Alright! NordicBet alive and flowing once again... Let's get right to the picks:
Marienlyst (-2.50) vs. Aarhus Volley: This one is right on the border of being dangerous. Generally, you've got to stay away from teams giving 2.5 sets right from the beginning. Winning 3-0 is never a sure thing. You also never know what Aarhus is going to come with. There are rumors of a new Belorussian playing center so who knows what kind of starting lineup they are going to throw out there. That being said, I'm taking us because, well, it's my team and I feel good about us. Odds 1.45 aren't the worst I've ever seen.
Gentofte (-1.50) vs. ASV Aarhus: Even though the odds have dropped little bit already, getting 1.55 that Gentofte won't lose more than one set is definitely worth throwing some money at. ASV is better than most people think, but they've got to play in Gentofte and I just don't see it happening for them in this one. We still don't know that much about Gentofte, except that they aren't better than a good team from Croatia and that they're not going to drop out of the elite this year. This match won't really give us more answers, but it should be another win for them.
Aalborg HIK (-2.50) vs. Hvidovre: Huh. If you believe Hvidovre, then you have to bet them in this match. If they are going to be competitive this year then they have to beat teams like HIK who are middle of the pack right now. In any case, they have to be able to win a set or two even if they are playing in Aalborg. I wouldn't touch this game with a ten foot pole, but if I have to make a choice then it would be to take the handicap and the higher odds with Hvidovre. These matches are dangerous though, home teams in this situation often play really well and end up winning decisively.
Finally, a full slate of games this weekend (even if we're missing what should be a fourth match). Exciting to see how everyone reacts to the real first weekend of the season...
Showing posts with label Predictions. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Predictions. Show all posts
Friday, October 12, 2007
Friday, September 28, 2007
The Weekend
What's the deal? Where are my odds on NordicBet? Actually, I've always wondered, does anyone know who sets the odds for them? It must be someone in Denmark who knows something about volleyball...
Well, since there aren't any odds, I'll just run through the two matches real quick.
Marienlyst vs. ASV - The first regular season match of the season. ASV is going to be better than most people think. How much better, I have no idea. Will they be able to press us tonight? Anything can happen early in the season but I don't think so. According to my plan: we're going to be really strong tonight. So.......3-0 to us.
HIK vs. Middelfart - This one is going to be really interesting. Actually, I take that back. To me, it is going to be really interesting. Usually, when I see a match like this, I expect a long, close battle and then the game turns out to be really one-sided. I think that HIK looked good in the Middelfart tournament. I also think Middelfart didn't play to their potential. I have no idea which way this one is going to turn out. If I have to guess one way or the other, I'll take Middelfart in five sets.
Good luck to everyone. And get your act together NordicBet...
Friday, March 17, 2006
Weekend 18*3*06
A pretty quick turn around from our match on Wednesday against HIK to playing Middelfart on Sunday. But hopefully we'll be ready, I know it took me a little extra time to get the old body ready yesterday for practice. That also reminds me, since we weren't allowed to practice at Marienlyst all of last week, we trained in Odense Idrœtshal instead, and my knees weren't particularly happy with switching back. I'm still not sure whether the floor in Marienlyst is especially bad for players, my legs and knees seem to adapt after a short time, but it's funny how much of a difference I notice after a week playing on wood. A lot of people say we have a big home court advantage there in Marienlystcentret, and I have to agree, but is it because of the floor? Or just the gym in general? I personally think it is one of the best home courts in the league, I like the small setting (because we don't usually have a thousand people) and I like the setup. No matter what, it is a different experience playing there than anywhere else and I think that is important. The worst place I have ever played in was PVC, there is no doubt about that, but I would also list Hvidovre and Spentrup as unremarkable places to play. Aarhus gets a pass because Hal 4 has sentimental value for me. But, isn't it kind of funny? The best teams all have a nice home court, besides SK which is questionable in other ways as well, is that a reflection of them having more money? Better management? Better organization? Is it just luck?
Anyways, back to the volley, I'm looking forward to this one, we've got a lot to prove to everyone, including ourselves after the beating we took last time. Hopefully the aformentioned home court advantage will make a difference. But there is no doubt that we'll have to do quite a bit to beat them, as we haven't really been able to win against them all year.
As everyone knows, SK and HIK are playing a HUGE game tomorrow, wish I could be there to see it, it almost has to be a classic. Both teams are essentially playing for the playoffs and that match is just always good anyways. Thinking about this one doesn't seem like it will get me anywhere so I'm just going to use the "Blink" strategy and quick splice it...SK wins this one. (Which, so far this year, means that I have absolutely cursed them with my pick. I admit, it is not often that I have been right). So, sorry, SK. If I think about it, I would say that SK is a little hotter, plus they are at home, plus HIK had to play us away on Wednesday, and there is no doubt SK will win if HIK plays the same as they did on Wed. Interesting to see what happens.
Gentofte of course is also playing for their playoff lives. Luckily for them, they're playing a team that has won one slutspil set this year. If they lose this one then they don't deserve to be in the playoffs. But they know that. I expect they will use this one to get themselves back in a winning mode and gear up for our match next weekend. Depending on what happens in Aarhus it could come down to our match whether or not they make it into the playoffs. Now that would be an interesting scenario! And I'm not going to lie, after getting canned in the Pokal semis over there, it would be sweet to be able to knock them out next weekend. BUT, that is next weekend, let's see what happens THIS weekend first. Good luck to everyone!
In case anyone missed it last time: Crikey! Check out Nathan's addition to the blogosphere @ http://www.nathanvolleyball.blogspot.com/
Anyways, back to the volley, I'm looking forward to this one, we've got a lot to prove to everyone, including ourselves after the beating we took last time. Hopefully the aformentioned home court advantage will make a difference. But there is no doubt that we'll have to do quite a bit to beat them, as we haven't really been able to win against them all year.
As everyone knows, SK and HIK are playing a HUGE game tomorrow, wish I could be there to see it, it almost has to be a classic. Both teams are essentially playing for the playoffs and that match is just always good anyways. Thinking about this one doesn't seem like it will get me anywhere so I'm just going to use the "Blink" strategy and quick splice it...SK wins this one. (Which, so far this year, means that I have absolutely cursed them with my pick. I admit, it is not often that I have been right). So, sorry, SK. If I think about it, I would say that SK is a little hotter, plus they are at home, plus HIK had to play us away on Wednesday, and there is no doubt SK will win if HIK plays the same as they did on Wed. Interesting to see what happens.
