Tours vs Chateauroux

Today’s featured game is the Ligue 2 clash between Tours and Chateauroux. I think it’s fair to say that Tours have been one of my favourite sides in Ligue 2 over the past few years due to their reliability at home in winning me money. Although they’ve made a slow start to their campaign this year, they’ve still been prominent at home three wins from five home games and zero defeats. Tours’ form has been quite poor of late with one defeat and two draws from their last three games. That said, two of those games were away from home, which is where Tours become shit, and the home game was with high-flying FC Nantes, which they were unlucky not to win. Therefore, I’m not going to excessively read into their recent form but I will draw comfort from the magnificent home record they possessed last season and are looking to recreate this season. Visitors Chateauroux made a good start to the season but their true colours are shining through now with three defeats in their last four games. With this kind of record, it’s no surprise at all that the visitors are on a slippery slope down Ligue 2. They’re facing a very tough Tours team at a venue where bigger and better sides than themselves have been felled before. Interestingly enough, Chateauroux do possess the best away record in the division currently but that doesn’t mask their actual ability or lack of momentum of late. Although all the statistics point to a close game with a most likely outcome of a draw, I really fancy a somewhat comfortable home win for a very strong home side against a side punching above their weight. With that in mind, 10/11 on the home win looks a good bet to me.

Friday’s Picks

My tips:

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

Tours vs Chateauroux – home win at 10/11 – see introduction for full details.

Bastia vs Le Havre – away win at 11/8. Bottom club Bastia have claimed just one win in their ten Ligue 2 games so far this season and don’t look likely to improve that tonight. Nobody has lost more home games than Bastia in Ligue 2 this year (three defeats in five games!). They’ve also lost three of their last five games, drawing the other two. Visitors Le Havre look to have proven their backers right as a potential candidate for promotion this season. They’re currently third in the table despite losing their last game. Before that defeat, they had won three games consecutively so winning is far from new to them. They have a good away record as they’ve only lost once away from home this season in five games, winning twice and drawing twice. Le Havre boast a better squad and momentum favours them here so you have to feel that 11/8 on the away win boasts some value here.

Brest vs Strasbourg – home win at evens. Only Stade Malherbe de Caen have won more home games than Brest this season with the hosts boasting an impressive four wins from five home games. They’re unbeaten in five games and have won two of their last four games. Visitors Strasbourg have made an atrocious start to this season but they’re gradually turning around and starting to become a threat again. However, I can’t envision that happening soon enough for Brest to be unduly worried tonight because the hosts are somewhat formidable at home currently. The fact remains that Strasbourg have still only won one game from ten so far in Ligue 2 this year and they’ve got a massive task to alter that tonight. Although I expect a close game, the home win at evens looks to boast considerable value tonight.

St.Patrick’s Athletic vs Derry City – home win at 13/10. Derry City’s precarious financial situation appears to finally have caught up with their players’ morale as they’ve now lost five games in a row. True, they’ve played some good sides, but form like this for a side that is easily a top five side in Ireland simply isn’t good enough at all. Derry City are not only demoralised but must be lacking in motivation because they can’t move up a place or down a place, realistically. Derry City are effectively in no man’s land and I thoroughly expect that to show in their football today. St Patrick’s Athletic have endured a torrid campaign but still need a few points to ensure safety from relegation. St Patrick’s Athletic haven’t scored enough goals this season, hence their issues. However, they’ve won one of their last two games and carry more momentum into this game than they’ve had for the vast majority of the season, as well as the motivation to see it through. For me, there’s more need and more possibility of a home win than anything else here so taking St Patrick’s Athletic at 13/10 could prove worthwhile.

Dundalk vs Shamrock Rovers – away win at 21/20. These odds mystify me! Dundalk have palyed well this season, particularly at home, and far better than I would have even guessed at, if I’m honest. They’re unbeaten in five games but have drawn their last four games consecutively. Dundalk have absolutely nothing to play for now, which makes it all the more interesting to see 21/20 on the away win here. Shamrock Rovers’ brilliant run of wins finally came to an abrupt end as they lost 2-1 at home to Cork City. It remains to be seen just how that’s going to affect them mentally as Bohemians have now leap-frogged them in the Irish Premier League title race. However, what is factual here is that Shamrock Rovers have only lost once on the road this season and are easily the best away side in the league with nine wins from sixteen games. Shamrock Rovers’ biggest boast on the road is that they only concede one goal every two games on average. Basically, there looks to be an awful lot of value for a good Shamrock Rovers to win a game that they simply must win against a Dundalk side that have no requirement to turn up in this game at all. Therefore, 21/20 on the away win could prove serious value tonight.

