FC Basel v Spurs, 8.05pm, Live on ITV1
Match odds: FC Basel 2.52, Spurs 2.98, the draw 3.65
LOYALTY is an admirable quality but sometimes it can be misplaced.
Veteran centre-back William Gallas has been one of Andre Villas-Boas’ automatic picks in the Europa League but some of the Frenchman’s performances have been atrocious.
In last week’s first leg at White Hart Lane, Gallas looked utterly bewildered as Basel ghosted past the Spurs defence seemingly at will. That performance followed his dozy display in the San Siro which culminated in the own goal that forced extra time against Inter Milan.
Every Spurs fan I have spoken to has expressed relief Gallas is injured for this game but another absence is far from welcome.
Gareth Bale turned his ankle at the end of last week’s 2-2 draw and will miss this trip to St Jakob Park which means Spurs will have another opportunity to prove they are not a one-man team. Jermain Defoe is also out while Aaron Lennon is also expected to stay on the sidelines.
One could easily make a case for a Basel victory. Opta tell us the Swiss side haven’t lost a competitive home game since August and in the Europa League they have won four of their five home matches.
Last season they dumped Manchester United out of the Champions League with a 2-1 home win and also beat Bayern Munich 1-0 in the knockout phase. You could also point to the fact Spurs are yet to win away from home in this season’s Europa League.
However, I have a strong gut feeling Spurs will win the match and the tie. Spurs are yet to win away from home in the tournament but haven’t had to win any of those games.
Sometimes Villas-Boas slips into containment mode and that has got his team into trouble in matches at Lyon and Inter Milan. However, when Spurs have had to scrap, up the tempo and really push for goals, they have succeeded.
When they needed a late winner away to Lyon, they got it. When they had to go for the jugular in extra time against Inter they scored the goal that ultimately put them through.
When they had to recover from 2-0 down last week they did so. That singular focus can be a powerful force and the players’ minds will be further concentrated by the knowledge Spurs don’t have another game for 10 days.
Spurs were held to a 2-2 draw at home by Everton at the weekend but there were positives to take from the game. Emmanuel Adebayor scored a quickfire opener, set up Gylfi Sigurdsson’s late equaliser with a shot that rebounded to the Icelandic international off a post, and generally looked far more energised and lively than he has for much of the campaign.
Both Adebayor and Sigurdsson scored against Basel last week and Sigurdsson has now scored six goals in his last 10 matches for club and country.
It’s also worth considering that Spurs have racked up nine Premier League away wins this season and only Manchester United have collected more. It’s also worth noting in this season’s Champions League qualifiers asel needed a late equaliser in a 1-1 draw with Molde then lost 2-1 at home to CFR Cluj.
Basel are strong at home, with good attacking players like Valentin Stocker, Marco Streller and Mohamed Salah, but they are not invincible. The value lies with Spurs who are 2.98 to win and 2.58 to qualify.
Recommended Bet
Best Bet: Back Spurs to win at 2.98
Back Spurs to qualify at 2.58
In December 2020 we sadly 
Hmmmmmm. I think your falling into described by your opening sentence in tipping spurs Mr F. I admit to not knowing a great deal about Basel but technically they were on a higher level than Spurs last week. Even if it was an of night for Spurs I still feel Basel were unlucky not to win and do so comfortably. Attacking wise they threatened each time the pushed forward and I reckon Basel will score two or probably three goals. Without Bale I reckon Spurs will do well to get one. I can’t see past Basel to qualify and a likely home win.
delderek, it’s not my tip. Check the credit at the end, these are Milesey’s thoughts. Personally, I’m thinking about going with Basel but Milesey’s write-up suggests it’s a tough call.
So you are predicting Spurs minus their biggest influence this season Bale to succeed where Man united and Bayern munich failed?..To win away to Basle,its a big call Mr Fixit/Milesy and i bow to your superior knowledge but im already on the value bet tomorrow Basle @ 8/5.At that price i was all over it like a rash on Baboons….:)
Sean, as I said it’s Milesey’s thoughts.
I’m a Spurs fan and i have to say i think we’ll get beaten tomorrow night, i think we’re punching slightly above our weight and we’re slowly getting found out
It’s my tip, not MR F’s…….. you can have an opinion, just like i do, but after the game has finished tomorrow we’ll see. It’s not about Bale, it’s about Spurs, and i feel they will have enough about them tomorrow to progress, if you don’t then fair enough.
Milesey
Milesey, looking at it tonight I was struggling to call it. On their day Spurs can qualify but I really worry about how they’ll cope without Bale. But as you say we’ll see and I don’t think anyone should criticise a tip until it loses.
