Join @AlMacca93 for his US Open 2022 betting preview - is this Rory McIlroy's big chance to clinch major title number five?

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Golf has found itself at the centre of controversy this week but the immediate focus now turns to this week’s US Open at The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts.

With several of the sport’s top players departing the PGA Tour over the past week or so, the 2022 US Open is suddenly more open and competitive than ever before.

Rory McIlroy heads the betting, full of confidence after clinching a well-documented victory at the Canadian Open on Sunday.

The Northern Irishman is a four-time major champion but his most recent success came at the 2014 PGA Championship and he would love to end that drought.

Major number five could well be on the cards if McIlroy can emulate his performance at St George’s and he is a 10/1 chance in golf betting odds with 888sport.

Next up are two natives in Justin Thomas and Scottie Scheffler. The former won the PGA Championship last month while the latter is the defending Masters champion.

Thomas was outstanding at Southern Hills Country Club in May, proving best of all on the challenging Championship Course at one of golf’s most iconic venues.

He was pushed all the way by compatriot Will Zalatoris, who forced a playoff but Thomas was a worthy winner after a superb week off the tee, on the fairway and on the green.

Thomas finished third behind McIlroy at the Canadian Open and he himself will admit that things could’ve gone differently had he not lost focus on the back nine.

The American could be one to watch in live betting markets throughout the week. Once he gets going, he is as good as anyone at churning out birdie after birdie.

Scheffler is officially ranked as world number one, having finished in the top 10 in four of the last five major tournaments – including that Masters success.

Winning at Augusta National is the dream for any golfer and Scheffler was fully deserving of his first Green Jacket, handling the unforgiving nature of the course throughout.

However, the US Open offers a greater challenge and I’m not convinced that the Brookline course will completely play to Scheffler’s strengths.

Scheffler finished way down the field at the 2013 U.S. Amateur, tying for 50th place as he struggled to get to grips with the demands of the Massachusetts course.

That was almost a decade ago though, and Scheffler’s game has improved leaps and bounds – and he is in excellent form to be fair to him.

Currently a 12/1 shot in online betting odds, Scheffler is well worth a punt. If he brings his A-game to Brookline, the 2022 Masters champion is capable of winning a second major title.

As is the case with this particular tournament, there is a strict US Open rotation that is determined well in advance and it is now the turn of The Country Club.

Brookline first hosted the tournament in 1913 and this year’s edition will mark the fourth US Open to be held at the Massachusetts venue.

England’s Matt Fitzpatrick won the U.S. Amateur here in 2013 and the 27-year-old is looking to build on his fifth placed finish at the 2022 PGA Championship earlier this year.

Fitzpatrick may well have won around these greens as an amateur but the world number 15 will need a consistent week to stand any chance of defying his 25/1 price.

A wildcard pick from this side of the Atlantic is Tyrrell Hatton. A real character on the course, Hatton has struggled to find his best form so far this year.

However, there have been plenty of glimpses of his quality and he could feature high up on the leaderboard if things go his way at Brookline.

Inconsistency has plagued his game in recent months but the world number 23 finished just outside the top 10 at the PGA Championship and he has an each way chance.

It will be both strange and rather sad to watch a major championship without some of the best players in the planet in action but that is the situation that golf finds itself in.

For now, let’s try to enjoy the US Open for what it is: an extraordinary spectacle and one that should offer drama and excitement from Thursday right through to Sunday.

US Open 2022 Best Bets

• Rory McIlroy to win @ 10/1

• Justin Thomas to finish in the top five @ 3/1

• Scottie Scheffler to be the top American @ 7/1

• Matthew Fitzpatrick to finish in the top 20 @ 11/10

• Tyrrell Hatton to be the top Englishman @ 5/1

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Pep Guardiola vs Jurgen Klopp - who do you want in the dugout? @SteTudor123 weighs in on the debate surrounding two of the best managers in world football...

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• Between them Klopp and Guardiola have won 43 major honours

• They have created a handful of generational teams that have raised the bar

• But who wins out in this managerial duel of duels?

