Andrew Flint (@AndrewMijFlint):
Bet One: €5 Anzhi - Spartak: Bernard Berisha to score anytime @ 7.50 at Bet365
Despite their low position in the table, I maintain that Anzhi have huge potential to unleash if they can sort themselves out of their horrific home form. At the SKB Bank Arena last weekend, Bernard Berisha was phenomenal, and as I predicted on Twitter during the first half, he had a direct influence on the score sheet. His style is uncomplicated but devastatingly effective; lightning quick over ten yards, very strong on the ball, and fixated on beating his man and delivering a cross or shot.
With the suspension of key playmaker Ilya Maximov, much of the creativity will fall at feet of the Kosovan flier, and given that Yannick Bolli returns to the side after a suspension induced rest, the style with suit a more direct approach from Berisha. With the less mobile Islamnur Abdulavov as the focal point of the attack Berisha’s service was directed out wide, but with Bolli on the pitch instead, more of a fluid interchange up front can be expected.
Bet Two: €5 Terek v Ural; over 2.5 first half goals @ 10.00 at Bet365
This is the riskiest of my selections this week, but at the price on offer it is too tempting to turn down. Ural have the been involved in more first half goals than any other side by some distance, while only Kuban have outscored Terek in the first half of matches so far this season. The Chechens are gearing up beautifully for the closing stages of the league and I would be amazed if they didn’t make it into Europe on their current form.
Ural meanwhile are squeezing every ounce of predatory instinct out of veteran forward Spartak Gogniev, but more pleasing still has been the incredibly mature form of Dmitry Korobov on the wing. From the outside, it looked to be a disaster when Vyacheslav Podberezkin and Alexander Erokhin departed, but they have youth and momentum, so should be able to contribute to this bet.
Bet Three: €10 Krylia v Zenit, Rubin v Mordovia, Krasnodar v Lokomotiv Treble: Zenit, Rubin and Krasnodar victories @ 5.26 at Bet365
This is the selection to take me back into profit. There is great value in these Sunday matches, even for Zenit to face the lowest scoring team of the season in Krylia, who have only scored in one of their last nine league matches. Zenit’s goalscoring threat speaks for itself, especially after dismantling Rubin at the Petrovsky last weekend, and that should get the treble off to a solid start. Bearing in mind the match will again be in Saransk without Krylia’s usually decent home support, the edge of home support will be neutralised - not that Zenit will need the extra help.
There is something almost offensive about how turgid Mordovia are to watch at times, so in front of goal I don’t see the slightest threat to Rubin’s defence. With Marko Devic’s return, no disrespect intended towards Igor Portnyagin, Rubin automatically look sharper and should be comfortable against a side that hasn’t won on the road all season. Krasnodar to beat Lokomotiv is a slightly more challenging prospect, but the Railroaders have a loose defence and a new striker still finding his feet in Ezekiel Henty, so are less likely to be full of threat as they were with Oumar Niasse. Their impressive away form is skewed by their early season results - they’ve won once in the last six trips in the league.
RFN Total: +€160.09
David Sansun: +€129.15 (hit rate: 5/15 – 33.33 %)
Ben Clark: +€92 (hit rate: 8/15 – 53.33%)
Thomas Giles: +€27.85 (hit rate 7/12 – 58.33 %)
Toke Theilade: +€11.89 (hit rate: 6/12 – 50 %)
Andrew Flint: -€5 (hit rate: 4/15 – 26.67 %)
Danny Armstrong: -€8 (hit rate: 2/6 – 33,33 %)
Shane Burns: -€39.55 (hit rate: 2/8 – 25 %)
Ilya Sokolov: -€65.3 (hit rate: 3/15 – 20%)
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