The Expert’s Acca: Fireworks, Strikes and An In Form Rom

The Expert’s Acca: Expert Tips and Predictions From bettingexpert This Weekend

Goals in Berlin, even more in Rome, plus cards and Asian Handicap angles elsewhere – that’s right, it’s another Expert’s Acca from Norway to Brazil.

It was a shrivelled docket last week, as is what often happens during an international break. Only four of the team found a punt worthy of the Expert Acca then, and only one – Nathan Joyes of South American fame – managed to nag a winner. It happens. Now, onto this week’s helping.

Speaking of Nathan, why not visit his South American Early Bird focusing on three Brazilian selections this week.

In this article:

• Jack Wright’s Best Free Tip and Prediction For This Weekend
• Nathan Joyes’ Best Free Tip and Prediction For This Weekend
• Scott Thornton’s Best Free Tip and Prediction For This Weekend
• Tom Winch’s Best Free Tip and Prediction For This Weekend
• Daniele Fisichella’s Best Free Tip and Prediction For This Weekend
• Steve Wyss’ Best Free Tip and Prediction For This Weekend
• Safer Gambling

Union Berlin vs VfB Stuttgart: Yes Ser! Guirassy’s spark providing goals galore for VfB

Germany, Bundesliga, Saturday, October 21st, 14:30

The Bundesliga has been the place to go for goals this season so far. Germany’s top flight is averaging a whopping 3.52 goals per game, over half a goal more than any of the other “Big 5” European leagues, and VfB Stuttgart have been a key contributor.

A superb start to the season has seen Die Roten win six of their opening seven league games and sit 2nd in the table, just a point behind Bayer Leverkusen. They have plundered 22 goals, with only the early pacesetters and Bayern Munich scoring more.

The same two sides are the only ones who can also top VfB’s xG, a metric they have come out on top of in all bar one fixture this term. Sebastian Hoeneß’s men cleared an xG of 2.0 in four of their seven matches, including each of the last three.

Stuttgart have recorded the highest number of shots on target and boasts the best goal conversion rate of 19.44%. This is led by Serhou Guirassy, who has made an incredible start to his campaign, beating Robert Lewandowski’s record in scoring 13 goals across the opening seven games.

Averaging 3.14 goals per Bundesliga game, Stuttgart have scored at least two in six of those opening encounters, including in each of the last five. They visit a Union Berlin side here in terrible form.

Urs Fischer has seen his side lose all of their last seven competitive fixtures, shipping 16 goals in the process and at least twice in five of those, including in four of their previous five league outings. Having tuned up for this clash with a 5-1 friendly defeat of Wehen, VfB Stuttgart can be the latest side to score multi-goals past Die Eisernen.

Although venturing into the Bundesliga for the Expert’s Acca, Jack Wright oversees a weekly EFL Early Bird on bettingexpert: the latest here.

• Expert: Jack Wright
• Selection: Over 1.5 VfB Stuttgart total goals
• Best Odds: 2.25
• Bookmaker: bet365
• Stake: 10/10 (TRACKED BET)

Botafogo vs Athletico PR: New management team can take control

Brazil, Serie A, Sunday, 22nd October, 01:00

Botafogo were continuing to throw away their title charge under Bruno Lage, who has since been relieved of his duties. Instead, the assistant coaches who were working under Luis Castro are to take charge until the end of the season.

Highly respected by the players, there was an instant reaction. Botafogo defeated Fluminense 2-0 in the Maracana and sent a statement out to the rest of the league.

The players weren’t buying into Lage’s negative tactics and reverting back to what has served them so well to date served them well.

Next up, Athletico PR come to town but will arrive without star talisman Vitor Roque. His injury picked up against Internacional will keep him out of the season. Uruguayan midfielder Agustin Canobbio may well be rested after playing on Wednesday against Brazil – leaving the away side blunt in attack.

Once again, the bookmakers are playing with fire pricing Botafogo close to evens, but with Athletico missing key players and a change in management for the hosts, it’s too good to miss this weekend.

• Expert: Nathan Joyes
• Selection: Botafogo to win
• Best Odds: 1.950
• Bookmaker: bet365
• Stake: 8/10 (TRACKED BET)

Nottingham Forest vs Luton: Familiar Fireworks in First Premier League Encounter

England, Premier League, October 21st, Saturday, 15:00 (UK)

Nottingham Forest are in 9th palace, five points clear of Luton, coming into this game. Steve Cooper’s side have picked up five points and are unbeaten in their three Premier League matches at the City Ground so far.

Luton sit just outside the relegation zone at this stage. They were the bookmaker’s favourite to go down prior to the start of the season, but they have shown fight in the opening weeks. However, their only win was against Everton, and they need to earn points against the other sides in the bottom half. Their last match before the international break was a 1-0 home defeat against Tottenham.

Forest’s matches have seen the 2nd most cards in the Premier League, with an average of 6.5 per game. Both teams have picked up two cards or more in all three of their home matches so far. There were 12 yellows and one red the last time these sides faced off.

Both teams have picked up at least two cards in three of Luton’s four away matches. The exception was the win over Everton. When Luton last visited the City Ground, there were seven yellows and a red as this bet landed with ease.

