Friendlies?: 21/22nd Aug

[Martens]

whats the best defence ?? with Lehman as goalkeeper?? hehe, i simply dont see this very weak german side to score, it is home win or 0-0 draw

USA not to lose in sweden is also very tempting, sweden not impressive, with some players in bad shape like zlatan, i think americans will give them the lesson

c ya

[pelatis]

Greece - Spain
Keep in mind that while these are provided as food for thought I do not bet on internationals, since my betting system prohibits it

A match for a 0-0 or 1-1 draw for me.
In this match will be the last cap for Zagorakis who is Greek captain and retired from football in June. He will be a first team starter of course.

For Greece Haristeas and Amanatidis will be missing so Greece will miss their strike force. Since there is an Olympiakos-Panathinaikos match this weekend players of these two teams are expected to feature briefly then to be substituted or enter as substitutes (Nikopolidis, Torosidis, Karagounis, Leontiou, Antzas, Vyntra (if he enters the pitch), Tziolis (if he enters the pitch), Goumas (if he enters the pitch) , Patsatzoglou and Papadopoulos. Salpigidis or Lyberopoulos are suspended for the season starter so they might be given a chance by Greece coach.

For Spain there will be some players missing too (Casillas, Puyol, Navas).

[Martens]

Originally Posted by pelatis

Greece - Spain
Keep in mind that while these are provided as food for thought I do not bet on internationals, since my betting system prohibits it

A match for a 0-0 or 1-1 draw for me.
In this match will be the last cap for Zagorakis who is Greek captain and retired from football in June. He will be a first team starter of course.

For Greece Haristeas and Amanatidis will be missing so Greece will miss their strike force. Since there is an Olympiakos-Panathinaikos match this weekend players of these two teams are expected to feature briefly then to be substituted or enter as substitutes (Nikopolidis, Torosidis, Karagounis, Leontiou, Antzas, Vyntra (if he enters the pitch), Tziolis (if he enters the pitch), Goumas (if he enters the pitch) , Patsatzoglou and Papadopoulos. Salpigidis or Lyberopoulos are suspended for the season starter so they might be given a chance by Greece coach.

For Spain there will be some players missing too (Casillas, Puyol, Navas).

not important missings mate, spain very strong squad here, away win for me,banker, have a nice day

[Martens]

there is a game tonight

England u21 v Romania u21

i already took it as home win, the match is live on skysports so a pleasant evening is expected, but i have to admitt that i dont know anything about this romanian team

any ideas??? for me clear home win coz i know the strength of the english team

[GaNgStA kEeKs]

MARTENS - I DONT SPEAK WITH BOYS LIKE YOU! IVE BEEN BETTING FOR 30 YRS WITHOUT MORONS LIKE YOURSELF.

DELETE ME...DELETE ME NOW

Hows its going Martens mate?

Be cautious as England have taken in many new players who are in line for their first cap.

Romania dont seem to be any pushovers either after their recent draw with France.

[$olvent]

Originally Posted by rockin_cherub

The USA could be a bit big @ 3.50 against Sweden.
The USA have a decent looking squad available to them, whilst the Swedes have a history of not giving a shit about friendlies. Can't find their current squad, but I'd imagine they'd have a mixture of youngsters and fringe players...
One win in their last seventeen friendlies, stretching back over two and a half years.
The USA have a pretty decent friendly record over the same period (W12, D4, L3) with some wins over some decent teams (Norway, Poland, Denmark).

Sweden looking to snap 12-game winless streak in friendlies as it hosts United States

