Derby V West Ham

Derby Vs West Ham

Kick off: Saturday 10^th November 3PM (BST)

Location: Pride Park

Derby go into Saturday’s game at the foot of the table. Everyone is writing off Derby’s hopes of staying up this year; however they’re speaking too soon. A win this weekend at Pride Park for The Rams could lift them into 17th place and out of the relegation zone.

Kenny Miller could return for Derby after his spell out on the sidelines, which will be a big boost for struggling Derby, who have only picked up 6 points out of the available 36 thus far. Derby shall be looking to replicate their 1-0 win over Newcastle in September this weekend, in which Kenny Miller got the winning goal in the late Monday game.

Derbys opponents however, West Ham, won’t make it easy for The Rams. West Ham find themselves in mid table and after last games disappointment, they’ll be looking to record three points against struggling Derby. With all the talent in the West Ham squad, on paper they should find themselves with 18 points come Saturday evening. Ex Chelsea striker Carlton Cole, now of West Ham, should be looking to register on the score sheet with his rise in form, scoring twice in his last four appearances.The favourites for the game at Pride Park are defiantly West Ham; however I don’t think anyone could write Derby of this game just yet. Both clubs are hungry for the three points and will defiantly fight for them until the last minute. It’s a big game for Derby and in their case they must be recording points from these sort of home games if they have any hope of staying up this season in the top flight of English football. However, with no goals in their past four games, it’s hard to see it happening.

 My Prediction:  I can’t see past a West Ham win. Derby will certainly put up a good fight, however with the lack of form and goals recently shown by Derby, they’ll struggle against this West Ham side on the weekend. I’m predicting a 2-1 win to West Ham.

The UEFA cup: Bayern vs. Bolton Wanderers

Bolton Wanderers fans must have thought they had won the lottery when the draw came out placing their club in the same group as German giants Bayern Munchen. As they travel to the Allianz Arena to see their side tackle an unbeaten Bayern Munchen however, they’d better be praying for a miracle.

New Bolton coach Gary Megson is one of the few ex players who can boast a victory against Bayern in German soil. He was part of the Norwich City squad that won here in the 1993/1994 UEFA cup. That was the only ever home defeat Bayern have suffered to an English team, but I doubt very much whether that feat will be repeated here tonight.

Bayern are top of the Bundesliga and in red hot form. From the twelve league games already played, they have won eight and drawn the rest. Twenty seven goals scored in the league and only four conceded. They did have more problems than predicted in their opening UEFA cup group stage game against R.S. Belgrad, but still came out three – two winners.

Bolton in contrast are having all kinds of problems. Sam Allardyce gave Bolton their first ever taste of European football by qualifying them last season. But since he left to join Newcastle things have taken a definite turn for the worse. The club then brought in Sammy Lee But that arrangement turned out to be a bit of a disaster. Bolton now find themselves second from bottom of the Premier league and in new coach Gary Megson has a mountain to climb if he wants to see Bolton in the UEFA cup next season. To make matters worse he won’t be able to count on a lot of his key players, most notably Nicolas Anelka El-Hadji Diouf.

This game really only has one color. The question isn’t really if Bayern will win but how many goals they will put past a very shaky Bolton defense. My guess is that they will go two up before half time and then cruise the rest of the match, without allowing Bolton to get a sniff of goal.

Prediction: home win (2-0)

The UEFA Cup Group A: Nurnberg vs. Everton

Four wins from the last four games is Everton’s current form as they go into this UEFA cup group stage tie. In the Premier league they have won two games on the trot since losing to neighbors Liverpool, an easy Carling cup game away to League one side Luton, as well as their first Group A UEFA cup game at home to modest Larisa.

FC Nurnberg have yet to open their group stage games in this present edition of the UEFA cup, and to do so against a side like Everton will possibly be their hardest obstacle. They have more to think about in the Bundesliga than the UEFA cup, as they are presently occupying the third from bottom spot and hardly look to be moving away but down. They have won just one game in the last thirteen in all competitions and really seem to be struggling. Here’s another curious fact. Nurnberg have never won a home game in any European competition. From the three games they have played in their history, the best they have done is earn two draws and a defeat in Europe. Not too good statistics going into this game.

Everton meanwhile seem to have found some kind of form recently after a bit of an up and down start to the season. Coach David Moyes will probably have to make do without left back Leighton Baines again after he injured his ankle in the league game away to Derby just over a week ago, and his main job before this match is getting his players not to think about the Chelsea game the following Sunday. If Everton can keep concentrated they should be able to walk this one. Nurnberg are going from bad to worse and very quickly too, but if given half the chance could do some damage.

I’m going for an away win here. Everton have too good a team to do anything here except win and I’m sure David Moyes will be making sure his players keep their minds on the job at hand.

Prediction: Away win (2-0)

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