1230pm – HJK Helsinki v IFK Mariehamn – 1.24 home – this is 1st v 9th in the Finnish Cup. Not a match which appeals but if you are around, there may be an enhanced bet opportunity were the away side to lead.

4pm – Lorient v Brest – 1.7 home – 9th v 14th in Ligue 1  playing in the French Cup. 2 teams near each other in the league playing in a French Cup. Next please!

4pm –Mersin Idman Yurdu v Eskisehirspor-1.6 away – 18th v 7th in the top flight playing in the Turkish Cup. Is Paul Mersin as bad in the Cup. Might be worth checking the bottom side.  Only 1 win last 12 includes 9 losses and 2 draws.

No draw in 7 at home. Last 4 defeats have been to nil.

5 consecutive defeats in the Cup, 3 of those to nil and conceding 5-3-2-3-4.. Last 2 cup defeats to nil.

Only 1 defeat last 8 for Esk. 4 clean sheets in last 6.

Only 1 win in last 7 away. DWD last 3 aways.Only 1 draw for Eski in last 29 cup matches is significant. 4 losses to nil in last 7 away in the cup. 2 away wins to nil .

The significant stat is Eski avoiding the draw in the Cup, That’s where I would start in a messy match. Home side are poor, conceding around 3+ last 5 cup matches.  Only 1 win in last 7 away for Eski though.

5pm – Maccabi Haifa v Hapoel Haifa – 1.55 home

530pm –Al Ahli v Al Gharafa – 1.47 home

545pm –Raon LEtape v Bordeaux – 1.5 away

545pm – Zwolle v PSV – 1.48 away

6pm – Giannina v Olympiakos -1.61 away – the Greek Cup and we know about Oly in the league, scoring in all league matches this season. But what of the cup? This is 5th v 1st in the Cup.Only 1 defeat in 11 for Giannina was away to Oly, where they lost 2-0 in the league. Giannina have conceded 0-1-0-0-0 last 5 so this could be a typically Greek affair, tight as my brother when it’s his round. Giannina have been superb at home, Conceding 0-0-0-0-3-0-0-0-0 . One big anomoly but clear where their strengths lie.

Only 1 draw in 11 cup matches which was a 0-0. All wins at home in the cup since 2005 were to nil. 3 defeats at home since 2005 , 2 of which were without Gian scoring.

Oly have scored in the last 29 matches locally. They have wobbled in Europe. They could have scored in more than 29, my records don’t go further.

Expectation therefore is for Oly to score again.

6 consecutive wins domestically to nil for Oly ( they lost 3-0 to Levante in Europe).

8 clean sheets in last 9 cup matches. 3 clean sheets in last 4 away

These 2 sides have extremely good defenses. Ergo a speculative 0-0 back to lay here in the hope defences are on top?

6pm – Stuttgart v Bochum -1.43 home

6pm – Venissieux Minguettes v Nancy – 1.52 away

630pm – Fenerbahce v 1461 Trabzon – 1.28 home

7pm –Anderlecht v Zulte-Waregem -1.49 home

730pm – B Munich v Dortmund -1.73 home – German Cup match and this should be a cracker. 13 consecutive wins at home. Unbeaten in 25.  10 clean sheets in last 13 wins. 

Only 1 defeat in 19 at home for Bayern. 2 recent 1-1 scorelines includes v Dortmund in the league.  Only 2 draws in last 24 in the CUp for Bayern. 7 clean sheets in last 8 matches with a 5-2 Dortmund home win scuppering 8 consecutive clean sheets. Lewandowski scored a hatrick that day. He is banned from league football for a red card. Will he reappear tonight?

7 wins and a 0-1 loss to Schalke in last 8 Cup matches at home.

Dortmund have been labouring of late. LWLDWD – most unlike Dortmund. WWWDWWLWDD in recent away matches in all competitions. What likelihood a 3rd consecutive score draw? Only 1 win in last 4 needs addressing. Dortmund have won last 9 in the cup, 2 of which were wins after extra time ( and thus draws after 90 mins). This includes that 5-2 win in May 2012 v Bayern.

Worth watching this match. Both teams enjoy the Cup and seemingly take it seriously. Bayern are obviously in the form of their life, steamrolling teams with ease. Dortmund’s recent form of LWLDWD is offputting. But what to make of the 5-2 last time these 2 met in the cup, also 1-1 latest in the league. Bayern love clean sheets but dortmund are a solid outfit and if Lewandowski is available have a renewed goal threat.

745pm –Ajax v AZ Alkmaar-1.45 home

745pm –Braga v Benfica – 2.1 away

745pm –Middlesbrough v Chelsea – 1.46 away – 7th in the Championship plays 4th in Premiership and quite obviously Chelsea are deserving favourites with their personnel and the penny dropping that LadyBoy Torres really is shoite! My Sunday League team put in a bid for him. We need someone to wash the kit.

Only 1 draw in last 22 matches for Boro in all competitions was a 0-0 . That’s a strong stat. No draw in last 14 at home WWWLWWWWWLWLWL  – decent enough form.

Boro got here by, erm, beating Hastings 4-1 and aldershot 2-1. That Aldershot win saw them score an 89th minute goal and Boro score a 90th minute winner. I have a feeling Chelsea might be a tad stronger this evening than the might of Aldershot.

Historically at home in the Cup, Boro have held United 2-2 in 2007, beat City 0-1 in 2010 so have some tenuous form with which to go to war this evening.

In feb 2012 they drew 1-1 with Sunderland only to concede an extra timegoal.

Chelsea have lost twice in a row 2 times since Oct 2012 but were defeated by Shaktar and United in one instance and then West Brom and Juve in another.

They lost last time out to City, and in last 5 defeats , have always won their next match.

