Poli Timisoara vs Vaslui

Today’s featured game is the Romanian Liga encounter between high-flying FC Poli Timisoara and tempremental tough-nuts SC Vaslui. Poli Timisoara have been playing well in recent times and are currently one point off the top of the Liga so they’ll be keen to win this one to keep the pressure up on misfiring CFR Cluj. SC Vaslui are still in the reckoning too but took a demoralising blow mid-week with a Cupa Romaniei defeat at FC Brasov so it remains to be seen how they cope with that.

Poli Timisoara have never lost at home to SC Vaslui in four meetings, winning their last two consecutively. Poli Timisoara are also amongst the few sides to have won at Vaslui this season so the hosts approach this game with a somewhat superior mental edge. Poli Timisoara are unbeaten in their last three games, winning their last two consecutively whilst conceding just once and scoring nine times, which is an average of three goals scored per game. Poli Timisoara are strong at home as it is with seven wins in eleven home games this season, scoring an average of nearly two goals per game. However, their most redeeming feature whilst performing at home is their stubborn defence as they’ve conceded just three times during those eleven games, which is the best record in the division. Poli Timisoara may occasionally get caught short of goals being scored but hardly any sides score here so they’re usually a good bet on their own turf. Poli Timisoara are on familiar ground, they’re playing with confidence, and they’re scoring for fun so they look a good bet for me today.

Visitors SC Vaslui can be a frustrating side to play against but I expect their defeat against Brasov mid-week to have hurt them and tired them. Poli Timisoara have had longer to prepare for this game as a result so a demoralised Vaslui have a difficult task today. Vaslui’s away form isn’t particularly bad but they have lost four times in twelve away games so they’re very much capable of being beaten on the road. Vaslui don’t have a good record against Poli Timisoara are either on thie ground or in general and although their “stopper” tactics tend to work well against most sides, the potent hosts today should bring too much to the table for Vaslui to cope with.

I’m expecting a low-scoring game between these two sides as neither concedes many goals and both employ a similar style of football with efficiency being the key. However, Poli Timisoara are the better of these two sides, they’re at home, and they’re scoring goals at the moment so should be able to do sufficient damage today. Confidence is high for the hosts and Vaslui have some tired legs out there so I fancy a dabble on the home win at evens.

Verdict: Poli Timisoara to win at evens.

Monday’s Picks

My tips:

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

River Plate vs Argentinos Juniors – away win at 17/10.

Hosts River Plate enter this game following a painful defeat in “El Clasico” by Boca Juniors. They’ve had a poor campaign already but that defeat will annoy the players considerably. River Plate have been poor in front of goal this season which is primarily why they’re struggling. I’d argue the point that they’re missing the playmaking abilities of young Diego Buonanotte but either way River Plate are not playing well. They’ve only won two out of five home games in the Clausura and have lost one of those games. River Plate may have only conceded twice during that run but have only scored four times too, which isn’t enough. River Plate have quite a mixed record against Argentinos Juniors but managed to lose at home to them last season so are certainly capable of doing so again tonight.

Considering that I don’t rate Argentinos Juniors amongst the better sides in this division, I’ve been suitably impressed by their displays in the Clausura. They’re unbeaten in their last four games whilst winning three times and keeping a clean sheet in three of those games. They’ve won their last two away games consecutively without conceding a goal against giants Estudiantes De La Plata and Racing Club Avellaneda so Argentinos Juniors are looking a real force in the Clausura currently. Argentinos don’t score enough goals for my liking so I’m a tad hesitant ahead of their game tonight as a goal by the home side may shatter their style as it did last match at home to Tigre. Nonetheless, Argentinos have been the best away side in the Clausura this season with three wins and just one defeat in five away games and have scored an average of nearly two goals per game so they’re certainly a threat on the road.

Although I expect a close and low-scoring game between these two sids, I feel Argentinos Juniors are worth a punt given the goal-shy displays of River Plate and the incisive and efficient performances of the visiotrs. Argentinos have the momentum and defensive stability to take three points tonight and the odds make it a worthwhile bet.

Verdict: Argentinos Juniors to win at 17/10.

