OlhOrebOque
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Posts posted by OlhOrebOque
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Re: Euro 2012 Qualifying > 7th September Norway vs Portugal Pick : Home win Odds : 3.35 @Pinnacle Second game for both teams in group H, a group that includes Denmark, Iceland and Cyprus. Norway with a better start won in Iceland last friday while super favourites Portugal conceeded a 4-4 home draw against a surprising Cyprus. I didn't saw the game of Norway but i know they suffered the first goal and then turned things on the second half. Norway proved to be stronger and seems a well organized team with a strong leadership. They have some experienced well known players like John Carew and Riise, whom i just realized won't play tomorrow, and several players that play on english and german main leagues so i guess they are a difficult competitive team, and not a naÃve bunch of players. Discipline and organization is precisely what seems to be missing in my beloved country, particularly in terms of football. Since the end of World Cup a sucession of "tragic episodes" have been entertaining the people and making the papers front pages daily : first a process against coach Queiroz, still punished, allegedly for interrupting the anti-doping control, even before the departure to South Africa. The situation was solved with a suspension but then things got a little more complicated and even the secretary of sports is now involved and this doesn't seem to have an end soon. The general idea we all have is that someone wants to frame Queiroz (and not pay him) so the situation is pretty critical. In terms of football, the disorganization, particularly in defense, on the game was evident. We lack a voice of command on the pitch and, at this point, even on the bench. Players seem to be playing for themselves and this is no good. In this scenario, Norway may take advantage of this disorientation on the portuguese side and even win this match. It wouldn't come as a suprise if we know the lack of leadership that we feel on our national team.
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Re: UEFA Europa League » Dec 02 FC Bate vs SL Benfica Pick : Draw Odds : 3.72 @5dimes Fact: Benfica with one foot on the next round of this competition: a draw is enough for them to qualify for next stage, and even the defeat will be good in case AEK doesn't win against Everton. Game will be played in Minsk instead of Bate's small stadium but the cold and pitch conditions might be a problem, or a great excuse, for Benfica in case they fail completely tonight. And how we portuguese people love a good excuse!!! Home lads proved to be a well organized team and showed some good football here in Lisbon that's why Benfica only scored twice when almost everybody expected 4 or 5 goals. They have little chances of qualifying as they would have to beat Benfica and beat Everton in Liverpool on the final round. It's not impossible but it certainly is most unlikely they can win both games. Benfica that scored only once on the last three matches, though i do suspect of the downtrend of this team will have some changes on the main team: defenders Luisao and Sidnei are both out injured. Main keeper Quim will be replaced by nº2 brasilian Julio Cesar and most certainly one of the following three, Aimar, Saviola or Di Maria will rest for this game.* Bate will do all to win against portuguese team but the question is, being clearly weaker than Benfica do Krivets and Co have enough skills and hability to win ? My answer would be maybe, if Benfica confirms a small crisis scenario and fails to score again. Somehow, this game reminds me of the play-off match against Vorskla when Benfica won 4 nil in Lisbon and went to Ucraine and lost by one goal. Coach Jesus said he wanted to win the group and avoid the, theoretically, stronger teams from Champions League on next stage but I see a draw here and job done for the "red devils". * - My bet would be Aimar, as he as been diving too much lately.
