Yet again, just one result let me down last weekend, although the Chelsea v Liverpool game I had backed was
postponed, and having landed a winner a couple of weeks back, I have that feeling that another one is just around the corner given the number of close calls I have had since.
Admittedly, I am not as bullish about my chances of doing so this weekend, but that is because we are not on another of these international breaks.
I don’t know about you, but on these international spells, it just feels like the time drags on, especially early on in that first week and then after the games have been completed at the end of the second. I really do think they impact a team’s cohesion and form in domestic football as it is essentially a two-week break from the norm.
Then of course you have the unpredictability of international football, for example, England beat Hungary 5-0 in Hungary in a 2022 World Cup qualifier, then lost 1-0 to them in the Nations League in Budapest before losing 4-0 at home to the same opponents in the last game they played.
Similarly Scotland lost their World Cup Qualifying playoff 3-1 to the Ukraine at Hampden, but in this week’s Nations League game at the same venue, they ran out comfortable 3-0 winners. So yes, I think compared to the domestic game, international weeks are certainly more tricky.
This is also partly because finding value is tough, when you have a real mismatch, which doesn’t tend to happen in the Nations League admittedly, the odds are just not worth including on a bet for the team very likely to win.
And given the Nations League pits teams of roughly similar ability together, that makes the games tough to predict.
Anyway, enough of my griping, I’m determined to land one of these accas at some point this season, if for no more reason than to stop me moaning about these two week breaks in the domestic season!
Here’s my tips for games taking place this weekend.
