Gavin Mahon / Gavin Mahon / 06 November 2008 / Leave a comment

Gavin Mahon talks about playing at the home of the team he supported as a youngster and suggests that Aidy Boothroyd was a victim of his own premature success at Watford. He also makes his predictions for this weekend's big game in the Championship.

We went down 2-0 at Ipswich last weekend but it was quite an even game. I was surprised by them, because they didn't pass it quite as much as I expected them to in the first half, but after half-time they showed an extra bit of quality here and there which won them the points on the day.

I didn't get off the bench at Ipswich but I did play a part against Birmingham at home a week ago. We went down to 10 men for the whole of the second half but nicked a goal and showed a lot of character to hang in there for a 1-0 win. That really was a massive boost for us.

We've done that a few times this year, hang on and get something out of the game when a man short. It's funny when you're a man down, suddenly players become that little bit more focused and disciplined and you have a cause to latch on to as well.

The Blues are my team, as I've mentioned before, so ours are the only two games I want them to lose during a season. They looked strong to me and I'll be very surprised if they're not up there challenging come May. I loved going up to St. Andrew's and playing there, although we lost 1-0, the place has something about it for me.

Looking around our division, I've got to once again talk about my old club Watford. Aidy Boothroyd left there earlier this week. I don't know the exact reasons about him parting company but football is a results business and Watford aren't sitting in a great place in the table.

The season he came in, 2005/06, we were favourites to go down and yet he did an amazing job and got the club promoted on not a massive budget. The Premier League was too tough but he got the side flying again when we came back down. No relegation hangover at Watford, we were about 17 points clear at one point.

But Aidy didn't change the playing style until right up into Play-Off semi-against Hull last season. They've got a much more open style about their play this season. But although that's meant more goals scored, it's meant a hell of a lot going in their net as well.

Anyway, to bring some perspective to it, he massively over-achieved with Watford but, football being the industry that it is, I reckon he'll have known his fate with them just above the bottom three.

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Every week Betting.betfair's regular Premier League previewer Richard Walker chats to Gavin about the biggest of the weekend televised matches in the Championship and recommends a couple of bets based on Gavin's insight into the match.

Southampton v Bristol City, Sky Sports 1, Sat Nov 8, 5.20pm

Gavin says:

We've got the football purists, Southampton, coming up against a side that can get results playing nice football or being a bit more direct, Bristol City.

I don't know if Gary Johnson will take the strong-arm approach with City, but really their more powerful players should have too much about them for Saints.

As I've said before here, Southampton are an excellent footballing side, one of the best we've played in this division. I thought they might go to Coventry and get something last time they were on the box but I saw in that game that they can be dominated and I don't think playing at home is a particular advantage.

They're almost a throw-back to the days when football was less about being an athlete and getting round the pitch and more about the technical side of the game.

On their day they could beat anyone but Bristol City will nearly match them for style but have a bit more about them physically to cope with the more typical matches you get in this division. They are quite quick starters in matches, so that might just set Southampton's youngsters onto the back foot.

St. Mary's is a lovely place to play - a nice big pitch and a good playing surface so I'm expecting quite an expansive game. But I do think the physical factor will come into play during this one.

City have got a strong spine to their side with two steady centre-halves, a good keeper, Marvin Elliott a key factor in midfield and the likes of Stern John - who can't play against his parent club because he's on loan from Southampton - and Dele Adebola going forward.

Richard suggests:

Take Bristol City to get going early and enjoy the upper hand on their hosts.
Back City/City in the Half-Time/Full-Time at [8.25].

Back City's physically imposing Dele Adebola to muscle his way to a goal, odds of around [4.5] in the To Score market when it develops.

Back City to prevail 2-1 at [2.01]; leading 2-0 then conceding a late consolation as the Saints push forward to rescue the game.