TFT Issue 550!

04/11/2012

Howdy guys and girls!

Featured game

SL Benfica II vs Sporting Clube de Lisboa II – over 2.5 goals at 5/6.

Today’s featured game is the Liga de Honra derby between Benfica II and Sporting Lisbon II. Despite these two outfits being the second string of each club, I very much doubt that the hatred between the two sides will be less evident so cards are very much a possibility here.

The only way I can surmise this game is “goals”, though. These two clubs have some of the best kids in Portugal playing for them and it shows. Both sides have demonstrated their ability to score goals on numerous occasions this season. I can’t really bluntly say that one of the two sides is better than the other because they’re pretty well-matched. However, both sides specialise in breaking down defences, in scoring copious amounts of goals, and in providing entertaining games of football and that’s precisely what I expect from this derby today.

Eight out of Benfica II’s eleven games in the Liga de Honra this season have gone over 2.5 goals whilst Sporting have bagged at least two goals per away game for four consecutive games now. I think that these two sides will clash together with their usual sparks and this should lead to an entertaining and action-packed game.

For me, 5/6 on this game going over 2.5 goals is far too generous, hence my selection.

Verdict: Over 2.5 goals at 5/6.

Additional games

Santa Clara vs Atletico Club de Portugal – home win at evens.

Despite not being the most potent of sides, I really fancy Santa Clara to win this one. No trip to The Azores is ever easy; Santa Clara do a remarkably good job of keeping it that way. They’ve got the quality to be a top six side when they choose to show it and I think that they’ll do that today. Most Portuguese sides knock the ball around nicely and Santa Clara don’t really like to play against that style. Santa Clara are very much a direct side and that counters Atletico’s game today. Atletico are a pretty piss-poor side, in all honesty, and this game should be beyond them for that reason. Santa Clara may be under-achieving at the present time but they’re still a good side and they should be able to use their experience and superiority against their opponents today. Luis Miguel’s side knows how to play well at home and has key players in each position with Brazilian striker Porcellis leading the line, Canadian playmaker Pacheco dictating the tempo, and experienced Luiz Carlos commanding the defence. Santa Clara are a very complete side in that sense; I just wish that they’d take their chances more often. Either way, they should be able to win this one today – Atletico really don’t have enough to handle them either in terms of individual quality or in terms of their tactical approach.

Verdict: Santa Clara to win at evens.

Naval de Maio vs Vitoria Guimaraes II – home win at evens.

Things are finally beginning to look up for Naval and it’s not simply a case of new boss Magalhaes turning things around. No, the Naval players actually received their first salary for some time recently so they should be pretty buoyant today. They’ve started scoring goals with considerable ease, which was to be expected from a side that should realistically be battling for promotion this season. Toze Marreco has been in good form this season and collectively speaking, this Naval side is good enough to ensure that he has the appropriate service all season long. There are plenty of talented attacking players in the Naval ranks and I think we’re going to see more and more of that as the season unwinds.

Visitors Vitoria Guimaraes II simply aren’t a very good side, to be blunt. Anyone that is good will be promoted to their senior team rather rapidly due to the lack of depth, lack of quality, and lack of financial clout in the senior team. Much like their senior team, Vitoria will battle hard and any side that isn’t up for the fight will struggle to deal with them. You tend to only see them at their best at home, though – they don’t attack anywhere near regularly enough on the road to make things happen. They’ve not scored in four out of five away games in the Liga de Honra this season and the one goal that they did score was at Benfica II, who can’t defend. Vitoria can cause the odd surprise, depending on how generous their senior team are feeling player-wise, but they’re not a very good side overall and Naval should really beat them today with that in mind.

Verdict: Naval de Maio to win at evens.

Real Sociedad vs Espanyol – home win at 5/6.

Espanyol aren’t an easy side to face at any time of season but they’re facing a tough task in the Basque country today as they take on San Sebastian’s finest – Real Sociedad.