As ever, any questions/explanations required, feel free to email me at thefootytipster@gmail.com. For the complete picks listing, see below!

Argentinian Primera Division:

Estudiantes De La Plata vs Atletico Tucuman (8) 2-0
Rosario Central vs Independiente (5) 0-0

Australian A-League:

Newcastle Jets vs Central Coast Mariners (6) 0-1

Austrian Liga 1:

Austria Vienna II vs Lustenau (5)
Admira Wacker vs Dornbirn (8)
St.Polten vs First Vienna (8)
Gratkorn vs Salzburg II (7)
Wacker Innsbruck vs Hartberg (7)

Belgian Eerste Klasse:

Lokeren vs Racing Genk (6) 1-1

Belgian Tweede Klasse:

Lierse SK vs Tienen (8)
OH Leuven vs Eupen (6)

Bulgarian A PFG:

Beroe vs Montana (7) 2-1

Croatian Prva Liga:

Slaven Koprivnica vs Inter Zapresic (9) 2-0

English Championship:

Watford vs Sheffield Wednesday (7)

French Ligue 2:

Bastia vs Le Havre (7)
Istres vs AC Ajaccio (7)
Laval vs Arles (7)
Metz vs Guingamp (8)
Nimes vs Sedan-Ardennes (5)
Vannes OC vs Clermont Foot (5)
Brest vs Strasbourg (7)
Stade Malherbe de Caen vs Angers SCO (8)
Dijon FCO vs FC Nantes (6)
Tours vs Chateauroux (7)

German Bundesliga:

Bayer 04 Leverkusen vs BV09 Borussia Dortmund (8) 2-0

German Bundesliga 2:

Greuther Furth vs Koblenz (8)
Kaiserslautern vs Fortuna Dusseldorf (9)
Rot-Weiss Ahlen vs Augsburg (5)

Greek B Ethniki:

Kalamata vs Doxa Dramas (7)

Hungarian Soproni Liga:

Budapest Honved vs Zalaegerszegi TE (7) 1-1

Irish Premier League:

St.Patrick’s Athletic vs Derry City (6) 2-1
Galway United vs Bohemians (8) 0-2
Cork City vs Drogheda United (8) 1-0
Dundalk vs Shamrock Rovers (8) 1-2

Italian Serie B:

Torino vs Reggina (7)

Mexican Primera Division:

Estudiantes Tecos vs Toluca (6) 1-2

Dutch Eredivisie:

FC Utrecht vs Roda JC Kerkrade (8) under 2.5 goals

Dutch Eerste Divisie:

De Graafschap vs MVV Maastricht (8) over 2.5 goals
Den Bosch vs Fortuna Sittard (6)
Dordrecht ’90 vs Stormvogels Telstar (7)
Eindhoven vs Go Ahead Eagles (6) over 2.5 goals
Emmen vs Excelsior (8)
Zwolle vs Veendam (6)
Helmond Sport vs AGOVV Appeldoorn (5)
Haarlem vs Volendam (5)
RBC Roosendaal vs Top Oss (6)
Cambuur Leeuwarden vs Omniworld (8)

Polish Ekstraklasa:

Arka Gdynia vs Jagiellonia Bialystok (5) 1-0, draw no bet
Polonia Bytom vs Ruch Chorzow (7) 1-1, at least one red card in this game

Portuguese Liga Sagres:

Belenenses vs Olhanense (7) 0-0

Romanian Liga:

Otelul Galati vs Politehnica Iasi (5) 1-0
Gaz Metan Medias vs FC Brasov (6) 1-1

Singaporean S-League:

Super Reds vs Albirex Niigate (8) 2-1

Swedish Allsvenskan:

Orebro vs Halmstads (5) 0-1, draw no bet
GAIS Goteborg vs Malmo (6) 0-1
Brommapojkarna vs IFK Goteborg (8) 1-2

Swiss Challenge League:

Locarno vs Stade Nyonnais (7)

Turkish Super Lig:

Trabzonspor vs Kayserispor (8) 3-1

Welsh Premier League:

Bangor City vs Prestatyn Town (6) 1-1
Newi Cefn Druids vs Rhyl (8) 0-2

Enjoy your free betting tips!

