Kortrijk vs Anderlecht
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Today’s secondary featured game is the Eerste Klasse game between Kortrijk and Anderlecht.
The only word that springs to word when I think of Kortrijk is “enthusiastic”. This side has no concept of defeat as they constantly seek to attack, to score goals, and to win games. I admire them for that, to be honest. They don’t have the big players that sides like Standard de Liege, Club Brugge, or Anderlecht have but they still produce the goods on the field and sides don’t like playing against them as a result. Indeed, when playing at home, Kortrijk are one of the harder sides in Belgium to defeat and statistics support that statement. However, with defender Mulemo out for this game and on-loan Anderlecht strikre Veselinovic ineligible to feature against his parent club, Kortrijk are not ideally-placed to do well here. Oussalah, Pavlovic, Joseph-Monrose etc. are all dangerous players – don’t get me wrong – but they lack a little something without Veselinovic and I think that’ll harm them here, although I’ve no doubt that Argentinian attacker Chavarria would love to score against his old club.
Anderlecht have a few advantages here aside from Veselinovic’s absence, though. The first advantage that they have is that they’ve not played a game for seven days whereas Kortrijk have played a cup game. You don’t need me to tell you which of these two sides has more depth either! Anderlecht’s last game resulted in them drubbing bitter rivals Club Brugge 3-0 in an emphatic victory and that brings Anderlecht into this game with a lot of momentum. Another advantage is that Anderlecht are almost back to full-strength with only long-term absentees Molins and Vargas respectively still absent. Biglia is expected to feature despite seemingly being a constant doubt and with Mbokani, Jovanovic, and Suarez all able to win games for Anderlecht in the blink of any eye, it’s hard to overlook Anderlecht winning this one today.
You can expect goals here as both sides attack and score goals for a living but for me, Anderlecht are more than well-equipped enough to outscore Kortrijk today so my call is the away win at 9/10.
Verdict: Anderlecht to win at 9/10.
Saturday’s Picks
My tips:
As ever, please find my value tips listed below in no particular order:
Norwich City vs Chelsea – home win with +1 Asian Handicap at 5/6.
I like this one a lot more than I should if we look at these two sides on paper. However, based on performances, this looks a steal.
Norwich have been immense this season, especially at Carrow Road. They are afraid of nobody and play good attacking football whilst scoring plenty of goals. Dare I say that they completely outplayed Chelsea in the reversal of this fixture earlier this season? I’ve not seen many scorelines in the Premier League this season harsher than the 3-1 scoreline at Stamford Bridge with Norwich squandering a great number of chances. They’ve matured a lot more since then, though, and I thoroughly expect them to cause Chelsea a lot of problems today. Chelsea are not convincing right now and it’s no wonder as they’re in the middle of a difficult transitional period and no club plays well during those times. Chelsea are still doing the business and to their credit they did create a lot of chances against Sunderland in their last game. However, they’re not scoring goals and with both Drogba and Kalou out with Ivory Coast at the African Nations, it’s hard to see Chelsea’s goalscoring improve here, especially with misfiring Torres leading the line. Sturridge has been a little quiet lately and although both he and Mata are capable of damaging sides, I’m not sure that either can provide the firepower required for this tip to lose today.
This bet would have only lost twice this season if we apply it to Chelsea’s away games in the Premier League and given how fortunate Chelsea were against Wolves last time out, I anticipate a really difficult game for the visitors here. I thoroughly expect Norwich to give Chelsea a rough ride here and I may even be tempted by taking Norwich with draw no bet as a fun bet at long odds. However, the call of the game for me has to be to give Norwich a +1 Asian Handicap at 4/5 because Chelsea will have to play better than they have for a while in order for it to lose.
Verdict: Norwich City to win with a +1 Asian Handicap at 5/6.
Real Sociedad vs Atletico Madrid – home win with draw no bet at 6/5.
I love this one! Regular readers know I’m a big advocate of taking the Basque sides at home because they rarely lose on their own turf due to their nutcase fans and tenacious ways and Sociedad are no exception. This side has only lost twice at home this season and given that only Barcelona have conceded less goals at home than they have (whilst ironically being responsible for 40% of the goals that Sociedad have conceded at home this season!) you really have to respect Sociedad when playing at Anoeta. They work hard, they get physical with their opponents, and are ultimately a very brave team. I can’t say that they’re a particularly talented side and the reason that they’re struggling in the Primera Liga this season is because they’re not scoring enough goals but it’s not through a lack of chances! Xabi Prieto and especially exciting French youngster Griezmann cause no end of problems for opponents. Zurutuza and Aranburu form a very reliable partnership in the middle of the park and if Sociedad had a finisher then I’d be backing them all the time at home. Sadly, Llorente is not in top form for Sociedad; far from it as he’s only played five games this season. Carlos Vela is always a threat but Irfan and Agirretxe are average strikers at best, really, and Sociedad really do miss a Raul Tamudo or even their own Joseba Llorente. However, as a unit, this side is very hard to break through and they never seem to be short on confidence so I am always happy to take a chance on them in San Sebastian, particularly with draw no bet cover.