The hosts have established themselves as being one of the leading Primera Liga sides when it comes to making home advantage count. Roaring fans, an assured passing game, and the right amount of flair required to break the deadlock give Real Sociedad a strong edge at home. Unlike most Primera Liga sides, Real Sociedad can not only hold a lead but they actually welcome it. They’ve got a very dependable back four and an excellent goalkeeper in Bravo (although he is missing today) and they’ll happily defend any lead that they get. They don’t have so much joy away from Anoeta but on their own turf, few sides get the better of them. The likes of Xabi Prieto, Griezmann, and especially Vela cause their opponents a lot of problems and that’s precisely what I expect today, especially as playmaker Zurutuza is missing so a wide game looks likely. Real Sociedad are a much better side than they’re given credit for and they’re a rather complete side, too.

I really don’t think that Espanyol have enough going for them right now to get a result in San Sebastian, truth be told. Catalans are never welcome in the Basque country as it is but Espanyol have had a rotten start to their Primera Liga campaign, already having lost a number of games. They’ve been beaten in three out of their four away games this season and a lack of attacking threat means that falling behind tends to be fatal for them. They may have Garcia back up front to ease their attacking woes but there’s a lot of work to do as they seek to continue without the impressive Coutinho, who is back with Internazionale. I won’t deny that Verdu and co. are capable of upsetting most Primera Liga sides on their day but Espanyol’s day has been few and far between this season. I find it very hard to see them suddenly discovering their elusive form at such a difficult venue so I think that they’ll struggle today.

For me, the home win has value at 5/6.

Verdict: Real Sociedad to win at 5/6.

Genclerbirligi vs Elazigspor – home win at 4/5.

As a whole, it can be argued that Genclerbirligi don’t do enough to win games. However, when it comes to playing at home, this side can be made to look like Gods due to the support they have, the belief that is instilled in the players, and their ability to keep the ball. They already average scoring nearly three goals per home game in the Super Lig this season and with Zec linking up well with the midfield, I don’t see that run changing any time soon. There are some very underrated players in this team and I like the fact that they snared the impressive Durmaz on the wing. This Genclerbirligi side looks very comfortable on the ball and has plenty of pace so they’re not a side to underestimate. Genclerbirligi are in-form and are scoring goals for fun so I think that they’re going to have another good game today.

Visitors Elazigspor have produced some good displays this season but are still lacking that killer touch in front of goal. Fat Zaki and veteran Tum aren’t quite the saviours that Elazigspor hoped that they would be so an awful lot is beginning to depend on the pace of Faubert and Feindouno in midfield. Elazigspor do have a lot of tenacity in their ranks; that can’t be underestimated. However, they’ve lost three out of four on the road already this season and shipped at least three goals in each of those defeats so how they hope to contain a strong Genclerbirligi side today I don’t quite know.

For me, the home win at 4/5 should have some value today.

Verdict: Genclerbirligi to win at 4/5.

Team news

Argentinian Primera Division:

Godoy Cruz de Mendoza – Insua is absent.
Newell’s Old Boys – Heinze is absent. Sperdutti is a doubt.
Quilmes – Lema, Carli, Garnier, and Caneo are absent. Telechea and Romero are doubts.
Colon de Santa Fe – Caire and Pellegrino are absent.
All Boys – Ahumada is absent. Vildozo is a doubt.
River Plate – Aguirre, Maidana, and Ramiro Funes Mori are absent.

Australian A-League:

Brisbane Roar – Franjic is a doubt.
Adelaide United – McKain and Caravella are doubts.

Brazilian Serie A:

