Friday 24th February 2016 Kickoff: 1945hrs Wolves v Birmingham City Football – England – Championship Five points separate these two midlands clubs as Wolves and Birmingham find themselves in the bottom half of the table and desperately in need of points to move away from the relegation scrap. Both teams come into this one having lost their last three in the Championship and whilst it’s Wolves who are in more immediate danger at the moment, a continuation of that run of form for either and it will not be long before they are very much involved in the battle to avoid the drop, making the three points on offer this Friday absolutely vital.
Paul Lambert was selected as the man to take over from Walter Zenga earlier in the season, particularly as he has proven success at this level when manager of Norwich. Expectation was high amongst the club’s support when they were taken over by new owners who provided immediate investment. At times, under Zenga, the football was excellent and there were signs of real potential for the future, however the Championship rarely affords a manager time and as results were poor, Zenga was ousted and Lambert appointed. Again, there have been sprinklings of hope for Wanderers under the current manager but they have been too infrequent. A decent run in the FA Cup which included an excellent win at Liverpool has been the highlight but that came to an end last week and Wolves now face the reality of being just five points off the bottom three and having won one of their last five league games.
It has been a tale of two halves for Birmingham this season, under two different managers. The first half of the campaign under Gary Rowett was positive and indicated that the Blues could challenge for promotion. As we know now, that was cut short and new owners had different ideas when taking over. Gianfranco Zola has had mixed success in England as a manager with the likes of Watford and West Ham, so although he had a glittering playing career, the expectation that he would somehow lead Birmingham to glory immediately, was pretty naïve. The 1-0 win over Fulham at the beginning of this month remains their only win under Zola and they have went from having a realistic hope of finishing in the top six, to flirting with the bottom three. Whilst they have a 10 point margin to play with, that is easily eroded should they continue on their current plight which is not unrealistic as they still have to play five of the top six between now and the end of the season.
Wolves v Birmingham City Betting Tips
The first match between these two was all the way back in August when things were very different. Neither of the current managers were in charge and optimism was still present amongst the two sets of supporters. Wolves were 3-1 winners on that occasion in what was one of the few bright sparks under Zenga. Friday’s game promises to be a tense affair with all the traditional traits you would expect from a local derby.
Wolves recent form can be illustrated accurately by their last five home games in the league. Two good wins against Bristol City and Aston Villa have been wedged between three defeats – one against the leaders, Newcastle, and two against teams below the m in the league. It’s that inconsistency that has proved hugely frustrating for Lambert who will hope that now their FA Cup run has come to an end will have a positive effect on their league form. Birmingham have been dreadful on the road under Zola and are still looking for their first away win in the league since he arrived. It’s that away form that would concern me most about Birmingham as their displays have look insipid and without fight. Wolves may not be the most convincing but they tend to perform when presented with a big game and a fixture against one of their local rivals, live on television fits that criteria, and they can take the spoils.
Wolves 10/11 @ Bet365
