TFT Issue 348!
FreeHowdy guys and girls!
Really short on time currently – I’ll try and write more throughout the day if that helps!
Featured game
Fehervar vs Budapest Honved – home win with -1 Asian Handicap at 4/5.
Much better side, stole all the firepower Budapest Honved had in the recent transfer window, and should cruise to victory against a toothless Budapest Honved side. Fehervar have been immense since their return from the winter break and they control games well. The only times they struggle are against sides of similar quality that force the issue – that’s when their lack of cohesion and lack of “Plan B” starts to hurt them. Fortunately, Budapest Honved aren’t Debreceni VSC so that’s not likely to occur here!
Verdict: Fehervar to beat the -1 Asian Handicap at 4/5.
Additional games
Anderlecht vs Kortrijk – home win with -1.5 handicap at 4/5.
Big quality gap. People suggest Kortrijk will sit back and defend – I doubt it, as they never do that. Kortrijk attack and earn plaudits for it. They will probably score here, to be honest, as Anderlecht’s high line is easily exposed by pace. Anderlecht are by far superior though and a win would start their play-off campaign well. I’ve got 3-1 and 4-1 in my head for the best side in Belgium winning this game.
Verdict: Anderlecht to beat the -1.5 handicap at 4/5.
Istra 1961 vs Rijeka – home win at 11/10.
Tight game between two well-matched sides. Rijeka have some regulars out, though, and Pamic has got Istra playing really well. The hosts are the second best in the Prva Liga form-wise right now and are scoring goals. Rijeka are dominant at home but susceptible on the road. 11/10 on the home win is worth a cheeky bet. Don’t be put off by talk of Rijeka having a lot of money behind them, incidentally. They do have that but it’s not going to be evident until next season as they can’t spend the money right now.
Verdict: Istra 1961 to win at 11/10.
Brondby vs OB Odense – over 2.5 goals at 5/6.
OB have sacked their manager, unsurprisingly, so we’ll see how the new guy does here. Either way, these two sides are terrible in defence and will almost certainly concede goals here. OB’s lack of firepower bothers me but Brondby have the impetus to win this one as hosts and these two sides tend to play entertaining games so over 2.5 goals interests me here.
Verdict: Over 2.5 goals at 5/6.
NEC Nijmegen vs De Graafschap – home win with -1.5 handicap at 9/10.
Big quality gap here. De Graafschap only defend now; they don’t even dare try for anything but a 0-0. Subsequently, when they concede, they get battered. NEC miss a finisher but when they get the first, they should have enough midfield power to score another couple, especially with Schone pulling the strings. It might take a while to break through but I do expect NEC to win this one 2-0 or 3-0.
Verdict: Home win with -1.5 handicap at 9/10.
Fredrikstad vs Stabaek – home win at evens.
Both sides are depleted from last season but Stabaek just look woeful. Their situation is so bad that they’ve had to go back to their old stadium as they can’t afford the Telenor Arena any longer! Stabaek have few recognisable players and little quality. Stabaek did very little to Aalesund in their opening game and I expect the same here. Fredrikstad will need their vociferous fans and leader of the team Elyounoussi at his best for them to win here but they at least have a squad capable of winning the game whereas anything but a loss for Stabaek would surprise me following the sale of almost all their good players pre-season.
Verdict: Fredrikstad to win at evens.
Haugesund vs Molde FK – away win with draw no bet at evens.
Haugesund were great at home last season but they’ll get found out this season, in my view. They’re well-organised but they’ve lost some regulars pre-season and they’re now entertaining what is easily the best side in Norway. The least I see Molde leaving this game with is a draw given their depth and firepower.
Verdict: Molde FK to win with draw no bet at evens.
Viking Stavanger vs Odd Grenland Skien – home win at evens.
Viking will take a while to gel together but they’re streets ahead of Odd Grenland if their last game is anything to go by. Never go against Odd Grenland at home on their artificial turf but they are susceptible on the road, especially on natural turf pitches like today. Viking should have enough quality to win this one.
