Fortuna Dusseldorf vs Greuther Furth

Today’s featured game is the Bundesliga 2 game between Fortuna Dusseldorf and Greuther Furth. Fortuna Dusseldorf have had a good season so far and currently occupy fourth place in the table as a result. Visitors Greuther Furth have had a disappointing campaign by last season’s standards and find themselves in eighth place due to sporadic form.

Dusseldorf are currently the best home side in the Bundesliga 2 with ten wins from twelve games, scoring over two goals per home game on average whilst conceding an average of nearly one goal per every three home games. No other Bundesliga 2 side can get near this record; that’s how convincing Dusseldorf are at home. Their away form tends to underpin their overall performance but happily that’s not an obstacle for us tonight. Only Augsburg have scored more goals at home than Dusseldorf have this season but no side has conceded less than Dusseldorf have at home. Dusseldorf have won their last nine home games consecutively and haven’t conceded for five home games so to say Dusseldorf are well-placed to win this game would be understatement of the century!

Visitors Greuther Furth are a side that I rate highly but have disappointed me a lot this season as a result. Their home form hasn’t been as dominant this time around with tonight’s visitors having lost far too many home games this season. Their away form has been quite good but again they’ve lost too many games, games that they could and should have at least drawn. Greuther Furth are scoring goals but their problem is that they’re conceding too many goals so their goals scored tend to be more redundant in the overall outcome. Greuther Furth have already lost five out of eleven away games this season so they are vulnerable on the road against the right opponent. Greuther Furth have won their last two games so carry some momentum into this game. However, they’re facing a side that is of Bundesliga standard and I don’t think that they’re ready to take on that kind of force and could be taken apart by a rampant Dusseldorf tonight.

The efficiency and potency levels of Dusseldorf are frighteningly German in essence with the hosts being strong at home on such a consistent basis. It’s hard to envision a sporadic Greuther Furth side taking anything from this ground tonight on the basis that the hosts are unbelievable in front of goal and in regards to keeping other sides out. Quite frankly, these odds baffle me – this has to be one of the biggest bargains I’ve seen in recent times!

Verdict: Fortuna Dusseldorf to win at evens.

Friday’s Picks

My tips:

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

Lokomotiv Mezdra vs Slavia Sofia – away win at 9/10.

Lokomotiv Mezdra are one of those sides that frequently disappoint – the kind that you have to love to bet against! They’ve already lost eleven games out of their sixteen played in the A PFG and look destined for another long, hard battle against relegation. They’ve lost five out of eight home games, winning twice twice along the way. Lokomotiv Mezdra average conceding over two goals per home game and scoring just over a goal per game so it’s easy to see why they struggle. Lokomotiv Mezdra’s welcome back from the winter break was a 3-0 crushing at mighty Litex Lovech so they’re not in the best frame of mind as they enter this game.

Visitors Slavia Sofia haven’t proven themselves consistently on the road this season, however. There’s no doubt in my mind that Slavia are amongst the top six sides in Bulgaria currently but the fact that they’ve won just twice in eight away games illustrates why I am a little concerned ahead of this game. However, the fact that only Minior Pernik, Litex Lovech, and CSKA Sofia have conceded less goals than Slavia have on the road indicates how strong today’s visitors can be. Their problem has been goalscoring away from home, something that only newly-promoted Sportist Svoge have done less than Slavia this season. However, a win last match against Sportist Svoge will give Slavia Sofia some momentum as they enter this game as they’ve picked up right where they left off prior to the winter break and their ability isn’t in question so they’ve got a good chance of doing damage today.

I’m expecting a low-scoring game between these two sides for obvious reasons but I think Slavia Sofia have enough in their favour to make the away win good value today. They’re the better side and their momentum will surely improve their away form in due course and what better place to start than Mezdra today?

Verdict: Slavia Sofia to win at 9/10.

TPS Turku vs HJK Helsinki – away win at 7/5.

This is probably my riskiest call of the day but I do like the look of it.

TPS Turku aren’t the same as last season as I’ve explained in great detail over the past few weeks. Their form indicates it with TPS proving to be incapable of playing against the big sides i.e. Honka Espoo, IFK Mariehamn. TPS’ only “claim to fame” so far this season is beating bitter rivals Inter Turku, who are a big side but one I discount from the above ruling due to the fact that it is a derby. It took TPS Turku seventy minutes in their last Liiga Cup game to overcome a resilient but defensively unreliable FC Lahti with TPS winning the game 1-0. The performance and result weren’t impressive and I’m failing to see any real reasoning behind TPS Turku turning up tonight against the infamous HJK Helsinki, particularly with the hosts having avoided defeat here since 2003, winning four times and drawing once.

HJK Helsinki are still the best side in the country. It pains me to say that a little as I do favour Honka Espoo but HJK’s potency and efficiency is second to none and I thoroughly feel that they’ll win the Veikkausliiga again this season. The Liiga Cup, however, who knows? This competition is largely a testing ground for new players but it’s one that HJK appear to have taken very seriously this season and thus stand a good chance of winning. HJK have played at least three tough Liiga Cup games so far but managed to draw 3-3 at Honka Espoo (despite trailing 2-0 at one point), beat IFK Mariehamn somewhat convincingly, and conceded a late goal at home to Inter Turku to draw the game. HJK’s ability to score goals isn’t in question but the sides that tend to pose a problem for the giants of Finnish football are those that can either match their potency or keep them out. I don’t currently classify TPS Turku as being either of those two sides so the game today should be very interesting indeed.

TPS Turku won’t make this game easy for HJK Helsinki but with lessened ability and a new manager being their biggest handicaps currently, it’s hard to see TPS Turku taking anything from the game. HJK Helsinki’s current manager was in charge of TPS Turku last season so he’ll know his ex-players inside out. He’s doing well with HJK already this season and with the Veikkausliiga reigning champions having such a dominant record at TPS Turku, you have to feel that there’s value in the away win.

Verdict: HJK Helsinki to win at 7/5.

Cesena vs Sassuolo – home win at 6/5.

I’m a tad dubious about this call because I believe Sassuolo are better than Cesena but there’s enough to support the home side to considering back them tonight.

