The cup competitions can make life very difficult for punters to get an accurate read on how a match might pan out; especially when the ties come so quickly after the festive period.
So there is some mitigation in the rather flaccid performance of this column last time out, although we will say that landing the Spal vs Lazio tip at juicy odds of 10/11 at least acts as some consolation.
There’s a full league programme to savour this week, so let’s see if we can unearth some good value both teams to score betting tips:
- Borussia Dortmund vs Wolfsburg: Both Teams to Score – Yes
- Frankfurt vs Freiburg: Both Teams to Score – Yes
- Hannover vs Mainz: Both Teams to Score – Yes
- Udinese vs SPAL: Both Teams to Score – Yes
- Woking vs Tranmere: Both Teams to Score – Yes
Borussia Dortmund vs Wolfsburg – Yes (4/6)
Bizarrely, we stumbled upon this blog post from a Borussia Dortmund fan site which was written about their recent festive break.
Apparently, all three of their first choice goalkeepers – Roman Burki, Roman Weidenfeller and Dominik Reimann – have been struck down by a stomach bug, and as such it was decided that the Bees would return home early from their Marbella getaway.
With injury problems at left back, it is fair to say that Dortmund are facing something of a defensive crisis this week – and that’s on top of them keeping just one clean sheet in their last twelve Bundesliga matches!
Wolfsburg are no great side but they have netted in 13/17 matches this term, and so given what we know about their hosts BTTS seems to be on the cards here.
Frankfurt vs Freiburg – Yes (4/5)
It is the away record of Freiburg that really gets the juices flowing here. They have conceded a remarkable 25 goals in just eight matches on the road, and their last five away results read 0-5, 0-3, 1-3, 4-3, 3-3. If that doesn’t get the BTTS punter inside you excited nothing will!
On home soil we happen to think that Frankfurt will be up for it too. BTTS has landed in 10 of their last 12 matches, and so the mark looks a statistical probability to repeat here.
Hannover vs Mainz – Yes (3/4)
The third selection in our Bavarian BTTS bonanza this week sees goal-friendly Hannover entertain Mainz.
What can you say about Hanover: nine of their last eleven games have gone over the 2.5 line and witnessed BTTS, and some extraordinary performances on home soil this term have seen the hosts beat Dortmund 4-2 and draw with Bayer Leverkusen 4-4.
Mainz are a tad more conservative, but even so they have netted in 11 of their last 13 with BTTS delivering in eight of their last twelve, and given the free-spirited nature of their opponents we’re inclined to suggest that pattern may continue here.
Udinese vs SPAL – Yes (19/20)
We backed SPAL in this column a week ago to deliver the goods against Lazio, and a 2-5 defeat later we can report that they did with some gusto.
There’s no need to deviate from the logic here: BTTS has landed in eight of their last nine and twelve of their last fifteen; home or away, SPAL seem to get the job done.
The reason we like Udinese here is because they are on a fine run: six unbeaten (W5 D1 L0 to be precise), and that shows a knack for putting the ball in the back of the net: they’ve notched 15 goals in their last half-dozen.
Woking vs Tranmere – Yes (4/6)
A rare foray into the National League for a match that, on paper at least, promises goals.
Woking have scored at least once in 13 of their 14 home matches so far this season, with BTTS and over 2.5 goals landing in each of their last half-dozen.
Tranmere’s games can rarely be described as boring: eight of their last nine have witnessed three or more goals – six of those delivering four or more!