Grasshoppers Zurich vs FC Zurich
FreeBlue moon
You started singing too soon…
Anyway! Enough of that unfair baiting of poor Manchester City, who will be competing in the Euro Disney League next season despite splashing an awful lot of money about at the start of the season!
Today’s featured game is the Swiss Super League game between Grasshoppers Zurich and FC Zurich. This Zurich derby is virtually irrelevant with the hosts almost guaranteed European football next season and the visitors having endured a surprising battle against relegation this season to the point where they’re now safe.
Grasshoppers are eight points clear of Luzern with only a possible nine points remaining for either side so a win tonight guarantees them European football next season. Let’s be honest though – Grasshoppers are going to be in Europe next season anyway because they’re going to win at least one of their remaining games irrespective of tonight’s result. However, there aren’t many sides they’d love to beat more than FC Zurich and they’re playing well enough to win this one today. They’ve already won thirteen out of sixteen home games this season, a record bettered only by reigning champions Young Boys Bern. Grasshoppers have won four out of their last five games so bring some good momentum into this game, particularly with their last two home games being back-to-back wins against the two biggest clubs in Switzerland currently – Young Boys Bern and Basel respectively. They’ve developed massively as a side this season, particularly in the latter stages, and we’re now finally seeing the Grasshoppers of old that used to patrol the Swiss Super League in the 90’s. Grasshoppers are desperate to return to their roots at the top of Swiss football and winning this derby match to secure European football next season is one step on the ladder.
Visitors FC Zurich will be over the moon to see an end to this dismal campaign. They’ve gone from the dizzying heights of beating AC Milan in the UEFA Champions League earlier this season, arguably the finest moment of their existance, to battling against relegation from the Super League. They’ve not shown any motivation whatsoever in the latter stages of this campaign as four defeats in their last five games indicates. They’ve even lost at home to bottom club Aarau during that time which tells you where they’re at currently. They’ve already lost nine out of sixteen away games this season and average conceding nearly two goals per away game so it’s simple to see why they struggle. Zurich lost here last season and have failed to win here during their last six visits and I’m not seeing any reason as to why that record should change today.
The attitude of FC Zurich in the latter stages of the Super League has been appalling, so much so that I have little faith in them showing up, even for a derby. They look completely uninterested and their form of late indicates that perfectly. Grasshoppers would enjoy beating their rivals and would enjoy securing European football next season by doing so, which thus gives them more motivation for this game. As if they needed it though – they’ve got tremendous momentum following a good run of form and should make it count today. Although the odds aren’t as generous as I’d hoped they would be, they still represent good value today.
Verdict: Grasshoppers Zurich to win at 5/6.
Thursday’s Picks
My tips:
As ever, below are my recommended value tips for today in no particular order:
Esbjerg vs Silkeborg – home win at evens.
This game is purely the lesser of two evils at generous odds, nothing more. Silkeborg have found their truly calling by belatedly battling relegation but better late than never, eh?! They’ve not won any of their last eight games in all competitions, losing seven games consecutively despite five of those games being at home. They’ve been “found out” by the Superligaen regulars and are now conceding heavily in each passing game. They look dejected, demoralised, and unsure which way to turn, which is fatal in any league, frankly. Their hosts Esbjerg are far from a great side – quite an average side in my opinion – but they’re still better than Silkeborg and will no doubt have every opportunity that they could possibly wish for to prove that today with Silkeborg handing out goalscoring chances left, right, and centre. Esbjerg haven’t been great lately because they’re not particularly good, as I’ve mentioned, but a win at home to Midtylland and a draw at home to in-form Brondby in their last two home games has given them some momentum for this game, as did a convincing win at lowly Koge last match. Bluntly – Esbjerg should have too much for an out-of-sorts and leaky Silkeborg side at what look like very generous odds indeed.
Verdict: Esbjerg to win at evens.
Start Kristiansand vs Lillestrom – home win at 11/10.
