Everton vs Tottenham Hotspur
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Today’s secondary featured game is the English Premier League game between Everton and Tottenham Hotspur.
Despite statistics opposing it, Everton are actually a very hard side to face at Goodison Park. They’ve had more than their fair share of issues this season with no money to spend and little depth in the squad. However, the fact remains that Moyes is one of the best managers in the league for what he has achieved and that Everton are never an easy side to face when they’re playing well.
Everton have a reputation of working very hard for every ball and I don’t expect to see that change here. They’re virtually at full-strength with new striker Jelavic, battling Leon Osman, and young Coleman all returning from injury. This side has a lot of good players but even better than that is their cohesion. Everton present two very solid banks of four and scoring against them is a lot harder than the Premier League table would have you believe.
Their problem this season has been scoring goals, which is unsurprisng following the sale of playmaker Arteta to Arsenal at the start of the current campaign. Tim Cahill hasn’t been himself and Everton are not blessed with terrific strikers. Louis Saha departed for Spurs in the January transfer window which allowed Moyes to swoop and sign Croatian hitman Jelavic, which helps – he’s the kind of poacher that Everton need, in my view. Donovan may have gone back to USA but South African winger Pienaar is still here on loan from Spurs although I must confess that I don’t know if he’ll be allowed to play in this game or not as he’s facing his parent club. His return has sparked life into Everton, though – they believe in themselves again. When that happens, I never go against Everton at home and that won’t change today.
Admittedly, I can’t deny that Spurs are a better side than Everton because they are. They have more money and a better calibre of player all over the pitch. However, they’re not at their best here by any stretch of the imagination. They come into this game on the back of two damaging defeats, losing 5-2 at bitter rivals Arsenal before losing 1-3 at home against Manchester United. They may have won 3-1 against Stevenage earlier this week but their display wasn’t overly convincing and thus I am not sure that Spurs will show up here.
Everton haven’t lost at home since the start of 2012 and they’ve won their last four home games, conceding just once along the way. They’ve beaten Manchester City, Fulham, and Chelsea at Goodison Park along the way so let’s not underestimate the hosts. Spurs have a good away record and have the personnel to damage the hosts with Bale, Modric, van der Vaart etc. I’m just not convinced that Spurs will show up here, as good a manager as Redknapp is.
For me, Everton shouldn’t lose this game. They’ve got a lot of advantages over Spurs, not least that this is the third game in six days for their opponents. I can only see value in taking the home win with draw no bet cover at generous odds of 11/10.
Verdict: Everton to win with draw no bet at 11/10.
Saturday’s Picks
My tips:
As ever, please find my value tips listed below in no particular order:
Bayern Munich vs Hoffenheim – under 3 goals at 4/5.
If you take Schweinsteiger out of this Bayern side, it loses its heart. That’s not to say that Bayern no longer have good players because they do. Let’s face it – Robben and Ribery are amongst the best wingers in the world. However, this side really struggles without their midfield general because their levels of cohesion are surprisingly low for such a big side. Bayern aren’t particularly good at defending so they’re usually not far away from conceding. When it comes to scoring goals, though, they need the correct balance in their midfield as it’s their strongest area by far but without Schweinsteiger that balance is not there. I’m not even going to venture into the same postcode as the 1×2 market for this game because it’s just not worth it. However, as devoid of stars as Hoffenheim undoubtedly are, they’re a much stronger side than Bayern when it comes to cohesion and I think that they’ll frustrate their hosts today. Therefore, I’m going to opt for under 3 goals at 4/5.
Verdict: Under 3 goals at 4/5.
Accumulator fodder:
Litex Lovech, Dinamo Zagreb, PAOK Salonika, Debreceni VSC, Siauliai, Heracles Almelo, Sporting Braga, Porto, Partizan Belgrade, Vojvodina Novi Sad, Real Madrid.
