Premier League and Ligue 2 ...
shortly after the 30 minute mark, goals also came after the break in the West Ham-Tottenham match with another in the 90th minute.
Ibramarket offered 2.03 Monaco at the half hour, the "over" 3.5 line was 2.21 at Upton Park at half time (score 1-1) and shortly after the 4th goal in that match, there was circa 4.85 about a 5th coming late. Three nice prices there, all of which were possible to back if you read Monday's notes closely enough.........
There is huge incentive for Tottenham Hotspur to win at Upton Park, it would not only take them up to third and above Chelsea, but give them a four point advantage over Arsenal, whom they host on Sunday. Aside from the Gunners, Chelsea are Spurs biggest rival and the Hammers number three, so the opportunity to inflict some pain on the trio at the same time, would be a rare and treasured gift for supporters.
The visitors played in Lyon on Thursday, in a hard fought game, so are helped by this match being played on Monday, but fitness wise they should be strong, their early elimination from the FA Cup meant that they did not play inbetween the two Europa League fixtures, so this is their first domestic match in 16 days.
Just two wins in thirteen starts for United, but if the Hammers who turned over Chelsea here 3-1 and should have put Manchester United out of the FA Cup turn up, they have a good chance to claim the spoils, but we have seen that side infrequently this campaign. They have not played at all for 15 days since a loss at Aston Villa, where they paid the price for some poor defending and finishing, that is a long time to stew on what they felt was an unjust loss, but that can work two ways. It can serve as motivation, but the mental approach is so important and to go onto the pitch still feeling hard done by, hands a massive advantage to your opponent.
Gareth Bale ( 37-21-11 !! in all competitions) has stepped up a level in 2013 and has ten goals and three assists from 11 starts since Boxing Day, right back Joey O'Brien (21-2-1) left the field injured against Villa, but looks fit to return, he was given a torrid time by Bale in the reverse frixture, booked after seven minutes, he was lucky to see the match out. Home boss Sam Allardyce has said this week, that his plan is to stop Bale and doubtless O'Brien will get some help on that flank, which is going to open up space for the rest of the visitors to attack and even double manned, Bale is not easy to stop at present. The Hammers have scored just one first half goal in seven starts and Fat Sam admitted after the Villa game that his tactics were to sit back saying... "We were waiting to see what Villa had to throw at us in the first half and we coped with that. Then our plan was to go at them in the second half and we created chance after chance."
This was not how United were approaching matches earlier in the season and I think their second half comeback against Chelsea has clouded matters and come at a cost. If they sit back early tonight and try to stifle Tottenham and Bale, it seems likely to play into the hands of the visitors who have scored 68% of all goals after the break, with 8 of their last 9 after the 45th minute, including three in injury time.
I think there is a very good chance that we will again see most of the action late, I just favour the visitors, but the odds look about right at present. If this was goalless at the break, I would definitely look to take the "over" in the second period.
In Ligue 1, Monaco have served us very well recently and especially the fact that they come on strong in the final hour, with 80% of all their goals coming after the 31st minute, tonight they host Lens who are very effective in that opening 30 minutes, scoring 40% of all their goals in the first 30 minutes. This really opens up some good potential for "in running", dream scenario would be for Lens to lead during that opening 30 minutes and then we could back Monaco knowing they were likely to finish much the stronger. Hosts have conceded in their last five at home, but not lost any and that is what I feel will happen again tonight, either a score draw or hard fought home win.