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TACKLING THE £2,000,000 PICK6
TACKLING THE £2,000,000 PICK6
A few surprising scorelines around in the world of football during the past seven days. Certainly the odd one or two that will have outfoxed even the best tipster.
But fear not, the Pick 6 returns with a chance for you to get your grubby paws on a share of another £2m lottery-sized jackpot. £2 minimum stake gets you a shot at the biggest returns and that heavy gold coin in your pocket is weighing you down a little…
Malmo v Celtic
Ex- Celtic flop Jo Inge Berget getting on the scoresheet in the first leg in Glasgow. Who’d have thought it?!
Certainly not Celtic fan Aidan O’Brien who tweet he would get the striker’s name tattooed on his backside if he found the net. O’Brien has been left feeling a bit of an ass after Berget notched not once, but twice including in the 90th minute which dramatically changes the outlook on this tie.
Two goals that give the Swedes a very realistic possibility of upsetting the odds here in the second leg. A 1-0 home win would suffice of course, but given how well Malmo attacked Celtic after an initial onslaught from the hosts, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Age Hareide’s side take the game to the Scots.
In truth, two goals to the good for Celtic after just 10 minutes should’ve been enough of a platform for Ronny Deila’s side to go on and seal a comfortable victory, making the second leg a formality.
Their lapses in concentration would’ve infuriated the manager who was knocked out at this stage last season.
Scott Brown needs to start leading by example rather than prowling about the park cock-of-the-walk style. He and his colleagues will be up against it at a packed Swedbank Stadion.
Malmo have won every game there this season and conceded just once. In fact, they’ve only lost twice at home in 2015, the last time in mid-May.
If Celtic approach the game in the right manner they have the players to overcome any difficulties, but in my opinion their best chance has already been and gone.
1-0 to the hosts or a 1-1 draw sees the Scottish Champions exit early yet again.
Monaco v Valencia
The Spaniards take a healthy lead to the principality but won’t be taking Nicolas Otamendi who has completed his £32m move to Manchester City.
Monaco manager Leonardo Jardim is still smarting at the ineptitude of referee Mark Clattenburg and his assistants.
Calling from French teams to be give more respect in European competition, Jardim wasn’t alone in not understanding how a penalty appeal was waved away when Anthony Martial was clearly taken down by Valencia’s Gaya.
With an assistant just a couple of yards away, no decision was forthcoming. It has once again left question marks of the assistant referees stationed behind the goals. Do they ever actually do anything to influence the referee’s point of view?
In any event, Mario Passaic’s 49th-minute strike could become crucial. A three-goal defecit against Nuno Santo’s excellent young side would’ve been almost impossible to reverse, but two goals is well within the capabilities of the French.
Jeremy Toulalan has to get on the ball more than he did at Mestalla and look to utilise the space behind Valencia’s wing backs to feed his wide men.
The hosts need to stay on the front foot because if a sprightly Valencia attack can find an early away goal themselves, the tie is as good as over. Monaco have scored three times at home on only four occasions going all the way back to March 2014.
Arguably the opposition hasn’t been in quite the same class as Los Che either.
I’ll take both teams to score because Monaco have to go for it, but Valencia have already done enough to go through. 1-1 or AOD are my predictions.
Barnsley v Everton
The Toffees travel to Yorkshire in one of those cup ties that has “giant killing” written all over it.
On any given day, Roberto Martinez’s men would wipe the floor with the Tykes, with the greatest of respect. But this is the cup we are talking about.
When we get the chance to see if Lukaku, Deulofeu and Barkley et al really can do it on a wet weekday in Barnsley.
An interesting sidenote to this one is if Everton eventually succumb to Chelsea’s overtures for John Stones, Barnsley will get 15 percent of a not-insignificant transfer fee. It’s probably precisely that clause that is delaying any deal.
In any event, the youngster will relish his homecoming. His partnership with Phil Jagielka continues to blossom and the likes of Lewin Nyatanga and Sam Winnall won’t give him or his colleagues sleepless nights.
