Thursday 6 November 2008

Weekend Championship Preview, Game 16

A football free weekend for me - I won't even be listening if anyone does bother with a match commentary. Here's who's playing who....

Bouyed by their 3-1 win at the Valley, Barnsley will be looking to add to their 18 points and break clear from the relegation struggle. United meanwhile moved up to 5th with their home win over Argyle. I suspect bragging rights might be shared here.
Prediction; 1-1

Blackpool's last minute winner in their pulsating 4-3 match at Vicarage Road did for Aidy Bothroyd. It also means they have picked up more points away from the seaside than by it. Town rolled QPR over at Portman Road and are up to 8th. Blackpool might well edge this but I'm going for a draw based on Blackpool's 2-3-2 home form.
Prediction; 1-1

Coventry City v Crystal Palace
Palace look bang in trouble to me and Neil Warnock must be dreading Board Meetings at the moment. They are a side we can expect to overhaul when we finally "find some form." The Sky Blues meanwhile turned up trumps against local rivals Birmingham and will be desperate to string two results together, something they have been nearly as bad at this season as our good selves.
Prediction; 2-0

PNE were almost unbelievably beaten at home by Southampton last week. This on the bad of a poor run since surging to the top of the table after seven games. They are now into the bottom-half of the table where I predicted they will finish. Norwich are making hard work of pulling clear of the bottom and are only a point above the Addicks. I can see them adding to their total here.
Prediction; 2-1

Nottingham Forest v Birmingham City
It's vital for us that we keep Forest and Doncaster Rovers adrift below us at the bottom so we only have one other side to catch this year. The fixtures have been kind to us here because I can't see Forest getting anything against a Birmingham side who will be determined to get back to winning ways to hang on to their automatic placing.
Prediction; 0-2

I can't see anything other than a home win at Home Park. We simply aren't playing as a side and too many of our players are walking through matches. Captain Hudson calls for patience in the Mercury this week because it worked at Palace last year. What he forgets to mention is that the manager was also replaced. The way we are playing, we are in danger of taking a morale-sapping hammering. I don't think it will happen here but it might be just around the corner.
Prediction; 2-0

Hooligans day out down the M4 for Cardiff's more unpleasant supporters. They will be defending the division's only unbeaten away record. QPR are no great shakes but they are tidy at home and they could inflict the first defeat on a Cardiff side who will be without Bothroyd and McCormack.
Prediction; 1-0

Derby are up to the fringes of the play-offs but Reading are pressing Birmingham for second. I predicted both of these sides will finish higher than they presently are and Reading could close the gap here on City.
Prediction 3-1

Having won at Donny a few weeks ago, Wednesday will be seeking their fifth home win of the season to bring them onto the play-off fringes. Doncaster won at Derby on the first day of the season but have lost all six away since. This will make number seven.
Prediction; 2-0

A week ago this would have looked like an away win. Last Saturday however, Saints came back from 2-0 down at Preston to win and City slumped to a 4-1 home defeat at the hands of the Royals. You could see those results as blips but I suspect it will hand an advantage to Southampton.
Prediction; 1-1

I managed to get the correct Wolves score at Cardiff last week as well as the scorers. More of the same here. Big Chris and SEB to pile in again for more goal bonusses.
Prediction; 3-1 

Swansea City v Watford 
First match for Watford's caretaker Malky Mackay and a tough one here. Promotion from within only really works if your manager is poached with you at the top of the table. 
Prediction; 2-0

Whatever you're doing, enjoy your Charlton-free weekend. For those determined few travelling down to Plymouth, I tip my hat.

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