TFT Issue 110!
FreeHowdy guys and girls!
Featured game:
Helsingborg vs Kalmar FF – home win at 21/20.
Today’s featured game is the Allsvenskan encounter between Helsingborg and Kalmar.
Helsingborg have started the current campaign exactly as they’d have liked – sat top of the table after five wins from eight games, losing just once along the way. I still think it’s fair to say that they’re not at their best yet, especially in front of goal, but that killer instinct of theirs is doing them proud as they continue to grind out wins. Let’s face it – Helsingborg are one of the top two sides in the Allsvenskan at the moment and they do have the capacity to prove that in every game. Three wins from four home games whilst conceding just once along the way says that Helsingborg are as feared an opponent as ever away from home. As I mentioned earlier, Helsingborg do need to score more goals than they are scoring currently if they intend on winning the Allsvenskan this season but for the present time, they’re doing enough to beat most sides, in my view. They lost their last game 2-1 at AIK Solna due to an abject display but Helsingborg aren’t the kind of side to bury their heads in the sand; they should be back in business today. Regrettably, they miss arguably their best striker Gerndt for this game, as well as defenders Nilsson and Larsson. However, there’s enough depth in this team and enough experience for them to continue their impressive home form here and I think they will.
The odds appear to be more influenced by Kalmar’s displays over the past few seasons rather than where they’re at right now, in my view. They’ve got a decent side and they’ll most likely finish in the top seven but they’re not back in the days when they had the Elm brothers in their ranks so I think they’ll struggle here. They’re won four games leading them into this encounter, however, which gives them great momentum. They’ve shown glimpses of their old ability during those games and that would normally make me leave this game alone. However, it’s Brazilian midfielder Sobralense that carries this side along and I think his absence will hurt them more than the odds reflect. Ricardo Santos is a good striker but he needs the correct service and I don’t see where that’s coming from without Sobralense pulling the strings. Kalmar will have a hard time breaking through Helsingborg’s defence as it is but without their most creative midfielder in their ranks, I just don’t think they’ll do it, even though Helsingborg do miss some regular defenders today.
I don’t want to take anything away from Kalmar’s displays lately but let’s face it – they’ve had fortune on their side. Hacken had an off day during their 2-0 defeaat Kalmar and Orebro missed their two best attacking players when Kalmar won 1-2 there. Aside from that, Kalmar have played a poor Syrianska Sodertalje side and a poor Sirius side and have naturally taken advantage of the ineptitude of their opponents so full credit to them. However, I would say that their form flatters them slightly and we may see that exposed today.
Kalmar haven’t won at Olympia since 2004 and it’s going to take a performance that I don’t think they’re currently capable of to change that. Helsingborg’s absences mean that you should approach this one with caution – as does my unbelievable bad luck of late – but Helsingborg have more than enough in their ranks to score and hold it against a frankly inferior Kalmar side today. For me, there’s value in the home win at 21/20.
Team news – Helsingborg miss Gerndt, Patronen, Nilsson, and Larsson whereas Kalmar FF miss Smylie, Dragusha, and Sobralense.
Verdict: Helsingborg to win at 21/20.