Aberdeen v Kilmarnock
Aberdeen
Injuries - Hughes, Fraser, Jack, Milsom, Clark, Naysmith, Osbourne
Probable XI - Langfield, Megennis, Anderson, Reynolds, Considine, Smith, Rae, Shaughnessy, Hayes, McGinn, Vernon (4-4-2)
Kilmarnock
Injuries - none
Probable XI - Bell, Fowler, Nelson, O'Leary, Tesselaar, Kelly, Racchi, Borja, Harkins, Heffernan, Sheridan (4-4-2)
Prediction : Aberdeen 1-1 Kilmarnock
Another
week and more shit coming out of the mouth of the Killie manager Kenny
Shiels, I reckon his wife must not be handing it out in the
bedroom.....lol, but he is an angry man and it seems all the time,
however he has no injuries or suspensions for this game (apart from his
own touchline ban...) so lets see what he picks to moan about this week!
On the park these two struggle to put back to back performances
together and it is this inconsistancy which holds these 2 back from
mounting a challange nearer the top of the league. I fancy a score draw
here just of the simple reason that Aberdeen love a draw at home. DRAW @ 3.5 (Coral)
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Celtic v St Mirren
Celtic
Injuries - Commons, Forrest
Probable XI - Forster, Matthews, Ambrose, Wilson, Izaguirre, Mulgrew, Wanyama, Brown, Ledley, Samaras, Hooper (4-4-1-1)
St Mirren
Injuries - McGregor, McGowan
Suspended - Mair
Probable XI - Samson, Van Zanten, McAusland, Barrow, Dummett, MacLean, Goodwin, McGinn, Teale, Guy, Thompson (4-4-2)
Prediction : Celtic 4-1 St Mirren
It
will surprise a few people that in the league Celtic have actually only
claimed 1 point from their last 3 home games played, but it's a fact
that oddly they have been much better away from home this season. I'm
sure that Neil Lennon will have noticed this and will want to put it
right and what better opponents to improve the home record than St
Mirren. This is not a venue where the Paisley men get much success at
all with just 1 draw to show for themselves in their last 13 visits to
the east end of Glasgow. Indeed St Mirren have failed to score against
Celtic in their last 7 attempts (home & away) losing all matches
with an embarrassing aggregate score of 20-0!
So in all honesty I
can see St Mirren taking a bit of a hidding here tomorrow, providing
Celtic put out a full team as they again had to play a cup replay
midweek. The books do not have much faith in St Mirren either with best
odds of 17/1 (betfair) available for an unlikely away win. I imagine big
hitters will fancy a bit of the 1/4 (William Hill) that is available on
a Celtic win though.
Looking ahead to the game, Celtic will be
without the services of Kris Commons and James Forrest which may
restrict the natural width they have when the two play, so expect them
to be heavily weighted down the left hand side with Izaguirre, Ledley
and Mulgrew all expected to start. They have a slight doubt about
Matthew's fitness who took a slight knock after scoring in the cup game
but Lennon hopes his solid right back will make the match.
St
Mirren will again be without the injured McGregor and McGowan but their
biggest miss will be the suspended centre half Lee Mair.
For me
it is in midfield where Celtic will dominate this match, Scott Brown had
a fantastic game in the cup and with big Wanyama along side him that is
the strongest pairing in the SPL at the moment. Gary Hooper should be
able to expose St Mirren at the back with his pace and power, especially
with the absence of Lee Mair. Again I will be expecting Izaguirre and
Matthews to be playing more as wingers in this match and this proved
very effective against Kilmarnock in their last league match where the
quality of Matthew's crossing lead to the third goal being scored by
Samaras.
I'm very confident Celtic will win this game as all the
need to do is keep Thompson and Guy quiet and let their attacking
players do the rest, it should also be quite comfortable so I am willing
to take on the asain handicap of -2 goals for Celtic which pays 23/20
(Bet Victor).
A side bet which I shall also be playing, basically
in each game till he scores, is Celtic defender Efe Ambrose to score at
anytime at 8/1 (Ladbrokes). Sounds a bit crazy but I have been watching
him closely in games and he is a defender who really does like to come
forward and not just at set plays, he reminds me a little of Chelsea's
Ivanovic who is a high scoring defender always with an eye for goal.
Ambrose has just 1 goal to his name in 11 starts for Celtic but that is
not a true reflection on the amount of opportunities he has had. I have
seen him hit the post numerous times and i feel it is just a matter of
time before he scores again, so for me the odds are worth taking.
