|
Premier Preview -
14 Sep 2007
Boro to continue upward trend.
It's not often you can catch the layers unaware in a league as
high-profile as the Premiership, but we have such a situation on our
hands today at Upton Park.
Quite what Alan Curbishley's West Ham have done to justify
odds-on quotes against a rejuvenated Middlesbrough is anyone's
guess, but I'm more than happy to take them on.. Aside from a
flattering 3-0 win at Reading a fortnight ago, the Hammers have done
nothing to suggest they're ready to put last season's troubles
behind them. In front of their own fans they've picked up a solitary
point against the might of Man City and Wigan.
Having had a season to acclimatise to top-level management, and
weed out the big egos on even bigger wage packets, Gareth Southgate
is now in possession of a team all of his own. A youthful side
blessed with just the right amount of pace, flair and good
old-fashioned grit and determination. A 2-0 victory over Birmingham
City a fortnight ago may not look like much of a yardstick, but it
was the manner of victory that set the pulses racing on Teesside. A
welcome tonic for Southgate having seen his side take just a single
point from encouraging home performances against Blackburn and
Newcastle. Boro were dominant from start to finish, with Julio Arca
and Fabio Rochemback controlling the midfield, and Mido and the
lively Jerome Aliadiere terrorising the Blues rearguard with power
and pace.
At 5/2, we could look at the disappointing away record under
Southgate, and the poor recent record against the Hammers and give
this game a swerve. However, 3/1 is a tad insulting for a team who
are quite simply playing better football than their opponents at
present.
It would be foolish not to mention the excellent Mark Noble, who
has been simply outstanding since Curbishley gave him a deserved
starting berth last January. He may, however, have his work cut out,
facing up to Rochemback, Arca and the ever-reliable George Boateng.
And if academy starlet David Wheater and the excellent Jonathon
Woodgate can get a measure on Dean Ashton and the in-form Craig
Bellamy, then this game is there for the taking for Boro.
15:00 Saturday West Ham v Middlesbrough:
Recommendation: Middlesbrough 3
pts +0.5 at 1.93. Middlesbrough
1 pts to win
at 4.2. Betfair.
Ilunga
|