Everton- Young Boys
Ahead of the first leg I wrote .....
The visitors are concerened about the artificial playing surface at the Stade du Suisse in Berne, Young Boys laid it last summer and are a perfect 5/5 on it in Europe, with four clean sheets including 2-0 defeats of Sparta Prague and Napoli. It clearly gives them an edge, even if much of it is only in the minds of opponents, the Toffees have practiced this week on a similar surface at Widnes, but similar is not the same and if it does not react in similar fashion, it is only going to complicate matters. Young Boys are the closest challengers to Basle this season and have averaged 2.1 goals per game at home in Super League. 2.6 gpg in those five Europa League ties.They use the surface to play to their strengths, with a very well organised young team, who play at high energy and keep their shape, or perhaps it is that they have adapted their style to the surface, either way, this looks a big ask for Everton for whom the goals have dried up, just one in four starts. The visitors will be confident of a comfortable win at Goodison in the return leg and perhaps happy to come through this without injury and within a goal of Young Boys, especially if that includes a road goal for them.
That finished in a massive 4-1 win for the Toffees and we touched upon the game in the preview for their home game with Leicester City on Sunday ....
Quick turnaround for Everton who played in Berne on Thursday night, but they will be buoyed by the result there and the hat-trick for Romelu Lukaku, who has had a dry spell in the league, with only one goal in eleven starts. That was a wide open encounter and there were chances at both ends and "issues" with three of the Everton goals, which another set of officials might not have allowed. It could easily have ended 4-6 something like that and whilst I am not expecting this to be as gung ho, I do feel we will see goals.
That ended 2-2 which was ideal for us, there could have again been 6-7 goals in that game and despite being involved in a lot of low scoring encounters, Everton will respond when teams are prepared to go toe to toe and open up. This tie is over, hosts face two road games inside the next week, a trip to a hurt and wounded Arsenal on Sunday and to Stoke City on Wednesday, just six points above the drop zone, failure to pick up something from those is going to make for an uncomfortable end to the season. Tim Howard looked very rusty and far from his best at the weekend, he will keep his place, there will be rotation elsewhere, the hosts look vulnerable at the back at the visitors can only play one way which is on the front foot. They will come looking to restore some pride and one or two players will be out to impress with personal ambitions in mind. Surely goals .
1.5 units "over" 2.75 goals 2.17 asian line/Sportmarket.
1 unit Young Boys "over" 1.5 goals 3.75-4.33 general quote if you can find it.
Ahead of the first leg I wrote .....
The visitors are concerened about the artificial playing surface at the Stade du Suisse in Berne, Young Boys laid it last summer and are a perfect 5/5 on it in Europe, with four clean sheets including 2-0 defeats of Sparta Prague and Napoli. It clearly gives them an edge, even if much of it is only in the minds of opponents, the Toffees have practiced this week on a similar surface at Widnes, but similar is not the same and if it does not react in similar fashion, it is only going to complicate matters. Young Boys are the closest challengers to Basle this season and have averaged 2.1 goals per game at home in Super League. 2.6 gpg in those five Europa League ties.They use the surface to play to their strengths, with a very well organised young team, who play at high energy and keep their shape, or perhaps it is that they have adapted their style to the surface, either way, this looks a big ask for Everton for whom the goals have dried up, just one in four starts. The visitors will be confident of a comfortable win at Goodison in the return leg and perhaps happy to come through this without injury and within a goal of Young Boys, especially if that includes a road goal for them.
That finished in a massive 4-1 win for the Toffees and we touched upon the game in the preview for their home game with Leicester City on Sunday ....
Quick turnaround for Everton who played in Berne on Thursday night, but they will be buoyed by the result there and the hat-trick for Romelu Lukaku, who has had a dry spell in the league, with only one goal in eleven starts. That was a wide open encounter and there were chances at both ends and "issues" with three of the Everton goals, which another set of officials might not have allowed. It could easily have ended 4-6 something like that and whilst I am not expecting this to be as gung ho, I do feel we will see goals.
That ended 2-2 which was ideal for us, there could have again been 6-7 goals in that game and despite being involved in a lot of low scoring encounters, Everton will respond when teams are prepared to go toe to toe and open up. This tie is over, hosts face two road games inside the next week, a trip to a hurt and wounded Arsenal on Sunday and to Stoke City on Wednesday, just six points above the drop zone, failure to pick up something from those is going to make for an uncomfortable end to the season. Tim Howard looked very rusty and far from his best at the weekend, he will keep his place, there will be rotation elsewhere, the hosts look vulnerable at the back at the visitors can only play one way which is on the front foot. They will come looking to restore some pride and one or two players will be out to impress with personal ambitions in mind. Surely goals .
1.5 units "over" 2.75 goals 2.17 asian line/Sportmarket.
1 unit Young Boys "over" 1.5 goals 3.75-4.33 general quote if you can find it.
