Seeley’s Selections – Thursday’s Europa League

Three live games featuring the remaining British teams are all in action in the Europa League on Thursday night and I think all the teams will fare very well.

Asteras Tripolis v Tottenham, Thursday 6pm, ITV4
The first game is the early 6pm kick-off between Tottenham and Asteras Tripolis in Greece. Tottenham left it very late to beat Aston Villa in the Premier League at the weekend and by the celebrations you would have thought that had won the title rather than beat a Villa side which had lost their five previous matches.

Mauricio Pochettino’s men are 8/11 to win this with Boylesports and there are reasons to like that a lot. Two weeks ago they met at White Hart Lane and Spurs eased to a 5-1 victory and I can’t see them having to many problems in the reverse fixture. A trip to Greece is always a tricky one for any team and Asteras Tripolis, like most Greek teams, are a tough nut to crack in their own back yard.

They are unbeaten at home all season and some punters may look at the 7/2 with Boylesports and want to get involved. This is a much tougher match than anything the Greeks will play domestically and the 5-1 scoreline in the first leg flattered them as it could have been 10-1!

Both teams have scored in five of the last seven away Spurs games and at the weekend, Asteras drew 0-0 with Olympiakos, which was only the second time they have failed to score so Boylesports’ 7/10 on BTTS looks a decent wager.

Hugo Lloris will miss the game through suspension after been sent off in the reverse fixture but don’t worry Tottenham backers, Harry Kane will not be given the gloves again. Kane however, netted a hat-trick against Asteras, and at 19/4 to open the scoring, he looks the value with Boylesports.

Seeley’s Selections:
Both Teams To Score @ 7/10
Harry Kane First Goalscorer @ 19/4

Astra Giurgiu v Celtic, Thursday 6pm, BT Sport 1
The hardest game to find a winner on the Boylesports Europa League coupon is in the clash between Celtic and Astra Giurgiu in Romania.

Boylesports can hardly split the pair with the visitors marginal favourites at 6/4 which is not for me. Celtic have turned a corner in their season, but in a game where they don’t really have to win, that’s a dangerous play if you are having a punt. The Scottish champions have now won eight of their last nine matches and have only lost once in their last 13 games, but it still isn’t convincing me to have a bet on them.

They were lucky to beat Astra in the first meeting in Parkhead and the Romanians will be keen for revenge at 9/5 with Boylesports, not for me again. Astra’s season in the Romanian league is the exact opposite to Celtic’s.

They started off in great fashion losing just one of their opening nine matches but recently the wheels have been falling off the Astra with two wins from their last 10. By now you should know that when Boylesports’ odds compilers can’t split two sides, I always sit on the fence and take the draw and it’s been a very healthy strategy over the years and I’m sticking to it.

A draw is available at a stonking 9/4 with Boylesports and I’m sure Celtic would take that now with a massive SPL match against Aberdeen at the weekend. The one thing I am very confident of though is goals and I do like Both Teams To Score at 4/6 and that would be my best wager in this one.

In Astra’s last 10 games, both teams have scored in seven of them and in their Europa League run this season, you would have collected in the five of their seven matches. Celtic have scored 16 goals in their last five matches and have also netted in everyone of their four European road trips this term.

Seeley’s Selections:
Draw @ 9/4
Both teams to score @ 4/6

Everton v Lille, Thursday 8.05pm, ITV4
Everton entertain Lille at Goodison Park in the Europa League on Thursday and this game has given me some of my strongest betting views not only of the night, but of the season so far.

I really like the home side in this one at what looks an incredibly generous 3/4 with Boylesports. Roberto Martinez’ side started of the season in poor form, conceding goals for fun but they have now just lost once in their last seven games and encouragingly for Martinez, have kept three clean sheets in their last four matches.

Their opponents Lille are in shocking form and really aren’t very good; they have only won once in their last 10 matches and at 15/4, that’s far to short on their chances of a win on Merseyside. They are currently lying in 12th position in Ligue 1 and their big problem is scoring goals, managing only four in their last nine games.

Lille haven’t scored in SIX of their last eight matches and an Everton win to nil is one of the bets of the season in this one at 13/8 with Boylesports. The two played out a goalless draw in their meeting in Northern France two weeks ago and Lille could still be playing now and they wouldn’t have scored a goal.

That’s their best chance on Thursday to frustrate us all with a 0-0 which is 7/1 with Boylesports. On the subject of goals, or the lack of them, under 2.5 in this match is available at 4/6 with Boylesports and that’s about as close to FREE money as you will ever see.

In 19 games featuring Lille this season, 17 have gone under three goals which make it a 1/10 chance in my book. Lille, have only conceded more than two goals in one game this term so a 1-0 or a 2-0 home win is also the way to play at 19/4 and 13/2.

Seeley’s Selections:
Everton to win @ 3/4
Everton to win to nil @ 13/8
Under 2.5 goals @ 4/6

B Lucky!