IT'S been a long day and it's still a few hours until world champions Spain do battle with Ireland in the Yankee Stadium.
I won't be hanging around for the game even though I fancy a few bets on the Spanish (1am KO).
I've seen plenty of tips for the Irish not to lose but I can't get their 4-0 thrashing by Spain at Euro 2012 out of my head. It really was men against boys but there won't be the same intensity with this being a friendly.
This will be Spain’s final warm-up game before the Confederations Cup so coach Vicente del Bosque is likely to take the chance to work on his formations for the tournament and is expected to field a strong side.
For the Irish their summer holidays are just around the corner and they'll make several changes form the side that beat the Faroes 3-0 last Friday. The likes of Aiden McGeady, Jon Walters, Shane Long, John O'Shea and Glenn Whelan are all missing.
Robbie Keane hit a hat-trick and the LA Galaxy striker will be keen to impress in the country he's made home. But Spain aren't the Faroes which is why he is 11-1 at Coral and Paddy Power.
However, it's difficult to see past the Spaniards who are unbeaten since November 2011 when England notched a win.
Spain are 2-7 with the likes of William Hill and bet365 which is almost backable while the Irish are 12-1 with bet365.
For me it's a Spain win to nil so consider no to both teams to score at 10-11 with William Hill.
David Villa and Fernando Torres are joint first-scorer favourite and of the two I'd favour Villa at 10-3 with bet365 and BetVictor.
Recommended Bets
No to both teams score
(10-11, William Hill)
Villa to score first
(10-3, bet365, BetVictor)
In December 2020 we sadly 
Big fancy for under 2.5 goals in this match @ 6/4. Anyone any thoughts. Anything could happen as its only a friendly but i think both teams will be relaxed
Racing tipster, under 2.5 definitely has a chance unless Spain run away with it.
Apologies for sticking this in here, Mr F, but when I put it up about an hour ago, it disappeared into a bunch of comments about Chris’s staking strategies about 350 comments in!
It took a bit of homework, but if anybody’s looking at late-night options…
Brazil – Serie B 11.30pm KO
Just in case there’s any night owls still looking for something to get excited about later, here’s a couple of options at odds against from the land of samba, coffee and close shaves.
Guaratingueta – Joinville H2.89 D3.22 A2.25
Home Team
Currently 18th of 20
Garatingueta P5 W1 D1 L3 F5 A10 Pts 4
Guaratingeta finished last season one point above relegation to Serie C, only escaping by winning four of their last five home games. However, they’ve started this season back in the old routine. They won their first game of the season, since then it’s been mediocre at best. Their home form is won one and lost one – but the defeat came at the hands of Recife, who have played three away – two against middling sides, and one against Guaratingueta. They lost against the middling sides, but they beat Garatingueta 4-1.
Away Team
Currently 2nd of 20
Joinville P5 W4 D0 L1 F11 A3 Pts 12
Joinville have won all three at home so far: F8 A1. This game’s away, but the home stats are the best in the league at this early stage. Away, they’ve lost to Atletico Go and have beaten Avai. Atletico Go are one of last season’s relegated Serie A sides, so, for this league, are decent. Probably more noteworthy is Joinville’s more recent win at Avai. Avai’s home record in Serie B last season was the second best in the league – W14 D2 L3. (They finished 7th overall. Joinville were 6th.)
Based on a poor home side that’s historically struggled at this level, and which has started this season in much the same form, against an away team that came close last time and has started really well this time…
Away Win
Oeste – Sao Caetano H1.91 D3.36 A3.59
Home Team
Currently 7th out of 20
Oeste P5 W2 D2 L1 F8 A7 Pts 8
Oeste were last season’s Serie C champions, so, no small achievement, but Serie B’s a step up in class, and so far they’ve done OK, especially at home, with two wins and a draw, but they’re a smallish club and this is likely to be the highest level they can go to…
Away Team
Currently 14th out of 20
Sao Caetano P5 W1 D2 L2 F4 A4
Here’s what I find interesting.
In last year’s Serie B Sao Caetano finished 5th – 4 teams are promoted.
But they were however TOP away side with the following season record:
P19 W11 D5 L3 F31 A20
That’s a blistering away record!
Also, despite only being formed in 1989, they have a pedigree from the early 2000s when they were runners-up in Serie A and also runners-up in the South American Champions League, the Copa Libertadores.
That’s a side that’s looking to get back to the top.
The teams met at Oeste in January in the Campeonato Paulista (Sao Paulo regional championship) – it was a 1-1 draw.
I think at 3.59, the away is too tempting to miss.
Double chance would be a really good shout, but I like to push out the boat.
I’m on the Away Win.
posted ma bets on other thread but here there again :)
Spain win & over 2.5 gls 4/5
spain 4-1 16/1
spain 5-0 22/1
1st half scorecasts
keane 2-1 Spain 125/1
cazorla 3-0 Spain 55/1
Great tip uht…
Great tip uht…
looking good for the double at ht uht at big prices
Under 10 corners at evens maybe not a bad shout in the Spain game and obviously got to fancy a spain win, will probs not bet on the game myself though.
FC Pokkeriprod v Tallina FC Ararat is due to be in play on bet365 tomorrow at 4pm, whether it will be or not is a different matter. FC Pokkeriprod in the lowest tier of the Estonian league (6th tier) v Ararat who are doing well in the 3rd tier. Pokkeriprod lost their last two cup games 18-0 and 24-0 against 1st tier teams. Seems to be quite a bit difference even between teams in the third and fourth tier v the bottom tier. The last time Ararat faced a team in the bottom tier that I can see they won 10-0. Hopefully, there will be a bigger market than currently on offer which is just 1/12 Ararat win and 1/5 over 2.5 goals. Could be a big opportunity for in play goals if they have it tomorrow. If they don’t might just need to put a Chris Guy sized bet on over 2.5 goals lol.
