Juventus have what it takes to destroy Genoa

 

There are some great fixtures this weekend in Italy, and Dave Farrar expects the Old Lady to wipe the floor with Genoa...

 

Juventus v Genoa

 

Since they lost at home to Sampdoria and drew at Parma, Juve have started to look more like the team which swept all before them in last season's Scudetto. I know that they were held by Lazio in the Coppa Italia in midweek, but Juve dominated that game and it took a fabulous display of goalkeeping by Federico Marchetti to keep Lazio in the match.

 

I suppose that the slight worry is that Genoa have a new coach in Davide Ballardini after the inevitable sacking of Gigi Delneri, and that might give the team a lift: in my opinion, though, a poor team is a poor team, and Genoa's recent record of losing four of their last seven in the League shows just how bad they are. If Juventus make the kind of quick start that has been their trademark in the last two weeks, then they could be out of sight by half time.

 

Roma are the team that you think of when contemplating Serie A attacking strength, but it's actually Juventus who have scored the most goals in the division (45), and who have managed the most shots on target (157). If you add to that the fact that Juve have kept three clean sheets in their last four home matches, then you can start to work out why Juve might appeal here on the Asian Handicap. Genoa caused Juve problems twice last season, and were one of the few teams to avoid defeat against La Vecchia Signora, but after Delneri's destructive time in charge, I'm afraid that this Genoa will be a rather different proposition.

 

I feel that Juve will cover the Handicap, conceding 1.5 + 2, and also think that it's worth banking on a heavy home win to match the one that they achieved against Udinese, and having a small stake on Any Unquoted in the Correct Score market at around the 3.75 mark.

 

Recommended Bets

Back Juventus -1.5/2 on Asian Handicap @ 1.8

Back Any Unquoted in the Correct Score Market @ 3.75

 

 

Inter v Torino

 

Inter failed to thrill us as predicted last Sunday night as they and Roma rather stumbled to a 1-1 draw. This fixture isn't one that jumps off the page as a thriller, as Torino are rock solid away from home, and Inter are going through a spell of struggling to put teams away.

 

The oldest coach in Serie A, Giampiero Ventura, will be hoping that he can teach the youngest, Andrea Stramaccioni, a thing or two. He tends to set his teams up impressively away from Turin, and Torino have lost only two games away from home all season. They have already held Fiorentina, Lazio and Napoli and will be confident that they can do something similar against Inter. That prospect becomes all the more appealing when you consider Inter's lack of options in forward areas.

 

Injury issues mean that Stramaccioni could be forced to play the teenager Marko Livaja up front alongside Tommaso Rocchi, and that's not a combination that would have the Granata quaking in their boots.

 

All of that means that Inter are a must lay for the win at 1.7, and there's also an interesting statistic which might point us to a another bet. With Torino likely to come to San Siro and play for a draw, it's worth noting that five of Inter's last eight matches have been goalless at half time. They can be uninspired, particularly in the early stages, and in fact they have only led at half time in 2 of their last 12 matches. Despite that, you can still lay Inter to be ahead at Half Time at 2.22 and that looks tempting. If you'd rather back the 0-0 Half Time Score, then that outcome is available at 3.15. That's the way that I'd prefer to play it.

 

Recommended Bets

Lay Inter v Torino @ 1.7

Back 0-0 in the Half Time Score Market @ 3.15

 

 

Catania v Fiorentina

 

Francesco Lodi's absence means that I was going to swerve tipping Catania to beat out of form Fiorentina, but having seen that Rolando Maran's team is available at 3.2 to beat La Viola, I have to have an interest. Fiorentina were my pre season outsiders, and I'm delighted with the way that they've performed. Vincenzo Montella is a Roma coach of the future, and if the Tuscan club can keep hold of him, and keep building their squad, then I see them as genuine Scudetto contenders next season.

 

However, they have nosedived at the start of 2013, and they travel to a team motoring up the table under the tutelage of the talented and organised Maran. Lodi's absence takes away a chief creator, but the burly centre forward Gonzalo Bergessio could cause a lightweight Viola back line real problems, and the fact that Catania have won two of their last three against Fiorentina in Sicily, without conceding a single goal, only adds to the feeling that Fiorentina are too short here at 2.48. Fiorentina have lost their goal scoring form, have lost two of their last three at home, and are extremely vulnerable in Sicily against a side with more ability than many people realise.

 

Recommended Bet

Back Catania to beat Fiorentina @ 3.2

 

Bet HERE

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