There should be a good game from St Andrews in the Championship on Wednesday night for those looking a little closer to home than at the Champions League action going on. The Blues managed to survive a local derby with Aston Villa on the weekend and Steve Cotterill’s men are just about keeping their heads above the drop zone. Brentford though are on a good patch of form and won’t be fearing too much as they head to the Midlands to take on the Blues. It is Brentford who are going as 29/20 favourites with Ladbrokes leaving Birmingham as 39/20 underdogs on home soil.
The Championship – St. Andrew’s Stadium, Birmingham – 1st November 19:45 UK Time
|
Draw Best Odd of: 13/5 at Ladbrokes |
|
Birmingham
Brentford FCBirmingham Form
A three-match unbeaten streak of home form doesn’t sound all too bad from the Blues. It’s not and it is pretty much the only thing keeping them out of the drop zone. In their last three at home, they have gone W2 D1 taking wins over Sheffield Wednesday and Cardiff (both 1-0 victories) before playing out a 0-0 draw with Aston Villa on the weekend. The thing is they have not scored in their last two league games now and have failed to net in exactly half of their fourteen league games this season. They have scored eleven fewer goals than they had managed at this stage of last season. The Blues have just five home goals this season in seven games but they haven’t been behind at half time in any home fixture.
Brentford Form
Brentford failed to win any of their eight opening games of the season and were having a really frustrating time of things. But they have gone W3 D3 in their last six games in the league now and are unbeaten in seven. So it’s a marked improvement for them as they step up to a W3 D7 L4 record this season. They are unbeaten in three on the road now, winning two of those and they have scored at least two goals in each of their last three away games. Brentford have returned exactly three goals in their last two league games. That’s not an output that Birmingham can match. Granted the Bees have conceded at least two goals in three of their last four games.
Head to Head News
Birmingham are up in the head to head having posted a good W4 D1 L1 record in their last six games against the Bees. The two sides traded away wins in last season’s meetings. Across all competitions, Birmingham have lost just one of their last five home games at St Andrews against Brentford.
Top Betting Tips
Even though the Blues boss the head to head and are unbeaten on home soil, their lack of goals is going to hurt them and Brentford have been scoring well enough recently to go and sneak a win there. The Blues exerted themselves a lot in their duel with Villa on the weekend. They may slip up in this one.