All articles by: Elliott Jackson

World Cup Qualifiers – Scotland vs Slovakia – Match Preview

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Scotland vs Slovakia – Match Preview – Scotland face Slovakia in a crucial match in Group F. A win for Slovakia would knock Scotland out the race for qualification for the World Cup. Victory for the Scots however, and they would leapfrog their opponents in the group.

Scotland know that if they are to secure second spot, they must win their next two games. This game against Slovakia in particular is crucial, with them sitting one point behind their visitors. With England also playing Slovenia, If Scotland win there is a very good chance they would sit second in the group, with just one match left to play. With their final group game then away at Slovenia, they would only need a point to qualify from that match.

Since their 3-0 defeat to England last year, Scotland are unbeaten in qualifying. That run stretches four matches, in which they have won three. In those three games they won, they kept three clean sheets. Keeping the back four shut has been key to Scotland’s recent revival, allowing the attacking players to win them the game and grab the three points.

Leigh Griffiths will be pivotal for Scotlands hopes of qualification in the last 2 games Photo Credit: skysports.com

For Slovakia, they know that their fate is also in their own hands. If they can beat Scotland, it would knock Scotland out of the running for the play-off spot. A victory at Hampden, and England also beating Slovenia on Thursday night, would mean they would be uncatchable in second place, and would secure themselves a play-off match. Their defeat against England last time out brought to an end their five match unbeaten run. Since losing their first two games to England and Slovenia, they had won every game they had played, catapulting them in to second place in the group.

Whilst Slovakia comfortably dispatched of Scotland 3-0 at home, this will be an entirely different game. With Scotland knowing they must win, the atmosphere at Hampden Park will be fantastic. It will be an enthralling match up, with both sides so close to securing a play-off spot. Whichever team can handle that pressure best will decide this game.

Of the three sides looking to secure second spot, Scotland have the worst defensive record leaking ten goals. Whilst they have shored up at the back recently, it will be interesting to see how long they can resist this talented Slovakia side for. With both teams having scored 14 goals, they both know where the back of the net is, so I’m going to plump for a score draw in this one.

 

Prediction: Scotland 1-1 Slovakia

SKYBET: CORRECT SCORE 1-1- 9/2
SKYBET: SCOTLAND TO WIN 1-0, 2-0 OR 2-1- 2/1
SKYBET: BTTS AND DRAW- 100/30
SKYBET: HAMSIK TO SCORE FIRST AND SLOVAKIA TO WIN 2-1- 50/1
SKYBET: GRIFFITHS AND NEMEC TO BOTH SCORE- 13/2
SKYBET: BTTS AND OVER 2.5 GOALS- 7/4

World Cup Qualifiers – England vs Slovenia – Match Preview

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England vs Slovenia – Match Preview – England return to action on Thursday, knowing just a win would secure their automatic qualification for the 2018 World Cup.

Gareth Southgate’s side sit five points ahead of second placed Slovakia. A draw against Slovenia would all but ensure top spot in Group F, but a win would mathematically seal their fate. England will be without Deli Alli for the match, with the Spurs’ man missing through suspension. The Three Lions do however have Harry Kane fit and available, with the Tottenham striker having scored 11 goals in his last six games. Kane also scored two in England’s last game against Malta, showing he can replicate his club form for his country as well.

Whilst England are yet to lose in this group, they did draw with Slovenia back in October last year. That point means Slovenia are one of only two teams to take points away from them in the group. England will be hoping this won’t happen again, as they look to cross the line in qualification. A positive for England is they have kept six clean sheets in eight games, but they have conceded three in their last three. With them holding the best offensive and defensive record in the group, that should be enough to see them grab three points.

Can Harry Kane fire England into the World Cup? Photo Credit: skysports.com

Slovenia, like England, have a very good defensive record. With them only conceding four goals in their eight matches so far, they have the next best record after England. Their Achilles heel however, is offensively. They have only scored ten goals so far, with only Malta and Lithuania scoring less in the group. If they are to get a result a Wembley, they will need to buck that trend, and been more offensive.

