Tag Archives: ab copenhagen

Roskilde vs AB Copenhagen

Posted on by

Today’s featured game is the Danish Division 1 game between Roskilde and giants AB Copenhagen. Although it’s still early in the season, I think it’s fair to say that both sides have started as they mean to go on this season with hosts Roskilde battling against relegation and visitors AB Copenhagen expected to compete for that ever-elusive promotion place.

Roskilde have already lost four out of their first five games, drawing the other encounter. Admittedly, only one of those games was at home but they’ve already lost to two sides this season that they arguably shouldn’t be losing to if they intend to prove that they have the quality to stay in this division. Roskilde managed a credible 2-2 draw at potent Skive last match but they’ll need a lot more than that to shatter a very good AB Copenhagen today. Roskilde have played AB Copenhagen five times since gaining promotion to this division a couple of years ago and they’ve lost every occasion, twice at home and thrice away from home. Roskilde tend to give AB Copenhagen a good game as they’re a pretty potent side themselves but their weak defence is almost always shattered by the better sides in the division and AB Copenhagen are certainly one of them.

Only eventually-promoted AC Horsens won more away games than AB Copenhagen last season, which should be testament to how good today’s visitors actually are. It’s a mystery as to why they’re still yet to be promoted but it’s surely only a matter of time. The reason AB do so well on the road is an obvious one; they simply outscore their opponents. The departure of promising youngster Nicolai Jorgensen over the summer to German giants Bayer 04 Leverkusen looked set to disrupt the title contenders but the introduction of Kim Christensen has bolstered their attack, leaving them not only with their new signing but also fairly experienced campaigner Nick Christensen and emerging youngster Benjamin Lee so AB aren’t short on goalscorers. The aspect of the game known as “defending” continues to elude this promising side due to their attacking tactics but I really don’t see that hindering them in a division where they’re one of the best sides in it. AB haven’t started their campaign too well but their quality is still convincing. Bizarrely, they’ve yet to win a home game in two attempts as they’ve drawn twice. However, equally as bizarrely, they’ve won both of their two away games despite one of those games being a tricky tie with Fredericia. One thing that AB always bring to their games is goals, however, and that always makes them a potent threat in games against inferior opponents, naturally.

I’m surprised the bookies have been so lenient here with the odds, really. Generally, you’ll find AB at 1/3 for home wins in this division against the majority of their opponents and that’s merited more often than not – there’s a big quality gap in this division between the likes of AB, AGF etc. and the rest. Roskilde are notorious relegation-battlers and that doesn’t look set to change today. I expect an attacking game from both sides as neither knows how to defend so we should see a lot of goals here. However, for me, the away win is too generously priced so that’s my call here.

Verdict: AB Copenhagen to win at 23/20.

Sunday’s Picks

My tips:

As ever, below are my recommended value tips for today in no particular order:

Ethiopia vs Guinea – away win at evens.

The bookies are usually spot-on with their odds on the African Nations Qualifiers which is why I rarely find any value there. However, unless I’m missing something massive here, this looks a real steal. Ethiopia are a very poor footballing side. They have no big names, no experience, and simply don’t play good football. They’re hosting a Guinea side that is not only very talented but very experienced too. With the likes of Ismael Bangoura, Souleymane Youla, Kamil Zayatte, Pascal Feindouno, and Ibrahim Yattara in their ranks, I’d honestly fancy Guinea against most sides in Africa. There’s some tremendous players in this squad in both defence and attack and I can’t see them doing anything but winning this game against their poor hosts with ease. Why Guinea are at evens and not 2/5 for this game is beyond me! 

Verdict: Guinea to win at evens.

Velez Sarsfield vs River Plate – home win at evens.

This game is one of many Buenos Aires derbies throughout the Primera Division campaign and although it’s not the main one for either club, it’s still a very big affair. It’s hard to read too much into statistics because of the above information but what is factual is that Velez are currently the best side in Argentina. River Plate used to be one of the top dogs in Argentina too but along with bitter rivals Boca Juniors, they’ve slipped down the pecking order in Argentinian football in recent years. However, River won’t simply lie down for this game – they want their crown(s) back – so they’ll feel a particularly strong level of hatred for usurpers Velez today and thus I expect the very real derby feel for this game.

Three wins in four games says that Velez are the title threat that they were expected to be pre-Apertura. Only Boca Juniors shattered their stiff resolve and that was thanks to an inspirational home display and you know what Boca are like when La Bombonera is rocking! It’s not a bad record at all, to be blunt, and you can see how seriously Velez are taking this game today as they rested players mid-week for the Copa Sudamericana First Leg at home to Banfield, namely star striker Silva, Argentina international defender Otameni, and key playmaker Moralez, although both came on in the second-half to give Velez a bit of life. The Apertura crown means more to Velez than the Sudamericana and for obvious reasons too as that gives them a passage to the Libertadores, which is held in much higher regard than the Sudamericana. Therefore, expect a full-blooded and determined show from the hosts tonight.

River Plate aren’t what they were but they’ve impressed me en mass this season by starting to recapture some of their old form. However, they were beyond disappointing in their last away game against Argentinos Juniors and could have lost if their hosts were able to score a goal once in a while. They were quite poor in their other away game this season but somehow ground out a 1-0 win at Huracan. Veteran playmaker Ortega is looking as good as ever and little Buonanotte is gradually beginning to fufill his potential. River will be pleased to have given new striker Pavone some game time at Argentinos last match because although emerging striker Mori is scoring goals for them, they still lack a proper target man and he fits the bill perfectly. When he’s in the team week in, week out, then you’ll see a proper River Plate side. However, that time isn’t yet so I fear for them tonight as I don’t see where the goals are coming from.