Cesena owe their entire season to being hard to beat. Following promotion from Serie C, Cesena have only been beaten five times in twenty-seven games, which is frankly an amazing record for them. Most newly-promoted sides burn out by now but the stern tactical displays of Cesena continue to roll onwards. Cesena have been strong at home this season with eight wins in fourteen games, drawing four times, and losing just once. Along with Empoli, they’re the lowest-conceding side at home in the whole of Serie B and also average scoring nearly two goals per home game. Cesena’s recent form hasn’t been as impressive as it could be but a win last match at home to Ascoli could give them the momentum that they’ve been lacking of late.

Visitors Sassuolo’s excellent run of form has well and truly been scythed from beneath their feet with three consecutive defeats. Worryingly for Sassuolo, two of those games have been at home. I can just about accept their defeat at home by Brescia but the defeat at home by Gallipoli and away to Mantova are simply not good enough. Sassuolo’s defending of late has been appalling with tonight’s visitors conceding six goals in three games, scoring just twice along the way. Their potency has nose-dived along with their defensive ability so Sassuolo are in a bad way currently. Sassuolo may have only lost two away games in Serie B this season but I doubt they’ll be much more likely to lose an away game than they are tonight in their current form (or lack of!) so there should be value in the home win.

Although Cesena have stuttered a little of late, they remain composed and strong at home for the vast majority of the time. This is not the kind of venue that a disorganised and demoralised Sassuolo side can travel too and hope to take points away from. To win here you must be in-form and spot on tactically, two things Sassuolo simply aren’t currently. I don’t rule out the possibility of a draw in this encounter but I think Cesena have enough in attack to exploit Sassuolo’s defensive ineptitude of late whilst keeping the visitors out with their usually strong defence.

Verdict: Cesena to win at 6/5.

AGOVV Appeldoorn vs MVV Maastricht – home win at 10/11.

AGOVV Appeldoorn have been fairly strong at home in the Eerste Divisie this season with seven wins in fourteen games. They average scoring nearly two goals per home game and whereas they can’t really compete with the “big boys” of the division, they’re certainly a competent side on their day. Fortunately for us, AGOVV are very much “on their day” currently with three consecutive wins leading into this game. They’ve not just beaten some menial relegation battlers for the duration of those three games either – they’ve battered Excelsior 4-2 and won at a strong home side – Volendam – without even conceding so AGOVV will have some strong momentum currently. They concede more than they should but their potency and momentum are unquestionable so they’re worthy of consideration tonight.

The other side to this is that MVV Maastricht are utterly horrendous away from home. They’ve not lost in their last two away games, admittedly, but to whom - Omniworld and Volendam? I respect their draw at Volendam but defeat at Omniworld is one of the lowest things that a side in this divsion can do, in my opinion! MVV have already lost nine out of fourteen away games in the Eerste Divisie this season, a record only beaten by that of Fortuna Sittard and Omniworld, so MVV certainly do have issues. It’s a shame because they’re a good side in essence but consistently fail to produce on the road. MVV average conceding well over two goals per away game and although they’re not goal-shy themselves, they do tend to be outscored.

Although MVV are unbeaten in four games, I’m yet to be convinced that they’re back to their best. They’re still an atrocious away side so an in-form AGOVV home win has to be taken seriously tonight.

Verdict: AGOVV Appeldoorn to win at 10/11.

Eindhoven vs Emmen – home win at 4/5.

Eindhoven have impressed me a lot in the past few weeks with a ruthless attacking style of football. They’ve won seven out of their last nine Eerste Divisie games whilst scoring twenty-one goals – an average of over two goals scored per game. They’ve won some tough games too, winning at Go Ahead Eagles and at home to Cambuur Leeuwarden, so this appears to be more than a temporary burst of form. Eindhoven are virtually brainless in defence but their attacking potency has long been a strongpoint of theirs irrespective of their league placing. Only a handful of sides have scored more than Eindhoven have this season so Emmen will have to be either very potent or very strong defensively tonight, two things that I personally think that they’re incapable of!

That said, in Emmen’s defence, they’ve scored ten goals in their last four games so they’ve certainly been able to find the net in recent times. However, Emmen have already lost eight out of thirteen away games this season and their average of conceding nearly three goals per away game is doing them a lot of damage. They only just average scoring a goal per away game so the contradicting records indicate just why Emmen fare so badly on the road. A disappointing draw at home to Oss last match should really have ended their momentum run and I expect them to struggle against an in-form and potent Eindhoven tonight as a result.

Although there’s not much between these two sides quality-wise, the incredible potency of Eindhoven cannot be denied and I fancy them to do the job tonight against Emmen with plenty of goals being scored!

Verdict: Eindhoven to win at 4/5.

Bala Town vs The New Saints – away win at 5/6.

Now these odds I like! Bala Town may have been on a good run of late but the newly-promoted side are now facing another of Wales’ “big three” and will have to produce a superb display to do anything but lose this game.

Bala Town have already won five out of ten home games in the Premier League, losing just twice. They’ve done well following promotion but this has largely hinged upon their reliable defence as their displays have been somewhat goal-shy, a factor which will most likely come back to haunt them in the latter stages of this season. Bala Town remind me a little of Prestatyn Town when they were first promoted so there’s hope for Bala Town looking at how difficult Prestatyn are to beat now. However, the fact is that there’s a massive gulf in class between Bala Town and the “big three” in Wales, something which was illustrated perfectly in their 5-2 drubbing at Rhyl last match.

The New Saints haven’t been good enough on the road this season in my opinion with just four wins in nine games. They’ve been superb defensively with just four goals conceded in nine games – the best defensive record on the road in the Premier League – but their abysmal tally of just seven goals scored in nine games appears to be hindering their progress substantially. Indeed, only lowly Porthmadog have scored less away goals than The New Saints this season so goalscoring is most certainly a concern of theirs. However, their level of ability is unquestionable so you’ve got to fancy them to take down Bala Town tonight.

