[DiamondJack]

I will try to focus on the big 5 European leagues this season and post any picks that I may have in this thread.

[DiamondJack]

The first league to kick off is Ligue 1 this weekend. I like one play in week one from France
1. Angers +0.50 @ 1.91/-110 (FRA) Bet365
I had this game set as a PK'em, so I am backing the visitors in this matchup. Angers finished above Strasbourg last season and with a similar payroll both sides look like they will be battling in the bottom half of the table this season. In the last 10 head to head encounters Strasbourg only won once with a most recent 0-0 scoreline. Angers does have a difference maker in Angelo Fulgini who I think is going to have a great season.

[DiamondJack]

2. Lyon/Brest UNDER 3.5 @ 1.91/-110 (FRA) Marathon 1u
Lyon will start life without their top scorer Memphis Depay who is off to Barcelona. Lyon will also be without another attacking threat Jeff Reine Adelaide who is injured. Both teams come into this game with new managers. Brest's manager is Michael Der Zakarian a former defender, with a defense first approach to tactics. Add to all that change is the weather, where it it forecast to pour heavy rain. Over 3.5 goals is just too much.

[DiamondJack]

3. Metz/Lille OVER 2 @ 1.95/-105 (FRA) Bet 365 1u
I cant pass up the value on the total in this match. The last 13 head to head games 13 have had 2 or more goals. Last season Lille averaged 2.23 goals per games & Metz 2.42. Metz have their star striker Niane back after missing much of last season through injury. I think Metz can knick a goal in their home opener & we know Lille can score. Hoping for a 2-1 result.

[DiamondJack]

4. Lille ML & PSG ML (2 team parlay) @ 2.18/+118 (FRA) Bet365 1u
I almost never play parlays, but you are giving me the defending champs at home & the overwhelming fav's to win the title also at home, and at plus money. I'm jumping on this line early in the week as the favourites almost always take on money closer to kick off and before PSG might sign you know who.

[DiamondJack]

5. PSG -1.5 @ 1.80/-125 (FRA) Marathon 1u
6. PSG OVER 3.5 @ 2.13/+110 (FRA) Pinnacle 1u
The owners of PSG are all in to win the Champions league and they are building a super team of epic proportions. Strasbourg stand absolutely no chance here. I was thinking of a 1.05 line & a -2.5 AH. The last 2 head to head meetings ended with PSG winning 4-0 & 4-1. I also like the total over as last season PSG games averaged 3 gpg & Strasbourg 2.82.

[DiamondJack]

7. Lille ML @ 1.89/-112 (FRA) Marathon 1u
Once again jumping on the line early as it is yet another favourite that I had at 1.50/-200. The last head to head encounter ended in a 2-0 scoreline for Lille & prior to that in Lille it was 4-0 for the Les Dogues. Both sides are coming off of draws in the opening week, Lille away to Metz 3-3 & Nice at home to Reims 0-0. I was also tempted to take the win to nil option on Lille as that was their MO last season, but the fact they gave up 3 scared me off.

[-FlawlessKid]

Good luck this regular season DJ, always a pleasure to read your analyses!

[ChuckyTheGoat]

Good luck this regular season DJ, always a pleasure to read your analyses!

For sure. Guy knows his stuff.

PS, guy in your avatar = biggest stud ever.

[DiamondJack]

Chucky---
Flawless---

[DiamondJack]

Lets shift focus to the Bundesliga;
8. Borussia Monchengladbach +1 @ 2.11/+111 (GER) 1u Pinnacle
I wanted to wait closer to kickoff to get a better price, however the line has actually drifted away from Bayern Munich. The current champs are winless in their friendlies this summer with 1 draw and 3 losses including a loss to their opponents Borussia. The last 2 times Bayern played in Borussia they lost both 3-2 & 2-1. The jury is still out on Bayerns new manager Julian Nagelsmann. I expect the home side to challenge for the top 4 in Germany.