Atletico Goianiense – Rafael Cruz, Wesley, Marcos, Adriano Pimenta, Felipe Brisola, Ricardo Bueno, Diego Giaretta, and Bida are absent.
Corinthians – Guerrero, Wallace, Emerson, and Denner are absent. Danilo is a doubt.
Palmeiras – Joao Vitor, Valdivia, Fernandinho, Thiago Heleno, and Leandro are absent. Line-up named as Bruno, Artur, Mauricio Ramos, Henrique, Juninho, Joao Denoni, Marcos Assuncao, Wesley, Patrick Vieira, Luan, and Barcos.
Botafogo – Seedorf, Marcelo Mattos, Lucas Zen, and Fabio Ferreira are absent. Lucas is a doubt.
Sao Paulo – Ganso, Canete, and Fabricio are absent. Paulo Miranda is a doubt. Jadson returns.
Fluminense – Deco, Anderson, and Leandro Euzebio are absent. Wagner is a doubt.
Vasco da Gama – Chaparro, Luan, Dede, and Carlos Alberto are absent. Alecsandro is a doubt. Tenorio returns.
Sport Recife – Renan Teixeira, Magrao, and Rene are absent. Diego Ivo and Gilsinho return.
Coritiba – Keirrison, Cleiton, Jackson, Demerson, Sergio Manoel, Emerson, Everton Costa, and Thiago Primao are absent. Bonfim, Robinho, and Ayrton return.
Atletico Mineiro – Pierre, Carlos Cesar, and Rafael Marques are absent. Junior Cesar returns.
Nautico – Rogerinho, Marlon, and Ramirez are absent. Ronaldo Alves returns.
Internacional – Datolo, Mike, Dagoberto, Fred, Forlan, and D’Alessandro are absent. Ygor and Damiao return.
Portuguesa – Leandro Euzebio is absent. Rumour has it that Palmeiras have offered Portuguesa a bonus if they win this game for obvious reasons.
Bahia – Lulinha, Danny Morais, and Avine are absent. Fahel returns.

Bulgarian A PFG:

Minior Pernik – Vasilev, Stoichev, Bibishkov, Trayanov, Tom, Minov, and Hristozov are absent. Tsvetkov is a doubt.
Levski Sofia – Vesalov, Tsonev, and Vutov are absent.
Botev Vratsa – Varela returns.
Slavia Sofia – Kokonov and Yankov are absent. Lopes and Popara return.
Lokomotiv Plovdiv – Stankov, Dimitriu, and Zhilkov are absent.
Botev Plovdiv – S.Kostov is absent.
CSKA Sofia – Anise is absent. Skiorili may debutise. Neutral venue.
Montana – Lichkov, Pashov, and Kovachev are absent.
Lokomotiv Sofia – Dafchev and Telkyiski return.
Beroe – T.Hristov returns.
Pirin Gotse Delchev – Pirgov returns.
Chernomorets Burgas – Boli is absent.
Litex Lovech – No absentees.
Cherno More Varna – Palominho is absent. Manolov returns.
Ludogorets – Gargorov is a doubt.
Etar – Saidhodzha is absent. Mesina may debutise.

Croatian Prva Liga:

Osijek – Misic, Dugandzic, Petrovic, Perosevic, Milicevic, and Sorsa are absent.
Lokomotiva Zagreb – Musa is absent.

Czech Republic Gambrinus Liga:

Hradec Kralove – Malinsky is absent. Klapka, Plasil, and Janousek are doubts.
Ceske Budejovice – Linhart, Riegel, Klesa, and Repka are absent.
Zbrojovka Brno – Svancara and Halaska are absent.
Dukla Prague – No absentees.
Sigma Olomouc – No absentees.
Marila Pribram – Tarczal and Koukal are absent.
Slavia Prague – Juhar, Vosahlik, and Zakostelsky are absent.
Viktoria Plzen – Pavlik and Hanousek are absent.  Prochazka is a doubt.

Danish Superligaen:

Randers – van der Schaaf and Rise return. Schwartz and Borring are absent.
AC Horsens – No news.
Brondby – No news.
OB Odense – Anier and N.Jorgensen are absent.
AGF Aarhus – Haland, Kure, Norregaard, and Johansson are absent. Devdariani and M.Jorgensen return.
FC Copenhagen – No news.

French Ligue 1:

AC Ajaccio – Delort, Jemal, Eduardo, Cavalli, Begeorgi, and Lasne are absent. Tiberi returns.
Olympique de Marseille – Fanni, Barton, N’Diaye, and Gignac are absent. Diawara returns.
Olympique Lyonnais – Benzia, Bisevac, Bastos, and Grenier are absent. Gourcuff returns.
Bastia – Ilan, Angoula, and Mary are absent. Sans and Modeste return.
Girondins de Bordeaux – Poundje, Diabate, Bellion, and Traore are absent. Sane returns.
Toulouse – Zebina and Yago are absent.

