TFT Issue 250!
FreeHowdy guys and girls!
Feels good to be back with club games rather than internationals! Let’s hope they’re more predictable and profitable, eh?
Featured game
Jablonec vs Sigma Olomouc – home win with -1 Asian Handicap at 11/10.
Today’s featured game is the Gambrinus Liga game between Jablonec and Sigma Olomouc. Despite the large number of places between these two sides in the table, the quality gap isn’t anywhere near as significant as suggested. However, I really do have to favour Jablonec here nonetheless!
A bit of dubious form lately from Jablonec, it’s true, but we all know how good they are at home. Lafata is back to the starting line-up and the international break may have suited them quite well, all things considered. This Jablonec side is quite simply a goalscoring machine whilst Lafata is in the form of his life and I expect that to continue today. I’ve rarely seen a side play so well at home but play so ineffectually away from home but that’s Jablonec through and through. This Jablonec side averages scoring nearly three goals per home game, which immediately makes them a threat against anyone and today’s game with Sigma Olomouc is no exception to that ruling.
The visitors have encountered a bit of misfortune so far this season but it’s really hurt them and they’re surprisingly bottom of the table as a result. I’d happily concede that they’ve lost some important players but they’re still a top seven side in my eyes – I’d be astounded to see them relegated this season, especially with crap sides like Viktoria Zizkov and Ceske Budejovice in the division, not to mention very poor/lacking in depth sides such as Teplice, Slovacko, Marila Pribram, and Hradec Kralove in the mix too. Sigma Olomouc are rarely an easy side to beat, despite their weak away form, and I expect them to give Jablonec a bit of a tough time today, too. Nonetheless, it cannot be overlooked that Sigma Olomouc regularly fail to take their chances on the road and with only old Marek Heinz (who is incidentally absent today!) making things happen for them, it’s no great surprise that nothing is happening, really. Sigma Olomouc aren’t a side to underestimate but on the flip side of things, they’re also not a side to fear greatly until they sign a presentable striker.
It may take a while for Jablonec to break the deadlock but ultimately, I do expect them to win this game. They’ve got more than enough firepower to shatter a stiff Sigma Olomouc resolve and when they break the deadlock, they should be able to push on and finish the job by a couple of goals. I expect Jablonec to win this game at the very least so the insurance should kick in and given how ineffectual Sigma Olomouc are in front of goal right now, taking Jablonec with a -1 Asian Handicap looks very appealing at 11/10.
Verdict: Jablonec to beat the -1 Asian Handicap at 11/10.
Team news
Belgian Eerste Klasse:
OH Leuven – Dehond, Roelands, and Van Goethern are absent.
Standard de Liege – No news.
Bulgarian A PFG:
Botev Vratsa – No absentees. Team still has temporary manager.
Beroe – Angelov and Kostadinov are absent.
Czech Republic Gambrinus Liga:
Jablonec – Krajcik and Kocourek are absent.
Sigma Olomouc – Heinz and Drobisz are absent.
Polish Ekstraklasa:
Zaglebie Lubin – No news.
Polonia Warsaw – Tralka (captain), Lis, Mynar, Ciach, Weis, Grunt, Teodorczyk, and Przybecki are absent.
Jagiellonia Bialystok – Grzelak, Slowik, Arzumanyan, Plizga, and Burkhardt are absent.
Slask Wroclaw – No absentees.
Romanian Liga:
Petrolul Ploiesti – No fans allowed tomorrow. No absentees.
Targu Mures – Vasilache is absent.
Otelul Galati – Sarghi, Bus, and Chavez are absent. Cojoc and Antal return.
Sportul Studentesc – Chetan and Ginga are absent.
Russian Premier League:
Zenit St.Petersburg – Kerzhakov, Lukovic, and Bruno Alves are absent.
Anzhi Makhachkala – Akhmedov is absent.
CSKA Moscow – Akinfeev, Tosic, Gonzalez, Necid, and Vagner Love are absent.
Rubin Kazan’ – Smith and Dyadyun are absent.