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Saturday 6^th March

English Premier League

Arsenal v Burnley

4 weeks ago there were Arsenal fans calling for their manager’s head after back to back defeats against Manchester United and Chelsea – 1 month on they go into tomorrow’s match at home to Burnley with a chance to go top of the table.

Since losing to Chelsea at the beginning of February, Arsenal have won 3 league games in a row. When you consider they were well adrift of top of the league, it doesn’t sound like the sort of form to catapult them back into the title race, yet, with both sides above them dropping crucial points of late, it has. They are 3 points behind Chelsea and two points off of 2^nd placed United. Last weekend’s victory over Stoke at the Britannia was a key win considering they have lost on their two most recent visits and also because of the horrendous injury suffered by Aaron Ramsey. The last time such an event occurred in a match involving Arsenal, they crumbled and dropped points before their whole title push caved in on them. There definitely seems to be a more steely resolve about the team from the Emirates this time around and they old saying goes that any experience is good experiences, certainly rings true here.

Burnley lost a massive game in their bid to avoid the drop last Saturday at home to Portsmouth. I foolishly tipped the Clarets to get all 3 points. What I didn’t legislate for was their captain for the day, Clarke Carlisle, giving away two penalties in absurd circumstances. Pompey may have missed the first but they capitalised on the 2^nd and as such went on to bag all 3 points. Steven Fletcher missed a big chance at 1-1 and you wonder whether their season will turn on that glaring miss. Their away form is well documented as being horrendous and easily the worst in the league so it’s hard to hold much optimism for them when they head south tomorrow. Their last 8 league games away from home have ended in defeat with an aggregate score of 24-5. All 5 of their goals in that run have come in two games, against West Ham and Aston Villa – they’ve lost 5 goals in each of these games. In total they have scored 10 goals on the road but they’ve only managed to score in 4 of their 14 away games this term which suggests they do not have enough quality in the final third when they go away. 1 point from a possible 42 is treacherous form and is basically the reason they are where they are.

I’ve never been a big fan of his, but Nicklas Bendtner has made a big difference to Arsenal since returning from injury last month. He provides a focal point up top which they’ve missed since Robin Van Persie got a serious knee injury in November. Andrei Arshavin and Eduardo have tried to fill the void but their diminutive size and qualities are best utilised elsewhere and when they have someone to feed off of. Bendtner has now notched 2 in 2 for Arsenal and also scored for Denmark during the week. He takes a lot of the battering from the opposition’s defenders allowing the likes of Arshavin, Samir Nasri, Fabregas and Theo Walcott to take advantage of the space he creates. He’ll be a massive player for the Gunners between now and May and will prove very troublesome for the Burnley defenders tomorrow.

The 1/7 generally available for an Arsenal win is measly, quite rightly, so it pays to look elsewhere for a bet in this fixture. I’ve picked out 3 which I believe to be value with the first one being Arsenal to win both halves. The home side will be determined to carry on the feel good factor after last week’s win so are sure to come out firing. They are masters at taking goals off weak defences at home and I expect nothing less tomorrow. Another bet I like is for Bendtner to score during the 90 minutes. The Dane is quick, powerful, direct and most importantly, on form. He’ll relish the chance to go up against the worst defence in the league and as he’ll play as Arsenal’s lone striker, can be expected to get more than a few opportunities tomorrow. The third and final bet I like is for the first booking of the game to come in the first 15 minutes of the match. Arsene Wenger has not stopped talking about the rough treatment giving to his players of late and the home crowd will be at the referee from the start to clamp down on anything untoward from the Burnley players. Referees tend to be a bit more lenient early on in games nowadays but I think Arsenal will come roaring out the traps and expect Burnley to be a yard short against superior quality. With that in mind, an early booking is not unthinkable.

My selections:  Arsenal to win both halves against Burnley at a best priced Evens with Paddy Power

                             Nicklas Bendtner to score at anytime at a best priced 5/4 with Bet65

The first booking of the match to come between 0-15 minutes – Best price 15/2 with William Hill

English Premier League

West Ham United v Bolton Wanderers

It’s another big clash at the bottom of the table as Owen Coyle leads his Bolton charges to London to take on West Ham at Upton Park.

I’ve made no secret of my admiration for how Gianfranco Zola set’s his side up to play so it will come as no surprise to see them previewed again. West Ham have managed to give themselves some breathing space in the battle against the drop with only 2 defeats in their last 7 league games. It’s a run which has seen them rise to 13^th but they’re still only 3 points above 18^th placed Hull City. As ever, it is likely going to be their home form which will keep them in the division if they survive. They’re undefeated in their last 5 home games with 3 wins and two draws, conceding only 1 goal during that time. They’re proving to be tough to breakdown infront of their home fans and Robert Green has been in fantastic form in goals for them – which he was rewarded for with 90 minutes for England in midweek. Matthew Upson was also playing in that match and his return from injury has coincided with the Hammers being more resolute. It’s upfront, however, where you win games and Carlton Cole’s presence has helped massively of late. He scored against Hull in the last home match and looks like being the catalyst for the rest of the season.

Bolton have improved their football considerably since Coyle took charge in January but they are still perilously close to the relegation zone. Last weekend’s win over Wolves at home was a huge relief as they had went 6 league games without even scoring. It’s obviously where their problems lie so Coyle has attempted to be more attacking in midfield to aid his non-scoring strikers. Jack Wilshere was brought in on loan from Arsenal and he’s made a difference out wide whilst he has went 4-4-2 as opposed to the bewildering formations used under previous manager Gary Megson. They look more of a threat when in possession as to only really looking like scoring from set pieces beforehand. As a result of this however it does leave them more open at the back. They’ve conceded 14 goals in 9 league games under Coyle which has to improve between now and the end of the season if they wish to remain in the Premier League.

Bolton’s record at Upton Park is not terrible with 2 wins and 2 draws from their last 9 visits. It may not sound impressive but it’s a decent record for a side who have a lot more restrictions in terms of money. You just wonder where Bolton’s goals are going to come from on Saturday. Zat Knight scored their winner last weekend whilst their strikers continued to be wasteful infront of goal. West Ham will be up for the fight at set pieces and are a relatively big side with Upson, Cole, Tompkins and Mido all likely to stand up to the physical battle.

In terms of the home side, they’ll look to Cole to get the better of Knight and Sam Ricketts. Both are decent enough defenders but Cole has a point to prove in order to book his seat for South Africa. Bolton would have targeted last week’s game at home to Wolves as a must win whilst tomorrow’s is probably a must not lose for the away side. West Ham, however, know that their home form is good and also realise that a win will take them 4 points clear of tomorrow’s opponents. It’s a big incentive for Zola and his troops and one I think they’ll use to their advantage.

My selection: West Ham to beat Bolton at a best priced 5/6 available with Stan James

Saturday 27^th February

English Premier League

Birmingham City v Wigan Athletic

Birmingham have stuttered of late after a fantastic run of games unbeaten so they will be determined to get back on track and to winning ways when they host Wigan at St Andrews.

