SPFL: 5 things we learned from the weekend

The Scottish football season is now well underway and at present you can’t take your eyes off the action.

If you did the chances are you’d miss a goal or at the very least an audacious attempt at a piece of skill.

This weekend was no different, with a host of talking points arising across the four leagues.

Here’s Ladbrokes News’ top five things learned from the latest round of fixtures.

Hearts are looking better and better value for a place in Europe

While Hearts manager Robbie Neilson played down expectation at the start of the season many pundits tipped the Jambos up for a top six finish on their return to the top flight.

Now four games in Nielson will be struggling to deflect the praise as the unbeaten Edinburgh club sit top of the table.

At the start of the season the Jam Tarts were 9/2 in the betting without Celtic market but those odds have now disappeared, with 2/1 the current price.

While there is obviously plenty of football to play some may wish to snap up the 28/1 on an outright title win before Hearts record other convincing win!

Scotland is the place to be for goals

If the attacking flair currently on show in Scotland continues unabated we could be on for a record number of goals this season. With 73 goals scored across the 21 games played at the weekend fans were treated to an average of 3.4 strikes per game!

This may have been slanted by some lop-sided scorelines in Leagues One and Two but with five of the six Premiership games seeing both sides get on the sheet the Ladbrokes’ Goal Crazy  coupon could well be the way to go this season.

Dunfermline are on course to continue a crazy sequence

While Hearts are having to deal with raised expectation the same can be said of League One leaders Dunfermline.

The Pars sit top of the table and are alive in the cup competitions after winning their opening four games of the season 4-1, 5-1, 6-1 and 7-1.

Next up for Allan Johnston’s men is a trip to Fofar and while an 8-1 win may be unlikely few would forgive themselves for passing on odds of 500/1 if the unthinkable did happen.

Rangers guilty of showboating?

An audacious attempt at a sublime piece of skill or a disrespectful piece of showboating? Rangers boss Mark Warburton was somewhat diplomatic in his appraisal of Nathan Oduwa’s flick and with the Championship title favourites cruising at 5-1 against Alloa all will be forgiven – by the Gers fans and manager at least.

However, pull that off when things aren’t going his side’s way and the on loan trickster could find himself in hot water.

It might be early but Dundee United relegation fears are already rumbling

After bouncing back from opening day defeat to beat Motherwell 2-0 there seemed reason for Terrors fans to be optimistic.

However, after squandering a 2-0 lead in the derby to draw 2-2 with Dundee and being soundly beaten 4-0 by Hamilton at the weekend the Tannadice Park faithful will be concerned about what lies ahead.

There is of course plenty of time for Jackie McNamara to turn things around but after seeing odds on his side finishing bottom tumble from 40/1 to 22/1 the United gaffer will be eager to halt his team’s slide sooner rather than later.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.

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