With Slovenia knowing a result for them would put them in the driving seat for second spot, they have even more motivation to try and get a result. With them sitting just a point behind Slovakia and level with Scotland, they could end the night in second place as the other two teams face each other. That would leave them with a final showdown with the Scots on match day ten, but they would be in control of their own destiny.

Unfortunately for them, I don’t see that happening. With qualification just in sight for England, I think they’ll get the job done at Wembley, with a comprehensive win.

 

Prediction: England 2-0 Slovenia

SKYBET: CORRECT SCORE ENGLAND TO WIN 2-0- 9/2
SKYBET: KANE TO SCORE A BRACE- 5/2
SKYBET: RASHFORD TO SCORE FIRST AND ENGLAND TO WIN 4-0- 35/1
SKYBET: ENGLAND -2 HANDICAP- 5/2
SKYBET: KANE TO SCORE A HATTRICK AND ENGLAND TO WIN 3-0- 80/1
SKYBET: BTTS AND OVER 2.5 MATCH GOALS- 7/4
SKYBET: KANE AND DEFOE TO BOTH SCORE- 5/2

Sheffield Wednesday vs Leeds United – Match Preview

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Sheffield Wednesday vs Leeds United – Match Preview – Sheffield Wednesday host Leeds at Hillsborough on Sunday in a Yorkshire derby. With both sides slumping to defeats in midweek, both teams will be desperate to respond with a win.

After their humiliating 4-2 defeat last Sunday against Sheffield United, Wednesday failed to bounce back in midweek. The Owls went down 1-0 at St Andrews as Birmingham took all three points, to give Wednesday back to back defeats for the first time this season. After those two damaging losses, they now sit in 13th place, but are only five points outside the play offs. With the heat firmly cranked up on manager Carlos Carvalhal, he will be desperate for his side to put in a performance on Sunday.

Lucas Joao will be hoping for a starting place Photo credit: skysports.com

After scoring five goals in five games, Gary Hooper’s run came to an end against Birmingham. The striker did have a goal ruled out at St Andrews, when he was incorrectly ruled offside. The Englishman is in great form and Wednesday know if they can supply him the ball, he only needs one chance to grab himself a goal. It’ll be interesting to see who starts upfront with Hooper. Lucas Joao has been knocking on the door after two impressive substitute appearances in the last two games. With Joao offering more pace up top than Steven Fletcher, I think it might be time to throw the Portuguese striker in for his first league start of the campaign.

Leeds suffered their second defeat of the season in midweek, losing 3-1 to league leaders Cardiff. That defeat dropped them down to third, but they’re still only one point off the automatic promotion places. They will be without Captain Liam Cooper for this game, with the Scottish defender picking up a red card in the defeat in Wales. This will be a big blow for them, with Cooper a key reason as to why they have the joint third best defence in the division.

Saiz has been in good form for Leeds Utd Photo Credit: skysports.com

Wednesday have only won two of their last ten games against Leeds, with their last win in January 2016. Leeds have also won on two of their last three trips to Hillsborough, and haven’t conceded against Wednesday in their last two meetings. In those last ten meetings, the two sides have shared 25 goals, with both teams scoring on six of those occasions.

With both sides looking vulnerable defensively in recent matches, I think both teams to score is a good bet. With both sides desperate to improve, I think this one will be a draw. Both teams have in form strikers in the shape of Hooper and Pierre-Michel Lasogga, and I think that the game will end even.

 

Prediction: Sheffield Wednesday 1-1 Leeds United

 

SKYBET: CORRECT SCORE DRAW 1-1- 9/2

SKYBET: HOOPER AND LASOGGA TO BOTH SCORE- 15/2

SKYBET: SAIZ TO SCORE FIRST AND LEEDS TO WIN 2-1- 50/1

SKYBET: BTTS AND WEDNESDAY TO WIN- 7/2

SKYBET: FLETCHER FIRST TO SCORE AND WEDNESDAY TO WIN 1-0- 22/1

SKYBET: LEEDS TO SCORE IN THE FIRST TEN MINS- 8/1