Verdict: Viking Stavanger to win at evens.
Polonia Bytom vs Olimpia Elblag – home win at 4/5.
Polonia Bytom are marginally the better of these two sides as it is but after the decimation against Arka Gdynia last week, Olimpia Elblag have travelled to this game without a lot of first-team players. You can see all the missing players on the team news list below. There’s no way that they can deal with those kind of absentees and with Polonia Bytom having already beaten a good Sandecja Nowy Sacz side at home since returning from the winter break, I think the hosts will secure another three points today.
Verdict: Polonia Bytom to win at 4/5.
Lokomotiv Moscow vs Dinamo Moscow – home win at 7/5.
Moscow derbies are always tight but Loko really impressed me against CSKA lately. They finally have more than one good player and have a very good manager to boot. Dinamo Moscow have really gone off the boil in the last few weeks and Loko should be able to capitalise on that, especially now that they have a finisher!
Verdict: Lokomotiv Moscow to win at 7/5.
AIK Solna vs Mjallby Solvesborg – home win at 4/5.
AIK lost the two Banguras last season but have brought in Borges from Fredrikstad to help fill the void. AIK still aren’t good goalscorers but they’re well-orgnanised defensively and know how to control games. I expect them to win this one in typically narrow fashion, especially with Mjallby having lost Grahn pre-season, who was the engine of their midfield and also added experience to their rather average squad.
Verdict: AIK Solna to win at 4/5.
Syrianska Sodertalje vs IFK Goteborg – away win at 4/5.
Big, big quality gap here. IFK strengthened massively pre-season and how have one of the strongest squads in Sweden. Traditional bottlers in the latter stages of the competition but have one of the finest forwards in Sweden in Hysen. The hosts lost their best goalscorer Ijeh pre-season and are effectively a Superettan club at the core. If IFK don’t win this one then they only have themselves to blame now that they can boast Gerzic and Farnerud in midfield!
Verdict: IFK Goteborg to win at 4/5.
Team news
Australian A-League:
Perth Glory – Berger and Coyne are absent. Heffernan, Miller, Burns, van den Brink, and Mitchell return.
Melbourne Heart – Zahra, Goodwin, Hoffman, Williams, and Sarkies are absent.
Belgian Eerste Klasse:
Anderlecht – Vargas is absent. Suarez is a doubt.
Kortrijk – Veselinovic, Cvitkovics, and Vandenbroek are absent.
Bulgarian A PFG:
Cherno More Varna – Atanasov is absent.
Lokomotiv Sofia – No absentees.
Svetkavitsa – No absentees.
Kaliakra – No absentees.
CSKA Sofia – Priso is absent. Yanchev, Trifonov, and Yanev return.
Vidma-Rakovski – No absentees.
Croatian Prva Liga:
Istra 1961 – No news.
Rijeka – Datkovic, Sivonjic, and Svrljuga are absent. Rivic and Budicin are doubts. Susica and Roce return.
Cypriot Division 1:
Enosis Neon Paralimni – Mambuya is absent. Semedo and Burchill return.
Ethnikos Achnas – Rips is absent.
Aris Limassol – Komboyo is absent.
Olympiakos Nicosia – Mersio is absent.
Czech Republic Gambrinus Liga:
Jablonec – Kocourek and Vukovic are absent.
Slovacko – Kosut, Kordula, Fujerik, Ondrejka, Volesak, and Kuban are absent.
Mlada Boleslav – Scuk, Kalina, Sirl, Zahustel, Opiela, and Fabian are absent.
Teplice – Smejkal, Sraga, Volek, Vondrasek, and Ljevakovic are absent.
Sigma Olomouc – Navratil, Jirous, Horava, and Petr are absent.
Slavia Prague – Contofalsky, Hurka, Dembele, Frejlach, Kores, and Simecek are absent.
Sparta Prague – Vidlicka is absent. Matejovsky is a doubt.
Marila Pribram – Tarczal and Divisek are absent.
Ceske Budejovice – Strasky and Bakala are absent.
