Charlton

Saturday 10th December

Scottish Premier League

Celtic v Hearts

Celtic have transformed their season in recent weeks and will be hoping to continue their good run with a victory over an out of sorts Hearts side at Celtic Park.

It wasn’t so long ago that Celtic were 12 points behind in second place and there were more than a few supporters who were calling for Neil Lennon to be sacked as manager. Fast forward a month or so and things are looking a lot brighter for the Bhoys. Having won their last five league matches they have cut the gap to just four points which makes the form side in the SPL. Their recent good form has been the result of some key players coming back from injury and getting a run of games under their belt. Gary Hooper is a prime example as the striker was out of sorts for much of the season because of niggling injuries whereas now he has hit the kind of form he was in last season, scoring five goals in his last three league games, including a hat-trick the last time Celtic played an SPL match at home against St Mirren. Hooper is now joint top scorer in Scotland and Lennon will be keen for his star man to continue his good form, especially as Celtic are due to play league leaders Rangers at the end of December.

Hearts started the season brightly enough despite Jim Jefferies being sacked. Paulo Sergio was installed as his replacement and the initial signs were good however there has been a total lack of consistency recently and the pressure seems to be affecting the manager as he has had several outbursts at referee’s and the other match officials. The other problem facing Sergio is discontent amongst his players who have been failed to be paid once again this season. The players must try and remain professional but they are also human and if their is no guarantee of their wages being paid before Christmas, it’s bound to have an effect on the field. Last weekends 2-1 home defeat to St Johnstone was a real low point and was their seventh defeat of the season already. They travel to Glasgow knowing that the last time they played Celtic they ran out 2-0 winners at Tynecastle in October so they will be aware of what level of performance it will take in order to repeat such a feat.

Celtic’s recent form has been impressive in terms of results and performance. The 5-0 demoltion of St Mirren two weeks ago was a signal of intent from Lennon and his men and the first half performance last Sunday away to Dundee United was also much more like they way they can play. Beram Kayal is in much better form alongside Victor Wanyama in the middle of the park and it’s their partnership which has provided more protection for the much maligned defence. This has been evidenced in the amount of goals they have conceded in recent weeks compared to earlier in the season with the opposition managing to breach the defence just twice in the last six SPL games.

Hearts have lost four of their last six matches in the league and the fans are beginning to get restless as the performances have dropped in recent matches. Sergio is a passionate person and will be hoping that his passion rubs off on his players heading into Saturday’s match as it looked lacking at times last Saturday. When they defeated Celtic in October the players were all up for it and they never stopped fighting for every ball and closing Celtic down at every opportunity. It’s now about transferring that kind of performance from Tynecastle to their travels as they have won just one match on the road all season.

Celtic are without doubt in much better form than the last time these two sides met and Hearts are regressing. Hooper and Stokes have 20 goals between this this season and will be a handful for the visitors defence whilst Kayal, Wanyama and Forrest in the midfield are full of energy and enthusiasm at the moment meaning it will be be difficult for the Hearts midfield to get a hold of the game. There is only one winner of this match for me and I can see it being a comfortable one at that.

My Selection: Celtic (-1) to beat Hearts

Best odds available: 21/20 available with Bet365

English Championship

Burnley v Portsmouth

Burnley have come from behind twice in the last fortnight to win away from home, this week they entertain a Portsmouth side yet to win away from home.

Eddie Howe came with a big reputation for such a young manager when taking over from Brian Laws last season. The former Bournemouth manager had been used to success and winning games when at his former club but it’s been a slightly different story at Turf Moor. Fans would have been disappointed after missing out on the play-off’s last season whilst this season, they have been unable to string a run of form together meaning they have been towards the wrong end of the table for much of this season. Signs are there, however, that Howe and his players are beginning to turn things around. After losing two late goals to Leeds resulting in a fourth successive defeat could have been a crushing blow but they have dusted themselves down and put a run of three wins together. They were behind against both Hull and West Ham but showed a new resilience and came back to win both matches. In between those games, they destroyed Ipswich at home which was arguably one of their most impressive wins of the season to date.

