Can Hull City shake off mid-season doldrums at Portsmouth?

Hull City salvaged a point last week when they entertained Manchester City at Kingston Comms Stadium. The 2:2 draw snapped a three-match losing streak for Hull City. After the dramatic slump they were mired in, since recording their last triumph against WBA in October, the draw could not have come at a more crucial juncture for the struggling Tigers as it is with some renewed confidence they prepare to make the journey to Portsmouth.

Portsmouth (currently ranked ninth) lost their last home match when Wigan Athletic visited Fratton Park over a fortnight ago, but in their subsequent two away matches, Pompey went undefeated. They beat Sunderland 2:1 and ground out a scoreless draw at West Ham and now Pompey hopes to take the momentum from their relatively successful road trip back to Fratton Park.

Soccer Betting Line:

Portsmouth FC -½ -120 -120 2½ O Ev U -120 1½ O -105 U -125 Draw +240

Hull City +½ Ev +325 2½ O Ev U -120 1 O Ev U -130 Draw +240

Match Time: 10:00 AM Eastern Time, Saturday November 22, 2008

Soccer Betting Analysis

Portsmouth FC -120: After going undefeated in their last two fixtures on the away, the odds makers like the home side to continue their winning form. They are clear favourites against visiting Hull City at -120 on the money line.

Portsmouth FC ranks ninth in the League but as they are separated by a hair-length three points from sixth ranked Hull City a victory on Saturday would see them climb the table in to the top eight. The opportunity to move up to a more advantageous section of the table is one Portsmouth will want to seize; given they enter this match in good form and high spirits, they have a real chance to accomplish the feat.

Hull City +325: The Tigers are struggling abysmally lately. After making a promising start, their season suffered a setback when Chelsea FC dealt them a crushing 3:0 loss at home. The Tigers followed up with a 4:3 loss at Man U and a 1:0 loss at Bolton. Having gone without registering a point in three matches the barely audible Tigers were in real danger of slipping even further in the table. Though they finally came away with a whimper against Man City in the 2:2 draw, the discordant Tigers will need to set up a true crescendo in Portsmouth if they want to remain in the top eight.

Soccer Betting Verdict: Barley an audible note was struck in the Tigers last fixture that they are deemed not worthy of a listen. Tipped at +325 on the money line they are not given much of a chance by the odds makers to take away the victory at Portsmouth, and considering their poor run of late the odds are hardly surprising. The draw against Man City was crucial and may be a turning point for the Tigers but they will need to put forward a consummate performance against the optimistic hosts if they want to take the three points. And frankly, I don’t expect them to be able to mastermind the win. This match has the makings of another draw for Hull City – that is, if they should be so lucky. Portsmouth will want the win though and they will play for the three points. With home edge, they should pull it off.

Soccer Free Picks: Draw + 240 | Over 2.5 goals Even

Nila Amerova is a freelance sports writer and regular contributor to the BetUS.com Locker Room