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Via different means, Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola have reimagined and revolutionised modern football, each at the forefront of coaching ideals that have been widely copied across the game.

That alone is a testament to their respective genius and that’s before we even get to the 13 league titles won in domineering fashion, as well as three Champions League triumphs.

Between them, these managerial magicians have created five extraordinary football teams that have hoovered up trophies galore and all while playing fantastical football.

At least three of their creations have taken the sport to previously unchartered heights. 

Unquestionably therefore, we are talking about two of the greatest football managers of all time. That’s not up for debate here. Who comes out on top however from these generational giants, is. 

Styles Of Play

Mention ‘gegenpress’ or ‘tiki-taka’ these days and the response will inevitably be a roll of the eyes, so reductive have the phrases become.

Yet still, when used as shorthand to explain the two coach’s methodologies, they continue to have merit.

‘Gegenpress’ is the German for ‘counter-pressing’, a tactical philosophy that demands the ball is won back quickly in advanced positions, thereby not allowing the opposition to settle into shape.

It is a system that relies on three fast, inventive, and extremely industrious forward players, in addition to an energetic powerhouse of a midfield.

Couple all this with a well-drilled back-line and it amounts to a formidable and winning formula, as evidenced by Klopp’s Borussia Dortmund usurping Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga for a couple of years a decade back, followed by Liverpool’s more recent supremacy.

Our Premier League predictions tip the Reds to once again compete for the title in 2022/23. 

‘Tiki-taka’ meanwhile is a term used – sometimes disparagingly – to denote possession-based football, and though Guardiola has distanced himself from the description it can be stated unequivocally that maintaining possession lies at the heart of his approach. 

It is an abundance of passing that has two clear purposes, the most fundamental of which is to gain control of a game and its tempo.

Once this has been achieved, the elaborate patterns of movement that accompanies the passing is designed to create ‘over-loads’ that affords a player acres of space elsewhere on the pitch.

Find that player and Manchester City – and before them Barcelona and Bayern – typically have an easy opportunity to score.

Head To Head

So contrasting are these two styles that they lend themselves to analogy. It has often been said, for example, that Klopp’s sides play heavy metal football, while Guardiola’s teams are concertos.

Another metaphor has one seeking to bulldoze its opponent, the other dismantling them brick by brick. All of which means it is always a fascinating proposition whenever these very different creations meet.

During their time in Germany – with Klopp’s two-time title-winners Dortmund by now a fading force while Guardiola’s Bayern were on the rise – the spoils were shared from their encounters, with four wins apiece.

The Catalan ultimately won the wars however, claiming the Bundesliga for three seasons running.

#Guardiola ends with win % of 80.4 (!!) in the #Bundesliga.

The next best #FCBayern coach? Hitzfeld - 58.4% 💪👊👏👏👏👏 pic.twitter.com/OOuhn0nGpI

— Bundesliga English (@Bundesliga_EN) May 14, 2016

Such successes can partly be attributed to the Bavarian giant’s vaster resources and at Manchester City too, Guardiola has been furnished with enormous wealth, leading to accusations that he is a ‘chequebook manager’.

Yet Klopp has been afforded considerable funds also since arriving at Anfield in 2015, breaking his club’s record transfer fee on several occasions. 

A year later, Guardiola, the Catalan Grandmaster came to East Manchester, and though he soon-after turned City into ‘Centurions’ – winning the Premier League with 100 points in 2018 – against Klopp’s Liverpool he initially struggled, winning only one in seven meetings.

That trend has consequently reversed with the Reds’ heavy metal regularly quietened in more recent clashes. 

Even so, overall Klopp boasts ten career wins to Guardiola’s nine from their personal duels and no other coach in world football has got the better of Guardiola more often. Only Jose Mourinho even comes close. 

A Top Flight Duopoly

It is a rivalry that has propelled their clubs to record-breaking feats, resulting in a duopoly at the top that is unlike anything witnessed before in English football.

