EFL Trophy - Tuesday

There are a host of EFL Cup games taking place on Tuesday, but the best value might be down in the EFL Trophy, where the Football League clubs of League One and League Two dish out a few lessons to the youngsters from the Academy side.

Last season, League One sides won 10 of their 18 home matches against academy sides, and actually impoved that record away, with three wins and four draws from the seven matches played. This time around, home advantage is enjoyed in every match of course, which should level out as a big advantage regardless of last season's numbers.

If you can remember back to out investigation into some of the numbers on this competition you may recall that League One sides were 8-1-2 at home to 2nd tier Academies. So are any League 1 sides in action tonight? Well of course there are.

Walsall take on West Brom U21, who are currently bottom of their 2nd tier, and by our matches, the Saddlers should be a very good slice of odds on. The 6/5 widely available is just plain wrong - especially when you consider the results this season against Academies:

Rotherham 1 - 1 Man City U21

Chelthenham 1 - 2 Swansea U21

Plymouth 2 - 2 Chelsea U21

Notts County 2 - 1 Everton U21

Luton 2 -2 Tottenham U21

*Portsmouth 3 - 3 Fulham U21

Colchester 2 - 2 Reading U21

Fleetwood 3 - 0 Leicester U21

Scunthorpe 3 - 1 Sunderland U21

*Blackburn 1 - 0 Stoke U21

*Peterborough 2 - 0 Southampton U21

*MK Dons 2 - 1 Brighton U21

Those in bold are the League 1 games against the 2nd Tier Academies, so we shouldn't be too concerned that the likes of Man City and Chelsea et all are getting better in the top flight. It's another 3 wins and a draw to add to the previous totals, taking is to 11-2-2.

Given that West Brom U21 have lost four of their opening five games, it seems reasonable to oppose them in this one as well, and the 6/5 on Walsall is a strong bet.

We'll swerve the same logic on Accrington v Middlesbrough for two reasons. Firstly Accrington haven't started as strongly this season, and secondly, Boro look to be going very well after five wins on the spin in the academy league.

5pts Walsall to beat West Brom U21 at 6/5

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