Gentofte of course is also playing for their playoff lives. Luckily for them, they're playing a team that has won one slutspil set this year. If they lose this one then they don't deserve to be in the playoffs. But they know that. I expect they will use this one to get themselves back in a winning mode and gear up for our match next weekend. Depending on what happens in Aarhus it could come down to our match whether or not they make it into the playoffs. Now that would be an interesting scenario! And I'm not going to lie, after getting canned in the Pokal semis over there, it would be sweet to be able to knock them out next weekend. BUT, that is next weekend, let's see what happens THIS weekend first. Good luck to everyone!
In case anyone missed it last time: Crikey! Check out Nathan's addition to the blogosphere @ http://www.nathanvolleyball.blogspot.com/
Friday, March 10, 2006
The Weekend
Unfortunately there has been little going on in the volleyball world as of late. Nothing that I have wanted to write about at least. With that said, let's take a look ahead at this weekend.
Since we've been working all week setting up for "Bo Rigtigt Go Fritid" we've got no game this weekend. Aalborg gets the great pleasure instead of driving down to our gym on wednesday next week for a match that is going to be big for both of us...
Let's start with Holte and Middelfart. Holte has won one set so far in the Slutspil, even though that one set came against Middelfart, that record should stay intact. When we played them last thursday it seemed like they were uninterested, as if they knew they weren't going to the semi-finals and they had kind of packed it in. I don't know if they would say differently, but in any case, they offered little resistance. I don't see why that changes this weekend and Middelfart is obviously interested in ending well so it should be a fairl one-sided affair. Odds are so low though that betting the match is fairly unattractive...
Then we come to SK and Gentofte. The oddsmakers have SK as the favorite in this one, apparently because of home court advantage, but Gentofte has yet to lose to them in this season. If I'm making this line I would put it even and just see what happens. Both teams need the win badly. A loss for SK and they are pretty much done, a loss for Gentofte and all of a sudden they might not even make the playoffs which would be a huge disappointment. But these teams have played big matches before against each other with Gentofte winning the pokalfinal. So, who wins this one? I have no idea, but I would love to see the match. This one has potential to be really exciting, maybe one of the best of the year. If I have to guess, I take Gentofte in a close one, just because they have won all of the previous matches this year. But an SK win wouldn't be a real surprise.
We'll know a whole lot more about the playoffs after this weekend. Should be interesting to see how things unfold. Good luck to everyone!
Since we've been working all week setting up for "Bo Rigtigt Go Fritid" we've got no game this weekend. Aalborg gets the great pleasure instead of driving down to our gym on wednesday next week for a match that is going to be big for both of us...
Let's start with Holte and Middelfart. Holte has won one set so far in the Slutspil, even though that one set came against Middelfart, that record should stay intact. When we played them last thursday it seemed like they were uninterested, as if they knew they weren't going to the semi-finals and they had kind of packed it in. I don't know if they would say differently, but in any case, they offered little resistance. I don't see why that changes this weekend and Middelfart is obviously interested in ending well so it should be a fairl one-sided affair. Odds are so low though that betting the match is fairly unattractive...
Then we come to SK and Gentofte. The oddsmakers have SK as the favorite in this one, apparently because of home court advantage, but Gentofte has yet to lose to them in this season. If I'm making this line I would put it even and just see what happens. Both teams need the win badly. A loss for SK and they are pretty much done, a loss for Gentofte and all of a sudden they might not even make the playoffs which would be a huge disappointment. But these teams have played big matches before against each other with Gentofte winning the pokalfinal. So, who wins this one? I have no idea, but I would love to see the match. This one has potential to be really exciting, maybe one of the best of the year. If I have to guess, I take Gentofte in a close one, just because they have won all of the previous matches this year. But an SK win wouldn't be a real surprise.
We'll know a whole lot more about the playoffs after this weekend. Should be interesting to see how things unfold. Good luck to everyone!
Friday, February 17, 2006
Weekend 18*2*06
While I conveniently forget about all that happened last weekend, it is time to write some more for this blog.
Looking forward to this weekend’s match against Gentofte creates several mixed feelings for me. On one hand, Gentofte, and now Middelfart, have stood for our two biggest beatings this year. Our loss in Copenhagen in the Pokal semi was a hard one to swallow for several reasons. Mostly because I feel like our team didn’t perform at all in that match. But also because the match was an important one and because we are well aware that it is Middelfart and Gentofte that stand in the way of us having a chance to win a title. To be beaten handily by the two teams that you know you have to be able to beat to achieve your goals is not a good feeling. Do we have it in us to beat those teams?
On the other hand, we’re a better team than we were before Christmas. Leaving out last weekend, we’ve been playing at a relatively high level, doing the things that we need to do. And I would hope that we are more focused. The point is to top at the right time in the season and that is hopefully what we are going to do. Of course, it is always fun to play against Gentofte as well. Anytime that you have a chance to play a marquee match at home you have to be excited for it…
Other matches:
SK looks like they should get their first win of the slutspil this weekend. Holte came together to beat them earlier in the year but that was a different SK team and it was in Copenhagen. At home, with the motivation of losing to HIK last weekend, a fiery Aarhus team should show up for this one. If they lose, they are essentially out of the running for the playoffs, I don’t think that will happen.
Middelfart should also be able to take care of HIK at home. I wouldn’t be surprised if they give up a set though. HIK looks like they are rounding into form and they match up pretty well with Middelfart. I’ll say 3-1 to the home team in this one.
Good luck to everyone this weekend!
Looking forward to this weekend’s match against Gentofte creates several mixed feelings for me. On one hand, Gentofte, and now Middelfart, have stood for our two biggest beatings this year. Our loss in Copenhagen in the Pokal semi was a hard one to swallow for several reasons. Mostly because I feel like our team didn’t perform at all in that match. But also because the match was an important one and because we are well aware that it is Middelfart and Gentofte that stand in the way of us having a chance to win a title. To be beaten handily by the two teams that you know you have to be able to beat to achieve your goals is not a good feeling. Do we have it in us to beat those teams?
