TFT Issue 290!
FreeHowdy guys and girls!
Featured game
Thailand vs Norway – under 2.5 goals at 11/10.
Today’s featured game is the International Friendly between Thailand and Norway in Bangkok.
As followers of this site will know already, I am a huge advocate of backing Thailand/laying opponents when the Thai national side are at home. They’re strong physically and have tremendous support, to begin with. This nation has taken big strides in recent years to become a side in Asia that is really very hard to beat and their excellent home record against the vast majority of sides that they’ve faced backs up that point. There are a great deal of experienced players in the Thai national team and in front of their home crowd they rarely fail to deliver either with tenacity or with the result. It takes a good side and a good display to win in Bangkok against Thailand and I’m not sure their opponents are up to it.
I’d be hesitant to take Norway to win this one with their first team at such ridiculously short odds on what is very unfamiliar ground but as far as their second team goes – forget about it! There are some really talented kids in the Norwegian ranks right now and this is a great platform for them to showcase their talents, particularly Valerenga Oslo hot prospect Berisha, who dazzled the Eliteserien this season. Berget is rapidly maturing and Elyounoussi was magnificent for Fredrikstad this season. Singh and Wolf Eikrem are both capable of producing something, particularly the set pieces of the latter, and ultimately I do think that this Norway side could cause problems – at home. On another continent that hardly any of them have ever been to and with a handful of caps to their name, I’m not sure that Norway will like this game at all. I think they could snatch it if they play really well but the odds them winning this game are a joke, in my view. I really think that they’re in for a long game here and them not winning the game would not surprise me.
Norway have confirmed their starting line-up already, which is Petterson, Hagen, Hovland, Forren, Vilsvik, Elyounoussi, Henriksen, Wolf Eikrem, Singh, Berget, and Berisha. I think this is a bit of a daft move, as usual, because it gives their opponents plenty of time to prepare to counter specific threats. The Thai side are generally very good positionally and tactically and I think that they’ll demonstrate that today.
Giving Thailand an Asian Handicap head start appeals to me but I can’t find odds on that selection. instead, I’ll opt for the likely under 2.5 goals as it looks very generous at 11/10. The 1×2 market holds no great interest for me here but I don’t see there being many goals with an experienced Thai side facing a talented but inexperienced Norwegian side. Five of the starters in Norway’s side today play for Molde FK so there will be some cohesion there, which aids my call. Again, I would hate to pick a winner here but under 2.5 goals is at a bargain price with the above in mind whether it comes in or not!
Verdict: Under 2.5 goals at 11/10.
Team news
Australian A-League:
Melbourne Heart – Taseski, Kalmar, Fred, Colosimo, Ibrahim, and Zahra are absent.
Central Coast Mariners – Bojic returns.
Sydney FC – Bosschaart is absent. Mallia is a doubt.
Perth Glory – Sikora, Coyne, Neville, Young, and Pantelidis are absent.
Greek Super League:
Levadiakos – No absentees. Papadopoulos may debutise.
Aris Salonika – Castillo, Faty, Papastergiano, and Gianotas are absent. New coach Manual Macedo.
Panathinaikos – Ninis, Sarriegi, Boumsong, Kante, Ionaidis, Seitardis, and Simaro are absent.
Doxa Dramas – No news.