We’re back with a full Championship fixture list this Friday and Benjamin Bloom is here to talk you through all you need to know, with odds from Betfair throughout.
MATCH TO WATCH – Bournemouth v Middlesbrough
It’s not been a great couple of rounds for Bournemouth or Middlesbrough in the promotion race. I’d never normally suggest removing the nuance and focusing purely on the points output, but if ever there is a time in the season to do it then now is that time.
We must of course add the nuance and say that Bournemouth’s last two games have come away from home at West Brom and Sheffield United, both parachute teams and not the easiest of fixtures despite the Baggies’ poor season. Perhaps that factor is countered by the fact the Cherries didn’t score in either game on their way to a solitary point. Middlesbrough can go one worse than Bournemouth; they’ve also not scored in their last two and have lost both. Worse still, the two games were up at the Riverside where Boro had laid the foundations for their promotion push with some brilliant home form. Again, however, if we add the nuance then one of those defeats came against champions elect Fulham and the other was due to a goalkeeping error against Hull having created plenty and not scored.
Given the previous two rounds, a draw really isn’t good enough for either side as the two meet this weekend. I’m sure Nottingham Forest and Huddersfield would take great glee in Bournemouth failing to win and closing up the gap in the automatic race. Similarly, a third Boro game without a win could serve to cancel out the bonus of their game in hand as the gap to sixth would likely extend past its current three points. Unhelpful draws to be avoided with a precious three points imperative for both sides.
Both teams to score 4/5 (Betfair)
TEAM TO WATCH – Nottingham Forest
I apologise to anyone who’s a regular reader of these columns for the sense of repetition, but it’s rather hard to ignore…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at Football365…