Eng. Championship
2012-08-21 - Middlesbrough vs Burnley
A Sports Betting Pick by Auls
Football: English Championship
Tuesday 21 August 2012 - Kick Off 7:45pm
Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough probably over-achieved last season when they finished 7th in the Championship, 5 points from the Play Offs, but that has only increased the expectation of the fans in this coming year. They are still projected as being a top 10 team, but they will have had to improve from the performance on Saturday if they are to manage those lofty hopes.
The team actually faced Barnsley, a heavily tipped side for relegation, but they were outplayed as they lost 1-0 at Oakwell. It was a disappointing performance although the side had beaten Bury 1-2 in the Capital One Cup the weekend before this defeat.
Boro will also have to improve on a home record that yielded just 8 wins from their 23 League games at the Riverside Stadium last season. They finished 8-10-5 at home, scoring 22 goals and conceding 21, which means they recorded the lowest home wins in the top half of the table and only one side managed to score less home goals in the entire Championship.
Burnley
It was always going to be fate that Burnley and Bolton Wanderers would meet on the opening day and give the home fans a chance to really turn the heat on their former manager, Owen Coyle, who jumped ship while Burnley were still in the Premier League. A local derby meant the atmosphere was already going to be red-hot and Burnley didn't disappoint their fans as they recorded a comfortable 2-0 win.
After finishing 13th in the Championship last season and then selling Jay Rodriguez to Southampton, this was not expected to be a promotion winning season for Burnley, but the result on Saturday will have given them the confidence to achieve big things in a tight Division. The side also beat Port Vale 1-3 in the Capital One Cup and there should be plenty of positive vibes in the early part of this season.
Burnley were one of the stronger away sides in the Championship last season, compiling a 10-2-11 record, scoring 28 goals and conceding 31. Their 10 wins were only surpassed by promoted teams Reading and West Ham United, although Eddie Howe will be desperate for them to reduce the number of losses they suffered on their travels.
Head to Head
Both teams won 1 League game against the other last season, with both wins coming for the away team by the same 0-2 scoreline.
Middlesbrough had won their previous 2 home games against Burnley, although the season before last saw them recover from a 0-1 deficit to win with a last minute goal.
Prediction
Middlesbrough are going to have to really up their performance from the 1-0 loss at Barnsley if they are to win this game as a short odds against favourite, but their performances here last season makes me a little more than unsure they deserve to be as short as they are.
Goals were a problem for Boro last season and that still looks an area of concern, something that makes me believe a Burnley goal could be enough to ensure they do not lose this game.
Burnley put in a great performance against Bolton Wanderers and there is a fear they could come out a little flat after that big emotional win, but they do have a team capable of scoring goals and they were one of the more productive away teams in the Championship last season.
They were unfortunate to lose here the season before last, but made up for that with a comfortable 0-2 win last season and I am going to back Burnley to avoid defeat in this one.
The Pick :
Middlesbrough 1-1 Burnley
