German Bundesliga
2011-05-14 - 1899 Hoffenheim vs Vfl Wolfsburg
A Sports Betting Pick by Niko
Football ; Germany : Bundesliga
Rhein Neckar Arena
Saturday, 14th May 2011- kickoff 15:30
1899 Hoffenheim
This will be just one routine match for 1899 Hoffenheim, as they had a decent season and finished much better than the last season, so the whole team is relatively satisfied with this season`s outcome. With the new coach Holger Stanislawski, who will take over this team coming from St.Pauli, 1899 Hoffenheim are already making big plans for the next season, many new players are expected, but we will wait and see how the things will develop this summer.
1899 Hoffenheim have been especially good at their home ground this season where they have seven wins, five draws and just four losses. Also, another interesting fact is that in the last six home matches 1899 Hoffenheim have always scored at least one goal.
The team will play in its standard 4-2-3-1 formation with Mlapa as the only striker, but the Icelandic International Gylfi Sigurdsson has been in very good form in the past month as he was directly involved in three of the last four goals for his team (two goals and one assist). Last weekend he scored the match winning goal in the 2-1 win over FC Nurnberg.
Probable 1899 Hoffenheim line-up :
Beck, Vorsah, Compper, Braafheid,
Rudy, Alaba,
Roberto Firmino, Sigurdsson, Babel,
Mlapa
Vfl Wolfsburg
Vfl Wolfsburg is in the group of three teams battling to avoid relegation in the last round, but they are in the best position of all, as they are fourth of the bottom and have their destiny in own hands so if they win, they are hundred percent safe in the league.
Coach Felix Magath has a good personal history of saving teams in the Bundesliga as he had done it three times already. He had saved Hamburger SV in the season 1995/96, Eintracht Frankfurt in 1999/00 and Vfb Stuttgart in 2000/01, so this will be his fourth time to be in exact same position to try to save his team from relegation in the last round.
Also, this is not the first time for Vfl Wolfsburg to be in this kind of situation as well. Just few seasons ago, in the year 2006, they have secured their Bundesliga status in the very last Bundesliga round by getting the most important point at Kaiserslautern, so they have an experience in this type of matches.
Except for the striker Patrick Helmes who suffers from a minor injury, all other players are fit and ready to play in this most important match of the season, so coach Magath will use a formation with two strikers Mario Mandzukic and Grafite and Diego will play as offensive playmaker behind them.
Probable Vfl Wolfsburg line-up :
Riether, Kjaer, Madlung, M. Schafer,
Josue,
Hasebe, Cicero,
Diego,
Mandzukic, Grafite
The Betting Verdict
The first match between these teams this season had ended in 2-2 draw. Very interesting fact is that in the total of five Bundesliga matches played so far between 1899 Hoffenheim and Vfl Wolfsburg, there had been at least three goals scored.
I would go with a same bet on over 2.5 goals in this match, as both teams are known to be very offensive, and although Vfl Wolfsburg have no other option but to attack and win, their defense has many leaks and has been shaky all season long.
Vfl Wolfsburg should win this match, but i do not think there is much value in the odds for the away win. Go for 2.5 goals to be scored, as that is probably the best bet here.
The Statistics :
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Pick :
1899 Hoffenheim 1-2 Vfl Wolfsburg
FIXED ODDS BETTING TIP :
Take Over 2.5 goals to be scored in this match
