Saturday 24th November 1730hrs Brentford v Middlesbrough Football – England – Championship We delve into the Championship for our next weekend preview and it’s an attractive proposition with second placed ‘Boro travelling south to take on a Brentford team who are more than capable but are on a poor run of form at present. Nine points separate the two clubs going into this one and that’s a gap which has only increased of late due to the hosts untimely dip in form. I expect both teams to be in and around the top six come the end of the season, though, and we could get a pointer to that this weekend. Continue reading for a match preview of Brentford against Middlesbrough with a selected best betting tip.
The Bees were going along nicely in the league in the early part of the season and lost only two of their first dozen games in the Championship. Then Dean Smith left to go to his boyhood club Aston Villa and the difference has been marked when it comes to results. The club promoted former assistant Thomas Frank to take charge which is in keeping with their culture but it’s not had the desired effect as yet. Since taking charge, Frank has lost four of their last five with their only win coming at home to Millwall at the beginning of this month. It’s seen them drop to 15th in the table and they’re now seven points outside the top six, equally they’re just five points above the bottom three. It’s a surprising contrast to their start and also their hopes for the season and they’ll be hoping the international break has come at the right time to spark some better form. It will also be a welcome return to Griffin Park, where they have won five of their eight league games and lost just once. A win over an inform ‘Boro team could well be the spark they need.
A Tony Pulis-managed Middlesbrough team in the Championship were always likely to be in contention at the top of the table and that’s the way it’s proving. ‘Boro were eliminated at the semi-final stage of the playoffs last season and are determined to go one better this season by earning automatic promotion. They currently sit second, two points adrift of leaders Norwich City which will content Pulis – but there have been several occasions where they have failed to take advantage of opportunities that could have seen them go top, and that has been to the frustration of the club’s supporters. Pulis’ teams are always built for substance more than style and when you compare their goals for to goals against it’s a perfect illustration. In 17 games they have scored only 19 but conceded just eight. It’s hard to argue with such a good defensive record but there is also a big improvement needed in their attacking play. They travel to Brentford on Saturday with a strong away record having lost only once on the road all season. That came against Norwich but they’ve responded well to that winning two and drawing two.
Brentford v Middlesbrough Betting Tip
Middlesbrough have had the edge over Brentford in recent times and it’s actually a record which extends way back. Indeed, the last time the Bees beat this opponent was in 1938. Even taking into account the fact that they have predominantly played in different leagues it’s still a remarkable trend. In more recent times, ‘Boro have won six of their last eight meetings including both legs of a playoff semi-final back in 2015. It’s a record that has to end sometime and the hosts will certainly be hoping for that to come on Saturday.
It’s a meeting of two teams who have very different styles but there’s no doubt that it’s Middlesbrough’s more direct approach that is proving the most effective of the two at this stage. Brentford have been dominant at home however and we know Griffin Park is one of those stadiums where visiting teams can have little joy. If there is a team built to take all three points then it’s this Middlesbrough team. They’ve the best defensive record in the league and also the best away from home. Pulis knows how to set teams up and limit the opposition’s chances which is the perfect approach for this fixture. They may not score goals but defending as well as they do, they often only need one and they are value to get the win at a ground they do well at.
Selection: Middlesbrough 69/50 @ Marathon Bet
