It's that time of the year again, coloured balls and postponements are the order of the day. All over Europe for the past few weekends fixtures have fallen foul of the sub-zero temperatures and snowfall. This weekend certainly looks like the same may well happen.
Midweek saw little action anywhere at all. We had the Monday night borefest that was Liverpool v Spurs, and both sides looked pretty happy to leave without losing. Unfortunately for watchers this meant a terrible 0-0 scoreline, with a cat on the pitch about the most excitement produced.
Away from the pitch though saw huge changes for England's national team. I shan't go into huge detail, as you'd have had to of been in a cave not to know what I'm referring to. All I'll say is it is nothing short of a disgrace the way this nation's media has hounded out the most successful (in games won terms) manager because he was foreign and unwilling to play ball with the prats over interviews and the like. It looks like they'll get their man in Harry Redknapp, and I don't possibly see how he'll turn players that are Quarter Finalists at best into anything more.
Music from magnificently named Sister Kisser with Soul Glow.
Man Utd v Liverpool, Saturday 1245
The BIG one this weekend is also the first match of the weekend in the Premier League. Man Utd host Liverpool loking like they are again getting really going post xmas. Last weekend saw them mount an amazing comeback to draw with Chelsea having trailed 3-0 at Stamford Bridge. As I have stated many times before, I think it will be a damning indictment on the league if they do win it this year with surely one of the weakest squads for many a year at Old Trafford. But, if they do then credit to Fergie for getting them to that position I suppose. He certainly wont win the Champions League again without significant improvement though.
Liverpool will have Luis Suarez in the ranks and he will surely come in for some well-justified abuse for his racial taunting of Evra earlier in the season. Kenny Dalglish has also been giving a lesson in how not to do PR this year with his constant whingeing and refusal to admit guilt at all over the affair. He has also presided over a hell of a lot of money being chucked at some particularly average English players, and lo and behold, they have not performed well. Carroll and Downing stand out as wastes of money even when Fernando Torres went for more. Downing has done the square root of buggery on the wing, and Carroll has just looked hapless far to often.
Back United at 1.9 with William Hill.
Sunderland v Arsenal, Saturday 1500
Oh Arsenal, the kings of inconsistency. Having had a terrible January they managed to beat Blackburn 7-1 last weekend, and could have had more. Once again Van Persie was fantastic, but Oxlade-Chamberlain and Theo impressed too, particularly shocking in Walcott's case. As much as it was a good result though, it must be stressed it was against a side fully capable of being awful at any point. That they are also missing their best player due to a stand off with the manager should also not be brushed aside. This sort of result means nothing in the grand scheme for me. Arsenal are fully capable of punishing a side like that given the chance, it's when the going gets tough they are found wanting and why they will not finish in the Top 4 this time out.
Sunderland could make a case that they would have pushed for the Champions League had they only dispensed with serially rubbish manager Steve Bruce earlier in the season. The appointment of Martin O'Neill has seen them as the form team in the entire league since that day. The likes of James McLean have been given a chance, and have grasped it with both hands to really impress. Lee Cattermole again looks an arguable alternative to Scott Parker for England rather than a sending off waiting to happen. I thought O'Neill's tenure at Villa showed he may well be out of touch with the modern game, but he is proving me very wrong at the moment and I would not touch Arsenal here.
Back Sunderland Draw No Bet at 2.62 with Bet365.
Borussia Monchengladbach v Schalke, Saturday 1730
The big televised match in Germany on Saturday evening sees a top of the table clash between Monchengladbach and Schalke. Both sides were probably not expected to do quite as well as they have this term, but are still currently in with a shout of a league title. Monchengladbach are probably the more shocking of the pair as they have not really been heard from in many years. The form of Marco Reus has been key to most of their better performances as the forward has plenty of pace, tricks and also chips in with his fair share of goals. Unfortunately for their fans he has been sold to Dortmund for this summer, but has vowed to show his best form before then.
Schalke have been there or thereabouts for much of the recent past without ever truly worrying the likes of Bayern. Last season they struggled under Felix Magath's autocratic management and with his never ending signings leaving them with no team cohesiveness at all. This season they have performed much better. The likes of Klaas Huntelaar are finally showing the form that brought him to Europe's attention at Ajax and Raul is still chipping in when selected. I can't see them holding on for a true title tilt, but they'll definitely be in the shake up.
Back Monchengladbach at 2.5 on Betfair.
FC Koln v Hamburg, Sunday 1630
Sunday sees perennially entertaining Koln (Cologne) hosting Hamburg. Having held on to star man Lukas Podolski in January the Koln fans will surely hope for a climb up the table into some sort of mid-table obscurity before dreaming again of a push for Europe next season. The problem seems to be that they always have to 'enjoy' some sort of crisis or they can't function properly. This season saw them start horrendously before finally settling into something resembling form and slowly climbing away from the relegation places. They currently sit 10th in the table having won four, drawn two and lost four at home. There away form has always been the issue, and with twenty six conceded in ten away games it is clear the problem still exists. However comma at home this has been less of a problem and they'll fancy something here.