Portsmouth done the column a favour last weekend when they were successful against struggling Coventry but they face a different proposition against Burnley away from home. As mentioned, Pompey have not won an away game this term with a record of three draws and six defeats. They are one of only two sides who hold such a record so Michael Appleton definitely has his work cut out as he strives to improve his new club’s fortunes on the road. Last weekend’s victory was massive for a couple of reasons; they off-field drama seems to be never-ending at Fratton Park so the players showed how professional they are by gaining all three points and it was also the first win under the new manager. He will be hoping to build on that and ensure that Portsmouth can stay clear of the relegation zone as it’s getting very congested towards that end of the table. A win tomorrow, however, would mean that they would be just one point behind the Clarets.

Burnley’s home form has been patchy due to their inconsistency this season. They have won three, drawn three and lost the other four so if they do hold ambitions of being compeititive for a play-off spot they need to start winning more games at home. Last time out at Turf Moor their crushing win over Ipswich would have done a lot for confidence as it was also at home where they let slip a lead to lose 2-1 to Leeds late on the game beforehand. On loan striker Sam Vokes has been a breath of fresh air since moving from Wolves and he provides a different option upfront. His header last weekend which gave his new side victory showed his class and if they can retain his services to enhance their chance of promotion to the Premier League.

Portsmouth have lost six of their last seven away games in the Championship with their only point coming against Crystal Palace a couple of weeks ago. Their biggest struggle seems to be scoring goals as they have only managed one goal in their last six on their travels. Appleton may look to adopt slightly different tactics tomorrow but his hands are tied in terms of personnel as he is working with such a small squad. His options will be boosted tomorrow however as Liam Lawrence, Hayden Mullins and Luke Varney are all set to declare themselves fit after missing out last weekend.

Burnley don’t have a great home record by any means but they are hitting a bit of form and with Portsmouth so poor and toothless away from home, the selection is a home win.

My Selection: Burnley to beat Portsmouth

Best odds available: 21/20 available with William Hill

English League One

Walsall v Charlton

League leaders Charlton travel to Walsall on Saturday hoping to continue their excellent run of form which has left them seven points clear at the top of the table.

Walsall are currently in the relegation zone after a dismal run of form which has seen them fail to win any of their last six games in League One. Their last win was a 1-0 home victory over Preston back in October which was only their third win all season. Dean Smith has been in charge for just under a year but he is under pressure to get results and with the festive period coming up, he will be hoping his team can get some sort of confidence heading into one of the busiest periods of the season. Two of their three wins have come at home but they have also lost five matches at the Bescott already. In order to climb the league they need to make it harder for teams to take points off them, the visit of Charlton may well not be the type of team they will look forward to facing but if they were to get something tomorrow, it may well act as a catalyst and get their season going.

Chris Powell will be delighted with the start his Charlton side have made this season after so many coming’s and going’s during the close season. More than 20 players have been brought to the Valley under Powell but the supporters will not be caring about that so long as they continue to steamroll through the League One opposition. With just one defeat all season, an incredible eight wins in a row in all competitions and the top scorers in the division, the plaudits they have earned thus far have been well deserved. Their last league match was arguably the biggest of the season to date in England’s third tier as they came up against a Huddersfield side who had not been beaten for over 40 matches in the league. This Charlton side don’t care much for reputation or records though, and they accounted for them rather comfortably in the end, winning 2-0.

Walsall know that if they can string a couple of results together then it will mean a move out of the relegation zone. It is tight at the bottom of League One but the longer they go without winning, the harder it becomes to climb the table. Jon Macken is one of the most experienced players in the division and Smith will be hoping that his striker can put that experience to good use and prevent others around him for panicking as it’s the worst thing that could happen at this stage.

Bradley Wright-Phillips is one of the most inform strikers in England never mind League One. The former Manchester City trainee has 14 league goals to his name already including seven goals in his last six league matches. He is certainly capable of playing at a higher level but his attitude has been called into question at previous clubs. If Powell can keep his mind on his football and ensure he keeps putting the effort in, there is every reason to believe that he could finish up top scorer out of all the divisions in England this season.

Charlton are bang in form, Walsall are totally out of sorts so the away win looks the only wager here.

My Selection: Charlton to beat Walsall

Best odds available: 5/6 available with Coral

Saturday 17th September

English Premier League

Bolton v Norwich City

Bolton will be hoping to get back on track after last weekend’s 5-0 thumping whilst Norwich are still in search of their first win since their return to the Premier League.