I’ve been waiting for a little while now to see Bala Town host one of the bigger sides as I hoped the bookies might overrate the hosts, which appears to the case ahead of tonight’s game. I’m a bit disappointed that they’re hosting The New Saints before Rhyl or Llanelli as those two sides are far more potent and thus dangerous but we’ll have to make do with what we have. Don’t expect many goals here tonight but the gulf in class should leave us with a good value away win.

Verdict: The New Saints to win at 5/6.

Connah’s Quay Nomads vs Prestatyn Town – away win at 11/10.

Connah’s Quay Nomads are just one of the five “bottom clubs” in the Premier League which just lose to the majority of their fellow Premier League sides and tend to only take points off each other. Connah’s Quay Nomads may have only lost four out of nine home games this season but the fact that they don’t even manage to score a goal per home game on average spells trouble for the hosts tonight. They’ve lost their last three games consecutively so momentum is dry and they’ve not scored in any of those games so goals are somewhat dry too. They were crushed 3-0 by Aberystwyth Town in their last home game and that result will have hurt them the most considering their supposed home strength. I suspect Connah’s Quay Nomads may be somewhat demoralised from their barren run and look likely to struggle tonight with goal-shy displays dominating their results.

Prestatyn Town are generally a home side but I expect them to do well against lesser opponents tonight. Prestatyn used to make a living out of stopping other sides scoring but havechose to become rather potent this season, which is a useful asset to boast. You could possibly have viewed Prestatyn Town as a Stoke City of the Welsh Premier League last season but this season they’re more like Wigan Athletic in the sense that they attack recklessly and score a lot of goals but tend to forget about defending! Prestatyn are in a good vein of form however as they’ve gone four games without defeat in the Premier League. They’ve had two very impressive away games lately with a credible draw at Neath Athletic and the 5-0 demolition of Welshpool Town so Prestatyn are gradually becoming better on the road. They’ve won four out of eleven away games this season, losing four times too, but scoring an average of nearly two goals per game so it’s only a matter of time and application before they become reliable on the road. Prestatyn do concede a lot of goals but I can’t envision that being an issue against a goal-shy Connah’s Quay Nomads tonight, particularly with the visitors in such fine form!

I’m not usually a fan of taking Prestatyn Town to win on the road but there’s enough in their favour to day to make this bet a good value bet in my book! They’re scoring goals for fun and they’re on a good run of form so outscoring goal-shy Connah’s Quay Nomads tonight should be a somewhat simple affair.
Verdict: Prestatyn Town to win at 11/10.

Accumulator fodder:

Fortuna Dusseldorf, Bohemians, Excelsior, Go Ahead Eagles, Wisla Krakow.

Recommended bets:

Fortuna Dusseldorf, Wisla Krakow, and AGOVV Appeldoorn at 5/1.

Bohemians, Go Ahead Eagles, and Prestatyn Town at 5/1.

Excelsior, The New Saints, and Eindhoven at 5/1.

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

Austrian Liga 1:

Salzburg II vs Austria Vienna II (7)
First Vienna vs Hartberg (5)
Dornbirn vs Austria Lustenau (6)
Lustenau vs SCR Altach (6)
St.Polten vs Gratkorn (6)

Bulgarian A PFG:

Lokomotiv Mezdra vs Slavia Sofia (7) 0-1

Finnish Liiga Cup:

TPS Turku vs HJK Helsinki (6) 1-2

French Ligue 2:

Strasbourg vs Angers SCO (5)
Chateauroux vs Bastia (6)
Clermont Foot vs Brest (5)
Sedan-Ardennes vs Stade Malherbe de Caen (7)
Arles vs Istres (6) under 2.5 goals
Laval vs Metz (8)
AC Ajaccio vs Vannes OC (6)
Le Havre vs Dijon FCO (6)
Guingamp vs Nimes (6)
Nantes vs Tours (4)

German Bundesliga 2:

Hansa Rostock vs Rot-Weiss Ahlen (5)
Rot-Weiss Oberhausen vs Koblenz (6)
Fortuna Dusseldorf vs Greuther Furth (9)

Hungarian Soproni Liga:

Szombathelyi Haladas vs Kaposvari Rakoczi (6) 2-1

Irish Premier League:

Bohemians vs Sporting Fingal (8) 2-0
Bray Wanderers vs Dundalk (6) 0-0
Drogheda United vs UCD (7) 2-1
St Patrick’s Athletic vs Galway United (6) 1-0

Italian Serie B:

Cesena vs Sassuolo (6) under 2.5 goals

Dutch Eerste Divisie:

AGOVV Appeldoorn vs MVV Maastricht (7) over 2.5 goals
Veendam vs Omniworld (6)
Excelsior vs Oss (9) -1.75 handicap
Den Bosch vs Helmond Sport (6) over 2.5 goals
Eindhoven vs Emmen (7) over 3.5 goals
Volendam vs RBC Roosendaal (6)
Fortuna Sittard vs Telstar (5)
Go Ahead Eagles vs Dordrecht ’90 (8) over 2.5 goals
Cambuur Leeuwarden vs Zwolle (5)

Polish Ekstraklasa:

Korona Kielce vs Polonia Bytom (5) 1-1
Wisla Krakow vs Arka Gdynia (8) under 2.5 goals

Portuguese Liga Sagres:

Uniao de Leiria vs Leixoes (6) 1-0

Romanian Liga:

Rapid Bucharest vs FC Poli Timisoara (6) 0-0

Spanish Segunda Liga:

Gimnastic de Tarragona vs Salamanca (6) under 2.5 goals

Welsh Premier League:

Bala Town vs The New Saints (7) 1-2
Connah’s Quay Nomads vs Prestatyn Town (7) 0-1

Enjoy your free betting tips!

Tenerife vs Malaga

Today’s featured game is the Primera Liga clash between relegation-threatened Tenerife and bottom-placed Malaga. Both of these popular holiday resorts are proving to be distinctly unpopular in terms of footballing success. There’s been just one win for either side combined in their last five games respectively, which was for today’s hosts, Tenerife. Malaga are indicating just why they’re expecting to be relegated following a bad summer as they’ve now lost four of their last five games. Hosts Tenerife aren’t finding Primera Liga life easy but they’re adpated their home form to support them in these difficult times as they’ve already won three from four on their own turf. Tenerife have a better side than Malaga and although form indicates that they too have lost four of their last five games, Tenerife at least manage to win their home games more often than not. Malaga have lost three out of four away games this season and this doesn’t look likely to change today. My call for this game is the home win at evens as Tenerife will take this game very seriously as a potential six-pointer.

