Aalesunds v Brann & Stromsgodset v Haugesund
The new Tippilaegen season heads into week three and for Sundays fixtures, we look to a game featuring one of the promoted teams for spot of value as new boys Brann head to Aalesunds for a 5pm kick off on Sunday.
SK Brann did exceptionally well to get promoted from the second tier last year after a 6 way dogfight scramble for second spot behind runaway champions Sogndal. Despite some pessimistic expectations for their 2016 campaign, they have done alright. An opening day 2-2 draw with 2015 runners up Stromsgodset was followed up with a goalless draw with at home to Odd see them remain unbeaten after 2 games.
The problem you face with Brann, is their off season spend was not enough to strengthen what is effectively a 2nd tier squad, and the two draws they pulled off were both fairly generous after having a lack of the ball in both games.
They now head to Aalesunds (10th in 2015) to face a side that won half of their games at home last year. The ‘Tango’s’ manager Trond Frederiksen switches between 1 up front on the road to a 4-2-2-2 / 4-2-4 at home, and is expected to get new Brazilian striker Marlinho involved with Ivorian Franck Boli, who himself is on a season long loan from China.
If Aalesunds play the attacking formation as expected, and control possession as they should against an inferior squad, they should be too much for Brann to cope with. Aalesunds are available (-0.5) at 2.15, and it looks the best way to approach the game.
In the later kick off (7pm), there is a curious looking fixture as surprise current 2nd place sitters, Haugesund head to last years runners up, Stromsgodset.
Haugesund look to have greatly benefited from a shrewd buy of Ghanean striker Kwame Karikari from the 2nd division. Karikari hit twice from coming off the bench in his first two games and looks set to start on Sunday.
Former Sheffield United player Mark Dempsey, has made an immediate impact in his first managerial job, and Haugesund look a vastly different proposition to the team that struggled to stay in the top flight last season.
Stromsgodset will always look to attack, whether at home or away, and as mch as it paid off last season, it always leaves them vulnerable to concede. Proof if proof was needed was last week when they elected to play 3 up front, on the road, at champions Rosenborg. It didn’t work and they lost 1-0.
With the level of change Stromsgodset have experienced over the past few months including the return of Everton reject Francisco Junior, a loan of Bismark Adjei-Boateng from Man City and Jonathan Parr from Ipswich, it will undoubtedly make them stronger than Haugesund in time, but at this point in the season, it seems a good spot to oppose them.
With Stromsgodset as short at 1.50 to win the match, you can back Haugesund at 2.75 (+0.5) in the Asian market, and is the way to play the game.
Asian Handicap Betting Recommendation: Aalesunds -0.5 at 2.15
Asian Handicap Betting Recommendation: Haugesund +0.5 at 2.75
Prices correct at time of writing.
By @ChrisOgle2
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