Alex McLeish has worked wonders with his Birmingham side after winning promotion to the top flight last season. He bought shrewdly with the acquisitions of Scott Dann, Roger Johnson, Christian Benitez and Barry Ferguson all coming in during the summer transfer window. All 4 have been exceptional for the most part and played a huge part in City’s 15 match unbeaten run earlier in the season. These 4, along with Joe Hart, Lee Bowyer and Cameron Jerome have built an excellent spine down the centre of the side which has made them resilient, hard to beat and disciplined. Their strength is shown with them having the joint best home defensive record in the league, losing just 8 goals in 13 matches thus far, which has resulted in them losing only 2 at St Andrews. Their record against sides below them in the table at home has been good, with wins over Wolves, West Ham, Blackburn, Sunderland and Portsmouth already. Bolton are the only team currently below Brum who have escaped with all 3 points – it took a late goal for this to occur.

Wigan are still in the thick of a relegation battle after going on a run of 6 games without a win in the league. Roberto Martinez’s side suffered a heavy defeat in their most recent game against Tottenham at home. The first goal in a 3-0 reverse was blatantly offside but it shouldn’t mask the fact that Wigan offered nothing in an attacking sense and looked decidedly weak, slow and cumbersome at the back. Unsurprisingly the have only scored 3 goals in their last 6 matches which doesn’t bode well for Saturday as they were playing against far weaker defences than the only they’ll be up against at St Andrews. Part of Martinez’s problems have been the lack of goals but the main problem is their porous defence. Wigan have the 2^nd worst away defence in the Premier League, the only above them in this table is Burnley who haven’t won away from home all season. Wigan’s away record isn’t too bad for a team fighting relegation as they have been victorious 3 times on the road already this season. Their wins have come against Wolves, Aston Villa and Burnley. The win over Villa was a freak result in the sense that it was the opening day of the season and they have never looked like emulating such a win again.

McLeish’s side are so good at frustrating the bigger teams so it will be interesting to see if they adapt this style of play and take the game to the visitors. If they do change and be more expansive, it could mean they leave space for the likes of Hugo Rodallega and Charles N’Zogbia. I think McLeish is too canny for that and he’ll stick to his side strengths of having two compact units of 4 and trying to hit the away side on the break using the pace of Benitez and Jerome. Both players should relish the prospect of playing against Gary Caldwell and Titus Bramble. Both are very awkward when up against pace and power in my opinion, especially Caldwell. The Scottish international is a good reader of the game and his distribution isn’t the worst but he’s not physical enough for a centre half which could prove to be Wigan’s downfall come the end of the season.

Birmingham have won both games against Wigan at St Andrews in recent years and they will have targeted this match as one where they can get back to winning ways. They’ve not lost a home game since that defeat to Bolton back in September and I can’t see a poor Wigan side altering that statistic come 5pm on Saturday. Birmingham will be pushing for their best finish in the league for a long time and I think they’ll get another 3 points in this fixture.

My selection: Birmingham to beat Wigan

Best odds available: Evens available with Betfred

English Premier League

Burnley v Portsmouth

It will be Premier League first on Saturday when Burnley take on the first top flight side in England to go into administration – Portsmouth.

Brian Laws took the reigns from Owen Coyle in January and has tasted victory once thus far – a 2-1 win over West Ham in their last home match. For all their failings on the road (and there have been many) their home form is still more than decent with 6 wins and 4 draws from the 12 games played at Turf Moor this season. The only team to beat them at home, other than Wigan, were Chelsea at the end of last month, and even that was a close run thing. They are most definitely difficult to beat on their own patch. They are also beginning to get key players back at the right stage of the season with Martin Paterson returning last week and Steven Caldwell also getting back to fitness.

Portsmouth have had a disastrous season already and it’s set to get worse tomorrow (Friday) when they officially enter administration and automatically incur a 9 point penalty deduction. They’re already 7 points adrift at the bottom so when the penalty is incurred they are as good as relegated. It’s a shame for the players, supporters and the likes of Avram Grant who have done nothing to deserve such problems, but for the likes of Peter Storrie and the multiple owners who have tried to make a quick buck and totally mis-managed the finances of the  club in the last few years, it’s nothing more than justice. You simply can’t break the rules so extremely and expect to get away with it in the long run. They’ll go down because they deserve to. On the field Pompey have 1 win and 10 defeats from 13 away games and have lost 7 of their last 8 away league games.

Laws and Burnley are running out of games between now and the end of the season and they know that Saturday’s game is a must win if they are to survive their maiden season in the Premier League. Home games will be vital in their bid, especially home games against sides in and around their own position in the league. Pompey are the only side below them in the league at this point but it’s not all bad, only 4 points separate 7 positions and a win on Saturday could arguably see the Claret’s move to 14^th providing other results go their way,

You expect nothing else other than Portsmouth to give 100% on Saturday as they have done in every match this season, but the hype, attention and scandal surrounding the club at this moment is bound to have an affect. They have struggled on the road for the whole season and as I have already proven, Turf Moor isn’t the easiest of hunting grounds.

Burnley need the points more and I think their desire will prove to be too much for a club in crisis.

My selection: Burnley to beat Portsmouth

Best odds available: 6/5 available once again with Betfred

Sunday 28^th February

Scottish Premier League

Rangers v Celtic

It’s derby weekend once again in Glasgow when Celtic travel across the city to take on their bitter city rivals at Ibrox.

Rangers go into the match with a 7 point lead, a game in hand an 20 goals better off in terms of goal difference. The league really is theirs to throwaway and it will be a surprise if they don’t make it back to back league championships in May. Their team is not the greatest to watch, they don’t play free flowing football but their style of play is effective. They have a strong goalkeeper and defence, a hard working midfield and a good partnership upfront with Kenny Miller and Kris Boyd. They are undefeated at home this season and have already defeated Celtic in the league earlier this season – a 2-1 win back in October. Manager Walter Smith is likely to have a fully fit squad to choose from with Allan McGregor likely to take his place in goals despite being assaulted last Saturday in Glasgow. Smith will more than likely line up 4-4-2 and try to overpower Celtic using Lee McCulloch and Kevin Thompson as his midfield partnership.

Celtic are massive underdogs in the league but anything can happen in this fixture as we all know. They have played Rangers off the park twice already but only have a single point to show for their efforts. The last match between these two was the most one sided game I’ve watched in a long time – if it a was a boxing match it would have been stopped at half time. With a mix of shocking refereeing and some horrible finishing from Celtic, the match ended in a 1-1 draw. Celtic have failed to record back to back wins in the league since the beginning of December which is a damning statistic only made worse hen you consider it’s against teams such as Aberdeen, Kilmarnock and Falkirk. Tony Mowbray knows his side are in last chance saloon on Sunday and it’s up to them whether they take it or not.

Marc Antoine Fortune has been a big player for Celtic of late and his performance in the last game against Rangers was excellent. He dominated both of their centre halves and they couldn’t cope with his pace and power. His partner that day was Giorgios Samaras who missed a glut of glorious chances which were created because Fortune pulled the defence all over the place. On Sunday his partner will be Robbie Keane so it’s a massive difference in terms of quality, ability and bottle. Keane has done it all throughout his career and he will be desperate to score for his beloved Celt’s at Ibrox, providing of cours it is in a Celtic win.

