Belgium - Jupiler League August 7,8

Saturday August 7

20:00 AA Gent - Germinal Beerschot

20:00 Beveren - Club Brugge

20:00 Cercle Bruges - Lokeren

20:00 FC Brussels - Racing Genk

20:00 Lierse - Standard Liege

20:00 Mouscron - Anderlecht

20:00 Sint-Truiden - Mons-Bergen


Sunday August 8


15:00 Charleroi - La Louviere

15:00 Oostende - Westerlo

I think an away-win of Brugge at Beveren is a very good bet.
Playit and Betandwin give it at 1,75, which I find quite generous.

Brugge is already in top condition, as they're playing CL-qualifications. They kept the same team as last season AND bomber Balaban is not injured anymore.

Beveren will have a lot of trouble staying in 1st Division.
Almost all the best players left and until now, only unknown Ivorians came in place. Coach Helleputte is very worried and rang the alarmbell. He claims that they will surely relegate if he don't get a few real reinforcements fast.

prediction : 0-3, 0-4 or 0-5

it's the start of the season, so always difficult to predict the first matches.

But like Tony said, the offer on a Brugge away win is quite generous, for the reasons he stated above. I also had this game highlighted as a walk-over. 0-5 or 0-6 would not surprise me.

An other away win caught my eye, Lokeren at Cercle Brugge. If you read my preview you'll find out why. With odds around 2.64 I'm gonna have some of that.

Charleroi vs La Louviere is a derby, and both teams will not be happy if they lose this one. A low scoring draw seems the best option to back here.

I wouldn't touch the other games, even Anderlecht is a bit risky because they have an important game against Benfica the week after if I'm correct. Mouscron, although heavily changed during summer are no mugs either.

[cero]

what a find Balaban might turn out to be More goals in Bulgaria for Brugge again, but quite an expensive joke for Aston Villa :rolleyes . Agree with Brugge, - Beveren have troubles just to make a healthy squad number from bits I've picked up. Might just let the form settle a little before playing on some of these teams though.

[cluelessG]

OK, I must agree that Brugge looks strong this year (again). However, the important thing concerning this weekend is whether Brugge will be focused on the coming away match against Shakhter (next Wednesday, I believe)? Shakhter is much stronger than Loko Plovdiv and I think that it will be a pretty equal match. So Brugge must really concentrate on the CL qualifier.
Do you think that this will influence the Beveren - Brugge match?
I watched the Loko - Brugge match and was impressed with Brugge's gameplay organisation. Balaban has an easy task against the piss poor Loko defense who were both tactically inept and not fit physically. Still, he looks like a very composed and focused player and that should help him to convert more opportunities into goals. The only alarming fact I noticed about Brugge is that their defense does not feel comfortable against quick and skilled players who make surprise moves. If Shakther can play a one-touch pacy game, Brugge could be in some trouble.

is that their defense does not feel comfortable against quick and skilled players who make surprise moves.

Name one that does... :p

@ Jedd

No, the players and coach of Brugge are absolutely aware of the strength of Shakthar Donetsk. And Clueless is right, they probably will play not 100% against Beveren.

But that should be no problem because Beveren is absolutely not ready at this moment. They even have trouble to field 11 players so even a Brugge on 75% should dispose this Beveren.

I'm indeed very tempted to land a large bet on FC Brugge to beat Beveren, however it is beginning to sound like a match to avoid..I mean that Brugge might not be right in their heads - as suggested by 2 people in this thread - for this game and will surely underestimate the opponent and that's never good..

Suprises does happen occasionally.:b 8o

Mouscron-Anderlecht

Finally the opening game of the season in Belgium. Anderlecht starts with a difficult awaymatch at Le Cannonier, Mouscron. Mouscron is an established first division side and a traditional strong home team. This year things have changed a bit however. Mouscron lost most keyplayers and coach and is building a new squad. Anderlecht, stronger then ever, should have no problem in disposing them when it comes to quality. However, keep in mind that this is the beginning of the season and surprise results can happen, especially because Anderlecht faces a trip to Lissboa next week to play Benfica.
Nevertheless, I think odds around 1.9 are quite tasty for an Anderlecht away win against a squad that is being rebuild.