Velez won this fixture 3-1 last time around and with the quality balance having shifted very little since then, a similar scoreline wouldn’t surprise me. Don’t wade heavily into this one as it’s not only a derby but two ex-River players (Zapata and Fernandez) could feature for Velez and ex-Velez striker (Caruso) could feature for River Plate so cards are not unexpected here! Nonetheless, the home win still looks decent value to me although I’d leave it if the odds drop below evens.

Verdict: Velez Sarsfield to win at evens.

Guarani vs Fluminense – away win at 5/4.

Guarani are a good enough home side in Serie A so I can understand the odds on the away win today although I don’t agree with them. They’ve only lost here once this season and that was 3-0 against a rampant Internacional. They’ve drawn four times and won four times aside from that so counter-attacking Guarani tend to keep it tight at the back and take their chances when given them. Guarani’s strength in defence is what keeps them in the division as they seemingly believe that goalscoring was a thing of the past that would never take off. Guarani have a ceiling with their ability, however, and that’s visible by the fact that when they’ve hosted Palmeiras, Internacional, Sao Paulo, and Cruzeiro, they’ve failed to beat all of them. I can’t accept Guarani trying to attack in this game – they’re going to defend here and that could be fatal tonight.

Why? Well, Fluminense have some  very gifted passers of the ball i.e. Deco and they’ve got some bloody good goalscorers too i.e. Emerson, Washington, and Fred, although Fred has been out of the side since July with injury and misses this game despite returning to training lately. Fluminense’s line-up is reportedly Fernando Henrique, Mariano, Gum, Julio Cesar, Andre Luis, Valencia, Fernando, Conca, Deco, Washington, and Emerson. The return of Valencia is a big boost for Fluminense and in my eyes, the named squad above is more than good enough to win this game. You can look at Fluminense’s recent form of late and point out that they’ve drawn three out of their last four games, which is quite accurate! However, consider that one of those was a derby with Vasco da Gama and the two others were against Sao Paulo (in which they still played better in but lost their lead due to goalkeeping errors and missed a late penalty too) and Palmeiras (due to a last minute equaliser from Ewerton) so they’ve been a bit unlucky of late, really. Their quality hasn’t suffered and they still bring a strong side into this game so I fancy them to win this game today at decent odds of 5/4.

Verdict: Fluminense to win at 5/4.

Avai vs Atletico Paranaense – home win at 3/4.

Avai haven’t been at their best lately but I attribute that to their continental committments and thus stretched squad rather than a decline in ability. Avai are generally a very robust and determined side with plenty of goals in them, especially at home, and that’s the Avai that I expect to turn up tonight. They’ve already won five out of nine at home this season with just two defeats along the way because they average scoring over two goals per home game, thus allowing us to generally overlook their defensive ineptitude. No Serie A side has scored more home goals than Avai and only giants Corinthians can match their daunting goalscoring tally so I do have a lot of respect for the hosts tonight. Only one out of Avai’s last four defeats in their last five games has been a Serie A home game so I’m not reading much into their recent down-trend in form as they don’t travel well and they’ve had committments elsewhere. I’m expecting little Avai to be back in business tonight though and let’s face it – they’re generously priced against an Atletico Paranaense side that has already lost seven out of nine away games in Serie A this season. I have respect for Atletico too, particularly after a run of four games without defeat, but the fact remains that any kind of decent side playing at home has a very good chance of beating Atletico because they don’t score enough goals away from home. Despite being eighth in the Serie A table, nobody else in the division has lost as many away games as Atletico and that includes the sides currently in the relegation zone! The fact that they average conceding two goals per away game and that they have lost both meetings with Avai since Avai were promoted should fill the visitors with fear tonight, especially given how potent their hosts are. For me, Avai are too generously priced here to be ignored so my call is the home win.

Verdict: Avai to win at 3/4.

Envigado vs Real Cartagena – away win at 13/10.

If this bet comes in then make sure you have your lottery tickets to hand because I can’t remember the last time I won a bet in Colombia on an away win – it’s rather unheard of! However, the fact that Envigado have lost all seven Primera A games so far this season and the fact that Real Cartagena are a top six side is enough to convince me that they’ve got a chance here, even by Colombian standards! Envigado aren’t terrible defensively – they’re usually quite hard to break down - but they offer next to nothing in front of goal which is why everyone keeps betting them. They’ve already lost three home games and this really should be their fourth as Real Cartagena’s sluggish start has started to gather momentum with no defeats in four consecutive Primera A games, winning at America de Cali and claiming a respectable 1-1 draw with giants Independiente Medellin in their last two away games. Real Cartagena, to be blunt, are starting to show their potential and as they’re a good side anyway, I fancy them tonight.

Please don’t view this as a dead cert purely by orgasming over the Primera A league table – Colombian football doesn’t work like that more often than not. Most sides in this division can beat each other on their respective days but in this instance, the chances of the home side losing are good and the chances of the away win putting up a good show are good so it’s worth a punt here.

Verdict: Real Cartagena to win at 13/10.

HJK II vs RoPS Rovaniemi – lay RoPS Rovaniemi at 23/20.

It’s been coming for a long time but I’m finally going to lay RoPS Rovaniemi outright because I can’t sit by and watch them keep failing to win anymore without attempting to profit from it. We had some joy last week when RoPS somehow lost against relegation favourites MP Mikkeli, which takes their run to six conecutive games without a win. They’ve drawn five of those games and have failed to score in four of them so RoPS’ problems are very apparent at the moment, although they’re also very confusing as they’re not missing any key players, to my knowledge. RoPS are by far the best side in the Ykkonen but they’re not playing well at all so I don’t see them winning today. It aids my cause that HJK II not only need the points to stave off the threat of relegation but that they’ve drawn two consecutive games to give them some momentum to take into this game (and end their barren form!) and also that they’ve only lost three out of ten home games this season. Interestingly enough, HJK II were the first side in seven Ykkonen  games this season to take points off RoPS Rovaniemi in a 1-1 draw in the far north of Finland. That was when RoPS were in-form; now that they’re struggling, I don’t see a RoPS win here.