Celtic are due a victory over Rangers but I normally refrain from betting on the outcome of these games because they are so hard to predict. I think the 9/4 on offer for an away win is too big as I strongly believe that Celtic have far more quality in their ranks, so I wouldn’t put anyone off backing them. The bet I will advise is for Keane to score at anytime. Fortune will do a lot of the ‘ugly work’ for his strike partner and Keane’s movement and quick thinking should seem him have at least a couple of good chances. He’s also scored in his last two games for Celtic so the signs are there that he is hitting top form as he get’s his sharpness.

My selection: Robbie Keane to score at anytime

Best odds available: 21/10 available with PaddyPower

KTF

While it’s clear that In-Play betting is becoming increasingly popular with customers, there are still many of us that like to place antepost bets either before or during the start of the football season. While a bet on a live game is often settled within minutes, a long-term bet means that you can enjoy your wager over the course of the season, before eventually it’s settled as a winner or loser by May.

There are still several issues to be decided in the Premier League, with the winner likely to come from a select group of two teams. Despite talk of Liverpool and Manchester City mounting a challenge this term, they are 100/1 (Sporting Bet) and 33/1 (Paddy Power) respectively to finish top of the pile. In addition, many people have started to write off Arsenal (for the second time this season) after the Gunners lost 3-1 at home to Manchester United on Sunday. Arsene Wenger’s team are now out to 10/1 with Sky Bet to win their first title since 2004, although it appears that they might not have enough quality.

Which leaves us with Chelsea and Manchester United. The Blues have been trading at odds-on for most of the season and the Blues are still available at a best price 5/6 (bet365), despite drawing with Hull on Tuesday. Carlo Ancelotti’s team still have to visit Old Trafford this season, something which might convince many that the Red Devils are clearly the value bet at 6/4 (Ladbrokes). With United having an easy match against Portsmouth on Saturday and Chelsea entertaining Arsenal on Sunday, it could be all change at the top.

While only three teams can possibly win the Premier League, it’s fair to say that eleven sides could be relegated this term. Some shrewd punters were backing Portsmouth at fancy odds of 5/1 before the season started, although their financial state and bad opening results saw Pompey quickly start trading at odds-on. It seems implausible that they are going to get out of the bottom three by the end of the season, although Coral and Victor Chandler are still prepared to offer odds of 1/5.

If Avram Grant’s team are doomed, then every other team will believe that they can escape the drop. Indeed, Hull City didn’t look like a team destined for the drop when drawing with Chelsea on Tuesday and Coral have eased the Tigers to 8/11 on their relegation market. Phil Brown’s team never give up and actually have form at the KC Stadium which might allow them to survive. Burnley are the same price (8/11 bet365) to return to the Championship next term, with the Clarets sinking like a stone in previous months. You could have backed them at around 4/1 when they had a bright opening to the campaign, although they need some inspiration from somewhere.

Wolves (11/8 Ladbrokes), Bolton (7/2 William Hill), Wigan (5/1 Ladbrokes) and West Ham (6/1 Stan James) are definitely too close to the bottom of the league for comfort, with the Hammers a surprisingly big price purely because they have new owners who have drafted in Benni McCarthy and Mido. It promises to be a scrap to the death at the wrong end of the Premier League table.

All of the excitement in the Premier League on Saturday, will pale into comparison to what is to come on Sunday at the Emirates. Sunday sees the big clash between Arsenal v Manchester United, but before then, Chelsea have the chance to put some extra pressure on both Arsene Wenger and Alex Ferguson. Chelsea cruised back to the top of the league with a 3-0 home victory over Birmingham in midweek. That win leaves them one point ahead of United, and two ahead of the Gunners, but with a game in hand over them both. Another three points for Chelsea, who look to have stepped up another gear after their mini slump in December, will put extra pressure on their nearest rivals.

It is likely that one of their challengers will lose further ground in the race for the title on Sunday, so Saturday’s game against Burnley, is a chance for Chelsea to capitalise on the weekend’s fixtures. Their opponents Burnley, who lost the services of manager Owen Coyle to rivals Bolton, are losing optimism fast, and they have dropped into the relegation zone. Their future does not seem so bright for Burnley, and with Chelsea seemingly in their top irrepressible form again, scoring twelve goals in their last three matches, it is going to be tough to see them take anything away from this weekend’s match.

The Clarets are struggling for goals, and that cost them defeat in the FA Cup as well to Championship strugglers Reading. They have only managed one goal in their last five league matches, and that spells doom and gloom wherever you are in the league tiers. Adversely, they have just gone and signed another defender in the form of Celtic’s Danny Fox. Their poor 1-0 defeat against Owen Coyle’s new boys Bolton, would have been a bitter pill to swallow for the Burnley supporters. They are now in a position where they are going to have to dig very deep to get out of the hole they are in.

Chelsea have welcomed back Didier Drogba and Salomon Kalou from the African Cup of Nations, but boss Carlo Ancelloti is unlikely to put them into the line up on Saturday. Chelsea have had their problems on their travels this season, with their three defeats all coming on the road. With their recent burst back into top form, the Blues are the league’s top scoring team, and for Burnley, who have one of the worst goal differences in the league, they could be in for a long evening. The last time the two sides met at Stamford Bridge the Blues ran out comfortable 3-0 winners. New Burnley boss Brian Laws won’t be relishing this one as they go in a desperate search for survival points.

BETTING STATS

Last 2 Head to Head
Chelsea 3, Burnley 0
Burnley 1, Chelsea 1

Last 5 Match Goals League
Burnley – 1 For, 9 Against
Chelsea – 13 For, 4 Against

Last 10 Match Form League
Burnley – W0, D4, L6
Chelsea – W6, D3, L1

Win Percentage
Burnley have a 50.0 win percentage at home
Chelsea have a 50.0 win percentage away from home

Match Prices:
Burnley to win: 14/1 at Victor Chandler
Draw: 9/2 at Ladbrokes
Chelsea to win: 3/10 at SkyBet

Betting Advice: This would be one of the major upsets of the season if Chelsea didn’t stroll out with a win on Saturday. Chelsea need the three points to try and keep the wolves from their door, and if they can open a four point gap at the top of the league ahead of the Arsenal v United clash, then they can sit back and probably hope for a drawn match at the Emirates. They shouldn’t need Drogba back in the line up immediately to beat Burnley, and with a busy February to come, it’s probably a good decision.
Over 2.5 goals – 4/6 at Totesport

While it’s only possible for three sides to go down this term, it’s difficult to predict the trio that will be playing in the Championship next season. As always, there are far more teams scrapping at the foot of the Premier League than contesting matters at the top of the table, with over half the division only two defeats away from trouble.