German Bundesliga:

Bayer 04 Leverkusen – Schwaab is absent. Wollscheid and Toprak are doubts.
Fortuna Dusseldorf – Fomitschow, Fink, Reisinger, and Malezas are absent. Lambertz is a doubt.
Werder Bremen – Fritz and Papastathopoulos are absent.
Mainz 05 – Klasnic, Mueller, and Caligiuri are absent.

Israeli Ligat Ha’al:

Maccabi Netanya – First game in their new stadium. No absentees.
Hapoel Tel-Aviv – Tamuz, Vermouth, and Abutbul are absent.

Italian Serie A:

Atalanta Bergamo – Radovanovic, Masiello, Ferri, Ferreira Pinto, and Capelli are absent. Cazzola, Biondini, and Bellini are doubts.
Bologna – Acquafresca, Gimenez, Natali, and Portanova are absent. Perez, Morleo, Curci, and de Carvalho are doubts.
Cagliari – Conti and Nainggolan are absent. Avramov, Ariaudo, and Camilleri are doubts.
Catania – Sciacca and Augustyn are absent. Terracciano, Keko, Bellusci, and Barrientos are doubts.
Fiorentina – Camporese is absent.
Genoa – Ferronetti, Rossi, and Vargas are absent. Jankovic is a doubt.
Lazio – Ederson, Marchetti, and Sculli are absent. Klose is a doubt.
SSC Napoli – Britos, Cavani, Pandev, and Zuniga are doubts.
Palermo – Hernandez, Milanovic are absent. Cetto and Donati are doubts.
Parma – Santacroce, Galloppa are absent. Amauri and Belfodil are doubts.
Pescara – Crescenzi and Savelloni are absent. Terlizzi, Romagnoli, Colucci, and Brugman are doubts.
AS Roma – Guberti, Lobont are absent. Taddei, Stekelenburg, Osvaldo, de Rossi, Castan, and Balzaretti are doubts.
Sampdoria – Pozzi, Berardi, Bertani, and Krsticic are absent. Obiang, Munari, Maresca, Costa, and Berni are doubts.
Siena – Rodriguez, Martinez, Belmonte, Larrondo, Terzi, and Vitiello are absent. Felipe, Campagnolo, D’Agostino, Neto, and Rosina are doubts.
Torino – Suciu is absent. Vives, Ogbonna, and Masiello are doubts.
Udinese – Pinzi, Pasquale, Muriel, and Benatia are absent. Mazzarani, Gabriel, Di Natale, and Danilo are doubts.

Dutch Eredivisie:

Groningen – Johansson is absent.
NEC Nijmegen – van Loen, Foor, Conboy, and Sno are absent.
Twente Enschede – Bengston, Fer, Bulykin, Boyata, Rendla, and Bjelland are absent.
Feyenoord Rotterdam – Mulder, Mokotjo, and Cisse are absent.
Heerenveen – Vandenbussche is absent.
PEC Zwolle – Slot, van Hintum, and Narsingh are absent.
AZ Alkmaar – Lewis and Martens are absent.
VVV Venlo – Altheer and Meeuwis are absent.
NAC Breda – Zonneveld, Edwards, Seuntjens, Looms, and Hooi are absent.
RKC Waalwijk – Barroilhet, Ramos, Janssen, and Jungschlager are absent.

Polish Ekstraklasa:

Lechia Gdansk – Kostrzewa, Bajic, Airapetian, Malkowski, Kaniecki, Wisniewski, and Rasiak are absent. Andreu and Bieniuk are doubts.
Legia Warsaw – Saganowski, Choto, Efir, and Wolski are absent.
Polonia Warsaw – Cani, Kielb, and Dieme are absent. Kokoszka returns.
Korona Kielce – Vukovic and Kuzera are absent. Golanski returns.