Pirin Blagoevgrad vs Chernomorets Burgas – home win at 10/11.

Pirin Blagoevgrad appear to have added a dimension to their home football this season with their fortress becoming a feared place to travel to now. Lokomotiv Sofia could only draw here in their last home game and giants Litex Lovech were battered 4-1 here the game before that so Pirin are certainly spreading their wings. Pirin have won five out of ten home games in the A PFG and although their displays are often short on goals, the fact that they rarely concede assists them greatly with only league leaders Litex Lovech able to boast conceding less goals than today’s hosts have. The only side to score at Pirin Blagoevgrad that wasn’t one of the bigger sides in the division – Levski Sofia, Litex Lovech, and Lokomotiv Sofia – was Minior Pernik on the opening day of the season so to say Pirin are solid at home would be an understatement. Their limited goalscoring ability does concern me a little but they’re a solid side and have proven that they’re capable of winning against the best of Bulgarian football on their own turf and I expect that confidence to carry over into today’s game.

Visitors Chernomorets Burgas have only won once in their five games since returning from the winter break, which was a 3-0 win in their last match at home to lowly Lokomotiv Mezdra. Chernomorets Burgas are very much a home side but their statistics don’t reflect that as much as they should due to an excellent start to their campaign this season but this is something that can be identified with the fact that Chernomorets have lost four out of their last six away games and have drawn the other two, which is notable because Chernomorets have only lost four away games this season. Chernomorets tend to struggle scoring goals, something they’ve only managed to do in two out of their last five A PFG games, losing three times, drawing once, and winning just once. Chernomorets’ goal-shy displays have been common although even moreso against defensively astute sides like today’s hosts Pirin Blagoevgrad so I don’t expect them to score today, thus removing them as a threat in my eyes.

The question we’re really asking today is “Will Pirin Blagoevgrad score?”. If they do then this game really should be over. Football’s not always as concise as that, admittedly, but I fancy a clean sheet for the hosts very much today. I think Pirin have played well enough of late, particularly at home, to do damage today against a poor-travelling Chernomorets Burgas so the odds on what should be a narrow home win look worthwhile.

Verdict: Pirin Blagoevgrad to win at 10/11.

Banik Ostrava vs Slavia Prague – home win at evens.

I’ve been eyeing up this fixture for a few weeks now but lament the fact that the hosts enter it with the knowledge that their last home game ended in a 1-0 defeat against lowly, goal-shy Ceske Budejovice. Nonetheless, Banik are playing well in general so I’ll put it down as a one-off.

Banik Ostrava have been outstanding at home this season with eight wins in eleven games – more than any other Gambrinus Liga side. They average scoring nearly two goals per home game and have only conceded seven times during those eleven games so Banik are strong at home. Apart from their minor blemish on their impressive home record with defeat against Ceske Budejovice, Banik Ostrava have played well since the winter break with their previous home game resulting in a 4-1 demolition of high-flying Jablonec and Banik having remained unbeaten in four games, drawing their two away games against good home sides. Banik Ostrava have a horrendous head-to-head record against Slavia Prague with no wins against them at home in the Gambrinus Liga for over ten years. However, they’ve got a superb chance to do so today and I expect a full-blooded display from the reliable hosts.

Slavia Prague have gone from bad to worse lately with their only remaining good featured – their solid defence – having abandoned them. They’ve leaked five goals in their last two games and have only scored once so Slavia Prague are in an awful lot of trouble currently, something even their manager admitted lately. They’ve lost 3-1 at relegation candidates Slovacko and 2-0 at home against out-of-sorts Slovan Liberec – two unthinkable results for a club the size and stature of Slavia Prague. Slavia Prague don’t even average scoring a goal per away game on average currently so they look really prone on the road, something which hasn’t been evident this season due to their solid defence but they now look weak there too so Slavia Prague could really be on the receiving end of a battering today.

Slavia Prague have to face up to the fact that their name alone won’t buy them points anymore. They need to improve and they don’t look up to it, particularly in attack. It would have been unthinkable for me to consider Slavia Prague taking a beating against Banik Ostrava in the league last season but this season I’d almost expect it to occur. I think the odds on the home win for the ascending Banik Ostrava are good value and I may even be tempted to have a very cheeky dabble on Banik Ostrava -1.75 at 11/4. 