Start’s great “start” to the Eliteserien has faltered a little of late but they still remain a threat at home. They’re unbeaten in five home games, winning three times and drawing twice. They average scoring over two goals per home game and are generally a potent side wherever they play. Start aren’t the best defensively but generally their attacking prowess overshadows that fact when playing at home so hopefully it’ll slip by unnoticed! They play good football and should ultimately be a threat to Lillestrom tonight.
Lillestrom are a very compact side which is why they’ve only lost once in four away games. However, I should hurriedly point out that they’re the only side remaining in the Eliteserien that is yet to score an away goal. They basically park the team bus in front of goal and invite their opponents onto them, which largely works, to their credit. However, they’re facing one of the most potent sides in the division currently and I expect the hosts to score at least once against Lillestrom today, which should really be the winning goal. I rate Lillestrom as a decent side due to how well-organised they are but they’re not a threat in front of goal generally speaking so you have to favour the hosts tonight.
Although there’s a chance of a draw in this game, whilst Start remain over evens to win the game then there’s value in it for me. They’re a good goalscoring side, particularly at home, and Lillestrom are more than capable of conceding at least once in this game which should ultimately cause their downfall.
Verdict: Start Kristiansand to win at 11/10.
Accumulator fodder:
Rubin Kazan, Helsingborgs.
Recommended bets:
Nothing appeals to me accumulator-wise so I’d recommend sticking to singles for today’s games.
As ever, if there any questions/explanations required then please feel free to post a comment! For the complete picks listing, see below!
Copa Libertadores:
Internacional vs Banfield (6) 1-0, at least one red card in this game
Universidad de Chile vs Alianza Lima (7) 2-1
Libertad Asuncion vs Once Caldas Manizales (4) 1-1
Danish Superligaen:
Esbjerg vs Silkeborg (6) 2-0
AGF Aarhus vs SonderjyskE (6) 1-0
OB Odense vs Nordsjaelland (7) 1-1
Greek Super League:
AEK Athens vs Aris Salonika (7) 1-0
Dutch Eredivisie:
Roda JC Kerkrade vs Heracles Almelo (6) 1-1
Utrecht vs Groningen (5) 1-0
Dutch Nacompetitite:
Go Ahead Eagles vs Cambuur Leeuwarden (7)
Zwolle vs Excelsior (6)
Eindhoven vs Willem II (6) over 2.5 goals
Helmond Sport vs Sparta Rotterdam (5)
Norwegian Eliteserien:
Start Kristiansand vs Lillestrom (7) 2-0
Molde vs Aalesunds (5) 1-1
Polish Ekstraklasa:
Arka Gdynia vs GKS Belchatow (5) 1-2
Romanian Liga:
Otelul Galati vs Unirea Alba Iulia (7) 2-1
Brasov vs Gloria Bistrita (4) 1-1
CFR Cluj vs Vaslui (6) 1-0
Unirea Urziceni vs International (7) 2-1
Dinamo Bucharest vs Poli Timisoara (4) 0-1
Russian Premier League:
Tom Tomsk vs Terek Grozny (7) 0-0
Rubin Kazan vs Sibir Novosibirsk (8) 2-0
Rostov-na-Donu vs CSKA Moscow (7) 0-2
Zenit St.Petersburg vs Spartak Nalchik (7) under 2.5 goals
Spartak Moscow vs Anzhi Makhachkala (7) 2-1
Singaporean S-League:
Woodlands Wellington vs Young Lions (6) 1-1
Home United vs Armed Forces (5) 1-1
Swedish Allsvenskan:
Helsingborgs vs Orebro (7) 2-0
Djurgardens vs GAIS Goteborg (6) 1-1
IFK Goteborg vs AIK Solna (5) 1-0
Trelleborg vs Mjallby Solvesborg (6) 0-0
Swiss Super League:
Bellinzona vs Luzern (5) 1-2
Grasshoppers Zurich vs FC Zurich (7) 2-1, at least one red card in this game
Neuchatel Xamax vs Sion (7) 1-1
Enjoy your free betting tips!