Astra Giurgiu vs West Ham Prediction and Football Tips – 06/08/15
Europa League football tips – Astra Giurgiu vs West Ham prediction
Astra Giurgiu will field a very similar team to the one which played at Upton Park in the first leg. Therefore, expect to see a very strong Portuguese and Brazilian influence, including former West Bromwich Albion player, Filipe Teixeira, in midfield.
Slaven Bilic is without the suspended James Collins and therefore, West Ham will have to make at least one change in their defence. Furthermore, forward Enner Valencia, picked up a serious looking injury in the first leg and is likely to be out for some time. Modibo Maiga is the favourite to take Valenica’s place in the starting XI.
Possible Line-ups
Astra Giurgiu: 4-5-1 formation: Lung; Queiros, Gaman, Alves, Maranhao; Enache, Seto, Budescu, Teixera, Boldrin; William
West Ham: 4-3-3 formation: Adrian; Cresswell, Oxford, Ogbonna, Jenkinson; Kouyate, Noble, Payet; Zarate, Maiga, Sakho
- Astra Giurgiu have won 3, drawn 5 and lost 2 of their last 10 matches
- West Ham have won 4, drawn 3 and lost 3 of their last 10 matches
- Over the course of their previous 10 matches, Astra Giurgiu have scored an average of 1.5 goals and conceded an average of 1.7 goals per game.
- Over the course of their previous 10 matches, West Ham have scored an average of 1.2 goals and conceded an average of 1.1 goals per game.
- There have been over 2.5 goals scored in 8 of Astra Giurgiu’s previous 10 matches
- There have been over 2.5 goals scored in 4 of West Ham’s previous 10 matches.
- The first leg ended in a 2-2 draw
Neither team have been enjoying a particularly good start to the new season. Astra find themselves in sixth place in the Romanian Liga 1 table, having taken just 5 points from their opening 4 matches. The numerous new additions to the squad could have something to do with the form of the team, as the new signings look to bed in.
West Ham were in the driving seat early in the second half of the first leg. Leading 2-0, the sending off of James Collins gave Astra the numerical advantage and they didn’t waste the opportunity, scoring 2 vital away goals. In their friendly match on Sunday, West Ham went down 2-1 to Werder Bremen.
Although they have only won once in their previous 5 matches, Astra will call on their experience of last season, when they turned over a strong Lyon team in the Europa League play-offs. Unless West Ham win the match, only a 3-3 draw or higher will do but West Ham’s away record in competitive competition has been poor over the last 9 months.