On the other hand, we’re a better team than we were before Christmas. Leaving out last weekend, we’ve been playing at a relatively high level, doing the things that we need to do. And I would hope that we are more focused. The point is to top at the right time in the season and that is hopefully what we are going to do. Of course, it is always fun to play against Gentofte as well. Anytime that you have a chance to play a marquee match at home you have to be excited for it…
Other matches:
SK looks like they should get their first win of the slutspil this weekend. Holte came together to beat them earlier in the year but that was a different SK team and it was in Copenhagen. At home, with the motivation of losing to HIK last weekend, a fiery Aarhus team should show up for this one. If they lose, they are essentially out of the running for the playoffs, I don’t think that will happen.
Middelfart should also be able to take care of HIK at home. I wouldn’t be surprised if they give up a set though. HIK looks like they are rounding into form and they match up pretty well with Middelfart. I’ll say 3-1 to the home team in this one.
Good luck to everyone this weekend!
Friday, February 10, 2006
The Weekend 11*2*06
Quick predictions for this weekend:
HIK - SK (H1.50): This one looks pretty even on paper. I don't really know why SK is getting a set in handicap, I guess it is because HIK is at home. Personally, I don't see any reason to pick HIK. We've been hearing all year that they are good and that they will be there in the end as soon as everyone gets healthy. Well, until they beat someone I'm not picking them. SK has looked fairly good in their matches so far, they have also played better competition so far. One thing is for sure, this one is important for both teams. I'm saying SK takes this one, the handicap just makes a bet even sweeter.
Gentofte - Holte (H2.50): As has been said, Gentofte killed Holte last time they played. I don't see any reason why that changes in this one. Gentofte has been strong at home all year, and Holte just doesn't have the horses to run with them. This should be a fairly secure 3-0 to the home team.
Middelfart - Marienlyst (H1.50): Weirdest odds I have seen all year. I don't have a problem with being the underdog in this one, but adjusting the odds down and giving us a handicap set doesn't really make sense. Either way, I'm looking forward to this one...
Quick note regarding the last post and the picture above: Maybe we should just start inviting the military to all of our games, there is some real spirit! Does this picture make anyone else really want to play for a team in Russia or what?
Friday, January 27, 2006
Weekends Matches 27*1*06
Ugh. Soon enough I’ll have to do something about this shoulder. We were talking in the locker room yesterday about just cutting it off and replacing it with some kind of robotic attachment. Then I could really hit the ball hard. Just a nice solid titanium replacement shoulder with arm attachment.
Anyways, it’s extremely irritating to have a body part holding me back from being able to perform, but that’s life and there is nothing else to do but keep rehabbing it. Luckily for us we’ve got Lasse to step in and set the ball…at least until I get my bionic attachment.
With that said, let’s look forward to the weekend’s matches:
Middelfart @ SK (H 1.50): I saw SK play in the Pokal final and I was very impressed. It was clear that they have improved a lot since the beginning of the season and it made me nervous for our match against them. Luckily, we were able to come away with a 3-0 win from a match where SK didn’t play as well as they did in the Pokal. My feeling is that they are still finding their level as a team and that they still have quite a few things to work on before they can really be considered a strong threat to the best teams in the league. Middelfart is also coming off a nice 3-0 win against Gentofte so their confidence must be fairly high at the moment. Add the revenge factor from the semi-final and I think this one goes to Middelfart. 3-0 at that.
Aalborg (H1.50) @ Gentofte: This one is going to be interesting. Who really knows where Aalborg’s level is right now? They beat Holte decisively at home last weekend, but the match they played before that was a brutal loss to PVC Lyngby just before Christmas break. Clearly Gentofte has been playing well all season, especially at home, and there is no doubt that they are the favorites in this one. But, I have a hard time saying that HIK doesn’t have a good chance here. I think with the odds and the handicap the way they are, this one is a HIK bet or nothing at all. Last time they played it was a five set match, I’m guessing that it will go the distance again. Should be really interesting to see who wins.
Holte (H2.50) @ Marienlyst: I’m probably out for this one, but we don’t lose much when Lasse comes in, the offense will roll on. Odds might be a little low to really be of much value even though I am confident we will win this won. 3-0 to us!
Good luck to everyone this weekend, feel free to send designs for a new bionic shoulder to my email...
Anyways, it’s extremely irritating to have a body part holding me back from being able to perform, but that’s life and there is nothing else to do but keep rehabbing it. Luckily for us we’ve got Lasse to step in and set the ball…at least until I get my bionic attachment.
With that said, let’s look forward to the weekend’s matches:
Middelfart @ SK (H 1.50): I saw SK play in the Pokal final and I was very impressed. It was clear that they have improved a lot since the beginning of the season and it made me nervous for our match against them. Luckily, we were able to come away with a 3-0 win from a match where SK didn’t play as well as they did in the Pokal. My feeling is that they are still finding their level as a team and that they still have quite a few things to work on before they can really be considered a strong threat to the best teams in the league. Middelfart is also coming off a nice 3-0 win against Gentofte so their confidence must be fairly high at the moment. Add the revenge factor from the semi-final and I think this one goes to Middelfart. 3-0 at that.
Aalborg (H1.50) @ Gentofte: This one is going to be interesting. Who really knows where Aalborg’s level is right now? They beat Holte decisively at home last weekend, but the match they played before that was a brutal loss to PVC Lyngby just before Christmas break. Clearly Gentofte has been playing well all season, especially at home, and there is no doubt that they are the favorites in this one. But, I have a hard time saying that HIK doesn’t have a good chance here. I think with the odds and the handicap the way they are, this one is a HIK bet or nothing at all. Last time they played it was a five set match, I’m guessing that it will go the distance again. Should be really interesting to see who wins.
Holte (H2.50) @ Marienlyst: I’m probably out for this one, but we don’t lose much when Lasse comes in, the offense will roll on. Odds might be a little low to really be of much value even though I am confident we will win this won. 3-0 to us!
Good luck to everyone this weekend, feel free to send designs for a new bionic shoulder to my email...
Friday, December 09, 2005
Tips 9/12/05
It looks like a lot of the drama from the elite division took place last weekend. All of the slutspil teams are found, all that is left to find out now is who will end in which position. And even though things went poorly last week with Holte winning and Hvidovre disappointing, I’m pretty optimistic about the offerings for this weekend.
Gentofte – Holte (H1.50): Holte has proven that they are good enough to be in the slutspil. But beating SK Aarhus and beating Gentofte are two very different things. The home team should be motivated with the upcoming Pokal semi-final on Wednesday. They should be hungry to erase the somewhat disappointing loss from last weekend and simply put, Holte doesn’t have the horses to keep up with them. I would be surprised if this one goes more than three sets.
