TFT Issue 247!
FreeHowdy guys and girls!
Featured game
Brisbane Roar vs Wellington Phoenix – home win with -1.5 handicap at evens.
Well, despite a barren international period, I do believe that I’ve found a tip that I like for sunday. Incidentally, you may or may not have noticed that I’ve posted earlier than normal due to the early kick-off of this game.
Today’s featured game is the A-League encounter between Brisbane Roar and Wellington Phoenix.
The hosts have looked immense so far this season. It’s not often you’d see reigning champions make a flying start to the season but Brisbane Roar have done just that with four wins from five games, banging in fifteen goals along the way. You’d have been entitled to expect a bit less from them this season following the departures of Solorzano and Barbarouses pre-season, especially as they were the two top goalscorers for the club last season. However, injury-ridden Brazilian hitman Henrique has stepped up to the plate and new Albanian striker Berisha has started superbly with his new club, immediately forging a dangerous partnership with Henrique. Brisbane Roar’s defence looks as solid as ever with only Adelaide United and Melbourne Victory even able to score against them so far this season. I very much admire the consistency of Postecoglou’s team and when you throw their experience into the mix too, you have to fancy them to have yet another successful campaign this time around.
Visitors Wellington Phoenix are struggling, however. They’re a bit hit-and-miss in general as it is with Herbert’s men playing samba attacking footabll but this season has been especially poor for them. You could attribute it to numerous things, really – the sale of key defender Durante pre-season, the uncertainty over the number one jersey, injuries etc. Either way, these problems are not helping their A-League campaign and subsequently, the New Zealand-based outfit have slumped to three defeats in their last three games. They’re not scoring goals, which is a huge issue for them as they tend to rely on being able to outscore their opponents rather than playing a tactical game. Ifill is a doubt for this game, which is a problem for them as they’ve missed him this season. Lia is still out, which is a huge blow for their midfield as again, they’ve missed him this season too. The return of Sigmund does bolster their defence but they’re facing the best side in the A-League today – they need all their players at 100% to do anything here and I just don’t see that happening when we take into account their run of form and their absentees.
My sole concern would be the absence of Nichols for Brisbane Roar, who makes things happen for them in midfield. Broich can do a job so there should be enough here anyway. Either way, taking the -1.5 handicap really appeals to me here as there is some gap between the two sides, Brisbane Roar are on fire, and Wellington Phoenix always struggle in away games, which is in no small part due to the distance that they usually have to travel to play them!
Verdict: Brisbane Roar to beat the -1.5 handicap at evens.
Team news
Australian A-League:
Brisbane Roar – Nichols is absent. Visconte and Mundy are doubts.
Wellington Phoenix – Lia, Pavlovic, and Pantelis are absent. Downey and Ifill are doubts. Sigmund returns.
Polish Liga 1:
Kolejarz Stroze – No news.
Ruch Radzionkow – No news.
Pogon Szczecin – Matuszczyk and Lewandowski are absent.
Gornik Polkowice – Aldas is absent.