[DiamondJack]

9. Stuttgart ML @ 1.85/-117 (GER) 1u Bet365
Greuther Furth the newly promoted side and odds on favourite to finish bottom visit Stuttgart. The home side have only lost once in the past 6 games and that was to Barcelona. The visitors are winless in their past 5. The last time Stuttgart hosted Greuther furth was in the second division back in 2019 where they won 2-0. Stuttgart managed to finish mid table as the promoted side last season. As it stands now I do not expect much from Greuther Furth.

[DiamondJack]

10. Union Berlin/Bayer Leverkusen OVER 2.5 @ 1.91/-110 (GER) 1u Bet365
This is a strictly a numbers play. Favourites and overs almost all the time get the public bets. Last season Berlin averaged 2.74 goals per game & Leverkusen averaged 2.71 gpg. Form wise 4 of the past 7 games for both sides have gone over the total. I had the total over 2.5 set at 1.80/-125. A tad of value nonetheless.

[DiamondJack]

EPL here we go;
11. Brighton/Burnley to DRAW @ 3.15/+215 (ENG) 1u Marathon
Last season these sides finished 16th & 17th in the table. Brighton led the league with 14 games ending level. There is not too much to separate these sides. The last 2 head to head meetings ended level with 1-1 & 0-0 scorelines. Hoping for something similar on Saturday to start the season.

[DiamondJack]

12. Manchester United -1 @ 1.99/-101 (ENG) 1u Marathon
Usually you do not find too much value backing the big teams at home. I think as we get closer to kick off this line might change so I'm jumping on it early. Last season when Leeds came to Manchester they got beat 6-2 and that was without fans. Leeds have had a poor run in their summer friendlies going winless in the past 5 games. Give me the Red Devils on the Asian Handicap.

[DiamondJack]

13. Everton ML @ 1.98/-102 (ENG) 1u Marathon
14. Everton win to Nil @ 3.25/+225 (ENG) 1/2u Bet365
As a Liverpool fan its going to be fun cheering for Man U & Everton this weekend. Southampton had the leagues worse second half record last season. They also lost their top goal scorer Danny Ings to Aston Villa. You have to wonder who is going to score for the Saints. Rafa Benitez starts his stint at the "small club" and we know Rafa is all about defense first. Once again I expect this line to shorten come kickoff as I'm backing another home favourite.

[DiamondJack]

15. Valencia PK @ 1.77/-130 (SPA) 1u Marathon
Valencia have been really good at home last season they picked up 31 points in 19 games. It was their away form that led to them finishing in 13th position their worse since the 87/88 season. The away side Getafe only managed 13 points away from home and they were an under machine with their matches averaging 1.87 goals per game. I'm expecting a low scoring win for the home side.

[DiamondJack]

16. Cadiz/Levante to DRAW @ 3.30/+230 (SPA) 1u Bet365
Only 3 points separated these sides last season with Cadiz drawing 29% of their matches & Levante 37%. Head to head 5 of the last 6 games have ended level including the last 2 that ended with 2-2 scorelines. Both teams are mid table sides so no edge to either in the season opener.

[DiamondJack]

After Friday AUG 13th

FRA 3-0 +300

ENG 0-0 EVEN

GER 1-0 +111

ITA 0-0 EVEN

SPA 1-0 +100

[joejiggims]

DiamondJack your 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

[DiamondJack]

DiamondJack your 

Thanks Joe...trying to have a good start

[swordsandtequila]

Great start, good luck this year

[DiamondJack]

18. Atletico Madrid ML @ 2.16/+116 (SPA) 1u Marathon
This is a line movement play for me. The odds opened up @ 1.72/-139 in favour of ATM back in July. As of right now I'm getting better than plus money on the current champs. The last time they played at Celta Vigo they won 2-0. I don't see any significant news why the odds drifted so much. Too much value for me to pass up.