Spain XI vs. Ireland: Valdés, Arbeloa, Piqué, Sergio Ramos, Jordi Alba, Busquets, Iniesta, Xavi, Pedro, Silva, Villa
veey strong line up
Craig, I expected a strong side. Putting £xx,xxx,xxx on Spain and hope to wake with my accounts showing plenty of zeroes.
Cheers, Craig! I was sitting looking at Flashscores and every time it turned pink I kept waiting to see equalisers and goals back. And I had to keep doing cartoon rubbing of my eyes to see it was actually goals for the teams I’m backing!!
Congrats, yourself, by the way on the punter contest – great stuff. A worthy winner!
The UHT, Craig beat Bruce in the semis but lost the final.
As long as your account does not start with a zero u will be fine ;-)
hopefully they don’t f*** it now haha I never won it, lost on the last game of the wknd by 1 goal :( it was new golf maestro Bruce’s pal Cammy won it :)
Craig, right I’m off. Don’t see too much on the footie front but will have a look in the morning before flying out. Just remembered USA are playing Panama in a qualifier in a couple of hours so going for a Spain/USA double as well.
Apologies!! I have that amazing sequence of two of you going at it hammer and tongs bet after bet with you winning at the end in my mind. Maybe that was the semi – I thought you won the whole thing. I’ll get my coat.
Putting an 8 figure sum on Spain to win Mr Fixit!? I’m offended by this LOL. Enjoy your ‘work’ trip away.
Ruby, that’s £xxx,xxx,xxx.xx in the bank thanks to Spain (and the US). Should buy me a nice slice of cake in Amsterdam tonight although I’ll probably stick to the Amstels.
Nice one UHT, i took the cautious approach and went down the draw no bet route for both, but both looking very healthy right now.
Cheers, Striker. Really pleased you went with it. I should’ve taken the cautious approach myself before congratulating Craig on winning the punter contest, I think… I need to go to bed, but I’m too excited by Sao Caetano! Note to self: don’t bet on stuff that happens overnight OR don’t wait to see who scores first, because then it turns into waiting to see who scores second… and ending up watching that 90+ marker never turning into full-time. ;-)
hahaha no worries uht, am the same, can’t sleep knowing I’ve got a bet on a live game just now. took pauls double spain and usa aswell but definitely not staying up til 5 to watch that. gonna try get link on phone for it and hopefully nod off before half time
Craig, nice results for Spain and the USA, especially Spain. Really fancied three bets that all came up – Spain, Spain to win to nil and under 2.5 goals. 2-0 to both sides.
Cheers, Craig – good luck in the Spain-Ireland game.
And FFS, don’t stay up too late!
I am now going to bed, but first will have a Maxwell House Brazilian Roast coffee to celebrate. (No, I don’t think you can still buy it anywhere.)
yeh spain 2-0 easy few dollars. thanks for the info again mr f. i know find myself coming to your blog multiple times a day. off to look at champions trophy i think. :)
Guy, yeah Spain went exactly as expected, will see if I can at least pick a Super Single for today.
cant believe that, chasing bigger odds and 2-0 comes in, ah well lost £7 but had £20 on spain us of a double so 37.50 back for that cheers for that yin paul :)
Great day yesterday. Doubled my bankroll. Special thanks to Greg, sly, ruby & uht for some great tips.
Anymore obscure picks this morning?
My only bet for today is going to be on the Estonian cup game with FC Pokkeriprod v FC Tallina Ararat. Expect Ararat to win by a number of goals, possibly even get close to double figures. Hopefully more than just over 2.5 at 1/5 is on offer and it goes in play so can do ht and ft over on goals etc.
Will be looking out for other tips on here though, usually get a few good ones. Like Mr T said it was a decent day yesterday.
ruby cheers for flagging that up, will have a a bet when it comes in play. over 1.5/2.0 1st hf goal line is 1.9 wi bet365 just now but should get better odds once it goes in-play. 4 o’clock ko tho
Thanks for letting me know Craig they must have just recently put more markets up. Have just went on and done a couple of wee bets on over 1.5/2.0 first half goals at 1.9 and over 4.5 ft goals at evens both look great bets imo. Hopefully, they have it in play too.
money must’ve come in for the over 1.5/2.0 cos only got over 2.0 ht at 1.875. stuck it in a treble wi leyton Hewitt to beat dmitrov, just went 1-0 up on sets 8/13 and frogs hollow 11/10 at just over 5/1
Looks a decent treble, seen a few people tipping Frogs Hollow on here. Really tempted to put on a big bet on over 4.5 goals at even money. Was thinking about the same yesterday on The Slovakia u21 v Luxembourg u21 game but in the end just done a few wee bets and sods law every bet came up easily. Putting a big bet on an estonian cup game involving a third tier and sixth tier team is maybe a bit wild though lol.
maybe a bit wild but its these type of games that have been given everyone winners. Hewitt 5-3 up 2nd set so couple £1 cover bets on dmitrov 2nd set and match for cover
waste of £2 :) 40-0 against the serve. 8/13 massive price considering he was up 5-4 serving for 1st set
Aye that’s a gd bet!
Haven’t seen anything obscure this mornin that’s worth a couple quid, having said that I will be looking into the swedish games later though, any thoughts?
Haha aye you’ll be a few x’s lighter after the Amstels tonight lol