Most of the sample newsletters posted on here are from day's when results have gone
well, it doesn't really matter, it is more the actual preview as opposed to the results I am trying to promote in any case. However, in the interest of trying to give a true sample, I will also post a cross section of the bad and average days too, yesterday was one of the latter I suppose, as we had two winners and two losers.....
Thursday December 12th
The NFL game makes little appeal today, so just Europa League.
Next email will be at the later time of 10.45 UK time tomorrow, when there will be just one email, with the main focus as usual on Ligue 2, the schedule for the rest of the weekend is .....
Saturday 14/12
Email #1 @ 10.00 UK time with a look at Premier and Football League.
Email #2 @ 13.30 with all the evening/overnight action
There might also be a third email, I will update the situation when I send the Saturday morning notes.
Sunday 15/12
Email #1 @ 10.00 will focus on afternoon matches.
Email #2 @14.00 Everything else, including NFL.
UEFA Europa League:
Maribor-Wigan Athletic
This
will be Uwe Rosler's first game in charge of Wigan, it will be
difficult for his new team to progress to the knockout stage, as they
would need to win and also hope that Rubin Kazan, who have nothing left
to play for, do likewise away to Zulte. Regardless of that, Rosler will
want to start on the front foot and perhaps a win and exiting the
competition would be the perfect outcome, as it has been made clear to
the German coach that at the very least, a playoff push is expected this
season and a return to the Premier League within 18 months. No pressure
there then, with Athletic currently languishing down in 14th place and
facing a big derby game with Bolton Wanderers on Sunday. The Latics have
lost their last five and conceded two or more in the last four and they
need a result more than a performance at present. Further incentive is
the 1,000 + group of travelling fans that the new regime will be looking
to impress and get on their side from the off.
We discussed Maribor very briefly ahead of their home game with Zulte Waregem last month ....
I was originally keen on Maribor at home to Zulte Waregem who have played poorly in the competition and seem on their way out, but the losses of right back Martin Milec (18-3-4), left back Matic Crnic (15-3-5) and striker Jean-Philippe Mendy (22-11-1) for the hosts are huge , it will probably mean a key midfielder covering at the back, which will them weaken them in the middle too and it is hard to see them keeping the visitors out if the away team "try".
I was originally keen on Maribor at home to Zulte Waregem who have played poorly in the competition and seem on their way out, but the losses of right back Martin Milec (18-3-4), left back Matic Crnic (15-3-5) and striker Jean-Philippe Mendy (22-11-1) for the hosts are huge , it will probably mean a key midfielder covering at the back, which will them weaken them in the middle too and it is hard to see them keeping the visitors out if the away team "try".
We
landed a nice bet at circa 3.20 there , with Zulte winning 1-0, Maribor
are currently fourth in the group, but could still finish 2nd with a
win, but would also need Rubin to win, if news comes through that the
Belgian side are ahead, motivation might drop and their attention turn
to a weekend match with Koper , who trail Maribor by two points in a
close title race, with four clubs separated by just three points at the
top of the table. Their last two home games have given cause for
concern, with 7 goals conceded, but they have pledged to go all out for
the win, feel they have progressed since they last met Wigan and have no
major injory concerns coming into the match.But Jean-Philippe Mendy
(see above) has played only 17 minutes in the last six weeks and is
struggling to get rid of a viral infection.
Wigan winger James McClean (22-0-0 all comps) is suspended and
striker Grant Holt (18-2-1) is being rested, but on paper they have a
squad superior on every level , I am not surprised that Holt was left at
home, he is not really in the Rosler mould, at least at present and he
will want the veteran from man to lose 5 kilos and quickly. It looks
like a 4-3-3 for Athletic with McManaman, Fortune and Powell upfront and
they should have too much pace and movement for Maribor. 1.25 Wigan Athletic -0.5 ball 2.31 asian line/Ibramarket.
Wigan: Carson, Nicholls, Crainey, Shotton, Rogne, Boyce, Perch, Barnett, McCann, Watson, Gomez, McManaman, McArthur, Espinoza, Powell, Beausejour, Fortune.
