VPS - KuPS preview 17.6.2009

VPS - KuPS 1x2 % 50.0% - 30.0% - 20.0% (2.00 - 3.33 - 5.00)

KuPS sacked their manager Kai Nyyssönen and replaced him with Esa Pekonen, a former NT player and also as former manager of KuPS, who knows well the organization and has been lately worked as a sports director of KuPS. Not much was expected of the KuPS team this season but the bad performances and results finally seemed to be too bad for the board and the new manager takes over only one day before the tricky away trip to Vaasa.

The home side has won their last three games and away team has lost five a row even without scoring, but the head coach of VPS Petri Vuorinen is not expecting a walk in the park;” We know exactly how they feel now because we had the same situation only a couple of rounds ago. There are no easy games in this League”, he reminds us.

During the break the players have taken it a bit easier and they had full five days off after the easy 0-5 away win in the Cup, but now they are back in training with happy faces and eager to take on their visitors. There are no serious injuries, and some of the players have kept on their match fitness playing with the reserve team VPS-j.

The away team KuPS are physically in good condition, but the bad start has left them a lot to wish for mentally. ”We are fit”, says the assistant manager Harri Ylönen of the KuPS, ” and tuesday night we have to work on with the mental issues and find the fighting spirit, we are bot as bad as the results might suggest”.

KuPS only important injury is midfielder Miikka Turunen who hurt his hand last week,
otherwise the full squad is available.

VPS form from the right: 1-0-0-3-3-3

KuPS form from the right: 3-0-0-0-0-0

Head-to-head 5-3-4

Last meeting in the League Cup March 2009, KuPS-VPS 0-3

VPS:
1 Henri Sillanpää 8/10 - 8 Jani Lyyski 9/0 – 11 Toni Hahto 9/0 – 16 Jyrki Saranpää 9/1 – 19 Jan Berg 9/0 – 3 Lawrence Smith 5/1 – 7 Tero Koskela 9/0 – 14 Jens Nygård 9/2 - 22 Tony Björk 9/1 - 10 Antonio Inutile 9/1 – 23 Jyri Hietaharju 9/1

Bench: 4 Jussi Äijälä 6/0, 6 Petteri Forsell 7/0, 9 Jussi Aalto 3/1, 12 Henrik Moisander (gk) 2/0, 20 Rikard Lindroos 6/0, 25 Pekka Kainu 4/0

Unavailable :2 Jan Ahlvik 0/0, 24 Benjamin Slotte 0/0

Coach: Juha Reini & Petri Vuorinen

KuPS:
1 Ville Iiskola 8/0 – 8 Tero Taipale 10/0 – 9 Balazs Balogh 6/1- 3 Janne Reinikainen 10/0 - 5 Jani Hartikainen 8/0 – 6 Tuomas Kuparinen 8/0 – 13 Betim Aliju 6/0 - Ollo 6/0 – 19 Tuomas Rannankari 10/0 – 11 Pele Koljonen 7/1 – 10 Ilja Venäläinen 8/2

Bench: 2 Joni Nissinen 0/0, 4 Patrik Turunen 8/0, 12 Joonas Pöntinen (gk) 2/0, 20 Miikka Ilo, 8/0, 23 Jussi-Pekka Savolainen 9/0

Unavailable :7 Miikka Turunen 9/0, 17 Jussi Kolari 0/0, 21 Jesse Miettinen 0/0


Coach: Esa Pekonen

Pick and betting analysis to be published tomorrow.

VPS -0.50 : KuPS 0.50 50.0% - 50.0% (2.00 - 2.00)
VPS 0.25 : KuPS 0.25 60.7% - 39.3% (1.65 - 2.54)
VPS 0 : KuPS 0 71.4% - 28.6% (1.40 - 3.50)
VPS 0.25 : KuPS -0.25 75.7% - 24.3% (1.32 - 4.12)
VPS 0.50 : KuPS -0.5 80.0% - 20.0% (1.25 - 5.00)

My estimations are strongly suggesting that any KuPS bet would be good. They have a new manager and there is only half a class of quality difference. Yet, I do not feel like taking anything here. Fortunately there is no hurry, KuPS prices are not going to be slashed any time soon because of their position in the league and lack of form so there is time to think about it. Definitely no VPS bets tonight!