Portsmouth are clearly in pole position to fall through the top flight trapdoor and the bookmakers were cutting the odds on the Hampshire club before a ball had been kicked. Although the club are in the hands of new owners and cashflow was originally attributed to the player wages not being paid on time, it now appears as though money’s too tight to mention and Pompey are no bigger than 4/11 (Coral) to be relegated. Avram Grant has his hands tied as far as signing new players is concerned and the current squad don’t seem good enough.

However, it’s tougher to choose the two that might join them in England’s second division next term. Hull City have been odds-on for the drop since the season began and the Tigers currently trade at 4/6 (bet365) despite their 0-0 draw at Tottenham on Saturday. This result came about through an inspired goalkeeping display from Boaz Myhill and the keeper can’t be expected heroics like this every match! The other team now priced at odds-on is Burnley (5/6 Paddy Power), despite an impressive performance at Old Trafford at the weekend. Brian Laws seemed to inspire his new side and they could have been ahead against the champions had they taken their chances.

Indeed, the Clarets’ price has shortened in the past fortnight, with Ladbrokes offering a stand-out 11/10 on them being relegated a fortnight ago. This is mainly to do with the exit of Owen Coyle to Bolton, although the Scot’s managerial debut saw the Trotters lose 2-0 to Arsenal. They face the same opponents at the Emirates on Wednesday and it’s something of a surprise to see 3/1 available at bet365 that Wanderers go down. After all, they occupy nineteenth place for a reason and Coyle might not have money to spend in January.

Not these are the only four teams in danger of the drop! Wolverhampton Wanderers are looking very shaky and Victor Chandler’s 11/8 looks like an interesting price about Mick McCarthy’s team. After all, they were pretty shabby when losing 2-0 at home to Wigan and they don’t seem to have the requisite quality to do anything than hover above the drop zone. Perhaps Sky Bet are closer to the mark with their 4/5 quote about a team who have scored just seventeen goals in twenty-one games.

It’s a battle that looks set to go down to the wire and we might expect West Ham to be one of the teams scrapping for survival. The Hammers are due to be acquired by new owners during January, although it doesn’t appear as though this will happen in time to enable Gianfranco Zola to ease the severe injury crisis that affects the club. Stan James offer an attractive 4/1 about the London side dropping down, although they did deliver a gutsy display to draw 0-0 at Villa Park.

Wigan (13/2 bet365), Blackburn (11/1 Victor Chandler), Stoke City (14/1 Ladbrokes) and even Sunderland (25/1 Coral) aren’t totally safe yet, especially with the Black Cats now just four points off the drop zone after their 7-2 drubbing at Chelsea.

RELEGATION
Portsmouth 4/11 (Coral)
Hull City 4/6 (bet365)
Burnley 5/6 (Paddy Power)
Wolves 11/8 (Victor Chandler)
Bolton 3/1 (bet365)
West Ham 4/1 (Stan James)
Wigan 13/2 (bet365)
Blackburn 11/1 (Victor Chandler)
Stoke City 14/1 (Ladbrokes)
Sunderland 25/1 (Coral)

Saturday 16^th January

English Premier League

Stoke City v Liverpool (12.45)

After a pathetic performance on Wednesday night, Liverpool must pick themselves up after their cup defeat to Reading when they travel to the Britannia Stadium to face a stuffy Stoke side.

Tony Pulis has never made any apologies for his side’s preferred style of play, especially whilst playing at home. Stoke are direct, physical and rely very much on their strength and presence at set pieces. These strengths have turned them into an established Premier League club, less than two years since winning promotion. Some people may debate that but they have never been in any real danger of being relegated, either this season or last. The majority of other clubs do not go to the Britannia expecting to win as they would elsewhere which is a testament to the industry of Pulis and his players. Tomorrow’s match against Liverpool will be their 11^th home match of the season and they’ll be desperate to add to their 5 wins. The biggest surprise about their home form is probably the fact they’ve lost 3 already this season. They have lost to Chelsea and Manchester United which is completely excusable whilst their other defeat was against high flying Birmingham. These defeats signify that it pays to be in good form before coming to the Britannia, as Stoke will not let you get into a rhythm, they’ll be at you from the off.

Liverpool are something of a crisis club at the minute, arguably one of many in the Premier League. Rafa Benitez is for the first time under immense pressure from the fans. Their patience is growing thin with the Spaniard after another cup exit in midweek. That defeat was compounded by injuries to Steven Gerrard, Fernando Torres and Yossi Benayoun. These 3 are probably the Reds most dangerous and influential players, they’ll miss their presence a great deal as they are also big characters who would be vital in tomorrow’s kind of atmosphere. Pepe Reina and Javier Mascherano should return to the squad and there could also be a debut for Maxi Rodriguez who signed in midweek. ‘Pool’s away form has been hit and miss to say the least. They have won 4 on the road but lost 5, drawing 1. This is the away form of a mid-table side, not of a side who were expected to mount a serious challenge for the title. Their away defeats include reverses at Sunderland, Portsmouth and Fulham, teams whose approach to the game is not too dissimilar to that of tomorrow’s opponents. A strong home defence, a hard working midfield with a touch of creativity and a front two full of power and pace.

Liverpool laboured to a draw in this fixture last season but I can envisage things being even worse this time around. They are completely lacking in confidence and consistent form. Reading were far more inventive, created more chances and just looked a whole lot hungrier than Liverpool on Wednesday night. I know it’s based on nothing more than assumption, but it looks as though certain players have stopped playing for Benitez for whatever reason.

 Liverpool struggle at the best of times when teams take the game to them and control the tempo, something at which Stoke have mastered at home. Pulis will know there will never be a better time to play a Liverpool side and he’ll get every last ounce of effort out of his side in tomorrow’s lunchtime kick off. You could have had 6/1 for Stoke on Wednesday, but as events have unravelled since then, we’ll have to make do with 29/10.

My selection: Stoke City to beat Liverpool at a best priced 29/10 with Bwin

English Premier League

Manchester United v Burnley

It’s a baptism of fire for new Burnley manager Brian Laws as he takes charge of his first game which is a visit to Old Trafford to take on the champions.

Manchester United have, for me anyway, failed to click thus far this season. Sir Alex Ferguson has had to constantly chop and change, especially at the back thanks to a plethora of injuries. He has been unable to field a consistent line-up for any real length of time which has proved to be detrimental to his sides on field performances. Currently sitting 2^nd in the table, a point behind Chelsea who have a game in hand, they know they have to put a run of results together in order to claim their 4^th title in a row. There were signs last week away to Birmingham that they were becoming more fluent and creating more chances, it’s just a matter of now being able to take them. Wayne Rooney is creating chances for others whilst also contributing as the club’s top scorer. He’s easily their most important and influential player and his form of late must serve as inspiration to others around him who may not be performing as well.

Burnley begin life without Owen Coyle and it will be interesting to see how well the players react to a change in management. For many of them, their former manager would have brought them to the club in the first place so they will need to adapt to a change in personnel, a different take on the game and possibly being used in unfamiliar systems. Brian Laws must think he’s won a watch with his quick fire appointment after being sacked by a club who find themselves in the relegation picture in the league below. He will be under no illusions as to how difficult it will be for his new team to stay in the division. The signs were there before Coyle left that they were beginning to struggle and their home form was not as good as it had been in the earlier stages of the season. Their porous defence must be improved in this window as they have lost 40 goals already and look like conceding at least a couple in every match they play away from home.

