Merlin
7th August 2009, 13:27
BRAZIL SERIE A FOOTBALL BETTING PREVIEW FOR ROUND 18
Preview: NAUTICO V SANTO ANDRE
Date: Saturday 8th August 2009 at 6.30pm (local time)
Venue: Estádio Eládio de Barros Carvalho (Estádio dos Aflitos) in Recife
NAUTICO
Regular readers will know that Nautico are my team in Brazil, the team I follow, avidly support with tears and smiles, mostly tears, but hell, their my team... Tears are normal, not something to be ashamed of. And talking about shame, you get plenty of exposure to that supporting Nautico - But things are about to change, in fact they started changing Wednesday night when they beat Corinthians 1-0 at home.
This is the 18th game of a 38 game campaign and those with good memories will remember that Nautico were unbeaten for the 1st 4 games. Then it all went "POP", starting with a 0-3 thrashing at home to Gremio - wait for it... They then went 12 games without a win, 12 games can you believe? Us fans have been suicidal for 2 whole months, until Wednesday last when the sunshine returned.
Nautico are only a small club, with little resources and an even littler squad but what they have got is 11 fighting lions on that pitch and I know for a fact, as I spoke to a couple of players on Thursday night and the mood has changed, optimism and belief has ressurected their Serie 2009 campaign. The Corinthians coach summed it up when he said , "it was the application and determination of the Nautico players which won the game" - It was the wake-up call...
SANTO ANDRE
We previewed Santo Andre the other day and correctly predicted a loss to the darlings of Florianopolis, Avai prevailed 1-0.
That 1-0 loss by no means indicates it was a close game, it wasn't at all. Santo Andre were well and truly stuffed actully. Avai absolutely dominated the first period, with 3 Santo Andre defenders getting yellow's and the strikers hardly touched the ball.
They played a little better second half but still didn't look like scoring, on the contrary, Avai ought to have had 2 more but failed to slot.
Just like Nautico, Santo Andre are having a tough time of it overall and it's gonna be tough for them to get anything in Recife.
STATS (Serie A 2009)
NAUTICO
LEAGUE POSITION: 18th/20
Games played: 17
Wins: 3
Losses: 8
Draws: 6
Away Wins: 1
Home Wins: 2
Red Cards: 7
Yellow Cards: 61
Goals Scored: 19 (from 170 shots/headers on target)
Goals Conceded: 34
Passing Errors: 29.12%
SANTO ANDRE
LEAGUE POSITION: 15th/20
Games played: 17
Wins: 4
Losses: 7
Draws: 6
Away Wins: 2
Home Wins: 2
Red Cards: 5
Yellow Cards: 50
Goals Scored: 20 (from 197 shots/headers on target)
Goals Conceded: 25
Passing Errors: 30.88%
VERDICT:
Do I really have to write out a verdict for you? You know what's coming don't you? Of course you do... It's a Nautico victory here and at a great price to boot.
Nautico have plenty going for them today, they are facing a very poor Santo Andre side, a side that have won twice away from home, but the first was back in May and the other was against a fellow struggler, Fluminense.
Nautico have woken up to the fact that they really must string together some wins, there are no guarantees they will escape the drop at the end of it all - but the players have indicated they will die trying.
Nautico players are really revved up for this and don't expect to lose, the fanuatico's (fans) will be behind them as if it was the Cup Final. All in all, the evironment alone will intimidate the opponents without the determination I know the players have for this game.
It’s NAUTICO straight-up at 2.20
..........................................................
BRAZIL SERIE A FOOTBALL BETTING PREVIEW FOR ROUND 18
Preview: BOTAFOGO V ATLETICO PR
Date: Saturday 8th August 2009 at 6.30pm (local time)
Venue: Estádio Olímpico Joăo Havelange (The Engenhăo), in Rio de Janeiro
BOTAFOGO
Prior to Thursday nights loss with Sao Paulo, Botafogo were on an unbeaten 7 game roll, don't froth at the mouth too much though as 4 from that roll were draws. However, most of their draws have been away and today they face a team in Atletico PR who have won only 2 games from the last 7.
