EFL Trophy | Group Stage——Cheltenham Town vs. Reading - prediction, team news, lineups

 

League Two side Cheltenham Town are set to host League One team Reading on Tuesday at Whaddon Road in each club's second EFL Trophy match of the 2024-25 season.

 

The home team are second with three points in the four-team group after they beat Newport County 2-1 on September 3, while the visitors are first with three points after they emerged as 3-1 victors against West Ham United Academy on August 20.

 

Cheltenham were trailing 1-0 after 33 minutes against Newport County, but the Robins took full advantage when Jacob Carney was sent off in the 43rd minute and eventually won 2-1 thanks to two second-half goals from Harrison Sohna and Joel Colwill.

 

In their most recent match, the hosts lost 2-1 against Barrow on Saturday, a match in which the Robins created no big chances and had just 36% possession.

 

Manager Michael Flynn said in the aftermath of his side's defeat that he felt his team played excellently in the first half but ultimately ceded too much positional territory and conceded two poor goals.

 

The result leaves Flynn's side 20th in the 24-team league with 10 points after 10 matches, and they have now conceded 16 goals, the joint fifth most goals per game.

 

Cheltenham have lost seven of their last 11 games in all competitions, though they have won four of their six most recent competitive home matches.

 

The visitors come into the clash having thoroughly beaten West Ham United Academy in their first EFL Trophy match of the season, and they only conceded because of an own goal from Harlee Dean in the 38th minute.

 

Reading had 57% possession, produced 20 shots and only faced five shots themselves, and boss Ruben Selles was thrilled with the performance of his youthful side on the night.

 

Selles will be less pleased with his team's showing in League One this term given they are 16th in the table with 13 points from nine matches, though they do have a game in hand on eight of the clubs above them and are only three points from sixth-placed Stockport County.

 

The Royals lost 2-1 last time out on Saturday against Rotherham United, though they did have to play with 10 men after Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan was sent off in the 68th minute when they were trailing 2-1.

 

Reading have won two of their last three games, but they did lose two of the prior three matches.

 

The visitors have also been poor away from home this season, losing their last four fixtures on the road and drawing the previous match 1-1 against Birmingham City on August 10.

Italian Serie A——Bologna VS Parma

 

 

Team Analysis:

Bologna are still looking for their first home win. They have drawn all 3 home games they have played. With 4/6 draws, Bologna are leading in the draw rate.

Parma have also not won in the 2 away games they have played. In 6 games, Parma have 5 points, 2 points less than the home team

 

Odds analysis:

Bologna are unbeaten in the last 9 matches against Parma. The last 2 times, Bologna won with a difference of 3 goals (0-3 and 4-1).

 

Conclusion:

Bologna win.

Spanish La Liga——Villarreal VS Las Palmas

Villarreal:

Playing Style: Typically employs a possession-based approach, emphasizing short passes and movement to break down defenses. They often utilize width, allowing full-backs to push forward.

Key Players: Look for their creative midfielders to orchestrate play, while forwards will aim to exploit spaces in the opposition’s defense.

Defensive Structure: Villarreal generally defends with a high line, relying on pressing to win the ball back quickly.

 

Las Palmas:

Playing Style: More pragmatic, Las Palmas focuses on solid defensive organization, often looking to counter-attack quickly when they win possession.

Key Players: They may rely on quick wingers and a strong central striker to convert counter-attacking opportunities.

Defensive Strategy: Expect a compact shape that seeks to limit space and frustrate Villarreal’s build-up play.

 

Key Matchups

Midfield Battle: The effectiveness of Villarreal’s midfielders will be crucial. If they can dominate possession, it could be a long day for Las Palmas.

Defensive Cohesion: Las Palmas’ ability to maintain their defensive shape and quickly transition to attack will be vital. They need to ensure that they do not get overrun in midfield.

Set Pieces: Both teams should look to exploit set pieces as potential scoring opportunities, given their differing approaches to open play.

