MLS: Mattocks shows plenty of raw talent

Darren Mattocks will have been happy yet frustrated following his first start of his Vancouver Whitecaps career. The Jamaican striker was a constant thorn in the Seattle Sounders’ side during their 2-2 draw against the Whitecaps. However, the youngster will have been left kicking himself after missing a hatful of clear cut chances.

Seattle head coach admitted his side were lucky Mattocks had misplaced his scoring boots, although, the Sounders defence will remember coming up against the lively frontman. While he may not have found the back of the net, Mattocks never stopped running and proved his striker’s instinct by getting himself into goal-scoring positions, albeit unsuccessfully.

"That's the life of a striker," Mattocks said. "I think I did really well but unfortunately, I was unlucky on a couple of those opportunities that I missed ... That's the way it goes sometimes. That's my first start of the season. Give me a couple of games and I'll be firing on all cylinders."

Punters who bet on soccer games expected the 21-year old to be a regular first-team player at the beginning of the season, only to suffer a freak cooking-related injury which ruled him out of action for eight weeks. Now back fully fit, Mattocks will be looking to prove he has been worth all the hype since his second overall pick at the pre-season MLS SuperDraft.

The lively striker’s 21 goals in 22 games for Akron University show the Jamaican knows how to put the ball in the back of the net. Most soccer betting tips now feel that with a regular run in the first team Mattocks will show he can be the man to score the goals that help the Whitecaps get higher up the table.

Carragher – Liverpool need to get into top four

The last few years have been real eye-openers for Liverpool fans and now even Jamie Carragher seems to admit the club need to look at getting back in the Premier League top four rather than challenge for the title.

The 2011/12 season may have been a success in cup competitions – with Carling Cup success complimented by an appearance in the FA Cup final – but they were poor in the Premier League and lost as many games as they won.

An eighth-place finish, behind arch-rivals Everton, signalled the end of Kenny Dalglish’s reign at Anfield with owners Fenway Sports Group giving him the chop and starting the search for a new man to take Liverpool forward.

Carragher, who is Liverpool through-and-through and can remember the times when Liverpool were all-conquering in the 1980s, reckons the cup triumphs made the last campaign “fantastic” but he is honest of what
should be the club’s targets under their new manager.

Liverpool fans will be dreaming of winning their first league title since 1990 but have to admit they are currently a long way behind Manchester City and Manchester United, and also lagging behind the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea and Spurs.

The Premier League top four and Champions League qualification must be the prime target for the Reds next season as Carragher admits that tournament it “the place to be seen” for anyone who regards themselves as a top club.

“Liverpool fans probably don't want to hear it, but it is an achievement getting into the top four. It is different to what it was a long time ago,” said the Reds defender.

"At the moment I don't think the title is in everyone's mind, I think top four first.”

Liverpool defender Martin Skrtel has come out and stated league performances need to take priority over everything else this season as they underachieved in 2011/12, and fans will have high hopes the new man at the helm can take them into that Premier League top four.

Ahead of this summer’s European Championships don’t forget to check out the new bet365 Ray Winston video  as well as all the other bet365 videos as seen on TV.

NHL: A Cup full of history

The entire focus of the NHL season and particularly of those who regularly bet on hockey is the Stanley Cup.

The LA Kings are just one game away from claiming a place in the Final, while it could take a little bit longer to separate the Rangers and the Devils, who are all-square in their series at 2-2.

The Cup has a rich and detailed history full of tradition and pageantry, but there are a few little things about the Cup that are not well known.

Here are a few such facts that you may not know about.

The current Trophy is surely one of the biggest in sport but it wasn’t always that way. The original Stanley Cup was only seven inches tall and is dwarfed by the current trophy stands a massive 35 inches tall and weighs in at a hefty 34 pounds. Lifting the Stanley Cup certainly takes some effort from the players.

The Stanley Cup has the distinction of being the oldest trophy competed for by professional sports teams in North America. Originally purchased in 1892, the cup was created for the championship hockey club of the Dominion of Canada. It wasn’t until 1927 that the NHL became the sole owner of the Cup. That year, the Ottawa Senators defeated the Boston Bruins.

Winning the Cup has always been tough, but one team heads the role of honour in terms of Cup wins. The Montreal Canadiens have celebrated victory in the Stanley Cup 24 times.

Of the current crop of NHL teams, 12 have never lifted the trophy and, with the Kings playing the Coyotes in one of the Conference Finals, one of those 12 will have a chance a lifting the trophy this season.

While the current version of the Stanley Cup is much larger than the original version, it is still too small to contain the entire list of champions. There are five rings on the cup and each ring can hold 13 winners.

Once the bottom ring gets filled, they remove the oldest rings and start a new ring. Rings that have been removed are sent to the Hockey Hall of Fame.

So there you have it - some things you may know about the Cup and some you may not.

What everyone knows, however, is that we are going to see a fierce battle to lift the Stanley Cup once again in 2012.

Why not check out the live hockey online and join the excitement?