed and disciplined display to leave Norfolk with all three points with a goal at the end of each half, enough for a 2-0 win. What really caught my eye was Maresca’s rotation and strength off the bench.

Pep’s former assistant made five changes to that winning side and saw his team barely miss a beat. The depth of quality is a real game changer at these stages of the season after international breaks, with games coming thick and fast domestically.

That may mean the Foxes have too much for a Bristol City side who have only lost once in the league this term and eased past Plymouth on Tuesday evening. The 4-1 scoreline was a welcome relief to the shot-shy Robins, who had only scored five goals from their opening six Championship fixtures.

However, Argyle heavily rotated their line-up ahead of the midweek derby. Key men Bali Mumba, Finn Azaz, Morgan Whittaker and top scorer Ryan Hardie all started on the bench.

An interesting yardstick is also the 1-0 win for Norwich against Nigel Pearson’s men in the League Cup tie at Ashton Gate recently. The outright win for Leicester is slightly too short to put forward, so instead, I have selected the -0.75 Asian handicap. This will be successful if Leicester come out on top, but they will need a margin of two or more goals to supply us with a full win.

• Selection: Leicester -0.75 Asian handicap
• Best Odds: 1.94
• Bookmaker: bet365
• Stake: 8/10

Cheltenham vs Stevenage: Still time to Wade in on the goal-starved Robins

England, League One, Saturday, September 23rd, 15:00 (UK)

After a truly disastrous start to the new season, Cheltenham Town finally parted company with manager Wade Elliott on Wednesday evening. That came 24 hours after a 3-0 defeat at Peterborough left them rooted to the bottom of the table.

The defeat at the Weston Homes Stadium was a seventh in the league from the opening eight winless fixtures. Furthermore, the Robins are yet to score a single goal in the English third tier this term.

Assistant manager Kevin Russell, brought to the club by Elliott this summer, will take interim charge for this clash with Stevenage. A game made all the more difficult given that Town also had two players sent off on Tuesday night.

In contrast to their hosts this weekend, the Boro have made a fantastic start to life in League One. Last season’s promotion was a surprise to many, but that momentum has continued, meaning they have lost just one of their opening eight league games and go into this clash sitting pretty in 5th place.

Steve Evans has done an incredible job at Broadhall Way with a rock-solid defence laying the foundations for their success. Only the top two, Portsmouth and Exeter, have shipped fewer than the six goals conceded by Stevenage so far.

Departed striker Alfie May has been a massive miss for Cheltenham, and it is hard to see them breaking their goal-scoring duck for the season this weekend. On top of the aforementioned respective stats, Boro having those extra couple of days of rest/prep time will also be a huge advantage.

Odds of 1.91 for at least one of these sides to draw a blank are much bigger than I expected, but ones I am very happy to take.

• Selection: Both Teams To Score – No
• Best Odds: 1.91
• Bookmaker: bet365
• Stake: 7/10

Notts County vs Forest Green: Magpies won’t be cutting corners at the Meadow

England, League Two, Saturday, September 23rd, 15:00 (UK)

Notts County had a catastrophic opening day on their return to the football league when they were thrashed 5-1 by Sutton United. Things have looked up ever since with five wins from the following seven unbeaten fixtures, including all three home games ending in victory, leaving the Magpies flying high up in 2nd place in the embryonic League Two table.

Manager Luke Williams has impressed since taking over from Ian Burchnall last summer – expect his side to see plenty of the ball here. Russell Martin’s former assistant has set his team up to play in the same free-flowing, possession-heavy style, illustrated by County enjoying 64.3% of the ball on average in the early stages of the season, more than 5% superior to any other team.

Having won the League Two title two seasons ago, Forest Green made an immediate return to the fourth tier last term—a level they have found challenging in the opening exchanges of the campaign.

Last weekend saw a 2-1 loss to a previously winless Doncaster side and leaves David Horseman’s outfit in 21st place and just four points above the drop zone. That was a successive home league defeat following on from the 4-1 hammering handed about by Crewe, and it means they have lost all five games at The New Lawn.

FGR may be pleased to hit the road. In contrast to their home form, they are yet to taste defeat in any of their three away games so far, winning two.

The home side are prohibitive odds to come out on top, albeit justifiably so. However, I am taking another angle to support their supremacy.

Rovers may not be the pushover most people are expecting, but regardless of that, we should see plenty of attacks from the Magpies and that generally leads to corners. The Asian line of 10 looks very attractive, given how this game is set up.

Notts County’s three home games this season have seen a total of 36 corners, averaging exactly 12 per game. Only the recent 3-1 success over Accrington falling below the line needed here when there were nine.

I feel Forest Green will ensure we hit the required number this week with some room to spare. All eight of their league games have seen at least ten flag kicks this term, with a colossal 22 in that last outing against Doncaster and six seeing 11 or more.

An average of 12.62 per game is the second-highest in the league. Their three away games have seen 13, 11 and 10 corners, meaning two wins and a void/refund for the line we are attacking here.

• Selection: Over 10.0 Asian Corners
• Best Odds: 2.00
• Bookmaker: bet365
• Stake: 8/10

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