Approach this one with caution as RoPS really are the best side in the Ykkonen by a long way but there’s too much value in laying them today for me to ignore.

Verdict: Lay RoPS Rovaniemi at 23/20.

Varese vs Empoli – home win at 21/20.

I’ve sat back and observed Varese for two weeks now to see if that was suspected regarding this side turned out to be true and it has become so. Varese were tipped as being the surprise package this year following promotion from Serie C and a win at Torino and a draw at home to promotion favourites Atalanta Bergamo in their first two games has convinced me that they’re very capable of doing exactly what Cesena did last year. As I’ve mentioned previously, the gap in quality between Italian divisions is generally very small which is why promoted clubs tend to do well and Varese are no exception to that ruling. Varese are very much a united front and have few stars but function extremely well as a unit and rarely concede as a result so don’t write the hosts off this season.

I was waiting for the right time to back Varese if their form continued and now I have one as they face Empoli. You all know how good Empoli generally are if you follow Serie B but their form is generally restricted to being superb at home. Away from home, Empoli really struggle as their horrific record of fourteen defeats in twenty-one away games last season indicates all too well. The only side that lost more games than Empoli away from home last season was eventually-relegated Salernitana so Empoli have a lot to do to prove their promotion aspirations are nothing more than dreams based upon their past. Empoli’s problem last season was defending – they conceded over two goals per away game on average and given that they didn’t manage to average scoring a goal per away game, it’s easy to see where they went wrong. Empoli still have a presentable side and aren’t easy to beat but their success hinges on their strike duo of Coralli and Eder, who were responsible for forty-four out of Empoli’s sixty-six goals in Serie B last season. However, Brazilian striker Eder has been sold to Brescia so what on earth are Empoli going to do this season? Not a lot in my eyes. Coralli is still a threat but without Eder and without a defence, I really don’t rate this Empoli side. They’ve won at Frosinone already this season in a free-for-all attacking display from both sides but at the first hurdle of facing a tactical game, Empoli failed to produce the goods, drawing a blank against newly-promoted Pescara in a 0-0 draw at home. If they can’t win at home, they’re not going to be a threat away so contrary to what the size and stature of both clubs might have you thinking, I think that the odds are quite fair today.

Although there is obviously risk here given that Empoli still do have some good players, I don’t rate their attack without Eder and I really don’t rate their defence so an organised Varese could and should really take advantage of their more illustrious opponents today.

Verdict: Vareset to win at 21/20.

Gombak United vs Armed Forces – home win at 17/10.

I can’t quite work out why physical Gombak United are priced so long to beat a massively out-of-sorts Armed Forces side today but the odds are far too good to pass up on. Gombak have already won eight out of twelve home games in the S-League this season and only Etoile and Home United can better that record. They’ve won those eight games through clinical finishing and well-marshalled defending, conceding an average of a goal per every two home games, a record which only Etoile can better currently. Gombak also have a terrific home record against Armed Forces in recent times with three consecutive home wins. In fact, Gombak won at Armed Forces earlier this season, which shows the descent of Armed Forces from the top of Singaporean football. Gombak’s recent form isn’t outstanding but their well-organised displays really should see them beat a vastly unorganised and leaky Armed Forces side. Armed Forces average conceding over a goal per away game and with four defeats in their last five games whilst conceding twelve goals, I don’t fancy their chances today. Armed Forces always have that threat of scoring goals but Duric’s departure in attack has clearly impacted them and they don’t possess the same threat anymore, in my opinion. They’ve failed to score in three out of their last five games and it’s going to take more than an unconvincing win at home to Sengkang Punggol to convince me that they’re anywhere near back to their best so my call is the home win today at surprisingly generous odds.

Verdict: Gombak United to win at 17/10.

Barcelona II vs Deportivo Xerez – home win at 6/5.

Barcelona II stated their intent in the Segunda Liga by winning their opening game at Celta de Vigo following a convincing display and have had a nice long rest since that game as Spanish rules mean that they can’t compete in the Copa del Rey for obvious reasons. Recently-relegated Deportivo Xerez competed mid-week, however, facing the tough trip to Gimnasic de Tarragona and impressively winning. However, the trip to Barcelona is their third game in seven days and given that Xerez were relegated from the Primera Liga due to no strength in-depth, I’d be surprised to see them get anything from a trip to face a very talented and determined Barcelona II side. Barcelona II is a combination of a few players yet to make the Barcelona grade and some that yet might (i.e. Giovani Dos Santos’ brother Jonathan Dos Santos) so there’s always a hunger in the Barcelona II side, which is good as there’s zero motivation for them whatsoever to win this league as promotion is in fact an impossibility for Barcelona II. I half-expected Xerez to put up a good show in the Segunda Liga following relegation as they’re a battling side but 4-1 humbling at home against Cartagena in their opening Segunda Liga game demonstrated how poorly-prepared they are for this division so they should be in for a rough ride today. Perhaps it was naive of me to expect more from Xerez given that they lost midfielders Armanteros (Rayo Vallecano de Madrid), Carlos Calvo (Granada), Keita (Racing Club Lens), Garcia (Granada), and Orellana (Granada), not to mention defenders Malia (Racing Santander), Gioda (Quilmes), and goalkeeper Renan (Internacional) but I still fancied Xerez’s battling spirit to prevail. However, they’re really struggling and tough target man Martin Bermejo will be massively instrumental if Xerez are to get anything out of this season. I think the trip to a feisty Barcelona II side is a bridge too far for them at the moment though so my call is a home win for newly-promoted Barcelona II today.

Verdict: Barcelona II to win at 6/5.

Accumulator fodder:

Benin, Nigeria, Egypt, Ghana, AGF Aarhus, Sarpsborg 08.

Recommended bets:

Guinea, Benin, Egypt, and Nigeria at 2/1.

Avai and Fluminense at 3/1.