SK Aarhus (H1.50) – Middelfart: A lot of people were predicting a Holte win last weekend against Aarhus. I don’t know if that says more about Aarhus’ level or Holte’s. But in any case, playing against Middelfart isn’t going to be any easier. With a Pokal semi-final also coming up in the next week these two teams should be eager to perform at a high level. The problem for Aarhus is that they have been inconsistent all year long while Middelfart has continued to play good volleyball. SK will probably debut their new Brazilian but in the end it shouldn’t have too much effect on the outcome of the match. 3-0 to Middelfart. (A package of Middelfart and Gentofte gives odds over 2 and looks pretty darn attractive right now.)
Lyngby – DHG (H1.50): Neither team has very much to play for. DHG has been playing well as of late but Lyngby has also played good volleyball. I think Lyngby is the better team on this day. 3-1 to Lyngby.
PVC Lyngby (H2.50) – HIK Aalborg: Anything but a 3-0 win for Aalborg here is not good enough. PVC has nothing to play for while HIK is looking to take over 4th place and the one point that gives for the slutspil. Further, they have been playing well lately and should continue their development. Playing in PVC is never an easy thing to do but I think the team from Aalborg has the class to run away with this one, especially against a PVC team with little motivation.
Hvidovre (H2.50) – Marienlyst: Marienlyst.
Gentofte – Holte (H1.50): Holte has proven that they are good enough to be in the slutspil. But beating SK Aarhus and beating Gentofte are two very different things. The home team should be motivated with the upcoming Pokal semi-final on Wednesday. They should be hungry to erase the somewhat disappointing loss from last weekend and simply put, Holte doesn’t have the horses to keep up with them. I would be surprised if this one goes more than three sets.
SK Aarhus (H1.50) – Middelfart: A lot of people were predicting a Holte win last weekend against Aarhus. I don’t know if that says more about Aarhus’ level or Holte’s. But in any case, playing against Middelfart isn’t going to be any easier. With a Pokal semi-final also coming up in the next week these two teams should be eager to perform at a high level. The problem for Aarhus is that they have been inconsistent all year long while Middelfart has continued to play good volleyball. SK will probably debut their new Brazilian but in the end it shouldn’t have too much effect on the outcome of the match. 3-0 to Middelfart. (A package of Middelfart and Gentofte gives odds over 2 and looks pretty darn attractive right now.)
Lyngby – DHG (H1.50): Neither team has very much to play for. DHG has been playing well as of late but Lyngby has also played good volleyball. I think Lyngby is the better team on this day. 3-1 to Lyngby.
PVC Lyngby (H2.50) – HIK Aalborg: Anything but a 3-0 win for Aalborg here is not good enough. PVC has nothing to play for while HIK is looking to take over 4th place and the one point that gives for the slutspil. Further, they have been playing well lately and should continue their development. Playing in PVC is never an easy thing to do but I think the team from Aalborg has the class to run away with this one, especially against a PVC team with little motivation.
Hvidovre (H2.50) – Marienlyst: Marienlyst.
Friday, December 02, 2005
Tips 2/12/05
The biggest match this weekend takes place on Windelsvej in Odense. Gentofte is coming to town for a preview of our Pokal semi-final in two weeks time. It also looks like the match will decide which one of us ends the grundspil in second place and takes two points over to the slutspil, it should be a good one and I’m looking forward to it. Besides our match, it looks like there are a couple of other open games out there that I’ll take a closer look at now.
HIK – Lyngby (H 2.50): HIK proved last week that they are playing on a higher level than they were earlier in the year. Even though they have been missing some key players, they dominated their match against Hvidovre and then took Gentofte to a tight fifth set before losing. Lyngby has also been playing decent volleyball lately but there is, simply put, a class difference here that should result in an easy HIK win. I would be surprised at anything other than a 3-0 win to HIK.
DHG (H 1.50) – Hvidovre: Besides our match against Gentofte, this is probably the most open match this weekend. If it was earlier in the season I would pick Hvidovre no question. But these teams seem to be going in different directions at the moment. While DHG has shown improvement, possibly because of the addition of some new players, Hvidovre has gone downhill. A lot of the optimism from early on is gone and they have little left to play for except a good place in the elite qualification. DHG hasn’t won a match all year and that means that they have little to lose in this one, I expect that they will come out aggressive and put pressure on Hvidovre to beat them. The question is whether or not Hvidovre has the necessary experience to settle in and play solid volleyball in the face of strong opposition. Something tells me that they can in this one. I’m picking Hvidovre in 4.
Middelfart – PVC Lyngby (H 2.50): Middelfart has proven that they make fewer mistakes than any other team in the league. Like a good poker player, they are solid and aggressive and that means trouble for a PVC Lyngby team that can’t play with the same consistency. They’ve played before and it wasn’t close. I don’t see why anything changes here. 3-0 to the home team.
Holte (H 1.50) – SK Aarhus: There has been a lot of talk about Holte being able to pull off an upset here. I don’t see it happening. I’ve been suspect of Aarhus all year long, and I’m still not sure that they have enough stability on the outsides to be a real threat. But when you put them up against a team like Holte who will have trouble stopping a strong middle attack I think they have just enough to win. To beat Aarhus, Holte is going to have to pressure them with strong serving and I’m just not sure they can do it. I’m taking Aarhus 3-0 30-28, 26-24, 28-26. Let’s see what happens.
Marienlyst – Gentofte: We’ve been looking forward to this one for weeks. No handicap, same odds, both teams hopefully back at full strength. I’d be disappointed if it isn’t a good one. I know I’m excited.
HIK – Lyngby (H 2.50): HIK proved last week that they are playing on a higher level than they were earlier in the year. Even though they have been missing some key players, they dominated their match against Hvidovre and then took Gentofte to a tight fifth set before losing. Lyngby has also been playing decent volleyball lately but there is, simply put, a class difference here that should result in an easy HIK win. I would be surprised at anything other than a 3-0 win to HIK.
DHG (H 1.50) – Hvidovre: Besides our match against Gentofte, this is probably the most open match this weekend. If it was earlier in the season I would pick Hvidovre no question. But these teams seem to be going in different directions at the moment. While DHG has shown improvement, possibly because of the addition of some new players, Hvidovre has gone downhill. A lot of the optimism from early on is gone and they have little left to play for except a good place in the elite qualification. DHG hasn’t won a match all year and that means that they have little to lose in this one, I expect that they will come out aggressive and put pressure on Hvidovre to beat them. The question is whether or not Hvidovre has the necessary experience to settle in and play solid volleyball in the face of strong opposition. Something tells me that they can in this one. I’m picking Hvidovre in 4.