Real Sociedad vs Salamanca

Today’s pick of few good games is the Segunda Liga clash between Real Sociedad and Salamanca. The hosts have started their campaign well and currently sit in third place in the table. They’re currently unbeaten in six games with three wins and three draws. However, their problem has been that their goalscoring isn’t what it should be, hence the equal amount of draws in comparison to wins. That said, Real Sociedad have won two games in a row now so their momentum is strong enterting this game and should be furthered by a boisterous San Sebastian crowd. Visitors Salamanca had a decent start to this season but have slumped somewhat lately with just one win in five games, drawing three times and losing once. However, the trip to the Basque country isn’t a favourable one for any side and Salamanca will no doubt recall their defeat here last year. Overall, there’s a bit of a quality mis-match in favour of the hosts and momentum favours them too so the home win for Real Sociedad at 4/5 could be good value today.

Sunday’s Picks

My tips:

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

Real Sociedad vs Salamanca - home win at 4/5 – see introduction for full details.

Lyngby vs Vestjaelland – home win at 10/11. Despite an embarassing defeat to Kolding last time out, Lyngby remain a potent force and a good side at the very least. More importantly for this game, however, is the fact that Lyngby enter it as the undisputed best home side in the division currently with four home wins from four games. After a blow like their defeat last match, this fortress of theirs is something that they’ll appreciate falling back on to attempt to regain their momentum. Vestjaelland have made a fantastic start to their campaign and boast an enviable away record of three wins from four games. Their form and momentum is strong entering this game but let’s not forget that Vestjaelland are still newcomers to this division following promotion last year. Their only real test so far this season, in my opinion, was the 0-0 draw at AB Copenhagen. Today they face a very experienced 1st Division side that know how to make their home games count. Vestjaelland will have their work cut out today and I think a more experienced Lyngby will teach them a lesson with decent odds of 10/11.

HyPS Hyvinkaa vs KaPa Helsinki – away win at evens. Although this is the last game of the season for both sides playing today, there’s still a big quality difference between the two sides. HyPS Hyvinkaa will be playing their football in the Kolmonen next year following a disappointing season whereas KaPa Helsinki only just missed out on promotion to the Ykkonen this year. Although this game is somewhat redundant, I can’t help but feel that the visitors simply have too much for the hosts to contend with, particularly when you consider that demoralised HyPS Hyvinkaa have lost three from their last four games and are now definitely relegated. How a side like this will be able to compete with a KaPa Helsinki side that have won four from their last five games is beyond me. I fully expect the visitors today to show the same level of ruthlessness that has seen them do so well this season and beat HyPS Hyvinkaa with generous odds of evens.

Sinimustat Turku vs Ilves – away win at 27/20. As I mentioned in the preview above, with this being the final round of the Kakkonen, bets must be approached with caution. However, Sinimustat Turku are looking very easy cannon fodder with four defeats and one draw from their last five games. All that concerns me about this selection is that Sinimustat Turku could be relegated if Narpes Kraft win at SalPa Salo and Sinimustat Turku lose. For that reasons, the hosts will obviously be highly-motivated, although I’ll level with when I say that I can’t see Narpes Kraft winning at SalPa Salo. Still, this is football and strange things happen in football sometimes. Regardless of their motivation, however, Sinimustat Turku are still some distance away from being able to compete with Ilves on a quality level. The visitors today only just missed out on promotion to the Ykkonen and still enter this game with three wins from four games. The visitors certainly aren’t going to simply kick back and let the hosts do their utmost to avoid relegation. Ilves will want to end this season on a high and there aren’t many sides they’d like to face more than Sinimustat Turku in this instance as there’s only one side out of all fourty-two sides in the Kakkonen that have won less home games than them in this campaign. For me, 27/20 on the away win here has potential value!