Atletico Madrid are one of the most overrated sides in Spain, for my money. I’ve never seen a side with such consistently short odds fail to deliver anywhere near as often as Atletico Madrid. They’ve failed to win any of their eight away games this season, losing six along the way and defending like morons as per usual. The appointment of Diego Simeone as manager has steadied the ship somewhat, especially at the back, but he’s only really paving over the cracks for now as Atletico Madrid is a volcano that is always looking to explode. They may have dominated Villarreal last match but to be honest, most sides have dominated Villarreal this season. Falcao is a terrific striker for Atletico Madrid but my complaint is and always was where his support was coming from and I still don’t see it. Diego is a classy playmaker when it suits him and Arda Turan is a skilful winger when it suits him but that’s Atletico’s problem through and through; there are far too many temperamental characters in their squad. The experienced Tiago is out here, which is a blow as midfield is Sociedad’s strongest area and Atletico will struggle to contain them without him. Atletico may be returning to some sort of form but they’re going to have to play very well to win here, in my view.
For me, the home win with draw no bet at 6/5 is a bit of a bargain here. Atletico will have to do something here that they’ve not done all season long on the road to win this game and I just don’t see where it’ll come from. Sociedad are capable of beating any side in this division when playing at home so my call is the home win with draw no bet.
Verdict: Real Sociedad to win with draw no bet at 6/5.
Espanyol vs Granada – home win at 4/5.
To win at home, Espanyol need to be playing the right side. They don’t score enough goals to beat prolific sides here and as good as their defence is, they will tend to concede goals against attacking sides. However, if they’re good enough to keep their opponents out then I’ll give them a good chance of beating most sides at home, which is where today’s bet stems from. Espanyol are a nightmare to face in Barcelona because they’re compact, hard-working, and physical. They’re missing star striker Osvaldo this season and have issues with Pandiani and Garcia both being ruled out for this game but what you’ll tend to find is that they do create enough chances from open play and/or set pieces to score at least once. That’s what I expect to occur here, too, especially with Weiss in the team. Fixed or not, Espanyol will take a lot of heart from their hard battle to beat lowly Mirandes in their last game and that momentum should inspire them to victory here.
Helpfully, newly-promoted Granada travel to Barcelona without defensive rock Diakate, who is on international duty with Senegal. Also out is number one goalkeeper Roberto and Diakate’s fellow defender Lopez, not to mention midfield engine Yebda. Granada are a decent side but they lack in depth and that should show here. They don’t lack in battle, of course, but they concede goals too easily and don’t score enough. They’ve got plenty of strength up front but not enough finesse and if they’re not careful then that may cost them their hard-earned place in the Primera Liga. Given that Granada have lost back-to-back games ahead of this one with their most recent defeat coming at home against fellow relegation battlers Rayo Vallecano de Madrid, I do think that Granada are in for a long game here.
The only way that Espanyol won’t win this game will be if they approach the game with a cavalier attitude. If they work hard as they normally do then they’ll eventually score and win the game. Either way, with the above in mind, the home win appeals to me at 4/5.
Verdict: Espanyol to win at 4/5.
Accumulator fodder:
APOEL Nicosia, AA Gent, AS Roma, Celtic, Rangers.
Recommended bets:
Anderlecht, AS Roma, and Celtic at around 8/5.
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!