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Re: Champions League » Nov 25 Champions League FC Porto vs Chelsea Pick : FC Porto -1EH X (FC Porto to win by one goal) Odds : 4.5 @ Sportingbet With both teams already qualified for next round in discussion here only which one will win the group and, theoretically, get an easier adversary on the next stage of the competition. Fc Porto has been quite distant from what they were in previous years but for CL they were somewhat lucky to catch an unrecognisable Atletico de Madrid and this fact determined their qualification much sooner than most would expect. On the portuguese league its public that this team still misses "El Comandante" (Lucho Gonzalez) and their midfield has been clearly the cause of their troubles. Coach Jesualdo has time in this 20 days of stoppage to clear out some ideas and hopefully this game might be the "renaissance" of the old Porto. I see two reasons for Porto wanting very desperately to win this match : 1º recover some prestige, as coach Jesualdo might be under criticism he, more than anyone else, will want to give a sclear sign to the "blue nation" that he's the man to put this team playing well once and for all; 2 º money, and here this item should be more important for the portuguese side rather than the opposite. On the game in Stanford Bridge FC Porto played well and didn't deserve to loose at all and maybe this lead to Chelsea main man Ancelotti to say that Porto is equal as best english teams. Chelsea that is one point ahead of Porto (and hosts Apoel on the last round, while FC Porto travels to Madrid) comes to this match probably rotating some players as next weekend they have a tough match against Arsenal and the Premiership is a priority rather than risking everything on tonite's match. With Lampard and Drogba out it's maybe time we see Hulk and maybe others starring high in a night that will be rainy for sure in the city of Porto.
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Re: UEFA Europa League » Oct 22
Bang bang' date=' Benfica up 1-0 at HT and 3mins of the 2nd half played game set and match its now 3-0.... :cow[/quote'] Don't want to sound too convinced or brag about my bettinfg day but i just want to shares this : i left work at half time and they were winning one nothing. When i was in the train 15 mins later i asked some guy who was listening and he told it was 4 nothing and i couldn't believe my ears : I had Benfica to win Benfica -1 AH Benfica -1&-1.5 AH Benfica -1,5AH Benfica -1EH Over 2,5 goals Being a Sporting fan, my day ended perfectly with my team winning and almost conquering the ticket to Europa next station. Cheers! -
Re: UEFA Europa League » Oct 22 Benfica vs Everton Pick : Home win Odds : 1.91 @Ladbrokes After a good start against Bate from Belarus with a solid 2-0 win in Lisbon no one would predict a slip of this renewed Benfica at the feet of some out of form greek team like AEK but it did happen. Benfica could have won that game in Greece so many were the chances created and that result was a setback and many people here started to doubt of the capacity of this Benfica in big matches or even on an european competition. Understanding that main priority is the championship, i am convinced of two things for today's match : that coach Jesus won't look down on it and will do everything he can to win it for two reasons. First, keep the high morale of the team and keep the fans around the team, following them wherever they go, as we have seen here with all venues at full capacity. Second, to cast away for good all the demons from last season pathetic campaign on Uefa Cup, demons that came up to many fans minds after that defeat against the greeks. Everton is not doing very well this season on premiership and comes from two draws against Stoke (away) and Wolverhampton (away). They are placed mid table and i've read that they were lucky to get that win in Belarus against Bate. Also it seems that there are some injuries affecting the team especially those of defender Yobo and midfielder Piennar among other long term absences. According to their coach, a draw in Lisbon would be perfect for them. Wisely, as usually, coach Jesus withdrew all pressure from his lads shoulders by admitting in press conference that this is not crucial for them, and that Benfica-AEK is thee game. By doing so, i expect a team playing with tranquility and playing well, and probably scoring some goals like he also promised there would be, and i can't see Everton capable of taking any point from this match. I see Benfica winning again and by doing so, they'll level Everton and put pressure on AEK that will play on Belarus. All in all, this is game between an in form (strong) team especially at home, that plays for the title and an average team english team, not doing so well on their league and that is closer to the relegation places rather than the first group that fight for Europa league. Benfica will win this match and jump to first place with Everton.