United normally come on strong in the second half of the season and will strive to continue this trend starting tomorrow. Nothing less than a win will do for Ferguson’s troops and a good win may well act as a catalyst for the remainder of the season. Goal difference may yet prove to be important when the honours are handed out in May so it will be no surprise if they put a few past the worst away defence in the division.

My selection: Manchester United (-2) to beat Burnley at a best priced 11/8 with Boylesports

Scottish Premier League

Celtic v Falkirk

Neither of these sides have kicked a ball in anger for two weeks so both will be eager to get back into action as Celtic entertain bottom dogs Falkirk.

Celtic’s last match was the derby game at Rangers where they completely dominated and should have had the game wrapped up by half-time. However they failed to take their chances and ended up drawing 1-1, remaining 7 points behind their rivals but with a game in hand. Tony Mowbray has started his mid-season cull by getting rid of 4 players, including Barry Robson and Captain Gary Caldwell. Both have departed to England with the South Korean Ki being singed as Robson’s replacement along with Dutch centre half Jos Hooiveld coming into take Caldwell’s position. The latter will, however, miss out tomorrow as he is not yet fit but Ki may feature at some point. The Bhoys know they can’t afford any slip-up’s in these kind of games so are sure to come out all guns blazing in an attempt to put the game to bed early doors.

Falkirk started the season very slowly and as a result find themselves playing catch-up with everyone else in the league. Eddie May has attempted to rectify this in the 2^nd half of the season by bringing in more experience. Former Celtic player, Colin Healy has joined on loan from Ipswich whilst former Leeds United striker Enoch Showumni has also come in on a short term deal to bolster May’s options upfront. Falkirk have won only once on the road this season in 9 games, losing 5. They will need to improve this form and become harder to beat if they are to move up the table and avoid relegation.

The last time these two sides met they played out a 3-3 thriller at the Falkirk Stadium but things should prove to be different when they meet tomorrow at Parkhead. Falkirk have lost on each of their last 9 league visits to Celtic Park. Their last 3 encounters in Glasgow’s East End have seen 10 goals conceded and none scored – I can’t see this changing for the better tomorrow. Celtic know that they need to make up their goal difference on Rangers and these kind of matches are the time to do that.

One player who has started to fulfil his potential is Celtic striker Marc Antoine Fortune. The former West Brom marksman is beginning to show why Mowbray shelled out £3.8m for him in the summer. He had an excellent game against Rangers which was on the back of 3 goals in December. He’ll be out to add to his tally and his strength, allied with his pace and smart running could prove decisive against a weak Falkirk defence.

My selections: Celtic (-2) to beat Falkirk at a best priced 6/4 with Skybet

                             Mark Antoine Fortune to score anytime at a best priced 5/4 with Bet365

City of Manchester Stadium
Saturday, 7 November 2009
Kick-off: 3pm

After all of their off-season summer spending, Mark Hughes’ Manchester City should now be settled into a team with an identity. The Blue side of Manchester are sitting in fourth place in the league, and after a promising start to the campaign, they hit a vein of form which saw them strike the silver of drawing matches. City are eight points leaders Chelsea with a game in hand, and that is a marked improvement over past seasons, where they have been left a long way behind in the dust of Manchester United. The overwhelming balance is shifting for sure, but having drawn nearly as many games as they have won, is the fine line between pushing for the title and simply trying to break into the top four. A run of four league draws is something which is not good enough for a top team, and it will be making the expectant fans at the City of Manchester Stadium, a little edgy and impatient.

At the moment, City are definitely at the latter stage of their learning curve, and they would have silenced a lot more critics if those draws had been turned into victories. Still, they are on the verge of becoming a really good, consistent and strong side, which has only lost once in the Premier League all season, which is more than can be said to Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea above them, who have all lost two games each. Saturday’s fixture for the light blues, should be one that they should close out with a little flair and conviction in their own abilities. With the England game coming up on November 14th, Mark Hughes will want to go into the Premier League break on a strong note.

Kolo Toure and Emmanuel Adebayor who have been suffering from injury woes, are likely to be back for the starting eleven, and they are key in pushing Manchester City forward. Adebayor is a strong presence up front, and is going to be the main source of goals for them. Hughes will be welcoming the short international break, as it will give time for Robinho to get fully fit and finally starting earning his salary this season. Even with the break for the World Cup qualifying play-offs, and the England v Brazil friendly, Manchester City have an away friendly fixture against the United Arab Emirates pencilled in for Wednesday.

Saturday’s opponents Burnley have been struggling to pick points up the road, and they have left empty handed on all of their five away matches. Although having pretty much a full squad to choose from, it will be an uphill struggle to go to Eastlands and take points from a City defence, which is proving to be strong and positive in handling opposition. City do have a couple of injury concerns, notably that of Roque Santa Cruz and of Wayne Bridge, but they should be bolstered enough by Adebayor’s return, in linking up with Craig Bellamy and Carlos Tevez up front, to bully their way past the Burnley defence which has conceded 17 goals on their travels.

Manchester City to win: 7/19 at Coral
Draw: 4/1 at Paddy Power
Burnley to win: 10/1 at Bet365

Betting Advice: City still have not figured out the way to score as many goals as they would like, despite being quite an offensive side. This could be a good game to express themselves, and see how expansive they can be. They should have more than enough quality to completely overrun opposition like Burnley, and they probably will.
Manchester City to win 3-0: 8/1 at 888Sport

Saturday 11^th April

English Premiership

Stoke City v Newcastle United

The proverbial relegation 6-pointer takes place tomorrow evening in front of the television cameras. In what will be Alan Shearer’s 2^nd match in charge of Newcastle, they travel to the Britannia Stadium to face Tony Pulis’ Stoke side who have been excellent at home this season.

Shearer’s first match in charge ended in disappointment with Newcastle being easily disposed of by Chelsea. It was arguably a match where anything they got, would have been a bonus, however, games are fast running out and their lack of threat would have been a worry to the caretaker manager. What would have pleased him, however, would be star man and top goalscorer, Michael Owen, completing 90 minutes and more importantly, coming through the match unscathed. It is necessity that they keep Owen fit between now and the end of the season to have any chance of beating the drop.

The home side are coming into this match on the back of a much more positive result after a vital 2-0 away victory over bottom club, West Brom. It was their first away win in the league since gaining promotion and would have been a huge relief to finally get that monkey off their back. As with the majority of clubs in the league, it has been the side’s home form that has provided them with most of their points. Their direct style of play and physical presence has basically intimidated a lot of their opponents and has meant that two more wins, will probably be enough to see them remain in the top flight for a 2^nd season.