African Nations:
Equatorial Guinea vs Libya (5) 1-0
Senegal vs Zambia (6) 2-1
International Friendly:
USA vs Venezuela (6) 2-1
Australian A-League:
Central Coast Mariners vs Adelaide United (6) 1-0
Melbourne Heart vs Brisbane Roar (5) 1-2
Belgian Eerste Klasse:
Kortrijk vs Anderlecht (6) 1-2
Club Brugge vs Mechelen (5) 1-0
AA Gent vs Zulte-Waregem (7) over 2.5 goals
Germinal Beerschot vs Cercle Brugge (4) 1-1
Lokeren vs Lierse SK (7) 2-0
Mons vs OH Leuven (6) 2-1
Cypriot Division 1:
Omonia Nicosia vs Anorthosis Famagusta (7) 2-0
Aris Limassol vs APOEL Nicosia (8) 0-2
Enosis Neon Paralimni vs Ermis (7) 1-0
English Premier League:
Norwich City vs Chelsea (4) 2-1
Everton vs Blackburn Rovers (6) 1-0
Fulham vs Newcastle United (7) 1-0
Queens Park Rangers vs Wigan Athletic (4) 1-1
Stoke City vs West Bromwich Albion (7) 2-1
Sunderland vs Swansea City (7) 2-0
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Aston Villa (5) 0-0
Bolton Wanderers vs Liverpool (7) 1-2
English Championship:
Coventry City vs Middlesbrough (5)
West Ham United vs Nottingham Forest (7)
Reading vs Hull City (6)
Bristol City vs Doncaster Rovers (4)
Blackpool vs Crystal Palace (7) over 2.5 goals
Peterborough United vs Brighton & Hove Albion (5) both sides to score
Barnsley vs Millwall (6)
Birmingham City vs Watford (7)
Cardiff City vs Portsmouth (6)
Leeds United vs Ipswich Town (4) both sides to score
Burnley vs Derby County (6)
German Bundesliga:
Hoffenheim vs Hannover 96 (6) 0-0
Schalke 04 vs VfB Stuttgart (5) 1-0
VfL Wolfsburg vs Koln (6) 2-1
SC Freiburg vs Augsburg (6) 1-0
Nurnberg vs Hertha HSC Berlin (7) 1-0
Kaiserslautern vs Werder Bremen (5) 1-2
Greek Super League:
Asteras Tripolis vs PAS Giannina (5) 2-1
Ergotelis vs AEK Athens (6) 0-0
PAOK Salonika vs Panionios (7) 2-0
Israeli Ligat Ha’al:
Hapoel Tel-Aviv vs Maccabi Netanya (4) 1-1
Hapoel Ironi Kiryat Shmona vs Ironi Ramat Hasharon (6) 1-0
Hapoel Be’er Sheva vs Hapoel Haifa (6) under 2.5 goals
Hapoel Acre vs Hapoel Petah Tikva (6) 2-1
Maccabi Petah Tikva vs Bnei Sakhnin (4) 0-1
Beitar Jerusalem vs MS Ashdod (6) 2-1
Italian Serie A:
AS Roma vs Cesena (8) 2-1
Atalanta Bergamo vs Juventus (5) 0-1, at least one red card in this game
Mexican Primera Division:
Queretaro vs Atlas (4) 0-0
Cruz Azul vs Pachuca (7) 2-1
Monterrey vs Pumas UNAM (4) 1-1
Santos Laguna vs Jaguares (7) 1-0
Guadalajara vs Tijuana (7) 2-0
Dutch Eredivisie:
De Graafschap vs Heerenveen (7) over 2.5 goals
Excelsior Rotterdam vs NAC Breda (7) 1-2
Twente Enschede vs RKC Waalwijk (7) 2-1
Portuguese Liga Sagres:
Beira-Mar vs Maritimo Funchal (7) 0-0
Scottish Premier League:
St.Mirren vs Celtic (8) 0-2
Dundee United vs Motherwell (6) 2-1
Hibernian vs St.Johnstone (6) over 2.5 goals
Inverness Caledonian Thistle vs Hearts (5) 0-1
Kilmarnock vs Dunfermline Athletic (7) over 2.5 goals
Rangers vs Aberdeen (8) 1-0
Spanish Primera Liga:
Racing Santander vs Getafe (5) 1-1
Espanyol vs Granada (7) 2-0
Real Sociedad vs Atletico Madrid (5) 2-1
Real Betis Balompie vs Sevilla CF (4) 2-1, at least one red card in this game
Spanish Segunda Liga:
Deportivo La Coruna vs Villarreal II (7)
Girona vs Real Murcia (6)
Gimnastic de Tarragona vs Elche (4)
Guadalajara vs Real Valladolid (5)
Alcorcon vs Numancia (6) over 2.5 goals
Sabadell vs Las Palmas (5)
Hercules Alicante vs Huesca (7)
Cartagena vs Recreativo de Huelva (5)
Turkish Super Lig:
Samsunspor vs Orduspor
Istanbul BB vs Manisaspor (6) 1-0
Karabukspor vs Trabzonspor (5) 0-0
Bursaspor vs Sivasspor (3) 1-1
Fenerbahce vs Kayserispor (7) 2-0
Enjoy your free betting tips!