Betting.Betfair.com
·10 July 2024
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·10 July 2024
England are in the semi-final of Euro 2024, and Betfair are offering up another SuperBoost on Wednesday!
Liverpool and Netherlands defender Virgil Van Dijk can now be backed to commit 1 or more fouls vs England at 1/1 - up from 1/3!
Virgil Van Dijk has committed more fouls than any other player at Euro 2024 (12), at an average of 2.4 per 90.
Indeed, he has made a foul in each of the Netherlands' five games at the tournament so far, and committed 2 or more in four of those - 2 v Poland, 1 v France, 3 v Austria, 4 v Romania, 2 v Turkey.
England (73) are the most fouled team at Euro 2024, whilst both Harry Kane (10) and Jude Bellingham (11) sit in the top five most fouled players at the tournament.
Declan Rice has been vital for England at this tournament, especially as he's been a busy boy having to negotiate plenty of unexpected attacking traffic coming his way from the opposition. He makes such vital interceptions and although his passing could be braver, he rarely makes the wrong decision with the ball.
He's also been showcasing the shooting skills he's learnt at Arsenal last season - he's had six shots at the tournament so far and managed two or more in both the knockout matches. He has now had 35 shots in last 19 competitive matches for club and country.
Rice has been happy to shoot from range at this tournament, hitting the post against Slovakia and testing Yann Sommer with a fine strike that was on target against the Swiss. He just might be on attacking free-kicks too on Wednesday if one sets up for a right-footer too as Kieran Trippier is likely to be dropped for Luke Shaw. His 25/1 first goalscorer price is a longshot to consider.
What I like about this bet is that you have two avenues of opportunity for Rice to get shots away, from open play and from set pieces where he is one of the five main attackers of the deliveries in the box.
England may find fertile ground from this route as the Dutch have conceded 1.58 expected goals from set pieces - the fourth worst at the tournament and England have scored 13 set piece goals under Gareth Southgate at major tournaments.
He is 1/2 to register at least one shot in the match which does look generous based on his record and I wouldn't put people off laddering the higher lines at 13/5 for two or more and three or more at 9/1.
England's chances of getting free-kicks in and around the box looks likely based on Virgil van Dijk's form at this tournament.
He is having a bit of a mare having committed 12 fouls already - the most of any player. That's a huge spike on his regular averages for Liverpool where he makes about 0.5 per 90 minutes as there have been signs that perhaps a bit of regression is slipping into his game. He's 1/3 to make a foul and with Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham and Bukayo Saka all likely to be heading into his direction, I'll be very surprised if he doesn't add to his foul tally.
6/5. That's big.