TFT Issue 472!
FreeHowdy guys and girls!
Featured game
TPS Turku vs IFK Mariehamn – home win at 9/10.
Today’s featured game is the Veikkausliiga encounter between TPS Turku and IFK Mariehamn.
TPS Turku have returned to form lately, which is pleasing. A loss in Jyvaskyla is acceptable nowadays, although the circumstances surrounding it were peculiar, to say the least. TPS have won three consecutive games prior to that and have already won seven out of ten at home this season, a record that has not been bettered by any other Veikkausliiga side this season. Indeed, only HJK Helsinki have scored more goals at home than TPS Turku have too with TPS Turku averaging scoring two goals per home game. Barring MyPa’s freak win in Turku at the start of the season, it’s taken a lot of firepower and grit for the two remaining away sides to win here, both of which needed to score three goals to do so. TPS are not an easy side to face at the Veritas Stadion and it’s no surprise at all that they’ve won their three home games there recently since having access to the stadium granted once again, scoring nine goals along the way and delivering convincing displays to boot. TPS Turku have a solid and dependable squad with Aaritalo leading their attack, Kolehmainen pulling the strings in midifeld, and Tanska holding the defence together at the back. Although I have question marks over their depth, I rate their first-team highly and with plenty of encouraging signs having come from the TPS Turku camp of late, I do fancy them to beat IFK Mariehamn today.
IFK Mariehamn have been awesome lately, though, haven’t they? They won 0-3 at the Veritas Stadion against Inter Turku lately in a very impressive display. Inter Turku were wasteful and horrific in defence but make no mistake – IFK Mariehamn played very, very well indeed. They’re having a great season, to be fair. Few sides are enjoying playing against them and I doubt TPS Turku will enjoy it today either. However, IFK Mariehamn have suffered a massive blow ahead of this game with starlet Petteri Forsell having finally been snapped up by a big club. I figured he’d be heading to Helsinki to wear that famous blue-and-white but no; he’s skipped that step and headed straight out to Turkey to try and give Bursaspor all the creativity that he can as they desperately need it in their rather flat squad. Now, I’m not saying that IFK Mariehamn are a one-mand team but let’s put it this way; if anyone in their ranks was required more than anyone else in order for IFK Mariehamn to win a game of football then it’s Forsell. He’s been consistently excellent for two seasons now and was a constant threat to opposing defences with his set pieces, his vision, and his passing, not to mention his long-range shots. IFK Mariehamn have had the heartbeat of their side removed and that’s a big problem. Their defence should be as organised as ever so this still won’t be an easy game for TPS Turku but IFK Mariehamn’s chances of scoring have dropped dramatically by my estimation. Kangaskolkka can still cause problems and Okodugha is a handful but Forsell made it all tick and his absence means that IFK Mariehamn’s form should take a downward spiral for the majority of the remainder of the present Veikkausliiga campaign.
I think it’ll be a tight, low-scoring game but ultimately there should only be one side that can score in this game and that’s TPS Turku. For me, there’s value on the home win at 9/10.
Verdict: TPS Turku to win at 9/10.
Additional game
Stabaek vs Brann Bergen – away win at 9/10.
Although Brann Bergen possess one of the worst away records ever seen in Eliteserien history at the present time, the odds on them winning this game are very long. Brann’s football and form have been very good lately and although they have the tactical knowledge of a frog, they’re still very good at scoring goals. They’ve got a lot of players that are hard to handle and have hilariously decided to sign yet another talented attacker. Yes, that’s right – they’ve re-signed Huseklepp, their heroic winger who single-handedly kept them from being relegated a couple of seasons ago. Not only will this boost morale but it makes Brann even more dangerous in the final third. They’re still going to concede because they play a stupidly high line, they forget to mark players, and are always on the offensive. However, this side could and should outscore most of their opponents on a weekly basis; as long as the finesse is there then we’ll start to see it happening more and more often. Brann have bagged ten goals in their last four games and beat Stabaek 2-1 in Bergen at the end of June so they do know how to win this game. I wouldn’t watch this game if you get nervous easily because Brann’s defending (or attempts at it) are not for the faint-hearted. Make no mistake, though – Brann are the much better side here and possess far too much firepower for Stabaek to handle. As long as the visitors do what they do best then they’ll win this game, especially with Stabaek’s kids growing tired after a long season and starting to concede daft goals themselves. Incidentally, Stabaek miss their most recent number one goalkeeper Sayouba and regular defender Eiriksson for this game, which only grants me further confidence in this selection. If Brann are in the mood, they could run riot here.
Verdict: Brann Bergen to win at 9/10.
Team news
Argentinian Primera Division:
Tigre – Arzura is absent.
Estudiantes De La Plata – No absentees.
Danish Superligaen:
SonderjyskE – No absentees.
AC Horsens – Retov is absent.
Finnish Veikkausliiga:
TPS Turku – Rannikko is absent.
IFK Mariehamn – Forsell has left.
Finnish Ykkonen:
KooTeePee Kotka – Shesterkov, Helvelahti, and Linjala may feature.
PK-35 Helsinki – Kabashi, Karki, Seferi, and Raimi are absent.
Norwegian Eliteserien:
Stabaek – Sayouba and Eiriksson are absent. Aase is a big doubt. Jalasto may feature.
Brann Bergen – Kalvenes is a doubt. Huseklepp may feature.
Russian Premier League:
Volga Nizhnyi Novgorod – Salugin and Maksimov are absent.
Rubin Kazan’ – Sharonov and Carlos Eduardo are absent.
Swedish Allsvenskan:
GIF Sundsvall – Skulason is absent.
Djurgarden – Gustafsson, Riddez, and Rajalakso are absent. Hoie returns. Fejzullahu may debutise. Travelled to this match by bus – some 380km.
IFK Norrkoping – Tankovic, Frempong, Da Cruz are absent.
IFK Goteborg – Selakovic is absent. Gerzic and Barkroth return.