Remarkably, since the beginning of 2018/19, only a single point separates Manchester City and Liverpool, and such is their dominance they have averaged 89.5 and 89.25 points-per-season respectively.

Pertinently, City win out handsomely for titles won though with four during Guardiola’s reign to Klopp’s single success in 2020. 

Unsurprisingly, both behemoths head our Premier League Odds odds for next term. Feel free to flip a coin. 

Silverware

If Guardiola has the bragging rights wrapped up for leagues won, where he falls short is in Europe, with his tauonic adversary lifting the Champions League in 2019 plus reaching a further two finals.

Guardiola’s failure to land the continent’s biggest prize is often used as a stick to beat him with and this has persisted, first at Bayern and currently at City.

Prior to both, however, was Barcelona and the construction of what some claim is the finest club side in history.

With Lionel Messi residing on another planet and the likes of Xavi and Iniesta carving out ever-more intricate passing patterns, Barca were all-conquering domestically and abroad, twice raising the jug-eared trophy, both times in sensational style.

It was here that Pep Guardiola established himself as an innovate coach of very rare distinction.

Furthermore, if his Champions League track record is somewhat blemished, his league C.V. is little short of phenomenal.

In 14 years of management, Guardiola has only failed to lead his team to a title on three occasions. Pointedly, meanwhile, he has won 33 major honours to Klopp’s ten.

At the risk of stating the obvious, if you’re a fan of online betting never, ever back against Pep Guardiola succeeding.

Legacy And Verdict 

When both men retire from the technical area their impact on modern football will still be felt on almost every pitch, so great has been their influence, with at least one of the sides involved committing to a high-press or passing out from the back.

Indeed, it is an influence that extends to every facet of the game because when football betting online no longer do we simply defer to form anymore.

Now we consider how Team X will deal with the front-foot defending of Team Y. But will Team Y even get the ball off Team X, with their superior possession? 

Granted, these philosophies did not originate from Klopp and Guardiola, with Arrigo Sacchi and Johan Cruyff deserving much of the credit, but the supreme manner in which both men have married these ideologies with the frantic demands of the modern game will ultimately be their legacy.

They took the best of the past, eradicated the flaws, and made them nigh-on perfect. 

As for who wins out in this managerial duel of duels, it’s admittedly close but surely Guardiola’s sublime feats at Camp Nou tips the balance? A greater number of trophies won cannot be overlooked either.

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888sport ambassador Neil Callan (@neilcallan78) gives his Day 1 tips and best bets ahead of the first day at Royal Ascot...

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A Word On Royal Aclaim

It was a pretty good week last week with a few nice winners and Royal Aclaim won very well at Bath on Saturday.

She feels like a nice filly and she’s got plenty of speed. Obviously, we’ll learn a lot more when James [Tate] steps her up into better company next time.

Royal Ascot 2022

For me Royal Ascot is the best week’s racing anywhere in the world. It’s absolutely brilliant and it trumps everything else.

I don’t have a ride on Tuesday, but I do have one for Marco [Botti] on Wednesday and I’m really looking forward to being back there to take it all in.

It’s been a long time since I’ve ridden at the meeting. I’ve had six winners there so not a bad return seeing as I was over in Hong Kong a decade.

The atmosphere will be fantastic this year with it being the first time a capacity crowd has been allowed in since Covid.

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Queen Anne Stakes – 2:30

As always, Royal Ascot starts with a bang with three Group 1s in the first four races. First up is the brilliant Baaeed who tries to maintain his unbeaten record for William Haggas and Jim Crowley.

It’s a small, select field, but it should be pretty straightforward for him really. He’s top class and one of the best horses in the world at the moment according to ratings.

Real World is a nice horse, but I’d be very surprised if Baaeed was to get beat.

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Coventry Stakes – 3:05

The Coventry is always a difficult race to get a handle on as most of these juveniles are meeting each other for the first time.

