TUESDAY : PRE MATCH NOTES

Peterborough United- Brentford

After five straight road wins, the Bees have come crashing back down to earth with consecutive away losses and even more worrying has been the level of performance, with the West London giants ( at least in my dreams) comprehensively outplayed in both games.

Posh parted company with boss Gary Johnson yesterday, which was strange timing as they looked to be back on track with a five game unbeaten spell , before losing heavily at EPL side Fulham over the weekend and they can hardly have expected to have won that. This is more to do with another fall out between Darragh MacAnthony and his manager, the 3rd or 4th time this has happened, there have already been repercussions at the club with star player Joe Lewis handing in a transfer request today. Maybe this could be a good night for the Bees to visit London Road, scene of their most famous victory in the last 20 years.

Bees are 5-0-0 when leading at the half, 0-0-4 when behind, although Posh have turned around 2 of the nine games in which they have trailed, they have won only 60% in which they have led at the break.Hosts have collected 16 points from the 7 gamesin which they have gone in level at half time, the same tally has the Bees have managed from 13 first half draws.

Brentford:- Lee; Spillane, Osborne, Balkestein, Woodman; Bean, Laird, O'Connor, Weston; Alexander, MacDonald

Subs:- Royce, Wright, McCracken, Bush, Diagouraga, Simpson, Forster

Couple of changes for the Bees, which most fans will be in agreement with, but two players out of position ( this has worked successfully before).

West Ham United- Birmingham City

We are already on xxxxxxx and these Carling Cup semi- finals are traditionally high scoring games. Blues have finally found their scoring boots with six goals in their last two starts, both away games.

Big game for the Hammers and especially boss Avram Grant, not only are they just two games from a Wembley final, but there is said to be a board meeting tomorrow to discuss the Israeli's future.

West Ham recall Piquionne, Parker, Sears and Upson. Birmingham make 8 changes from the 11 which started at Millwall


Wycombe Wanderers- Hereford United

Wycombe arrive back at Adams Park after a bit of a thumping at Crewe over the weekend, they will want to get back on track, but the league for them is a priority and they have defensively looked vunerable on several occasions recently and Hereford game them a lot of problems especially down the left here on Boxing Day, when the hosts ran out perhaps fortunate 2-1 winners, since when United have scored eight in three starts. Wanderers have only gone on to win 4 of the 12 matches in which they have gone in level.

Donnelly (debut), McCoy, Bennett and Bloomfield all come in to the Wanderers side.Strongest possible line up for the visitors.

Good Luck.