TFT Issue 480!
FreeHowdy guys and girls!
Featured game
Dukla Prague vs Slovacko – home win with -1 Asian Handicap at evens.
Today’s featured game is the Czech Republic Gambrinus Liga game between Dukla Prague and Slovacko.
I really love what Dukla Prague have done since being promoted to this division once again. They aren’t the same size club as they once were but try telling their fans that! They demand success and they get it at home too. It takes a very good side to come to Prague and not lose against Dukla. The bigger sides tend to manage it but all of the equal or lesser sides lose here, and usually by a couple of goals, too. By my reckoning, the only side to get a result here last season that probably shouldn’t have was Teplice in what was a rather rare 0-0 draw. Dukla Prague are very strong at home and they tend to score a lot of goals against weak opposition so why not again today? They’ve already bagged seven goals in three games this season and won 4-0 against Teplice in their last home game so I fancy them to do well again here, especially with the return of the influential Maly today.
Visitors Slovacko are in a bad way. It’s only been three games in the current campaign and they’ve already fired their manager due to three consecutive losses. It’s not just three losses, either, though – it’s the horrendous way in which they’ve played. They’ve scored one goal and shipped seven goals, which is far from ideal. It’s hard to say that they’re a one-man band but ever since Pavelka went back to Sparta Prague, they’ve looked pretty damn poor. Valenta and Volesak give them some quality in midfield but it’s not enough to provide Libor Dosek with the support that he needs. Without it, he’s just a desperate and useless beanpole of a forward. Give him the right service and he will find the net from a set piece or a long ball. Give him no service and he’s the worst forward in the Czech Republic – it really is that simple. Slovacko’s Assistant Manager has taken over charge of this mediocre outfit for this game and with times hard and morale very low, I can’t see them being able to remotely handle an enthusiastic and deadly Dukla Prague today.
For me, the home win with -1 Asian Handicap is a bit of a steal at evens, especially as Dukla Prague are never short of motivation.
Verdict: Dukla Prague to beat the -1 Asian Handicap at evens.
Additional game:
Mirandes vs Huesca – home win at evens.
It’s sometimes hard to find coverage of such sides but I managed to see Mirandes a few times last season and you know what? This is a really, really good team. They’re very strong in attack and have a very good level of understanding, which is not uncommon for a Basque side. They play good football and they score goals for fun. Sure, Segunda Liga is different to Segunda B but not massively, in my opinion. Mirandes this season remind me of Alcorcon of a few years ago, who settled down well in the Segunda Liga and have played well ever since. Mirandes have lots of experienced players in their ranks and they’ve added to it too, signing former Malaga goalkeeper Goitia and striker Diaz de Cerio from Athletic Club de Bilbao. Although it’s been a while, de Cerio once dominated this division with his striking prowess and he’s more than capable of doing the same again. He didn’t do much at Athletic due to persistent injuries and thus he didn’t get any game time. I rate de Cerio, though – I think it’s potentially a very good signing. Mirandes are a very “over 2.5 goals” team and I think we’ll see plenty of examples of that this season. They’ll be keen to start the season well at home and with few changes to their squad from last season, I expect more quality football from them.
Huesca aren’t a bad side but they’re not great either. They struggle a lot on the road, which is largely due to their defensive ineptitude. I liked Huesca’s ability to control certain games last season, I have to admit. However, with half of their midfield having departed pre-season (Lluis Sastre and Julian Suarez to Real Valladolid) I find it very hard to see them getting something here. They lack the defensive composure to do well on the road and unless they score a number of goals here, I think they’ll lose the game.
My concern would be the experience of Huesca’s strikers, which is considerable. However, Mirandes are a good side and I’ll give them the nod to win this one at evens as a result.
Verdict: Mirandes to win at evens.
Team news
Argentinian Primera Division:
Colon de Santa Fe – Ruben Ramirez is a doubt. Poblete returns.
Belgrano de Cordoba – Victor Aquino and Cesar Pereyra are doubts. Juan Olave returns.
Croatian Prva Liga:
NK Zagreb – Jurendic is a doubt.
Slaven Koprivnica – Glavica, Bubnjic, Saban, and Kupresak are absent.
Czech Republic Gambrinus Liga:
Dukla Prague – Maly returns.
Slovacko – Kordula is absent. Boss Soukoup has been fired; Assistant Dekar will lead the team for this game.
Danish Superligaen:
Aalborg BK – No absentees.
Midtylland – Korch, Madsen, R.Christensen, Koch, Larsen, Janssen, Hassan are absent,
Polish Ekstraklasa:
Pogon Szczecin – Lawa is absent.
Zaglebie Lubin – No news.
Piast Gliwice – No news. Away fans not allowed for this game.
Gornik Zabrze – Kwiek is a doubt. No away fans allowed.
Portuguese Liga Sagres:
Olhanense – David Silva, Abdi, Boka, Mauricio, Rui Duarte, and Donofrio are absent.
Estoril – Tiago Gomes is absent.
Romanian Liga:
CFR Cluj – Muresan, Deac, and L.Ganea are absent.
CSMS Iasi – Tinca is absent.
Concordia Chiajna – No absentees.
Dinamo Bucharest – Stratila is absent.
Turnu Severin – No news.
Universitatea Cluj – No news.
Turkish Super Lig:
Eskisehirspor – Sezgin Cosgun is absent.
Akhisar Belediye – No absentees.