Football Bet of the Day: Expect goals as you take a trip down memory lane

We start the week in Bari

Kevin Hatchard's back to lead us around the world looking for profit, and he's kicking off the week with a nostalgic trip to Italy.

Bari v Ternana
Monday November 10, 19:30

Our good friend Tobias Gourlay would make an excellent closing pitcher in baseball, as he always seems to come through in the clutch. Yet again he ended the week on a high note, having bagged a 2.021/1 Over 2.5 Goals winner from Sao Paulo's 2-1 win at Vitoria. Mad props, dude.

Starting my week in Italy's Serie B is becoming a bit of a habit, but it's one I'm happy to keep up for now, as there is an attractive overs bet which stands out in the game between Bari and Ternana.

If you watched Italian football on Channel 4 in the 1990s like I did, you'll remember Bari as a top-flight team. Igor Protti was banging in the goals, and later in the decade youngsters like Antonio Cassano, Gianluca Zambrotta and Nicola Ventola all emerged. It was a time in our footballing lives which was given colour by suave Football Italia presenter James Richardson reviewing the sports papers next to a huge croissant, and Peter Brackley's authoritative yet avuncular commentary lighting up Sunday afternoons.

Sadly for Bari, they are no longer established as a top-flight team. Amidst huge financial problems they have flirted with extinction this year, and they are currently 11th in Italian football's second tier. The Cockerels are in the midst of a rough patch, having won just two of their last eight matches.

Bari's opponents Ternana are in the relegation zone, and haven't won any of their last nine matches. A defence that conceded just one goal in the first four league games of the campaign has collapsed, shipping 14 goals in the last six outings.

If Bari's recent form wasn't so shaky, I'd be tempted to tip the home win at 1.814/5, as Ternana are pretty poor. However, I'm more inclined to recommend backing Over 2.5 Goals at 2.186/5, as it seems a big price to me given the recent statistics. Five of Ternana's last six league outings have featured at least three goals, which is true of four of Bari's last five games. Indeed, Bari's games this season have featured 32 goals, at an average of 2.67 goals per match.

All together now - gooooooooooooolazoooooo!

Recommended Bet

Back Over 2.5 Goals at 2.186/5

2014 P/L (1pt per bet)

Points Staked: 49

Points Returned: 46.5

P/L: -2.5 points