Antalyaspor vs Galatasaray
FreeToday’s featured game is the Super Lig clash between Antalyaspor and giants Galatasaray. The hosts have been quite consistent this season, especially so at home and will look to further that today against fourth-placed Galatasaray.
Antalyaspor have been something of a bogey side for Galatasaray in recent times with their more illustrious opponents winning just one of their last five encounters with Antalyaspor and failing to win both of their last two trips here. Antaylaspor have long relied upon their home form to be their knight in shining armour and it rarely lets them down, something evident this season as much as the previous ones with Antalyaspor already boasting five wins in seven home games, losing just once along the way. Only Kayserispor and Besiktas JK have conceded less goals at home than Antyalspor have this season and the hosts average scoring two goals per home game. Antalyaspor have been beaten just once in their last five games and tend to enjoy a reputation whereby they’re extremely difficult to overcome.
Visitors Galatasaray are clearly the better side here but they’re simply not showing it at the moment. They’ve not won any of their last three league games, letting their lead slip twice along the way. The predominant issue they’re having is goalscoring, something they’ve managed just twice in their last three league games. Generally, if a good side like Galatasaray turn it on then they’ll score at least two goals, usually meaning that they’ll win the game. However, the attempted “1-0” tactics that they appear to have employed simple don’t work with their style or with the Super Lig’s style. They’ve picked a really bad game to attempt to end their three game winless run as they’ve struggled here for two years running now and their hosts don’t look any less troublesome than they have been previously.
Although Galatasaray are without a doubt the better side here, I can’t help but feel that Antalyaspor have far more in their favour for this game than Galatasaray do so I thoroughly recommend laying Galatasaray tonight!
Verdict: Lay Galatasaray at 10/11.
Friday’s Picks
My tips:
As ever, below are my recommended value tips for today in no particular order:
Brighton & Hove Albion vs Colchester United – away win at 11/8.
Hosts Brighton are still in a perilous state of affairs despite winning at Exeter City in their last game. Just inside of the relegation zone, Gus Poyet knows that his side need to start winning fast before they’re sucked into the relegation dogfight well and truly. Only Tranmere Rovers have conceded more goals this season than Brighton have but nobody in the division has lost as many home games as tonight’s hosts have with seven defeats in ten games, winning just twice. Brighton need to improve their home form drastically and urgently if they have any intention of staying in this division but they’ve got a difficult task against promotion hopefuls Colchester United.
Visitors Colchester United have a poorer away record than you’d expect one of League One’s better sides to have. They’ve only won two away games in ten this season, drawing five times and losing three times. Colchester are managing to avoid defeat on the road more often than not, which is always a good thing, but they’re tending to draw which bothers me a little. Nonetheless, Colchester have a squad with twice the ability of Brighton and have won two of their last three games so do carry considerable momentum into this game tonight.
Although this could be a closer than you’d think, I still believe Colchester have enough in their favour to make this bet a good value bet tonight.
Verdict: Colchester United to win at 11/8.
MVV Maastricht vs De Graafschap – home win at 6/4.
Hosts MVV Maastricht are one of the best home sides in the Eerste Divisie with seven wins in nine games, drawing the other two encounters. They average scoring over two goals per home game and tend to rely heavily upon their home performances to see their season form some kind of stability. MVV are a side I rate rather highly and would expect them to be much further up the Eerste Divisie table than they are. Their reasoning for not being where I expect them to be can be assigned entirely to their woeful away form, something that hasn’t improved as time’s gone by over the season. However, tonight’s hosts remain very strong at home and have been very consistent in winning there so should be able to continue that run tonight.
Visitors De Graafschap are arguably the best side in this division and they’re perfectly justified in labelling themselves that should they wish as they are currently top of the Eerste Divisie table. De Graafschap are one of just two sides with a better home record than MVV Maastricht have but with the additional bonus of being able to win away from home. De Graafschap’s away form is good; not great. They’ve only been beaten twice but they’ve won just four times in ten away games so they’re not the most impressive away side you’ll ever come across. De Graafschap unfortunately have some good momentum entering this game with three wins from their last three games and will look to cause a lot of problems for their tricky hosts tonight.
Although this game should be a very close encounter and a draw the most likely outcome, I feel that MVV Maastricht have enough to win the game with their relentless efficiency and dependancy on their home form. A defeat here for De Graafschap would simply be a drop in the ocean and they’ve won just two out of their last five away trips so I think there’s enough to go on to take a home win here.
Verdict: MVV Maastricht to win at 6/4.
Stormvogels Telstar vs Dordrecht ’90 – away win at 21/20.
Hosts Stormvogels Telstar have won just once in their last five games, losing three times along the way. To indicate just why they’re doing so badly this season all you need to do is observe the fact that they’ve won more away games than they have at home and you’ll immediately see the problems that tonight’s hosts have. Stormvogels Telstar are amongst the lowest goalscoring sides in the division and are amongst the highest conceding sides, two statistics that you really don’t want, particularly when they’re entwined! The hosts have won just two out of nine home games this season, losing four times and have generally looked unconvincing at the best of times.
Visitors Dordrecht’ 90 have an impressive away record that only Cambuur Leeuwarden can better in terms of games won. Dordrecht ’90 have won five out of ten away games, losing just three times. Only Cambuur Leeuwarden have scored more goals on the road than they have too with tonight’s visitors averaging just under three goals scored per away game. Dordrecht ’90 are one of those “all or nothing” sides that hate to lose games which is largely why they score and concede a large number of goals. However, they tend to win more games than they lose so I suppose you could argue in a loose sense that these tactics work for them. With three wins in their last five games, Dordrecht ’90 enter this game with good momentum and will look to capitalise on the poor form of their weak hosts by taking three points tonight which is something I really expect them to do with considerable ease.