Selected Bets :
Celtic to cover the -2 Asian Handicap 23/20 (Bet Victor)
Small bet on Efe Ambrose anytime scorer 8/1 (Ladbrokes)
NB : note this preview can also be found at www.selectabet.net why not go and have a look!
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Dundee Utd v Inverness
Dundee Utd
Injuries - Dillon
Probable XI - Cierzniak, Watson, McLean, Gunning, Douglas, Flood, Rankin, Skacel, Armstrong, Daly, Russell (4-4-2)
Inverness
Injuries - Hogg
Probable XI - Reguero, Raven, Warren, Meekings, G, Shinnie, Doran, Draper, Foran, Tudur-Jones, A.Shinnie, McKay (4-4-2)
Prediction : Dundee Utd 2-2 Inverness
Potentially
match of the day here me thinks, people who follow me will know I am
really starting to like this Inverness side who are now 2nd in the SPL
3pts off Celtic. AND....I genuinely believe that they will be right up
their come the end of the season. Big Butch has managed to sculpt a team
that other teams will not fancy playing one little bit, their big and
physical but yet they have talent in the mix aswell. With Skacel, Daly
and Russell on the park I have no worry that Utd will manage at least a
goal and Inverness have scored in every game played this season so for
me both to score is almost a certainty! (famous last words....) As the
odds are a little skinny on this I will use it in a combination bet
simply with Celtic to win to produce around evens. BTTS @ 1.62 (Bet Fred) combined with Celtic WIN @1.25 gives us 2.02 for the double
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Hibs v Motherwell
Hibs
Injuries - Clancy
Probable XI - Williams, Maybury, McPake, McGivern, Stevenson, Claros, Deegan, Wotherspoon, Cairney, Doyle, Griffiths (4-4-2)
Motherwell
Injuries - Saunders
Probable XI - Randolph, Hateley, Cummins, Hutchison, Hammell, Murphy, Lasley, Law, Humphrey, Higdon, Ojamaa (4-4-2)
Prediction : Hibs 1-2 Motherwell
Hibs
should see the return to action of influencial midfield battler Deegan
this week and he will make a big difference as they have started to
falter a little lately with 3 losses in their last 4 league matches.
I've got to admit though this doesn't come as a surprise as Hibs are
famous for having flying starts to seasons and then plummeting back down
the league at around christmas time! I'm not convinced who will
actually win this match but I reckon we will at the least see a goal
from each side so I'll have a pop at BTTS @ 1.73 (Stan James)
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Ross County v Dundee
Ross County
Injuries - Duncan, Corcoran, Morrow, Scott
Probable XI - Brown, Kovacevic, Munro, Boyd, Fitzpatrick, Kettlewell, Brittain, Fotheringham, Quinn, Vigurs, McMenamin (4-4-1-1)
Dundee
Injuries - Finnigan, O'Donnell, Kerr, Easton, McCluskey, Grassi
Probable XI - Douglas, Irvine, Benedictus, Gallagher, Lookwood, Riely, Davidson, McBride, McAllister, Milne, Baird (4-4-2)
Prediction : Ross County 2-1 Dundee
Dundee
are well worthy of their bottom place in the league and I don't see
them improving on it this week. County are on the back of 2 away defeats
in the league and cup and will be hoping for an improved result in
Dingwall. With Quinn and Fotheringham back in their team on a regular
basis now this will improve them. HOME WIN @ 2.0 (William Hill) seems decent.
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St Johnstone v Hearts
St Johnstone
Injuries - none
Suspended - Anderson, Wright, Mackay, Millar
Probable XI - Manus, Miller, Scobbie, McCracken C.Davidson, Cregg, M.Davidson, Vine, Pawlett, MacLean, Tade (4-4-2)
Hearts
Injuries - Taouil, Grainger, Holt, Hamill
Probable XI - McDonald, McGowan, Zaliukas, Webster, McHattie, Taouil, Barr, Stevenson, Driver, Sutton, Smith (4-4-2)
Prediction : St Jonstone 1-2 Hearts
St
Johnstone are set to be understrength with 4 suspensions following
their 2 redcards last week against St Mirren. It will be a big problem
for them in defence where they are basically missing 3 regulars and
added to that the manager has to make a late call on McCracken as cover
but he is still suffering from a fractured checkbone. Hearts will be
looking to record only their 2nd away win all season but will fancy it
with manager McGlynn getting all adventurous last week and actually
playing 2 recognised strikers for the first time ever. Lets be positive
here and with the defensive worries St Johnstone have lets back a Hearts
win but with the safety of a draw no bet. HEARTS DNB @ 2.0 (Ladbrokes)
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