Saturday’s Picks

My tips:

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

Tenerife vs Malaga – home win at evens – see introduction for full details.

Lanus vs Chacarita Juniors – home win with -1.75 handicap at 7/5. It’s taken a while but Lanus are back in business again! They’ve not lost in seven games and have won their last two consecutively, setting the talented side up nicely for what should be a dominating home win against lesser Chacarita Juniors. Hosts Lanus have scored five goals in their last two games, which included a win away to Argentinian giants River Plate, so their camp will be buoyant and their football will be slick entering this game. Visitors Chacarita Juniors are facing Primera Division football as you’d expect a newly-promoted side to – with difficulty. Only bottom-placed Tigre have conceded more away goals than Chacarita Juniors this season with today’s visitors averaging over two goals per away game conceded. The visitors have also managed to lose five out of their six away games this season, leaving them precariously placed as they take on an in-form and impressive Lanus. For me, the home win with -1.75 goal handicap at 7/5 looks a good bet tonight.

Newell’s Old Boys vs River Plate – home win at 3/4. Yet another disappointing defeat leaves River Plate looking unsteady and extremely unreliable. They’re not scoring enough goals and are losing far too many games. River Plate have already lost four from six away games this season, a record not nearly good enough for arguably the biggest side in the country. Hosts Newell’s Old Boys will be keen to show them how it’s done, something they’ve already shown the majority of the division with their impressive performances and eight wins from twelve games. Newell’s Old Boys have won four consecutive games and have already won four from five home games this season. With all this in mind and the fact that only Banfield have conceded less goals than Newell’s Old Boys this season, the home win at 3/4 looks something of a bargain tonight.

Roeselare vs Zulte-Waregem – away win at 10/11. Hosts Roeselare look set for yet another nightmarish campaign with a horrendous start to their present one. They’ve lost eight of their thirteen games so far, winning just once in that time. They’ve lost two of their last three games and generally look weak opponents, weaker than the rest of the Eerste Klasse, in my opinion. Visitors Zulte-Waregem are beginning to show their potential as a good footballing side, something they failed to really register as last season despite some impressive displays. With three wins and two draws from their last five games, the visitors are now looking a force to be reckoned with. Zulte-Waregem have only lost once in six away games, winning twice and drawing three times. However, their recent form has convinced me that they’ve got more than enough quality to win against arguably the weakest side in the Eerste Klasse. For me, there’s good value in the away win at 10/11.

Sport Recife vs Cruzeiro – away win at 6/4. Although having only lost once in their past five games, Sport Recife appear to be consigned to relegation to Serie B, barring a miracle. I think they’ve still got enough fight to give a damn good fight to any side that plays here with no particular motivation for doing so but unfortunately for Sport Recife, Cruzeiro will be very much motivated with a Serie A title in their sights. Four wins in their past five games shows the intent of the visitors here tonight and although eight points is a steep mountain for Cruzeiro to climb, you can be damn sure that they’ll keep going until the end. Cruzeiro have a much better side than Sport Recife and interestingly also boast the best away record in Serie A with seven wins from sixteen away games. Brazil can be a dodgy place for away wins so do approach with caution but I can’t help and feel that Cruzeiro have everything in their favour to win this game at 6/4.

Chernomorets Burgas vs Litex Lovech – away win at 11/10. Chernomorets Burgas’ season so far has been something of a dream but that dream was brought to an abrupt end last match as they fell to a 2-0 defeat at lowly Minior Pernik. It remains to be seen just how today’s hosts will react to that but my prediction is that they simply don’t have the players to bounce back from that defeat so quickly and easily. Despite having already won five from six home games this season, I’m going to make a bold call that Litex Lovech will be the first side to win here in the A PFG this season. The visitors do have a better squad than today’s hosts and have looked very good lately with four wins and one draw in their past five games, beating bitter rivals CSKA Sofia along the way. Litex Lovech are unbeaten on the road this season with four wins from five games and they are starting to look very strong indeed. For me, the away win at 11/10 bears significant value today.

Atletico Nacional de Medellin vs Independiente Medellin – home win at 6/4. This is the last game of the current stage of the Colombian Futbol Profesional and witnesses the fearsome Medellin derby between Atletico Nacional de Medellin and Independiente Medellin. The visitors today have been far and away the best side so far and have already easily qualified for the latter stages of the Colombian Futbol Profesional along with Atletico Huila, Deportivo Pasto, and Deportes Tolima. The remaining four places are up for grabs and bitter rivals Atletico Nacional de Medellin currently possess one of those spaces. However, that place can be taken from them if they are defeated here today so they’ll be even more highly charged than normal for this Medellin derby. With the visitors already through, their focus on this game will have slipped slightly, as indeed their general performances of late have done with two defeats in their past three games. Hosts Atletico Nacional de Medellin are currently in patchy form and have only lost one home game out of eight this season, drawing a remarkable five games. However, this is a derby and a game that today’s hosts simply have to turn up for so I’m going to stick my neck out and call a home win at 6/4 – expect plenty of cards too!

Croatia Sesvete vs Cibalia - away win at 11/10. The Prva Liga’s surprise package Cibalia today travel to relegation battlers Croatia Sesvete in an attempt to extend their magnificent unbeaten run to nine games. The visitors have won two of their last four games, drawing the other two (one of which was away to giants Dinamo Zagreb). With the record of conceding the least goals in the whole of the Prva Liga, it’s going to take something monumntal for Croatia Sesvete to muster a result here. The visitors have already won three away games this season and today’s hosts enter the game on a four-game winless run that has seen them lose three games and draw once. With all this in mind, the away win at 11/10 looks good value today.

