Over 2. 5

2 good footballing sides so i fancy a few goals in this one.�

Id be quite surprised if West Ham finished aboveSouthampton this season and won the championship title, but even so the most important thing for them is to get back to the epl. The hammers are right on course for second place and while there is a long way to go they have one of the top squads which is always vital over the winter months when injuries and suspensions happen.�

Going forward there is plenty of quality. I dont think its unfair to say West Ham are more powerful in an attacking sense than half the teams in the top league. Cole, Carew, Baldock, Piquionne, Nolan, Seirs. Experience, youth, pace and power, height at set plays or long balls. Hammers can play both types of football a passing game or physical one.�

Defence is always a bit suspect for me though, it was the reason they were relegated last season. 9 goals lost at home, thats more than Millwall and Pompey who are scrapping for points at the bottom.�

I like the Derby manager i have a feeling he will be in the epl quite soon. He has a very tough job on there. Not a lot of money to spend and a very small squad, but he has the Rams sitting just outside the play off places. He plays nice football, pass and move, the way the game should be played. They have to get out of a recent rut though, 4 defeats in the last 5, injuries have hit them hard.�

Losing too many goals, 13 in the last 6, no clean sheet in 10.�

The bookies give Derby no chance in this game and they may well be correct but i dont think we can rule them out in attacking sense. Every time i see them play this side makes chances, in Robinson and Ward there is 2 very creative players, so i do fancy them to give West Ham some problems. I also expect to see more terrific football from the home sides front 6. Derby could well struggle to keep them quiet and id expect plenty of crosses coming into the box as Cloughs side have to be one of the worst in the UK for losing soft goals from simple cross balls or set plays.�

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