Gefle vs Elfsborg Boras
FreeWant to support the site for all the hard work that goes into it? Click here for membership details. Need outright wins instead of value picks? Click here for consultancy details.
Ok guys, thanks very much for the support with the Bet365 link and banner clicking – it’s really good of you all! If you could please continue to do this whenever you remember then it’d be greatly appreciated, especially if placing bets at that time. Thank you!
Today’s secondary featured game is the Allsvenskan encounter between Gefle and Elfsborg Boras.
Over the past couple of years, I find myself becoming more and more surprised that Gefle are still in the Allsvenskan. Last year they were fortunate to have the immensely talented Gerndt in attack, who is now with Helsingborg. Aside from that, it’s their artificial pitch and solid defence that bails them out but I’ve no idea how long it will last for. The Allsvenskan table portrays Gefle as a mid-table team but for me, they’re definitely not good enough to earn that title. Their defensive record is strong, that’s for sure, but bear in mind that the three clubs that have scored less goals than they have this season are all in the bottom four in the table and you’ll see just how precariously close Gefle can actually be to falling into the Superettan. Gefle’s counter-attacks have been quite dangerous away from home this season but do note that their two most impressive results – 2-3 at Orebro and 0-2 at AIK – were due to abject displays from the hosts in both games, if my memory serves me correctly. Orebro’s artificial turf didn’t benefit them as Gefle also have artificial turf and AIK were simply terrible against Gefle. At home, Gefle have only played two decent teams this season, losing 1-2 against Trelleborg and beating Halmstad 2-1, although it’s worth noting that Halmstad have barely shown up this season since their new manager and new signings. All in all, I simply don’t rate Gefle.
Elfsborg Boras are a better side than Gefle; there’s just no arguments that can hold any ground with that. However, Elfsborg struggle away from home due to playing on natural turf (more often than not) although that’s happily not an obstacle today. Elfsborg are arguably the strongest side in Sweden when it comes to playing at home as their relentless desire to attack and their ability to score goals endangers even the likes of Helsingborg and Malmo during their trips to the Boras Arena. Elfsborg do need to win more away games to have any chance of challenging the afore-mentioned to the Allsvenskan title and I think today is a good opportunity for them to do so. Elfsborg have scored in three out of their last four away games and based on Gefle’s inability to score goals, that one goal could prove to be enough for the visitors, who have won two out of their last three trips to Stromvallen.
Augustsson returns for Elfsborg Boras to strengthen their defence and considering the variants Elfsborg have available to them in attack e.g. Elm’s aerial ability, Nilssen’s pace, Svensson’s passing – you have to consider the visitors to be a good shot at 11/10. Gefle aren’t easy to break through but Elfsborg do score goals for fun so I can only endorse the away win here, especially with Gefle defender Asp absent.
Team news – Gefle miss Ohagen, Leino, and Asp.
Verdict: Elfsborg Boras to win at 11/10.
Saturday’s Picks
My tips:
As ever, below are my recommended value tips for today in no particular order:
Trans Narva vs Nomme Kalju – under 2.5 goals at 6/5.
This obviously isn’t a banker but I really like the odds on the selection.
You see, in the current scenario, these two sides both tend to adopt defensive approaches. At home, Nomme Kalju attack sides and score goals but away from home, they try to contain and take their chances but as taking their chances has actually been the most elusive part of their game this season, I don’t see them scoring many here. Additionally, Trans Narva tend to lock up at home when playing good sides. Well, not just good sides, really – they do it with bad sides too. As far as entertainment goes, Trans Narva are not amongst the forerunners because they do play rather boring and unadventurous football. The pitch in Narva is never easy to play on and the defensive style of the hosts makes this look very “under-ish” to me.
Meistriliiga tables show Trans Narva as a free-flowing, attacking side but that’s just not the case. They’ve played seven home games this season but have only scored four goals in their four home games against good sides – the rest have been against poor sides/sides that can’t defend well. Similarly, Nomme Kalju have only scored four in two away games against good Meistriliiga sides with the rest being against poor sides so I think the statistics are somewhat misleading here.
Three out of Trans Narva’s four home games against good sides have all gone under 2.5 goals and give that five out of the last six head-to-head encounters have gone under 2.5 goals, I fancy this one to slip under 2.5 goals at 6/5.