• Expert: Scott Thornton
• Selection: Both Teams To Receive 2+ Cards
• Best Odds: 1.83
• Bookmaker: bet365
• Stake: 7/10 (TRACKED BET)

Koln vs Monchengladbach: Gladbach from the international break with a couple more strikes

Germany, Bundesliga, October 22nd, Sunday, 14:30 (UK)

It’s been a while since I’ve been involved with ‘The Experts Acca’ – I’m heading to Germany with my selection this weekend as there’s a particular game in the Bundesliga that I’m interested in.

Koln are at the foot of the table. It’s been a tricky start for Steffen Baumgart and his side so far in 23/24. Across their opening seven outings, they’ve earned just a single point, conceded 14 times and scored a league-low of four.

Monchengladbach are 12th. They’ve picked up six points from seven but have played and lost against Leipzig, Bayern and Leverkusen already, the best three sides in the country.

Gerardo Seoane’s men have bagged 12 times in their four matches against Augsburg, Bochum, Darmstadt and Mainz. They have the sixth-best xG statistics in the division, only behind the current top five.

Despite their impressive scoring numbers, they’ve yet to keep a clean sheet so far this season, and that should only force them to flood forward.

The price is an attractive one on Saturday afternoon; they’re odds against (2.10) to score a couple of goals against an uninspiring Koln side who have yet to get going this term.

• Expert: Tom Winch
• Selection: Monchengladbach Over 1.5 Team Goals
• Best Odds: 2.10
• Bookmakers: bet365
• Stake: 8/10 (TRACKED BET)

Roma vs Monza: Rom is in form, but Dybala is out

Italy, Serie A, Sunday October 22nd, 11.30am (UK)

As soon as Romelu Lukaku has hit form (seven goals so far, for club and country), most of Roma’s problems have vanished. Josè Mourinho’s side have the best attack in Serie A with 19 goals (although they’ve netted seven against Empoli) and have scored in all their ten games played so far.

The Stadio Olimpico will be sold out once again for this lunchtime kick-off, and at home, Roma are getting better after a poor start: three wins on the bounce for the Giallorossi, who consistently score at least one goal.

But their best player, Paulo Dybala, has picked up a muscular injury before the international break and will sit this one out, in the hope he’ll be available for the game against Inter on Sunday, 29th October. Without the Argentine (two goals and two assists this season), Roma have struggled last year, but in the last couple of games, other attacking players like Belotti, Aouar and Spinazzola have shown promising signs.

Monza are unbeaten in five games, and they continue to play an entertaining style of football. Raffaele Palladino’s side have only been involved in one 0-0 in their last 46 Serie A games. They’re used to playing with no fear against top sides and probably will be slightly fresher than the hosts. In fact, only two players from the Brianzoli (Colombo and Machin) have been away with their respective national teams compared to the 14 who left Roma.

Finally, 75% of Roma games in Serie A have ended with both teams on the scoresheet and over 2.5 goals.

Feeling like you need a little more of Daniele? We get it. Visit his Serie A Early Bird looking ahead at the weekend.

• Expert: Daniele Fisichella
• Selection: Both Teams To Score – Yes
• Best Odds: 1.91
• Bookmaker: bet365
• Stake: 8/10 (TRACKED BET)

Aalesund vs Sarpsborg: Visitors too big to beat rock bottom Aalesund

Norway Eliteserien, Sunday 22nd October, 16:00 (UK)

Aalesund shocked everyone by beating Tromso 2-1 away just before the international break. Prior to that, they had lost all 11 road fixtures, so to win at such a tough place was very surprising. It was a combination of them being under no pressure and Tromso basically bottling it. Relegation still seems highly likely for Aalesund despite that win, and they have 8 points to make up to the nearest safe position with only six games left. Time is running out, and that victory at Tromso might prove to be a ‘one-off’, and they return to their turgid form here.

Sarpsborg travels to the north west of Norway on the back of a fantastic 5-2 victory vs Rosenborg. They are 6th in the table and look like one of those teams who will finish the year strongly despite not having much to play for. They recently signed former Malmo attacker Jo Inge Berget, who scored a hat-trick vs Rosenborg and demonstrated his poacher instinct. They have been lacking a clinical striker all year because this team creates a lot of opportunities. They are extremely attack-minded under the management of Steffan Billborn and one of the best teams to watch as a neutral.

Aalesund have the worst defensive record in the Eliteserien, and the expectation is that they’ll struggle in this type of game. Sarpsborg should have enough to win quite easily. They are by far the better team and should certainly be good enough to beat a side who have lost 17 out of 24 league games. That we can get Sarpsborg on a -0.75 Asian Handicap close to even money is a surprise. This handicap would have been expected to be -1 or even -1.25. They have beaten Aalesund 3-1 the last two times they played them, and a similar outcome would not be a surprise.

• Expert: Steve Wyss
• Selection: Sarpsborg -0.75 Asian Handicap
• Best Odds:1.98
• Bookmaker: Bet365
• Stake: 8/10 (TRACKED BET)

SAFER GAMBLING

At bettingexpert, we always take a safe approach to gambling. We’ll never bet more than we can afford or chase losses. For more advice, head to our Safer Gambling hub.