Iffy form for Chelsea sees DDDLWWWDL – wins against Wigan, Sparta Prague and Brentford hardly sparkly form for the magic touch of Rafa.

DDDLWL last 6 aways saw a 0-1 win v Sparta Prague. Chelsea were leading against Reading ( ended 2-2) and Newcastle (ended 3-2)so can find the net.

WWWWWWWWWWWWWDDWWDWWWWWDW in recent FA Cup matches is very impressive form. They take the Cup seriously. 4 of the last 5 draws were score draws. Chelsea have scored and conceded in 5 of the last 6 matches.

WWWWWWDWWWWD – great away cup form sees 2 score draws. Chelsea have scored 12 in their last 3 aways including Southampton and Spurs.

Racing Post points to “injury ravaged” Boro. Let’s just hope they do a Brentford, score first, and lead 2-1!!

Chelsea’s FA Cup form is in stark contrast to their recent poor form. Which will you trust?

 

745pm – Motherwell v Celtic – 1.6 away

HEAD TO HEADS

Wed 02/01/13 PRL Celtic 1 – 0 Motherwell View events More info
Sat 29/09/12 PRL Motherwell 0 – 2 Celtic View events More info
Sun 22/04/12 PRL Motherwell 0 – 3 Celtic View events More info
Sat 25/02/12 PRL Celtic 1 – 0 Motherwell View events More info
Sun 06/11/11 PRL Motherwell 1 – 2 Celtic View events More info
Sat 10/09/11 PRL Celtic 4 – 0 Motherwell View events More info
Sat 21/05/11 SCC Motherwell 0 – 3 Celtic
Clean sheets for Bhoys a habit when these 2 meet
LEAGUE POSITION – 4th v 1st
HOME TEAM – -past fixtures, forthcoming fixtures and likely team – Motherwell
RECENT HOME FORM – DDWLLLDDWWDWWL -only 1 defeat last 8 at home. 3-4-2-3-3-0 scored lately at home, 0 v Dundee United.
RECENT FORM OVERALL – WDWWWLWDLWLWLL – Only 1 draw last 12 was a 2-2 and laying the draw would have been a successful trade. Motherwell have failed to score in 4 of last 6 but scored 3 in each of the 2 other matches. Very strange! Failed to score now in last 2 matches. check for centre forward injury?
GOAL TRENDS -50% overs at home. Score first in only 5/14 at home. Higdon key  -12 home goals this season.4 clean sheets last 6 .3 clean sheets only all season.
STREAKS-3 without a draw at home, 6 overall.
AWAY TEAM – past fixtures -forthcoming fixtures and likely team – Celtic
RECENT AWAY FORM -DWLWWDWWWWLWD-only 2 away defeats v St Johnstone and Hibs.Only 1 win in last 3 away.
RECENT OVERALL FORM – WWWWWLWWWWWWDW – Celtic have scored 4-4-4-3-6-1-5 in last few matches. Hugely consistent.
GOAL TRENDS – 54% overs away from home. 2.31 scored on average away. 16 scored 1st half, 14 scored 2nd half away. Conceded only 3 1st half away but 7 in last 1/4 hour away. Score first in 10/13 aways. Failed to score in only 3 all season.
STREAKS-8 overall without a defeat. Have scored in last 8 away
CONCLUSION/NOTES/STANDOUT STATS – Motherwell have kept only 4 clean sheets all season, and Celtic have failed to score in only 3 all season. Motherwell Jekyll and Hyde of late, 4 matches last 6 without scoring, but then scored 3 goals in the 2 other matches. Head to Heads point to Celtic winning to nil, but will Motherwell go a 3rd consecutive match without scoring? Celtic’s goalscoring of late has been spectacular. Overs is simply a 50/50 shout here.
We have the pressure from Motherwell to score a goal -will they? 5/6 head to heads wins to nil for Bhoys.

745pm –Paris St-G v Marseille -1.62 home – 2 giant intellectual powerhouses meet tonight, David ” I left my braincell in SanFransisco” Beckham and Joey” I make George W Bush look like Einstein” Barton meet in this French Cup match. PSG are unbeaten in 4 head to heads, scoring 2 in last 4 matches. 

Only 1 defeat in last 16 was a 3-2 away to Sochaux. 14 wins in those 16 matches included 9 clean sheets.

Only 1 draw in last 17 matches was a 0-0 at home in all competitions. 8 wins and a draw in last 9 homes.Interestingly PSG played Marseille on 24th Feb and won 2-0 at home in the league. Close match. 11th minute own goal and 90th minute Ibra goal.

Only 2 draws in last 14 Coup de france matches, were won after extra time. PSG have scored 4 and 3 last 2 2013 Cup matches.

Very inconsistent of late have been brainiac Barton’s marseille. DLWDWLDWL in all competitions. Marseille have scored 0-1-1-0 in last 4 meetings.

Away form not too hot LLLLWLWLWWLDWDL – only 1 win in last 5. Last 4 away wins have been either 1-2 or 0-1 so very tight matches.

3 extra time Cup de france matches in last 5 suggest MArseille like this competition. They have scored and conceded in 7 of their last 8 cup matches. 2-1-1-5-3-1-2 scored in last 7 away matches.

I think we should see a competitive match this evening which could be as tight as the last meeting 3 days ago ( don’t be misled by the 2-0, 11th minute own goal and 90th minute Ibra goal). Marseille have scored in last 7 aways in the Coup de france so will have to do something they couldn’t in last meeting. PSG tend to score 2 of late against Marseille , ergo 2-1 home win? It is the cup though and I fancy a sneaky tight match here . The 2-0 may be taken too literally by the bookies , making PSG unbackable at 1.61

 

9pm –Sevilla v Atl Madrid-2.56 home