25.January 2021 -Saky's games

[Saky-paky]

PORTUGAL: Primeira Liga

Rio Ave  -  Santa Clara

pick: Santa Clara or draw ; Santa Clara

odd:1,90 ; 4,20

result:1:2 won/won


Info:

Expecting some offensive formations here, and Santa Clara is the team with the better attack. Some injuries for both teams, but I don't see why the home squad should be favored this much. For both teams it is about collecting more points against relegation. Rio totally balanced at home with a 2-2-2 record with 6: 6 goals. For Santa Clara it's called away hop or top record 3-1-3 with 8: 8 goals. Therefore I leave the DC x2 here and play the 2 directly in the hope that Thiago Santana will network successfully.


ITALY: Serie B

Brescia   -   Monza

pick: Monza

odd:2,00

result:0:1 won


Info:

Not yet perfect but Monza are a war machine for this league, promotion to Serie A is guaranteed. Here a winnable match against Brescia, who are in trouble on several fronts and no longer a contender for promotion despite being fresh relegated. They are unstable and now doubly weakened after the departure of key players Torregrossa and Sabelli in the winter transfer window. Also Mateju (15/0 d) is suspended, while their best defender Cistana has yet to make an appearance this season (still recovering from surgery). Monza are terrific when playing bad defenses, Brescia's is one of the worst and here Monza should score 2-3 goals. Brescia in crisis and having such an awful matchup to think about avoiding defeat.




SAUDI ARABIA: Saudi Professional League

Al-Faisaly  -   Al-Hilal

pick: both teams to score ;  over 2,5 goals

odd:2,00 ; 1,80-1,90

result:1:1 won/lost



Info:


Al Hilal may have kept 2 clean sheets in a row but for me thats not a true reflection of how they've performed defensively. I've tipped BTTS against Hilal before when they drew 2-2 with Al Batin and they continue to concede many chances.  You can always count on them to score with the likes of Giovinco/Vietto/Gomis but you have to pick which side is going to actually take them chances they give the opposition and I believe Al Faisaly will.
Hilal had 16 shots against last game v Al Taawon who I've not particularly rated this season and I believe it'll be a matter of time before they slide down the table (despite also tipping them to win this weekend). They're one of the few teams in the league who don't have a reliable goal scorer which ultimately cost them with the 2-0 loss. Al Faisaly do create a lot of chances and are just as poor at the back as any side in the league so wouldn't be surprised if there was a few goals in this one. Julio Taveres has been a proven goal scorer in France for almost a decade at Dijon. His goals got them promoted to Ligue 1 where they still remain and it was a magnificent coup by Faisaly and he currently averages a goal every 2 games. Importantly Tavares has the players around him to give him opportunities on goal.Guilherme/Amalfitano/Fail/Merkel are good players in this league and I don't think they'll have any problems creating chances against Hilal.
Such has Al Hilal's dominance been over Al Faisaly, they remain unbeaten against them in all 29 games. But this season I truely believe the gap in quality as a team has closed up due to Hilal's lack of spending pre season. Faisaly were lacking that goal scorer last season and were often relying on midfielders chipping in with the goals but they've solved their problems with Tavares.