Saddlers to heap more misery on Pompey

4Jan 2013

Jonno Turner bends the rules for his final two selections of the week.

Rules are there to be broken - and I've chosen two home sides who represent particularly good value to round off a successful week for the column.

We're off to the Midlands for our penultimate pick of the week - and a resurgent Walsall welcome Portsmouth to the Bescot Stadium, looking to win their fourth outing in five games.

Dean Smith's side began the campaign in miserable form, but seem to have experienced a shot in the arm of late, and go into this one having lost just one game in their last five.

That form has lifted the Saddlers into 16th place in League One - and so tight is the third tier that they are just 10 points off the play-off places with around half of the season to go.

Four unbeaten on their own patch is excellent preparation for this tie, and Smith will be looking for his side to secure their third clean sheet on the trot in front of their own fans this evening.

Portsmouth go into this game having endured a torrid time of late - on and off the pitch - and Guy Whittingham's side now sit in the relegation zone on just 21 points.

The south coast side have lost their last three outings, and a 5-0 thrashing by Swindon on New Years Day was pretty much the worst start to 2013 they could possibly have hoped for.

Seven games without a win away from Fratton Park suggests that Pompey will struggle to get anything from this clash, and Pompey have kept just one clean sheet on the road since last January, which indicates that they have long running defensive weaknesses which require attention.

The hosts won the last meeting between these two sides 2-1, and I expect them to chalk up three points once again here.

Bet 1: Walsall (HOME) @ 1.88

Focusing on slightly warmer climes for our final tip today, and Real Betis travel to Zaragoza in the Spanish Primera Division aiming to to turn around a run of results which has seen them win just one from four.

The away side are fifth in the top tier, and boss Pepe Mel will be desperate for the Greens to pick themselves up following a 2-1 home loss to Mallorca last time out.

That was his sides second loss in three league outings, and it will have knocked confidence in the away camp ahead of this one.

Hosts Zaragoza are in formidable form at the moment, and have won three of their last four going into this one, keeping three clean sheets.

And just one loss in five shows that Manolo Jimenez's side have found their stride at just the right time in the season, as we hit the halfway point of the campaign.

A 2-0 victory at Bilbao in their last outing was no mean feat, and the Blanquillos will be desperate not to throw away these points in light of that.

Bet 2: Zaragoza (HOME) @ 2.34