Osijek vs NK Zagreb – home win with -1.75 handicap at 13/8. I’m a little surprised by the quality odds on show for this bet! Osijek are no world-beaters but they’re playing very well this season, particularly at home. They’ve won three of their last four games and have won five from seven home games so far this season. Osijek average over two goals per game at home and look a real handful this year. Visitors NK Zagreb are still rooted to the bottom of the Prva Liga with just two wins from thirteen games. They’ve won two of their last five games, which is a marked improvement for them, but they’ve still got the unenviable away record of six defeats and one draw from seven away games. NK Zagreb have only managed to score four away goals this season and average conceding two goals per away game. With all of the above in mind, taking the home win with -1.75 goal handicap at 13/8 could be one of the bets of the day.

Blackpool vs Scunthorpe United – home win at 3/4. A whole-hearted and full-blooded approach to their Championship campaign has seen Scunthorpe United draw less games than any other side with just two draws all season, a record that can only be matched by Derby County and Barnsley. Although admirable in parts, this style naturally has its downsides and this has shown more often than the good sides have this season as Scunthorpe United have already lost eight games out of fifteen. The visitors have lost their last two games in a row and travel to Blackpool today, who are currently the best home side in the Championship with five wins and two draws from seven home games. They’ve only conceded twice at home this season but average scoring nearly two goals per game at home. Blackpool are unbeaten in four games with two wins and two draws being obtained in the process. With all of this in mind, you have to feel that a dominant Blackpool side playing at home is a side that are too good for a Scunthorpe United side that have already lost five from seven away games in the Championship this year. Therefore, the home win at 3/4 not only looks very logical and likely but also very good value too!

Le Mans vs Auxerre – away win at 17/10. I know that Le Mans aren’t that bad a side and that Auxerre aren’t that great of a side but these odds still mystify me when they’re considered in the cold light of day. Hosts Le Mans are currently second from bottom in Ligue 1 with three defeats from their last four games. They’ve already lost seven from eleven games so far this season and although they’ve only lost once at home, you have to feel that this particular record will change very soon if they don’t start improving. However, a massively in-form Auxerre are absolutely flying at the moment with five consecutive wins, including games away to Stade Rennais, at home to LOSC Lille, and at home to Girondins de Bordeaux. I highly respect all of these scalps and I’m just wondering when this magnificent run of wins/great performances are going to come to an end, which it surely will as Auxerre don’t have the quality to maintain it. Nonetheless, Auxerre have beaten a good portion of the better Ligue 1 sides so now it’s time to make waves against the lesser sides, starting tonight. For me, the away win at 17/10 could be a real gem here!

Sochaux vs Racing Club Lens – home win at 9/10. Three wins in their last four games has given Sochaux some momentum to hold onto as they try to push their way clear of the relegation zone. However, during this process, they’ve also managed to push Racing Club Lens into the relegation zone as the visitors have lost four from their last five games and have massive problems both on and off the field. Racing Club Lens are conceding far too many goals and aren’t scoring nearly enough to stay in Ligue 1 without dramatic and instantaneous improvement. However, Sochaux have long been a good home side and this is not the place to come to seek points to cure a bad run of games. The hosts have already won here three times this season and I really can’t see beyond that record reading “four home wins” by the end of this game as the hosts simply have too much for a distracted and demoralised Racing Club Lens at 9/10, particularly as the visitors have already lost four from five away games this season.

Bayern Munich vs Schalke 04 - lay Bayern Munich at evens. Although they created some decent chances mid-week against Girondins de Bordeaux in the UEFA Champions League, Bayern Munich still look toothless unless Arjen Robben and Frank Ribery bail them out. Only Robben was available for this game and that was only a second-half appearance, which turned out to be too late to save the Germans from a surprising home defeat against Girondins de Bordeaux. Arjen Robben will not be 100% fit for this game, based upon what we’ve seen in the UEFA Champions League game, which leaves Bayern Munich looking toothless against a very in-form and potent Schalke 04. Bayern Munich couldn’t even manage to score at a massively out-of-sorts VFB Stuttgart last weekend so I find it very unlikely that they’ll do so here today against Schalke 04 and restrict their opponents to scoring less goals than they do. Schalke 04 are unbeaten in their last five games and are unbeaten on the road this seasn with four wins and one draw from their five away games played. Whereas Schalke 04 aren’t scoring many away goals, there are very few goals being scored against them when they’re playing away from home too. For me, this game has draw written all over it or possibly even a sneaky away win so laying Bayern Munich at evens could be a very good bet today indeed.

Catania vs SSC Napoli – away win at 6/5. Hosts Catania face a rejuvenated SSC Napoli today with nothing but a three game run of successive defeats behind them in their arsenal. Visitors SSC Napoli are unbeaten in four games and have won three of those games. These games are even more impressive when closely examined as SSC Napoli have won away to Juventus, away to Fiorentina, at home to Bologna (probably the least impressive of the four!) and drew at home to AC Milan despite trailing for most of the game. Not only does this record indicate great momentum and form but also high resilience, something that you really need in Serie A. Catania are going from bad to worse with just one win in eleven games and a record that shows that only Genoa and AS Roma have conceded more goals than they have, which can’t be much comfort as both of these sides are light years ahead of little Catania. Although this certainly won’t be an easy game for in-form SSC Napoli, I do expect them to win it at 6/5.

Sparta Rotterdam vs Roda JC Kerkrade – home win at 5/6. Hosts Sparta Rotterdam enter this game on the back of thre straight wins, a run which was catalysted by beating bitter rivals Feyenoord Rotterdam in a bad-tempered affair. Since then, today’s hosts have won away to ADO Den Haag and at home to NEC Nijmegen. I rate all three of these sides as being better than relegation-threatened Roda JC Kerkrade so look like very acceptable cannon fodder for a Sparta Rotterdam playing the best football that they’ve played all season. Four wins from six home games and a strong level of momentum gives Sparta Rotterdam a tremendous chance of winning this game, particularly as visitors Roda JC Kerkrade have already lost four from six away games this season, scoring just three times and conceding over two goals per away game. Lastly, a record that reads no wins in five games and three defeats in the process tells me that Roda JC Kerkrade are in no position to amend their horrendous run against a tricky Sparta Rotterdam, which therefore leaves the home win bearing considerable value today at 5/6.

