Patriotic Punt gathers pace

Punters are getting stuck into England at skinny prices to beat Croatia and ensure Qualification for Euro 2008..

England have been fairly reliable in recent times at Wembley and with Croatia already qualified you can see some logic behind getting with England at 1.63.

But under Steve Maclaren, nothing is straightforward. Remember the defeat in Zagreb when Maclaren inexplicably played 3-5-2 and wingbacks..

Latest rumours from the England camp is that tubby error prone stopper Paul Robinson will make way for Scott Carson. A gamble perhaps, but Carson looks a solid prospect and will surely fight with Ben Foster for the Number 1 spot in Austria/Switzerland.

With Peter Crouch likely to lead the line, I think that England could struggle to breakdown Croatia, and a lay of England seems like the sensible trade.

Maclaren won't want to leave the backdoor open, and will send out his overpaid England players with a negative attitude - avoid defeat at all costs.

So I would expect a tight first half from England, and the initiative may actually be given to a Croatian side that doesn't need an invitation to unlock a packed defence..

It is certainly going to be a tense night for England supporters, but laying England may be the route to in play profits.