Derby vs. West Ham Betting Tips: Two angles for Monday night's FA Cup clash
An in-form Derby side host West Ham in Monday night’s FA Cup clash.
Scott Thornton has analysed the odds and picked out his two best bets at Pride Park...
Derby vs West Ham Odds
Derby were relegated from the Championship last season, following a tumultuous time off the pitch that ultimately led to their demotion.
However, The Rams have now gone 19 matches unbeaten and are currently chasing promotion. They will have belief that they can beat West Ham, despite their current form.
The Hammers have had a poor season thus far and are currently battling relegation.
The pressure is high on manager David Moyes in the Premier League Sack Race, but a recent win against Everton has alleviated some of the pressure. The result also cost Frank Lampard his job.
West Ham has seen a significant drop-off in the way they press and they will be looking to rekindle the fire that drove them in the past two seasons. This match will be a tough test for both teams, as they both look to make it to the fifth round of the FA Cup.
Derby are full of confidence but West Ham presents a big step up in class. A run in the cup could set the one for a stronger second half of the season for West Ham, who have won consecutive domestic matches just once this season.
Derby vs West Ham Tips
West Ham’s last 10 domestic cup matches are averaging 34.1 tackles per game. There have been more than 30 tackles in eight of those 10 matches. The Hammers’ matches in all competitions this season are averaging 31.4 tackles per game and their most recent game against Everton saw 36 tackles.
Derby’s last 10 domestic cup matches are averaging over 32 tackles per game. Their matches in front of their own fans are averaging just under 32 tackles per game this season. The Rams will be in a buoyant mood and I expect them to go after West Ham straight away. This should lead to a fast start in terms of tackles.
David Moyes’ side cannot afford to take Derby lightly. Defeat here would put a huge amount of pressure on the manager despite climbing out of the relegation zone last weekend.
West Ham have a good amount of attacking quality in their side. Players like Bowen and Antonio have performed well in recent years but have struggled to hit those heights this season. That quality should shine through here as the visitors have the lion's share of the ball.
The Hammers’ are averaging 13.65 shots per game in the Premier League this season. Derby’s opponents in their last 10 domestic cup matches are averaging around shots per game. The last time they took on Premier League opposition in the FA Cup saw them concede 26 shots.
For our longer odds bet we are going to take the same angles as the main bet with increased lines.
West Ham had 22 shots when they played Blackburn in the League Cup earlier this season. The gulf in class between the sides should mean they get several opportunities here.
Tackle numbers have increased to an average 32.2 in West Ham’s last five matches; slightly below the required mark for this bet. However, the nature of the FA Cup means we could easily see inflated numbers here as the game gets more frantic.