Middelfart – PVC Lyngby (H 2.50): Middelfart has proven that they make fewer mistakes than any other team in the league. Like a good poker player, they are solid and aggressive and that means trouble for a PVC Lyngby team that can’t play with the same consistency. They’ve played before and it wasn’t close. I don’t see why anything changes here. 3-0 to the home team.
Holte (H 1.50) – SK Aarhus: There has been a lot of talk about Holte being able to pull off an upset here. I don’t see it happening. I’ve been suspect of Aarhus all year long, and I’m still not sure that they have enough stability on the outsides to be a real threat. But when you put them up against a team like Holte who will have trouble stopping a strong middle attack I think they have just enough to win. To beat Aarhus, Holte is going to have to pressure them with strong serving and I’m just not sure they can do it. I’m taking Aarhus 3-0 30-28, 26-24, 28-26. Let’s see what happens.
Marienlyst – Gentofte: We’ve been looking forward to this one for weeks. No handicap, same odds, both teams hopefully back at full strength. I’d be disappointed if it isn’t a good one. I know I’m excited.
Friday, November 25, 2005
Tips 25/11/05
Last night I had the great pleasure of dining at town hall here in Odense and I'm not really sure if it will ever be necessary to eat again. I did however manage to drag myself home in time to see those Denver Broncos nudge past the Cowboys on Zulu. I may be far, far from home but Thanksgiving was still in the air...
With that said, let's take a crack at the games scheduled for this weekend:
Lyngby - PVC Lyngby (H1.50): Both teams are looking at a trip to elite-qualification but that doesn't mean that this one will not be hotly contested. As far as I can tell, Lyngby is better than their record indicates, they've got depth and they've got a good mix of experience and youth. It is also worth mentioning that Lyngby has traditionally been a strong blocking team. As everyone knows, PVC gets a lot of production from their two outside hitters. The question is whether the good blocking will be able to slow the good attacking. I think in the end it is a wash and the better overall TEAM will take this one home. Throw in the fact that they aren't playing in Polythallen and I like Lyngby (that is, not PVC) in 4 sets.
HIK Aalborg (H1.50) - Gentofte: Both teams have had injuries in this season, esecially Gentofte. From what I heard, Thomas Bach didn't play in Aalborg's last match but I don't know why. What we do know is that Gentofte has had lots of problems with injuries lately and haven't been playing their best volleyball. Losing a set to DHG in their last match was not a good sign for them. As far as I know, Geo Santos is also still out. I'm picking the home team in this one and there are a few reasons why. One, HIK has just been out playing European Cup, that can only have helped them as far as developing is concerned. Two, I like the homecourt advantage and I like the handicap in their favor. Especially considering how many five set matches have been played by the top teams this year. Third, Gentofte has a lot that they may be looking forward to, the semi-final of the pokal against us, for example. Fourth, I think HIK is due for a nice win, they should be motivated and ready.
Light weekend for the rest of us, I hope you all enjoy your time off in the snow...
With that said, let's take a crack at the games scheduled for this weekend:
Lyngby - PVC Lyngby (H1.50): Both teams are looking at a trip to elite-qualification but that doesn't mean that this one will not be hotly contested. As far as I can tell, Lyngby is better than their record indicates, they've got depth and they've got a good mix of experience and youth. It is also worth mentioning that Lyngby has traditionally been a strong blocking team. As everyone knows, PVC gets a lot of production from their two outside hitters. The question is whether the good blocking will be able to slow the good attacking. I think in the end it is a wash and the better overall TEAM will take this one home. Throw in the fact that they aren't playing in Polythallen and I like Lyngby (that is, not PVC) in 4 sets.
HIK Aalborg (H1.50) - Gentofte: Both teams have had injuries in this season, esecially Gentofte. From what I heard, Thomas Bach didn't play in Aalborg's last match but I don't know why. What we do know is that Gentofte has had lots of problems with injuries lately and haven't been playing their best volleyball. Losing a set to DHG in their last match was not a good sign for them. As far as I know, Geo Santos is also still out. I'm picking the home team in this one and there are a few reasons why. One, HIK has just been out playing European Cup, that can only have helped them as far as developing is concerned. Two, I like the homecourt advantage and I like the handicap in their favor. Especially considering how many five set matches have been played by the top teams this year. Third, Gentofte has a lot that they may be looking forward to, the semi-final of the pokal against us, for example. Fourth, I think HIK is due for a nice win, they should be motivated and ready.
Light weekend for the rest of us, I hope you all enjoy your time off in the snow...
Friday, November 18, 2005
Tips 19/20-11-05
(Note: I have been trying to get blogger to post this for quite some time now, I don't know what the deal is but hopefully it will show up soon.)
Okay, I don’t know what’s going on with NordicBet these days but I’m going to attempt this without any odds or handicaps.
Hvidovre – HIK: This one looks like a pretty easy win for HIK. They’ve been out playing European Cup and they should be in a fairly high gear as far as playing goes. Hvidovre has little left to fight for here in the fall season. They are going to miss the slutspil so the only thing left is to work towards being ready for the after Christmas season. All of this adds up to what should be solid 3-0 to HIK.
Gentofte – DHG: These teams just played each other and even though there might be one less Gentofte player ready to play this time it shouldn’t make a difference. DHG has rarely been close in any of the matches they have played this year, they just don’t have enough depth to be able to keep other teams guessing. This one should also be 3-0 but I would imagine the handicap and odds will make it almost unplayable.
Middelfart – Holte: Holte has impressively shown that they are slutspil-ready. As I have said before, they play volleyball the way it should be played, quick tempo and with solid ball control. Their problem is that they don’t have anyone they can count on to kill the ball in emergency situations. As long as they are able to pass well and stay in system they will be able to sideout, but as soon as things break down they are in trouble. Against a team like Middelfart that has proven they can sideout consistently it will be the way that the two teams deal with emergency situations that decides the match. Middelfart will pressure Holte out of their comfort zone while holding a high sideout percentage and this will be too much for Holte. 3-0 to Middelfart.