Aidan O’Brien has a very good record in the race and Blackbeard has looked pretty good so far so he’s one who has to be high on the shortlist.

That said, it’s the kind of race where something can come out of the woodwork. They may have only won a maiden but then they step up massively here. They’re all pretty unknown which is what makes it exciting.

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King’s Stand Stakes – 3:40

This looks like a bit of a match between the far east and the far west, with the Europeans stuck in the middle.

If I had the option, I’d be picking Nature Strip from Australia. He’s a big powerful horse with plenty of speed but he also stays well.

Golden Pal has really improved as a four-year-old. I know he’s been beaten over here a couple of times before, but he looks a different horse now. They’re drawn close to each other and it will be a really interesting race to watch.

I don’t think the Europeans are up to their level, but Man Of Promise is a decent horse and he could be the best each-way option.

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St James’s Palace Stakes – 4:20

If Coroebus runs like he did at Newmarket he’s going to be very hard to beat in this – it doesn’t look the strongest of runnings.

He’s a big, free-going, athletic type and he was very impressive in the Guineas.

Mighty Ulysses could be the one to chase him home for the Gosdens and Frankie [Dettori], while you certainly couldn’t rule out the two Haggas runners, but it’s Coroebus for me.

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Ascot Stakes – 5:00

The National Hunt trainers tend to do well in this race because they bring their horses fit and battle hardened after the jumps season. And crucially their horses stay.

Willie Mullins and Gordon Elliott both have runners at the head of the market with Bring On The Night and Pied Piper.

I wouldn’t have too much of a view to be honest, but I certainly wouldn’t be writing either of these two off.

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Wolferton Stakes – 5:35

I won this race back in 2010 for Michael Jarvis on Rainbow Peak. I thought he was an absolute certainty that day.

It’s not often you travel to Ascot so confident, but I couldn’t have him beat and he won very impressively. It’s nice when it works out like that.

This year’s race looks wide open, you’d struggle to rule any of them out. Juan Elcano won it 12 months ago and he’s coming here on the back of a good run at Group 3 level first time up at Sandown.

There’s no reason why he can’t run very well again.

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Copper Horse Stakes – 6:10

Cleveland did well to win the Chester Cup last time where he got a very good ride from Ryan [Moore].

He’s only four and has got loads of improvement in him, but it’s not as straightforward as you might think going from a Chester Cup to this.

He’s the one they all have to beat, but you always need a lot of luck in these Ascot handicaps.

Juan De Montalban won well over a mile and a half here last month and it looked that day that going up another couple of furlongs won’t be a problem, so he must have a good chance.

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*Prices accurate at the time of publication*

 

Football expert @SamRCox_ gives his view on the Sir Alex Ferguson vs Arsene Wenger debate - who comes out on top?

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• Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger are two of the greatest football managers of all-time

• Long-time foes, Ferguson and Wenger battled at the top of the Premier League for a prolonged period

• How do the pair weigh up against each other?

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Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United were already dominating English football when Arsenal hired Arsene Wenger in the late-1990s. A rivalry between clubs became more personal.

There was no concern about either being the next Premier League manager to leave for over a decade. The on-pitch hostility was clear between the two teams, from Patrick Vieira against Roy Keane to Martin Keown and Ruud van Nistelrooy.

Wenger and Ferguson exchanged public remarks, and bad feeling grew across two fan bases with no historical or geographical tensions.

From Wenger’s appointment until Chelsea’s surge under Roman Abramovich, the top of Premier League online betting was all about Ferguson’s United and Wenger’s Gunners.

It was a period of hostility between Highbury and Old Trafford, with both venues hosting some classic fixtures. Ferguson had established himself as a managerial great, but his battles with Wenger brought more out of the Scot.

Wenger, dubbed ‘Le Professeur’ upon his arrival in England, had trophies to his name in France and Japan.

His appointment at Arsenal was a relative surprise, and he set about changing the Premier League, making more than his fair share of history in English football.