As ever, if there any questions/explanations required then please feel free to post a comment! For the remainder of my thoughts on today’s games, see below!

African Nations Qualifiers:

Liberia vs Zimbabwe (6) 0-1
Mozambique vs Libya (7) 2-0
Democratic Republic of Congo vs Senegal (6) 1-1
Swaziland vs Ghana (8) 1-2
Nigeria vs Madagascar (8) -1.5 handicap
Ethiopia vs Guinea (7) 0-2
Benin vs Burundi (8) 2-0
Egypt vs Sierra Leone (8) over 2.5 goals

International Friendlies:

Jamaica vs Costa Rica (6) 2-2

Argentinian Primera Division:

Quilmes vs Huracan (6) 1-1
Gimnasia De La Plata vs Atletico Lanus (4) 1-2, draw no bet
Banfield vs Tigre (6) 1-0
Velez Sarsfield vs River Plate (7) 2-1

Australian A-League:

Newcastle Jets vs Brisbane Roar (4) under 2.5 goals
Perth Glory vs Wellington Phoenix (5) 1-1

Brazilian Serie A:

Avai vs Atletico Paranaense (7) over 2.5 goals
Palmeiras vs Cruzeiro (5) 1-1
Guarani vs Fluminense (7) 1-2
Flamengo vs Santos (6) under 2.5 goals
Atletico Mineiro vs Sao Paulo (6) 2-1
Atletico Goianiense vs Vitoria (4) over 2.5 goals
Internacional vs Gremio Prudente (6) under 2.5 goals

Chilean Primera Division:

Cobresal vs Universidad de Chile (5) 1-1
Union Espanola vs Everton (5) 2-1

Colombian Primera A:

Atletico Junior Barranquilla vs Independiente Medellin (5) over 2.5 goals, at least one red card in this game
Deportes Quindio vs Cucuta Deportivo (5) 0-0
Deportivo Cali vs Once Caldas Manizales (6) 2-2
Deportivo Pereira vs Cortulua (6) 1-1
Envigado vs Real Cartagena (6) 0-1
Millonarios Bogota vs Atletico Huila (7) 1-1

Danish 1st Division:

Hvidovre vs Fyn (4) draw no bet
Vestjaelland vs Skive (6) both sides to score, over 3.5 goals
Roskilde vs AB Copenhagen (8)
Vejle vs Hjorring (6)
Kolding vs AGF Aarhus (8)

English League One:

Brentford vs Sheffield Wednesday (6)

Finnish Ykkonen:

HJK II vs RoPS Rovaniemi (5)

Italian Serie B:

Modena vs Padova (6)
Ascoli vs Albinoleffe (5)
Atalanta Bergamo vs Frosinone (8)
Cittadella vs Novara (6)
Grosseto vs Vicenza (6)
Portosummaga vs Sassuolo (6)
Reggina vs Piacenza (5)
Triestina vs Pescara (7)
Varese vs Empoli (6)
Livorno vs Siena (5)

Mexican Primera Division:

Guadalajara vs Estudiantes Tecos (6) 1-0

Norwegian Divisjon 1:

Strommen vs Ranheim (5) over 2.5 goals, both sides to score
Nybergsund vs Alta (6)
Sarpsborg 08 vs Bryne (8)
Tromsdalen vs Sandnes Ulf (5)

Paraguayan Division Profesional:

Sportivo Trinidense vs Tacuary (6) 1-1
Sol de America vs Sport Colombia (7) 2-0
Sportivo Luqueno vs Olimpia Asuncion (4) 1-0

Polish Liga 1:

Kolejarz Stroze vs Gornik Polkowice (5)

Singaporean S-League:

Gombak United vs Armed Forces (6) over 2.5 goals

Spanish Segunda Liga:

Alcorcon vs Ponferradina (4) draw no bet
Numancia vs Celta de Vigo (5)
Tenerife vs Salamanca (6)
Granada vs Real Valladolid (5) over 2.5 goals
Barcelona II vs Deportivo Xerez (6) over 2.5 goals

Uruguayan Primera Division:

Montevideo Wanderers vs Tacuarembo (6) 1-0
River Plate Montevideo vs Central Espanol (6) 2-1
Liverpool Montevideo vs Racing Club Montevideo (7) over 2.5 goals
Fenix vs Penarol (6) 1-2

Welsh Premier League:

Bala Town vs Haverfordwest County (6) 2-1
Neath Athletic vs Newtown (7) 2-0

Enjoy your free betting tips!

Udinese vs Fiorentina

Posted on by

Today’s featured game is the match between Udinese and Fiorentina in the Italian Serie A. Hosts Udinese had been tipped pre-season for a very good campaign but have generally failed to deliver consistently thus far, hence their unconvincing league placing. However, their actual potential has begun to surface lately with a two-match unbeaten run and a morale-boosting victory against Serie A giants AS Roma. Udinese’s biggest problem is that they’re really poor on the road but fortunately this isn’t a problem today for obvious reasons! Only Internazionale and Sampdoria have currently got a better record at home than Udinese. The hosts today have won four of their six home games, drawing once and losing once along the way. Today they host a Fiorentina side that have started to look increasingly stretched of late with just one win in their last five Serie A games. A mid-week clash didn’t assist matters either with talismanic striker Adrian Mutu obtaining an injury during this game and thus missing the match today. With form and numbers of available players dwindling, the Viola are beginning to look rather fragile, in my humble opinion. Fiorentina have won just once in five away games this season, losing twice and drawing twice. Although Fiorentina are not a side that generally leaks goals, Udinese are a side that does enjoy scoring them, particularly at home, something which is proven by the fact that only Internazionale and Sampdoria have scored more home goals than they have. Although neither of these two sides are playing as well as they should be at the present time, there’s a clear selection of a home win for today’s game in my opinion due to the above information. Frankly, 7/5 on the home win looks a real bargain today for me!

