SPL - Sat 29th Dec Team News & Thoughts

Dundee v Aberdeen

Dundee

Injuries - Milne, Grassi, Finnigan, Kerr, McLuskey


Probable XI - Douglas, Irvine, Lockwood, Benedictus, Gallagher, McAllister,O'Donnell, McBride, Conroy, Riley, Nish (4-4-1-1)


Aberdeen


Injuries - Jack, Milsom, Clark, Naysmith, Osbourne



Probable XI - Langfield, Magennis, Considine, Anderson, Reynolds, Rae, Hughes, Hayes, Fraser, McGinn, Vernon (4-4-2)



Predictions : Dundee 0-1 Aberdeen

I've no doubt that old Craig Brown was as stunned as me to see Aberdeen go down 4-1 against Motherwell but they will just have to pick themselves back up and what better place than at bottom of the league Dundee. The Dandy Dons have already beaten Dundee twice this season and will no doubt fancy their chances again. Aberdeen have Stephen Hughes, Rob Milsom and Ryan Fraser available again following injury and this will add to the team. Dundee keep ploding along but the SPL is just too much fr them. AWAY WIN @ 1.95 (Coral).
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Hibs v Celtic


Hibs

Injuries- none


Probable XI - Williams, Clancy, Hanlon, McPake, McGivern, Wotherspoon, Taiwo, Deegan, Cairney, Doyle, Griffiths (4-4-2)




Celtic


Injuries - Forrest, Mulgrew, Matthews, Commons, Stokes, Ledley


Probable XI - Foster, Lustig, Ambrose, Wilson, Izaguirre, Kayal, Brown, Wanyama, Samaras, Watt, Hooper (4-4-2)


Prediction : Hibs 1-3 Celtic

Hibs are doing their usual, storming start to the league up till around christmas and then free fall. It all started up in Inverness with a thumping 3-0 defeat then losing from a 2-0 lead against Motherwell and topped off with a home defeat to Ross County on boxing day. Things are likely to get worse for them if the expected player exits happen when the transfer window opens up at the start of 2013. Lets face it without Griffiths they could start to really struggle.

Hibs have not won at home to Celtic for over 4 years and have lost the last 6 home fixtures in a row, strangely they normally give a better account of themselves when they travel to Glasgow. It's going to be tough for the Edinburgh team as Celtic have quiet a formidable away record this season having lost just once, with 7 wins and 2 draws.

Hibs have a full squad to choose from with both Clancy and Deegan returning to the team on Boxing day. Celtic, however, are starting to pick up a number of injuries to key players but are fortunate to just about have a large enough squad to cover it. With Forrest, Mulgrew, Matthews, Commons, Stokes and Ledley all sidelined you would have to say that they are slightly understrength as most of these players I would consider starting XI players.

So Lennon will need to shuffle the pack a little but I think we are likely to see a similar team to the one he put out on the Boxing Day victory at Dundee probably with Lustig coming in at right back as Matthews is injured.

Unsurprisingly most sports book's have Celtic down as short odds favourites to win this match with the best price available being a little skinny in my opinion at 4/9 (Coral). Hibs fans will remember that they have actually drawn 2 of the last 3 games against Celtic, albeit at Celtic Park, but if you fancy a draw 19/5 (Bet Victor) is an attractive price. With 8/1(Bet Victor) on offer for a Home win.


I am tempted by the 19/20 (William Hill) for Both Teams to Score, as I always feel Leigh Griffiths can score a goal in a game from nothing but I've been put off by the fact that Celtic have won their last 4 games to nil and Hibs failed to score in their last run out.

The bet that I have selected for this match is a "Highest Scoring Half" bet. I have taken the 2nd half to be the highest scoring half at 11/10 (Betfred) as I can see there being a few Christmas cobwebs to be blown off in the 1st half of this match and think it will start slowly. Hibs have the players now to put in a battling performance with the likes of Deegan and Cairney in midfield and a big physical defence which may prove hard for Celtic to break down. Ultimately I think Celtic will win this match by a couple of goals but I am banking on them only showing their dominance in the later stages.


