Eng. Championship
2012-05-03 - Cardiff City vs West Ham
A Sports Betting Pick by Auls
Football: English Championship Play Off First Leg
Thursday 3 May 2012 - Kick Off 7:45pm
This game is live on TV
Cardiff City
Cardiff City have already been sending out the messages that they are the big underdogs in this Play Off game having been the last team to book their place in the top six in the Championship this season. This is clearly an attempt to shift all pressure off the home side who will be looking for something to take back to Upton Park in the second leg.
The team finished 6th in the Championship table with 75 points earned and only their opponents today lost fewer League games over the course of the season. Like West Ham, it was draws that really troubled Cardiff and they led the League with 18 this year. Cardiff have a 11-7-5 home record this season, scoring 37 goals but also conceding 29.
The Bluebirds did pick up some momentum coming into the Play Offs as they secured 3 wins from their final 4 League games to confirm their place and they are unbeaten in their last 10 games, although 6 of those ended with the points shared. Cardiff have actually won just 1 of their last 8 League games here, and while they are unbeaten in 6 games, 5 of those have ended in draws.
Malky Mackay has a full strength squad at his disposal.
West Ham
Too many draws down the final furlong means West Ham missed out on an automatic promotion spot to Reading and Southampton, but they will need to pick themselves up quickly if they are not to miss out on promotion through the Play Offs and have to spend another season in the Championship.
West Ham finished 3rd in the Championship, missing out on automatic promotion by 2 points, but they will have had to put that disappointment to one side very quickly. They finished with a 13-6-4 away record, scoring 40 goals and conceding 22, making them the team with the most away wins in the League and the one with the joint lowest away defeats and joint best away defence.
The Hammers knew automatic promotion was slipping away when they could only draw 3-3 with Birmingham City in a game at Upton Park over Easter weekend, but they have earned some much needed momentum coming into the Play Offs rather than off demoralising performances. West Ham are unbeaten in 6 League games, winning 4 of those. They are unbeaten in their last 8 away games, winning 3 of the last 4.
Sam Allardyce will also have a full squad to choose from for this game.
Head to Head
This will be the third meeting between the teams this season as both recorded wins on their travels in the League games.
West Ham won here 0-2 back in March and have now won on 2 of their last 4 visits to Cardiff in recent seasons, losing just 1 of those games.
Prediction
This is an intriguing game to open the Play Offs this season and I like West Ham's chances of bringing back a lead to London for the second leg next game, especially at the 2.70 being offered by Ladbrokes.
West Ham have been very good away from home all season and I expect Sam Allardyce will set up his side to earn the win here as their form has been patchy, at best, at Upton Park.
They have already won here in the League and have been the better team in the two League games they have played against one another.
While Cardiff City did really well to handle the pressure in the final 4 League games, they also have some big mental demons to handle having been crushed by Reading here last season at the same stage of the Play Offs, albeit in the second leg.
It will be a close game I am sure, but West Ham look the call at the prices on offer.
The Pick :
Cardiff City 1-2 West Ham
FIXED ODDS BETTING TIP :
I'll back West Ham to win @ 2.70