Sunday’s Picks

My tips:

As ever, below are my recommended value tips for today in no particular order:

Udinese vs Fiorentina – home win at 7/5 – see introduction for full details.

San Lorenzo de Almagro vs Banfield – home win at evens. This should be a fantastic game between two of the most in-form sides in Argentina currently! Both sides have won three of their last five games and occupy third and first place respectively in the Argentinian Primera Division. Visitors Banfield are the more surprising side in this position as they’re not really good enough to be there but you can only beat what’s in front of you! San Lorenzo de Almagro are currently a side I expect to be challenging for the title and they’re duly delivering. The hosts have won four from six home games so far this season, drawing twice. They average nearly two goals per home game and are generally a tricky opponent. Visitors Banfield are resilient and currently efficient, although that’s not always been the case. The game should be a cracker due to the contrasting styles of both sides but San Lorenzo de Almagro have enough to win this game against what can be bluntly called “lesser opponents”. The visitors may be unbeaten this season but they’ve not convinced on the road yet with four draws from six away games, winning just twice in that run. I think a record may end today with a San Lorenzo de Almagro victory and at evens, it’s very good value.

Estudiantes De La Plata vs Velez Sarsfeld – home win at evens. This is yet another fascinating clash in Argentina between two top sides, arguably the two best in Argentina currently. Both sides will be competing for the title this year and this match will go some way in indicating just which side has the ability to go all the way. In terms of quality, I personally believe there’s very little between these two sides – both can match each other toe-to-toe on their day. Estudiantes De La Plata have proven that they’re a very accomplished home side in this campaign, however, with four wins and one draw from their five home games. That said, Velez Sarsfeld are arguably the best away side in Argentina and have shown such a thing for at least a year now. The only thing that is really tipping the scales in the favour of Estudiantes De La Plata for me is that simple fact that Velez Sarsfeld had an extremely tiring trip to a very high altitude Ecuador to face Liga de Quito in the Copa Nissan Sudamericana, which they were knocked out of. Therefore, the visitors will not only be tired but will also be a little worse for wear mentally. In my opinion, it’s worth taking the home win on the back of that at evens.

SV Ried vs Austria Karnten – home win with -1.75 handicap at 10/11. This is a complete no-brainer in my book due to the consistent quality of SV Ried at home and the woeful displays of Austria Karnten.

Racing Genk vs Anderlecht – away win at 10/11. Recent years has shown Racing Genk emerging as one of Belgium’s bigger sides, although still languishing behind the old guard of Anderlecht, Club Brugge, and Standard de Liege. Racing Genk are struggled to live up to their tag this season with just four wins in thirteen games. Their good performances this season can be counted on the fingers of one hand but their potential is always there. However, their home form has to be a real worry for them as they’ve won just one home game out of seven so far this season, losing three times and drawing three times. This should be a more apparent problem today as they take on an in-form and superior Anderlecht side that have already won four out of six away games this season. Anderlecht have the momentum to do it as they’ve won three games in a row and they’ve got the ability so an out-of-sorts Racing Genk should be susceptible enough for Anderlecht to win this game at 10/11.

Standard de Liege vs Club Brugge – away win at draw no bet odds of 5/4. This is an incredibly bold choice given that Club Brugge almost never take anything off Standard de Liege but I’ve been really impressed with them this season. Club Brugge have won five consecutive games in all conditions, including a notable victory in a difficult Serbian venue against Partizan Belgrade in the UEFA Europa League. The visitors have everything going for them and have already won four out of their six away games this season, losing just once. Standard de Liege simply don’t look the same side this year due to their losses and it’s starting to show. More notably, the loss of midfield playmaker and captain Steven Defour due to long-term injury has really affected the potency of Standard de Liege of late and their league form has suffered because of it as they’ve not won in three games now. With all this in mind, the away win with draw no bet at 5/4 looks like a potential bargain today.
 
Aalborg BK vs FC Copenhagen – away win at 23/20. The Superligaen’s oddest side today hosts the Superligaen’s best side in what should be an interesting match. Aalborg BK are capable of playing very good football but appear to have decided not to for the time being with no wins in five games, a run that has seen them lose three games. I don’t need to tell you all the quality difference between FC Copenhagen and the rest of the Superligaen sides but their form of late also shows them to be a real force with four wins in their past five games. FC Copenhagen have already won four of their seven away games this year and have conceded just five goals on their travels, which affirms their reputation of being hard to beat. If Aalborg BK were in form then I wouldn’t touch this game with a barge pole but I’m going to take advantage of their present slump by taking FC Copenhagen to win at Aalborg BK at 23/20.

Hull City vs Stoke City – away win at 8/5. Hull City’s woeful form of late continues, furthering speculation regarding Phil Brown’s future at the club. Three defeats and just one victory in their last five games leaves Hull City looking increasingly likely to prove all the pre-season pundits right as they seemingly attempt to move down a division into the Championship. The fact that they’ve scored just eight goals in eleven games should tell you everything you need to know about their problems, particularly as no side in the Premier League has scored less goals. Visitors Stoke City are the side that Hull City should be attempting to emulate to prolong their stay in the Premier League by adopting a no-nonsense, efficient footballing manner to grind out results. Stoke City are now what I would call an established Premier League side that will give any side a good game on their day. They’re hard to break down and they take their chances, particularly from set pieces. Stoke City are unbeaten in their last four games, winning two of them, and appear to have gotten even stronger since last year. No side has lost less away games than Stoke City in the Premier League this year and the fact that they won here last year should give them additional confidence in getting the job done. Stoke City are frankly a better unit than Hull City on every level and with the hosts playing some terrible football, it’s hard to overlook the away win at 8/5.