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:
Argentinos Juniors vs San Martin de San Juan (6) 1-0
Racing Club Avellaneda vs All Boys (7) 1-0
Belgrano de Cordoba vs San Lorenzo de Almagro (5) 2-1
Australian A-League:
Melbourne Heart vs Wellington Phoenix (4) 1-2
Sydney FC vs Melbourne Victory (5) 1-1, at least one red card in this game
Austrian Bundesliga:
Sturm Graz vs Wiener Neustadt (7) 2-1
SV Ried vs SV Kapfenberg (6) 1-0
Salzburg vs Rapid Vienna (6) 1-0, at least one red card in this game
SV Mattersburg vs Wacker Innsbruck (5) 0-0
Bulgarian A PFG:
Vidma-Rakovski vs Ludogorets (7) 0-1
Lokomotiv Plovdiv vs Chernomorets Burgas (7) 1-0
Svetkavitsa vs Litex Lovech (8) 0-2
Chilean Primera Division:
Union Espanola vs Huachipato (7) 2-1
Universidad de Concepcion vs Cobreloa (4) 1-1
Audax Italiano vs Universidad de Chile (5) over 2.5 goals
Union San Felipe vs Union La Calera (5) 0-0
Colombian Primera A:
Atletico Huila vs Deportivo Pasto (7) 2-0
Itagui Ditaires vs Boyaca Chico (6) 2-1
Deportivo Cali vs Millonarios Bogota (5) 1-1
Independiente de Santa Fe Bogota vs Envigado (7) 1-0
Croatian Prva Liga:
Zadar vs Inter Zapresic (5) 1-1
Lokomotiva Zagreb vs Istra 1961 (6) 0-0
Varteks Varazdin vs NK Zagreb (4) 0-1
Karlovac vs Slaven Koprivnica (5) 1-0
Lucko vs Dinamo Zagreb (8) 0-2
Hajduk Split vs Split (3) 1-2, at least one red card in this game
Cypriot Division 1:
Anagennisi Deryneia vs Ermis (7) over 2.5 goals
Nea Salamis vs Omonia Nicosia (7) 1-2
Czech Republic Gambrinus Liga:
Banik Ostrava vs Ceske Budejovice (5) 1-1
Slovacko vs Bohemians 1905 (5) 1-0
Slovan Liberec vs Mlada Boleslav (7) 2-1
Danish Superligaen:
OB Odense vs FC Nordsjaelland (4) 0-1
Ecuadorian Primera A:
Independiente vs Macara Ambato (5) 2-1
English Premier League:
Bolton Wanderers vs Queens Park Rangers (4) 2-2
Aston Villa vs Fulham (4) 0-1
Chelsea vs Stoke City (5) 2-1
Sunderland vs Liverpool (6) 1-0
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Blackburn Rovers (5) 2-2
Everton vs Tottenham Hotspur (5) 1-0
English Championship:
Coventry City vs Birmingham City (6)
Reading vs Leicester City (5) over 2.5 goals
Derby County vs Watford (6)
Nottingham Forest vs Millwall (5)
Peterborough United vs Blackpool (7) over 2.5 goals
Burnley vs Crystal Palace (7)
West Ham United vs Doncaster Rovers (7)
Brighton & Hove Albion vs Portsmouth (6)
Southampton vs Barnsley (7)
Hull City vs Ipswich Town (6)
Bristol City vs Cardiff City (5) over 2.5 goals
Estonian Meistriliiga:
Nomme Kalju vs Levadia Tallinn (6) 2-1
Flora Paide vs Kuressaare (5) 2-1
Sillamae Kalev vs Flora Tallinn (7) 1-2
Tallinna Kalev vs Viljandi (5) 1-0
Finnish Liiga Cup:
TPS Turku vs IFK Mariehamn (7) 2-0
VPS Vaasa vs JJK Jyvaskyla (6) 2-2
Haka Valkeakoski vs Inter Turku (5) 1-1
French Ligue 1:
Stade Brestois vs Girondins de Bordeaux (7) 0-0
Evian Thonon Gaillard vs Sochaux (7) 2-1
OGC Nice vs AS Nancy-Lorraine (6) 1-0
Toulouse vs Lorient (6) 2-1
Valenciennes vs Saint-Etienne (5) 1-1
Olympique Lyonnais vs LOSC Lille (6) 1-0
German Bundesliga:
Bayern Munich vs Hoffenheim (6) 1-0
Mainz 05 vs Nurnberg (7) 2-1
Koln vs Hertha HSC Berlin (7) 0-0
VfL Wolfsburg vs Bayer 04 Leverkusen (5) 2-2
Borussia Moenchengladbach vs SC Freiburg (6) 1-0
Augsburg vs Bv09 Borussia Dortmund (7) 1-2
Greek Super League:
Atromitos vs Doxa Dramas (7) 2-0
OFI Crete vs Panionios (6) 1-0
PAOK Salonika vs Asteras Tripolis (8) 2-0
Hungarian Soproni Liga:
Budapest Honved vs Zalaegerszegi TE (6) 1-0
Paksi SE vs Ujpest (4) 2-2
Kaposvari Rakoczi vs Lombard Papa (5) 2-1
Szombathelyi Haladas vs Vasas Budapest (6) 1-0
Debreceni VSC vs Kecskemeti TE (8) over 2.5 goals
Irish Premier League:
Sligo Rovers vs UCD (7) 2-0
Israeli Ligat Ha’al:
Ironi Kiryat Shmona vs Hapoel Acre (7) 1-0
