The international break is in full swing and there's value to be had as we approach the latest round of fixtures ...
Corners the market
Belgium flattered to deceive at the World Cup this summer but I'd always thought the Euros offered them a better chance of success and in two years' time their generation of gifted players should be hitting their peak. The Belgians begin their qualifying campaign with a comfortable-looking match against Andorra on Friday night and that could offer a decent start to our weekend campaign.
Not on the outright odds, I hasten to add, as they're understandably lopsided. Belgium will win this match but Andorra are not San Marino; they have improved over the years and will aim to make life tough for the home side. They won't stop them from winning but a look at their results over the past few years suggests a rout is unlikely.
There is not much value in the total goals department but it's pleasing to see Bet365 offering odds on the corners in this match (and others). Andorra, much like San Marino in this respect, don't really do corners but they don't necessarily concede an avalanche of them either. Now being away from home suggests Belgium will get several, but Andorra probably will only manage one or two, so Bet365's offer of 10/11 on there being fewer than 12 in all looks solid. As a saver, let's also take the 8/1 on there being exactly 12, if only because that's happened twice in the last couple of years. (For the record, there have been 12 or more corners only three times in their past 13 matches).
Dutch to attack the wings
Sticking with a theme, Netherlands will be looking for a convincing win when they host Kazakhstan on Friday having lost their opening qualifying match. Arjen Robben should be back for the Dutch and his presence means there will be plenty of action on the wings, which consequently should mean plenty of corners. In their past 11 competitive matches, matches involving Netherlands have averaged 10.1 corners, but they've exceeded 10 on six occasions and a number of the others (the third place play-off in Brazil, for example) were not matches conducive to a lot of attacking.
Bet365 offer 10/11 on there being more than 10 corners and with the Dutch needing a victory, that should be easily achievable. Again, let's take the saver of exactly 10, at 7/1 with bet365.
Draw on the cards in Belarus
There's nothing like a victory to get the confidence up and when it comes against Spain -- then it counts for double. The current Spain side may not have the verve that took them to victory at the Euros in 2008 and 2010 and the World Cup in 2012, but Slovakia will take an awful lot from how they were able to hold them off and win 2-1.
And so the Slovaks head to Belarus on Sunday for a match they will clearly fancy their chances of winning. Belarus have home advantage, of course, but they were beaten 2-0 at home by Ukraine on Thursday so the momentum without doubt is with Slovakia. However, winning away is never easy and the draw looks the call, at anything better than 2/1.