The last set of games that feature in the Simple Soccer Stats console brings an end to this blog. At the start of this season when I launched the site this did not feature in my plans but a few people said it might enhance the site and I confess to having enjoyed doing it. A respectable points total has been achieved and a lot of lessons learnt.
I spent a large part of Thursday morning in a hospital canteen scribbling out plans for upgrades over the summer and have grand plans for next season. I want to push the site on and make huge improvements and just get way ahead of every other stats site. I keep repeating this but if you have any comments on anything you like or don’t like or would like to see it is always appreciated and I can be e-mailed on mail@simplesoccerstats.com.
I was in the hospital canteen as my wife was being checked over as we have a baby due on Tuesday. I think it has kindly decided to wait until after the football season and I should be ok with my final updates on Monday!
Enough of that though. Very hard to find games this weekend. Italy is interesting as the top 2 both play teams in the relegation dogfight who need to win so that’s 4 teams for whom a draw is no good. I can’t bring myself to bet on Italy at this time of year as the results last season were so bizarre it almost looks fixed. France has some very interesting battles with one champions league place up for grabs as well as a UEFA cup spot. Spain just has one EUFA cup spot in the balance as well as 4 teams who could be the final team to relegated.
SSS Tips
Just two bets this weekend
Toulouse v Valenciennes (france – sat 8:50pm local time)
It’s a correct score bet here. Toulouse are out the relegation zone on goal difference and need a win here to be safe. If you like goals don’t go to Toulouse as 16/18 home games have been under 2.5 goals which is enormous. On 1st September they scored 2 goals against Auxerre and in the remaining 17 have scored once ten times and not scored 7 times. I think they’ll score on Saturday, as Valenciennes have kept a clean sheet in just 4/17 away games, so 1 goal seems the obvious choice. Valenciennes have scored just 8 goals away this season and just 3 in the last 12 away games. Toulouse have leaked a few recently but 1-0 looks a good option in a tight nervy game. 1-1 was the only other score I wanted to cover but I’m prepared to risk it all on 1-0.
++ Correct Score – 1-0 @ 6.5 on Bet365/VC/Boyles (1pt)
Real Mallorca v Real Zaragoza (spain – sun 9pm local time)
Last weekend both these teams featured and Mallorca landed a bet whilst we went against Zaragoza in a bet that was voided. This is the game in Spain this weekend. With Racing Santander facing a tough game at home against Osasuna who are in relegation trouble Real Mallorca know a win could see them steal the last UEFA cup spot. Zaragoza on the other hand know a loss relegates them, a draw may too and only a win makes them safe. There must be goals and the quotes of both teams to score being around 1.45 show the bookies believe this too. Zaragoza have surprised me of late beating Deportivo and getting a draw with Real Madrid last weekend but they were at home in both those games and, as I said last week, their strikers could not hit a cows arse with a banjo. Away from home they have been dire and have won just once all season back in October losing 6 of the last 8. They have scored just 12 goals on their travels and more than one goal just once. Mallorca are on fire and with just 2 losses in the last 19 games and 5 wins on the bounce including the 3-2 (from 2-0 down) win in CampNou last weekend. They have won 3-2, 2-1, 2-1, 3-1 and 4-1 in the last 5 games and only not scored once in the last 19 games. Guiza looks like he’ll take the Pichichi (top goalscorer) this season but might just want to make sure with a goal. I could see Mallorca being ahead and Zaragoza pushing and getting caught out and losing by a few. Paddy Power offer 7 on Mallorca to win by 2 but I wonder if they might even get more as they have scored 7 at home in one game this season. For this though I’ll play safe and take them in the AH with a half stake return on the draw.
++ Asian Handicap – Real Mallorca (0, -0.5) @ 2.13 on Bet365 (1pt)
2 points staked
Spinner Rinse
With the rinse being down over 20 points we just have to go for it. Marseille to beat Strasbourg in France, Stuttgart to beat Bielefled and Schalke to win at Nurnburg in Germany, as well as Cagliari to beat Reggina in Italy and Mallorca to beat Zaragoza in Spain.
++ Five-fold accumulator @ 24.65 on Bet365.
NOTES
All games will be updated on Monday morning and a season summary.