Owen Coyle received enormous credit for the way his Bolton side played and performed last season. This season he is having to deal with a completely different type of publicity as last weekends thrashing at the hands of Manchester United was their third defeat in a row. Not ideal at anytime of the season, you have to take into account the fact that their opponents have been the two Manchester clubs and Liverpool, so hope is not completely lost. What will have disappointed Coyle the most is how easy it has been for sides to breach the Bolton defence. Despite only playing four games this season, the goals against column reads 11 – the worst record of all the top flight clubs. After a comprehensive defeat of QPR on the opening day of the season, Wanderers fans could be forgiving for thinking they may do even better than last season so tomorrow’s game is probably more important than it should be so early in the season.

Norwich have earned plaudits already this season for their approach to the game but Paul Lambert won’t be dwelling on that as he knows only too well that it is points his side need to make the impact he wishes to on the Premier League. Last Sunday’s loss to West Brom was a sore one to take as once again the Canaries had chances to earn a point at least but just lacked that cutting edge to get back into the game. It was also the fourth successive game where the newcomers had given away a penalty which has to change if they wish to do anything this season. Premier League teams are ruthless at the best of times so giving them a gift from 12 yards out only adds to the problems. What Norwich do have is an excellent enthusiasm for the game and hopefully the have some of that winning spirit you need when earning two consecutive promotions. Games like tomorrow are difficult as even though they need that first win, a draw at the Reebok must be considered a good result.

Bolton may look to freshen the pack from the start as deadline day signing David N’Gog pushing for a full debut alongside Tuncay Sanli who is well known to Premier League defences. Ivan Klasnic may well be the player to miss out despite being the club’s top scorer this season as Kevin Davies involvement is almost assured. Norwich can also shuffle their strikers with several options upfront. Grant Holt leads the line very well, similar to Davies in many ways, so it may be a case of who partners him up top.

The home side know they can perform better than their last couple of performances. Having already brushed aside one of the other newly promoted sides tomorrow’s fixture may be what they need to get back on track and it’s a game I can see them edging.

My Selection: Bolton to beat Norwich

Best odds available: 5/6 available with Totesport

English League One

Rochdale v Charlton Athletic

League One leaders Charlton travel north to Spotlands to take on Rochdale hoping to keep up their 100% record on the road this season.

Rochdale consolidated last season after earning promotion by remaining in the division. This season has been a bit of a mixed bag so far with more downs than ups. After eight games they have won two, drawn two and lost the other four so improvement is definitely on the agenda. Their wins have come in the last two games however with is encouraging as they prepare for the visit of the league leaders. Last weekends derby victory over Bury was followed by a gritty 1-0 win at home to Scunthorpe. The highlight of the season thus far has been in the cup, however, after knocking QPR out at Loftus Road. ‘Dale had failed to kick on from that victory until now so Steve Eyre will be hoping that they are at the beginning of a good run of results and form as they head into a busy part of the season.

Charlton have been lingering in League One for a couple of seasons now and have seen the likes of Norwich, Brighton and Millwall surge past them into the Championship in that time. That should make the players, fans and coaching staff determined to get out of England’s third tier as soon as possible as the gap between the two leagues is pretty big – both in quality and finance. They could barely have started the season in better form, however, sitting at the top of the table undefeated having played a game less than most of the teams in the division. What will be most pleasing for manager Chris Powell is their form on the road as they have won all three of their away matches thus far. A lot of teams have strong home records but more often than not it’s getting consistently good results on the road that makes the difference come the end of the season.

Rochdale have a small squad compared to most sides in League One so it’s likely to be much the same for Eyre in his selection. Charlton have a bigger squad than most and that brings with it more options. It allowed Powell to shuffle the pack on Tuesday night in the League cup defeat against Preston so he may well look to make some changes again tomorrow. One man who will start is Bradley Wright-Phillips who has been in excellent form with five goals in six matches. Johnnie Jackson is another who has started the season really well and his goals from midfield often prove the difference.

Charlton have started the season particularly well and although Rochdale have won their last two the value, for me, lies in the away win.

My Selection: Chartlon to beat Rochdale

Best odds available: 7/5 available with William Hill

Sunday 18th September

English Premier League

Manchester United v Chelsea
Manchester United and Chelsea have had some epic battles in recent times and Sunday’s match may well prove to be another classic at Old Trafford.

