It’s Back! Have you missed. 2 whole days without football, it has seemed like an age. A couple of cracking games for the first two quarter finals await us tonight.
First up it is the Europeans. France v Germany at 5PM. The market can hardly split them. Opinion it seems can hardly split them! It certainly looks like a great match up on paper and very difficult to nail your colours to the mast of either team.
I have been mightily impressed with the French. I said in one of the early blogs involving one of their matches that they had improved over the last 18 months and that improvement looks to be well ahead of where I though they would be at.
They have conceded 2 goals all tournament so far and that was when they were 5-0 up and took the foot off the gas.
Germany looked fantastic against Portugal in the opening game but that was against 10 men and subsequently they have failed to beat Ghana, Algeria in 90 minutes and limped past the hardworking US 1-0.
Low is sticking with Lahm in midfield, the role he now plays for Bayern and I am not sure it is working. His best international performances for me were as a full back.
I really like the French midfield, I think it is as good as any in the tournament, Pogba always looks a threat and may be one that got away from Sir Alex. Matuidi has been one of the players of the tournament so far.
They then match up against the likes of Kroos and Schweinsteiger and you can see why the general consensus is it can go either way.
If France play Benzema down the left, they will not win, however if they play him through the centre I think they will win a tight encounter. I am just siding with the French midfielders to win that battle.
So I will have a small bet on France at 2.98 as the market has them at slight outsiders and I don’t.
If it does go all the way to penalties, I have to back the Germans to win a shootout so will get on early with Germany to win on penalties at 11.5 for small interest.
Hopefully we just get to enjoy watching a good game.
We then have the South American clash and hosts Brazil v Colombia. This looks a cracker on what we have seen so far and I do not think it will be at al plain sailing for the hosts and their fans. Colombia have really impressed me. Scoring plenty of goals, have individuals who can turn a game.
Brazil on the other hand have looked far from impressive. In my view were very fortunate to get past Chile, But they have got the job done so far and they would happily take 3 more games like that and win it. They will miss the suspended Gustavo who is likely to be replaced by Spurs boy Paulinho.
History is being touted by the media and certainly is in Brazils favour but all records and trends come to an end sometime and tonight may just be Colombias night.
This one is all about prices for me. I have Colombia too big a price so will have a small bet at 5. I will have had that stake on the draw at 3.75 also.
I will also back the 1-1 at 8.2 with a view to trade.
Enjoy the games!
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