While Ferguson and Wenger are still involved in the sport, neither are factors for bettors to consider when weighing up football odds. That makes it a good time to compare their respective, historic managerial careers in England.

Achievements

Ferguson wanted Manchester United to topple Liverpool at the top of the list of the most successful clubs in England. He did just that. Wenger won two league and FA Cup doubles, a further league title and five more FA Cups.

Ferguson won 59.8% of his matches in charge of Manchester United (an outrageous tally of 1,500). Wenger won 57.2% of his matches in charge of Arsenal (an almost as outrageous 1,235).

For context, Pep Guardiola has overseen just 352 matches as Manchester City manager.

It was 13 league titles for Ferguson, with a couple of Champions League winners’ medals and two finals losses.

Wenger reached just one Champions League final, and spent the final years of his career disappointing in the world’s premier club competition.

Of course, Ferguson never matched Wenger’s unbeaten Premier League season. It’s a feat which is hard to quantify, as no other team in the history of English football has achieved an unbeaten top flight campaign.

Lifting the gold Premier League trophy was a unique moment, yet how can that be compared to Manchester United’s unprecedented treble?

When it comes to points hauls, both Wenger and Ferguson oversaw some impressive tallies, but both have seen their top marks surpassed by Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea.

Part of that is a broader change to the Premier League, part of it raises questions about how the best of United and Arsenal would fare against the Premier League’s juggernauts of the 2010s and 2020s.

Impact

Wenger is a footballing ideologue. This was his downfall at times, such was his uncompromising belief in the way the game should be played.

Wengerball was at its pomp with Thierry Henry leading the line and a steely spine led by Vieira. Adaptation was rare, and once that core has disbanded, Wenger’s stubborn nature limited Arsenal’s ceiling.

Ferguson, in contrast, was a pragmatist. Often applauded for his attacking football, Ferguson’s greatest tactical skill was an ability to adapt.

He favoured certain principles, largely playing with wingers and being direct in possession, but the Scot would tweak these when required. Winning always trumped all else for Ferguson.

It is man-management skill rather than tactical ingenuity that shines from Ferguson’s legacy. He was a motivator first and foremost, capable of instilling supreme belief in his squad. This was reflected in the regularity of Fergie Time goals.

Players largely flourished under Ferguson, and some who developed and impressed at United showed to be significantly less impressive when they departed for pastures new.

Where Ferguson’s fearsome competitiveness led to some fractured relationships with his players, Wenger was a calmer, more relaxed manager. Perhaps he became too relaxed towards the end, lacking than fire that made Ferguson a perennial winner.

The Wenger method had its failings – it was not effective in curating a long-term winning machine, yet it avoided the blow ups that were occasionally detrimental at Old Trafford.

Wenger further professionalised the English game. The magnitude of his impact on the Premier League should not be downplayed – it would be a very different place if Wenger had never established himself at Arsenal.

Wengerball arguably became outdated, but concepts of Wenger’s tactical ideals are found around world football to this day.

Ferguson’s impact was seismic in titles alone. Manchester United had an unparalleled period of sustained dominance, and the club would not be the international brand it is today without Ferguson’s irrepressible drive.

Wenger vs Fergie - Who Wins?

Comparing the respective CVs, Ferguson clearly comes out on top. He’s got the longevity and trophies over Wenger, both in England and Europe.

Ferguson was a relentless winner in a way that Wenger was not. Wenger was, as the nickname suggests, a professor of the sport, a footballing philosopher who appreciated the sport as an artform as much as a pure competition.

Winning was the be all and end all for Ferguson. That wasn’t always the case for Wenger, particularly in the twilight years of his Arsenal stint after the stadium move.

Ferguson took United out on top, a perennial contender in the Premier League. Wenger oversaw a potentially tumultuous period for the club, providing stability and consistency of a different kind.

In terms of success, it is a no contest. Sir Alex Ferguson is clear of Arsene Wenger.

More subjective topics like wider impact on football provoke a more interesting debate, and a case can be made that Wenger has a greater worldwide legacy than Ferguson.

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