Sao Paulo beat the "Big Fire" (Fogăo) 3-1, Thursday, hardly surprising as I said a couple previews ago, Sao Paulo will be climbing the league faster than Jacob climbed his ladder - so that loss won't be held against them, besides, Big Fire hasn't won at Morumbi since 1998.
ATLETICO PR
Before Thursday night's 0-2 win at Cruzeiro, Atletico had only won 1 game from 6 - the win would have for sure injected some confidence into for the most part a struggling team. We musn't however get swept away by the victory, it was after all against an extraordinary low moraled Cruzeiro who are languishing around the drop zone. It was a scrappy affair with 3 red cards and as usual of late, the Cruz dominated early play to falter big time not only in play but with discipline too.
STATS (Serie A 2009)
BOTAFOGO
LEAGUE POSITION: 13th/20
Games played: 16
Wins: 4
Losses: 5
Draws: 7
Away Wins: 1
Home Wins: 3
Red Cards: 2
Yellow Cards: 40
Goals Scored:24 (from 226 shots/headers on target)
Goals Conceded: 28
Passing Errors: 40.44%
ATLETICO PR
LEAGUE POSITION: 14th/20
Games played: 17
Wins: 5
Losses: 3
Draws: 9
Away Wins: 2
Home Wins: 3
Red Cards: 4
Yellow Cards: 54
Goals Scored: 17 (from 140 shots/headers on target)
Goals Conceded: 29
Passing Errors: 28.76%
VERDICT:
We couldn't put our shirt on any of these, but Botafogo are favourites and deservedly so.
Despite Atletico winning both August games it's pushing the boat to expect a 3rd consecutive victory. Not only that, a quick look back at their few wins this year were against either teams in the doldrums or teams that were at the time, struggling.
I had started to research this preview before Thursday nights games and had all along been favouring Big Fire, and I still believe they will win this. But Prudence has been ringing in my ears "cover the draw" , "cover the draw". Not forgetting Prudence has a valid point as this season Botafogo have drawn 7 from 16 and Atletico have drawn 9 from 17.
Now either I have developed schizophrenia or it's my aversion to giving the bookies an easy ride kicking in. Either way, a 1-1 correct score draw cover is in order! (Just enough to cover stake and some).
It’s BOTAFOGO straight-up at 1.62 or better! (1-1 correct score cover).
Preview: NAUTICO V SANTO ANDRE
Date: Saturday 8th August 2009 at 6.30pm (local time)
Venue: Estádio Eládio de Barros Carvalho (Estádio dos Aflitos) in Recife
NAUTICO
Regular readers will know that Nautico are my team in Brazil, the team I follow, avidly support with tears and smiles, mostly tears, but hell, their my team... Tears are normal, not something to be ashamed of. And talking about shame, you get plenty of exposure to that supporting Nautico - But things are about to change, in fact they started changing Wednesday night when they beat Corinthians 1-0 at home.
This is the 18th game of a 38 game campaign and those with good memories will remember that Nautico were unbeaten for the 1st 4 games. Then it all went "POP", starting with a 0-3 thrashing at home to Gremio - wait for it... They then went 12 games without a win, 12 games can you believe? Us fans have been suicidal for 2 whole months, until Wednesday last when the sunshine returned.
Nautico are only a small club, with little resources and an even littler squad but what they have got is 11 fighting lions on that pitch and I know for a fact, as I spoke to a couple of players on Thursday night and the mood has changed, optimism and belief has ressurected their Serie 2009 campaign. The Corinthians coach summed it up when he said , "it was the application and determination of the Nautico players which won the game" - It was the wake-up call...
SANTO ANDRE
We previewed Santo Andre the other day and correctly predicted a loss to the darlings of Florianopolis, Avai prevailed 1-0.
That 1-0 loss by no means indicates it was a close game, it wasn't at all. Santo Andre were well and truly stuffed actully. Avai absolutely dominated the first period, with 3 Santo Andre defenders getting yellow's and the strikers hardly touched the ball.
They played a little better second half but still didn't look like scoring, on the contrary, Avai ought to have had 2 more but failed to slot.
Just like Nautico, Santo Andre are having a tough time of it overall and it's gonna be tough for them to get anything in Recife.