Polonia Bytom vs Lech Poznan – away win at 5/4. Two straight defeats have knocked the wind out of Polonia Bytom’s sails as they stare uneasily at the mast of an approach Lech Poznan. The hosts know that they’re not as good as today’s visitors but their lack of momentum gives them a real headache ahead of this tricky game. It’s not going to help their preperations that Polonia Bytom have been heavily fined after their fans were caught smuggling high numbers of explosives into their last match. All of this plays into the hands of a good Lech Poznan side with the capability to win this game. Although Lech Poznan are missing key midfielder Semir Stilic through injury for this game, I still feel they’ve got more than enough in their arsenal to overcome a massively distracted and demoralised Polonia Bytom at 5/4, particularly as the visitors have won two of their last three games.

Gaz Metan Medias vs Politehnica Iasi – home win at 10/11. I like the look of these odds! People seem quick to forget how woeful Politehnica Iasi can actually be and it’s only because of their recent poor run of form that people are taking notice again. They’ve now lost three consecutive games and are without a win in four games. I personally consider them to be one of the weakest away sides in the Romanian Liga, which is partially why I’m backing the home win today. Gaz Metan Medias are a decent home side – not great, but decent – and are unbeaten in their last six games, a run which saw them overcome giants Dinamo Bucharest. Gaz Metan Medias are a decent side but their biggest problem is scoring goals, something they’ve only done twice in in their last four league games. However, a Politehnica Iasi side that has conceded nine goals in their last three games will be sure to give the hosts today every chance of changing that record. Although this should be a close and relatively low-scoring game, I think there’s significant value in the home win at 10/11.

Ceahlaul Piatra Neamt vs Vaslui – away win at 5/6. Romania’s most in-form side currently Vaslui travel to newly-promoted Ceahlaul Piatra Neamt in a hope of making it five wins from five games. The visitors have won their last four games in a row and can boast that only three sides in the Romanian Liga have won more away games than they have this season. Vaslui have had a good side for the last few years but their consistency in proving this appears to be somewhat sporadic at best. However, when they are in form, they’re a real handful for each side they face. Hosts Ceahlaul Piatra Neamt are winless in their last five games, losing three times and drawing twice in the process. Having already lost four out of six home games this season, it’s not hard to see why the hosts are in the relegation zone and why I thoroughly expec them to still be there after this game. Therefore, the away win at 5/6 looks great value here today!

Khimki vs Tom Tomsk – away win at 11/10. A quick glance at the league table will tell you everything you need to know about my call here. Khimki are already relegated with nothing to play for and no motivation whatsoever as they’ve lost countless numbers of games in a row now. Tom Tomsk aren’t desperate for the points but they will want to ensure that they’re not troubled as the Russian Premier League draws to a close so I thoroughly expect them to go out and do a professional job on Khimki by winning the game with a low scoreline at 11/10.

Huesca vs Hercules Alicante – away win at 11/8. After a morale-boosting 5-1 thrashing of promotion rivals Real Sociedad last match, Hercules Alicante look back to their best. There’s no doubt in my mind that Hercules Alicante are one of the best sides in the Segunda Liga currently and it’s about time that they started showing it as consistently as they did last year. Although their records currently show that they’ve drawn more away games than they’ve won and lost put together but I expect their last match to have cast off their shackles, enabling them to play their football and start winning games again. Hosts Huesca are nothing but a middle-of-the-road side that are simply caught in the middle between bad form and a rampant Hercules Alicante, which could spell disaster for the hosts today. A winless run of five games leaves Huesca with little to contribute to this game in the way of opposition so I think taking the away win at 11/8 is a good bet, largely due to the strong momentum gained from Hercules Alicante’s emphatic win last match.

Istanbul BB vs Antalyaspor – home win at 13/10. This game was a very close competitor for my featured game of the day given the good value in it! Hosts Istanbul BB have won four of their last five games, impressively enough. Their home form isn’t overwhelmingly convincing but their momentum and tenacity certainly is. The other side of the coin is that Antalyaspor are one of the worst away sides in the Super Lig with only Sivasspor that have lost more away games than they have. Antalyaspor have lost four from their five away games this season, conceding two goals per away game on average. Although they’re on a three-game unbeaten run currently, it’s hard to see that continuing today against a forceful and in-form Istanbul BB. For me, the home win at 13/10 bears a great deal of value today.

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

Asian Champions League:

Al Ittihad vs Pohang Steelers (6) 1-1

Argentinian Primera Division:

Lanus vs Chacarita Juniors (8) -1.75 handicap
Godoy Cruz de Mendoza vs Racing Club Avellaneda (7) 1-1
Newell’s Old Boys vs River Plate (8) 2-1
Atletico Tucuman vs Tigre (5) under 2.5 goals

Australian A-League:

Melbourne Victory vs Central Coast Mariners (7) 2-0
Gold Coast United vs Sydney FC (6) 1-1

Austrian Bundesliga:

SV Mattersburg vs SV Kapfenberg (6) over 2.5 goals

Austrian Liga 1:

Austria Lustenau vs St.Polten (7)

Belgian Eerste Klasse:

Cercle Brugge vs Westerlo (6) 2-1
Lokeren vs Kortrijk (7) 1-1
Mechelen vs Excelsior Mouscron (7) 2-0
Roeselare vs Zulte-Waregem (7) 0-1
Germinal Beerschot vs Sint-Truiden (8) 2-0

Belgian Tweede Klasse:

Red Star Waasland vs Oostende (5)
Dender vs Eupen (7)
Liege vs Beveren (5) draw no bet
Mons vs Turnhout (9)
Tournai vs Tienen (6)
Brussels vs KVSK United (6)
Standaard Wetteren vs Boussu Dour Borinage (7)

Brazilian Serie A:

Santos vs Nautico (5) 1-1
Vitoria vs Avai (6) 2-1
Sport Recife vs Cruzeiro (7) 1-2