The visitors have only managed two wins on the road all season. One of those wins was against hapless West Brom whilst the other was a victory over Portsmouth during the festive period when frankly, everyone was beating Tony Adams’ side. In their defence, they have been very rarely disgraced or hammered in their 8 away defeats. Since September, United have only lost one game on the road by more than 1 goal, a 3-0 defeat at Blackburn. On the face of it, this suggests that they are not doing much wrong; however, a defeat is a defeat at the end of the day. They seem unable to pick up points against teams with a half decent home record.

Stoke City’s home record would be impressive for most teams, let alone a team who has been fighting relegation all season long. Pulis’ team has managed 8 victories and 4 draws from a total of 15 league matches. They have defeated Aston Villa, Arsenal and Everton this season whilst their last home reverse came against Champions and league leaders, Man United, on Boxing day of last year.

Newcastle will be without several long term absentees as well as recent injury victims, Peter Lovenkrands, Jose Enrique and Steven Taylor. This sort of match is perfect for the latter of that trio. His love for the physical aspect of the game has been well documented lately so his absence is sure to be a massive blow. City will have their key players available tomorrow and their strikers, Ricardo Fuller and James Beattie, will have to perform if they are to take 3 points.

Stoke’s style of play and physical presence may be too much for Newcastle’s porous defence. With Steven Taylor missing it makes things even more difficult and I expect another home win for the Potters.

My selection: Stoke City to beat Newcastle United

Best odds available: 6/4 with Bet365

English Championship

Burnley v QPR

QPR are in disarray this week after the club’s board sacked manager, Paulo Sousa, after only 5 months in charge. Sousa has publicly stated that the sale of striker Dextor Blackstock was done behind his back and it is this claim that has saw the departure of the former Juventus midfielder.

QPR’s season is effectively over as they lie in mid-table mediocrity and have no chance of gaining a play-off spot. Burnley on the other hand, have everything to play for. The Turf Moor club have had an excellent season thus far with two superb cup runs, they also lie in 6^th position and occupy the final play-off spot.

Owen Coyle has formed a side which comprises both youth and experience which plays lovely, effective football. His side have defied a lot of the doubters who felt that their cup runs would have an adverse effect on their league position. It is testament to Coyle’s management style and enthusiasm as well as his players’ resolve that they are still in the promotion picture. They are undefeated in their last 6, winning 4 of those and have only lost two home games in all competitions since the turn of the year.

QPR were tipped as promotion favourites at the start of the season due to their wealthy owners and extravagant wage bill. Things, however, have failed to materialize due to a variety of reasons. They got rid of Ian Dowie in November to replace him with Sousa before getting rid of him this week. Their instability and constant change will not have had a positive effect on the players to say the least, whilst this latest event highlights the split between the boardroom and the pitch and suggests all is no well at Loftus Road.

QPR’s recent form is not too bad with only one defeat in their last 6. However, their last 3 away matches have resulted in 2 defeats and 1 draw. These games were also against much inferior opposition than what they’ll face tomorrow. Rangers’ away form all season has been indifferent; the London club have only won 3 on the road this term.  Burnley have an excellent record over QPR with 8 wins from their last 10 meetings with only one win for tomorrow’s visitors.

Both sides could not be further apart in terms of off the park. Whilst QPR are getting rid of their 2^nd manager, Burnley have moved quickly to snap up Owen Coyle on an improved contract which will give both he and the players a massive boost going into the final few matches of the season.

I had picked this bet out at the start of the week and although I’m always wary of backing against a team who has changed their manager, I just can’t see past a home win tomorrow.

My Selection: Burnley to beat QPR

Best odds available: 5/6 with Betfred

Good luck and Happy punting

by Matthew Chapple

With the championship season just four games old, there has already been a few surprise results with both Derby and Crystal palace occupying two of the relegation places. The biggest shock of the season so far came on the opening day with new boys Doncaster defeating Derby at Pride Park. Derby, who are widely tipped by several to be serious promotion contenders, have already given themselves a mountain to climb under Paul Jewell and are without a win after their first 4 league fixtures.

Crystal Palace are the other side who have made a dreadful start to the season. Two draws and two defeats see them lye in 22nd in the league and are also without a win from their first 4 fixtures.

Several have made undefeated starts to the season with Wolves, Preston, Birmingham, and Bristol City all yet to taste defeat. Wolves currently occupy top spot on goal difference which was largely down to their two terrific home victorys over Sheffield Wednesday which finished 4-1 and their 5-1 rout over Nottingham Forest.

Another surprise is that none of the three new clubs occupy any of the relegation places with Nottingham Forest the lowest out of three in the league in 16th. After Doncasters opening victory at Derby they went on to get 4 points from their next 3 matches.

Outright Betting: With Birmingham winning 3 out of the first 4 fixtures they are justified 10/3 favourties to win the league and judging by their early performances, they should go close. Wolves look good value at 11/2. They eased past their first few league games especially at home and look the team to beat in my opinion. Reading will be thereabouts come the end of the season and the bookies think so too and have priced reading up as third favourties at 7/1 while the new rich boys, QPR are currently 9/1 to win the Championship outright.

Relegation Odds: With both Blackpool and Barnsley not getting particularly good starts the bookies have priced them up as favourites for the drop with Blackpool 5/4 and Barnsley 11/8. The value looks to be with Derby County at 7/1. They are winless in 4 games and have just 1 point to their name. Their performances have been poor and haven’t really looked like winning any of the first 4 fixtures. Burnley lack quality and at 11/4 they look a fair bet for relegation and they should be around the foot of the table come the end of the season.

How we rate each team chances individually.

Barnsley
Players In: Luke Steele, Iain Hume, Roberto Colace, Mounir El Haimour, Darren Moore
Players Out: Paul Reid, Sam Togwell
Key player: Iain Hume
Prediction: 21st Despite making it all the way to the semi-final of the Fa Cup last season they struggled in their domestic campaign and finished 18th. They have a distinct lack of quality especially up front and they will struggle for fire-power in front of goal. We expect them to be around the bottom again this season.

Birmingham
Players In: Lee Carsley, Kevin Phillips, Marcus Bent, Kemy Agustien, Quincy Owusu-Abeyie
Players Out: Adam Lezgdins, Fabrice Muamba, Daniel de Ridder, Olivier Kapo, Sone Aluko
Key Player: Kevin Phillips
Prediction: 2nd They were unfortunate to be relegated last season as they got some decent results in the Premiership. They have kept the basic structure of the team while adding the likes of Everton’s Lee Carsley and West Brom’s Kevin Phillips. They have made a decent start to the season and they should be challenging for the automatic spots this season.

Blackpool
Players In: Matt Gilks, Joe Martin, Alex Babtiste, Steve Kabba, Jermaine Wright, Adam Hammill, David Vaughan, Marlon Broomes, Rob Edwards, Sone Aluko, Alan Gow
Players Out: Marcus Bean, Keigan Parker, Michael Jackson, Wes Hoolahan, Kaspars Gorkss
Key Player: Daniel Nardiello
Prediction: 23rd They did extremely well to avoid any sort of relegation battle come the end of the season but with a lack of quality, we fancy them to have a difficult season this time around. With just 4 points from the first 4 fixtures it doesn’t look too good.