Wigan: Carson, Nicholls, Crainey, Shotton, Rogne, Boyce, Perch, Barnett, McCann, Watson, Gomez, McManaman, McArthur, Espinoza, Powell, Beausejour, Fortune.
Fiorentina- Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk
We discussed Dnipro ahead of their comfortable win at Pacos de Ferreira earlier in the group...
Dnipro are fighting for the title in Ukraine, where Shakhtar and Dynamo look a little weaker this year and seem particularly well suited to playing on the road, having won 7 of their last 9 away days, including a 1-0 win at Pandurii on matchday one. They expected to beat a weakened Fiorentina at home in their second group game, but La Viola battled to a 2-1 win and Dnipro will now be looking for a win to get back on track. Experienced european campaigners nowadays, they came through a group containing PSV and Napoli last season and have a real touch of class with offensive players Evgen Konoplyanka (12-3-1 domestically this season), Evgen Seleznev (13-8-0), Ruslan Rotan (11-0-7) and Roman Zozulya (13-5-4), all regulars in the Ukranian national team. Coach Juande Ramos will be motivated back in his part of the world and his team should win this with a degree of comfort.
They
have fallen off the pace a little domestically, in a very strong
league, but are about to start their Winter break and have had eight
days to prepare for this and will be on holiday afterwards, so I expect
them to want to end on a high and no need to leave anything in "the
bank". This match will decide the group winner, but one point will get
the job done for Fiorentina, three things about that, winning a Europa
League group is never quite as important as in the Champions League, we
know that Italian teams can sometimes go through the motions in such
situations and finally, that the hosts have an important league game on
Sunday and are coming off a tough loss in Roma. We can expect rotation
from the hosts and I have to take a little on Dnipro with the handicap
start. 1.25 units Dnipro +0.5 ball 2.04 asian line/Ibramarket.
Fiorentina: Alonso, Ambrosini, Aquilani, Borja, Bakic, Compper, Cuadrado, Fernandez, Ilicic, Joaquin, Lezzerini, Munua, Neto, Pasqual, Pizarro, Rodriguez, Roncaglia, Rossi, Ryder, Savic, Tomovic, Yakovenko.
Dynamo Kiev- Rapid Wien
I previewed Kiev's trip to Genk on the last group Matchday ...
These two met on Matchday 1
with Genk winning 1-0 in the Ukraine, that was a wide open contest
in no way reflected by the scoreline, 2-2 or 3-2 would have been fairer
and quite how Dynamo did not score, will have to remain one of life's
great mysteries. That doesn't change the fact that the Belgian side are
very tough to beat and motivated to do well in this competition. They
are unbeaten in ten group games, having gone 3-3-0 last season and 2-2-0
this, but I suspect it might be tough to extend that record this
evening,
Dynamo are starting to find their form after an uncharacteristically
sluggish start to their season and they have won their last three,
including a trip to Thun (2-0), by a combined 9-1. There are few teams
more experienced in European terms over the last three decades than
Kiev, with only the very biggest names in football having played more
matches
and we should see them relax and play their natural game tonight. The
two clubs hold a five and four point lead respectively over the other
teams in this section and Kiev are not going to be helped by a point too
much, which will change little, so they have little to lose and plenty
to gain by opening up and looking for the win. Genk have conceded to
both Thun and Raid Wien here and having watched the first leg, I would
be stunned if they kept the visitors from scoring at the very least one
goal.
The
visitors were delayed by three hours leaving
Kiev, but claimed not to be affected by that and were in very bullish
mood and were talking about revenge for the first leg, a defeat which
still "hurt" the players and was still spoken of in the dressing room.
They are without suspended front man Dieumerci Mbokani (21-9-7 all
competitions), but in fellow striker Andriy Yarmolenko (22-14-4) have a
player at the very top of his game. I expect a very open game much like
the first and favour goals.