“”They have competed in European competition every season since 1999–2000. In the 2001–02 season, the club reached the UEFA Intertoto Cup final, losing to Aston Villa; in the 2002–03 season they qualified for the Second Group Stage of the UEFA Champions League; and in the 2005–06 season, they reached the quarter-finals of the UEFA Cup. They have been in the Champions League more times than any other Swiss club — a total of four times — and are the only Swiss club to have ever qualified directly for the Champions League group stages.
In the 2011–12 season, FC Basel did what was thought impossible. After a 1-1 away draw against S.L. Benfica, FC Basel tied away 3-3 and then won at home 2-1 against Manchester United, which saw them progress to the knockout phase. Here they failed against Bayern Munich on aggregate despite a 1-0 home win.””
Highest stage reached in European Cup: Quarter-Finals (1973/74)
Highest stage reached in Champions League: Round of 16 (2011/12)
Highest stage reached in UEFA Cup: Quarter-Finals (2005/06, 2012/13)
Biggest European home defeat: FC Basel 0–5 FC Barcelona (22.10.2008, UEFA Champions League)
Biggest European away defeat: Bayern Munich 7–0 FC Basel (13.03.2012,UEFA Champions League knockout stage)
Milesey
Wooooah Mr F! I’m certainly not criticising Mileseys tip…I was surprised at his view and offered my own but the more viewpoints the merrier. I’ve just got a gut feel on this one but it is admittedly based one just seeing Basel in action once and looking at historical stats (which are relatively meaningless although impressive). I’m just not convinced with Spurs away and I believe Basel will have the greater desire and technical ability/fluency.
Just cant see past them qualifying and probably winning.
delderek, I’m not saying you were. Just that Milesey’s making a prediction as are you and we’ll see who is right. As I said I’m tending to side with Basel but no with huge confidence.
No worries Mr F. Milesey makes a strong case for Spurs however a lot of these victories were fortuitous and, of course they had Bale, Lennon and Defoe (Thats an assumption by the way – I’m not sure if all three played each game but I’m assuming at least 2 of the 3 did) and without them Spurs are not as effective especially in a swift counter attacking style that I’d imagine will be key for them tonight.
Paul, is Milesey now working for you with all these write ups?
Hi Milesey I have a suggestion for your write ups. At the end when you give decimal odds from Betfair can you also put the best fractional odds up that are available from the major bookies. I’m guessing most people won’t have Betfair accounts do this may be handy. Just a suggestion mate.
I agree, that is a great idea mate, Im one that does not have a Betfair account and the best fractional odds would be beneficial.
Cheers
JP
It doesn’t matter if you have a betfair account, every site on the net does decimal odds, who said they are betfair odds ?
Milesey
If you can’t work out decimal odds to fractions then you should give up now ;) ;) every single online bookie deals in decimal odds, you have have changed that to fractions for you can’t work them out, i deal in decimal odds, others fractions…….
“” Decimal odds are the most popular odds currently in use. They are offered by almost all bookmakers around the globe. Understanding betting odds with a decimal odds system is simple. The decimal odds state clearly how much money will be gained from a bet of 1 unit. Do watch as a 1 unit stake can mean 1, 10, or 100 — just check to be sure you know the bookmakers unit stake of preference. Most decimal odds go out to 2 decimal places for greater accuracy of the odds. It is worth remembering that decimal odds include the return of the unit stake as well. So decimal odds of 3.00 for example, returns £30 which is £20 profit and the £10 return stake. “”
Milesey
OK THANKS MILESY, that helps. im a beginenner, bare with us.
JP
That post wasn’t aimed at you mate, if you want to deal in fractions then you do that, there are converters on the net if your not sure, but i deal in decimals and have done since i started gambling many years ago.