The only way Everton lose this one is complacency or a rotation to such an extent that the first XI is unrecognisable. Neither would you usually associate with a Martinez side.
If Lukaku starts, expect him to fill his boots. 0-3 or AOA here. What cup upset?!
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Club Brugge v Man United
Memphis Depay was the undoubted star of the first leg, really announcing himself in style at Old Trafford.
His was a performance which caught the eye but 19 shots to Brugge’s one will have pleased Louis Van Gaal just as much.
Brugge started brightly and Michael Carrick’s own goal gave them hope, but in truth they were never really at the races.
United’s movement was slick and energetic and their passing on point and in fact, 3-1 flatters the Belgians. Wave after wave of attack brought no reward and it wasn’t until the 4th minute of stoppage time that the hosts were able to get their third, and potentially decisive, goal.
Ex-Barcelona junior Victor Vazquez battled gamely upfront when given the chance, which wasn’t often, but he was let down by a midfield who might just as well have not been there, so easy was it for the likes of Juan Mata and Bastian Schweinsteiger to play right through them.
Van Gaal is unlikely to rest the same crop of players but an early away goal will likely see a raft of substitutions before the hour mark.
Has to be an easy away win here and the Red Devils back in the big time. 0-2, 0-3 or AOA for me.
FC Midtylland v Southampton
Ronald Koeman might not have expected the tough night that Southampton endured in the first leg at St. Mary’s.
The Danes got their tactics spot on throughout. Graziano Pelle was ineffective and reported Manchester United target Saido Mane wasteful.
One of those strange football quirks of fate would dictate that ex-Saints player Tim Sparv would fire the visitors ahead, and although Jay Rodriguez’s first goal in 18 months tied things up, the manner of the draw will likely concern Koeman.
The second leg is sandwiched by Premier League games against newcomers Watford and Norwich. Neither will provide easy pickings but the Dutchman may decide to rest one or two key men for the first of the two in order to have his best XI available for the return leg in Denmark.
Ex-Barcelona and Chelsea man Oriol Romeu has the opportunity to finally make his mark at the highest level with a decent showing here, with much also expected from James Ward-Prowse and Victor Wanyama.
A dogged home performance will frustrate the Saints but an away goal will force them onto the front foot.
Take another 1-1 after 90 minutes, perhaps only penalties splitting them.
Blackburn v Bolton
Neither side has started their Championship season particularly well it must be said.
Before the last round of matches, Bolton were rooted to the bottom of the table with one point from their three opening games, whilst Blackburn were just one point better off.
For clubs that were gracing the top flight not so long ago, it’s a reminder of just how quickly things can take a down turn and indeed, it evidences the yawning chasm that now exists between the teams in the Premier League and their Football League counterparts.
The rich get rich while the poor in some cases face going to the wall. A sorry state for English football. Anyhow, I digress….
This is a fixture that is steeped in history. 154 times this fixture has taken place previously, Bolton with 63 wins and Blackburn with 57.
It remains a high scoring fixture with at least three goals being scored on nine occasions since 2009, and that probably says more about the quality of both team’s defences than anything else.
Blackburn’s attack have been toothless this season and winger Craig Conway, a man-of-the-match performer against Cardiff, must be tearing his hair out at how many of his crosses are going begging by the strikers.
The final two games of Bolton’s pre-season, and the first two of this league campaign, have seen their front men fare even worse with no goals across those four games.
Neil Lennon is at least trying to open teams up with an attacking 4-1-2-1-2 formation, but perhaps his purpose will be better served by going back to basics with a 4-4-2 and someone playing off of Emile Heskey.
It won’t be pretty, but if it’s effective, who cares?
My final selection for this week is an entertaining 0-0 draw. Take a 1-1 too purely on the basis it’s been nine years since the fixture last ended scoreless. Clutching at straws eh….