Hradec Kralove – Fukal, Klapka, Fischer, and Rezek are absent.
Dukla Prague – Svejdik and Siml are absent.
Slovan Liberec – No absentees.
Danish Superligaen:
Lyngby – Madsen is absent.
FC Copenhagen – Claudemir is absent.
Brondby – Ferri returns.
OB Odense – Falk and Christiansen are absent.
Midtylland – Moller, Janssen, and Albrechtsen are absent.
Silkeborg – Pourie is absent.
FC Nordsjaelland – Okore and Parkhurst are absent. Mtiliga returns.
HB Koge – Sorensen is absent.
German Bundesliga:
Hoffenheim – Jaissle and Compper are absent.
Schalke 04 – Faehrmann, Hildebrand, Unnerstall, Hoewedes, and Metzelder are absent.
Hannover 96 – No absentees.
Borussia Moenchengladbach – No absentees.
Hungarian Soproni Liga:
Debreceni VSC – Ferenczi, Nikolov, Kulcsar are absent.
Ujpest – Lazar may return.
Fehervar – No absentees.
Budapest Honved – Hadzic is absent.
Italian Serie A:
Atalanta Bergamo – Bellini, Brighi, Capelli, Denis, and Marilungo are absent. Schelotto is a doubt.
Bologna – Antonsson, Casarini, Raggi, Garics, Perez, and Mudingayi are absent. Crespo and Ramirez are doubts.
Cagliari – Astori, Dessena, El-Kabir, Eriksson, and Rui Sampaio are absent.
Cesena – Guana, Iaquinta, Martinez, and Parolo are absent. Mutu and Santana are doubts.
Chievo Verona – Acerbi, Gulan, Sammarco, Uribe, Morero, and Moscardelli are absent.
Fiorentina – Cerci, Felipe, and Kroldrup are absent.
Genoa – Antonelli, Constant, Granqvist, and Kucka are absent.
Internazionale – Sneijder and Maicon are absent. Julio Cesar, Chivu, and Alvarez are doubts.
Lecce – Carrozzieri, Esposito, Julio Sergio, Obodo, and Ofere are absent. Grossmuller and Benassi are doubts.
SSC Napoli – Donadel is absent. Campagnaro, Grava, Maggio are doubts.
Novara – Silva, Rigoni, Marianini, and Ludi are absent. Fontana, Caracciolo, Garcia, Pesce, and Radovanovic are doubts.
Palermo – Bertolo and Silvestre are absent. Migliaccio, Miccoli, and Bacinovic are doubts.
AS Roma – Borini, Burdisso, Cassetti, Greco, Heinze, Lobont, Juan, and Pjanic are absent.
Siena – Bolzoni and Calaio are absent. Angelo is a doubt.
Udinese – Badu, Basta, Benatia, Ekstrand, Ferronetti, Floro Flores, and Isla are absent. Danilo and Barreto are doubts.
Dutch Eredivisie:
NEC Nijmegen – Goossens, Wellenberg, and Nijland are absent.
De Graafschap – Kujala, Gyasi, Breinburg, Nalbantoglu, El Hassnaoui, and Wormgoor are absent.
AFC Ajax Amsterdam – Ooijer, Boerrigter, van der Wiel, Sigthorsson, Sulejmani, and Boilesen are absent.
Heracles Almelo – Ter Horst is absent.
RKC Waalwijk – van Dijk, Bridji, and Ten Voorde are absent.
ADO Den Haag – N’Toko, Boussaboun, van Duinen, and Leeuwin are absent.
Vitesse Arnhem – Vink is absent.
AZ Alkmaar – Reijnen, Johansson, and Ortiz are absent.
Norwegian Eliteserien:
Fredrikstad – Ramberg and Rafn are absent.
Stabaek – No absentees.
Haugesund – Maeland and Bjornbak are absent. Durdic and Skartun return.
Molde FK – Rindaroy and Stensild are absent. Paulsen is a doubt.
Sogndal – Lund, Roed, and Flo are absent. Bakke and Elvis are doubts.
