Oldham vs Colchester Predictions

After failing to challenge for the top six seriously enough last term, Oldham would’ve been looking for improvement this time around, though they’ve not made a very good start to the new campaign. Saturday’s hosts come into this fixture with just four points to their name, though they are unbeaten in two, while after picking up their first win last weekend, confidence should be high. Much the same can be said for Colchester, who’re also unbeaten in two.

Overall, it’s been a poor first five match-days for Oldham, who’ve struggled at both ends of the pitch. In the defensive third, Latics haven’t provided enough resistance, which is why they’ve surrendered seven goals in five games, while they’ve not exactly done a great job of preventing their opponents from building up a head of steam, as an average of 1.53 expected goals against suggests.

However, while they’ve not been great at the back, it’s a lack of attacking strength that is really holding Oldham back. Laurent Banide’s men have scored just three goals in five matches, three of which they’ve drawn a blank in. Frankly an average of 0.6 goals for isn’t good enough, nor is an average of 0.85 expected goals for, which tells us that creating chances is also a problem for Oldham.

Colchester haven’t exactly been firing on all cylinders, but their efforts have been slightly more impressive that Oldham’s. Saturday’s visitors come into this match having scored five in five, which is about right given that that they’re averaging 1.11 expected goals, which is an improvement on Oldham’s 0.85.

Defensively, Colchester haven’t been amazing; they’ve kept just one clean sheet and have conceded six goals. They’ve also surrendered an average of 1.19 expected goals, shipping totals of 1.33 and 1.71 in their last two. Such numbers don’t exactly bode well, even if they’re going up against a side that has struggled to get the ball in the back of the net during the early weeks of the campaign.

From a betting point of view, this is far from being one of the more appealing games, though those looking to get involved are pointed in the direction of the hosts, who look ever so slightly overpriced.

For all Oldham have struggled, they’re up against a Colchester side that has started to give lots away. Overall, Saturday’s hosts haven’t been good enough, but they’ll surely be aided by the visitors’ lack of defensive strength, while their best effort yet came at this venue less than a fortnight ago. On that occasion, Oldham did keep things tight, as they kept a clean sheet, while the fact that they created more than a solid Exeter side was reasonably impressive. In contrast, Colchester’s last away effort was rather poor one, so it’s easy to feel that the hosts should be slightly shorter in the early betting.