Saturday 20th February
Reading v Bristol City
Bristol City visit the Madejski stadium on Saturday looking to get back on track after losing their first league match since the end of December whilst the host’s will look to continue their very impressive home record.
Reading have been nothing short of sensational when playing at home this season. From 16 matches at the Madejski in the Championship this season, they have picked up maximum points on 12 occasions, losing only once – a 2-1 defeat to lowly Southampton. The key to their success at home has been their ability to hold on to nearly all their big players from last season’s relegation from the EPL. Kevin Doyle, Stephen Hunt and James Harper have been key to their lofty position and are all Premiership class players. Stephen Hunt’s brother, Noel, has been an inspirational signing as well for Steve Coppell. The striker has already bagged 10 goals despite starting on the bench for most of the first half of the season. As well as quality going forward, Reading also have the best home defensive record in the league, conceding just 8 all season.
Bristol City suffered their first defeat, since losing at home to Burnley in December, against Doncaster on Tuesday night. By all accounts they were poor that night, and also lucky against Southampton last weekend, despite picking up 3 points. Their recent good run has found them just outside the promotion places and credit must go to manager Gary Johnson who stuck by his philosophy of playing good football. Their overall away record has been more than decent. They have been victorious seven times on the road, losing 6. Those statistics may not tell the whole story however. All 7 of their wins have come against sides currently in the bottom half of the table whilst 4 of their 6 defeats have come against teams currently above them in the table.
Reading are currently 4 points off top spot with a couple of games in hand over the teams who occupy the automatic promotion places and know that these kind of games are crucial if they want to go straight back into the top flight. Wolves and Birmingham have been stuttering of late and Reading can put the pressure on them big time. Bristol City may prove stubborn tomorrow afternoon but I expect them to lose for the 4th time in 5 matches at the Madejski.
My Selection: Reading to beat Bristol City
Best odds available: 8/11 with betfred
Plymouth v Sheffield United
Plymouth manager, Paul Sturrock has been under huge pressure following a run of 7 defeats from 9 games with the other 2 ending in stalemates. It could be argued that the visit of a side who have not tasted defeat in 13 away games, is not what he would have wanted.
Argyle have put up little resistance to the likes of Derby, Crystal Palace and Charlton in the last fortnight. They have conceded a total of 8 and scored just the once in the trio of games preceding tomorrow’s match. There were calls from the Plymouth fans for Sturrock to be sacked following Tuesday’s home match against Palace but the board have given the Scot a bit more time to get it sorted and Sturrock himself has come out fighting.
Sheffield United have had to contend with the loss of star man and top goalscorer, James Beattie, who was sold to Premiership side, Stoke City. Since his sale, the steel city side have struggled to win matches – they have only managed to pick up maximum points once. Having said that they are still proving stubborn to beat and their derby reverse at home to Wednesday, was the only time they have come away with nothing.
Plymouth, as you would expect from a team lying 19th, have struggled to pick up points at Home Park this season. At what is normally a tough place to visit, they have only managed to take 18 points from a total of 16 matches, losing a staggering 8 of these (incidentally the joint worst in the division). Sheffield United on the other hand are one of the stronger sides on the road. They have won 7 of their 16 games losing just four. They have conceded the least amount of goals when playing away as well, losing just 13 all season.
You can usually tell when a team is not playing for their manager and it looks increasingly like that this is the case with Plymouth Argyle. Just 3 points outside of the relegation zone having played more games than everybody else, they are really up against it. United sit in 6th place, the last play-off position, but know they must keep on winning to stay there. They will be looking for a repeat of their 1-0 victory in the corresponding fixture last term and I fancy them to get it.
My selection: Sheffield United to beat Plymouth
Best odds available: 5/4 with totesport
Inverness Caley Thistle v Hibs
Since Terry Butcher’s arrival as manager of ICT, Caley have held both Celtic and Dundee United in the league whilst defeating Kilmarnock at home in the last round of the Scottish cup. Hibs have had an indifferent season thus far and find themselves well off the pace for the coveted 3rd spot behind the Old Firm pair.
Before Butcher took the reins, Inverness were on an abysmal run of 9 defeats in 10 league matches. They looked like a team in desperate need of a change and thankfully for the club, they got just that. They look much more solid and compact as a team, whilst also carrying more of a threat going forward. Dougie Imrie has been a key player for the Highlanders in the last month and he is just the type of player they need to have any chance of survival. Richie Foran has also been signed on loan, as has Filipe Morais, and both have these have added a bit more variety in the final third.
Hibs have struggled for consistency all season long and it shows in their recent results. From their last 6 matches, they have won 1, drawn 3, and lost 2. Derek Riordan is beginning to look more like the player he was 3 years ago when he was first at the club whilst Steven Fletcher and Rob Jones are both set to return to the side. The capital club will be disappointed with last week’s 1-1 draw with Kilmarnock considering their opponents barely had a fit striker. They will be determined to get back on the winning trail this week to salvage any sort of push for a European place.
Hibs’ record in Inverness is nothing short of disastrous. Not only have they failed to win at the Caledonian stadium, they have managed just a solitary goal on their trips through. They have managed an away win over ICT, but that match took place at Pittodrie which was the Highlanders home in their very first season in the SPL. Due to the feel good factor around Caley at the moment added to the mediocrity that has blighted Hibs all season long, I can’t see the home side getting beat tomorrow.
I would urge slight caution in backing ICT outright tomorrow as they have not won in the league for a long time. Instead, I’d advise backing ICT on a ‘draw no bet’. This bet means that if the game ends in a draw, your stake will be refunded or if part of a multiple, it will be declared a non-runner.
My Selection: ICT ‘Draw no bet’
Odds available: ICT ‘Draw no bet’ = 5/6 with Bluesquare