Kiev
led early, but lost 3-1, good for us of course, but it has meant they
need a point tonight, Rapid can progress with the win and Austrian teams
never seem to need a second invitation to attack in these type of games
and with Dynamo happy to go toe to toe with most, this should again be
an open encounter. Kiev are without suspended striker Dieumerci Mbokani
(22-10-7) which is a loss, but they still have Yarmolenko (see above),
who scored again in Belgium and who is having a season to remember.
Key here for me is
that Rapid are without starting defenders and will have to push forward
and not adopt tactics which teams coming to icy Kiev at this time of
year normally do. They will have to gamble and I expect to see gaps
appear and a comfortable home win. 1.25 units Dynamo Kiev -1.25 goals 2.07 asian line/Ibramarket.
Valencia- Kuban Krasnodar
We discussed Valencia most recently ahead of a trip to injury hit Elche ....
Valencia:Guaita, Alves, Joao, R. Costa, V. Ruiz, Mathieu, Gayà, J. Fuego, Éver, Parejo, Oriol, Piatti, Fede, Feghouli, Míchel, Pabón, Alcácer, Postiga
We spoke about Valencia ahead of their trip to St Gallen earlier this month .... "I was pretty impressed by the hosts ( St G)in their very unlucky loss at
Swansea City and was a bit shocked when they lost the first of their two
matches against a generally out of sorts Valencia 5-1. St Gallen have
scored five goals in winning their last two domestic games to get back
to winning ways and with no league game for 17 days ( Swiss Cup match at
the weekend), I expect them to give this a real go. Only three points
will help them, a match against a big European name is motivation in
itself , but Valencia proved in the first meeting that they are fully
capable of punishing the Swiss side when the gaps appear. Los Che arrive
without a few big names, including keeper Diego Alves (just one
cleansheet in five without
him
this season), left sided Andrés Guardado (10-0-0 all comps), right
back João Pereira (11-0-3 all comps) and right winger Sofiane Feghouli
(12-1-1), that leaves them vunerable on both flanks."
They
won that 3-2 and eight goals against the Swiss side, including three on
the road missing half their starting line up is a good haul and whilst
they are clearly a team in transition and one which is going to blow hot
and cold this season, I have to take them today against a opponent
short of quality options in the centre of the pitch. They have Alves and
Guardado (see
both above) back and striker Jonas (10-5-1... missed the last two
league
games) also returns and they look in good shape for this and I expect
them to boss the midfield. the visitors have looked more comfortable
away from the pressure of Mestalla and three points will keep them in
top 4 contention, which is always a minimum requirement for them,
irrespective of whom they have sold.
They
lost that 2-1, which will have to remain one of life's unsolved
mysteries, that had 25 attempts, half of them "good" ones, on goal and
on another day, would have won by 3-4 goals. we touched upon the
pressure they are under at Mestalla where the crowd do not care about
finances and the terrible position the coaching staff have been put
under, the supporters are used to winning and quick to press the boo
button.
Anyway,
Valencia have already won the group, they travel to Atletico Madrid on
Sunday and host Real Madrid next week, with a Copa del Rey match which
is still in the balance, sandwiched inbetween, I would nominate this as
the least important of the four matches they will play in the next ten
days . No Juan Bernat(17-1-2 all comps) at left back, Sergio
Canales(20-2-3) in midfield, or Jonas (14-8-1) up front for Valencia
and we can expect further rotation.The Russian side can still qualify,
but need help from St Gallen, however a trip to a famous club should be
motivation enough , they have no league game to worry about and they
created plenty of chances at Swansea without seeing much of the ball in
an earlier group game and it might easily be more of the same this
evening. 1.25 units Kuban Krasnodar +0.75 ball 1.98 asian line/Ibramarket.
Valencia:Guaita, Alves, Joao, R. Costa, V. Ruiz, Mathieu, Gayà, J. Fuego, Éver, Parejo, Oriol, Piatti, Fede, Feghouli, Míchel, Pabón, Alcácer, Postiga
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