Italian Serie A
2012-01-29 - A.C Milan vs Cagliari
A Sports Betting Pick by Cruiser
Match Preview :
A.C Milan comes into this match hoping nothing other then three points when they welcome a Cagliari side whom they beat 4-1 last season.
Cagliari on the other hand knows they face a psychological test at the San Siro. A.C Milan's biggest concern is their injury list with Alexander Merkel the eighth to join the current absentee list, nevertheless they are still expected to get the win against the visitors.
This is due to the fact that the last time Cagliari won away to Milan in Serie A was June 1997. That result saw the team earn the points required to finish that season level with Piacenza and force a relegation play-off, but they then went on to lose that tie to see them eventually got relegated to Serie B.
As Milan were short of players, a number of first-team stars were forced to play in Thursday’s Coppa Italia tie, Coach Allegri took it as positive citing that was the best tactical performance he had seen his players played in the calendar year thus far.
But at the back of his mind Allegri knows that as he prepares to face the team he made his name at with a Milan side in better form than at this stage last season.
Despite the fact that the number of wins, draws and losses is identical to this stage last season, Milan this season have scored more goals and kept more clean sheets then when they won the title last season.
And even having to deal with absentees for this match, Milan still start as favourites for this match. And Allegri is thought likely to make only four changes from the team that defeated Lazio 3-1 in midweek for the Coppa Italia.
Meanwhile, Cagliari are looking to bounce back from a disappointing performance last weekend. After a worthy 1-1 draw with leaders Juventus, from the previous week, Davide Ballardini described Week 19’s 0-0 draw at home to Fiorentina as ‘an expected psychological decline’.
Indeed as he knows his side carries a poor record which they have coming into this match, psychological may kick in even before the ball is kick. Cagliari may be close to having a full squad available for this match, but they head into this tie - away to Milan - in which they have not picked up a single point in over 12 years!
A welcome distraction for them is the arrival of striker Mauricio Pinilla which they hope that their inability to convert chances in front of goal will be a thing of the past now.
And even though they are eight points clear of the drop zone, it is worth noting that only Cesena have scored fewer goals in the Division whilst only two sides have failed to score in more than the nine games Cagliari have fired blanks.
Possible lineups
Milan : Amelia; Abate, Mexes, Thiago Silva, Antonini; Ambrosini, Van Bommel, Nocerino; El Shaarawy; Ibrahimovic, Robinho
Cagliari Agazzi; Pisano, Canini, Astori, Agostini; Dessena, Conti, Nainggolan; Cossu; Larrivey, Ibarbo
Predictions
Take A.C Milan to win and overcome the 1 1/2 ball AH here considering that they are the form team and firing on all cylinders now.
The Statistics :
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The Pick :
A.C Milan 3-1 Cagliari
BEST BETTING TIP :
A.C Milan to get the win here.
Gooner’s Statistical Value Bet
Main Bet :
Take A.C Milan to overcome the -1.5 goal handicap as they have a good record against Cagliari here.
Take A.C Milan to overcome the -1.5 goal handicap as they have a good record against Cagliari here.
