Seeley’s Selections – Thursday’s Europa League

Tottenham face the tough trip to Turkey on Thursday night to take on in form Besiktas in the Europa League.

Besiktas v Tottenham, Thursday 6pm, live on ITV4
Both of these two sides have already qualified through to the next round, but this one is a winner takes all clash with the victors topping the group and with that, an easier passage through in the knock-out stages.

Spurs make the long journey here in poor Premier League form, without a win or a goal in their last two matches and it’s going to be very interesting to see what line-up starts in this one with a big game against Swansea at the weekend. Despite their indifferent form in the domestic table in Europe, Tottenham have now gone 18 games unbeaten in this competition but that record will be tested to the maximum in this one.

Mauricio Pochettino’s side are 11/4 with Boylesports to win this one but despite their excellent European record they can’t be touched. In their first meeting, a 1-1 draw at White Hart Lane, they were totally outplayed by their Turkish opposition and I can see them struggling again on Thursday. Besiktas are sitting pretty at the top of the Turkish Super Lig winning five of their last six matches.

Slaven Bilic’s side gave Arsenal an almighty shock in Champions League qualifying and at Boylesports’ quote of Evens to win at the fortress Ataturk Stadium, where they’ve just lost once all season, those odds have got to be taken. Besiktas score goals for fun averaging two goals per game in the Europa League and in their last 10 matches they have scored at least two goals in nine of them.

I think this could be a very, very comfortable night for the home side and a Besiktas win to nil would be another wager I like the chances of at 11/5 with Boylesports. I can also see a routine 2-0 win for the home side which looks generous at Boylesports’ offer of 15/2.

In Demba Ba, the Turks boast an in-form striker unlike any of Tottenham’s trio of Roberto Soldado, Harry Kane or Emmanuel Adebayor, and the 4/1 with Boylesports on the former Chelsea and Newcastle striker to open the scoring has to be a wager.
Ba has already netted 10 times in Europa League qualification so far and at 5/4 with Boylesports to add to his tally in this one, I like the chances of that as well.

Seeley’s Selections:
Besiktas to win @ Evens
Besiktas to win to nil @ 11/5
Besiktas to win 2-0 @ 15/2
Demba Ba First Goalscorer @ 4/1

Dinamo Zagreb v Celtic, Thursday 6pm, live on BT Sport 1
A non-event in Zagreb where Celtic, who have already qualified travel to Croatia to take on Dinamo Zagreb who are already out of the competition.

Many will be tempted by Boylesports’ offer of 13/5 which is available on the Scottish Champions in this one against a team, which has already been dumped out of the competition…don’t. Celtic haven’t won away from home in European competition since 2012 and their last clean sheet on their travels was back in 2009.

Both their away matches in this competition have ended up in draws and another stalemate is where I would be heading at 23/10 with Boylesports.

If you want to get a bit more back for your wager then maybe a small play on the 1-1 at Boylesports’ 5/1 is the best way to go as Celtic usually concede and score on their European adventures.

Seeley’s Selections:
Draw @ 23/10
Correct Score 1-1 @ 5/1

Everton v Krasnodar, Thursday 8.05pm, live on ITV4
Another total dead rubber for us to preview at Goodison Park when Everton take on Krasnodar in Europa League Group H. Everton have been superb in this competition and have already topped the group after their excellent display in Germany against Wolfsburg a fortnight ago.

Roberto Martinez has taken this competition very seriously and would love to have it on his managerial CV and out of all the British teams left in the tournament, in my opinion, they represent our best hope of lifting the trophy.

The Toffeemen are available at a massive 5/6 with Boylesports to win this one and if they had something to play for, they would be around 2/5 for the match. Everton have won both their home group games by a three goal margin against Wolfsburg 4-1 and Lille 3-0 and despite a whole host of first choice players expected to be rested for the Premier League clash with QPR at the weekend, I think they will be far too strong for their Russian opponents and another easy night is expected.

Everton have nothing to play for, but neither do Krasnodar; they are already out of the tournament and they too are expected to field a below strength side. On their travels they are winless in their last three Europa League games and although they will be greeted by siberian temperatures on Merseyside, that is where the similarities will end.

The Russians haven’t won in five in this qualification campaign and it’s not going to start in this one and odds of 10/3 about them winning are far too short, just because Everton “might” take it easy is crazy. I fancy Everton to ease their way to another comfortable 3-0 win which is massive at 13/1 with Boylesports and if you want to try to second guess Martinez on his team selection, Samuel Eto’o is the man he usually turns to in this competition. The veteran striker netted in the return fixture in Russia and he’s 5/1 with Boylesports to score the opener at Goodison Park.

Seeley’s Selections:
Everton to win @ 5/6
Everton to win 3-0 @ 13/1
Samuel Eto’o First Goalscorer @ 5/1

B Lucky!