In the end, things played out exactly how I anticipated, though I’m still a bit baffled by Barcelona's inability to find the back of the net. It was quite surprising, especially considering they were tearing through defenses three times more effectively than Milan did. 🤷
To start off, I think the bookies have significantly undervalued Milan. Offering 7.50 for a home game against anyone is just too much, especially since we all saw last year how well Milan can hold their own against Barcelona in a 0-0 draw. Of course, Barca is the favorite and technically the better side, but taking them at 1.50 offers almost zero value. However, I see real potential in both teams scoring. Milan has to push forward at home, and this is their big shot to advance; they need to score and ideally keep a clean sheet. That said, once the game opens up, Barca will definitely look to exploit the counterattack, making a goal from them almost certain. Even if Barca takes an early lead forcing Milan to chase the game, at 1.75, betting on both sides to find the net feels like a great opportunity that would be a shame to miss.
I’m looking at 1.90 for an SS win against Juve in their matchup with Chelsea. Personally, I think the bookmakers have slightly undervalued Chelsea, even though they've been struggling lately—they haven't managed a domestic league win in four matches. That said, Juve hasn't exactly been dominant at home either, especially after that performance against Lazia in their own league. Neither side can really afford a loss tonight, though I suspect Chelsea wouldn't mind walking away with a draw. They'll be missing John Terry and Frank Lampard, and if David Luiz isn't fit to play, we might see Branislav Ivanović step in while César Azpilicueta moves into the center of defense.
Germany is the clear favorite here, but you have to respect the Greeks—they always seem to find a way to scrape by and bounce back from anything. Taking x2 for a smaller role in the parlay feels like solid value to me.
Typical. Just a few days ago, they couldn't even manage a couple of shots on target against the Lithuanians, yet now they’re out here bullying Italy by two goals. 🤣 I think I've had enough of this style of play for one season. At this rate, I can already see the Euros playing out: Ireland is going to absolutely steamroll Spain, and the Americans will walk away as the new champions. 😁
I'm not entirely sure what the state of things is in Italy following those recent match-fixing scandals, but if the Russians plan on playing with the same energy they showed against Lithuania, they won't be losing tonight. I'll just play it safe with a double chance bet and call it a day..
It honestly felt like they were just counting down the minutes until happy hour on a beach somewhere, just waiting for the whistle to blow. It’s never easy playing against teams like that, but they certainly didn't put in the effort. Aside from a few decent shots from Arshavin, there was really nothing else to see.
My apologies if anyone was rooting for Team USA. They definitely had all the momentum, but they just couldn't find an opening. They kept trying to force everything through the middle, even though the opponent played a classic defensive shell. If that's how they plan to play during the World Cup, they might want to reconsider qualifying. My bad again.
I’m having a hard time buying this one. The Lithuanian national team is bringing four goalkeepers, but honestly, only the starter has any real experience under his belt; the other three combined have barely seen thirteen international appearances. Plus, hosting this in Switzerland really favors the Russians, as they'll be playing on much better, standard pitches than they would ever find in Lithuania. I wouldn't touch those 3.50 odds based purely on the numbers, because the Lithuanians are likely going to park the bus—it's pretty much all they know how to do. The question is just how long they can hold out before conceding. They have zero motivation here; it’s basically just a vacation for them. Meanwhile, for Russia, this is one of their final dress rehearsals before the Euros, and they'll definitely want to walk away with a strong result, even if it is just a friendly.
I’m expecting a blowout today when the US plays Russia. The Americans are missing almost all their key starters, and they'll likely have their third-string keeper in goal since the first two are sidelined. Their roster is a mix of 14 foreign-born players and 11 domestic ones. Meanwhile, the Russians are fine-tuning things ahead of the Euros, and even though it’s just a friendly, I don't see how they won't win by at least two goals. For me, the 1.90 odds offer massive value, but if you're feeling bold, the 3.50 for a three-goal margin is worth a look.
They can't really stop you from betting on their sites if you're just using your own strategy or system. As long as you aren't cheating them, you have every right to play as much as you want, however you choose.
Gareth Bale - Tottenham Hotspur Joe Ledley - Celtic Neal Eardley - Blackpool Darcy Blake - Cardiff City David Vaughan - Sunderland Lewis Price - Crystal Palace
The following players are traveling to the States:
Jason Brown - Aberdeen Rhys Taylor - Chelsea
Joel Lynch - Nottingham Forest Chris Gunter - Nottingham Forest Adam Matthews - Celtic Sam Ricketts - Bolton Wanderers Neil Taylor - Swansea City Ashley Williams - Swansea City
Joe Allen - Swansea City Andrew Crofts - Norwich City David Edwards - Wolverhampton Wanderers Andy King - Leicester City Aaron Ramsey - Arsenal
Craig Bellamy - Liverpool Simon Church - Reading Steve Morison - Norwich City Hal Robson-Kanu - Reading Sam Vokes - Wolverhampton Wanderers
+ 5 substitutes
Joel Lynch - Nottingham Forest Ashley Richards - Swansea City Adam Henley - Blackburn Rovers Jermaine Easter - Crystal Palace Owain Fon Williams - Tranmere Rovers
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Mexico doesn't have any major absences for tonight; here is their expected starting lineup and bench:
Defenders: Israel Jiménez (UANL), Severo Meza (Monterrey), Rafael Márquez (New York - USA), Francisco Javier Rodríguez (Stuttgart - Germany), Héctor Moreno (Espanyol - Spain), Hugo Ayala (UANL), Carlos Salcido (UANL), Jorge Torres Nilo (UANL).
