Guangzhou R and F vs Shanghai Shenhua Predictions

It’s hardly been a vintage start to the season for Guanghzou R&F, who’re currently in a lowly 14^th position after winning none of their opening four matches. Having lost to their city rivals last time out, Dragan Stojković’s men will be hoping to bounce back, though getting the better of a useful Shanghai Shenhua side that won by five goals to one last time out will be anything but easy.

From a defensive point of view, Guangzhou have struggled during the early weeks, there can be no denying that. They’re yet to keep a clean sheet, while they’re also yet to go through a game without conceding at least twice. Such numbers are worrying, as is the fact that they’ve surrendered an average of 1.89 expected goals.

However, Friday’s hosts did do better defensively last time out, as they gave away a respectable 1.06 expected goals. If they can replicate that effort now back on their own patch, then they’ll give themselves every chance of claiming a first victory of the campaign.

Going forward, there’s been plenty to like about the way Guangzhou R&F have gone about their business. They’ve adopted an attacking approach, have created plenty of chances and have scored goals. In fact, they’ve scored at least twice in three of their four league games, while they boast an impressive average of 2.85 expected goals for, which tells us that they’ve tended to create more than they’ve given away. If they can continue to create more than their opponents, then it really won’t be long before they’re racking up the wins.

Moreover, their best attacking performance of the season came in their only previous home game. On match-day two, they scored three goals and clocked a massive 4.72 expected goals for.

In contrast, Shanghai Shenhua were poor in their only previous away match of the campaign. On that occasion, they did manage to come out on top by two goals to one, though given that they created just 0.71 expected goals for and conceded 1.74, it’s easy to say that they were fortunate.

From a defensive point of view, Friday’s visitors, who’ve surrendered an average of 1.23 expected goals, have given slightly less away than the hosts, though they’ve looked much weaker going forward. Shenhua currently average 1.51 expected goals for, which is way off the 2.85 averaged by Friday’s home side.

In the betting, the hosts are hard to avoid. They’ve offered considerably more going forward than their visitors, while they easily created more than their opponents in their only previous home match. Consider this in conjunction with the fact that Shenhua were comfortably bettered in terms of expected goals in their only previous away match and siding with a home win is the way to go.

With the hosts averaging an impressive 2.85 expected goals for, punters can profit by backing ‘Guangzhou R&F to Win & Over 1.5 Goals’.