SK Aarhus – Marienlyst: I’m still not ready to play but our team is ready and I have confidence that we will take this game. I have no idea what the odds are but this could be a bet-worthy match…
Okay, I don’t know what’s going on with NordicBet these days but I’m going to attempt this without any odds or handicaps.
Hvidovre – HIK: This one looks like a pretty easy win for HIK. They’ve been out playing European Cup and they should be in a fairly high gear as far as playing goes. Hvidovre has little left to fight for here in the fall season. They are going to miss the slutspil so the only thing left is to work towards being ready for the after Christmas season. All of this adds up to what should be solid 3-0 to HIK.
Gentofte – DHG: These teams just played each other and even though there might be one less Gentofte player ready to play this time it shouldn’t make a difference. DHG has rarely been close in any of the matches they have played this year, they just don’t have enough depth to be able to keep other teams guessing. This one should also be 3-0 but I would imagine the handicap and odds will make it almost unplayable.
Middelfart – Holte: Holte has impressively shown that they are slutspil-ready. As I have said before, they play volleyball the way it should be played, quick tempo and with solid ball control. Their problem is that they don’t have anyone they can count on to kill the ball in emergency situations. As long as they are able to pass well and stay in system they will be able to sideout, but as soon as things break down they are in trouble. Against a team like Middelfart that has proven they can sideout consistently it will be the way that the two teams deal with emergency situations that decides the match. Middelfart will pressure Holte out of their comfort zone while holding a high sideout percentage and this will be too much for Holte. 3-0 to Middelfart.
SK Aarhus – Marienlyst: I’m still not ready to play but our team is ready and I have confidence that we will take this game. I have no idea what the odds are but this could be a bet-worthy match…
Friday, October 28, 2005
Tips 29-10-05
I hope everyone made it through last weekend okay… There were certainly a couple surprising results. Clearly, this week I’ll have to redeem myself by predicting all of the weekend’s matches.
SK Aarhus vs. HIK – This was a much better bet last night when the odds were higher. At present HIK is listed at 1.55; still pretty decent money with no handicap involved but not exactly a sure bet. HIK’s record isn’t as good but they have had a much harder schedule. Both of their losses in the regular tournament have been 3-2 so it is hard to say that they aren’t better than 2-2. Aalborg definitely has the talent advantage on paper and they are still an excellent blocking team, especially when they can create situations where they are setup on the outside. If Aarhus doesn’t pass well enough to keep Makoto in system then this one could get out of hand pretty quickly. Continued strong serving from HIK against unproven passing for SK means that my money has to be in Aalborg for this one.
Gentofte vs. Hvidovre (2.50H) – Gentofte is clearly a top team. They proved that they have depth last weekend in Aarhus, playing without Peter Halling or Kristian Bech. Hvidovre still hasn’t shown that they can challenge any of the top teams this year. Without Søren Bruncke it looks like they are going to have an even harder test. Too much talent on the other side of the net, I don’t think they pass the test. With odds 1.20 and a handicap of 2.50 though, there isn’t really any value in this bet.
Holte IF vs. DHG (1.50H) – Huge match for both teams. If they have any plans at all to make the slutspil DHG has to start winning matches, especially against other so-called “mid-level” teams. Their problem continues to be that they just don’t have enough depth to keep blockers away from Martin and Anders. Holte, on the other hand, has proven that they can win and that they have solid players at most of the positions on the court. There is no one on their team that can take over a match and carry the team by himself, but as long as they aren’t pressured too much they will play a consistent match. I think their experience, consistency and ability to spread the court will be important here. Holte takes this one in a tight match.
PVC (2.50H) vs. Marienlyst – Marienlyst? Yeah. (nodding head confidently).
SK Aarhus vs. HIK – This was a much better bet last night when the odds were higher. At present HIK is listed at 1.55; still pretty decent money with no handicap involved but not exactly a sure bet. HIK’s record isn’t as good but they have had a much harder schedule. Both of their losses in the regular tournament have been 3-2 so it is hard to say that they aren’t better than 2-2. Aalborg definitely has the talent advantage on paper and they are still an excellent blocking team, especially when they can create situations where they are setup on the outside. If Aarhus doesn’t pass well enough to keep Makoto in system then this one could get out of hand pretty quickly. Continued strong serving from HIK against unproven passing for SK means that my money has to be in Aalborg for this one.
Gentofte vs. Hvidovre (2.50H) – Gentofte is clearly a top team. They proved that they have depth last weekend in Aarhus, playing without Peter Halling or Kristian Bech. Hvidovre still hasn’t shown that they can challenge any of the top teams this year. Without Søren Bruncke it looks like they are going to have an even harder test. Too much talent on the other side of the net, I don’t think they pass the test. With odds 1.20 and a handicap of 2.50 though, there isn’t really any value in this bet.
Holte IF vs. DHG (1.50H) – Huge match for both teams. If they have any plans at all to make the slutspil DHG has to start winning matches, especially against other so-called “mid-level” teams. Their problem continues to be that they just don’t have enough depth to keep blockers away from Martin and Anders. Holte, on the other hand, has proven that they can win and that they have solid players at most of the positions on the court. There is no one on their team that can take over a match and carry the team by himself, but as long as they aren’t pressured too much they will play a consistent match. I think their experience, consistency and ability to spread the court will be important here. Holte takes this one in a tight match.
PVC (2.50H) vs. Marienlyst – Marienlyst? Yeah. (nodding head confidently).
Friday, October 21, 2005
Tips 21-10-05
Tips 21-10-05
Well, well, well ladies and gentlemen. Today I come to you with a smile on my face. We’ll see if that smile lasts until after this weekend is over…
Before we get into the tips, I’d like to mention that another volleyball blog has sprung up on the net. Anders Aarkrog (you might recognize him as SK Aarhus’ libero) has entered the blogosphere at: http://volleyballreflektioner.blogspot.com/. The tag line is volleyball from a rookie’s point of view. Should be interesting to see how it develops…
Now on to the tips in no particular order:
Sk Aarhus – Gentofte (1.50 H): For those few who didn’t get in on this when Gentofte still had 1.60 odds…I’m sorry. It’s now down to 1.45 which is, in my opinion, still pretty nice. I don’t think that SK is a bad team; but, in their own words, they haven’t been playing well enough to be considered a top team. Gentofte has proven that they are playing well at the moment. Even though Santos played his first match last weekend, it can’t hurt that he has had some more time to work back into the game. Aarhus, on the other hand, hasn’t been tested at all this year. True, they haven’t lost a set yet, but they haven’t played anyone in the top six yet either. Gentofte should be too much to handle for them this weekend, and with a set already in the bag I like this bet for Gentofte.