Bulgarian A PFG:

Beroe vs Botev Plovdiv (7) 2-0
Cherno More Varna vs Lokomotiv Sofia (7) 1-1
Sportist Svoge vs Sliven (5) 1-2
Chernomorets Burgas vs Litex Lovech (8) 0-2

Colombian Futbol Profesional:

Atletico Nacional de Medellin vs Independiente Medellin (6) 1-0, at least one red card in this game
Deportes Tolima vs America de Cali (8) 2-0

Croatian Prva Liga:

Istra 1961 vs Karlovac (7) 0-1
Zadar vs Varteks Varazdin (6) 1-1
Slaven Koprivnica vs Lokomotiva Zagreb (8) over 2.5 goals
Medimurje vs Hajduk Split (6) 1-2
Croatia Sesvete vs Cibalia (7) 1-2
Osijek vs NK Zagreb (8) 2-0
Inter Zapresic vs Rijeka (6) 1-1

Cypriot Division 1:

Aris vs Nea Salamis (6) 1-0
APOP/Kinyras vs A.E.Paphos (7) 2-1
Enosis Neon Paralimni vs Omonia Nicosia (8) 0-2
Anorthosis Famagusta vs Ethnikos Achnas (9) -1.75 handicap

Czech Republic Gambrinus Liga:

Slovan Liberec vs Sigma Olomouc (7) 2-1
Banik Ostrava vs Kladno (9) under 2.5 goals
Teplice vs Jablonec (8) 1-1

Danish Superligaen:

HB Koge vs AGF Aarhus (6) 1-2
Silkeborg vs OB Odense (7) 1-2

Ecuadorian Primera A:

Manta vs Deportivo Quito (7) 0-1

English Premier League:

Aston Villa vs Bolton Wanderers (7) 2-1
Blackburn Rovers vs Portsmouth (7) 1-1
Manchester City vs Burnley (9) 3-1
Tottenham Hotspur vs Sunderland (9) 2-0
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Arsenal (8) 1-3

English Championship:

Swansea City vs Cardiff City (6)
Blackpool vs Scunthorpe United (8)
Crystal Palace vs Middlesbrough (6)
Leicester City vs West Bromwich Albion (6)
Newcastle United vs Peterborough United (7)
Nottingham Forest vs Bristol City (7)
Plymouth Argyle vs Doncaster Rovers (6)
Reading vs Ipswich Town (6)
Sheffield Wednesday vs Queens Park Rangers (6)
Watford vs Preston North End (7)

English FA Cup:

Pauliton Rovers vs Norwich City (8) -1.75 handicap
Bromley vs Colchester United (8) 0-2
Stourbridge vs Walsall (4) 1-0
Gillingham vs Southend United (6) 2-1
Grimsby Town vs Bath City (4) 1-2, draw no bet
Gateshead vs Brentford (6) 0-1
Chesterfield vs Bournemouth (7) 2-0
York City vs Crewe Alexandra (6) 1-0
Wycombe Wanderers vs Brighton & Hove Albion (5) 1-1
Hereford United vs Sutton United (7) 2-0
Nuneaton Town vs Exeter City (6) 1-1
Carlisle United vs Morecambe (7) 2-1
Forest Green Rovers vs Mansfield Town (6) 0-0
Oxford United vs Yeovil Town (5) 1-0
Swindon Town vs Woking (9) -1.75 handicap
Port Vale vs Stevenage Borough (7) 2-0
Luton Town vs Rochdale (6) 1-2
Shrewsbury Town vs Staines Town (9) -1.75 handicap
Wealdstone vs Rotherham United (8) 0-1
Torquay United vs Cheltenham Town (6) 1-1
Barnet vs Darlington (8) 2-0
Milton Keynes Dons vs Macclesfield Town (8) 3-1
Rushden & Diamonds vs Hinckley Town (6) 2-1
Aldershot Town vs Bury (5) 1-1
Tranmere Rovers vs Leyton Orient (6) 1-0
Stockport Conty vs Tooting & Mitcham United (7) 2-0
Telford United vs Lincoln City (6) 1-1
Barrow vs Eastleigh (7) 1-0
Accrington Stanley vs Salisbury City (5) 0-0
Millwall vs AFC Wimbledon (8) 3-1
Hartlepool United vs Kettering Town (8) 2-1
Wrexham vs Lowestoft Town (7) 2-0
Northampton Town vs Fleetwood Town (6) 1-0
Cambridge United vs Ilkeston Town (7) 2-1
Oldham Athletic vs Leeds United (8) 1-2

Estonian Meistriliiga:

Tallinna Kalev vs Sillamae Kalev (7) 0-2
Kuressaare vs Maag Tammeka Tartu (6) 1-1
Flora Paide vs Nomme Kalju (8) 0-2
Trans Narva vs Levadia Tallinn (8) 1-2
Flora Tallinn vs Tulevik Viljandi (8) 3-1

French Ligue 1:

Le Mans vs Auxerre (7) 0-1
Lorient vs Boulogne (7) 2-0
AS Monaco vs Grenoble Foot (9) 3-1
AS Nancy-Lorraine vs Saint-Etienne (7) 2-1
Paris Saint-Germain vs OGC Nice (7) 2-1
Valenciennes vs Montpellier HSC (7) 1-0
Sochaux vs Racing Club Lens (6) 2-1

German Bundesliga:

Bayern Munich vs Schalke 04 (6) 1-1
Hoffenheim vs VFL Wolfsburg (5) 2-2
VFL Bochum vs Freiburg (5) 1-0
Borussia Moenchengladbach vs VFB Stuttgart (6) 1-1
FSV Mainz 05 vs FC Nurnberg (7) 2-0

German Bundesliga 2:

Greuther Furth vs Augsburg (7)
FSV Frankfurt vs Arminia Bielefeld (8)

Greek Super League:

Aris Salonika vs Kavala (7) 1-0
Olympiakos Piraeus vs Iraklis (9) 3-1
Panthrakikos vs PAOK Salonika (8) 1-2

Greek B Ethniki:

Pierikos Katerini vs Aigaelo Athens (7)

