Blackburn v Derby Betting Tips
Blackburn and Draw
Tyrhys Dolan to Score
Under 3.5 Goals
Over 9.5 Corners
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*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.
Blackburn v Derby
Championship match at Ewood Park, Blackburn
TV: Sky Sports Main Event, Friday, 20:00
Blackburn And Draw
After a two-season stay in League One, Derby are back in the Championship and they join it with it being as competitive as ever. It is no sure thing they will routinely avoid relegation, so they’re going to have to work for it.
The same can be said of Blackburn, who are fancied by many to struggle. That case would grow considerably stronger should Sammie Szmodics, last season’s Championship top scorer, be sold. Ipswich Town are hunting him down, and Rovers boss John Eustace says it is unlikely he will be involved on Friday night.
That shouldn’t instantly mean Derby are a good thing, however. For all that, Rovers will be missing their star offensive player, plus they’ve sold striker Sam Gallagher to Stoke City over the summer.
Defensively, they are a tough nut to crack. Let’s not forget they ended the previous campaign keeping six clean sheets in nine and that part of their squad remains in place and is full of experience.
For all that pre-season isn’t always a strong barometer, it is worth noting how the Rams have been shipping goals for fun in their friendly matches. Their four most recent exhibition clashes saw them ship an average of 2.75 goals per game, with EFL duo Barnsley and Chesterfield each netting four. Defensively, the home side is much more reliable.
Tyrhys Dolan to Score
With Szmodics set to miss out and probably only make the bench at best, it presents the chance for others to step up to the plate and be the top guy at Ewood Park.
Not too many goalscorers stand out in the squad considering none of their strikers are proven at Championship level, but we can say Tyrhys Dolan is. He is very much a versatile forward capable of playing in the traditional 7, 9, 10 and 11 roles.
He has already bagged a few in pre-season, including the winner against Stockport last Friday. Furthermore, the 22-year-old has chipped away on the goal count in recent seasons, albeit nothing to shout home about.
Still, he is around the 150-appearance mark in the Championship, and this could really be ‘his’ season. Nailing down a position is the key for the youngster, but he would benefit from Szmodics moving on.
With Derby’s defensive position in doubt and Dolan having a bright pre-season, a chance can be taken on him finding the back of the net. He has played much more centrally in the friendly matches, meaning he should take on more goalscoring positions than the wider roles he has mainly been utilised in.
Under 3.5 Goals
It has already been mentioned that Blackburn showed hard-to-beat qualities at the end of last season, and manager John Eustace will again look to that organisation as a platform to build upon.
With some new strikers only recently coming on board, Rovers may need some time to gel as an offensive unit. Therefore, don’t be surprised to see 1-0 being their most popular winning score in the opening months.
In their first game after promotion, Derby will, of course, try to win if they can, but they’ll aim to progressively build their way into this. It is ultimately a step above what they’ve been used to in recent years, and Paul Warne definitely won’t be taking Blackburn lightly. Even so, their League One fixtures last season only averaged 2.5 goals, and that number was slightly reduced based on away matches.
Strange things can happen on the opening weekend, but it’d be rather unexpected if four or more goals flew in. Also, for context, 12 of Blackburn’s 17 games under Eustace featured Under 3.5 goals.
Over 9.5 Corners
Although goals aren’t necessarily guaranteed here, it is still an encounter both will believe they can win. Naturally, there will be periods when they have a go and will also have to soak up pressure. The outright betting believes both Blackburn and Derby will struggle this season, so they each have their vulnerabilities.
Blackburn will be limited in open play going forward, meaning set pieces become all that more important, and they have some big defenders who’ll be a handful in those situations. Only Peterborough produced more crosses into the box in last season’s League One than Derby, so they know how to get to the by-line and whip balls in, which increases the prospect of corners. They were also ranked second for the amount of headed goals last term.
Friday’s Championship Betting Tips
Blackburn and Draw
Tyrhys Dolan to Score
Under 3.5 Goals
Over 9.5 Corners
- A Bet Builder with these bets pays at approximately 9/1 with Paddy Power. CLICK HERE TO ADD IT TO YOUR BETSLIP.
*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.
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