I was happy with the live chats this weekend, particularly Saturday.

A typically muddling Monday coupon. I tend not to live chat on a Monday. Tuesday and Wednesday see elite league matches so I will try and live chat on one or both of those days.

SPANISH LA LIGA

20:00 - Espanyol v Girona - 2.08 Espanyol

Espanyol (16th)

• 3 losses in 4 matches.
• Only 4 clean sheets.
• 0-1-0-1 scored in the last 4 home matches, 2 1-0 wins there.
• Only 1 0-0 at home.
• 4 0-0's at halftime at home.
• 3 wins and a 0-0 at home v 10th and lower.

Girona (14th)

• Only 1 loss in 6 was a 2-3 loss.
• Scored and conceded in their last 8 matches.
• Only 2 clean sheets.
• Scored and conceded in their last 4 away matches.
• 1-2 wins away v 15th and 17th.

Conclusions

• Girona, newly promoted, are having a great season. They have 1-2 wins v 15th and lower and meet 16th today so could be competitive.
• Both teams could score today and I would lay Espanyol if Espanyol scored first. Yes they have 2 1-0 wins at home but I like Girona's consistent goal scoring.

ITALIAN SERIA A

20:00 - Lazio v Torino - 1.57 Lazio

• 1-1, 2-2 and 3-1 Lazio in the last 3 head to heads.

Lazio (5th)

• Only 2 defeats.
• Scored and conceded in 7 of their last 8 matches.
• Scored and conceded in 11 matches.
• Scored in their last 13 matches.
• Unbeaten at halftime at home.
• Only home loss v 2nd in the league.
• Unbeaten home and away v 6th and lower.
• Strong scoring at home before and after halftime.
• 6 of 7 goals conceded at home came 2nd half.

Torino (12th)

• 4 consecutive draws, 3 were 1-1 draws.
• No win in 5 aways.
• Only 3 clean sheets.
• Failed to score in only 4 matches.
• Not beaten a top 11 team home or away.
• All wins this season v 13th and lower.

Conclusions

• Strictly on form, Lazio will not lose today. Given Torino have had 3 1-1 draws recently this suggests we lay Torino if Torino scored first.
• Again on form, Lazio should be the first goal scorers. They concede, if they concede, 2nd half.
• Lazio have scored in their last 13 matches so expect a goal from them.

ENGLISH CHAMPIONSHIP

20:00 - Reading v Cardiff - 2.62 Cardiff

• The market cannot split these 2 teams.
• 0-1 and 2-1 Reading in the last 2 head to heads.

Reading (16th)

• Only 1 loss in 7 came v 1st in the league.
• Only 4 clean sheets so highly likely to concede.
• Scored 2+ goals in 5 of their last 7 matches.
• Only 1 0-0 at home.
• 4 0-0's at halftime at home and 3 0-1 losses at halftime at home.
• Lost 0-2 and 0-1 v top 3 sides at home.
• 5 goals conceded at home in the last 15 minutes.

Cardiff City (2nd)

• 3 losses this season came away.
• 5 wins in their last 6 matches.
• 4 wins and 2 losses last 6 away.
• 3 clean sheets in 4 matches.
• 5 0-0's at halftime away.
• 5 goals scored away last 15 mins of matches.

Conclusions

• The market is a puzzle. 2nd in the league v 16th in the league. You would have thought Cardiff would be far shorter odds.
• Only 4 clean sheets for Reading so they could concede. Reading have goals in them too, scoring 2+ goals in 5/7 matches.
• I would lay any 0-0 75th minute onwards. Strong end of game conceding and scoring.

PORTUGEUSE PRIMEIRA LIGA

19:00 - Guimaraes v Feirense - 1.63 Guimaraes

• Last 2 head to heads came in the cup.

Guimaraes (7th)

• 3 wins in 4 matches.
• Only 3 clean sheets.
• Losses at home have come v 2 of the big 3 (Sporting Lisbon and Benfica).
• 8 consecutive matches without a 0-0 at halftime.
• Only 1 0-0 at halftime at home.
• Not played bottom 7 at home. Only losses at home v top 3.

Feirense (15th)

• All 8 defeats this season have come in their last 9 matches.
• Only 3 clean sheets.
• Failed to score in 3 of their last 4 matches.
• No draw in 11 matches.
• Only 1 0-0 away.
• Only 1 0-0 at halftime away.
• Only 1 away win came v 8th in the league.
• All 7 goals conceded away came 1st half.