Verdict: Banik Ostrava to win at evens.

Le Havre vs Guingamp – home win at 10/11.

I’ve not been an advocate of Le Havre in recent times but I’m going to stick with them tonight. They’re still not back to their best by any stretch of the imagination but did manage to shake off their goal drought with a 3-1 win at home to Bastia last match so Le Havre bring some confidence into this game. They’re generally a reliable home side so I’ll give them their dues – I expect them to put in a spirited display tonight. Visitors Guingamp are a capable side but struggle on the road as their record of nine defeats in fifteen away games indicates all too well. Guingamp are the lowest goalscoring side in Ligue 2 away from home with an average of less than a goal scored per every two away games and they also manage to concede over a goal per away game so it’s easy to see why they struggle. Guingamp haven’t scored in any of their last three away games so this bet is really relying on whether Le Havre will score or not. For all Le Havre’s sins, they do at least manage to score goals so odds of 10/11 on the home win do look rather generous tonight – the odds should really be about 8/11 in my eyes.

Verdict: Le Havre to win at 10/11.

Brann Bergen vs Sandefjord – lay Brann Bergen at 11/10.

This is a bold call but one with substance. Brann Bergen are an unreliable side at the best of times but now that they’ve lost all but one of their quality players, they now look decidedly reliable in their unconvincing displays. Brann have failed to score in their first two Eliteserien games with both games exposing Brann’s problems to the maximum. A 4-0 crushing defeat at bitter rivals Viking Stavanger last match will have hurt them immensely but I half wonder if their goalless draw at home to newly-promoted Haugesund on the opening day of the season will have secretly hurt them more due to their clear lack of goalscoring ability. Perhaps that’s a tad harsh as Brann did outplay Haugesund that day and their ‘keeper produced a great display but the facts don’t lie; Brann haven’t scored in two games so are struggling in attack and are now leaking at the back so Bergen could be a host for a very interesting game indeed tonight.

Visitors Sandefjord are a poor side. They over-achieved last season; they won’t do that this season. They’ve lost their “shock factor” and should be battling against relegation this season. Sandefjord were made to look very poor indeed by an impressive Start Kristiansand on the opening day of the season but have since bounced back by flattening last season’s runners-up Molde 3-1 at home despite trailing during the game so Sandefjord do bring confidence into this game. They can’t defend for shit so I’m glad that they’ve found their goalscoring boots ahead of a potentially tough trip to Bergen today or else I wouldn’t be bothering with this bet.

Ultimately, Brann Bergen are the better side here but they’re less than the side they were last season so should have problems today. Sandefjord won here last season in back-to-back victories against Brann as they beat them at home too and look capable of surprising their goal-shy hosts today by avoiding defeat at generous odds of 11/10.

Verdict: Lay Brann Bergen at 11/10.

Athletic Club de Bilbao vs Racing Santander – lay Athletic Club de Bilbao at 5/6.

I hate going against Bilbao but I’m left with little choice at the moment. Bilbao have only won once in their last five games and have conceded four goals in their last two games. Llorente isn’t firing on all cylinders so Bilbao are struggling to score goals too, which was a problem of theirs long before Llorente stepped up to the plate. Bilbao have only beaten Racing Santander once in their last five home game against them, drawing four times. Bilbao won at Racing Santander earlier on this season but I won’t read much into it as Santander at the time were on a horrendous run of form and actually sacked their manager after that defeat. Bilbao are a tough side to face at San Mamés but they’re not playing well enough at the moment to overcome a side that plays with the same vigour as they do, in my opinion, much as though I’d like them to!

Racing Santander are one of the most annoying sides in the division to play against because when they’re in-form, they tend to avoid defeat against just about everyone. They’re unbeaten in four consecutive games now despite facing trips to Valencia and Osasuna recently. In fact, Santander have only lost once in their last six Primera Liga away games and that was against mighty Barcelona so they’re a solid side on the road. Santander have kept three clean sheets during that run so it’s easy to see where their strength is and the fundamental reasoning behind them having only lost four away games in the Primera Liga this season. In fact, consider this fact – there are only two sides in the Primera Liga that have conceded less away goals and lost less away games than Racing Santander this season and that’s Barcelona and Real Madrid respectively. With that in mind, the odds on laying an out-of-sorts Bilbao tonight look very generous indeed. 

