Birmingham City
League Position: 13th
League Form: DLDDW
The Blues extended their unbeaten record at home to 18 matches last weekend, although Alex McLeish wasn’t exactly quick to celebrate the achievement, as his side could only conjure a goalless draw against a ‘hit and miss’ Wigan Athletic. Nevertheless, a magnificent achievement for a club of Birmingham’s size and statue and perhaps now, what with the run officially being a club record in the top-flight, the Blues can push on and end their habit of drawing games by actually winning a few for a change.
This drawing habit of theirs is becoming a tad frustrating, especially in the fixtures they really ought to be winning, like their last at home to Wigan. Saturday’s meeting with Everton is a different kettle of fish altogether, this despite the Toffee’s sitting rock bottom of the Premier League, after failing to register a single league win thus far. While that may sound like drastic form, Alex McLeish’s Birmingham side can’t exactly brag about their achievements so far, with their only victory in the Premier League after five games coming at home to a poor travelling Blackburn Rovers side.
It has now been back-to-back draws for Birmingham City at St. Andrews, which is a concern seeing as home form for teams such as Birmingham is so often pivotal at the end of the season. However, more alarming is the fact Birmingham haven’t managed a goal at home for over two hours, while the only player to have scored at St. Andrews in a Birmingham shirt this season is that of Craig Gardner, whom will sit out the side’s next three league fixtures with suspension following his red card offence at home to Wigan Athletic last Saturday.
Craig Gardner’s suspension could mean summer signing Martin Jiranek deputising in the centre of midfield, while Alexander Hleb seems to have already found his feet in Birmingham colours after scoring on his début last week in the Carling Cup, while he wasn’t far away from making it two in two last weekend – A player with an abundance of star quality and someone who may just have that missing guile to unlock organised rearguards, especially in the absence of James McFadden, who is out for a considerable period with a knee injury.
Everton
League Position: 20th
League Form: DLDLD
Yet another win-less outing for David Moyes and his Everton side as their run without a Premier League victory was extended by one extra game thanks to an inspired Mark Schwarzer at Craven Cottage a week ago. In what was another typical Everton performance, bossing most of the game whilst creating half-a-dozen decent openings only to fluff their lines at every occasion, only now they’re beginning to pay the price with an embarrassing slide down the table.
The Toffees, thanks to this drought of theirs, have now dug themselves a rather large hole. Six games in and with another international break looming large, Everton are the ones contemplating spending the next fortnight at the foot of the Premier League table. Their miserable points tally of three points was even bettered by West Ham at the weekend, with even a seemingly hapless Hammers side registering a league win before Moyes’ men – Yet another embarrassing feat for the club. David Moyes’ response to his team’s concerning league position: “Well someone’s got to be there”. An ingenious response right there.
The question on everyone’s lips right now, when is Everton’s first win of the season going to come? A trip to Birmingham isn’t what the team really need right now, in search of a morale boosting win, their first of the campaign, against a Birmingham side who haven’t lost a home fixture in the league for 18 games – You can’t make this stuff up. Add into the equation successive defeats on their last two visits to St. Andrews and you have a worrying looking formula for another miserable weekend outing.
You Everton fans interested in some more disturbing news? This trip to Birmingham is the best chance, or should I say the easiest, they’ll have of notching their first win of the season. Life gets extremely tough for Everton after the international break, with the Merseyside derby immediately after at Anfield, then a trip to London to take on Harry Redknapp’s Champions League contending Tottenham Hotspur before a home encounter with the battle hardened Potters from Stoke. If Everton don’t register their first win of the season this weekend then you do start to fear the worst.
Match Prediction: Draw – 3.30 Ladbrokes
I properly fancied Everton’s chances of ending their barren run last weekend with victory over Fulham at Craven Cottage. Despite dominating for large periods, and enjoying the vast amount of chances, the Toffees’ still couldn’t find the back of the net, with their scoring woes going from worse to dismal with every passing fixture it would seem.
Birmingham have their own annoying habit, their tendency to draw games they should be winning. This isn’t one they necessarily should be winning outright, even though they do hold all the aces at St. Andrews these days, and it would be typical for them to record a win in what is a very difficult fixture.
However, with neither side pulling up trees right now, just as frustrating as one another right now, the draw seems the logical prediction, especially as you’d be made to back one of these two inconsistent sides with any great deal of confidence.
Highlighted Bets:
Over/Under: Under 2.5 Goals – 1.73 SkyBet
First Goalscorer: Tim Cahill – 8.00 WilliamHill
Correct Score: 1-1 – 6.50 Ladbrokes
