The drop from the Premier League to the Championship is seen, in black and white terms, as a major advantage to a club in their attempts to get back up to the top tier. While that may be true over the course of an entire season, it’s certainly not the case early doors as players and in rare cases, managers, get used to the stylistic adjustments you have to make to keep the ball at this level. There’s also the adjustment to the reduced media attention, emptier stadia and the general everyday rough and tumble of second-tier life.
Fulham and Huddersfield are two sides that have spent significant time in this division and despite playing in the top tier – you’d default to them as Championship clubs. Despite Premier League aspirations the Championship can swallows everyone whole: no survivors.
Here’s a same-game-multi to sink your teeth into.
Both Teams to Score: No (11/10)
The biggest flaw in the mindset of newly-relegated teams is that they’re entitled. They expect to win games because they’re better on paper. Neither side have come from behind after trailing and in fact, the only goal either has scored when behind to this point was from the penalty spot. There’s a complete lack of desire to get back into games when they don’t fall their way.
There’s also a severe lack of spark now in either squad – nobody capable of crafting a goal from nowhere, which is usually the outlier when it comes to analysing this market – since Aaron Mooy moved to Brighton on loan.
Which leads me onto the following price…
Under/Over 2.5 Goals: Under (4/5)
The only reason there’s ever early goals in games is if there’s a lack of concentration or a particularly targeted routine from kick-off. In the Championship, early goals usually indicate one team hasn’t woken up yet and thankfully for this bet, a game being on telly on a Friday night makes sure these don’t happen.
Naturally there’s the inevitability that this game is going to be an absolute stinker as well, simply because we have to sit through it. But quick football is not something you associate with either of these two sides, meaning this will be a dour affair for the opening half hour. Hooray for everyone!
Huddersfield (+1) – (1/2)
Home advantage on a short week might be a very American way to look at this, but it rings true because your training sessions account for it. Minimal disruption is paramount coming into these games, so home advantage counts for more than it normally would.
Only sides who go on to contest title races win away from home on Friday nights, and let me tell you – Fulham will be nowhere near Leeds United come the end of the season. For that reason, giving the hosts a goal head start seems the wise play here.
Bet Summary
A £/€1 treble on these three selections returns £/€3.87 on paddypower.com. Odds correct at time of posting, subject to change.
Huddersfield v Fulham, Friday 7.45pm