What do Jon Obi Mikel, Bill Clinton and Nick Clegg have in common? They were all part of some of the biggest u-turns of our times.
And that’s kind of how I feel about the additional European club competitions. The Conference League to me just felt like a nonsense parachute for clubs who weren’t good enough to qualify for either of the other two competitions.
What was the upside – European competition, where clubs from different countries embraced each other where they otherwise typically wouldn’t? Well, yeah. Exactly that.
I went from being a cynic to realizing that this actually benefits smaller clubs and can give them a foot-up financially, with an opportunity to spend that money intelligently, while the big boys break more rules than your mother-in-law during a game of monopoly. The Europa League and Conference League have arrived at their key moments now – win these ties and you’re in. Squeaky bums anyone?
I watched Tobol in the previous round and saw them face off against Derry City, who really should have beaten them. Only penalties, and a goalkeeper missing a spot kick separated the Candystripes from the chance to feature here.
And knowing Plzen’s European pedigree, this will be a straightforward task. Their home stadium played host to less noise than a convent during prayer time, and had fewer people there than my 21st birthday. This is not your typical ‘tricky’ tie, this is a godsend for the Czechs so we’ll take Plzen to Win.
Hacken were the dream draw for Aberdeen in this instance because of their reckless nature. They’re a hell for leather-type team and that’s been shown time and time again where a bit of composure would have landed them better results in both the top tier in Sweden as well as against the likes of KI in the Champions League qualifiers.
Aberdeen really struggle to win possession high up the pitch, but they won’t need to here because of the over-commitment that Hacken implement in wide areas. I fancy the Scottish side to get something from this so Aberdeen and The Draw Double Chance is a smart play.
It would be hard to say that Ajax got better when you consider they lost Jurrien Timber, Calvin Bassey and Edson Alvarez, but the shrewd recruitment of Josip Sutalo who Man United will be bidding fifty million quid for next season; Gaston Avila who should have won Young Player of the Year in Belgium last season and Carlos Borges who very nearly stuck it out to earn a spot in man City’s squad, should go some way to alleviating that.
I’d normally do a follow-up par here to expand on my point but I’m not sure it’s necessary? They’ll be among the favourites for the tournament. It has to be Ajax to Win.
Union St Gilloise weren’t a big name in the European scene until last year but you can count them as the chief threat now to Club Brugge in Belgium. Lugano qualified for this competition by finishing third in the Swiss Super League – seventeen points behind Young Boys – and I often think the distant association people have with the respective champions factors into the pricing. They’re nothing more than a midtable Scottish side so let’s have Union to Win.
If you look at Hearts’ progress over the last six months, they’ve come for a side who were leaking goals under Robbie Neilson to a team focused on keeping it tight under Steven Naismith. Which is ironic given Naismith’s playing career.
But when he joined, Hearts only lose on one occasion outside of his debut in the dugout, and that was to Celtic. They’re incredibly hard to beat. Having the offseason to work on that, it appears that they’re in clover. Three domestic clean sheets out of three lean me towards a low-scoring affair here and Under 2.5 Goals.
Football Tips: Thursday’s 13/1 Euro footy Multi Match Bet Builder
Our tipster Andrew Cunneen surveys the soccer scene on Thursday night.
By Andrew Cunneen / Football Tips / 1 month ago
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Thursday’s Football Tips
3pm: Tobol Kostanay v Plzen – Plzen to Win
6pm: Hacken v Aberdeen – Aberdeen and the Draw
7pm: Ludogorets v Ajax – Ajax to Win
7.30pm Union St Gilloise v Lugano – Union to Win
7.45pm: Hearts v PAOK – Under 2.5 Goals
A Bet Builder with these selections pays at approximately 13/1 with Paddy Power. CLICK HERE TO ADD TO YOUR BETSLIP.
*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.
What do Jon Obi Mikel, Bill Clinton and Nick Clegg have in common? They were all part of some of the biggest u-turns of our times.
And that’s kind of how I feel about the additional European club competitions. The Conference League to me just felt like a nonsense parachute for clubs who weren’t good enough to qualify for either of the other two competitions.
What was the upside – European competition, where clubs from different countries embraced each other where they otherwise typically wouldn’t? Well, yeah. Exactly that.
I went from being a cynic to realizing that this actually benefits smaller clubs and can give them a foot-up financially, with an opportunity to spend that money intelligently, while the big boys break more rules than your mother-in-law during a game of monopoly. The Europa League and Conference League have arrived at their key moments now – win these ties and you’re in. Squeaky bums anyone?
3pm: Tobol Kostanay v Plzen – Plzen to Win
I watched Tobol in the previous round and saw them face off against Derry City, who really should have beaten them. Only penalties, and a goalkeeper missing a spot kick separated the Candystripes from the chance to feature here.
And knowing Plzen’s European pedigree, this will be a straightforward task. Their home stadium played host to less noise than a convent during prayer time, and had fewer people there than my 21st birthday. This is not your typical ‘tricky’ tie, this is a godsend for the Czechs so we’ll take Plzen to Win.
6pm: Hacken v Aberdeen – Aberdeen and the Draw
Hacken were the dream draw for Aberdeen in this instance because of their reckless nature. They’re a hell for leather-type team and that’s been shown time and time again where a bit of composure would have landed them better results in both the top tier in Sweden as well as against the likes of KI in the Champions League qualifiers.
Aberdeen really struggle to win possession high up the pitch, but they won’t need to here because of the over-commitment that Hacken implement in wide areas. I fancy the Scottish side to get something from this so Aberdeen and The Draw Double Chance is a smart play.
7pm: Ludogorets v Ajax – Ajax to Win
It would be hard to say that Ajax got better when you consider they lost Jurrien Timber, Calvin Bassey and Edson Alvarez, but the shrewd recruitment of Josip Sutalo who Man United will be bidding fifty million quid for next season; Gaston Avila who should have won Young Player of the Year in Belgium last season and Carlos Borges who very nearly stuck it out to earn a spot in man City’s squad, should go some way to alleviating that.
I’d normally do a follow-up par here to expand on my point but I’m not sure it’s necessary? They’ll be among the favourites for the tournament. It has to be Ajax to Win.
7.30pm Union St Gilloise v Lugano – Union to Win
Union St Gilloise weren’t a big name in the European scene until last year but you can count them as the chief threat now to Club Brugge in Belgium. Lugano qualified for this competition by finishing third in the Swiss Super League – seventeen points behind Young Boys – and I often think the distant association people have with the respective champions factors into the pricing. They’re nothing more than a midtable Scottish side so let’s have Union to Win.
7.45pm: Hearts v PAOK – Under 2.5 Goals
If you look at Hearts’ progress over the last six months, they’ve come for a side who were leaking goals under Robbie Neilson to a team focused on keeping it tight under Steven Naismith. Which is ironic given Naismith’s playing career.
But when he joined, Hearts only lose on one occasion outside of his debut in the dugout, and that was to Celtic. They’re incredibly hard to beat. Having the offseason to work on that, it appears that they’re in clover. Three domestic clean sheets out of three lean me towards a low-scoring affair here and Under 2.5 Goals.
Thursday’s Football Tips
3pm: Tobol Kostanay v Plzen – Plzen to Win
6pm: Hacken v Aberdeen – Aberdeen and the Draw
7pm: Ludogorets v Ajax – Ajax to Win
7.30pm Union St Gilloise v Lugano – Union to Win
7.45pm: Hearts v PAOK – Under 2.5 Goals
A Bet Builder with these selections pays at approximately 13/1 with Paddy Power. CLICK HERE TO ADD TO YOUR BETSLIP.
*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.
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