Hungarian Soproni Liga:

Zalaegerszegi TE vs Vasas Budapest (8) 2-0
Budapest Honved vs Paksi SE (6) 1-1
Diosgyori VTK vs Kaposvari Rakoczi (7) 1-1
Szombathelyi Haladas vs Nyiregyhaza Spartacus (7) 2-1
Kecskemeti TE vs MTK Budapest (6) 1-1
Papa vs Ferencvaros (6) 2-1

Italian Serie A:

Catania vs SSC Napoli (7) 0-1
Atalanta Bergamo vs Juventus (5) 1-1

Italian Serie B:

Ascoli vs Cittadella (6)
Brescia vs Triestina (7)
Cesena vs Albinoleffe (5)
Crotone vs Ancona (6) draw no bet
Gallipoli vs Frosinone (6)
Padova vs Salernitana (8)
Piacenza vs Mantova (7)
Sassuolo vs Modena (6)
Vicenza vs Grosseto (6)

Mexican Primera Division:

Cruz Azul vs Puebla (7) 2-1
San Luis vs Santos Laguna (7) 1-1
Indios vs Jaguares (6) 0-0
Tigres UANL vs Atlante (5) 1-0
Atlas vs Guadalajara (6) 1-1

Dutch Eredivisie:

Vitesse Arnhem vs VVV Venlo (5) 1-0
Sparta Rotterdam vs Roda JC Kerkrade (8) 2-1
NEC Nijmegen vs RKC Waalwijk (7) 2-0

Polish Ekstraklasa:

Slask Wroclaw vs Piast Gliwice (6) 2-1
GKS Belchatow vs Arka Gdynia (8) 2-0
Polonia Bytom vs Lech Poznan (7) 1-2
Polonia Warsaw vs Cracovia Krakow (6) 1-0

Portuguese Liga Sagres:

Vitoria Setubal vs Olhanense (6) 1-1
Vitoria Guimaraes vs Sporting Clube de Lisboa (5) 1-1

Portuguese Liga de Honra:

Carregado vs Portimonense (6)

Romanian Liga:

Gaz Metan Medias vs Politehnica Iasi (7) 1-0
Ceahlaul Piatra Neamt vs Vaslui (8) 1-2
Brasov vs Unirea Urziceni (6) 1-1

Russian Premier League:

Khimki vs Tom Tomsk (7) 0-1
Krylya Sovetov Samara vs Spartak Moscow (7) 1-2
Rostov-na-Donu vs Saturn Moscow Oblast (6) 0-0
Kuban Krasnodor vs FK Moscow (8) 0-2

Scottish Premier League:

Hearts vs Hibernians (5) 1-2, at least one red card in this game
Aberdeen vs St.Johnstone (5) 1-0
Hamilton Academicals vs Motherwell (6) 1-1
Kilmarnock vs Dundee United (6) 1-2
Rangers vs St.Mirren (9) 2-0

Serbian Super Liga:

Jagodina vs Vojvodina Novi Sad (6) 1-2
Rad Belgrade vs Spartak Subotica (7) 1-1
Napredak vs BSK Borca (6) 1-0
Metalac GM vs Partizan Belgrade (7) 0-1
Smederevo vs Cukaricki (6) 2-1
Red Star Belgrade vs Hajduk Kula (9) 3-1
OFK Belgrade vs Javor Ivanjica (8) 2-0
Mladi Radnik vs Borac Cacak (6) 0-1

Slovakian Corgon Liga:

Senica vs Spartak Trnava (6) 2-1
Dukla Banska Bystrica vs Tatran Presov (7) 2-0
DAC Dunajska Streda vs Dubnica (7) 1-0
Nitra vs Artmedia Petrzalka (7) 2-1
Slovan Bratislava vs Ruzomberok (8) 2-1

Slovenian Prva Liga:

Koper vs Domzale (7) 2-1
Interblock Ljubljana vs Rudar Velenje (6) 1-1
Gorica vs Nafta Lendava (6) 1-2
Celje vs Olimpija Ljubljana (6) 0-0

Spanish Primera Liga:

Tenerife vs Malaga (8) 2-0
Getafe vs Deportivo La Coruna (5) 1-0
Barcelona vs Real Mallorca (8) over 3.5 goals
Atletico Madrid vs Real Madrid (6) over 2.5 goals

Spanish Segunda Liga:

Real Sociedad vs Recreativo de Huelva (6)
Salamanca vs Levante (7)
Numancia vs Cordoba (6)
Huesca vs Hercules Alicante (7)
Gimnastia de Tarragona vs Albacete (7)
Las Palmas vs Rayo Vallecano de Madrid (7)
Celta de Vigo vs Castellon (5)

Spanish Segunda B:

Group 1:

Montaneros vs Osasuna II (6)
Lemona vs Sestao River Club (6)
Cultural y Deportiva Leonesa vs Barakaldo (7)
Pontevedra vs Palencia (6)

Group 3:

Alcoyano vs Denia (6)

Group 4:

Real Betis Balompie II vs Granada (6)
Jerez Industrial vs Roquetas (7)
Marbella vs Polideportivo Ejido (6)
Ciudad de Murcia vs Moratalla (5)

Swiss Super League:

Aarau vs St.Gallen (6) 1-2
Grasshoppers Zurich vs Bellinzona (6) 2-1

Swiss Challenge League:

Yverdon Sport vs Schaffhausen (7)
Lausanne Sports vs Stade Nyonnais (8)

Turkish Super Lig:

Istanbul BB vs Antalyaspor (7) 2-0
Trabzonspor vs Besiktas JK (6) 2-1

Uruguayan Primera Division:

Club Nacional de Montevideo vs Rampla Juniors (8) 3-1
Atenas vs Central Espanol (6) 1-1
Defensor Sporting vs Racing Club Montevideo (8) 2-1

Welsh Premier League:

Caersws vs Port Talbot Town (7) 0-1
Carmarthen Town vs Bangor City (6) 1-1
Rhyl vs Llanelli (5) 1-1
Welshpool Town vs Porthmadog (6) 1-0

Enjoy your free betting tips!