Formbook observations - and Vardy back on track...
Monday 6th July 2020
In Across the Leagues today:
- Formbook observations…
- Vardy back in the goals…
- La Liga trends, Real Madrid & Sergio Ramos…
Formbook observations – and Vardy back on track…
Football really is a funny ol’ game.
Back on 26th February last year, the first bet I ever sent out in my Football Angles service (as it was known then), was an Anytime Scorer pick on Che Adams…
That was for Championship game between Bristol City and Birmingham. Adams didn’t find the net that day. In fact, in his next 41 appearances in club football, Che managed just one goal. Until last night, that is…
Now playing in the Premier League for Southampton, Adams ended a 29-game wait to get his first goal for the Saints. And it was beauty, lobbing the Man City goalie from distance, to set up a surprise 1-0 win. Check it out here.
Will the floodgates now open for Adams? Southampton travel to Everton on Thursday night. In the early markets, the bookies make Che 4/1 to strike again.
Vardy back on track…
Jamie Vardy’s recent barren spell doesn’t look so bad when you compare it to Che Adams’. The Leicester man finally got the goals he needed to break the 100-mark in the Premier League…
Vardy got a brace in the second half of a 3-0 win over Crystal Palace on Sunday. In terms of the 2019/20 Premier League Golden Boot race, that was a very welcome two-goal tally for Jamie.
The 33-year-old is now two goals ahead of Arsenal’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. Vardy is three ahead of Danny Ings (Southampton), and four ahead of Liverpool’s Mo Salah. The bookmakers today have Vardy at Evens (2.00) to finish top of the pile.
- Back in August, Vardy to be Premier League Top Goalscorer was a 20/1 Each Way pick in my Football Angles service. Don’t worry that you didn’t get that one. Because now that we have merged with Across the Leagues, you will be getting all my picks in the season-long and Outright Winner markets from now on – and that’s a guarantee. We’ll be spending some time this summer getting our first names in the book for next season. The 2020/21 campaign actually gets underway as soon as 1st August in the Scottish Premiership…
Here are some of my other formbook observations from the weekend…
Title-winning form from Sergio Ramos…
In Spain, recent back-to-back 2-2 draws for Barcelona have opened the door for Real Madrid to establish a four-point lead at the top of La Liga.
When you look at the score-lines involved for Madrid, you can’t help but call it title-winning form…
Real have won 1-0, twice in a row. And on both occasions, the only goal of the game came from the penalty spot, with less than 20 minutes left on the clock, and was scored by Madrid defender & captain, Sergio Ramos…
Love him or hate him (and he’s certainly rubbed a few people up the wrong way over the years in football), Ramos knows how to get the job done in big games.
The Spanish veteran has now scored in a remarkable five out of seven La Liga games since the restart. Helping his team to seven successive victories since play resumed last month. Not bad going for a centre back.
- Three of those Ramos goals have been from the penalty spot, and paid out in the First Goalscorer markets
Ramos is also known for his ‘physical’ involvement in matches…
As well as those recent goal-scoring exploits, the 34-year-old has picked up three yellow cards in his last four appearances. Taking him up to 10 La Liga yellows for the season – which is the same as his total number of league goals.
Every five yellows you get a one-match ban, so Ramos will be suspended for Madrid’s game v Alaves this Friday. When he returns to the starting line-up, we should keep him on the radar for the remainder of the season.
La Liga goals trends…
Including those two 1-0 results from Real Madrid, 11 out of 15 games in La Liga since 1st July have gone Under 2.5 Goals.
Along with two goalless draws and one 1-1, the notable Correct Scores in that period have been 1-0 (x 4) and 2-0 (x 4).
Again, these are patterns to keep in mind when approaching the Spanish match markets and prices…
As we’ve already noted, Madrid’s next opponents are Alaves this coming Friday:
- While the league leaders are on a seven-game winning run, Alaves have lost five in a row. With the most recent score-lines being: 0-1, 2-1, 0-2, 1-0. A narrow margin of victory could be in store there
While we’re on the topic of the men in white, it’s also worth noting that, along with the empty stadiums right now, Madrid are actually playing their remaining ‘home’ games at the Alfredo Di Stefano Stadium. That is the smaller venue used by their reserve team, Real Madrid Castilla. Never let it be said that I don’t bring you facts.
Fixtures every day…
La Liga continues with fixtures every day of this week. There’s also a strong almost-daily presence in the Premier League, and in Serie A in Italy.
Along with the League One Playoffs, 2nd Legs this evening (we’re on Oxford to be Promoted at 11/4 or 5/2).
And the deciding leg of the Bundesliga Playoff in Germany this evening, too, with Werder Bremen going to Heidenheim and looking to stay in the top-flight, while the hosts hope to go up to the big league for the very first time. The 1st leg ended 0-0.
There are matches every day, but that doesn’t mean we need to bet every day. We’ll be taking aim again throughout the week, and only ever going after the best-looking prices. I’ll be in touch again tomorrow with my latest analysis for you.
Enjoy the football…
Best wishes,
Oliver Upstone
Across the Leagues |