Verdict: Dordrecht ’90 to win at 21/20.
Pacos de Ferreira vs CD Nacional – away win at 8/5.
Pacos de Ferreira are having a somewhat disappointing season thus far as they find themselves in eleventh place in the Liga Sagres with just two wins in twelve games. They’re one of the lower sides when it comes to conceding goals but unfortunately they’re one of the lowest goalscoring sides too, which is naturally why they’re struggling as much as they are. They’re the only side yet to win a home game in the Liga Sagres yet and they’ll have their work cut out against a CD Nacional side that are flying high and managed to win here last year. Pacos de Ferreira have lost three out of their last five games, winning just once, and generally looking a rather boring side, which I personally think is a rather accurate description of their tactics. Pacos de Ferreira much prefer the counter-attack and solid defensive displays which is why their away form this year completely usurps their home form as they don’t like to play as favourites for a game.
Visitors CD Nacional are rapidly proving themselves to be a competent side and a potent threat to the somewhat dubious existence of Sporting Clube de Lisboa as a Portuguese giant. CD Nacional have now won three out of their last four games and have remained unbeaten on this run. CD Nacional have a strange away record which shows that they’ve not drawn any of their six away games, winning three times and losing three times. I suppose you could say it really depends which CD Nacional turns up! However, one thing that CD Nacional have done a lot lately is “turn up” for games and have looked a very dangerous side. Bizarrely, only bottom club Vitoria Setubal have conceded more away goals than CD Nacional have this season but CD Nacional remain one of the better goalscorers on the road in this division bagging over a goal per away game on average.
Despite this game containing a very boring Pacos de Ferreira, it should be very interesting because a CD Nacional side with strong momentum will attack them and have the ability to take three points here, which I thoroughly expect them to do tonight.
Verdict: CD Nacional to win at 8/5.
Gloria Bistrita vs Rapid Bucharest – away win at evens.
Hosts Gloria Bistrita are currently second from bottom in the Romanian Liga with just two wins in sixteen games. Their recent form has indicated a tad more composition in their football as they’ve suffered just one defeat in five games. However, at the same time, they’ve only managed to win one of those games so their problems remain clear. They’ve lost three out of their seven home games this season and naturally struggle against the better sides in this division as they just don’t have the quality to match them anymore.
Visitors Rapid Bucharest aren’t the most convincing of Romanian sides away from home with three wins in seven games as well as having been beaten three times. That said, they have generally impressed me an awful lot this season and I think it’s fair to say that they’ve been playing some of the best football in Romania this year and are rightfully amongst the league leaders as they stake their claim for the Liga crown. No other side in this division can even get near to Rapid’s superb goalscoring record which has seen them score over two goals per game on average, which is naturally their biggest strength. Three wins in their last five games and zero defeats along the way gives Rapid some good momentum entering this game and they really should have enough to overcome a rather weak Gloria Bistrita.
Verdict: Rapid Bucharest to win at evens.
Accumulator fodder – Salzburg, Anderlecht, Kaiserslautern, AFC Ajax Amsterdam, Excelsior, Go Ahead Eagles, Wisla Krakow.
As ever, if there are any questions/explanations required then feel free to post a comment! For the complete picks listing, see below!
FIFA World Club Cup:
TP Mazembe vs Pohang Steelers (6) 0-1
Australian A-League:
North Queensland Fury vs Perth Glory (5) 1-0
Austrian Bundesliga:
Salzburg vs Austria Karnten (10) -1.75 handicap
Belgian Eerste Klasse:
Westerlo vs Anderlecht (8) over 2.5 goals
Belgian Tweede Klasse:
Oostende vs Mons (7)
English League One:
Brighton & Hove Albion vs Colchester United (6)
German Bundesliga:
Hertha BSC Berlin vs Bayer 04 Leverkusen (7) 0-1
German Bundesliga 2:
Karlsruher SC vs MSV Duisburg (6)
Alemannia Aachen vs Paderborn (7)
Kaiserslautern vs Koblenz (9) under 2.5 goals
Greek B Ethniki:
Ethnikos Asteras vs Anagennisi Karditsas (7)
Italian Serie B:
Padova vs Cesena (6)
Dutch Eredivisie:
AFC Ajax Amsterdam vs NEC Nijmegen (9) -1.75 handicap
Dutch Eerste Divisie:
MVV Maastricht vs De Graafschap (6)
AGOVV Appeldoorn vs Helmond Sport (5) over 2.5 goals
Veendam vs Zwolle (7)
Excelsior vs Emmen (8)
Top Oss vs RBC Roosendaal (6)
Fortuna Sittard vs Den Bosch (6)
Go Ahead Eagles vs Eindhoven (8) over 2.5 goals
Stormvogels Telstar vs Dordrecht ’90 (7)
Polish Ekstraklasa:
Piast Gliwice vs Ruch Chorzow (6) 0-0
Wisla Krakow vs Zaglebie Lubin (9) 2-1
Portuguese Liga Sagres:
Pacos de Ferreira vs CD Nacional (7) under 2.5 goals
Romanian Liga:
Pandurii Targu Jiu vs Unirea Alba Iulia (7) 1-0
Gloria Bistrita vs Rapid Bucharest (7) 1-2
Turkish Super Lig:
Antalyaspor vs Galatasaray (6) 2-1
Welsh Premier League:
The New Saints vs Aberystwyth Town (7) 2-1
Enjoy your free betting tips!