STATS (Serie A 2009)
NAUTICO
LEAGUE POSITION: 18th/20
Games played: 17
Wins: 3
Losses: 8
Draws: 6
Away Wins: 1
Home Wins: 2
Red Cards: 7
Yellow Cards: 61
Goals Scored: 19 (from 170 shots/headers on target)
Goals Conceded: 34
Passing Errors: 29.12%
SANTO ANDRE
LEAGUE POSITION: 15th/20
Games played: 17
Wins: 4
Losses: 7
Draws: 6
Away Wins: 2
Home Wins: 2
Red Cards: 5
Yellow Cards: 50
Goals Scored: 20 (from 197 shots/headers on target)
Goals Conceded: 25
Passing Errors: 30.88%
VERDICT:
Do I really have to write out a verdict for you? You know what's coming don't you? Of course you do... It's a Nautico victory here and at a great price to boot.
Nautico have plenty going for them today, they are facing a very poor Santo Andre side, a side that have won twice away from home, but the first was back in May and the other was against a fellow struggler, Fluminense.
Nautico have woken up to the fact that they really must string together some wins, there are no guarantees they will escape the drop at the end of it all - but the players have indicated they will die trying.
Nautico players are really revved up for this and don't expect to lose, the fanuatico's (fans) will be behind them as if it was the Cup Final. All in all, the evironment alone will intimidate the opponents without the determination I know the players have for this game.
It’s NAUTICO straight-up at 2.20
..........................................................
BRAZIL SERIE A FOOTBALL BETTING PREVIEW FOR ROUND 18
Preview: BOTAFOGO V ATLETICO PR
Date: Saturday 8th August 2009 at 6.30pm (local time)
Venue: Estádio Olímpico Joăo Havelange (The Engenhăo), in Rio de Janeiro
BOTAFOGO
Prior to Thursday nights loss with Sao Paulo, Botafogo were on an unbeaten 7 game roll, don't froth at the mouth too much though as 4 from that roll were draws. However, most of their draws have been away and today they face a team in Atletico PR who have won only 2 games from the last 7.
Sao Paulo beat the "Big Fire" (Fogăo) 3-1, Thursday, hardly surprising as I said a couple previews ago, Sao Paulo will be climbing the league faster than Jacob climbed his ladder - so that loss won't be held against them, besides, Big Fire hasn't won at Morumbi since 1998.
ATLETICO PR
Before Thursday night's 0-2 win at Cruzeiro, Atletico had only won 1 game from 6 - the win would have for sure injected some confidence into for the most part a struggling team. We musn't however get swept away by the victory, it was after all against an extraordinary low moraled Cruzeiro who are languishing around the drop zone. It was a scrappy affair with 3 red cards and as usual of late, the Cruz dominated early play to falter big time not only in play but with discipline too.
STATS (Serie A 2009)
BOTAFOGO
LEAGUE POSITION: 13th/20
Games played: 16
Wins: 4
Losses: 5
Draws: 7
Away Wins: 1
Home Wins: 3
Red Cards: 2
Yellow Cards: 40
Goals Scored:24 (from 226 shots/headers on target)
Goals Conceded: 28
Passing Errors: 40.44%
ATLETICO PR
LEAGUE POSITION: 14th/20
Games played: 17
Wins: 5
Losses: 3
Draws: 9
Away Wins: 2
Home Wins: 3
Red Cards: 4
Yellow Cards: 54
Goals Scored: 17 (from 140 shots/headers on target)
Goals Conceded: 29
Passing Errors: 28.76%
VERDICT:
We couldn't put our shirt on any of these, but Botafogo are favourites and deservedly so.
Despite Atletico winning both August games it's pushing the boat to expect a 3rd consecutive victory. Not only that, a quick look back at their few wins this year were against either teams in the doldrums or teams that were at the time, struggling.
I had started to research this preview before Thursday nights games and had all along been favouring Big Fire, and I still believe they will win this. But Prudence has been ringing in my ears "cover the draw" , "cover the draw". Not forgetting Prudence has a valid point as this season Botafogo have drawn 7 from 16 and Atletico have drawn 9 from 17.
Now either I have developed schizophrenia or it's my aversion to giving the bookies an easy ride kicking in. Either way, a 1-1 correct score draw cover is in order! (Just enough to cover stake and some).
It’s BOTAFOGO straight-up at 1.62 or better! (1-1 correct score cover).