Bristol City
Players In: Nicky Maynard, Gavin Williams, John Akinde
Players Out: Alex Russell, Nick Carle, Darren Byfield, Richard Keogh
Key Player: Nicky Maynard
Prediction: 9th They had a fantastic season last year and were unfortunate in the play-off’s. Once again they have made a great satrt to the season and with 8 points from the first 4 games they currently lye in 4th position and look on course for another good season. They were the surprise team last season but we doubt they will beat that and we fancy them to settle in the top half of the table this time around.

Burnley
Players In:Martin Paterson, Kevin McDonald, Christian Kalvenes, Diego Penny, Remco van der Schaaf, Chris Eagles, Russell Anderson, Steven Thompson
Players Out: John Spicer, Kyle Lafferty, James O’Connor, Jon Harley, Djemba-Djemba, David Unsworth
Key Player: Martin Paterson
Prediction: 22nd Burnley finished in mid-table last term and will be lucky to surive this season in our opinion. Chris Eagles should provide them with creativity while fan will be looking towards Martin paterson for goals this season after they let Kyle Lafferty go to Rangers. With just a single points form the opening fixtures the writing looks on the cards already. They lack quality and look set to face a relegation fight this season.

Cardiff
Players In: Darren Dennehy, Ross McCormack, Mark Kennedy, Jay Bothroyd, Eddie Johnson, Peter Encklemen
Players Out: Aaron Ramsey, David Forde, Warren Feeney, Robbie Fowler, Steven Thompson, Jimmy Flyod-Hasselbaink, Trevor Sinclair
Key Player: Joe Ledley
Prediction: 7th Cardiff somewhat sacrificed their league campaign for a great cup run in the FA Cup which seen them lose 1-0 to Portsmouth in the final. They will be disappointed with the departure of Aaron Ramsey who had a lot of potential and doesn’t seem as if Cardiff have found a replacement. Joe Ledley will be key if they are to push for the play-off’s this season but we think they will just come up short.

Charlton
Players In: Stuart Fleetwood, Martin Cranie, Hameur Bouazza
Players Out: Patrick McCarthy, Darren Randolph, Chris Iwelumo, Marcus Bent, Madjid Bougherra, Osei Sankofa, Sam Sodje, Ben Thatcher, Jerome Thomas, Amdy Faye,
Key Player: Marcus Bent
Prediction: 8th We’re not impressed with their lack of incoming transfers but they do posses some decent players in the final third. I think their season will rely heavily on a good start. If they hit a win less streak then they could start struggling. 6 points from 4 games isn’t the ideal start they would have hoped for and we doubt they will make a claim for one of the play-off spots.

Coventry
Players In: Guillaume Beuzelin, Aron Gunnarsson, Keiren Westwood, Freddy Eastwood, Steven Wright, Clinton Morrison
Players Out: Liam Davis, Julian Gray, Donovan Simmonds
Key Player: Freddy Eastwood
Prediction: 10th They had a poor season last year and were lucky not to go down. A new manager at the helm in Chris Coleman and their new signing Freddy Eastwood could one of the buys of the season. The welsh international is a proven goalscorer at this level and his goals this season will be crucial for Coventry’s ambitions. I don’t think they have the credentials to push for promotion and might have to settle for a mid-table finish.

Crystal palace
Players In: Patrick McCarthy, Johannes Ertl, Darryl Flahavan, Jos Van Nieuwstadt, Jose Fonte, Simon Thomas, Nick Carle, John Oster, Leandre Griffit, Alan Lee
Players Out: Jeff Hughes, Lewis Spencer, Mark Kennedy, John Bostock, Tony Craig, Clinton Morrison, Tom Soares, Dougie Freedman
Key Player: Nick Carle
Prediction: 6th Crystal palace made it to play-off’s last season and we fancy a repeat this season despite their poor start to the season. Neil Warnock has built a decent side at Palace and his side have the ability to push for promotion back to the top flight once again. One negative for me was them letting go of Clinton Morrison to league rivals Coventry. The forward bagged 16 goals in the championship last season and will be missed.

Derby
Players In: Kris Commons, Steve Davies, Nathan Ellington, Paul Connolly, Ruben Zadkovich, Paul Green, Jordan Stewart, Martin Albrechtsen, Liam Dickinson, Przemyslaw Kazmierczak, Rob Hulse
Players Out: Robert Earnshaw, Kenny Miller, Michael Johnson, Lee Holmes, David Jones, Darren Moore, Jason Beardsley, Craig Fagan, Tyron Mears, Eddie Lewis
Key Player: Rob Hulse
Prediction: 12th Despite them dropping down from the premiership we reckon they will have a difficult season. They were the worst ever team to play in the Premiership last season and they haven’t strengthen enough for us to think they will bounce straight back up. Add that to their poor start to the season we reckon they will find things tougher then they first expected in the Championship. Kris Commons and Rob Hulse look decent signings but we’re not too confident of their defence. A tough season ahead predicted which could see the end of Paul Jewell.

Doncaster
Players In:John Spicer, Darren Byfield, Tomi Ameobi, Matthew Mills, Jos van Niewstadt, James Chambers
Players Out: Paul Green, Stephen Roberts, Mark McCammon
Key Player: Darren Byfield
Prediction:19th Doncaster made it into the championship via the play-offs from League one and although they didn’t go up through automatic promotion, we fancy them to do well this season. They have a solid look about them and they could give some of the bigger sides in the league a surprise when they play them. Derby have already found this out when they lsot at home to Doncaster 1-0. Going by their first few performances they should have enough to stay up.

Ipswich
Players In: Pim Balkestein, Gareth McAuley, Kevin Lisbie, Richard Wright, Ivan Campo, Ben Thatcher, Moritz Volz, Johnathan Stead
Players Out: Gavin Williams, Gary Roberts, Nick Colgan
Key Player: Johnathan Walters
Prediction: 3rd Ipswich are a team with a great home record. They were the best home side of last season with just the on defeat at Portman Road. We didn’t think many would beat them at Portman Road this season but with two straight home defeats it has certainly made us concentrate harder. Although they have made apoor start to the season by their own standards, we still fancy them to at least get one of the 4 play-off positions. A distinct lack of transfers into the club is a slight concern but we fancy them to go well and possibly sneak automatic promotion.

Norwich
Players In: Sammy Clingan, Wes Hoolahan, Ryan Bertrand, Dejan Stefanovic, Elliot Omozusi, Arturo Lupoli, David Bell, Stuart Nelson
Players Out: Matt Gliks, Andrew Cave-Brown
Key Player: Arturo Lupoli
Prediction: 14th Norwich finished 17th last season which is unacceptable for a club with their recent history. They lacked goals last season and have brought in some strikers wit h the aim of putting it right this season. However they still lack quality in the midfield and there is a lack of quality creative players in their squad. If they can provide the former Arsenal youngster, Lupoli with regular service then they may go well but they are very incocnsistent and we fancy them to have another poor season.

