England has really never struggled in Group F of UEFA qualifying. That said, the Three Lions haven't done quite enough to get into the World Cup yet. With three points against Slovenia on Thursday night at Wembley Stadium, though, all of the drama will be off, and the Brits will be on their way to Russia.
At 2:45 p.m. ET, tune into FOX Sports 2 for live television coverage of this World Cup Qualifying match on Thursday, October 5, 2017, at Wembley Stadium.
Soccer Odds at BookMaker.eu
England -300
Slovenia +1000
Draw +350
Over/Under 3
Odds Analysis
England doesn't necessarily have to have this match, but it would sure help to lock up the World Cup spot at home and make that match at Lithuania totally useless.
The Three Lions are -300 favorites at home, and they probably rightfully should be. England is clearly the best team in this group of six, and winning a match like this at home should be a given. That said, the Brits aren't necessarily always dominant here at home, and they know that a point will end up being just as useful as three.
For Slovenia, only the maximum three points will do. There was never a doubt that this team wasn't going to get to the World Cup this year in this group, and in spite of a good showing, this is almost certainly the end of the road. A price of 10 to 1 on an upset makes it seem like Lloyd Christmas had a better chance than Slovenia.
How They Got Here
It's hard to say that Slovenia has had anything but a relatively successful World Cup qualifying campaign. The team is still very much so in the running for second place, which would send it to the playoffs in November. That said, only securing an away win at Malta while losing to Scotland and Slovakia is likely going to prove to be the team's demise.
The good news is that Slovenia finishes up with a home match against Scotland on Sunday. The bad news is that Slovakia has 15 points and has matches at Scotland and home against Malta left to play. Surely, the team will get to at least 18 points, and it'll be up to Slovenia to get to beyond that just to get into the playoff.
England is 6-2-0 to show for its first six matches in Group F. The team's only blemishes came in away matches to this Slovenia team (0-0) and at Scotland (2-2). It's hard to argue with anything the Three Lions have done to date, though clearly, the tough British fans would suggest that qualification to Russia really should already be secured.
The good news for England is that it has the maximum 12 points in four matches at home, and most of the affairs have been incredibly one-sided.
Free Soccer Betting Pick
This Slovenia team just isn't built for this moment. Jan Oblak is a fantastic net minder for Atletico Madrid, and Chievo midfielder, Valter Birsa is a great defender in the middle of the pitch. But where are the goals coming from against an England team that is one of the more tactically strong in Europe? There isn't a striker on this side playing on any of the elite teams in the world, and that has to be a huge concern.
Thus, it's easy to just suggest that England will do what it does best. The team is going to try to possess the ball and make it so its sometimes-iffy defense isn't ultimately tested. Moments of brilliance will come from somewhere, whether that be Jermain Defoe, Daniel Sturridge, Harry Kane or Marcus Rashford.
We fancy the Three Lions to snare the maximum three points once again in spite of the magnitude of this match, though we'll warn that we don't think it's going to end up being all that east in the end.
World Cup Qualifying Odds: England 1, Slovenia 0
BookMaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute, so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker Sportsbook!
