Greetings,
Saturday, December 9<SUP>th</SUP> (The early game)<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>
Ascoli at REGGINA<o></o>
Reggina boasts a decent home record with 3 wins, 2 draws, and 1 loss suffered at the hands of <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comffice:smarttags" /><st1:City><st1lace>Catania</st1lace></st1:City>. Included in those 3 wins was the very impressive 1-0 victory over Roma. Reggina is typical of many of the lower pack Serie A teams…play well at home, poor performances on the road. Ascoli has been brutal period; their road performance has produced just 2 draws in seven attempts. Sooner or later they will win a game, probably on home turf, and in my opinion not this week in Reggina, who should build on last week decent performance, earning a 1-1 draw at<o></o>
Udinese. I have no choice, but to select <st1:City><st1lace>Reggina</st1lace></st1:City>, even if I must spot the half goal.<o></o>
The play: Reggina -0.5 -121 (4 units)<o></o>
<o> </o>
Saturday,December 9<SUP>th</SUP> (The night game)<o></o>
<st1lace>Livorno</st1lace> at <st1:City><st1lace>PALERMO</st1lace></st1:City><o></o>
In last week’s selection of <st1:City><st1lace>Parma</st1lace></st1:City> +0.5 against <st1:City><st1lace>Palermo</st1lace></st1:City>, I began to point out that <st1:City><st1lace>Palermo</st1lace></st1:City> would was about to embark in a state of deflation (or change in luck).<o></o>
All good teams go through it, and only great teams can avoid it, case in point with Inter Milan. The last three games have seen <st1:City><st1lace>Palermo</st1lace></st1:City> produce a mere 1 goal on the offensive front; prior to that, they had won 5 straight while scoring a very impressive 12 goals. <st1lace>Livorno</st1lace>, on the other hand, is a model of consistency, which is reflected by the fact that they have yet to lose 2 consecutive games. On the defensive front, they are highly deceptive. When they are within the positive side of their <st1:date Month="4" Day="4" Year="2002">4-4-2</st1:date> scheme, teams have come to realize that they are very difficult to score against.<o></o>
Just look at the 14 game they played so far: 8 games with zero goals allowed, 4 games with 2, and one each with 3 and 4 goals allowed. I am somewhat disappointed in their 2-nil loss at home to Chievo last week. Nonetheless, what is impressive about <st1lace>Livorno</st1lace> is how they bounce back from defeat on the following week (three times this year, following a defeat, <st1lace>Livorno</st1lace> has come back to hold opponents to 0 goals, and this will be the fourth attempt). <st1:City><st1lace>Palermo</st1lace></st1:City> may want this victory badly, especially when they look ahead and see that Roma is next on the schedule, at L’Olimpico…..<o></o>
<st1lace>Livorno</st1lace> has the disciplined defensive core to frustrate, and stifle, the very offensive minded <st1:City><st1lace>Palermo</st1lace></st1:City>.<o></o>
The plays:<o></o>
<st1lace>Livorno</st1lace> +0.5 and +1 -107 (4 units)<o></o>
<st1lace>Livorno</st1lace> UNDER 2.5 -108 (5 units)<o></o>
<o> </o>
Cheers,<o></o>
<o> </o>
MA<o></o>
<o> </o>
<o></o>
Saturday, December 9<SUP>th</SUP> (The early game)<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>
Ascoli at REGGINA<o></o>
Reggina boasts a decent home record with 3 wins, 2 draws, and 1 loss suffered at the hands of <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comffice:smarttags" /><st1:City><st1lace>Catania</st1lace></st1:City>. Included in those 3 wins was the very impressive 1-0 victory over Roma. Reggina is typical of many of the lower pack Serie A teams…play well at home, poor performances on the road. Ascoli has been brutal period; their road performance has produced just 2 draws in seven attempts. Sooner or later they will win a game, probably on home turf, and in my opinion not this week in Reggina, who should build on last week decent performance, earning a 1-1 draw at<o></o>
Udinese. I have no choice, but to select <st1:City><st1lace>Reggina</st1lace></st1:City>, even if I must spot the half goal.<o></o>
The play: Reggina -0.5 -121 (4 units)<o></o>
<o> </o>
Saturday,December 9<SUP>th</SUP> (The night game)<o></o>
<st1lace>Livorno</st1lace> at <st1:City><st1lace>PALERMO</st1lace></st1:City><o></o>
In last week’s selection of <st1:City><st1lace>Parma</st1lace></st1:City> +0.5 against <st1:City><st1lace>Palermo</st1lace></st1:City>, I began to point out that <st1:City><st1lace>Palermo</st1lace></st1:City> would was about to embark in a state of deflation (or change in luck).<o></o>
All good teams go through it, and only great teams can avoid it, case in point with Inter Milan. The last three games have seen <st1:City><st1lace>Palermo</st1lace></st1:City> produce a mere 1 goal on the offensive front; prior to that, they had won 5 straight while scoring a very impressive 12 goals. <st1lace>Livorno</st1lace>, on the other hand, is a model of consistency, which is reflected by the fact that they have yet to lose 2 consecutive games. On the defensive front, they are highly deceptive. When they are within the positive side of their <st1:date Month="4" Day="4" Year="2002">4-4-2</st1:date> scheme, teams have come to realize that they are very difficult to score against.<o></o>
Just look at the 14 game they played so far: 8 games with zero goals allowed, 4 games with 2, and one each with 3 and 4 goals allowed. I am somewhat disappointed in their 2-nil loss at home to Chievo last week. Nonetheless, what is impressive about <st1lace>Livorno</st1lace> is how they bounce back from defeat on the following week (three times this year, following a defeat, <st1lace>Livorno</st1lace> has come back to hold opponents to 0 goals, and this will be the fourth attempt). <st1:City><st1lace>Palermo</st1lace></st1:City> may want this victory badly, especially when they look ahead and see that Roma is next on the schedule, at L’Olimpico…..<o></o>
<st1lace>Livorno</st1lace> has the disciplined defensive core to frustrate, and stifle, the very offensive minded <st1:City><st1lace>Palermo</st1lace></st1:City>.<o></o>
The plays:<o></o>
<st1lace>Livorno</st1lace> +0.5 and +1 -107 (4 units)<o></o>
<st1lace>Livorno</st1lace> UNDER 2.5 -108 (5 units)<o></o>
<o> </o>
Cheers,<o></o>
<o> </o>
MA<o></o>
<o> </o>
<o></o>