TFT Issue 28!
FreeHowdy guys and girls!
My apologies for the game yesterday. I appreciate that I don’t guarantee you wins but I’m still massively irritated at Sporting’s inability to pass the ball or form a cohesive attack that didn’t end with a 40-yard shot. They missed a couple of chances but they were poor overall so fuck them.
News
Hilariously, Ranieri and AS Roma have parted company. This is very stupid on numerous levels, the primary of which is that Roma haven’t been as good under anyone else since Capello, in my view. I expect utter failure from Roma for the remainder of the season with that bizarre decision alone in mind but then consider that Roma have appointed ex-striker Vincenzo Montella as their manager and just laugh. Laugh! The crazy bastards! I’m going to oppose them a lot for the remainder of this season if what I think will occur does occur!
Featured game
Olympique Lyonnais vs Real Madrid
Under 2.5 goals at 4/5 appealed to me here but I think there’s better odds on show.
People are raving about Lyon because they won their derby with Saint-Etienne 4-1 and beat Nancy-Lorraine 4-0. They handled both games well but come on, seriously – they’re not what they were. They’ve got some talented individuals but they’re so vulnerable in defence that I can’t take them seriously here. To make matters worse, they’re missing star striker Lisandro Lopez and we all know how they tend to fare without him – badly! Just look at their form at the start of the season without him and you’ll see my point. This Lyon team shipped two goals at home to Hapoel Tel-Aviv earlier in the campaign and have conceded nine times in their last three Champions League games. They can be a good side when they feel like it but without Lopez, I rate them rather poorly here.
Say what you will about Mourinho and Madrid – everyone seems to have an opinion – but for me, they’re immense. They’re not great to watch or easy on the eye but they win games and that’s what it’s all about. Everyone expected the end of the world after Madrid lost to their usual bogey team Osasuna and since then they’ve won four consecutive times because they have the mentality of winners. They’ve beaten Sevilla at home, Espanyol away from home with ten men, and have eased past Real Sociedad and Levante at home. Madrid look a really dominant force when it comes to controlling the ball and taking their chances, effectively, and with Ronaldo in their team, it’s no surprise at all. Mourinho’s experience in European football is vast; he knows how to win games like these. He’ll keep it tight, steal a goal, and sit on it, just as Madrid did during their trip to face Auxerre earlier this season.
Lyon will huff and puff but even they’re not bold enough to take on Madrid in an open game here or they’ll be embarassed. I expect a rather withdrawn and calculating game from both sides but Madrid still have the better individuals and should eventually wear Lyon down to edge the game. 5/6 on the away win for a superior team interests me a lot here although I’d leave it if it hits 4/6 – there are no Champions League away wins that I’d back at those odds nowadays.
Team news – Olympique Lyonnais miss Lisandro Lopez and Ederson whereas Real Madrid miss Higuain and Gago.
Verdict: Real Madrid to win at 5/6.