Hull City vs Tottenham Hotspur
FreeToday’s featured game is in the English Premier League and features last season’s stragglers Hull City and Champions League hopefuls Tottenham Hotspur. Hull City defended quite well against Chelsea but I put that down to them being eager to prove themselves and playing against a one-dimensional Chelsea side that were under pressure (as all big sides are at the start of the season) that also had a new manager. I think Hull City have made a couple of good signings, although probably not enough to keep them in the division this year. However, they’re hosting a Tottenham Hotspur side that I’ve not seen play so well in many years. They’ve finally got a proper squad with good squad depth and a great manager. If they obtain a leader from somewhere and keep their centre-backs fit, they’re going to do very well this year. They emphasised this against a weak Liverpool squad at weekend and they really should do against a weaker Hull City tonight. With the talented Luka Modric pulling the strings and a strikeforce containing prolific and experienced Premier League strikers in Jermain Defoe, Robbie Keane and Peter Crouch, I can’t see Hull City being able to resist a very good Tottenham Hotspur side. Evens on an away win here is a real bargain.
Wednesday’s Picks
My tips:
As ever, below are my recommended value tips for today in no particular order:
Hull City vs Tottenham Hotspur – away win at evens – see introduction for full details.
Panathinaikos vs Atletico Madrid – home win at 8/5. I was sorely tempted to name this as my tip of the day but I’ve refrained because it is still a somewhat dubious call. However, I still really like the look of this call. Greek sides have always been notorious for being good at home. They have good support, good players and generally give good sides a damn good game. Panathinaikos are no exceptions to this whatsoever. In fact, they probably personify it just as much as bitter rivals Olympiakos Piraeus, although they’re more in the shadow of their rivals these days domestically. The other thing that sways me is that Atletico Madrid are a strangely poor away side in just about any competition when you compare that form to the quality of the players they actually possess. They’ve won three games from their last nine on the road in all European competitions which just isn’t good enough for them, in my opinion. Panathinaikos seem to have some aura that gives them good form at home. I don’t know if they’ll progress from the two legs or not – that depends on how convincing Atletico Madrid are at home. I really fancy a home win here, particularly when you consider Panathinaikos already have competitive experience this season whereas Atletico Madrid currently don’t. I think 8/5 on a home win could be a very good bet.
Olympique Lyonnais vs Anderlecht – both sides to score at 10/11, over 2.5 goals at 10/11. If what I expect to happen does happen, this game could turn out to be extremely bizarre. First of all, I’d recommend staying away from any handicaps. Olympique Lyonnais haven’t adapted their new players as well as they’d have liked as they’re misfiring and conceding more than they should. Anderlecht, by contrast, currently have one of the best squads that they’ve had for some years and are beginning to show it with two impressive performances against Sivasspor, regardless of the second leg result. One thing they have proven rather well is that they know how to score goals and this should wreak havoc with a shaky Olympique Lyonnais defence. However, Olympique Lyonnais at Stade Gerland are a good side and tend to score there too. Those are the predominant reasons for me calling over 2.5 goals at 10/11 and both sides to score at 10/11.
Ventspils vs Zurich – away win at 6/5. If Zurich turn up tonight, these will probably be some of the best odds you’ll find. They’ve proven themselves to be a relatively competent side that know how to score plenty of goals. They play in a better league than Ventspils and are frankly a better side than Ventspils. I’ll give credit where it’s due to the Latvians – they beat a BATE Borisov side in the last round that I didn’t think they were capable of beating, albeit on away goals. That said, they’re still not a particularly good outfit and should be beaten relatively easily tonight. 6/5 could well be a good bet tonight.
Salzburg vs Maccabi Haifa – home win at 4/5 or -1.75 handicap at 21/10. I have to level with you here; these odds surprise me. Salzburg, whereas they’re not a world-beating side, are a good side. They struggled a little with tenacious Bohemians but then again, who doesn’t? They emerged victorious from this encounter, however. They then faced a very difficult and rich Dinamo Zagreb, a tie they yet again emerged victorious from. It’s easy to see that Salzburg draw a lot of their efficient from their German neighbours! Today they face a Maccabi Haifa side that are determined but really very weak in defence. I watched them overcome an almost impossible deficit in the last round as they beat Aktobe Lento 4-3 at home despite being 3-0 down in no time at all. Aktobe Lento are a side that aren’t capable of scoring three goals against anyone anywhere. The mere fact that they were winning 3-0 in Israel caused various ruptures in the space time continuum! The hosts could have easily conceded again with some really haphazard defending. The thing is that Salzburg are a good deal more accomplished and will take their chances. I think a home win at 4/5 is a bargain and although -1.75 handicap at 21/10 is a bit more risky, I still think this could turn out to be very profitable.
