Nottingham Forest vs West Ham United Betting Pick | Eng. Championship

Eng. Championship

2011-08-28 - Nottingham Forest vs West Ham United

A Sports Betting Pick by Auls

Nottingham Forest v West Ham United
Football : English Championship
Sunday 28 August 2011 - Kickoff 1:15pm
This game is live on TV

Nottingham Forest

Steve McClaren has not really had the honeymoon period that so many new managers have when they move into a new job, and the former England manager will already be aware of the tough task on his hands at the City Ground. However, there are signs that the new methods being employed by the club are beginning to show positive results.

Nottingham Forest come into the game in 16th position in the tough Championship having picked up 5 points from their first 4 games this season. They remain unbeaten at the City Ground in all competitions, drawing both League games and also drawing in the 1st Round of the Carling Cup against local rivals Notts County before winning a penalty shoot out.

The signs of recovery for the club comes from the fact they have picked up 4 points from their last 2 League games and they also beat Wycombe Wanderers 1-4 away from home in the 2nd Round of the Carling Cup. Forest scored an injury time equaliser here against Leicester City last week having trailed 0-2 and that means they are unbeaten in 6 League games here.

Guy Moussi is back in the squad for the first time this season having come through a reserve game during the week.

West Ham United

The favourites for the Championship this season before the season started have not had everything their own fan so far, and matters went from bad to worse for Sam Allardyce when the team were beaten 1-2 by Aldershot in the Carling Cup during the week. With the imminent departure of Scott Parker, this looks like being a tougher season than many experts and fans expected.

West Ham are 9th in the table having accumulated 7 points from their opening 4 games, and it is their form away from home that has built the foundation of that points tally so far. The Hammers have won their 2 away games played in the League, scoring 5 goals and keeping 2 clean sheets in wins at Doncaster and Watford.

They really looked a cut above Watford when winning there 0-4 recently, but have since drawn 2-2 against Leeds at home and then lost that game to Aldershot.

Abdoulaye Faye is a doubt as is Gary O'Neil. Callum McNaughton is suspended having been sent off during the week, while Scott Parker is in talks with Tottenham so unlikely to start.

Head to Head

These two sides actually met in the FA Cup last season in a game that ended 3-2 in favour of West Ham at Upton Park.

The last time they played a League game against one another was in the 2004/05 season, with both sides winning their home games.

Prediction

West Ham looked decent for much of the first half last week in their draw with Leeds United, but I have to say they also looked very vulnerable when Leeds were pressing forward.

I believe the absence of Scott Parker may make them a little more vulnerable this week at the City Ground, especially as they are coming up against a team that looks to be playing with a little more belief in what the manager is asking of them.

They were involved in a very good game in the FA Cup last season and I think we may see a few goals in this one too. West Ham can play with a little less pressure away from Upton Park, while Forest will be urged to attack from their home fans hoping to build on the positive results of recent weeks.

I believe we will see a winner in the game, but after seeing both sides score a goal each, so I will have a go on the Over 2.5 Goals market that is priced at odds against.