[DiamondJack]

swords&tequila---

[DiamondJack]

19. West Ham/Newcastle to DRAW @ 2.60/+260 (ENG) 1u Marathon
West Ham did do the double over West Ham last season but the Hammers did finish in a European spot and are the better side on paper to start the campaign. Both sides are undefeated in their past 4 games. Newcastle will be hard to beat at home but I do not see them winning 3 in a row versus the hammers. Th Draw is priced very nicely here.

[DiamondJack]

Updated after AUG 15th
SPA 4-0 +546
FRA 5-2 +298
GER 2-1 +101
ITA 0-0 EVEN
ENG 2-3 -050

[nasdaq888]

Updated after AUG 15th
SPA 4-0 +546
FRA 5-2 +298
GER 2-1 +101
ITA 0-0 EVEN
ENG 2-3 -050

Is SPA not 3-0 +446

[DiamondJack]

Funny enough with your avatar I forgot to post my Barcelona ML pick that won. I did so at covers but forgot to do so here

[DiamondJack]

20. Real Betis/Cadiz UNDER 2.5 @ 1.99/-101 (SPA) 1u Bet365
The last 3 times these sides met, all ended with the same 1-0 scoreline. Both sides also started their season with the same 1-1 result last week. Last season Cadiz scored only 36 goals in 38 games. Betis scored 50 in 38. Give me the under at basically even money.

[DiamondJack]

21. Crystal Palace/Brentford to DRAW @ 3.30/+230 (ENG) 1u Pinnacle
This is an actual London derby even though these sides have not played each other since the 1970's. Brentford are feeling good after an impressive victory over Arsenal where as Palace lost another London Derby to Chelsea. Vieras side will play cautiously and the Bee's will gladly take a point.

[DiamondJack]

22. Everton +0.25 @ 1.88/-114 (ENG) 1u Pinnacle
I'm jumping on Everton again as I see them being disrespected by these lines. The last time Everton played at Leeds they won 2-1. Leeds are winless in the past 6 games after opening their campaign with a 5-1 drubbing by Manchester United. The Toffees have a great away record losing only 2 times since last November. I'm on the Asian Handicap as It could be a draw as last week there were none so perhaps we are due.

[DiamondJack]

23. Sassuolo PK @ 2.06/+106 (ITA) 1u Pinnacle
Sassuolo come into the game unbeaten in their past 6 games. Verona are starting their campaign with a new manager that I frankly think just stinks. Di Francesco was really bad at Cagliari and I have no idea how he got this job. I also love the head to head record that Sassuolo has versus Verona. Last season they did the double over Verona 3-2 at home and 2-0 in Verona. Verona have failed to beat Sassuolo in the last 5 head to head meetings.

[DiamondJack]

24. Hertha Berlin/Wolfsburg OVER 2.5 @ 1.93/-107 (GER) 1u Pinnacle
Strictly a numbers play for me. Both sides have had 3 of their past 5 games go over the total. Last season Hertha Berlins matches averaged 2.74 goals per game & Wolfsburgs matches averaged 2.88 gpg. I had the total 2.5 over set at 1.80/-125.

[DiamondJack]

25. Barcelona ML @ 1.85/-117 (SPA) 1u Unibet
26. Barcelona OVER 3 @ 2.09/+109 (SPA) 1u Pinnacle
The last meeting here between these side was in the Copa del Rey in Bilbao which Barca won 4-0. Bilbao are riddled with injuries. Berciche, Cordoba, Petxa Kedro, Molaskoain and propably Capa will all not feature. I still cant believe there is value backing Barca, this team was not just about Messi. I also think goals will be here. Barcelona started the season with a 4-2 win and led the league in goals per game last season with 3.24.

[DiamondJack]

---

27. Tottenham PK @ 1.75/-133 (ENG) 1U Pinnacle
Harry Kane is still at Tottenham and is expected to play. The last head to head meeting ended with the spurs winning 2-0. Th odds here opened up at 1.50/-200. So when I see 1.75/-133 I see value.