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth – home win at 10/11. Birmingham City looked quite impressive away to Manchester United at weekend despite losing. They have a decent squad with a good amount of determination. Today they’re hosting a very weak Portsmouth side in financial turmoil and a side that is running out of quality players. They’ve just signed Gavin McCann and Danny Shittu from Bolton Wanderers but it’s just not enough, in my opinion. Birmingham City have the firepower to dispose of their opponents today and I thoroughly expect them to do so currently. 10/11 on this outcome is a good set of odds.
As ever, any questions/explanations required, feel free to email me at thefootytipster@gmail.com. For the complete picks listing, see below!
UEFA Champions League:
Levski Sofia vs Debreceni VSC (6) 1-0
Panathinaikos vs Atletico Madrid (6) 2-1
Olympique Lyonnais vs Anderlecht (7) both sides to score, over 2.5 goals
Salzburg vs Maccabi Haifa (8) 2-0
Ventspils vs Zurich (7) over 2.5 goals
Copa Nissan Sudamericana:
River Plate vs Lanus (7) over 2.5 goals
Belgian Second Division:
Oostende vs Molenbeek Brussels (6)
Dender vs Lierse (7)
Boussu Dour Borinage vs Ronse (5)
Turnhout vs Tienen (6)
Oud Heverlee Leuven vs KVSK United (7)
Red Star Waasland vs Mons (5)
Tubize vs RFC de Liege (8)
KAS Eupen vs Tournai (6)
Antwerp vs Standaard Wetteren (8)
Brazilian Serie A:
Vitoria vs Atletico Paranaense (7) 1-1
Botafogo vs Santo Andre (7) 2-0
Santos vs Gremio (6) over 2.5 goals
Gremio Barueri vs Sport Recife (8) 2-1
Internacional vs Corinthians (8) over 2.5 goals, at least one red card in this game
Coritiba vs Palmeiras (5) 1-1
Sao Paulo vs Fluminense (9) -1.75 handicap
Danish Superligaen:
Aalborg vs Nordsjaelland (7) 2-1
Ecuadorian Primera A:
Liga de Quito vs Deportivo Quito (7) 2-1, at least one red card in this game
Emelec Guayaquil vs Barcelona Guayaquil (5) 1-1, at least one red card in this game
English Premier League:
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth (7) 2-1
Burnley vs Manchester United (8) 0-1
Hull City vs Tottenham Hotspur (8) 1-2
Liverpool vs Stoke City (7) under 2.5 goals
English Championship:
Newcastle United vs Sheffield Wednesday (8)
English League Two:
Chesterfield vs Notts County (4)
Faroese Meistaradeildin:
HB Torshavn vs EB/Streymur (8) over 2.5 goals
IF Fuglafjordur vs B36 Torshavn (6)
KI Klaksvik vs Vikingur Gotu (8)
07 Vestur Sorvagur vs NSI Runavik (9)
B68 Toftir vs AB Argir (6)
Icelandic Landsbankadeild Karla:
Fram Reykjavik vs UMF Grindavik (7) 3-1
Japanese J-League:
Montedio Yamagata vs FC Tokyo Verdy (7) 0-1
JEF United Ichihara vs Nagoya Grampus (6) 1-1
Albirex Niigata vs Gamba Osaka (7) 1-2, draw no bet
Jubilo Iwata vs Kawasaki Frontale (5) 0-0
Kyoto Purple Sanga vs Shimizu S-Pulse (7) 2-1
Vissel Kobe vs Kashima Antlers (6) 1-2
Sanfrecce Hiroshima vs Oita Trinita (8) 2-0
Urawa Red Diamonds vs Kashiwa Reysol (7) 2-0
Yokohama F Marinos vs Omiya Ardija (7) 1-0
Latvian Virsliga:
Liepajas Metalurgs vs Skonto Riga (7) over 2.5 goals, at least one red card in this game
Singaporean S-League:
Sengkang Punggol vs Geylang United (6) 1-2
Swedish Superettan:
Angelholms vs Assyriska Sodertalje (5)
Sirius Uppsala vs Falkenbergs (7)
Trollhattan vs Ljungskile (6)
Qviding Goteborg vs Norrkoping (7)
Syrianska Sodertalje vs Vasby United (6)
Swiss Challenge League:
Thun vs Vaduz (6)
Enjoy your free betting tips!