West Ham United vs Everton – home win at 6/4. West Ham United’s performances have finally started improving and their results are beginning to show it too. They’re unbeaten in their last three games, including a home game against Arsenal, and won their last match mid-week at home to Aston Villa. I have to admire Gianfranco Zola’s side because they always turn up for each game and put 110% into their football. West Ham United are a mid-table side by rights and I fully expect them to be there by the end of the season. Visitors Everton seem to be going from bad to worse with their small squad beyond stretched already with games coming out of their ears! They’ve not won in their last four games now, drawing three times and losing once. A mid-week battering at home by SL Benfica will have knocked the wind out of the few players they have left in their squad and this is yet another game that is coming at David Moyes far too quickly for him to prepare his squad. For me, a rejuvenated West Ham United have a great chance of winning this game today at 6/4.

Chelsea vs Manchester United – home win at 21/20. As much as I hate to say it, as a Manchester United fan, but I am very much afraid that we’ll see a home win in this game. Although Manchester United have been a bogey side for Chelsea ever since Jose Mourinho moved on, Chelsea are now firing on all cylinders under Carlo Ancelotti and are scoring goals for fun. Not only will this trouble a shaky and frankly nervous Manchester United defence, but this defence is also missing the experienced Rio Ferdinand through injury. The only thing I would emphasise with this game is some caution as these two sides are the two best sides in England and either is capable of turning it on at any given time. Manchester United tend to really turn up when the odds are against them, which gives me some hope as a fan, but their dire displays in their other two games against members of the “big four” – Arsenal and Liverpool – this season really make me think that Ferguson will again select Scholes and Carrick in the middle of the park, who again will be overrun by the likes of Essien etc. Bluntly, I’m concerned about this game because I think almost everything points to a home win, which basically means 21/20 on the home win is good value, particularly as Chelsea have won every competitive home game this season.

Xanthi vs Panionios -home win at 11/10. Hosts Xanthi lie deceptively just outside of the relegation zone as they entertain Panionios. Their away form is atrocious but their home fom is superb with three wins and one draw from their four home games this season. Basically, they’re a tricky side to face and Panionios will have their work cut out to steal a result here because of that. Aside from that, Panionios have lost three of their four away games this season and appear to be mirroring Xanthi’s lack of ability on the road. For me, this game has a narrow home win written all over it at 11/10.

Sevilla CF vs Villarreal - lay Sevilla at 5/4. This is an extremely bold call given the impressive displays that Sevilla CF have given this season but as ever, I have my reasons. The foundation for this call is that Sevilla CF have become somewhat complacent of late. They’ve drawn at home against Espanyol without scoring and they drew at home to a woeful VFB Stuttgart just a few days ago. The hosts simply aren’t doing what they do best at the present time despite their magnificent season thus far – it simply happens to big sides sometimes and it appears that time is now upon Sevilla CF. Unfortunately for them, visitors Villarreal have well and truly awoken with a bang and are on fire at the moment with both goalscoring and form. They’ve amassed a highly-impressive twelve goals in their last four competitve games, winning three games and drawing the other. They smashed four goals past Lazio mid-week are starting to look their old selves again. Basically, I think this game is going to be an awful lot closer than people think and with odds of 5/4 for laying a side that hasn’t won either of their last two competitive games at home seems very good value to me – potentially!

Elche vs Real Union Club de Irun – home win at 10/11. Both of these side appear to have a long battle ahead of them to stay in the Segunda Liga this year so this kind of game will be vital for both. Elche have more experience in this division than newly-promoted Real Union Club de Irun and it’s shown so far. Elche are unbeaten in their last four games, winning two of them, and have gained substantial momentum from these results. Real Union Club de Irun have already lost three of their five away games this season and enter this game with two defeats in their last three games. For me, there’s clear value in the home win at 10/11 for Elche as they boast a better quality of player and better level of momentum at the present time.

Llaneros de Guanare vs Deportivo Italia – away win at 21/20. Llaneros de Guanare are having a campaign to forget as they’ve won just once in eleven games. They’ve lost a heavy six games in the process and three defeats in their last five games leaves the bottom-placed club precariously placed as other sides begin to pull away from them. Unfortunately for Llaneros de Guanare, they are today hosting one of Venezuela’s “big three” – Deportivo Italia. The visitors are currently third in the Primera Division with seven wins from eleven games. They’ve won three of their last five games and have the best away record in the league with four wins from five away games. They’ve got the momentum and the quality to win this game so I fancy Deportivo Italia to overcome Llaneros de Guanare with considerable ease tonight at 21/20.

As ever, if there are any questions/explanations required then feel free to post a comment! For the complete picks listing, see below!

Argentinian Primera Division:

San Lorenzo de Almagro vs Banfield (6) 2-1
Estudiantes De La Plata vs Velez Sarsfeld (6) 1-0
Boca Juniors vs Colon de Santa Fe (6) 1-1

Australian A-League:

Wellington Phoenix vs Perth Glory (6) 1-1
Newcastle Jets vs North Queensland Fury (5) 1-2

Austrian Bundesliga:

Austria Vienna vs Sturm Graz (6) 1-1
SV Ried vs Austria Karnten (9) -1.75 handicap
Wiener Neustadt vs Salzburg (7) over 2.5 goals
LASK Linz vs Rapid Vienna (8) 1-3

Belarusian Vysshaya Liga:

FC Vitebsk vs MTZ-RIPO Minsk (5) 1-0
Dinamo Brest vs Naftan Novopolotsk (7) 2-1
FC Smorgon vs FC Minsk (7) 0-1
Neman Grodno vs Torpedo Zhodino (6) 1-0
BATE Borisov vs FC Gomel (4) 1-1
Granit Mikashevichi vs Shakhtyor Soligorsk (8) 1-2
Dinamo Minsk vs Dnepr Mogilev (7) 1-0

Belgian Eerste Klasse:

Racing Genk vs Anderlecht (8) 1-2
Standard de Liege vs Club Brugge (4) 1-2

Belgian Tweede Klasse:

