Spooner Posted August 19, 2009 Share Posted August 19, 2009 Re: Champions Lge Qual (18/08/2009) Panathinaikos v Atletico Madrid - Over 2.5 Goals @ 2.26 Betfair (£3062 to back) I think overs could be the bet in this match, Atletico have a good attack and get goals on the road, they got 33 in La Liga last season which was the 3rd highest but also conceded goals for a team that finished near the top, ok I know this is not La Liga but normally there games have goals and they'll be looking for an away goal tonight, looking at Panathinaikos record in Europe at home they've not failed to score many times in recent years and I'm sure both teams fancy there chances are winning the game tonight, think an early goal will be key for this bet because its the 1st leg, 0-0 for to long and both teams will probably play for 0-0. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dak Posted August 19, 2009 Share Posted August 19, 2009 Re: Champions Lge Qual (18/08/2009) Ventspils – Zurich: Zurich Win @ 2.10 (Bet 365) 10/10 Swiss football is certainly no powerhouse in Europe, but it is a step above Latvian football and from the get go I have to give the advantage to Zurich. Furthermore, the match will not be played at Ventspils actual home stadium (capacity about 3,500) but will be played in Riga which is 160 km away. The odd thing with Ventspils is that it sacked its coach following the team's advance in the CL qualifying rounds against Bate Borisov. I don't see this as a good thing for the the home side. Finally, Zurich convincingly defeated Maribor (Slovenia) 0-3 after being upset at home 2-3. Ventspils is of the same caliber and Zurich should finish off their opponents and make qualification to the CL group stage an almost certainty. Panathinaikos – Atletico Madrid: Atletico Madrid Win @ 2.62 (Totesport) 10/10 I believe there is quality difference between the sides. Panathinaikos are an ok team, but I can't see them getting anything from the 4th best team in the Premiera League which has a host of players who can wreck havoc on an opponents defense. Panathinaikos' defense looked iffy in Prague. Against an offensive powerhouse like Atletico Madrid I suspect this will be a problem, especially in a game where Panathinaikos needs to push forward to get a goal and a good result. Finally, we should remember that in last year's CL 16 team round Panathinaikos was defeated by another Spanish team, Villarreal, which finished in 5th place just behind Atletico. The Spanish team travels to Athens without any injury/suspension concerns and they should be too much for Panathinaikos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jase82 Posted August 19, 2009 Share Posted August 19, 2009 Re: Champions Lge Qual (18/08/2009) Salzburg v Maccabi Haifa +0.5 @ 2.16. I don't understand the logic behind making Salzburg such sure favourites tonight. I'm sure they will have many backers, but for me they lack real quality. They drew both their previous home encounters with Bohemians and Dinamo Zagreb, so I think here Haifa can go on and claim a draw. Salzburg have only narrowly scraped through the last two rounds against opposition I consider to be equal to them or slightly better, in the case of Zagreb. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mozzi Posted August 19, 2009 Share Posted August 19, 2009 Re: Champions Lge Qual (18/08/2009) Well, Salzburg are a better side and play in a better league than Haifa. The reasoning I presume is that Salzburg are a pretty decent side on their day and Maccabi Haifa have a very shaky defence. If you can find any highlights of Haifa's 4-3 win at home to Aktobe Lento last match, watch them. This game could have been 6-6. Don't be fooled by Salzburg's struggles so far in Europe - they're a very capable side on their day. I daresay they draw this particular gene from their German neighbours! I'm going for a home win with the -1.75 handicap tonight. It should be an interesting game either way. I'm a bit confused by people jumping on the Atletico Madrid bandwagon. They've played zero competitive games, they're notorious for not turning up away from home and generally lack physical strength when it's needed. They're going to a ground that has been the graveyard of bigger and better sides than they are. Greece is a tough enough place to visit for footballing purposes but against a proven and efficient Panathinaikos side with competitive experience already under their belt? I'll be surprised if this isn't a home win although I could accept a draw. Look past Maxi, Aguero and Forlan - you'll see a very "average" looking Spanish squad against an experienced Panathinaikos squad. Still, again, this should be a very interesting game. Good luck all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mugetsu Posted August 19, 2009 Share Posted August 19, 2009 Re: Champions Lge Qual (18/08/2009) Well thats the Anderlecht Punt over with. Hahaha. 15 mins gone, 2-0 Lyon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicko Posted August 19, 2009 Share Posted August 19, 2009 Re: Champions Lge Qual (18/08/2009) The ease with which Atletico scored was frightening........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mahno Posted August 19, 2009 Share Posted August 19, 2009 Re: Champions Lge Qual (18/08/2009) Wow,Lyon surprised me tonight. 5-1 at the moment :loon Good thing that i also took over 2.5 and both to score just before the game :tongue2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jase82 Posted August 19, 2009 Share Posted August 19, 2009 Re: Champions Lge Qual (18/08/2009) Salzburg v Maccabi Haifa +0.5 @ 2.16. :clap Hopefully Haifa can finish the job in the 2nd leg. :ok Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jase82 Posted August 19, 2009 Share Posted August 19, 2009 Re: Champions Lge Qual (18/08/2009) Well' date=' Salzburg are a better side and play in a better league than Haifa.[/quote'] I'd love to know how you came to that conclusion! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lazy A-- Posted August 19, 2009 Share Posted August 19, 2009 Re: Champions Lge Qual (18/08/2009) And for tonight, I like all the matches but will share here just part of one of the previews from my site, and for the rest you can go ahead and check them out, they're free of course :) Zurich is just one step far from the historical success of qualifying into CL group stages, while the same could be said for Ventspils as well, even though I strongly believe they`re just not mature for these kind of matches and also they don`t seem to have the quality needed to match Zurich. The Swiss team is an organized side full of fast and aggressive players, they like to play open football and always aim to outrun the opponent with their fast passing game and great athleticism. Their most dangerous attacker is the tall Frenchman Hassli, one of their best scorers and he`ll represent the biggest threat for slow Latvian defense that hasn`t had many tough tests like this one this season yet, and usually faces sides that would equal the 2nd division relegation candidate teams in Switzerland while playing in the domestic championship. These kinds of matches are always hard to predict, but I strongly believe the visitors will have another brilliant performance like against Maribor and resolve the entire dilemma about who`s progressing into CL after the first leg already. GL. Ventspils-Zurich 2 @2.20 from Ladbrokes 7/10 0:3 FT :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mozzi Posted August 20, 2009 Share Posted August 20, 2009 Re: Champions Lge Qual (18/08/2009) I'd love to know how you came to that conclusion! Which bit would you like me to explain? Why Salzburg are better or why the Austrian Bundesliga is better than the Ligat Ha'al? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jase82 Posted August 20, 2009 Share Posted August 20, 2009 Re: Champions Lge Qual (18/08/2009) Which bit would you like me to explain? Why Salzburg are better or why the Austrian Bundesliga is better than the Ligat Ha'al? Yeah, go on then..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mozzi Posted August 20, 2009 Share Posted August 20, 2009 Re: Champions Lge Qual (18/08/2009) Haha, that doesn't really answer my question. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jase82 Posted August 20, 2009 Share Posted August 20, 2009 Re: Champions Lge Qual (18/08/2009) Haha' date=' that doesn't really answer my question.[/quote'] well, the bit about why Austria are a better league than the Isralian league. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adam7982 Posted August 20, 2009 Share Posted August 20, 2009 Re: Champions Lge Qual (18/08/2009) Help is Villa & Everton on any UK TV Station i cant find it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jase82 Posted August 20, 2009 Share Posted August 20, 2009 Re: Champions Lge Qual (18/08/2009) Help is Villa & Everton on any UK TV Station i cant find it? Don't think they are mate. The ratings for Fulham's game were probably piss poor.... That is sh*t, because I was looking forward to watching Fulham tonight. I thought it would be on at least ITV4. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mozzi Posted August 20, 2009 Share Posted August 20, 2009 Re: Champions Lge Qual (18/08/2009) well' date=' the bit about why Austria are a better league than the Isralian league.[/quote'] Ok. Well, for starters, the Austrian league has four giants that are almost always difficult to dislodge in Europe - Rapid Vienna, Salzburg, Austria Vienna and Sturm Graz. Salzburg are currently the best of these four, although I expect Rapid Vienna to pass them this year. However, Salzburg's record shows they've only been dumped out of any European competition once in the first round. On the other occasions, they've always advanced to the second/and or third round. Rapid Vienna aren't as consistent as Salzburg but have actually achieved a group placing in the Champions League back in 2005. Austria Vienna have achieved the group stages in the UEFA Cup three times out of five, progressing to the Quarter Finals one year. Sturm Graz, despite usually finishing behind at least one of these sides, have achieved Champions League group stage action and haven't been dumped out of any European competition in the first round for some years. The Bundesliga has also boasted some big names in both players and management in past and present e.g. Lothar Matthaus, Aleaxandr Zickler, Huub Stevens, Johan Vonlathen, Filip De Wilde, Carsten Jancker, Dejan Savicevic, Oliver Bierhoff, Thomas Hassler, Thomas Linke, Djalminha etc. The Israeli Ligat Ha'al has some big clubs but Maccabi Haifa tends to sit atop the pile overall. In recent years, moneybags Beitar Jerusalem have launched a legitimate challenge for the title and Maccabi Netanya and Hapoel Tel-Aviv usually aren't very far away. Maccabi Tel-Aviv haven't been there much in recent years but they are the only Israeli side to have ever achieved a European Champions League group placing. Hapoel Tel-Aviv's best achievement was a last 32 placing in the UEFA Cup. Beitar Jerusalem haven't progressed a round in any of the last three years, winning just one game from six. Maccabi Netanya have never qualified for the UEFA Cup, always crashing out in the preliminaries. Maccabi Haifa, despite being arguably Israel's best side, have only progressed from the round they enter a European competition at once over the past few years. Impressively, they reached the last 16 of the UEFA Cup before being beaten. The Ligat Ha'al hasn't been much of a draw for some foreign big players/managers with some examples being Yakubu, Meho Kodro, Andrey Tikhonov, John Paintsil, Sebastian Abreu. Lastly, UEFA's own ranking on leagues shows the Austrian Bundesliga is 20th and the Israeli Ligat Ha'al is 22nd. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jase82 Posted August 20, 2009 Share Posted August 20, 2009 Re: Champions Lge Qual (18/08/2009) Thank you. :) I do actually agree with you, but I opposed Salzburg last night after watching them make hard work of getting past Bohemians. I think in my own opinion the side Villa are playing tonight seem to be the better Austrian team. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mozzi Posted August 20, 2009 Share Posted August 20, 2009 Re: Champions Lge Qual (18/08/2009) Oh yeah, Salzburg have made a mess of their European ambitions this season, no question. They're a capable side that are playing like they're incapable, which is a little frustrating but c'est la vie. I do like the look of this new Rapid Vienna squad though - they're good goalscorers and play some good football. I'll be surprised if they don't finish above Salzburg this year. Villa need to be really careful. If they don't get an away goal, there's a good chance they'll go out in my opinion. I think Rapid are more than capable of scoring in England against a leaderless Villa side with a weakened defence. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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