Bear in mind that this game is an “unofficial” derby of sorts. Bilbao will tell you that their derbies are with Real Sociedad and Osasuna but Santander play a similar style of football and are from northern Spain too – they’re just outside of the Basque country – so this game tends to yield derby-esque results, which is why there’s often surprises in games between these two sides. However, the odds do represent good value tonight in my opinion given the excellent away form of Racing Santander.

Verdict: Lay Athletic Club de Bilbao at 5/6.

Helsingborgs vs IFK Goteborg – away win at 6/4.

This is a big call as IFK Goteborg don’t have a great record at Helsingborgs with their last Allsvenskan win here coming in 2005. However, times have changed - Helsingborgs are on a slippery slope downwards and appear very short on goalscoring ability. Indeed, it’s only Helsingborgs’ clean sheets that have done them proud this season because if they’d conceded then they’d still be without a win. Unfortunately for Helsingborgs, they’re finally facing a side that can and probably will score against them today. IFK Goteborg appear to be in the driving seat to win this year’s Allsvenskan despite it being very early in the day to say so with AIK Solna drawing constant blanks, Kalmar having sold their best players, and Elfsborg Boras looking a tad short on overall ability. IFK Goteborg still have prolific goalscorer Hysen so I think they’ve got enough to do a lot of damage tonight. It’s going to be a tight game and one that is naturally closely-fought between rivals but I think there’s value in the away win for what I can only describe as a frankly superior IFK Goteborg side.

Verdict: IFK Goteborg to win at 6/4.

Accumulator fodder:

Cambuur Leeuwarden, Bohemians.

Recommended bets:

Pirin Blagoevgrad, Kaiserslautern, and Newcastle United at 5/1.

Bohemians, Cambuur Leeuwarden, and Poli Timisoara at 4/1.

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

Argentinian Primera Division:

River Plate vs Argentinos Juniors (6) 1-2

Bulgarian A PFG:

Montana vs Lokomotiv Sofia (8) 0-2
Pirin Blagoevgrad vs Chernomorets Burgas (7) 1-0

Czech Republic Gambrinus Liga:

Banik Ostrava vs Slavia Prague (7) 1-0

Danish Superligaen:

OB Odense vs Midtylland (6) 1-1

Ecuadorian Primera A:

Macara Ambato vs Emelec Guayaquil (5) 0-1

English Premier League:

Manchester City vs Wigan Athletic (7) 2-1

English Championship:

Newcastle United vs Nottingham Forest (8) under 2.5 goals

French Ligue 1:

AS Monaco vs Auxerre (6) 1-1

French Ligue 2:

Le Havre vs Guingamp (6)

German Bundesliga 2:

Kaiserslautern vs 1860 Munich (8) under 2.5 goals

Irish Premier League:

Bray Wanderers vs Bohemians (7) 0-1

Dutch Eerste Divisie:

Cambuur Leeuwarden vs Oss (9) -1.75 handicap

Norwegian Eliteserien:

Brann Bergen vs Sandefjord (5) 1-1

Romanian Liga:

Poli Timisoara vs Vaslui (7) 2-0
Brasov vs CFR Cluj (6) 0-0

Singaporean S-League:

Etoile vs Geylang United (6) 1-1

Spanish Primera Liga:

Athletic Club de Bilbao vs Racing Santander (5) 1-1, at least one red card in this game

Swedish Allsvenskan:

Helsingborgs vs IFK Goteborg (6) 0-1
Orebro vs Mjallby Solvesborg (4) 1-1
GAIS Goteborg vs AIK Solna (6) 0-0

Swiss Challenge League:

Yverdon Sport vs Winterthur (5) over 2.5 goals

Turkish Super Lig:

Kayserispor vs Trabzonspor (7) 1-1

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!