 

I think there were Villarrea 3 : 2 Las Palmas

Italian Serie A——Italian Serie A

 

Roma enters this match following a 1-1 Europa League draw with Athletic Bilbao. Roma, led by Ivan Jurić, has scored six goals in the past six games. The comparable amount of goals surrendered over that time is 5. Ahead of this encounter, Roma had not beaten Venezia in their previous three league matches.

 

Venezia comes into this game off a 2-0 Serie A win against Genoa in their most recent match. Venezia has not won a league game away from home in the previous five.

 

When all criteria are considered, Roma has the potential to score a handful of goals in this game against Venezia, who will find it difficult to score.

 

1x2:AS Roma

Handicap 1

Under 3 goal 

German Bundesliga——SC Freiburg VS St. Pauli

 

When analyzing a match between SC Freiburg and St. Pauli, there are several key points to consider:

 

Team Form

SC Freiburg: Generally competitive in the Bundesliga, Freiburg tends to have a solid home record and is known for its disciplined defensive organization. Their recent performances can reveal their current momentum, especially against lower-tier teams.

St. Pauli: Competing in the 2. Bundesliga, St. Pauli has a reputation for their passionate fan base and attacking style of play. Their form leading up to the match will be important in assessing their confidence.

 

Tactical Approach

SC Freiburg: They often employ a pragmatic style, focusing on defensive solidity and quick counterattacks. They can switch between a back three and back four, adapting to their opponents' strengths.

St. Pauli: Known for a more attacking philosophy, they utilize high pressing and quick transitions. They often play with width, using their wingers to stretch the opposition.

 

Key Players

SC Freiburg: Key players might include Vincenzo Grifo, who can provide creativity and set-piece threat, and their goalkeeper, who will be crucial for maintaining a clean sheet.

St. Pauli: Look for players like Guido Burgstaller, who brings experience and goal-scoring ability, and their midfielders who can control the game and facilitate attacks.

 

Key Factors

Home Advantage: Freiburg’s home support can play a significant role, boosting the team's performance.

Defensive Resilience: St. Pauli will need to be compact defensively to withstand Freiburg’s counter-attacks.

Set Pieces: Both teams can be dangerous from set pieces, so defending them will be crucial.

 

 

I think there were three goals up.

Italian Serie A——AC Milan VS Lecce

 

 

AC Milan will be seeking for another win following their 1-2 Serie A triumph against Inter Milan. Looking from their historical results, we can see that AC Milan They have not lost in the league versus Lecce in the previous 12 encounters. Quite a long undefeated streak against them. They have not lost any of their past five league home games.

 

Following their setback at the hands of Sassuolo in their previous Coppa Italia encounter, Lecce and its travelling supporters will be looking for a better result this time around. Looking at their prior results reveals that Lecce In the previous 12 league games, they had failed to defeat AC Milan away from home. It's been a miserable run on the road. We haven't won away from home in the last four league games.

 

Lecce will have to work extremely hard to score against an AC Milan team that has the capacity to do so if they play to the fullest.

 

1x2:Ac Milan

Handicap 1.5

Under 3 goal

UEFA EL——Sporting Braga VS Maccabi Tel Aviv

 

 

Following their last performance, Braga will be looking for more of the same after defeating Nacional 0-3 in Primeira Liga. Carlos Carvalhal's Braga have been rewarded for their efforts on goal ten times in their last six games. In contrast, they have conceded six goals in those games.

 

Maccabi Tel Aviv comes into this game off a 0-2 Ligat HaAl victory against FC Ashdod. At least three goals have been scored in five of Maccabi Tel Aviv's past six games. The average number of goals scored per match over that time period was 3.17, with Maccabi Tel Aviv scoring an average of 2.83. We'll have to see if this trend can be continued here.

 

In this encounter, we believe Braga will be able to produce a respectable amount of opportunities and shots on goal. At the same time, Maccabi Tel Aviv may struggle to score their own goal, however we believe they will manage to get on the scoreboard.

 

1x2:Sporting Braga

Handicap 1

Over 2.5 goal