TFT Issue 504!
FreeHowdy guys and girls!
Bit disappointed with some games yesterday but that’s the internationals for you! Onward and upward, eh?
Featured game
Santos vs Flamengo – home win at 4/5.
The only game I have any interest in today is Flamengo’s trip to Sao Paulo to take on Santos and even this one carries risk so please be careful with stakes!
Ok – the odds are as generous as they are because Santos miss a number of heavy-hitters here. Ganso, Neymar, Arouca, Henrique – they’re all out for varying reasons. I’m not as concerned as I could be with that, though. Andre has proven himself already at this level despite his tender years and with the raw pace of Felipe Anderson and creativity of Patricio Rodriguez, I fancy Santos to cause problems here. After all, this side is bred to attack and score goals so even with so many attacking players missing, I still fancy them to do well today. They need to be clinical and to demonstrate composure that is frankly beyond their years but I think that they’re capable of that as long as they don’t have anyone unnecessarily sent off here. Santos are good at keeping the ball and causing problems and I believe that they can do this today, even without the likes of the sensational Neymar.
Of course, part of my confidence stems from the fact that Flamengo are woeful. I can’t think of a more overrated Serie A side than them, to be frank. Thank God they have Vagner Love or they’d be absolutely horrendous this season, in my view. Recruiting fat and lazy Adriano to help them out was a strange move that may yet pay off for them but I doubt it as he clearly has no intention of putting his back into this work, as missing his first training session with the club indicates all too well. Essential midfielder Renato Abreu, regular defender Gonzalez, and newbie Caceres all miss this game for the visitors, which casts their whole gameplan into shadow, in my view. Vagner Love is still extremely dangerous up front but their options for supporting him are limited to Botinelli, which isn’t deeply concerned, capable though he unquestionably is. Flamengo don’t score goals regularly enough and they’ve started conceding them far too easily too. Losing at Coritiba is acceptable in my world but shipping three goals there without even scoring is unacceptable. Conceding four at Internacional? Not scoring in three out of their last four away games? It’s a bad time to be a Flamengo fan and I think an enthusiastic and tenacious Santos side will bring everything to the game that Flamengo don’t here, irrespective of the fact that Flamengo can name a more recognisable squad than Santos can.
For me, there’s just enough value on Santos to win this game at 4/5 to be interested. I really wouldn’t bother with shorter odds as the number of players that Santos are missing could affect them heavily if things don’t go the way I think that they will. Still, Flamengo are very much a side that lies down and waits to be walked over at the moment and Santos have the determination and the personnel to see it done, hence my interest in the Santos win!
Team news
Brazilian Serie A:
Corinthians – Raul, Juan Martinez, Cassio, Ramirez, Guerrero, Paulinho, Emerson, Jorge Henrique, and Fabio Santos are absent. Chicao and Douglas return.
Ponte Preta – Gustavo and Wescley are absent. Luan is a doubt. Cicinho and Edson Bastos return.
Figueirense – Abreu, Almir, Heber, and Volpi are absent. Fernandes and Aloisio are doubts.
Cruzeiro – Lucas Silva, Victorino, Borges, Ceara, Alex Silva, Fabinho, and William Magrao are absent. Leandro Guerreiro returns.
Portuguesa – Valdomiro, Heverton, and Leandro Silva are absent. Children under 12 wearing the Portuguesa shirt can enter for free so a good crowd is expected.
Fluminense – Wagner, Leandro Euzebio, Deco, Anderson, Valencia, and Marcos Junior are absent.
Atletico Goianiense – Bida, Joilson, Adriano Pimenta, Felipe Brisola, Leonardo, and Rafael Cruz are absent. Ernandes returns. New boss Artur Neto’s “first” game in charge.
Coritiba – Lincoln, Rafinha, Bonfim, Emerson, Roberto, Sergio Manoel, Cleiton, Jackson, and Keirrison are absent. Escudero returns.
Sport Recife – Magrao, Reinaldo, Moacir, and Renan Teixeira are absent.
Bahia – Fahel, Gabriel, Avine, and Coelho are absent.
Atletico Mineiro – Jo and Rever are absent. Bernard returns.
Sao Paulo – Luis Fabiano, Denilson, Canete, Rhodolfo, and Fabricio are absent. Lucas Moura and Maicon return.
Santos – Arouca, Neymar, Ganso, Henrique, Edu Dracena, Miralles, Galhardo, Alison, Paulo Henrique, and Fucile are absent. Bruno Rodrigo and Juan return.
Flamengo – Marcos Gonzalez, Caceres, Maldonado, and Renato Abreu are absent. Ramon returns.
Vasco da Gama – Jonas, Auremir, Carlos Alberto, and Renato Silva are absent. Felipe is a doubt. Feltri, Rodolfo, Wendel, Willian Matheus, and Dede return. Boss Cristovao was fired; interim boss Gaucho is in charge for this game.
Palmeiras – Barcos, Thiago Heleno, Joao Vitor, Fernandinho, Marcos Assuncao, and Wesley are absent. Henrique returns.