OUR man in Italy, Marco Di Cosmo (@scioltz) looks to continue his hot streak in Serie A with his best Wednesday selections.
Atalanta v Verona | Wednesday 25th October 2017, 17:30 | BT Sport
Atalanta are proving to be a solid team again in 2017-18 season. In Serie A action, they are not repeating the same performances of last season, as they sit in 12th but what impressed me is their Europe League campaign where they lead their group ahead of more experienced teams such as Lyon and Everton.
Having almost granted their qualification they can now focus on domestic action, and keeping the same home rhythm they had throughout last season. The Nerazzurri are a very tough beast on home soil – they lost 1-0 to Roma to start the season but they have recovered pretty well with three convincing win and a draw against reigning champions Juventus.
Verona should be harmless, they have important absentees in their squad, and that is why I am happy to back an home win and goals in the game to boost the odds. Atalanta to win and Over 2.5 Goals is 19/20 (Betfred).
Bologna v Lazio | Wednesday 25th October 2017, 19:45
Lazio are probably the biggest surprise of the season, especially after a transfer window where they have sold some of their best players.
Traveling to Bologna won’t be the easiest job to do: the hosts have managed to keep Inter to a draw and they have made Napoli struggle for an hour before surrendering. But unfortunately for Bologna, they are not very well equipped to play many matches in a short time, and their absentees in the defensive line make me wonder about their solidity.
Lazio are one of their best attacks in the whole of Serie A, with Ciro Immobile in stunning form having scored 13 goals in just nine games. Lazio could take the three points here, but I prefer to back their chances to score more than one goal at 17/20 (Marathon).
Cagliari v Benevento | Wednesday 25th October 2017, 19:45
Benevento have set a new record in Serie A with nine consecutive losses to start the season. This team are really not equipped to face a Serie A season, and they are performing even worse than we might have expected.
The visitors have just changed manager hoping for better results to come, but still it will get hard for new coach Roberto De Zerbi to make this side competitive. The man is a very offensively-minded, and I think it will require time for him to make some impact.
Cagliari won’t be so generous, and despite having similar troubles (they’ve also have changed their manager) they are more ready and talented to face such challenges and can win this encounter alongside a game invovling Over 1.5 Goals at evens with Betfair.
Fiorentina v Torino | Wednesday 25th October 2017, 19:45
Torino were silenced by Roma last week and it was only the second time in 21 home games they did not manage to score a single goal. This team usually have a very offensive approach, and the talented wingers they have justify their ability to score at ease.
I think Fiorentina will put up a similar strategy relying much more on their offensive end than solidity at the back. Their start seems to follow this pathway, with the Viola registering Over 2.5 Goals or Both Teams To Score in eight of their nine matches.
That is why I am backing Over 2.5 Goals and Both Teams To Score at 4/5 (Coral) – this should be really entertaining and very hard to predict.
Genoa v Napoli | Wednesday 25th October 2017, 19:45
Napoli failed to win their first match in Serie A season at the weekend but I am expecting them not to fail for a second time here.
Traveling to Genoa has not been the easiest job on planet for the Partenopei in recent times as they’ve been held 0-0 in the last two seasons, in two very frustrating matches. This season things seem to be much different though.
Genoa are really not solid at the back, especially at home where they have conceded in all their four matches. They also have the ability to score, and this is happened against Lazio and Juventus – that is why I am backing Napoli to win and Over 1.5 Goals at 4/6 (Betfair).
Juventus v SPAL | Wednesday 25th October 2017, 19:45 | BT Sport
Juventus and Roma should seal their victories without struggling much.
I’ve anticipated some weeks ago this new Juventus trend and they Bianconeri are now doubtless a great scoring machine, who concede much more than previous seasons at the back, but also score with a simplicity that rarely I have seen for them. Things should not be different this midweek.
SPAL are not the best defensive team in Serie A, and their chances to limit Douglas Costa, Gonzalo Higuain and Paulo Dybala seem really unrealistic.
Back Juventus to score Over 2.5 Goals (4/5 Betfair) and keep they rhythm of the best attack in the whole Serie A.
Roma v Crotone | Wednesday 25th October 2017, 19:45
On a different trend, Roma became a much more solid side than previous seasons. The Giallorossi have the best defence in Serie, with only five goals conceded, and they have managed to silence sides such as Atletico Madrid, plus Atalanta and Torino.
Roma do play much more open at the Olimpico, where they have registered two losses against big teams (Inter and Napoli) but they’ve proved to be ruthless against the little sides, in their 3-0 and 3-1 triumphs against Verona and Udinese.
I expect a similar outcome here, and this is why I am backing them Roma to win and Over 2.5 Goals at 4/7 (Ladbrokes).
Best Bets
Atalanta v Verona – Atalanta to win and Over 2.5 Goals (19/20 Betfred)
Bologna v Lazio – Lazio to score Over 1.5 Goals (17/20 Marathon)
Cagliari v Benevento – Cagliari to win and Over 1.5 Goals (1/1 Betfair)
Fiorentina v Torino – Over 2.5 Goals and Both Teams To Score (4/5 Coral)
Genoa v Napoli – Napoli to win and Over 1.5 Goals (4/6 Betfair)
Juventus v SPAL – Juventus to score Over 2.5 Goals (4/5 Betfair)
Roma v Crotone – Roma to win and Over 2.5 Goals (4/7 Ladbrokes)