Antwerp vs Tubize (5)
OH Leuven vs Ronse (8)

Brazilian Serie A:

Corinthians vs Santo Andre (5) 1-1
Atletico Mineiro vs Flamengo (6) 2-1
Fluminense vs Palmeiras (6) 1-2
Botafogo vs Coritiba (7) 2-1
Atletico Paranaense vs Goias (7) 1-1
Gremio Barueri vs Internacional (6) 0-1

Bulgarian A PFG:

Pirin Blagoevgrad vs Levski Sofia (5) 1-1
CSKA Sofia vs Slavia Sofia (6) 2-1

Colombian Futbol Profesional:

Real Cartagena vs Atletico Huila (6) 1-1
Deportivo Cali vs Boyaca Chico (6) 1-0
Deportivo Pasto vs Independiente de Santa Fe Bogota (5) 1-1
Once Caldas Manizales vs Envigado (8) 2-0
Cucuta Deportivo vs Deportivo Pereira (6) 2-1, draw no bet
Deportes Quindio vs Atletico Junior Barranquilla (6) 1-0
Millonarios Bogota vs La Equidad Bogota (7) 2-1

Croatian Prva Liga:

Dinamo Zagreb vs Sibenik (6) 2-1

Cypriot Division 1:

Apollon Limassol vs Doxa (8) 2-1
Ermis vs AEL Limassol (6) 1-2

Czech Republic Gambrinus Liga:

Ceske Budejovice vs Mlada Boleslav (6) 0-1
Bohemians Prague vs Brno (5) 1-1
Bohemians 1905 vs Pribram (4) 1-0

Danish Superligaen:

Midtylland vs Randers (8) 2-0
SonderjyskE vs Nordsjaelland (6) 1-1
Brondby vs Esbjerg (7) 1-0
Aalborg BK vs FC Copenhagen (8) 1-2

Danish 1st Division:

Frem vs Roskilde (6) over 2.5 goals
Fyn vs Hvidovre (6)
AC Horsens vs Vestjaelland (7)
Fredericia vs Naestved (6)
Lyngby vs Thisted (8)
Vejle vs Kolding (8)
AB Copenhagen vs Braband (8)

Ecuadorian Primera A:

Liga de Quito vs Macara Ambato (8) 2-0
Emelec Guayaquil vs Olmedo Riobamba (6) 1-1
Espoli Cayambe vs Deportivo Cuenca (7) 1-2

English Premier League:

Hull City vs Stoke City (7) 0-1
West Ham United vs Everton (7) 2-1
Wigan Athletic vs Fulham (6) 1-1
Chelsea vs Manchester United (7) 2-1

English FA Cup:

Northwich Victoria vs Charlton Athletic (8) 0-2
Burton Albion vs Oxford City (7) over 2.5 goals
Wealdstone vs Rotherham United (7) 0-1

French Ligue 1:

LOSC Lille vs Girondins de Bordeaux (7) 1-1
Toulouse vs Stade Rennais (6) 0-0
Olympique Lyonnais vs Olympique de Marseille (6) 1-1

German Bundesliga:

Hannover 96 vs Hamburger SV (5) 1-1
Hertha BSC Berlin vs Koln (5) 1-0
Werder Bremen vs BV09 Borussia Dortmund (8) over 2.5 goals

German Bundesliga 2:

Energie Cottbus vs 1860 Munich (6)
Karlsruher SC vs Union Berlin (7)
MSV Duisburg vs Rot-Weiss Ahlen (8)

Greek Super League:

Atromitos vs Ergotelis (7) 1-1
Xanthi vs Panionios (7) 1-0
Asteras Tripolis vs PAS Giannina (6) 0-0
Levadiakos vs Panathinaikos (9) 0-2

Greek B Ethniki:

Agrotikos Asteras vs Ethnikos Piraeus (6)
Diagoras Rodos vs Kerkyra (6) draw no bet
Kalamata vs Rhodos (5)
OFI Crete vs Panaitolikos Agrinio (7)
Olympiakos Volos vs Anagennisi Karditsas (8)
Panserraikos vs Doxa Dramas (7)

Hungarian Soproni Liga:

Gyori ETO FC vs Debreceni VSC (6) 1-1

Italian Serie A:

Bari vs Livorno (7) 1-0
Bologna vs Palermo (6) 1-1
Cagliari vs Sampdoria (6) 1-2
Genoa vs Siena (8) 2-0
Lazio vs AC Milan (7) 1-2
Parma vs Chievo Verona (6) 1-0
Udinese vs Fiorentina (7) 2-1
Internazionale vs AS Roma (8) 2-1

Japanese J-League:

Nagoya Grampus vs Vissel Kobe (7) 2-1
Kashima Antlers vs Montedio Yamagata (7) 1-0
FC Tokyo vs Urawa Red Diamonds (6) 1-1
Kawasaki Frontale vs JEF United Ichihara (9) 3-1
Jubilo Iwata vs Albirex Niigata (6) 1-1
Omiya Ardija vs Sanfrecce Hiroshima (6) 0-0
Kashiwa Reysol vs Shimizu S-Pulse (6) 0-1
Yokohama F Marinos vs Oita Trinita (8) 2-1
Gamba Osaka vs Kyoto Purple Sanga (8) 2-1

Latvian Virsliga:

Daugava Riga vs Liepajas Metalurgs (9) 1-3
Skonto Riga vs Olimps Riga (8) 2-0
Tranzits Ventspils vs FK Jurmala (7) 1-2

Mexican Primera Division:

Toluca vs Pachuca (7) 2-1
Morelia vs Pumas UNAM (8) 2-1
Estudiantes Tecos vs Queretaro (6) 1-0
America vs Monterrey (5) 1-1

Dutch Eredivisie:

