FC Honka Espoo vs TPS Turku
FreeToday’s game is in the Veikkausliiga and features last year’s runners-up FC Honka Espoo and reliable TPS Turku. Both of these sides are very much in-form with both sides claiming four wins from their last five games respectively. TPS Turku have a good recent history of finishing in the top five league placings and will certainly be up for this game in their typical freescoring fashion. However, they travel to a side today that are making waves a lot faster than themselves, a FC Honka Espoo side that has better financial backing and a better youth setup. This side has been geared up in an attempt to replace HJK Helsinki as the dominant force in Finnish football. However, they made a slow start to the season as they seemed to struggle under their new-found pressure and found sides were better motivated to play against them. Since then, however, they’ve become used to all of the above and have started reproducing their own freescoring football. I really fancy a home win here because FC Honka Espoo will recognise the importance of winning this game. The visitors will not make it easy for them, however, particularly as they currently boast the best away record in the league (joint with Haka Valkeakoski). Evens seems good odds to take a home win at but the best value surely has to be in this game being an absolute goal-fest? FC Honka Espoo are the biggest goalscorers in the Veikkausliiga and they’re closed followed by…yes, you got it – TPS Turku! FC Honka Espoo average over 2 goals per game whereas TPS Turku average just under 2 goals per game. Head-to-heads indicate that five times out of the last six meetings the scoreline has been three goals or more, so taking over 2.5 goals at evens is an absolute steal!
Monday’s Picks
My tips:
As ever, below are my recommended value tips for today in no particular order:
FC Honka Espoo vs TPS Turku – over 2.5 goals at evens, home win at evens – see introduction for full details.
Brann Bergen vs Fredrikstad – home win with -1.75 goal handicap at 7/4. I’m not an avid fan of backing Brann Bergen because they can be rather irritating with reliability and consistency. However, today they entertain fallen (and falling!) Fredrikstad. The visitors average conceding two goals per game on the road and score just under an average of one goal per game. Whatever can be said about Brann Bergen, they do enjoy their home games. They’ve only lost once at home this season, winning four and drawing two. They average just under two goals per game. Generally, these statistics might appear a little sketchy when it comes to backing a side at -1.75 handicap but you reckon without the power of head-to-head knowledge! Out of the last six meetings between these two sides, Brann Bergen have won four (drawing once and losing once) and every time they’ve won the scoreline has accomodated for a -1.75 goal handicap. For the above reasons, I think the handicap option at 7/4 looks inviting.
Elfsborg Boras vs Orgryte – home win with -1.75 goals handicap at 5/6. Elfsborg Boras find themselves in second place in the league after some predictably efficient form. They’re unbeaten at home this season, having won four from six home games. They average just under two goals per game but they are entertaining the current worst side in the division in Orgryte, a side that have conceded two goals or more in five out of their six away games played this season whilst also having the unfortunate statistic of having lost every away game this season. I can’t see either record ending here and I expect a comfortable home win with a scoreline sufficient to beat the 1.75 goal handicap. 5/6 for this bet is a bargain!
Luch-Energiya Vladivostok vs KamAZ Nab Chelny – home win at draw no bet. Not many are calling anything but an away win here but there’s always a bit of information that people for overlook. For instance, KamAZ Nab Chelny haven’t beaten Luch-Energiya Vladivostok anywhere since 2004 and the last time they did play here, they lost. Times have changed etc. but the facts remain. Vladivostok is a bloody tough away game regardless of how they’re playing at the time. It’s a long, long way east for any side, particularly one that needs points to maintain their good start to the season. Luch-Energiya Vladivostok are one of the best sides at home in the entire division and have geography largely to thank for it since losing talismanic striker Vitaliy Bulyga in summer. KamAZ Nab Chelny are a bit random on the road but tend to lose more than they win. Only one side has won at Luch-Energiya Vladivostok this season – I can’t see it being two today.
Baltika Kaliningrad vs Vityaz Podolsk – home win at 5/6. The hosts have been on a downward spiral since their promising start to the season but they’re nonetheless a force to be reckoned with at home. Their biggest problem has been goalscoring at home as they only average a goal a game at home so if they concede it’s generally game over as far as winning is concerned. Vityaz Podolsk, however, aren’t too good on the road. Despite their recent rise up the table, the fact remains that they’ve only won once on the road from eight attempts this season. The general concensus for this game is that it’ll be a draw and I’ll agree it’s a possibility so I’d take a home win at draw no bet if the odds are worthwhile but I can see a sneaky home win here if things go as planned!
Salyut Belgorod vs Anzhi Makhachkala – away win at 6/5. Both of these sides are playing very well this season. Salyut Belgorod tend to only perform at home which makes this game even more interesting considering that the hosts have only won one game in their past five. They’re entertaining an Anzhi Makhachkala side that currently tops the table and boasts an impressive away record of only having lost once in nine games. They’re not shy when it comes to goalscoring on the road but their hindrance tends to be that they draw too many games away from home. However, four wins from their past five games says that Anzhi Makhachkala have the momentum and ability to overcome today’s opponents and odds of 6/5 are a bargain for it to occur.
As ever, any questions/explanations required, feel free to email me at thefootytipster@gmail.com. For the complete picks listing, see below!
Finnish Veikkausliiga:
FC Honka Espoo vs TPS Turku (7) over 2.5 goals
Norwegian Tippeligaen:
Brann Bergen vs Fredrikstad (8) -1.75 handicap
Russian Premier League:
Khimki vs Rubin Kazan (8) 0-2
Russian Division 1:
Energiya Khabarovsk vs Volga Nizhyni Novgorod (7)
Luch-Energiya Vladivostok vs KamAZ Nab Chelny (5) draw no bet
Sibir Novosibirsk vs MVD Rossiya Moscow (8)
Ural Sverdlovskaya Oblast vs FK Chita (7)
FK Nizhyni Novgorod vs FK Krasnodor (6)
Metallurg Lipetsk vs Volgar Gazprom Astrakhan (6) under 2.5 goals
Shinnik Yaroslavl’ vs NoSta Novotroitsk (8)
Alaniya Vladikavkaz vs Cherno Novorosisk (9)
Baltika Kaliningrad vs Vityaz Podolsk (6)
Salyut Belgorod vs Anzhi Makhachkala (7)
Singaporean S-League:
Sengkang Punggol vs DPMM FC (7) 1-1
Swedish Allsvenskan:
Elfsborg Boras vs Orgryte (8) 2-0
Malmo vs Kalmar FF (8) 1-1
Halmstads vs IFK Goteborg (7) 1-2
Enjoy your free betting tips!