Sunday 21/09/2014, 16:30, Germany Bundesliga, Round 4, Koln vs M'Gladbach
Koln vs M'Gladbach Preview
The German championship promises to be more competitive than last season, with reigning champions Bayern Munich sitting outside the podium. Koln and M'Gladbach don't have high expectations for 2014, yet both teams hope to finishing the first half of the standings. So far, they seem to be on the right track as they are tied for the ninth place with five points and none of them has lost a game.
Koln vs M'Gladbach Odds
Koln 2.90, Draw 3.50, Hertha 2.40
Koln vs M'Gladbach Tips
Koln promoted to the first flight a few seasons ago and they were overly concerned about the prospect of relegating the very next year. As a result, they now feature an overly defensive starting formation, with five defenders and only use one striker when playing on the road.
This afternoon they will need more firepower and as a result, Ujah and Osako are expected to pair up, as both of them have scored one goal this season. The midfield is solid and the defensive stellar, with opponents having a hard time scoring goals against Koln. The hosts will try to score the opening goal and then defend for the remaining minutes, as this strategy has always paid off for them.
M'Gladbach managed to win without breaking a sweat against Schalke 04, but in that match they had hope each advantage and the support of their fans. Tonight they will be traveling to a team that acts as a fortress and as a result, they will need to take more chances upfront to score a handful of goals.
The visitors don't have too many options offensively, but that's why coach Favre is willing to take some chances and he was three strikers. Kruse, Raffael and Hrgota have played together in the last two games and even though this match takes place away from home, they are all expected to featuring the starting formation.
Key Facts
- Koln hasn't allowed a single goal in the last five games and scored a total of eight
- M'Gladbach has dominated the head to head games recently, winning the last four and scoring 15 goals while allowing just one
Koln vs M'Gladbach Prediction
Koln is much better defensively but even so it is very hard to ignore such a crushing head-to-head record and back the home team. Risk-averse punters who are intimidated by the hosts' defenses could take the safety net of a draw no bet Asian handicap and back M'Gladbach. If the game ends undecided, the bookmaker will return the stakes, but if that visitors prevail, the investment will be doubled.
Bet: M'Gladbach Draw no Bet @ 1.90 with Pinnacle Sports