Albinoleffe vs Ascoli - home win at 11/10. This game features two sides that aren’t really done justice by the Serie B table at the moment and are in form opposites. Hosts Albinoleffe have made a slow start but are starting to find their rhythm again, winning two from their last three games. The hosts are worthy of a much higher league place in this table and I’m confident in saying that they’ll have obtained one by the end of the season, too. Visitors Ascoli are high in the league table but don’t really have the squad to merit such a place, as their form is beginning to indicate. No wins in three and a humiliating home defeat last match against Sassuolo leaves Ascoli very much bruised and battered ahead of their tricky tie with Albinoleffe. Had Ascoli entered this game with some momentum then I’d have been a tad more hesitant about this call as it’s still early season and neither side are firing on all cylinders yet. However, as the visitors are on the decline and their better hosts are in the ascendancy, you have to feel that there’s value in the home win at 11/10.

As ever, any questions/explanations required, feel free to email me at thefootytipster@gmail.com. For the complete picks listing, see below!

World Cup Qualifiers – African section:

Benin vs Ghana (7) 1-1
Nigeria vs Mozambique (9) 2-0
Tunisia vs Kenya (8) 1-0
Guinea vs Burkina Faso (6) 2-2
Mali vs Sudan (8) 2-1
Algeria vs Rwanda (8) 2-0

UEFA European U21 Championships:

Kazakhstan U21 vs Sweden U21 (9) 0-2

Australian A-League:

Central Coast Mariners vs North Queensland Fury (7) 2-1
Brisbane Roar vs Gold Coast United (7) 1-0

Belgian Tweede Klasse:

Eupen vs Tubize (7)
Oostende vs Boussu Dour Borinage (8)
Dender vs Turnhout (8)
Standaard Wetteren vs Tienen (7)
Antwerp vs KVSK United (7)
Brussels vs Liege (8)
OH Leuven vs Tournai (6)
Mons vs Ronse (8)

Chinese Super League:

Dalian Shide vs Shanghai Shenhua (6) 2-1
Jiangsu Shuntian vs Shenzhen FC (6) 1-1
Changsha Ginde vs Chengdu Blades (5) 1-0
Tianjin Teda vs Qingdao Jonoon (7) 2-0

Danish 1st Division:

Thisted vs Roskilde (6) over 2.5 goals
Frem vs Kolding (5)
AB Copenhagen vs AC Horsens (6)
Fredericia vs Skive (7)
Naestved vs Hvidovre (8) over 2.5 goals
Lyngby vs Vestjaelland (8)
Fyn vs Braband (8)

English League Two:

Notts County vs Torquay United (9) over 2.5 goals

Finnish Ykkonen:

Jippo Joensuu vs PoPa Pori (6)
TP 47 Tornio vs Kiisto Vaasa (7)
TPV Tampere vs KooTeePee Kotka (6) draw no bet
AC Oulu vs FC Hameenlinna (8)
PS Kemi Kings vs PK 35 Helsinki (6)

Finnish Kakkonen:

Lokho A:

MP Mikkeli vs Kiffen (8)
HIFK Soccer Helsinki vs Keski Uusimass Kerava (6)
LPS Helsinki vs FC Kuusankoski (6)
KTP Kotka vs Warkaus (7)
Kultsu Joutseno vs Futura (9)
Gnistan Helsinki vs GrIFK Grankulla (5)
HyPS Hyvinkaa vs KaPa Helsinki (8)

Lokho B:

FC Espoo vs AIFK Turku (7)
KaaPo Kaarina vs FC Honka Espoo II (6)
Sinimustat Turku vs Ilves (7)
LoPa Lohja vs Jazz Juniorit (9)
SalPa Salo vs Narpes Kraft (7)
PP 70 Tampere vs Pirkkala (6)
EIF Ekenas vs P-Iirot Rauma (5)

Lokho C:

YPA Ylivieska vs FCV (7)
Jyvaskyla Blackbird vs Virkia (8)
Santa Claus vs GBK Kokkola (7)
JBK Pietarsaari vs VIFK Vaasa (6)
Norrvalla Voyri vs PK 37 Iisalmi (5)
SJK Seinajoki vs OLS Oulu (8)

Greek B Ethniki:

