RoPS Rovaniemi vs KuPS Kuopio
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Today’s secondary featured game is the Veikkausliiga game in northern Finland between RoPS Rovaniemi and KuPS Kuopio.
Times are really bad for the Rovaniemi club as they’re seven points clear from safety and are playing like they’re already relegated. Ever since the debacle pre-season that involved them losing a lot of their attacking players we knew that times would be hard for RoPS. They’ve filled those places with players but haven’t replaced the quality side of things with many of those replacements coming from the Ykkonen or Kakkonen. RoPS have instead relied heavily on team spirit and the few talented players that they do have, the most impressive of which so far this season has been Rivera, in my opinion. However, that spirit has crumbled due to a poor run of form and a lack of depth means that they’re generally fielding the same side, game after game. It’s a bad combination, to be honest. The desperately poor form that RoPS have encountered now means that they’ve been without a win since 19th May, which is fourteen games, the last six of which they’ve lost. Prior to the loss at TPS Turku in the last round of Veikkausliiga fixtures, RoPS announced that coach Allen would be leaving and they have a caretaker boss in charge for now. I just don’t see what else could be done at this club, however – they’re very short on ability and I think it’s going to cost them their place in the division as a result. Today they have strong doubts over important defender Tabe and his potential absence is a huge blow for the northerners. All in all, times are not good for RoPS.
That said, times aren’t great for KuPS Kuopio either. Still yet to win away from home in the Veikkausliiga this season, this deceptively good side linger dangerously close to hosts RoPS Rovaniemi in the current standings and that’s not where they want to be. Quality-wise, it’s not where they should be, either. The ongoing saga surrounding striker Nwakaeme isn’t helping things but KuPS are fortunate enough to have players with individual ability, players that can carry the club in bad times ala Venelainen, Ilo, Udah, and even Williams this season. We can even add new striker Roiha to that list as he’s proven himself at this level time and time again. Unlike most sides at this stage of the season, KuPS are actually beginning to gather momentum and have started scoring goals, which is pleasing as that’s their main strength. They’ve actually scored seventeen of their twenty-six goals in the Veikkausliiga this season in their last eight games so you can see where I am coming from. I’m hoping that their 2-0 win against MyPa Anjalankoski last time out gives them the impetus to win this one today because they already have the ability to win here; all they lack is a little conviction. Performance-wise, however, you have to fancy KuPS to nick this one.
As bad and demoralised as RoPS are, however, I would not take this bet at less than evens as there’s zero value beyond that point given the consistent failings of KuPS on the road. I still fancy them to win this one but the value disappears below evens.
Verdict: KuPS Kuopio to win at evens.
Monday’s Picks
My tips:
As ever, below are my recommended value tips for today in no particular order:
Estudiantes de la Plata vs San Lorenzo de Almagro – home win at 5/6.
The opening round of fixtures in the Argentinian Primera Division produced some pretty dire encounters, in all honesty. Estudiantes’ trip to Newell’s Old Boys was no exception, unfortunately, although they actually created good chances during the game, unlike most of their contemporaries. That gives me hope for them as the space is there for them to push Velez Sarsfield for the title again because Velez have dominated the last twelve months or so but now have to deal with the sales of Moralez and Alvarez respectively, which are huge blows to the reigning champions. Estudiantes, on the other hand, have strengthened with the loan signings of winger Fernandez from SL Benfica and ex-hero Boselli in attack from Wigan Athletic. They’ve also brought in a few Colombians on loan, the most notable of which is Once Caldas Manizales youngster Carbonero, who was exceptional last season for the Colombian giants and it’ll be interesting to see if he brightens up a somewhat stagnant Estudiantes attack. All in all, however, Estudiantes have taken great strides in challenging Velez again by improving their attack and although they lost a few players pre-season themselves, I still fancy them to do well with the offensive power in their arsenal, especially with Barrientos and Fernandez likey to be their starting wingers.
San Lorenzo are a bit of an enigma, really. They can be very good and were at times against Atletico Lanus last match too. However, they’ve had problems scoring goals for years now and that’s not changed this season either. Try as they might, San Lorenzo simply fail to convert their chances and also concede goals far too easily. They’ve brought back old hand Bernardo Romeo from Quilmes to aid them in their quest and although it does provide some support for pacey Menseguez and skillful Ortigoza, it’s still not really enough. Defensively, San Lorenzo should be even worse this year with full-back Placente, centre-back Torres Roman, and holding midfielder Torres having all moved on pre-season. They still have talismanic attacking midfielder Romagnoli to bail them out every now and then but this is not a good side any longer – I’d be surprised to see them do well here.