Verdict: Under 2.5 goals at 6/5.
Accumulator fodder:
Sillamae Kalev, HJK Helsinki, Tampines Rovers.
Recommended bets:
Elfsborg Boras, Sillamae Kalev, and HJK Helsinki at 2/1.
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 to prevent endless questions about my thoughts on certain games!
UEFA European U21 Championship:
Denmark vs Iceland (4) 1-1, at least one red card in this game
Switzerland vs Belarus (7) 1-0
Baltic League:
FK Ventspils vs Skonto Riga (7) 2-0
Argentinian Primera Division:
Independiente vs Atletico Huracan (7) 2-0
Gimnasia De La Plata vs Boca Juniors (5) 1-2
Quilmes vs Olimpo (5) 2-1
River Plate vs Atletico Lanus (6) 0-0
Argentinos Juniors vs Tigre (6) 1-0
Godoy Cruz de Mendoza vs All Boys (7) 2-1
Brazilian Serie A:
Fluminense vs Bahia (6) 1-0
America Mineiro vs Cruzeiro (5) 1-1, at least one red card in this game
Colombian Primera A:
Atletico Nacional de Medellin vs La Equidad Bogota (6) 2-1, at least one red card in this game
Ecuadorian Primera A:
El Nacional Quito vs LDU Loja (7) 1-0
Deportivo Cuenca vs Independiente (7) 2-0
Estonian Meistriliiga:
Flora Paide vs Sillamae Kalev (8) 1-2
Trans Narva vs Nomme Kalju (5) 0-0
Ajax Lasnamae vs Kuressaare (6) 1-2
Faroese Meistaradeildin:
B71 Sandur vs IF Fuglafjordur (7) 0-1
EB/Streymur vs HB Torshavn (7) 2-1, at least one red card in this game
Finnish Veikkausliiga:
Haka Valkeakoski vs HJK Helsinki (8) 0-2
Finnish Ykkonen:
AC Oulu vs Viikingit Helsinki (7)
HiFK Helsinki vs KPV Kokkola (5)
Irish Premier League:
Sligo Rovers vs UCD (7) 2-0
Japanese J-League:
Gamba Osaka vs Yokohama F.Marinos (6) 1-1
Urawa Red Diamonds vs Shimizu S-Pulse (5) 0-0
Ventforet Kofu vs Cerezo Osaka (6) 0-0
Kawasaki Frontale vs Sanfrecce Hiroshima (7) 2-1
Avispa Fukuoka vs Kashiwa Reysol (5) 1-1
Nagoya Grampus vs Omiya Ardija (7) 1-0
Montedio Yamagata vs Vissel Kobe (5) 1-1
Kashima Antlers vs Jubilo Iwata (4) 1-1
Albirex Niigata vs Vegalta Sendai (5) 1-0
Lithuanian A Lyga:
Atlantas vs Siauliai (7) 0-1
Tauras Taurage vs Banga Gargzdai (5) 1-1
Russian Premier League:
Dinamo Moscow vs Tom’ Tomsk (7) 1-0
Amkar Perm’ vs Anzhi Makhachkala (6) 0-0
Spartak Nal’chik vs CSKA Moscow (7) 0-2
Terek Grozny vs Krylya Sovetov Samara (6) 1-0
Volga Nizhnyi Novgorod vs Zenit St.Petersburg (5) 1-2
Kuban’ Krasnodar vs FK Krasnodar (6) 1-0, at least one red card in this game
Lokomotiv Moscow vs Spartak Moscow (5) 1-2, at least one red card in this game
Rostov-na-Donu vs Rubin Kazan’ (6) 1-1
Singaporean S-League:
Tampines Rovers vs Woodlands Wellington (9) -1.5 handicap
Spanish Segunda Liga:
Elche vs Granada (6)
Swedish Allsvenkan:
Gefle vs Elfsborg Boras (6) 0-1
Halmstad vs Orebro (6) 1-1
Mjallby Solvesborg vs IFK Goteborg (5) 0-1
Trelleborg vs BK Hacken Goteborg (6) 2-1
Swedish Superettan:
Ljungskile vs Qviding Goteborg (7)
Brage vs Vasteras (6)
Degerfors vs Brommapojkarna (6)
Osters vs Angelholm (5)
Hammarby vs Varnamo (7)
Enjoy your free betting tips!