TFT Issue 100!
FreeHowdy guys and girls!
Featured game
Elfsborg Boras vs IFK Norrkoping – home win with -1.5 handicap at 11/10.
Today’s featured game is the Allsvenskan game between Elfsborg Boras and IFK Norrkoping.
Giants Elfsborg Boras are starting to ease into their groove already this season as the new faces already look to have gelled well. I figured they’d have a harder time replacing star striker Denni Avdic, who moved to Werder Bremen, but Elm and Nilsson are doing a good job. Elfsborg are traditionally much stronger in Boras than on the road because of their good attacking ability and because of their artificial pitch. They’ve already won two out of their three home games this season and they should have won the other – only an inspired display from AIK’s goalkeeper prevented a whitewash. Elfsborg average scoring over two goals per home game currently and given that they handicapped giants Malmo FF in their last home game before handicapping GAIS Goteborg on the road last match, I think it’s fair to say that they can do the same again today. I like Elfsborg because attacking football is their game; you’ll rarely see them play out a narrow win, basically. They’re much stronger than their opponents and with two consecutive wins under their belt, I fancy Elfsborg to unleash at the Boras Arena today.
IFK Norrkoping boss Andersson has admitted that Elfsborg Boras will have more of the ball so he intends to line up his side defensively. That’s not a bad idea, really, but the problem is that IFK Norrkoping aren’t very good at defending. They’ve only kept two clean sheets in their six Allsvenskan games since promotion and both of those were at home. Nonetheless, IFK Norrkoping have surprised a few people, myself included, wtih their ability to score goals. I figured the last good goalscorer this side actually had was Jonas Wallerstedt all those years ago but they seem to have found a new hero in youngster Telo. However, Telo will be absent today, which is a huge blow for the visitors. They also miss number one goalkeeper Hassan so they could have a few problems here. I have respect for Norrkoping’s displays so far this season – they play with a good level of spirit and that’s hard to break through sometimes. However, rest assured that their form is temporary – they’re not a particularly good side and I do expect them to struggle against relegation this season and I think today should bring them back down to earth with a bang.
In my view, Elfsborg are the best side in the Allsvenskan when it comes to playing at home. They’ve got the pitch on their side and a very attacking team so it’s nearly impossible to win here, in my view. They’ve got a bucketload of attacking talent in Svensson, Nilsson, and Elm, to name a few, and I fully expect that to show here, just as it has all season long in Boras. I’m sure IFK Norrkoping will work hard here and may even pinch a cheeky goal but I expect them to concede more than enough goals for the -1.5 handicap to be beaten and thus that’s my call today.
Team news – Elfsborg Boras miss Christiansen, Sjoberg, and Wede whereas IFK Norrkoping miss Telo, Hassan, Khalili, Tamm and Mwafulirwa.
Verdict: Elfsborg Boras to beat the -1.5 handicap at 11/10.
Additional game
Jaro Pietarsaari vs Haka Valkeakoski – under 2.5 goals at 4/5.
I’m a bit surprised at these odds, to be honest. Why? Well, Haka’s only remaining strong feature is their defence since almost all their good players were sold so that’s how they play nowadays – defensively. They bring little attacking threat into any game and I fully expect this side to have scored the least number of goals when the Veikkausliiga ends this season. Jaro Pietarsaari have good attackers in Zeze and Niang and if they had the necessary support from midfield then I’d be a lot more fearful regarding this bet. However, they simply don’t have that support, to be horribly blunt. The departure of star midfielder Eremenko following the end of his loan spell robbed Jaro of a lot of their creativity in midfield. On top of that, they lost Novikov and Xhaferi too, which basically robs them of any presence in midfield. I mean, Agyeman, Zeze, and Niang can all be threats and can all score goals but without creating chances on a regular basis, Jaro are going to find goals hard to come by, just as they did during their surprising defeat at RoPS Rovaniemi in the first round. Jaro still have a lot to learn and although their enthusiastic attacking style is admirable, they’re still not a side that I can fear yet. Put Jaro’s gelling team against Haka’s defence-minded operation and we have under 2.5 goals here at decent odds, just as it has been for three out of the last four meetings between these two sides in Pietarsaari.
Verdict: Under 2.5 goals at 4/5.