In last week’s column we queried whether we could land the full 5/5 winning selections for Saturday just gone. A fortnight prior we had bagged 4/5 successful picks with Stoke as the sole side to let us down on the scoring front.
Well it was a case of déjà vu last time out as 4/5 selections hit the jackpot with Cambridge the sole annoyer who failed to find the net. So, that’s 8/10 winning selections 18/20 teams selected scoring (or not, in the cases where BTTS: No is selected). Those are impressive numbers by anyone’s measure.
We’re in the midst of an international break this week, which will detract from the fixture list and only leave us a handful of World Cup qualifiers and domestic lower leagues to work with. Nevertheless, our form is good and so we offer up this week’s both teams to score betting tips in good spirits:
- Scunthorpe vs Wigan: Both Teams to Score – No
- Cambridge vs Wycombe: Both Teams to Score – Yes
- Carlisle vs Exeter: Both Teams to Score – Yes
- Morecambe vs Crawley: Both Teams to Score – Yes
- Montenegro vs Denmark: Both Teams to Score – Yes
Scunthorpe vs Wigan – No (4/5)
After being touted as promotion candidates pre-season, Scunthorpe are flattering to deceive at present. They have netted in just two of their last six games, and while defensively they are sound scoring at a rate of a goal per game (11 in 11) is not going to fire you to promotion.
Wigan, on the other hand, have no problem putting the ball in the net. They’ve notched 20 in their 11 starts, and conceded just six – with an incredible five clean sheets in six outings. The Latics will be expecting to keep their sheet clean against a misfiring Scunthorpe outfit.
Cambridge vs Wycombe – Yes (8/11)
When making BTTS picks, one of the golden rules is to ensure that the away team are going to uphold their end of the bargain by not parking the bus and playing for a draw.
There’s little chance of Wycombe doing that on Saturday. Their xG data is good, and despite two goalless draws on their travels those came at high flying Mansfield and the then in-form Newport, where discretion was the better part of valour. At so-called lesser sides, they have won 2-1 and 3-2 (twice).
Cambridge aren’t bad but they are clearly missing the presence of Luke Berry in midfield, and they have conceded at home against Coventry and Carlisle – both sides who, like Wycombe, will play on the front foot.
Carlisle vs Exeter – Yes (8/13)
Carlisle, formerly the BTTS kings, have stopped delivering as such with their former regularity, but it’s not as if their contests have been low scoring; they’ve won 5-0 and lost 0-2 (twice) and 0-3 in their last six outings alone.
So a BTTS verdict isn’t far away, and we can have a certain level of confidence that Exeter – an enterprising and attacking team – can be the co-conspirators.
They have only a 50% success rate in BTTS in their last half-dozen, but look at the scorelines: they’ve won 2-1, 3-1, 3-0 and 4-1, and lost 0-2 and 0-3. Goals, quite frankly, follow them around.
Morecambe vs Crawley – Yes (8/13)
BTTS has landed in four of Morecambe’s last five starts, and their home xG data is indicative of a side that occupies both penalty areas rather frequently.
Harry Kewell is having a rough time of it as far as criticism is concerned, but his Crawley outfit are actually playing far better than their league position suggests. They sit second in the ‘away xG’ table, and have created more big chances on their travels than any other League 2 side bar Newport.
Montenegro vs Denmark – Yes (3/4)
We’re favouring BTTS in this World Cup 2018 qualifier for the simple reason that neither team can afford to lose.
Poland top Group E with 19 points, with Montenegro and Denmark just behind on 16 points. So there’s a lot to play for – whether to top the pile or progress to the play-offs – and neither team can afford to lose ground on their rivals; particularly Montenegro, who play Poland in the final round of matches.
Denmark’s four qualifiers away from home have ended 2-3, 0-0, 4-1 and 3-1, so the law of averages suggests that goals follow them on their travels.