Sport
Championship Preview: Lampard’s Derby May Struggle To Break Down Resolute Birmingham
Easter Friday’s packed football schedule offers us a bumper Rollover 1X2 – Pick 8 pool to play. Our resident tipster has run the rule over three of the featured Championship matches and came up with the following…
Birmingham vs. Derby
Friday, 15:00
After the buzz surrounding Frank Lampard’s appointment as manager, Derby got off to a flying start to the season and, at one point, looked at though they might trouble the automatic promotion places.
Unfortunately, things haven’t quite gone to plan since then and they’ve slid to eighth place in the table, just outside the playoffs. They are only two points behind Bristol City in sixth though and, with five games remaining, that should be a real motivating factor for Lampard’s side.
Derby’s form is mixed; a 6-1 thrashing of Rotherham and a 4-0 stomping of Bolton bookended a defeat to Blackburn and a draw with Brentford.
Birmingham, on the other hand, have shown some promise recently after a dreadful run of five consecutive defeats. An impressive victory over Leeds was followed by credible draws with Ipswich and promotion-chasing Sheffield United.
Two of those results came at St Andrews, which is surprising as Birmingham haven’t performed particularly well there this season. In fact they are eight places higher in the away table (9th) than in the home table (17th).
Derby have been dodgy on the road, losing nine of their 20 away fixtures so far. Despite the Rams having a more talented squad, I wouldn’t trust them to win here given their form and, keeping in mind that Birmingham have drawn their last two, will be backing the stalemate.
Verdict: Draw
Middlesbrough vs. Stoke
Friday, 15:00
If a Tony Pulis-led side versus a former Tony-Pulis led side doesn’t get your mouth watering on Easter Friday, there’s no hope for you.
As with Derby, Middlesbrough were in contention for an automatic promotion place until March, subsequently embarking on a horror run of six straight defeats that has seen them drop out of the playoff places. They remain in seventh and are still in with a fair chance of promotion but can afford to make no more mistakes.
They welcome a Stoke side who, despite hanging on to many of their Premier League squad, haven’t threatened a return to the top tier and find themselves in 16th, closer to the relegation zone than the playoffs.
There’s no secret as to why Stoke don’t have enough points on the board this season, their 19 draws is three more than anyone else in the division. They have reached a stalemate in eight of their last 11 games.
Middlesbrough, though, will be confident after back to back wins and still have something to play for, whereas we’re getting to that stage of the season where I have to question Birmingham’s motivation.
Verdict: Middlesbrough
Bolton vs. Aston Villa
Friday, 15:00
It’s not often I label something a banker but I think the biggest uncertainty over this game is whether it goes ahead.
With Bolton mired in financial trouble, a tentative takeover was agreed this week but is yet to be ratified, meaning their financial affairs, and the fate of this match, remain up in the air.
Assuming it does take place, Aston Villa must be the sure thing of the weekend. Bolton are now effectively certain to be playing League One football next season. They are ten points from safety with four games remaining and a goal difference that is 26 worse than Wigan in 21st.
They have lost six games in a row and must surely now concentrate on somehow rebuilding next season in a bid to win promotion.
Aston Villa, themselves a former Premier League stalwart, looked as though they might finish midtable before embarking on a miraculous run of eight consecutive victories that has carried them into the playoff spots.
The contrasting fortunes of these two sides are so extreme that it would take a minor miracle for Bolton to achieve a result. Aston Villa are a must back selection.
Verdict: Aston Villa