Approach this one with caution as it’s still early season and Estudiantes need to regain their swagger before I place a large amount of confidence in them. However, they’re the better side here and they’ve got a great deal of firepower at their disposal so the home win at 5/6 appeals to me here.
Verdict: Estudiantes de la Plata to win at 5/6.
GKS Belchatow vs Lech Poznan – over 2.5 goals at 7/5.
These two sides top the Ekstraklasa goalscoring charts so far this season and I’m hoping that statistic transcends into this game too. Belchatow have done well thanks to the individual brilliance of ex-Wisla Krakow winger Kosowski and he’ll be a thorn in Lech’s side tonight, especially with no Arboleda in Lech’s team to deal with his crosses. I’ve not rated Belchatow as a goalscoring side in the past couple of years but Nowak is impressive and Zewlakow is experienced so they are a handful, to give credit where it’s due. They’ve got enough to score here, to be blunt, especially against a Lech defence that is usually suspect without Arboleda. Lech themselves are a good goalscoring side, however. They’ve done very well to hang on to Latvian starlet Rudnevs and have added to the likes of Stilic by signing promising Bulgarian midfielder Tonev to boost their attacking power. It’s worked, too – Lech have already bagged six goals this season. These two sides play some funny games sometimes but the goal-filled ones tend to be in Belchatow rather than Poznan and I hope that is applicable for today’s game too. I think over 2.5 goals is generously priced at 7/5 when you consider that Lech miss their best defender and that both sides are likely to score so we’ll give over 2.5 goals a shout here.
Verdict: Over 2.5 goals at 7/5.
Accumulator fodder:
Manchester City, Inter Turku.
Recommended bets:
KuPS Kuopio, Manchester City, and Inter Turku at less than 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!
Argentinian Primera Division:
Atletico Rafaela vs Arsenal de Sarandi (6) 0-0
Estudiantes de la Plata vs San Lorenzo de Almagro (7) 1-0
Velez Sarsfield vs Banfield (7) 2-0
Boca Juniors vs Union de Santa Fe (6) over 2.5 goals
Belarusian Vysshaya Liga:
Shakhtyor Soligorsk vs Dinamo Minsk (4) 0-1, at least one red card in this game
Czech Republic Gambrinus Liga:
Jablonec vs Bohemians 1905 (7) 2-1
Danish Superligaen:
Silkeborg vs AGF Aarhus (6) 1-1
English Premier League:
Manchester City vs Swansea City (8) 2-1
Finnish Veikkausliiga:
JJK Jyvaskyla vs Jaro Pietarsaari (7) 2-0
FC Honka Espoo vs VPS Vaasa (7) 2-0
RoPS Rovaniemi vs KuPS Kuopio (6) 1-2
Inter Turku vs IFK Mariehamn (8) over 2.5 goals
Finnish Ykkonen:
FC Lahti vs PoPa Pori (5)
Icelandic Urvasldeild:
Stjarnan Gardabaer vs Fram Reykjavik (7) 2-0
Breidablik Kopavogur vs IBV Vestmannaeyjar (6) 1-0
Vikingur Reykjavik vs FH Hafnarfjordur (7) 1-2
Keflavik vs UMF Grindavik (7) 1-0
Valur Reykjavik vs Fylkir Reykjavik (6) 2-1
Dutch Eredivisie:
NEC Nijmegen vs Excelsior Rotterdam (6) 1-0
Polish Ekstraklasa:
GKS Belchatow vs Lech Poznan (5) 1-2
Portuguese Liga Sagres:
Uniao de Leiria vs Academica de Coimbra (6) 0-0
Romania Liga:
Vointa Sibiu vs Targu Mures (6) 1-2
Brasov vs Sportul Studentesc (7) 2-0
Swedish Allsvenskan:
Elfsborg Boras vs IFK Goteborg (7) 2-1, at least one red card in this game
IFK Norrkoping vs AIK Solna (6) 1-1
Swedish Superettan:
Qviding Goteborg vs Angelholm (6)
Brommapojkarna vs Varnamo (7)
Landskrona BoIS vs Osters (7)
Brage vs Hammarby (5)
Swiss Challenge League:
St.Gallen vs Lugano (5)
Ukrainian Premier League:
Metalurg Donetsk vs Tavriya Simferopol (6) 1-0
Enjoy your free betting tips!