DHG (2.50 H) – Middelfart: Odds are only 1.30 for Middelfart and they have to win 3-0, but I wouldn’t necessarily discard this bet. This is a meeting of the deepest team and the least deep team in the league. DHG has seven players, Middelfart goes about fourteen deep. Middelfart has also proven that they can use almost anyone on their bench positively. Middelfart also showed that their blocking has improved quite a bit and this should cause quite a few problems for a DHG team that relies heavily on two outside hitters. DHG still has not won a set this year. I’m surprised actually that the odds aren’t much worse. Don’t be afraid of this bet.
HIK Aalborg (1.50 H) – Marienlyst: Marienlyst wins this one!
Now we’re looking into murkier waters, I don’t feel strongly about either of the next two matches but lets try to break them down and see what we can find:
Hvidovre (1.50 H) – PVC Lyngby: I’ve got to be honest; I don’t see any reason why Hvidovre should have a 1.5 set advantage here. PVC has one win on the season over a DHG team that has had its own problems otherwise they have lost fairly convincingly. Hvidovre hasn’t been spectacular either but generally I would say this one is fairly even. I haven’t seen either team play yet during the regular season so I’m going to cop out and take the odds/handicap. Hvidovre wins this one, or at least takes it to five sets…
Lyngby (1.50 H) – Holte: This one should be interesting. Both teams should consider this a must win if they have any ambition of being in the top six. We’ve just played both of these teams in the last week and they both bring different things to the table. I would also expect to see two different rosters, Holte will probably have more of their older players, Lyngby will probably have more as well considering this one is in Copenhagen. Holte plays a cleaner style than Lyngby, but Lyngby has a way of making a match ugly. I think a lot of this match depends on who shows up to play for each team, therefore I’m taking the scared money again. Lyngby wins this one, or at least takes it to five.
I know, I know, a weak way to decide the last two. Stay away from the last two anyway. The money is in the top three bets. I hope everyone has a good weekend, good luck to everybody! Hopefully we’ll all be smiling after this weekend is over…
Well, well, well ladies and gentlemen. Today I come to you with a smile on my face. We’ll see if that smile lasts until after this weekend is over…
Before we get into the tips, I’d like to mention that another volleyball blog has sprung up on the net. Anders Aarkrog (you might recognize him as SK Aarhus’ libero) has entered the blogosphere at: http://volleyballreflektioner.blogspot.com/. The tag line is volleyball from a rookie’s point of view. Should be interesting to see how it develops…
Now on to the tips in no particular order:
Sk Aarhus – Gentofte (1.50 H): For those few who didn’t get in on this when Gentofte still had 1.60 odds…I’m sorry. It’s now down to 1.45 which is, in my opinion, still pretty nice. I don’t think that SK is a bad team; but, in their own words, they haven’t been playing well enough to be considered a top team. Gentofte has proven that they are playing well at the moment. Even though Santos played his first match last weekend, it can’t hurt that he has had some more time to work back into the game. Aarhus, on the other hand, hasn’t been tested at all this year. True, they haven’t lost a set yet, but they haven’t played anyone in the top six yet either. Gentofte should be too much to handle for them this weekend, and with a set already in the bag I like this bet for Gentofte.
DHG (2.50 H) – Middelfart: Odds are only 1.30 for Middelfart and they have to win 3-0, but I wouldn’t necessarily discard this bet. This is a meeting of the deepest team and the least deep team in the league. DHG has seven players, Middelfart goes about fourteen deep. Middelfart has also proven that they can use almost anyone on their bench positively. Middelfart also showed that their blocking has improved quite a bit and this should cause quite a few problems for a DHG team that relies heavily on two outside hitters. DHG still has not won a set this year. I’m surprised actually that the odds aren’t much worse. Don’t be afraid of this bet.
HIK Aalborg (1.50 H) – Marienlyst: Marienlyst wins this one!
Now we’re looking into murkier waters, I don’t feel strongly about either of the next two matches but lets try to break them down and see what we can find:
Hvidovre (1.50 H) – PVC Lyngby: I’ve got to be honest; I don’t see any reason why Hvidovre should have a 1.5 set advantage here. PVC has one win on the season over a DHG team that has had its own problems otherwise they have lost fairly convincingly. Hvidovre hasn’t been spectacular either but generally I would say this one is fairly even. I haven’t seen either team play yet during the regular season so I’m going to cop out and take the odds/handicap. Hvidovre wins this one, or at least takes it to five sets…
Lyngby (1.50 H) – Holte: This one should be interesting. Both teams should consider this a must win if they have any ambition of being in the top six. We’ve just played both of these teams in the last week and they both bring different things to the table. I would also expect to see two different rosters, Holte will probably have more of their older players, Lyngby will probably have more as well considering this one is in Copenhagen. Holte plays a cleaner style than Lyngby, but Lyngby has a way of making a match ugly. I think a lot of this match depends on who shows up to play for each team, therefore I’m taking the scared money again. Lyngby wins this one, or at least takes it to five.
I know, I know, a weak way to decide the last two. Stay away from the last two anyway. The money is in the top three bets. I hope everyone has a good weekend, good luck to everybody! Hopefully we’ll all be smiling after this weekend is over…
Sunday, October 16, 2005
TIPS 16-10-05
Tips 16/10/05
PVC Lyngby – SK Aarhus: SK makes another trip to Copenhagen to play another team called Lyngby. Last time they barely made it out of Lyngby without losing a set. They still haven’t played any of the top teams but PVC doesn’t appear to be a big threat either. We know that SK has a really good setter and if a team can’t knock off their serve receive rhythm then they probably won’t have a shot. Does PVC have enough serving strength to bother them? I don’t think so. PVC is also going to have to prove that they can stop someone in the middle, especially Brian Nordberg. I don’t think they can do that. With that being said, the 2.50 handicap makes me nervous. I think this one deserves small stakes on Aarhus, 1.50 isn’t too bad to take a chance on.
Holte – Hvidovre: This match just happened about ten days ago and it was close. So the question is: Is there any reason why the result would be different this time? Kasper says that he hurt his finger in training this week but that he will be ready to play in this match. And lately it seems like Hvidovre has had Holte’s number. It’s a new role for Hvidovre to be the favorites but I think this time they come through. 1.75 looks like a nice number here.