Prediction : Hibs 1-3 Celtic


Selection : The 2nd Half to be the highest Scoring @ 11/10


NB : As usual I will also be placing a side bet on Efe Ambrose anytime scorer @ 9/1 (Ladbrokes)
I'm telling you his goal is coming any week now..........

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Motherwell v Kilmarnock


Motherwell


Injuries - Saunders


Probable XI - Randolph, Hateley, Hutchison, Ramseden, Hammell, Lasley, Law, Murphy, Humphrey, Ojamaa, Higdon (4-4-2)


Kilmarnock 


Injuries - Pascali, Sissoko, Racchi, Hay, Gros

Probable XI - Bell, Fowler, O'Leary, Nelson, McKeown, Borja, Kelly, Dayton, Harkins, Heffernan, Sheridan (4-4-2)


Prediction : Motherwell 3 - 1 Kilmarnock 

I'm going against all the stats on this one and putting down Motherwell for a comfy HOME WIN. It's true that Kilmarnock are a bit of a bogey team for Motherwell together with the fact that Well have been hopeless at home this season and goals are usually scarse in this fixture but I think Motherwell are now showing their true potential. They are starting to play the kind of football we all know they are capable of and the goals are starting to flow again. Jamie Murphy for me has been the key to the turnaround that now sees Motherwell joint 2nd in the league. He has been influencing games much more coming off the left wing and has been scoring the goals that his talent suggests. 2 bets on this game HOME WIN @ 2.0 (William Hill)   and also MOTHERWELL TO SCORE OVER 1.5 GOALS @ 1.91 (Coral)


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Ross County v Hearts



Ross County 


Injuries - Kettlewell


Probable XI - Brown, Fitzpatrick, Munro, Boyd, Kovacevic, Lawson, Quinn, Vigurs, Brittain, Morrow, Glen (4-4-1-1)




Hearts


Injuries - Hamell, Grainger
Doubtful - Webster

Probable XI - MacDonald, McGowan, Zaliukas, Webster, McHattie, Barr, Taouil, Driver, Stevenson, Sutton, Smith (4-4-2)



Prediction : Ross County 1-1 Hearts


Hearts are waiting to hear whether Andy webster will make this game and if he doesn't make the game i feel that will be a massive blow for the Jambos and could certainly affect the result. Hearts whole game is based on the solid foundations at the back that the Webster/Zaliukas partnership give, so fingers crossed he plays. The fact that Hearts have only won 1 away match all season leaves me puzzled by the price that Hearts are to win this match and I believe it really is a good opportunity to put in a LAY here. To me the likely and best result Hearts can hope for is a draw so a win seems unlikely. LAY HEART@ 2.3 (Betfair)



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St Johnstone v Inverness


St Johnstone 


Injuries - none
Doubtful - Millar, Anderson


Probable XI - Mannus, Mackay, Wright, McCracken, Scobbie, Pawlett, Cregg, M.Davidson, Craig, Tade, MacLean (4-4-2)




Inverness


Injuries - Ross, King, Hogg
Doubtful - Meekings

Probable XI - Reguero, Raven, G.Shinnie, Cooper, Warren, Doran, Tudur-Jones, Draper, Foran, A.Shinnie, McKay (4-4-1-1)



Prediction : St Johnstone 1-2 Inverness


Forget Hibs v Celtic I reckon this will be match of the day in the SPL tomorrow. Again, St Johnstone are a bit of a bogey team for Inverness but its hard to count on previous results as this Inverness team is a completely different proposition from last season and are my tip for finishing as runners up barring injuries. McKay's goal scoring surely has not gone un-noticed down south so they will have to fight to hold onto him also. St Johnstone have only had 1 win the last 10 league games which is something of a worry for them - suddenly they just lost that winning mentality following a really good start to the season. Even though the last 4 matches between these 2 have gone under 2.5 goals you simply cant ignore how many of Invernesses games have been goal fests recently, their last 7 have all gone over 2.5

OVER 2.5 Goals @ 1.82(betfair)







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