Yeovil were finally relegated after losing 2-0 to Brighton last weekend. Gary Johnson’s men were pre-season favourites for the drop and despite a valiant effort for much of the season their fate was eventually sealed. They have been punching above their weight for a long time and even earning promotion through the play-off’s from League One was unexpected. They finish their season at home to Middlesbrough, still with a chance to finishing above Barnsley and off bottom spot, only if they can muster a win and results go their way. With just four home victories all season it’s no wonder they have propped up the table for long periods. They also possess the second worst defensive record in the league and average less than a goal a game. Their main goal now is finishing the season on a high and trying to rebuild over the summer to attempt to bounce back at the first time of asking.
Aitor Karanka came in to replace Tony Mowbray after poor start to the season for the Teesiders. For a while it looked like he was building a side capable of challenging for the play-off’s but they failed to find the sustained consistency needed and tailed off for a while, going on a run of just one win in 10 games for a while. It was also during that period where they went on a run of seven games without scoring which has been an issue for much of the season. They’ve picked up of late, though, having won five of their last seven including win away to Burnley and Brighton – two sides who possess excellent home records. It’s an indicator of what this side could be capable of and with a couple of signings in the summer, they should not be far away from the promotion shake-up – providing they can find consistency.
Considering their budget would be one of the smallest in League One let alone the Championship, Yeovil can hold their heads high despite relegation. They’ve ultimately not been good enough but they have fought right to the end have tried to play football every step of the way. One win in their last 12 has been their undoing and it’s likely that the long season has caught up with their limited squad of players – both in terms of quality and numbers.
Unlike their weekend opponents, Middlesbrough and Karanka will have a decent sized budget to spend in the summer months. You would expect – with his connections in Europe – that the manager will have identified a number of players already that he would like to bring in to strengthen the squad. The foundations are already there but as scoring has been an issue, a couple of strikers would go some way to enhancing their chances of getting out the league, and that has to be the aim for a club the size of ‘Boro.
Caution should always be urged in these type of games as neither team has anything to play for. Yeovil equipped themselves well enough last week against Brighton but they lacked any real threat going forward. They’ll be up against one of the best defences in the league on Saturday which could see them struggling to get anything from the game as Middlesbrough are finishing the season strongly and can edge the home side.
Middlesbrough 13/10 @ Paddypower