Hapoel Rishon Lezion vs MS Ashdod (5) 0-1
Bnei Sakhnin vs Hapoel Petah Tikva (6) 2-1
Ironi Ramat Hasharon vs Maccabi Netanya (5) 0-1
Bnei Yehuda Tel-Aviv vs Hapoel Be’er Sheva (6) 1-0
Maccabi Petah Tikva vs Beitar Jerusalem (5) 1-1
Italian Serie A:
Palermo vs AS Roma (6) 2-1, at least one red card in this game
Japanese J-League:
Consadole Sapporo vs Jubilo Iwata (5) 1-1
Vegalta Sendai vs Kashima Antlers (5) 0-1
Nagoya Grampus vs Shimizu S-Pulse (6) 2-1
Gamba Osaka vs Vissel Kobe (7) over 2.5 goals
Sanfrecce Hiroshima vs Urawa Red Diamonds (5) 2-1
Sagan Tosu vs Cerezo Osaka (6) 0-1
Kawasaki Frontale vs Albirex Niigata (4) 2-2
Omiya Ardija vs FC Tokyo (6) 1-0
Lithuanian A Lyga:
Atlantas vs Siauliai (8) 0-2
Kruoja Pakruojis vs Tauras Taurage (5) 1-2
Banga Gargzdai vs Zalgiris Vilnius (5) 1-1
Mexican Primera Division:
Jaguares vs Tigres UANL (5) 1-1
Monterrey vs Queretaro (7) 2-0
Guadalajara vs Cruz Azul (6) 2-1
Santos Laguna vs Puebla (4) 1-1
San Luis vs Pachuca (5) 0-1
Atlante vs Atlas (6) 2-1
Dutch Eredivisie:
Groningen vs Vitesse Arnhem (6) 2-1
Heracles Almelo vs ADO Den Haag (8) 2-0
Heerenveen vs Excelsior Rotterdam (7) 2-1
Paraguayan Division Profesional:
Guarani Asuncion vs Sportivo Luqueno (7) 2-0
Nacional Asuncion vs Cerro Porteno (5) 1-1, at least one red card in this game
Peruvian Primera Division:
Sporting Cristal vs Universitario Lima (5) 1-1, at least one red card in this game
Polish Ekstraklasa:
Gornik Zabrze vs Lechia Gdansk (4) 0-1
Podbeskidzie Bielsko-Biala vs Legia Warsaw (6) 1-2
Zaglebie Lubin vs Ruch Chorzow (6) 1-0
Portuguese Liga Sagres:
Sporting Braga vs Uniao de Leiria (8) 2-0
Porto vs Academica de Coimbra (8) over 2.5 goals
Romanian Liga:
Otelul Galati vs Ceahlaul Piatra Neamt (7) 1-0
Pandurii Targu Jiu vs Dinamo Bucharest (5) 2-2
Russian Premier League:
FK Krasnodar vs Terek Grozny (5) 2-1
Scottish Premier League:
Inverness Caledonian Thistle vs Kilmarnock (5) 1-1
Serbian Super Liga:
BSK Borca vs Hajduk Kula (6) 2-1
Smederevo vs Borac Cacak (5) 1-0
Javor Ivanjica vs Red Star Belgrade (4) 1-1
Spartak Subotica vs Radnicki 1923 (6) 1-1
Vojvodina Novi Sad vs Metalac GM (8) 2-0
Rad Belgrade vs Novi Pazar (6) 1-0
Jagodina vs OFK Belgrade (4) 1-1
Partizan Belgrade vs Sevojno (8) over 2.5 goals
Slovakian Corgon Liga:
Tatran Presov vs Trencin (6) 2-1
Zlate Moravce vs Dukla Banska Bystrica (5) 1-1
DAC Dunajska Streda vs Senica (5) 1-2
Slovenian Prva Liga:
Celje vs Nafta Lendava (5) 1-1
Maribor vs Domzale (7) 2-1
Koper vs Gorica (7) 2-1
Spanish Primera Liga:
Real Sociedad vs Real Zaragoza (7) 1-0
Malaga vs Levante (7) over 2.5 goals
Sporting Gijon vs Sevilla CF (6) 1-1
Real Betis Balompie vs Real Madrid (8) over 2.5 goals
Spanish Segunda Liga:
Girona vs Deportivo Xerez (5)
Sabadell vs Barcelona II (4)
Alcorcon vs Hercules Alicante (5) both sides to score
Guadalajara vs Deportivo La Coruna (7)
Gimnastic de Tarragona vs Villarreal II (6)
Cordoba vs Huesca (6)
Real Murcia vs Las Palmas (6) over 2.5 goals
Almeria vs Recreativo de Huelva (7)
Swiss Super League:
Grasshopper Zurich vs Basel (7) 1-2, at least one red card in this game
Sion vs Thun (7) 1-0
Swiss Challenge League:
Locarno vs Winterthur (6)
Etoile Carouge vs Vaduz (7)
Stade Nyonnais vs Aarau (5)
Wohlen vs Biel-Bienne (5)
Turkish Super Lig:
Istanbul BB vs Kayserispor (7) 1-0
Galatasaray vs Genclerbirligi (7) 2-1
Ukrainian Premier League:
Illichivets Mariupol vs Shakhtar Donetsk (7) 1-2
Dnipro Dnepropetrovsk vs Vorskla Poltava (7) 2-1
Volyn Lutsk vs Chernomorets Odessa (6) 1-0
Uruguayan Primera Division:
Cerro vs Rentistas (7) 2-0
El Tanque Sisley vs Cerrito (6) 1-0
Welsh Premier League:
Newtown vs Aberystwyth Town (6) 2-1
Airbus UK vs Afan Lido (5) 1-1
Bangor City vs The New Saints (6) 2-2
Enjoy your free betting tips!