Midfielders: Jesús Zavala (Monterrey), Luis Ernesto Pérez (Monterrey), Jesús Molina (Club América), Gerardo Lugo (Morelia), Andrés Guardado (Dep. La Coruña - Spain), Pablo Barrera (West Ham United - England), Angel Reyna (Monterrey), Edgar Andrade (Chiapas)
Strikers: Giovani dos Santos (Tottenham - England), Javier Hernández (Manchester United - England), Oribe Peralta (Santos Laguna), Aldo de Nigris (Monterrey)
Personally, I think 1.50 on Mexico offers some value.
The US squad will be missing several key players tonight:
Gareth Bale - Tottenham Hotspur Joe Ledley - Celtic Neal Eardley - Blackpool Darcy Blake - Cardiff City David Vaughan - Sunderland Lewis Price - Crystal Palace
The following players are currently en route to the US:
Jason Brown - Aberdeen Rhys Taylor - Chelsea
Joel Lynch - Nottingham Forest Chris Gunter - Nottingham Forest Adam Matthews - Celtic Sam Ricketts - Bolton Wanderers Neil Taylor - Swansea City Ashley Williams - Swansea City
Joe Allen - Swansea City Andrew Crofts - Norwich City David Edwards - Wolverhampton Wanderers Andy King - Leicester City Aaron Ramsey - Arsenal
Craig Bellamy - Liverpool Simon Church - Reading Steve Morison - Norwich City Hal Robson-Kanu - Reading Sam Vokes - Wolverhampton Wanderers
Plus 5 substitutes:
Joel Lynch - Nottingham Forest Ashley Richards - Swansea City Adam Henley - Blackburn Rovers Jermaine Easter - Crystal Palace Owain Fon Williams - Tranmere Rovers
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Mexico looks fairly healthy for this evening's matchup. Here is my look at their projected starters and bench:
Defenders: Israel Jiménez (UANL), Severo Meza (Monterrey), Rafael Márquez (New York - USA), Francisco Javier Rodríguez (Stuttgart - Germany), Héctor Moreno (Espanyol - Spain), Hugo Ayala (UANL), Carlos Salcido (UANL), Jorge Torres Nilo (UANL).
Midfielders: Jesús Zavala (Monterrey), Luis Ernesto Pérez (Monterrey), Jesús Molina (América), Gerardo Lugo (Morelia), Andrés Guardado (Dep. La Coruña - Spain), Pablo Barrera (West Ham United - England), Angel Reyna (Monterrey), Edgar Andrade (Chiapas)
Strikers: Giovani dos Santos (Tottenham - England), Javier Hernández (Manchester United - England), Oribe Peralta (Santos Laguna), Aldo de Nigris (Monterrey)
Personally, I think 1.50 on Mexico offers some decent value.
Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose was seen in a walking boot on Monday following an ankle injury sustained during Sunday's matchup against the New York Knicks. Per league sources, his availability for Tuesday night's rematch remains uncertain.
Detroit hasn't looked great so far, and Orlando's sharpshooting from deep isn't helping our transition game much. That said, you can't expect them to stay hot from three-point range forever.
How could anyone think they wouldn't grab a 2-2 draw at the stadium or even pull off a 3-2 upset win at home? I haven't seen bookmakers underestimate a club quite this much since... well, maybe ever. Looking back at their last three matches, they went unbeaten twice, and that lone loss only happened in the final moments after putting up a hell of a fight. Tonight, the stakes are even higher, and I suspect Milan will aim for a draw through some clever counter-attacks; scoring an away goal would practically put them in the semifinals. Now, Barcelona is always formidable and dangerous, but we’ve already seen that you can't just stroll onto the pitch against Milan and expect an easy pass to the next round. It's funny—when Barça plays league games against teams like Sevilla or Valencia, the odds for an away win might sit at 7 or 9, but I haven't seen them as high as 13 in a long time. Honestly, comparing Milan to those mid-tier clubs doesn't make much sense. Taking the Double Chance (X2) at 4.00 feels like a smart move. Even if Barcelona is technically the more talented squad, there is real value to be found in those 4.00 odds.
I went with Minnesota under 105.5 and Dirk Nowitzki over 24.5. The agent already locked in the Minnesota line, and since the odds on the Clippers dropped quite a bit, I didn't quite have the nerve to put anything on Dallas. Good luck, everyone.
P.S. SS is offering 1.95 on the Minnesota under and 1.75 on the over, whereas HL has them at 1.82 for both. That’s a total hook 😁