Nottingham Forest
Players In: Robert Earnshaw, Guy Moussi, Andy Cole, Joe Garner, Paul Anderson, Mickael Darnet, Lee Martin
Players Out: Kris Commons, Matt Lockwood, Alan Power, Sammy Clingan, Grant Holt, Junior Agogo
Key Player: Robert Earnshaw
Prediction: 17th Last seasons League two runners-up Nottingham Forest look to have enough to see off relegation for one season at least. The signing of Robert Earnshaw from Derby County is a massive positive. The welsh international has bags of pace and can score at this level. If Nottingham are to survive then his goals will play a key part. A 5-1 hammering against Wolves won;t go down too nciely with the players but their other 3 performances look good enough for us to think they should settle nicely in the bottom half of table.

Plymouth Argyle
Players In: Jason Puncheon, Karl Duguid, Yala Bolsaie, Graham Stack, Emlie Mpenza, Nicolas Marin, paul Gallagher, Chris Barker, Simon Walton
Players Out: Paul Connolly, Paul Wotton, Najim Abdou, Peter Halmosi
Key Player: Emile Mpenza
Prediction: 15th I live near Plymouth and the fans are not too optimistic about the season ahead. Plymouth have let several of their best players go over the past year with the likes of Ebanks-Blake going to Wolves in January and their most high profile of them all in Peter Halmosi who couldn’t resist the lure of the premiership with Hull City. Emile Mpenza is a fantastic signing for Sturrock and he could be crucial for Plymouth this season. After a decent season last year we fancy them to finish in mid-table this term.

Preston
Players In: Barry Nicholsen, Ross Wallace, Jon Parkin, Stephen Elliott
Players Out: Tamas Priskin
Key Player: Neil Mellor
Prediction: 13th Preston struggled for the majority of last season and spent a lot of the time near the foot of the table. The eventually finished in 15th and with the lack of activity in the transfer market this summer they won’t be too far away from where they finished last season. They have made a great start to the new season though and have 10 points from their first 4 games beating some of the favourites for promotion. Their start to the season is very good but they are a inconsistent side and we doubt they can keep it up throughout the season.

Queens Park Rangers
Players In: Radek Cerny, Peter Ramage, Emmanuel Ledesma, Kaspars Gorkss, Dani Parejo, Samuel Di Carmine
Players Out: Stefan Bailey, Jake Cole, Daniel Nardiello, Zesh Rehman. Simon Walton, Chris Barker
Key Player: Emmanuel Ledesma
Prediction: 4th QPR fans are confident they can win the title this season. With new investors from the world of Formula 1 they have the cash to push for promotion and a minimum of a play-off spot will be expected from the fans. They have brought in a decent keeper in former spurs shot stopper Radek Cerny and Ledesma is a classy winger who can deliver a good ball. The board have already expressed that they aim to be in the premiership within the next couple of season and we think this could be their year but it will take a lot of work.

Reading
Players In: Noel Hunt, Chris Armstrong
Players Out: Adam Bygrave, Ben Hamer, Glenn Little, Dave Kitson, Scott Davies, Ibrahima Sonko
Key Player: Kevin Doyle
Prediction: 5th Despite Reading being relegated from the Premiership they have managed to keep the majority of their best players. Leroy Lite, Steven Hunt and Kevin Doyle have all stayed at the club with their only big departure being Glen little to Portsmouth. They have started fairly well and are in 6th position after 4 games. They have enough quality to regain their premiership status and we expect them to be in the play-off’s come the end of the season.

Sheffield United
Players In: Greg Halford, Sun Jihai, Darius Henderson, Justin Haber, David Cotterill
Players Out: Chris Lucketti, Rob Hulse, Ben Starosta, Luton Shelton, Johnathan Stead, Michael Tonge, Chris Armstrong,
Key Player: James Beattie
Prediction: 11th A disappointing season last term saw them finish in 9th. They are a club expected to push for promotion each season but are very inconsistent. They did well to keep hold of James Beattie who scored 21 league goals last season. Even with Kevin Blackwell at the helm i can’t see them mounting a promotion challenge this season and will have to settle for another average campaign in mid-table.

Sheffield Wednesday
Players In: James O’Connor, Tony McMahon, Jimmy Smith
Players Out: Burten O’brien
Key Player: James O’Connor
Prediction: 24th Sheffield Wednesday seem to struggle each season and were tipped for relegation last season. They do lack fire-power in front of goal and with no recognised signings they will be in for another difficult campaign and a dogfight at the foot of the table looks inevitable.

Southampton
Players In: Chris Perry, Lee Holmes, Paul Wotton, Tommy Forecast, Morgan Schneiderlin, Anthony Pulis, Jack Cork
Players Out: Cedric Baseya, Andrew Davis
Key Player: Bradley Wright-Phillips
Prediction: 20th Another former Premiership club on the decline. After their stint in the top flight they have seriously struggled for results in the championships and were very fortunate not to go down last season and their survival went down to the last day of the season which saw Leicester take their place in the last relegation spot. A team who lack goals and confidence and if they get off to a bad start, their could be no way back for the Saints.

Swansea
Players In: Ashley Williams, Mark Gower, Federico Bessone, Albert Serran, Fabien Brandy, Stefan Morrision
Players Out: Kevin Austin, Kevin Amankwaah, Darryl Duffy, Darren Way
Key Player: Jason Scotland
Prediction: 18th Last season League one champions will be hoping to avoid a relegation fight but with a lack of depth within the squad they could have one on their hands. Despite manager Martinez making some signings over the summer they do lack a potent striker and could struggle somewhat for goals. Going on their first couple of performances they should have enough to pull off survival though.

Watford
Players In: Jon Harley
Players Out: Nathan Ellington, Jordan Stewart, Toumani Diagoura, Steve Kabba, Darius Henderson, Moses Ashikodi, Danni Shittu
Key Player: Tommy Smith
Prediction: 16th After a great start to last season which seen them top of the league at Christmas, they fell off the pace and only just managed to get the last play-off spot. They went out at the first hurdle to eventual play-off winners Hull City. Their does seem to be cash problems at the club also with Boothroyd being forced to sell several key players with Nathan Ellington, Steve Kabba and Darius Henderson all departing the club. With very little coming into the club they look in trouble. They are widely tipped to struggle this season and we reckon they will finish 10 places behind their position last season in 16th.

Wolves
Players In: Sam Vokes, Richard Stearman, David Jones, Chris Iwelumo, Matthew Hill
Players Out: Freddy Eastwood, Matt Bailey, Seyi Olofinjana, Elliott Bennett, Lee Collins, Jay Bothroyd, Charles Mulgrew
Key Player: Michael Kightly
Prediction: 1st Manager Mick McCarthy has made some decent signings over the summer in a bid to improve on last seasons finish of 7th. Wolves had a disappointing season last term and were fancied to at least get a play-off spot. Welsh international Sam Vokes looks a decent proposition for the future while Chris Iwelumo should be what they need to get the goals to push them higher up the league. They have made the best start to the season out of any of the championship clubs and with them currently in first place, we fancy them to remain their aslong as they keep up the good performances.