By STEPHAN NASSTROM AP Sports Writer


GOTEBORG, Sweden(AP) Sweden will try to snap a 12-game winless streak in friendlies when it plays the United States on Wednesday.
Sweden has a nearly perfect record in European Championship qualifying with six wins in seven games, as it tries to reach its fifth straight major tournament.
But friendlies are something else.
Sweden won its last friendly in late 2005, a 2-1 win over the Czech Republic. Since then the Swedes have lost six games and tied six.
"I think it's always better to win games," Sweden coach Lars Lagerback said. "But it seems the results in those friendlies don't seem to be that important because we've managed quite well in competitive matches."
For Sweden, it's the last tuneup before meeting archrival Denmark in a Euro 2008 qualifier in Stockholm on Sept. 8.
Sweden leads Group F just past the halfway mark of the qualifying phase, three points ahead of Spain and five clear of Northern Ireland.
Lagerback has called up a nearly full-strength side that includes 15 members of the 2006 World Cup squad, led by Inter Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic who has 18 goals in 43 international appearances.
Team captain Fredrik Ljungberg of West Ham is likely to miss the game because of a groin injury.
Up to 13 players from the United States' CONCACAF Gold Cup squad could be in uniform, including the team's leading scorer Landon Donovan of the Los Angeles Galaxy.
The United States won the tournament in June, beating Mexico in the final in Chicago.
With four goals in the tournament, Donovan moved into a tie for first place on the U.S. all-time goal scoring list with 34 tallies.
"This is a very important opportunity to play a strong opponent in Europe," said U.S. coach Bob Bradley, who is making his first trip to Europe with the team. "This is the first year of a new four-year cycle, the first year before qualifying. The aim is to prepare for qualifying and eventually the World Cup."
"We have two big goals: to challenge some experienced players to take bigger roles - players like Carlos Bocanegra, Landon Donovan, Tim Howard and DaMarcus Beasley. And to get young players into the side - players like Benny Feilhaber, Jonathan Bornstein and Michael Bradley. But we will go out with our best team."
The United States played its first ever official game in Sweden in 1916 - a friendly at the Olympic Stadium in Stockholm.
The United States, which became a member of FIFA two years earlier, won the game 3-2.
This will be the sixth meeting between the two countries. Sweden has a 3-2 edge, although the United States won the last game 1-0 in Orlando, Florida, in 1998.
European-based players make up all but three men on the United States' roster, with Donovan, defensive midfielder Pablo Mastroeni of the Colorado Rapids and defender Jonathan Bornstein of Chivas USA being the exceptions. Eight members of the U.S. squad play in England and four in Germany.

[$olvent]

22 Aug 20:00 England v Germany 2.30 -3.10 -3.10

Big names missing as England renews rivalry with Germany

By ROBERT MILLWARD
, AP Soccer Writer

LONDON(AP)
England vs. Germany at Wembley is a matchup that rekindles memories of great games of the past, from the 1966 World Cup final to the semifinal match of Euro '96.

It's a shame many of the big stars will be missing this one.

When the two teams take the field at the rebuilt 90,000 capacity stadium for Wednesday's friendly, Wayne Rooney, Steven Gerrard and Owen Hargreaves won't be in the lineup for England, while Germany will be without Michael Ballack, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Lukas Podolski and Miroslav Klose.

David Beckham should play some part in the game as the Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder overcomes his lingering ankle problem while Michael Owen is just returning to fitness and may only play one half at best.

"I certainly think it was worth him flying over. The fact David was willing to make the trip speaks for itself," England coach Steve McClaren said.

"(Beckham) trained this morning and looked very good," McClaren said. "He's back in the squad because of his performances. Michael Owen is a very big player for us. We would like to give him some minutes on the field tomorrow."

But McClaren and Germany coach Joachim Loew are frustrated they won't have their first-choice lineups for what is traditionally a full-blooded confrontation.

"I have been involved with England for six years now and I don't think there's been any occasion where we've sat down and named the 11 players we wanted to," said McClaren, who announced he had also lost Everton striker Andrew Johnson with a knee injury.

"What we've got tomorrow night is a very important game - there are no friendlies for England. It's at Wembley, 90,000 people, 8 million watching on TV. That's some friendly."

But McClaren said the match against Germany would be preparation for the 2008 European Championship qualifying games against Israel and Russia. England has four home games out of five in Group E and, despite the loss of key players through injury, wants to see which of the backup players can force their way into the starting lineup for those matches.

"It's preparation for Israel and Russia and, with all the injuries that we've got and could have in three weeks when we play Israel, who knows?" McClaren said. "This is an opportunity for the players to show what they can do."

Germany holds a five point advantage at the top of Group D while England is fourth in its qualifying group and has to make up ground on Croatia, Israel and Russia,

Loew is unhappy to have so many players absent, even for a friendly.

"We are going to be missing experience, routine and leadership," said Loew. "Those missing are not easy to replace. It would have been good if we had the best possible team for this game, but we are not going to complain. It's a joy to be playing in this stadium."

England-Germany games always have an edge and no one will be taking it easy in this game even if it is a friendly ahead of European Championship qualifiers next month.

The players who come into this match, like England defender Micah Richards, and Germany winger David Odonkor, have the chance to make a big impression.

Although nothing is at stake apart from pride, Wednesday's game will have a special feeling because it is the first between the two sides to be played at the new stadium.

