Middlesbrough v Blackpool Betting Tip 1 – Saturday 17 August 2013

Championship Tips

Middlesbrough were in the automatic promotion places for much of the first half of the season before the wheels came off and they fell to pieces. They have started this season with one win and a defeat so will be looking to double their points tally with the visit of Paul Ince’s (a former ‘Boro captain) Blackpool side. It looks as though Tony Mowbray has finally stamped his authority on the full squad which means he has no excuses if his side are to fail again. He has got rid of Scott McDonald, Nicky Bailey and Stephen McManus, amongst others, who were all brought in by the former manager Gordon Strachan. He has a completely different style of play to Strachan so he has had to do things slowly but surely. Amongst the arrivals this summer are Dean Whitehead from Stoke, Albert Adomah from Bristol City and Sammy Ameobi on loan from Newcastle.

Blackpool have started their league campaign as well as they possibly could with two wins from their first couple of games. In between an away victory against Doncaster and a home success versus Barnsley was a derby defeat in the League cup at Preston but Ince will be well aware of the importance of getting a good start in the league. The Tangerine’s biggest success over the summer was keeping hold of Tom Ince despite Premier League interest. Of course, there is still more than a fortnight to go before the window closes and a lot of business still be done. Ince has brought in Ricardo Fuller and Nathan Delfouneso to add more bit to their attack and both are in the squad for the trip to the Riverside.

Last weekend’s narrow victory away against Charlton would have pleased Mowbray as his teams are not always associated with grinding results out. He will be determined to improve their away form in general as they won only five matches on the road all season. Their form at the Riverside generally very good but you’re not going to sustain a promotion challenge if you don’t support that home form with picking points up on the road. It’s back to home comforts this Saturday though and after that opening day loss they’ll be looking to get off the mark on their own patch.

It would be easy to get carried with Blackpool’s start with six points from six but it has to be kept in context. They have played a side who were promoted from League One and another side who survived in the Championship by the skin of their teeth last season. Yes, they have been impressive enough in those victories but they are working with a small squad and they are missing their star player as Tom Ince misses out again. This will be their biggest test to date and a good measure of where they are currently at.

There are far more reliable sides than Middlesbrough in the Championship but on their day they are a match for any side. I’m hoping they are on a going day tomorrow and that their win last weekend has given their new look side a confidence boost.

Middlesbrough 23/20 @ William Hill