Marienlyst – Lyngby: Marienlyst.
PVC Lyngby – SK Aarhus: SK makes another trip to Copenhagen to play another team called Lyngby. Last time they barely made it out of Lyngby without losing a set. They still haven’t played any of the top teams but PVC doesn’t appear to be a big threat either. We know that SK has a really good setter and if a team can’t knock off their serve receive rhythm then they probably won’t have a shot. Does PVC have enough serving strength to bother them? I don’t think so. PVC is also going to have to prove that they can stop someone in the middle, especially Brian Nordberg. I don’t think they can do that. With that being said, the 2.50 handicap makes me nervous. I think this one deserves small stakes on Aarhus, 1.50 isn’t too bad to take a chance on.
Holte – Hvidovre: This match just happened about ten days ago and it was close. So the question is: Is there any reason why the result would be different this time? Kasper says that he hurt his finger in training this week but that he will be ready to play in this match. And lately it seems like Hvidovre has had Holte’s number. It’s a new role for Hvidovre to be the favorites but I think this time they come through. 1.75 looks like a nice number here.
Marienlyst – Lyngby: Marienlyst.
Friday, September 30, 2005
TIPS 1-2/10/05
In this, what I have planned as weekly, column I’ll make my predictions about the weekend’s matches. By no means am I an expert and any money that anyone loses by listening to me is their own problem. With that said, it will be interesting for me to see how I do over an entire season. Keep in mind that if I were to gamble each weekend it would not be on every single match, I pick certain matches that I feel strongly about and then bet only on those.
Also, it is important to note that as the season goes on and my team has played against these other teams it should become easier to pick them. At the moment things are a bit unpredictable as the season is just beginning and we don’t really know much about any of the teams just yet. So, in the early weeks it is important to be careful.
Here are my thoughts on the men’s matches this week:
What a bunch of crappy odds this week, really nothing worth much here. Odds are low and handicaps are high. The bookies are just as nervous as the betters at the moment…
Hvidovre (+2.50) – Middelfart: These two teams met in the Middelfart tournament and the result was a fairly clear win for Middelfart. I don’t see any reason why this result changes. We know that Middelfart had a bit of a scare against HIK in their first match of the season but I expect them to come into this one with confidence and rhythm intact. I think the first set is close and Middelfart wins the next two without much doubt. At odds 1.40 this is probably one of the better bets this week.
Gentofte – PVC Lyngby (+2.50): This one looks like an easy 3-0 win for Gentofte. The only thing that worries me is the possibility that the starters won’t play the whole match for Gentofte. PVC has shown that they have some life here in the elite division with that solid 3-0 win over DHG and I think they can easily give the backups a run for their money. It's all about taking just one set so this might be something to consider if you're feeling lucky or adventurous. At odds 1.30 for Gentofte this one may not be worth it.
Lyngby (+2.50) – SK Aarhus: Lyngby has had their problems with SK over the years. Last year they seemed to always play their worst matches against them. But this is a whole new season and you can almost always count on Lyngby to deliver a few surprises early. This is also a newly formed SK Aarhus team that hasn’t proven they can play steady in every match they play. This one is in Lyngby and with a little home crowd support I think Lyngby is taking at least one set here. With odds 2.70 I think it is worth a shot.
Aalborg – Holte IF (+2.50): To me this is the most secure of all the bets this week. Holte has lost several important players and are relatively inexperienced. What especially worries me about them is that they have an untested setter and shaky passing going up against one of the best blocking teams in the league. Add in Aalborg is playing their first home game of the year and they are certainly focused on playing their best volleyball with CEV cup and Pokal matches in the near future and it looks like a relatively easy win. At odds 1.25 though it doesn’t look like a real big money maker, considering that they have to win 3-0 the risk might not be worth the reward.
Marienlyst – DHG (+2.50): I can’t say anything else but Marienlyst. Although at odds 1.20 there isn’t really a bet here.
Also, it is important to note that as the season goes on and my team has played against these other teams it should become easier to pick them. At the moment things are a bit unpredictable as the season is just beginning and we don’t really know much about any of the teams just yet. So, in the early weeks it is important to be careful.
Here are my thoughts on the men’s matches this week:
What a bunch of crappy odds this week, really nothing worth much here. Odds are low and handicaps are high. The bookies are just as nervous as the betters at the moment…
Hvidovre (+2.50) – Middelfart: These two teams met in the Middelfart tournament and the result was a fairly clear win for Middelfart. I don’t see any reason why this result changes. We know that Middelfart had a bit of a scare against HIK in their first match of the season but I expect them to come into this one with confidence and rhythm intact. I think the first set is close and Middelfart wins the next two without much doubt. At odds 1.40 this is probably one of the better bets this week.
Gentofte – PVC Lyngby (+2.50): This one looks like an easy 3-0 win for Gentofte. The only thing that worries me is the possibility that the starters won’t play the whole match for Gentofte. PVC has shown that they have some life here in the elite division with that solid 3-0 win over DHG and I think they can easily give the backups a run for their money. It's all about taking just one set so this might be something to consider if you're feeling lucky or adventurous. At odds 1.30 for Gentofte this one may not be worth it.
Lyngby (+2.50) – SK Aarhus: Lyngby has had their problems with SK over the years. Last year they seemed to always play their worst matches against them. But this is a whole new season and you can almost always count on Lyngby to deliver a few surprises early. This is also a newly formed SK Aarhus team that hasn’t proven they can play steady in every match they play. This one is in Lyngby and with a little home crowd support I think Lyngby is taking at least one set here. With odds 2.70 I think it is worth a shot.
Aalborg – Holte IF (+2.50): To me this is the most secure of all the bets this week. Holte has lost several important players and are relatively inexperienced. What especially worries me about them is that they have an untested setter and shaky passing going up against one of the best blocking teams in the league. Add in Aalborg is playing their first home game of the year and they are certainly focused on playing their best volleyball with CEV cup and Pokal matches in the near future and it looks like a relatively easy win. At odds 1.25 though it doesn’t look like a real big money maker, considering that they have to win 3-0 the risk might not be worth the reward.
Marienlyst – DHG (+2.50): I can’t say anything else but Marienlyst. Although at odds 1.20 there isn’t really a bet here.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