[$olvent]

22 Aug 17:30 Brazil v Algeria 1.14 -6.50 -12.00

Kaka,Ronaldinho to start on bench in return for Brazil in Algeria friendly

PARIS(AP)
Kaka and Ronaldinho may sit for the start of Brazil's friendly against Algeria in southern France Wednesday.

The two players did not train with the first team Tuesday, likely meaning they will be among the substitutes in their first match with Brazil since skipping the Copa America last month to take vacation after the European season.

The Brazilian soccer confederation said on its Web site that the group that trained as the first team included Doni, Maicon, Alex Silva, Naldo, Kleber, Josue, Mineiro, Elano, Julio Baptista, Robinho and Vagner Love.

The match against Algeria will be Brazil's 12th friendly since Dunga replaced Carlos Alberto Parreira after the team's World Cup quarterfinal elimination to France. Brazil has won seven games, lost one and drawn three under Dunga.

Brazil has won all three games against Algeria, including at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico.

Algeria coach Jean-Michel Cavalli has named a 19-man squad, 14 of whom play in Europe and five in Algeria. Marseille midfielder Salim Arrache was selected after a long absence due to a knee injury.

Algeria, which lost its last match 2-0 to Guinea in July, plays Gambia on Sept. 9.

Brazil next will play friendlies against the United States on Sept. 9 and Mexico on Sept. 12.

[deckyh]

i think that the england germany game is a stone cold stalemate and they will both cancel each other out take a 0-0 draw and 1-1 u shouldnt go far wrong

[Limvolikce]

I think that England will finally play good football and win this one..They can be very motivated here.
I am very sad that Beckham will play again for Englands national team. Since he play in this team England is not strong as could and should be.

But England can be very motivated here to win and i think to take home win. Odds are stil high even some best players from Germany will not play

[Ori]

Russia-Poland

Meeting of Guus Hiddink vs Leo Benhakeer, the dutchmen. I would fancy Russia, as they beated polish teams at home (nt and clubs) most of the time. However odds are too low to take hosts (yes, we have better results in last years then "Sborna" ). So no bet.

[charly1]

Friendly games are NO bet option for me by default,for any kind of serious betting and staking, but sometimes something comes out as a real banker.
Today, this "banker" is a small one, but safe enough fro me to put it in every combo as a price strengthener.

Montenegro-Slovenia 1x @ 1,30 - 1,35

Host team not to loose.
Simply as that.
Both teams have their u21 selections on field yesterday and Slovenia won by 2-1.

This is second official match of Montenegro.
I remember their first vs. Hungary 2-1(0-1) as my biggest winning bet since I'm in this....nice memories, started with "troubles in paradise" and 1st minute goal by Hungarians.....later two penalties in second half and the rest is history....maybe someone could say it was not fixed match, but I'll call him a plunker anyway...so better not.

I'm not so sure that Montenegro will win tonight, bur everything points out that they're not going to loose in front their hot crowd in a HOT HOT capital city ...today temp. is over 38 degrees.....Slovenia is average, rather say - weak team with no ambitions at all.

Host is fighting for their FIRST FIFA points, and they will not risk not to collect any in a game which is organized to pick a couple!!!

Montenegro to win @ 2,50 as a medium stake single bet.

[Monty]

some news from plunker...lol

Montenegro:
Poleksic (Tatabanya)
Pavicevic (Hajduk Kula) - Tanasijevic (Dynamo Moskva) - Batak (Ankaraspor) - Jovanovic (Universitatea Cluj)
Boskovic (Rapid Wien) - Tumbasevic (Zeta Golubovci) - Bozovic (Rapid Bucuresti) - Vukcevic (Sporting Lisboa)
Vucinic (Roma) - Purovic (Sporting Lisboa)

Slovenia w/o some of 1st timers - Cesar, Novakovic, Acimovic...

GL

[engineer]

After getting aware of Wales' squad I'm finally leaving that game well alone.
In fact I see nice value in the following bets: Martin Petrov first goalscorer or to score anytime. He's the most dangerous player of the Bulgarian team, takes the free kicks and could score today. Some money on him.

[charly1]

Thanks for the line-ups Monty.
I hope that we share same feelings about this match, and also hope that you going to be at stadium and after that walk a while and pick some money from the neighboring bookie offices.

Some of these three simply must score:
Vukcevic - Vucinic - Purovic
...strong and quality players....
...but on the other side, defense is rather thin, and I'm afraid that they must receive at least one...so following my feelings - it must be also over 2,5.