Diagoras Rodos vs PAE Kalamata (7)
Ethnikos Asteras vs Rhodos (5)
Ilisiakos Zografou vs Ethnikos Piraeus (6)
Kerkyra vs Anagennisi Karditsas 1904 (9)
Panaitolikos Agrinio vs Thrasivoulos (6)
Agrotikas Asteras vs Doxa Dramas (6)

International Freindly:

Republic of Macedonia vs Qatar (8) over 2.5 goals

Italian Serie B:

Vicenza vs Cesena (6) draw no bet
Albinoleffe vs Ascoli (7)
Padova vs Mantova (7)
Sassuolo vs Grosseto (5)
Torino vs Modena (7)
Salernitana vs Cittadella (5)

Norwegian Adeccoligaen:

Sarpsborg vs Honefoss (6)
Nybergsund vs Stavanger (7)
Mjondalen vs Moss (5)
Tromsdalen vs Alta (6) at least one red card in this game
Bryne vs Haugesund (6) draw no bet
Sogndal vs Lov Ham Bergen (8)
Notodden vs Hamarkamaratene (6)

Norwegian Divisjon 2:

Avdeling 1:

Lillestrom II vs Flekkeroy (6)

Avdeling 2:

Hodd Ulsteinvik vs Byasen Trondheim (6)
Steinkjer vs Strindheim (6)
Skarbovik Aalesund vs Drobak Frogn (7)

Avdeling 3:

Sandnes Ulf vs Nest Sotra Agotnes (8)
Drammen vs Sford Sunnhordland (7)

Avdeling 4:

Raufoss Fotball vs Ranheim Trondheim (6) draw no bet

Russian Division 1:

Shinnik Yaroslavl’ vs FK Nizhnyi Novgorod (8)
Anzhi Makhachkala vs Ural Sverdlovskaya Oblast (8)
NoSta Novotroitsk vs Salyut Belgorod (5)
Vityaz Podolsk vs Metallurg Lipetsk (6)
Cherno Novorosisk vs Luch-Energiya Vladivostok (6) draw no bet
Volgar Gazprom Astrakhan vs Sibir Novosibirsk (7)
Baltika Kaliningrad vs Alaniya Vladikavkaz (7)
Volga Nizhnyi Novgorod vs FK Chita (9)
FK Krasnodor vs Energiya Khabarovsk (6)

Spanish Segunda Liga:

Real Sociedad vs Salamanca (8)
Real Betis vs Real Union Club de Irun (9)
Cadiz vs Cartagena (6) draw no bet

Spanish Segunda B:

Group 1:

Celta de Vigo II vs Athletic Club de Bilbao II (8)
Montaneros vs Sestao River Club (7)
Palencia vs Osasuna II (6)
Ponferradina vs Mirandes (9)
Pontevedra vs Barakaldo (5)
Izarra vs Eibar (6)
Deportivo Alaves vs Compostela (8)
Cultural y Deportiva Leonesa vs Racing Club de Ferrol (6)

Group 2:

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

Group 3:

Atletico Gramenet vs Valencia II (8)
Villajoyosa vs Ontinyent (7)
Denia vs Mallorca II (6)
Sporting Mahones vs Orihuela (6)
Espanyol Barcelona II vs Terrassa (7)
Sabadell vs Benidorm (5)
Logrones vs Barcelona II (6)
Alcoyano vs Badalona (8)
Alicante vs Lleida (7)

Group 4:

Sevilla II vs Real Jaen (6)
Union Estepona vs Melilla (7)
Ceuta vs Roquetas (7)
Sangonera Atletico vs Real Betis II (6)
Ecija Balompie vs Moratalla (7)
Aguilas vs Polideportivo Ejido (7)
San Roque vs Caravaca (8)
Jerez Industrial vs Marbella (7)
Lucena vs Real Murcia II (6)
Ciudad de Murcia vs Granada (7)

Swedish Superettan:

Atvidabergs vs Sirius Uppsala (4)
Vasalunds vs Mjallby Solvesborg (5)
Syrianska Sodertalje vs Angelholms (6)

Welsh Premier League:

Bangor City vs Aberystwyth Town (6) 2-1

Enjoy your free betting tips!