AS Monaco v Zenit Saint-Petersburg > Tuesday December 9th

[Aidymac]

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[TR=class: row0] [TD=align: center][/TD] [TD=class: firstColumn]AS Monaco v Zenit Saint-Petersburg (19:45 GMT)[/TD] [TD=class: selectionBestOdd, align: center]2.5[/TD] [TD=class: selectionBestOdd, align: center]3.7[/TD] [TD=class: selectionBestOdd, align: center]2.88[/TD] [TD=class: bppWidth bpp, align: center]101.75 %[/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE]

[footballeye]

Re: AS Monaco v Zenit Saint-Petersburg > Tuesday December 9th Monaco needs a draw in this game, to qualify for the playoffs. Obviously they will not be pushing forward too much until/unless they are a goal down. Monaco only conceded 1(!) goal in 5 previous group matches, and scored only 2. All their previous matches in this group ended under 1.5 goals. Zenit needs a win here and with at least the 3rd place in the group (EL qualification) already secured they have nothing to lose. So they will have to attack. Zenit mostly relies on individual skills and creativity of its stars for goals, which makes the results less predictable. While as a Zenit supporter I hope for the opposite, realistically I don't think they will manage more than one goal here, if any at all. OTOH I don't think the visitors will open up too much and will be vulnerable to counter attacks. One of the things the current Zenit team can do really well is defending their goal and especially intercepting the opposition's fast breaks in the middle of the pitch -- DM Javi Garcia is crucial for that and his return from injury in last Satursday's league game was a very good news for the Petersburgers. The visitors have no injury concerns. Striker Kerzhakov was not included in the squad for the trip to Monaco and there's a conflict between him and Villas-Boas but this is not a problem because Rondon is a better striker and would play anyway. With reliable defense, 4 of the 5 previous Zenit matches in this group ended under 2.5 goals, and I don't expect this trend to change in Monaco. An underish game is an obvious expectation here, with a possible score of 0-0, 1-1, or maybe 0-1. The odds favor Monaco slightly but I don't see how this is justified. They somehow beat group leaders Leverkusen twice but from what I read they probably didn't deserve the 3 points in either fixture. Monaco only managed one point in two games against Benfica. I think they should not be favourites here and view this encounter as a match of two equal teams. The odds of over 3 for a draw look generous, especially considering the fact that the hosts need only one point to progress, so there may be value in betting on a draw.

[malabgd]

Re: AS Monaco v Zenit Saint-Petersburg > Tuesday December 9th AS Monaco v Zenit AS Monaco: Kurzawa (10/0 d), Ricardo Carvalho (13/0 d), Kondogbia (11/1 m) Zenit: Kerzhakov (10/3 f) Information from more then 50 football leagues and competitions at: www.injuriesandsuspensions.com

[mrclubbie]

Re: AS Monaco v Zenit Saint-Petersburg > Tuesday December 9th Monaco to win

[HastGill1]

Re: AS Monaco v Zenit Saint-Petersburg > Tuesday December 9th

Monaco to win

Please provide some reasoning.

[clubgowi]

Re: AS Monaco v Zenit Saint-Petersburg > Tuesday December 9th AS Monaco- Zenit St Petersburg The visitors are old clubgowi favourites and I have to admit to having a very soft spot for them, all the reasons for that and plenty of background information are in my preview of their qualification round game with AEL from earlier this season, which is reproduced in full, at the foot of this newsletter. They won that 3-0 and have had a very good domestic campaign since and go into the winter break with a seven point lead over CSKA, who are themselves still in Champions League contention with one round left to play in an ultra competitive group and Zenit are perhaps, the strongest they have been for several years. They are coming off a confidence boosting 4-0 defeat of Krasnodar on Saturday, are more or less at full strength today and do not play again until at least late February and will not leave anything in the tank this evening and will be giving everything for the three points. Despite their Premier Liga success, it is in the Champions League that coach Andre Villas-Boas (see below) will ultimately be judged upon and I guess a last 16 spot is the least the board were targeting this season. To reach the knockout stage, they need to win today, that result combined with a win for Benfica, would actually see them win the group, but all they can do is win and worry about the other game later. ASM will qualify with a point, win the group if they take three points and Leverkusen fail to do likewise, but they have claimed that qualification is their only concern and clearly implied that they will play for a point, they are not exactly flush with goals post Falcao and James Rodriguez and are clearly way below last season's level and have ridden their luck at times to post eight points through five group games, scoring just twice. If they managed to go through 0-0, they will be the first team in history to qualify with just two goals, but make no mistake, coming into this match, that will be their game plan. They managed just two attempts on target in home games with Bayer and Benfica and have keeper Danijel Subaši? and some wasteful finishing from opponents to thank for the four points they took from those games. This is a very young home side and this is a high pressure encounter to come into missing suspended Ricardo Carvalho and injured Layvin Kurzawa, both Andrea Raggi and Geoffrey Kondogbia face late tests and that could rob them of their two most experienced defenders and protection for a backline which will surely be given a severe examination.They are well organised, but we might well see seven players in their team aged 19-21 and at this stage, of this competition and under these circumstances , I prefer a little more experience and the occasion could get to the hosts. Given that they will play for the point anyway, I have to bet Zenit with the draw no bet option. 1.5 units Zenit St Petersburg level ball 2.07 asian line/Sportmarket.

[MPLouis]

Re: AS Monaco v Zenit Saint-Petersburg > Tuesday December 9th This is similar to the Liverpool v Basle game tonight in that it's a straight two-way fight for qualification. It's the sort of game I like to watch in-play as these games often provide in-play value on late goals or corners if one side is chasing the game. In theory, over 2.5 goals is good value at long odds, but these sides are pretty defensively minded. I wouldn't be too surprised to see a low-scoring game with one or two goals in the last ten minutes. Shots on target stats for both teams indicate more value on Monaco. Personally, I aim to watch this one in-play with an eye for late value as I mentioned above.