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Re: World Cup Qualifiers 10th October 2009 The stadium of Luz, lately a venue that gathers 50,000 to check Benfica's good moment is still with half its capacity. Seems the portuguese fans have turned their backs to their national team. Ronaldo is ok for the game but i do not know for sure, if this is really important news or rather the result from the Danmark vs Sweden match instead. Meanwhile, i fight hard against myself to avoid betting on this match. :unsure
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Re: Uefa Champions League Play Off 2nd Leg 25/26 August Fiorentina vs Sporting My picks for this match : Fiorentina to qualify for next round 9/10 Fiorentina to win 8/10 Fiorentina -1 AH 6/10 Fiorentina -1EH 5/10 Over 2,5 goals 5/10 Sporting has important absences but mainly Sporting and its coach are under heavy criticism especially inside their own team due to the latest home defeat against Braga. It is clear the bad moment and with all this pressure it will be almost impossible for the youngsters to come from Firenze without the qualification, even though Sporting wasn't any worse than Fiorentina in Lisbon. On other circunstances, Sporting would have other chances but in the actual conditions it will be a major achievement to even dream with a draw in Italy. Coach Paulo Bento, who's currently being "crucified" in Portugal by the supporters as the main responsible for this unhappy moment, has little means to face such a strong side with the absences of Izmailov(injured by Paulo Bento on practice!), Vukcevic (Bento ordered him to take off his shirt on the last game, and he already had a yellow card!), Postiga and Caicedo (Bento forgot to check his diet!) to which we can also add those of Polga (starting from the back!), João Moutinho and Liedson who, in fact, have been on the pitch but fail to leave any traces... And yes, Sporting is my team.
UEFA Europa League > Thursday 30th September
in Europa League Predictions
Posted
Re: UEFA Europa League > Thursday 30th September Sporting CP vs Levsky Pick : Levsky +0,+0,5AH Odds : 3.80 @Bet365 At first look i would say odds are seriously wrong on this game as i can't understand odds of 7 or 8 on the away team despite being from a less important league, when a team like Sporting as been playing crap and especially on its own venue. Even considering my team (Sporting) a "bipolar" team as they have been close to miserable on main league and close to perfection (though i disagree) on Europa League i don't see home team so favourite for this game as these crazy odds suggest and the reason is because they play at home and the pressure on this stadium is huge. My team is in a mess. This direction doesn't seem to be capable of handling the unsucess both finantially and sportingly and today there was a small demonstration on the stadium demanding results. Internally, Sporting wasn't capable of reacting against a poor performance on the derby against Benfica, and conceeded another draw against Nacional. There are a lot of players out of form and the only one that seems to carry the "torch" is Vukcevic. It's incredible to see how players like Liedson, once the solution, now part of the problem, fail miserably. Coach Paulo Sergio, hired as an "upgrade" to former Carvalhal (who replaced Paulo Bento, now our national trainer) seems to be an honest guy but he just can't make the team produce two good games consecutively. This should be Ok or understandable for teams like Paços de Ferreira, (one of his former teams) but for a team with the prestige of Sporting, this is tragic. The team simply can't score goals! At this point, we must consider this coach not as an upgrade but as a downgrade as he keeps experimenting and this is bad for a coach that was announced back in April and not like Porto's coach Vilas Boas that came much later, for instances! For this match, he'll change again and Maniche is back after the derby punishment while central defender bought to Porto Nuno Andre Coelho is out injured, as well and chilean Valdes. Long time injured Pedro Mendes and Izmailov are still unavailable and will be for atleast the end of the year, for our own despair. So, along with these internal problems, we add another in this day: Garra Dembele. The man has what we need badly - goals. He should be a (serious) threat to our defense. He's the best goalscorer in Vissa Liga with 10 goals scored in 8 games, plus 7 goals in 7 games in all games for Europa League, including the qualifiers and last game, already in this group, against Gent from Belgium. With both teams with three points, and with Sporting playing at home, Levsky will probably explore the counter attack and wait for the right moment to surprise the portuguese team and eventually score. The ball will probably burn on Sporting's players shoes if they fail to score early as the crowd will show its anger against this lack of ability or inertia. I don't preview an easy thursday for Sporting and even suggest some coins on the away win, because i honestly can't see how Sporting will beat this solid team. GL for all!