Weekend Championship Review

Another topsy-turvey set of results in the Championship this weekend and our division remains the tightest of the four, with only 24 points separating top from bottom.

Norwich's revival under Glenn Roeder continues and a 3-1 win at Barnsley was only their third away from home this season. Colchester did us a favour by picking up a point at Bristol City but by all accounts it should have been all three; Kevin Lisbie missed two sitters at 0-1 which might have killed the game. Burnley beat Plymouth which also helped us and we got the draw from the Ipswich v Stoke game that we wanted. Preston went one better by beating Watford, who are in the midst of a poor run. Only West Brom and Palace victories went against us but you can tolerate that when you also pick up three points.

So, only five correct results this week (one correct score) for me - probably just as well I'm not betting!

Next week's live Sky match at Watford takes on added significance before the F A Cup 4th Round weekend. We really need a win to be sure of keeping Palace at arms length as well as maintaining any hopes of catching Watford. I fancy Palace to beat Bristol City at Selhurst next week and that could put them above us; that would be a psychological blow and put us under bigger pressure against Stoke at the Valley and Scunthorpe away. Three points at Watford, however, would put us just one point behind them and two behind Bristol City assuming they get beaten at Palace. That really would give us something to aim for in the coming weeks because an automatic placing might again look realistic.

I am expecting some transfer activity this week although it's any guess from the names being bandied about who might arrive. As I have said previously, none of the names mentioned so far get me too excited but if we are to sign a striker and a midfielder as per Pards' comments following Thursday's Board Meeting, then I guess Andy Gray and Karl Duguid would be the pick of the crop being mentioned. Interestingly, Duguid didn't play for Colchester at the weekend and their fans think he's on his way out this week. He is Mister Colchester having been there for 12 years. He's a midfield general and can play pretty much anywhere in the side (an Alan Curbishley dream whilst at Charlton). I only hope he's not coming in if it's to soften the blow for Andy Reid's departure. Andy Gray looked a class act at the Valley earlier this year, although we did a lot to help him that day. He's 29 and hardly going to improve significantly over the next few years. He's been pretty central to Burnley's season, so I can't see us getting him but you never know. I think he'd get 10 important goals in the run in and give us another option up front as he's decent in the air and pretty mobile.

West Brom first in the Cup although I can't muster any enthusiasm for this as it looks such a forgone conclusion.