Polish Liga 1;

Kolejarz Stroze – No news.
Flota Swinoujscie – No absentees.
Warta Poznan – No news.
Tychy 71 – No news.
LKS Lodz – Zoltowski and Staporski are doubts.
Miedz Legnica – Zasada returns.
Stomil Olsztyn – No news.
Arka Gdynia – Benevente is absent. Kuklis is a doubt.

Portuguese Liga Sagres:

Pacos de Ferreira – Cohene and Poulson are absent. Nuno Santos returns.
Olhanense – Luis Filipe, Verissimo, and Mauricio are absent. Ivanildo returns.
CD Nacional de Madeira – Rui Silva and Manual da Costa are absent. Vladan and Jota return.
Beira-Mar – Saleh is absent. Hugo is a doubt. Blaboa returns.
Moreirense – Andre Luiz and Pintassilgo are absent.
Rio Ave – Rodriguez, Hassan, Lopes, Feliz, and Pateiro are absent. Del Valle, Vilas Boas, and Esmael return.
Academica de Coimbra – N’Gal, Sana, Saleiro, Halliche, Reiner, Joao Real, Helder Cabral, and Marcos Paulo are absent. Magique returns.
Estoril – Henrique and Gomes are absent.
Vitoria Setubal – Jorge Luz is absent. Gallo and Amorebieta return.
Sporting Clube de Lisboa – Carrillo and Boulharouz are absent.

Romanian Liga:

Steaua Bucharest – Bratu is absent.
Dinamo Bucharest – No absentees.
Otelul Galati – Grahovac, Silviu Ilie, Mardare, and Inkango are absent.
Gaz Metan Medias – Vitinho, Vasilache, Alex Muntean, Plesca, and Buchta are absent.

Russian Premier League:

CSKA Moscow – Necid, Doumbia, and Dzagoev are absent.
Lokomotiv Moscow – Grigoriev, Zapater, and Torbinsky are absent.
Anzhi Makhachkala – Diarra is absent.
Terek Grozny – Vlasov, Rybus, and Katzaev are absent.
FK Krasnodar – Lambarschi and Nakhushev are absent.
Dinamo Moscow – No absentees.

Spanish Primera Liga:

Real Sociedad – Zurutuza, Bravo, Elustondo, and Cadamuro are absent.
Espanyol – Sanchez, Forlin, and Lopez are absent.
Deportivo La Coruna – Aguilar and Salomao are absent.
Real Mallorca – Navarro, Gimenez, Nunes, Victor, and Marquez are absent.
Osasuna – Lamah, Nuno, and Bertran are absent.
Real Valladolid – Valiente, Pena, and Rubio are absent.
Granada – Yebda, Romero, Brahimi, and Rico are absent.
Athletic Club de Bilbao – Gurpegi, Ekiza, Ander Herrera, Perez, and Ruiz de Galarreta are absent.
Sevilla CF – Trochowki and Perotti are absent.
Levante – Dudka is absent.

Swedish Allsvenskan:

Orebro – Berger is absent.
GAIS Goteborg – Angus is absent.
Gefle – No news.
Helsingborg – Baffo and Sadiku are absent.
GIF Sundsvall – Skulason is absent.
BK Hacken Goteborg – Anklev is absent.
Elfsborg Boras – Hult is absent.
Atvidaberg – No news.
IFK Goteborg – Jonsson, Stiller, Dyrestam, and Lund are absent.
Djurgarden – Riddez, Pedersen, Span, and Sjolund are absent.
AIK Solna – Karlsson and Danielsson are absent.
Malmo FF – da Silva is absent.

Turkish Super Lig:

Gaziantepspor – Ekiosun is absent.
Elazigspor – Ak and Atalay are absent.
Besiktas JK – Demirci, Pektemek, Koybasi, Toraman, Quaresma, Akgun, and Karadeniz are absent.
Mersin Idmanyurdu – Baris and Sarp are absent.
Orduspor – Sahin, Tuncer, and Kayali are absent.
Sivasspor – Borjan, Sahin, Celikay, Cerny, and Chahechouhe are absent.