English Premier
2019-03-09 - Huddersfield Town vs Bournemouth
A Sports Betting Pick by Auls
Football: English Premier League
Saturday 9th March 2019 - Kick Off 3pm
Huddersfield Town
After finally winning a game of football for the first time since the end of November, Huddersfield Town were back in their familiar position of losing last weekend even if the performance may have deserved more. This latest loss came to a club that had been sinking towards the relegation zone and any hope the fans had of the 'great escape' will surely have gone by now.
Even the players have to get their heads around the fact they are not going to be playing in the Premier League next season as Huddersfield Town sit in 20th place and 13 points behind 17th placed Southampton. They have a 2-2-11 record at the John Smith's Stadium and Huddersfield Town have scored just 7 goals here all season which is the main reason they are in the position they are in.
Huddersfield Town were beaten 1-0 by Brighton last Saturday which means they have lost 15 of their last 17 in all competitions. The Terriers did snap a 7 game losing run at home by beating Wolves 1-0 in their last game here so the fans should still be very much behind their team.
There is an ever increasing injury list at Huddersfield Town and Tom Smith is still suspended. Jon Stankovic came off last weekend but is expected to be passed fit, while a number of other players need to pass fitness tests to determine their availability.
Bournemouth
There won't have been many times a home team in the Premier League fails to get off one shot at the opposition. In fact since OPTA began their data collecting in 2003 it has not happened in the Premier League before Bournemouth's 0-1 defeat to Manchester City last weekend.
No one would have said anything if Bournemouth had earned a result, but the defeat highlighted the lack of ambition for a club that is not going to be relegated and thus fighting for every point they can earn. The Cherries are 12th in the Premier League table but now they are just as close to the bottom three as they are to 7th placed Wolves in terms of points. They bring in a poor 3-0-11 away record in the Premier League where they have scored 13 goals but conceded an eye-watering 35.
Bournemouth have not won any of their last 5 games in the Premier League and they have lost 4 of those, although they have faced the top two clubs in that run. The away record has been a real concern with Bournemouth losing 10 in a row in all competitions on their travels and they have conceded two or more goals in 9 away Premier League games.
Jefferson Lerma is back from a suspension, while Junior Stanislas and Callum Wilson edge closer to a return.
Head to Head
Bournemouth beat Huddersfield Town 2-1 at home earlier this season.
Huddersfield Town have won 2 and lost 2 of their last 4 home games against Bournemouth. Last season it was The Terriers who came out on top in a 4-1 win over Bournemouth at the John Smith's Stadium.
Prediction
This has to be the most difficult of the Premier League games to work out this weekend with both Huddersfield Town and Bournemouth hard to trust in the situation.
Huddersfield Town have long looked like a Championship team that is being forced to play Premier League fixtures and you can't ignore the huge amount of losses they have had. The win over Wolves last time out at home will inspire the fans to get behind them, but injuries are hurting the options for Jan Siewert.
On the other hand Bournemouth have lost 10 straight away games in all competitions and have conceded two or more goals in 9 in a row in the Premier League on their travels. They have mainly faced the top clubs in that run which has to be factored in, but Cardiff City beat Bournemouth 2-0 last month and a lack of goals and an inability to keep a clean sheet is a big problem.
I did consider backing both teams to score, but it is Bournemouth's issues in front of goal away from the Vitality Stadium which concerns me. At least Huddersfield Town have scored in 7 of their last 10 home games and that makes me think they may do enough to avoid a defeat here.
Last season Huddersfield Town crushed Bournemouth 4-1 here and so the players may feel this is a good chance to at least pressure Fulham for 19th place and avoiding finishing bottom of the table. That is the last real goal for The Terriers and I think they can at least earn a result here and so will recommend backing them with a start on the Asian Handicap.
Neither team is easy to trust and the first goal could be massive on the day, but a start with the home team looks the way to best approach this one.
The Statistics :
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The Pick :
Huddersfield Town 2-1 Bournemouth
