UEFA Cup 23 Nov

The UEFA Cup is a very tough competition to handicap because half the sides seem not to be too bothered about whether they win or lose and despite this they seem to go out and win their games, even when fielding their second or third best side. It is deeply frustrating as a bettor to find a team that could care less about winning managing to score an 85th minute goal against a side that desperately wants to win but somehow cannot convert the myriad chances they have during the match.

Enough of these frustrations. How do we make money on the games tonight?

Parma will stick to their usual policy of playing their youth squad in the UEFA Cup and while bettors opposed them in their only game so far for this reason the bookies have been the ones to win as the Italian side won 2-1. On a pure reading of the form it seems that Parma’s youth side should be better than Heerenveen as Parma beat Odense 2-1 away and Heerenveen lost 2-0 at home to Odense. But everyone who saw Heerenveen’s loss will admit that the action did not go their way at all and I think the bookies are being a little too generous to the visitors by giving them a ¾ goal start. They do have some good strikers in the shape of Alfaro Alves, Nilsson and Yildirim and I think they can put on a better performance than we have seen so far against an inexperienced home side. This is hardly 5 star betting material but there is some value - place a one point bet on Heerenveen (+¾) at 1.70.

[Parma won 2-1, fighting back from 1-0 down]

Newcastle are top of their group with two wins from two and only need a point to go through to the knockout stages. With their position in the Premiership looking shaky I think they may not be too bothered about this game while Celta Vigo need to get at least a draw out of this. Newcastle have plenty of injury problems too – Duff, Moore, Carr and Babayaro will all definitely be out – and Celta are far more likely to be inspired. Celta are good travellers – they have beaten Real Madrid away this season and are equal top with Barcelona in the La Liga away performances – and have a very tight defence indeed. I expect them to scrap out a low scoring contest and would not be at all surprised to see this end goalless. Have a two point bet on under 2.5 goals at 1.70 and a one point bet on Celta Vigo (+1/4) at 1.85.

[Newcastle won 2-1, fighting back from going 1-0 down]

I couldn’t find any attractive bets in the other games tonight.