Anderlecht starts with a strong squad. Defender Tihinen is out with a broken foot and playmaker Baseggio is replaced by Zetterberg, probably because of the upcoming championsleague match. Star strikers Aruna Dindane and Mpenza start, with Jestrovic on the bench.
Looking at the Mouscron starting line, they look to be happy with a draw. 4 defenders and 2 defensive midfielders and only one stiker, the young Dimbala.

Advice : Anderlecht/Brugge Double @ 3.2 market average with low stakes

I don't totally agree with you, qlpol, about Anderlecht.

OK, they have the greater chance to win, but Mouscron is not as weak as they look (and as everyone says and writes).
OK, they have lost Mpenza, Dugardein and Pieroni, but they replaced them decently.
Marc Schaessens is as good as Dugardein IMO and I expect French striker Alexandre Lecomte to replace Pieroni this season and to score 12-15 goals at least.
(Dimbala will soon lose his place, because he ain't that good)
Only Mpenza is irreplacable, I fear (although 18 year-old Sanchez appears to be a class attacking midfielder)

No bet for me, because Mouscron has changed too much and I will first look how the newbies perform.

Sure Tony, you're right, Mouscron isn't that bad at all, at least not as bad as the press is saying. If this game was let's say in november-december i wouldn't touch it either i guess. But to form a new squad takes time, and Anderlecht is the team that can take advantage of that with all the speed they have in front. Atlhough it won't be easy, I think the Anderlecht/Brugge double pays very well. I don't expect to see those prices again for a Brugge/Anderlecht double this season 8o

Mouscron already 2-0 up :banghead

Anderlecht is playing like @#%$ though, should have listened to you Tony, good shout!!!

2-0 FT - Anderlecht will lose by that score to Benfica too!

had small bet that included Anderlecht but also bet on Lyon and Werder so night not a total loss.

Dimbala must have read this thread before the game and got worried about his first team place - 2 goals for the striker...

Dimbala must have read this thread before the game and got worried about his first team place - 2 goals for the striker...

glad I let this one go ...
(pity I didn't take the tempting 5,6-Mouscronwin on Betfair though ...)

Dimbala surprised me, though the 2nd goal wasn't his, Marcin Zewlakow scored, very clear on TV.

The reason I posted why I think that Dimbala is not good, is that my fav team (KV Kortrijk) loaned him for half a season last season in 3rd Division, and he played like he wasn't interested at all and wasn't really a reinforcement for that reason.
That we were promoted was not due to Dimbala ...
Maybe he is more motivated when it is against Anderlecht ...

[edtkh]

It's abit late now the match has started - in fact, it's already 1-1 after 10mins.

Just noted that Brugge have beaten Beveren in ALL of the last 17 meetings between the pair. :b Hope it does reassure those who have backed Brugge like yours truly...

Dimbala is probably a poor strker who got lucky on the day, i bow to your superior knowledge as i have little of Belgian football.

it's sods law that when you comment about a poor player he will score 5 the next game!

I am now thinking about backing Racing Genk - a team who i have found to be pretty good in the highlights of games i have seen playing a newly promoted side...it's a tough one a most agree FC Brussel might be a suprise package this season? any thoughts on a winner?

FT 0-1 only just saw they got late winner!! (bad luck on Brugge - i could not believe it either, i had them on 100pt 4fold would pay out 800pt - three won Brugge didn't...

Also AA Gent should beat GBA should they not?

I don't believe that this Brugge did not beat this Beveren ...

My biggest stake ever (250 EURO) blown away

I feel for you Tony, can't really understand it either. :banghead

When will we ever learn that the beginning of the season is not the best time to bet, especially not with high stakes... 8o

Well, let's hope for belgian football both teams can bounce back and get some nice results in Europe tomorrow and wednesday