Conclusions

• Lay the 0-0 in the halftime score market. Feirense tend to concede away in the first half.
• Lay any late draw. Feirense tend to avoid draws at the moment.
• Guimaraes have no form v the bottom 7 with which we can gauge but with the other home form, they have only lost to the top 3.
• On that basis I do not see Guimaraes losing today. Guimaraes are highly likely to score first so we are unlikely to see a trading angle.

21:00 - Maritimo v Braga - 2.32 Braga

• 3-3 the last time these 2 met.

Maritimo (5th)

• Unbeaten in 4 matches with 2 wins and 2 draws.
• 3 clean sheets in their last 4 matches.
• Failed to score in only 2 matches.
• Unbeaten at home.
• Only 1 0-0 at home.
• 4 0-0's at halftime at home.
• 1-1 draw v 3rd at home.
• 1-0 win v 6th and 1-0 win v 9th at home.
• Scored first in 5/7 at home.

Braga (4th)

• 7 wins and a draw in their last 8 matches.
• Failed to score in only 2 matches.
• Scored in their last 8 matches.
• No 0-0.
• Not led at halftime away.
• All wins have come v 7th and lower.
• Not beaten a top 3 team and play 5th today.
• 6 of 8 goals scored away came 2nd half.

Conclusions

• A top 5 clash, hence the market is non-commital.
• Lay any late 0-0.
• Maritimo tend to score only 1 goal v top 10 albeit in a 1-1 and 2 1-0 wins.
• With Braga failing to score in only 2 matches, Maritimo may not be able to keep a clean sheet so lay them if they score first.
• Braga are in very solid recent form.

RUSSIAN PREMIER LEAGUE

16:30 - Akhmat Grozny v Zenit St Petersburg - 2.04 Zenit

• Rather like the Hoff at the weekend, Zenit are becoming inconsistent.
• 0-1 Akhamat and 4-0 Zenit in the last 2 head to heads.

Akhamat Grozny (9th)

• Only 1 loss in 6 matches at home.
• 2 consecutive home wins.
• Failed to score in only 3 matches.
• Scored in their last 10 at home.
• 6 0-0's at halftime at home.
• Scored and conceded in all home matches v top 8 teams.
• 7 losses, 2 wins and a draw home and away v teams above them in the league.
• No 0-0.
• 11 of 13 goals scored at home came 2nd half.

Zenit (3rd)

• Only 2 wins in 8 matches came at home.
• 2 0-0's in their last 3 aways.
• 5 0-0's at halftime away.
• Only 1 away loss was v 2nd. 3 0-0's away though.
• Only 1 defeat v teams below them in the league.

Conclusions

• We may see a 0-0 at halftime. There is a threat of a 0-0 at fulltime given Zenit have had 3 0-0's away.
• Strictly on form, Zenit have only 1 loss v teams below them in the league and on that basis I would look for Zenit not to lose. That does not discount a draw. 5 draws away.
• Akhamat though do tend to score and concede so we may see both teams scoring with Akhamat not winning. They have 7 losses, 2 wins and a draw home and away v teams above them in the league.

16:30 - Tosno v Lokomotiv - 2 Lokomotiv

• 0-2 Tosno in the last head to head.

Tosno (14th)

• 3 losses in 4 matches.
• Only 5 clean sheets.
• Only 2 home wins.
• Scored in their last 6 at home.
• Only 1 0-0 at home.
• Only 1 lead at halftime at home.
• Beat Lokomotiv away and drew with 2nd 2-2 at home.
• Losses v 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th and play top today.
• 8 of 11 goals scored at home came 2nd half.

Lokomotiv (1st)

• 7 wins in their last 9 matches.
• 4 wins in 5 away matches.
• Failed to score in only those 3 defeats this season.
• 6 clean sheets in 9 matches.
• 5 0-0's at halftime away.
• Only led 1 match away.
• Losses at home v 13th and 14th ....how about away?
• Scored 3+ goals v top 5 teams away but then score only 0-1-1-1-1-2 goals outside the top 5.
• 13 of 16 goals scored away came 2nd half.

Conclusions

• Tosno have beaten Lokomotiv already this season. With only 2 wins, Tosno may struggle to repeat the dose today. But with lokomotiv scoring 0-1-1-1-1-2 goals outside the top 5 away, they may get a chance.
• It is a headscratcher. Tosno have losses v 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th, some of those home and away. On that basis you have to side with Lokomotiv not to lose. 6 clean sheets in 9 matches and 4 wins in 5 away.
• I will go with Lokomotiv not to lose. Watch out for a 0-0 at halftime but not fulltime. 13 of Lokomotiv's 16 goals scored away came 2nd half, ditto 8 of Tosno's 11 goals scored at home came 2nd half.