NAC Breda vs Willem II (8) 2-1
ADO Den Haag vs PSV Eindhoven (9) 0-2
AZ Alkmaar vs Feyenoord Rotterdam (6) 1-1
FC Utrecht vs Heerenveen (7) 2-0
FC Twente Enschede vs AFC Ajax Amsterdam (6) 1-2

Dutch Eerste Divisie:

Emmen vs De Graafschap (7)

Polish Ekstraklasa:

Ruch Chorzow vs Jagiellonia Bialystok (8) 2-0

Portuguese Liga Sagres:

Leixoes vs CD Nacional (6) 1-1
Uniao de Leiria vs Academica de Coimbra (6) 1-0
Maritimo vs Porto (5) 1-1
Rio Ave vs Sporting Clube de Lisboa (5) 2-1, draw no bet

Portuguese Liga de Honra:

Desportivo Aves vs Feirense (6)
Freamunde vs Beira-Mar (6)
Trofense vs Varzim (5)
Santa Clara vs Desportivo Chaves (8)
Penafiel vs Oliveirense (7)
Fatima vs Sporting Covilha (5)
Gil Vicente vs Estoril (7)

Romanian Liga:

Otelul Galati vs FC Poli Timisoara (7) 0-1
CFR Cluj vs Astra Ploiesti (8) 2-0
Dinamo Bucharest vs Rapid Bucharest (5) 1-2, draw no bet

Russian Premier League:

CSKA Moscow vs Rubin Kazan (6) 1-2, draw no bet
Spartak Nalchik vs Dinamo Moscow (7) 1-1
Zenit St.Petersburg vs Terek Grozny (8) 2-0
Lokomotiv Moscow vs Amkar Perm (8) 2-1

Scottish Premier League:

Falkirk vs Celtic (8) 0-2

Serbian Super Liga:

Metalac GM vs Partizan Belgrade (7) 1-2
OFK Belgrade vs Javor Ivanjica (7) 1-0

Slovakian Corgon Liga:

MSK Zilina vs Kosice (8) 2-0

Slovenian Prva Liga:

Drava vs Maribor (6) 1-2

Spanish Primera Liga:

Real Valladolid vs Deportivo Xerez (8) 2-0
Sporting Gijon vs Espanyol (6) 1-1
Racing Santander vs Athletic Club de Bilbao (5) 1-2, draw no bet
Almeria vs Osasuna (7) 1-1
Valencia vs Real Zaragoza (8) 2-1
Sevilla CF vs Villarreal (5) 1-1

Spanish Segunda Liga:

Real Murcia vs Cartagena (6)
Elche vs Real Union Club de Irun (7)
Cadiz vs Real Betis Balompie (6)
Girona vs Villarreal II (5)

Spanish Segunda B:

Group 1:

Celta de Vigo II vs Ponferradina (7)
Racing Club de Ferrol vs Compostela (6)
Izarra vs Mirandes (6)
Deportivo Alaves vs Athletic Club de Bilbao II (7)
Guijuelo vs Eibar (8)
Zamora vs Lugo (7)

Group 2:

Real Racing Club Santander II vs Vecindario (7)
Real Sporting de Gijon II vs Guadalajara (5)
Tenerife II vs Toledo (6)
Cerro Reyes Badajoz vs Universidad Las Palmas (8)
Puertollano vs Lanzarote (7)
Leganes vs Villanovense (6)
Real Madrid II vs Real Sociedad Gimnastica Torrelavega (7)
Conquense vs Atletico Madrid II (6)
Cacareno vs Alcorcon (6)
Alcala Henares vs Real Oviedo (6)

Group 3:

Atletico Gramenet vs Benidorm (6) over 2.5 goals
Villajoyosa vs Orihuela (5)
Sabadell vs Mallorca II (6)
Sporting Mahones vs Gava (7)
Espanyol Barcelona II vs Barcelona II (6)
Logrones vs Sant Andreu (6)
Alicante vs Badalona (8)
Ontinyent vs Valencia II (9)
Lleida vs Terrassa (6)

Group 4:

San Roque vs Melilla (5)
Sangonera Atletico vs Real Murcia II (6)
Ecije Balompie vs Sevilla II (8)
Ceuta vs Real Jaen (8)
Aguilas vs Caravaca (7)
Lucena vs Union Estepona (7)

Swedish Allsvenskan Relegation/Promotion Play-Off:

Djurgardens vs Assyriska Sodertalje (8) 2-0

Swiss Super League:

Luzern vs FC Zurich (5) 1-2
Sion vs Young Boys Bern (6) 0-1

Swiss Challenge League:

Vaduz vs Wohlen (8)
Wil vs Le Mont (6)
Biel-Bienne vs Locarno (5)
Thun vs Servette (8)
Gossau vs Winterthur (6)

Turkish Super Lig:

Ankaragucu vs Kasimpasa (8) 2-1
Eskisehirspor vs Denizlispor (8) 2-0
Manisaspor vs Gaziantepspor (8) 1-1
Sivasspor vs Kayserispor (6) 2-1
Diyarbakirspor vs Galatasaray (7) 1-2

Uruguayan Primera Division:

Liverpool Montevideo vs Cerro (8) 2-0
Cerro Largo vs Montevideo Wanderers (6) 1-1
Tacuarembo vs River Plate Montevideo (5) 1-1
Cerrito vs Penarol (8) 1-2
Fenix vs Danubio (6) 0-2

Venezuelan Primera Division:

Deportivo Lara vs Deportivo Tachira (6) 0-1
Mineros de Guayana vs Deportivo Anzoategui (7) 2-1
Monagas SC vs Zulia (9) 3-1
Trujillanos vs Zamora (8) 2-0
Atletico El Vigia vs Yaracuyanos (6) 2-1
Llaneros de Guanare vs Deportivo Italia (7) 1-2
Centro Italo vs Real Esppor Club (7) 1-1
Caracas vs Carabobo (8) 2-0
Aragua vs Estudiantes de Merida (7) 0-0

Enjoy your free betting tips!