TFT Issue 58!
FreeHowdy guys and girls!
The bin
LKS Lodz vs Warta Poznan – home win at 5/6.
I was ready to take this one until I heard Smolinski is a big doubt ’cause he’s their main creative player. Warta have done really well since the break and will no doubt continue to do so but their newly-assembled team isn’t ready to beat the likes of LKS Lodz yet so I think the hosts will teach them a bit of a lesson at decent odds. However, I’m going to avoid this one – I don’t trust LKS without Smolinski.
Featured game
Spain vs Czech Republic – home win with -1.5 handicap at 4/5.
Today’s featured game is the UEFA European Championship Qualifier in Granada between Spain and Czech Republic. Spain are first in the group and Czech Republic are second in the group following decent starts from both sides and you could be forgiven for thinking that this will be a close game.
Spain, Spain, Spain – what can I tell any of you about Spain that you don’t already know? For me, this is the best side in the world by a long way because they excel in almost every area. In attack, the pace of Torres and off-the-ball brilliance of Villa, not to mention the towering frame of Llorente each provide a dangerous threat in the Spanish attack depending on who Spain are facing. The creative brilliance of Xavi, Iniesta, and Xabi Alonso gives Spain a good chance of creating chances against anyone in the world. The pace of Navas and Silva makes them dangerous down the flanks, especially with the support of Ramos and Capdevila, although I must confess that I hope to see Iraola instead of Ramos purely from a biased perspective! Spain’s central defence can be vulnerable as there’s no Puyol to command the defence but I have zero concerns over that in this game as I simply don’t rate the Czech attack. Spain should dominate this game from start to finish it and make it four wins from four games in the group, in my view.
Why? Well, the Czechs aren’t what they were nowadays. They’re still a big name as a football side but that’s all as their talent is rapidly dwindling. The only quality players that remain in this team nowadays are Cech and Rosicky, in my view, with Baros far too injury-plagued to contribute what he once used to be able to. The only player that’s emerging and proving to be a decent threat is Necid in attack with Czech Republic’s team filled with hard-workers but generally average players. Sivok is a good player but I have to confess that I must prefer to see him in the holding midfield role rather than at centre-back. Plasil is a fairly skilful player in midfield but just look at who’ll be with him in what should be a 4-5-1 – Polak? That said, the Czechs have bizarrely named a lot of strikers for this game and if they go 4-4-2 then they’re going to get torn apart, in my view. It’s good to see young Kadlec getting a chance to prove his worth and even in-form Rezek getting another shot but where is Pekhart? Where is Kolar? These players are good enough to play at this level but neither have been selected despite good campaigns. Hubschman and Sivok provide the steel in the rearguard but the Czechs are vulnerable at full-back on both sides and to be honest, there are too many holes in this side for me to take their chances seriously today.
Czech Republic lost 4-2 in Croatia in their last international game whereas Spain edged to a 1-0 victory at home to Colombia. Both results were expected, in my eyes, with Spain always struggling to break down physical hispanic sides and usually needing to bring Llorente off the bench to use his height to win games and with the Czech Republic defending like idiots, although I must confess that they surprised me by scoring twice with a fairly impotent attacking line. Spain are twice the side that the Czechs are nowadays though, unfortunately, and the Czechs’ inability to score goals has been highlighted in numerous games over the past few months so for me, taking Spain -1.5 at 4/5 represents good value today.
Spain squad:
Goalkeepers – Casillas, Valdes, Reina
Defenders – Albiol, Pique, Marchena, Iraola, Capdevila, Ramos, Arbeloa
Midfielders -Iniesta, Xavi, Xabi Alonso, Busquets, Cazorla, Martinez, Silva, Navas, Mata
Strikers – Villa, Torres, Llorente
Czech Republic squad:
Goalkeepers – Cech, Lastuvka, Vaclik
Defenders – Hubschman, Hubnik, Kadlec, Kusnir, Rajnoch, Sivok, Pospech
Midfielders – Moravek, Hlousek, Polak, Plasil, Rosicky, Pudil
Strikers – Baros, Kadlec, Kozak, Lafata, Necid, Rezek
Verdict: Spain to beat the -1.5 handicap at 4/5.