Hamburg have been quiet dreadful for the most part all season. Having appointed former Chelsea Youth Director Frank Arnesen in some sort of all encompassing directorial role he proceeded to buy up a lot of the dross he'd accumulated at Chelsea and throw it out in Hamburg's first team. This has shown the players up as sub-standard in the main and leaves a club that was regularly in Europe not so long ago looking nervously over their shoulders at the base of the table. They picked up a draw at home to Munich last time out, but whilst they have indeed looked better since xmas, that is better than terrible and Koln have every chance at very appealing odds.
Back Koln at 3.2 with Boylesports.
Udinese v AC Milan, Saturday 1700
Another big match at the peak of the table in Europe. This time it's Serie A with upstarts Udinese hosting always challenging AC Milan. Udinese have again shown that a brilliant scouting network and hard-working players can reap huge rewards and challenge the established order given time. Every season they lose a couple of their best players, and every season they come back looking like it's not completely destabilised them. They have also again been able to rely upon the goalscoring prowess of Di Natale, who even at his age is scoring regularly and making his younger contemporaries look less than glittering.
AC have again shown their strength by pushing for the title without really considerably strengthening their side. Obviously when you have the experience of winning titles that players like Seedorf and Ibrahimovic have then that is invaluable. However, they have struggled without the mercurial Swede's goals when he has been suspended or injured and he is currently missing. This has seen them lose away at Lazio, draw at home to Napoli and get beaten at home by Juventus in the cup in midweek in their last three outings. They would not have wanted this trip now.
Back Udinese at 2.68 on Betfair.
Catania v Genoa, Sunday 1400
Next up is Catania hosting the suddenly exciting Genoa. Both sides are hovering around mid-table currently and relying on home form to keep them there. Catania have played ten at home so far, winning four, drawing four and only losing twice. This success can mostly be put down to a miserly defence which has only been breached eight times in those ten matches whilst the forwards have contributed thirteen to see a healthy return at home. Since xmas they have drawn two and lost two and there has been at least two goals in every match. They have conceded a goal apiece in both their home matches too.
Genoa have come back after the winter break a different side entirely. They have been going goal crazy, particularly in a league like Serie A where goals are always hard to come by. There have been a phenomenal twenty six goals in five matches since the break with the last two matches ending in 3-2 thrillers and a 5-3 before that. They seem to have changed approach to a gung-ho style of 'however many you score, we'll go for more' and it has had mixed results. But, it has made them great to watch for the neutrals. I see no reason for this madness to stop and will be betting accordingly.
Back Over 3.5 Goals at 3.5 with SkyBet.
Genclerbirligi v Mersin Idman Yurdu, Saturday 1400
Two sides in opposite runs of form meet at Gencler on Saturday afternoon. Outside of the big two in Turkey of Fenerbahce and Galatasaray there is always room for other sides to mount a challenge and for the last couple of months it has been Gencler's turn to make a push. They are now up to fourth in the table and have an intimidating home record of played thirteen, won eight, drawn four and only lost once whilst scoring twenty four and only conceding ten. As this record would suggest, they are solid at the back and in striker Tum possess a man who will always score given a chance. They have won four and drawn two of the last six and are a formidable outfit.
Mersin won promotion and didn't start off too badly this season. However, this early form is now the only reason they are not firmly entrenched in the relegation mire. They have only won one match in the last nine and have succumbed to defeat in five of those, including a 5-1 home defeat by Sivasspor last time out. They are in dire straits and falling fast. I think the odds on Gencler are very generous this weekend.
Back Genclerbirligi at 1.9 with SportingBet.
Samsunspor v Eskisehirspor, Sunday 1400
Another side in trouble this season is Samsunspor. They currently sit second bottom to the wretched Ankaragucu and since they are incredibly poor it says a lot. The problem is simple really for them, they don't score many and concede lots. They have only scored twenty four in twenty five matches and conceded a whopping thirty nine in that time to leave collecting wins difficult. They have been better at home with twelve played and an even share of four wins, four draws and four defeats, but their inconsistency is the issue. They have been beaten 4-2 by Istanbul BB at home and then beaten Fenerbahce 3-1 at home the following weekend.
Eskisehir were very close to European qualification last season and have again showed themselves to be no pushovers this time out. They are very hard to beat and collect a lot of 1-0 wins, becoming masters of snatching single goals and defending in numbers. It isn't fun to watch, but it certainly keeps them in the right half of the table. They have a very mixed record away form home however and anything could well happen here. Both sides will see this as winnable and that could produce a classic match.
Back Over 2.5 at 2.1 with William Hill.
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