Honefoss – Riski, Olsen, and Gjermundstad are absent. Beugre returns.
Viking Stavanger – Cardozo, Andersson, Landu, and Ingelsten are absent.
Odd Grenland Skien – Semb and Lekvden are doubts.
Lillestrom – Sundgot and Gulbrandsen are absent.
Rosenborg BK – Jamtfall and Strandberg are absent.
Polish Ekstraklasa:
Gornik Zabrze – Zielinski and Maczynski are absent.
Korona Kielce – Golanski, Vukovic, Lisowski, and Stano are absent. Jovanovic is a doubt.
Polonia Warsaw – Sadlok, Jez, and Cani are absent. Bruno and Tralka return. New boss – Michniewicz.
Slask Wroclaw – Celeban is absent. Wasiluk and Cwielag are doubts. Fojut and Pietrasiak return.
Polish Liga 1:
Polonia Bytom – No news.
Olimpia Elblag – Kolodziejski, Sulima, Kaczmarczyk, Lubenow, Miecznik, Pacan, Szamotulski, and Sidorowicz are absent.
Warta Poznan – Slowik and Magdziarz are doubts.
Sandecja Nowy Sacz – No news.
Portuguese Liga Sagres:
Feirense – Diogo Rosado, Stopira, Henrique, and Rabiola are absent. Thiago returns.
Beira-Mar – Edson Sita, Pedro Moreira, and Turan are absent. Nuno Coelho and Artur are doubts.
CD Nacional de Madeira – Skolnik, Oliver, Edgar Costa, and Mateus are absent. Marcelo and Madeira return.
Rio Ave – Wires, Rafa, Fabio Faria, Jose Gomes, and Jorginho are absent. Pateiro and Andre Dias return.
Gil Vicente – Pedro Moreira, Sandro, Roberto, Jorge Baptista, Paulo Arrantes, and Daniel are absent. Murta and To Barbosa return.
Vitoria Setubal – Bruno Amaro and Graca are absent. Kiko, Neca, Hugo Leal, and Djikine return.
Uniao de Leiria – Elvis returns.
Sporting Clube de Lisboa – Rodriguez is absent.
Vitoria Guimaraes – Santana, Edgar, and Toscano are absent. Molina returns.
Pacos de Ferreira – Tony, Manuel Jose, and Sassa are absent.
Russian Premier League:
Amkar’ Perm – Smirnov, Cherenchikov, Volkov, and Dzhalovich are absent.
Terek Grozny – Mguni, Legear, Utsiev, Katzaev, and Sadaev are absent.
Rubin’ Kazan – A.Eremenko, Orehov, Carlos Eduardo, and Kaleshin are absent.
Anzhi Makhachkala – Joao Carlos is absent.
Lokomotiv Moscow – Tarasov, Amelchenko, and Dyuritsa are absent.
Dinamo Moscow – Epureanu is absent.
Scottish Premier League:
Celtic – Cha, Wanyama, Forrest, and Majstorovic are absent.
St.Johnstone – C.Davidson and M.Davidson are absent.
Inverness Caledonian Thistle – A.Shinnie and Hogg are absent.
Hibernian – Murray is absent. Scott is leaving.
Spanish Primera Liga:
Atletico Madrid – Silvio and Antonio Lopez are absent. Juanfran and Gabi return.
Getafe – Michel, Pedro Rios, Pedro Leon, Lopo, Rafa, and Barrada are absent.
Valencia CF – Banega, Canales, Soldado, Bruno, and Jordi Alba are absent. Barragan returns. Brito is a doubt.
Levante – No absentees.
Real Sociedad – Mikel Gonzalez is absent. Markel Bergara is a doubt. Carlos Martinez and Elustondo return.
Rayo Vallecano de Madrid – Diego Benito, Owusu, and Michel are doubts.
Villarreal CF – Nilmar and Rossi are absent.
Espanyol – Albin, Rui Fonte, and Mattioni are absent. Sergio Garcia and Moreno return. Victor Sanchez may debutise.