3/17 Results: For those non-alcoholics, Saturday was St. Patrick’s Day. In other words, it’s National “Let’s Drink Until We Pass Out On The Floor Like Chalk Outlines” Day here in the States. I was no exception. Throw in Liverpool’s beatdown of Watford, even if the Hornets couldn’t do me the service of putting at least one home, amplified things that much more. So a great day overall led to a dead Sunday. Which is why I am putting my betting boots back on and looking at a barren schedule for today. But if you’ve ever been on Facebook on a Monday, you’ve seen a slew of Monday Motivation pictures, memes, and words of encouragement. As if your day at work is the sole reason the Earth will continue to spin on its axis. Either way, my Monday motivation is to kill it with these lower league picks. No pictogram required.
3/17 Results:
My Picks: Liverpool 3 Watford 1 (Both Teams Score [+105], Goal scored in both halves [-260], Firmino 1st scorer [+330])
Manchester United 2 Brighton 1 (Brighton +1.5 [-110], Manchester United advances [-900])
Actual Results: Liverpool 5 Watford 0 (Salah scores first, Goals in both halves)
Manchester United 2 Brighton 0
My other Monday motivation? To learn something about Greuther Furth other than how many bronze players they have in FIFA 18.
GERMAN 2.BUNDESLIGA
Greuther Furth @ Erzgebirge Aue (3:45 PM ET/Fox Soccer Match Pass)
The last time I ventured into Germany’s second tier, I was picking teams on the higher side of the table. Each was trying to secure promotion through various means. Today’s picks are on the opposite end of the German footballing spectrum. The fight to avoid the relegation playoff is on in Aue.
This is why football is so great in my eyes. Normally a Monday would mean a Premier League match and possibly a La Liga contest. At the very least, there would be a name on the marquee that you would recognize. But cup competitions can throw monkey wrenches into those plans and allow a matchup like this to get some shine and exposure. And when that happens you stumble upon some fun stories.
Aue’s population is roughly 18,000. So with Erzgebirge’s 15,711 capacity stadium, about 87% of the townsfolk can fill her up on matchday. I view that as almost a high school football type of atmosphere, where everybody you know from all walks of life congregates on a Friday night to root for your school. Now take that setting and put the pressure of enduring relegation to the third tier on the line.
But here’s another wrinkle for us fans here in the US. This game also features a man who should know plenty about Monday Motivation in his young career, Julian Green. The loanee opened the scoring in his latest match for Greuther to snap a three-month goal drought. He’s featured in each of Greuther’s last five matches where they’d dropped just two total points. This has allowed them to pass their opponents tonight in the table. Looking at the game as a pick ’em (per Bovada), I’ll take the more in form side.
PREDICTION: Greuther Furth 1 Erzgebirge Aue 0 (Furth PICK [-115])
ENGLISH LEAGUE ONE
Bradford City @ Doncaster Rovers (3:45 PM ET/ESPN3, WatchESPN)
Here is a Monday motivation from sports in general, not just football. On any day David can slay Goliath. Look at England’s League One, the third tier of English football. They have had a club in the quarterfinals of the FA Cup in three of the last four seasons, a true testament to that “On any given day” slogan. The first of those clubs to make that run, Bradford City in 2014-15.
In that campaign, the Bantams beat Premier League sides Chelsea and Sunderland during their quest before falling in a replay to Reading. So making up seven points with two games in hand in League One should be a breeze right? That is the gap that currently sits between Bradford and the promotion playoffs. The first step is beating a team who in the league hasn’t given them much resistance in recent years.
Doncaster is flirting with relegation, but I feel have done enough and have games in hand to ensure safety. But they’ve been Bradford’s whipping boy as of late. The past four matches have seen them take an L in League One, with a League Cup victory last August being their only respite. But like the last pick, this game has a name we’ll recognize across the pond as well. Doncaster’s manager is none other than Darren Ferguson, son of Manchester United’s legendary gaffer Sir Alex Ferguson. He got the club back into League One after taking them down (as the season’s third manager in his defense) in 2015-16.
This game is another pick ’em (per Bovada) but the form chart favors Doncaster. Also, they’ll be getting their strike force back as Andy Williams and John Marquis, the club’s last two leading scorers, will be healthy together for the first time since November. Bradford, on the other hand, will be sans their top goal man, Charlie Wyke, who is serving a red card ban. Give me Doncaster in a close one.
PREDICTION: Doncaster Rovers 2 Bradford City 1 (Doncaster PICK [-110])
EDIT: As I was finishing up writing this, the line moved from a pick to Doncaster -0.5 goals [+125]. I am still taking Doncaster.
If you have any games you’d like me to pick over the week you can contact me on Twitter @TREVORutley. In addition to the available media listed for each game, be sure to try out our Gameview service while watching as well. Also, here is a link for my results throughout and the points system. Cheers!