Servette vs St. Gallen
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Today’s free tip is in the Swiss Super League opener between Servette and St. Gallen.
Based on the odds movement, I’m the only fella going for St. Gallen in this game but that’s fine by me!
Servette have really disappointed me pre-season. They’ve done absolutely nothing of any use despite it being more than apparent that the top three teams in Switzerland simply aren’t that good anymore. On their day, Servette can outplay any team in Switzerland; no jokes. However, what they struggle with is doing it regularly, converting chances well enough, and having the depth to cope with absentees – and that’s what cost them last season.
Imagine my surprise this season when I saw that they’d recruited hardly anyway. Hell, they left it until a week before the season started to re-sign Clichy at left-back, which I think is an unnecessary move anyway. He’s been marvellous for them but so has youngster Behrami, and he needs game time. They should have used the money for Clichy’s wages on another striker because it’s quite apparent that Geiger does not trust Bedia – but they don’t have an alternative. Without him, it’s an impact sub or a midfielder playing that role, and it never works for them.
They’ve lost centre-back Sasso pre-season, which isn’t ideal but also it’s an impossible problem because Rouiller and Vouilloz can do a good job between them. Striker is the only area of the starting eleven I have an issue with when it comes to Servette – but they’ve not addressed it. Very odd. Also, I find the Imeri situation uncomfortable. He wants to leave, and it seems like they want him to leave too; they’ve refused to play him in pre-season friendlies through fear of injury as he’s allegedly in discussions with an unnamed Belgian club over a potential transfer. It sounds like Servette need the money from his pending transfer a great deal; they’ve even omitted him from this game, and he’s one of their top two match-winners. If he goes, they will have to dip into the pot to replace him, and that’s not so easy to do, much as though they seem to want Antunes to step in as a natural replacement.
Servette’s starting eleven probably is that bit stronger than St. Gallen’s at the moment but with no depth and no Imeri, I smell an opportunity for the visitors. They’re a bit wacky with Zeidler’s attacking style, it’s true, but you know what you get from them. They attack, whether on the front foot or on counters, and they try to score goals. That’s St. Gallen in a nutshell, and they’re very good at it. Defensively, they’re a bit ropey but I would also add that this is the best defensive setup they’ve had in years as they’ve made Maglica’s loan move permanent, and Ait-Zigi had the best season he’s ever had last year.
I was sad to see Kemper and Luchinger in bad positions pre-season. Both were brilliant full-backs for them but both suffered horrendous injuries. The club felt compelled to loan Luchinger out to FC Thun this season to see if he still had Super League level legs in him, and as for Kempter, well they’ve loaned Guindo from Salzburg and winger Schmidt has impressed in that role too, although I still think he’d be far more dangerous deployed further forward, and Kempter is injured again. With a back four fronted by controller Quintilla, there’s no real cause for alarm with St. Gallen defensively, especially not when compared to how bad they usually are at the back.
They lost Fazliji a few days ago but he was a rotation option. He ended last season marvellously but would he get into their best eleven? Not for my money. They lost star striker Duah pre-season but that was good business by them; he had one top season in his entire time at the club. They’ve taken enough risks to replace him, in my opinion, acquiring Lath and Akolo, which tells me they’ll stick with a 4-1-2-1-2 and deploy two forwards that will run the channels – and in Geneva, it’s likely to be von Moos (who was superb last season) and Guillemenot (also superb).
St. Gallen’s signings pre-season were good; designed to keep energy, pace, and general freshness. The sole concern I have over this team is whether they’ll convert enough chances or not. Pre-season they have, but only time will tell in the Super League. They’re a confident, industrious group that plays without fear though. I think they’ve picked a good time to face Servette, and even though they may find themselves on the back foot possession-wise, they look better equipped to win this one than their hosts.
Therefore, at long odds of 6/5 with draw no bet cover, I’ll chance my arm on the unfancied visitors. I can’t deny that Servette might outplay them but I just don’t see where Servette’s goals will come from.
St. Gallen to win with draw no bet at 6/5.
Sunday’s Thoughts
As ever, if there are any explanations required then please feel free to post a comment! For the remainder of my thoughts on today’s games, see below, although I feel compelled to write that the below are not necessarily my tips but merely my thoughts. For confidence ratings, you’ll need to go to the members section here.
Brazilian Serie A:
Atletico Goianiense vs Fortaleza
Juventude vs Goias
Sao Paulo vs Fluminense
Botafogo vs Atletico Mineiro
America Mineiro vs RB Bragantino
Croatian Prva Liga:
Varazdin vs Slaven Koprivnica
Istra 1961 vs Hajduk Split
Danish Superligaen:
Viborg vs Aalborg BK
Lyngby vs Silkeborg
FC Copenhagen vs AC Horsens
Brondby vs AGF
Estonian Meistriliiga:
Flora Paide vs Vaprus Parnu
Flora Tallinn vs Tallinna Kalev
Finnish Veikkausliiga:
SJK vs Ilves
Finnish Ykkonen:
Gnistan vs KTP
German Bundesliga 2:
Paderborn 07 vs Karlsruher SC
Hansa Rostock vs Heidenheim
Eintracht Braunschweig vs Hamburger SV
Icelandic Pepsi Deild:
IBV vs Valur Reykjavik
Leiknir Reykjavik vs KA
IA vs Stjarnan Gardabaer
Keflavik vs Breidablik Kopavogur
KR vs Fram Reykjavik
Lithuanian A Lyga:
Dziugas Telsiai vs Banga Gargzdai
Norwegian Eliteserien:
Molde FK vs Haugesund
Sarpsborg 08 vs Valerenga Oslo
Odd vs Lillestrom
Tromso vs Stromsgodset
Viking Stavanger vs Kristiansund
Aalesund FK vs Rosenborg BK
Romanian Liga 1:
FCV Farul Constanta vs U Craiova 1948
FCSB vs Universitatea Cluj
Swedish Allsvenskan:
AIK Solna vs Kalmar FF
Hammarby vs Elfsborg Boras
IFK Goteborg vs Mjallby Solvesborg
Sirius vs Degerfors
Swiss Super League:
Lugano vs FC Sion
Servette vs St. Gallen
Swiss Challenge League:
FC Wil vs Neuchatel Xamax
Enjoy your free betting tips!