Milesey
I have had no option but to learn the decimal odds not that there difficult or anything its just they don’t have fractional odds here
I had a look at that http://www.ozbet.com.au/ site last night, seems to specialise in the horses and dogs, and noticed they do the harness racing ;) ;)
Milesey
I think you might be correct Milesey whenever I am the tab shop every single person is tuned into the horses and dogs. they have about 2-5 machines depending on shop size and nobody is ever on them don’t get me wrong when ever I am in a British majority suburb they can be extremely busy
when I was first here I was doing the ultimate mugs bet
Mystery bets on the harness racing don’t think I ever won on the harness but good few came in on the dogs
you ever been to a harness race ? horse race or dogs in Australia ? you been priveleged to see Black Caviar ? i see her at Ascot ;) ;)
TJ SMITH STAKES
Randwick, Saturday 5.10pm
No. Horse Jockey Barrier Weight
1 – HAY LIST Glyn Schofield 9 58.5kg
2 – BEL SPRINTER Hugh Bowman 2 58.5kg
3 – RAIN AFFAIR Corey Brown 5 58.5kg
4 – DECISION TIME James McDonald 4 58.5kg
5 – ATOMIC FORCE Joshua Parr 6 58.5kg
6 – TITLE Michael Rodd 3 58.5kg
7 – HOWMUCHDOYOULOVEME Brenton Avdulla 7 58.5kg
8 – ONTHELOOKOUT Carl Spry 11 58.5kg
9 – BLACK CAVIAR Luke Nolen 1 56.5kg
10 – SEA SIREN Jim Cassidy 10 56.5kg
11 – EPAULETTE Kerrin McEvoy 8 56.5kg
Milesey
sorry was eating my tea
I have only been to the dogs at Cannington was a good night out apart from having to run up a huge fliglt of stairs to get your bet in on time and a pint was around the $12-15 range depending on what lager
never seen Black Caviar was actually going to ask you about it as I always see online bookies here advertising matched $250 $500 $100 free bets I gather it always wins and is short priced
Think you’ve just given away your not a serious punter for you still deal in Fractions ;) ;) doesn’t matter what online bookie, or even in a shop you can get the decimal coupons, pro’s deal in decimals, amatuers deal in fractions…. and nobody said they were betfair odds, could have been taken from any online site. ;)
Milesey
Chris, we can’t afford Milesey. But he’s contributing a lot of tips and when I have time I’ll post the ones I feel are most relevant. On the decimal/fractional debate old codgers like you and I will have to accept decimals are the way ahead. More and more fractions will be replaced as younger customers don’t like them. You’ll need to learn them.
Spurs without bale, defoe and Lennon for tonight. Even with their star man last week they struggled for 60 min against a team that passed them off the park and always looked like scoring. It was only when Basel took their foot off the gas a bit that spurs got back into it. Even then Basel could of and should of got a third to kill the game and Tie. I think home advantage coupeled with spurs best 3 attacking players missing and how dodgey spurs have looked at the back in the last few Matches, Basel represent good value for the win. Basel are 8/5 to win but i’m on Basel dnb at 17/20 for safety.
Gl all
theres no case for spurs without bale they will lose this game. basel team is much stronger than spurs 3-0 3-1 for me cant see past the home team.
I’m 27 and prefer to use fractions than decimals, maybe easy to understand but use fractions on all my online accounts cos I’m used to them. when are they getting all replaced wi decimals?? no changes in shop and never hear anything apart from on here
They aren’t all getting changed, you can bet either way, i prefer decimals, and if i do a coupon i do the decimal coupon, it’s what you prefer, just most pro’s like to deal in decimals.
Milesey
Craig, I didn’t say they were all getting replaced but that will be the trend. You’ll start to see more decimal prices, especially online, but hopefully they’ll continue to offer both. I’ve noticed some William Hill shop coupons, double chance for example, only offer decimal prices. I wonder if that’s to disguise how short most of the teams are to people who deal in fractions. At the end of the day we should no both. There’s not much difference in 2-1 or 3.0. Both are 2-1 to win, you just subtract one off the decimal for your stake.
I much prefer to deal with fractions. Its funny people’s opinion ain’t it. I used to think decimals were for people to used if they were too thick to calculate their returns with fractions. Anyway each to their own. Milesey I don’t know why you feel the need to take everything as a dig. I merely made a suggestion that you post the best odds and also what bookmaker. That’s what Mr Fixit does he states the odds and gives the name of the bookies offering the best prices for that selection. I assumed all your prices used were Betfair but you said “who said those were Betfair odds?”. So if they are not Betfair odds then even more so you should state which bookie was offering the best price. Don’t know what the big secret is. Also to suggest that someone including myself is not a serious gambler because we prefer to work with fractions instead of odds is just laughable. Sometimes Milesey you just need to know when to stop. If you want to work with decimal then that’s fine. Did you think I asked you to change the odds so I could work them out? Anyway I’m assuming the odds were from Betfair, if not why not stake which bookie it was? Think people would prefer this rather than having to searh themselves. It would take no effort for you to do this. Always on edge Milesey, always think I’m trying to get at you and I’m not. Infact I quite like the previews you post so don’t always go on the attack and think the worst. Must be your old age creeping up on you ;-)
………. okay i’ll put betfair exchange odds up then, seeing as though they are the best online ;) ;) ;) oh yeah they will be in decimal format ;) ;)
Milesey
Betfair aren’t always best, especially not for goalscorers except for the odd defender
I don’t do goalscorers, mainly horses and when the industry sp on the national winner was 66/1 and the betfair sp was 216/1 then see the difference ;) ;)
Milesey