Sir Alex Ferguson must be delighted with the start to the season his side have made and may be a little surprise as well. Emphatic defeats of Tottenham, Arsenal and Bolton followed a hard fought win over West Brom on the opening day of the season. Wednesday’s draw in Lisbon with Benfica was also a decent result considering they were well below par and it was a depleted side compared to the one who has played in the Premier League this season. The outfield signings of Phil Jones and Ashley Young look as though they have been at the club for years whilst the emergence of Tom Cleverley and Danny Wellbeck at the start of the season has also been very positive. The one area of concern for Ferguson will have been David de Gea in goals. The young keeper has thrown a couple in the back of the net already but his ability is there for all to see and Ferguson will not be panicking just yet.

Andre Villas-Boas will experience his biggest test as Chelsea boss yet when he takes his side to Old Trafford on Sunday. An acceptable start to the season with 10 points from 12 could be made a whole lot better if he manages to get the better of his new advisory at the first time of asking. Last Saturday’s win over Sunderland was arguably the most impressive performance this season whilst they followed it up with a comfortable enough win against Leverkusen during the week. Villas-Boas rested a couple of his big players with Sunday’s match in mind so he knows the importance of the game even this early in the season. His biggest dilemma will be whether or not to include Fernando Torres from the start. He had a hand in both goals in Europe but has only scored one goal since joining in January. Other options include Nicholas Anelka and Daniel Sturridge whilst Didier Drogba is nearing a comeback after a head injury.

United will almost certainly recall Phil Jones, Rio Ferdinand, Javier Hernandez, Nani and Ashley Young as well as David De Gea in goals. It’s a measure of how big their squad is and how much quality is contained within it when you see the likes of Darren Fletcher, Ryan Giggs, Park Ji Sung and Antonio Valenica likely to drop out on to the bench.

Chelsea may not have as big a squad anymore but they do have more quality than they finished last season with. Juan Mata already has two goals to his name and will be a vital player for them this season. Villas-Boas will be hoping that the little Spaniard can inspire, and link with, Torres and get the best out of the £50m man.

Despite the start Man City have made I still believe that these two sides will fill the top two positions come the end of the season. Many have written Chelsea off as they have not looked as fluent or as dominant as the other two but they do so at their peril. United have been the most impressive thus far and go into Sunday’s game as favourites. Chelsea will be hoping to frustrate United in the early part of the game and use the pace they have in the counter attack.

I think United may just edge the game but the odds are a little skinny for me to get involved in the result. Instead, with the form Rooney is in I am siding with him to score anytime during the 90 minutes.

My Selection: Wayne Rooney to score anytime against Chelsea
Best odds available: 11/8 available with Victor Chandler

Free bet for Manchester United v Chelsea at Bet365

Charlton‘s squad looks to have a bit of quality about it this season and the Addicks look a decent bet at William Hill‘s 9/1 to grab the League 1 crown and start edging back towards a position in the Football League to which their support are more accustomed. It’s been a barren few years for Charlton fans and last season’s 13th place was another new low, but rookie manager Chris Powell has addressed several problems over the summer and made a few shrewd signings which suggests the Londoners should do a lot better this term. Danny Hollands and Rhoys Wiggins both did well for Bournemouth last season and will have learned from their play-off experience with the Cherries, while Paul Hayes should score goals for funs at this level and former Exeter captain Matt Taylor is a good man to have around when the going gets tough. Bradley Wright-Phillips should be all the better with a proper pre-season behind him and adds further quality and Charlton can make a major impact this term.

Another side that catches the eye at bigger odds are Carlisle. No side relishes a trip to Brunton Park in the depths of winter and it’s unlikely the Cumbrians will forfeit many points again this season in front of their own fans. Greg Abbott was obviously fairly happy with last season’s squad because he hasn’t added much to it but the Cumbrians have impressed in pre-season victories over higher-ranked opposition and did win the Johnston’s Paint Trophy last season, which has proved a surprisingly good indicator for the following year on occasion. United can be backed at 50/1 with bwin and William Hill, and get a generous 24 points start on the handicap (18/1) with the latter.

Given last year’s near miss, Huddersfield Town are favourites with most layers, Willam Hill again best at 6/1. Losing a play-off final can be a demoralising blow to a club but Lee Clark‘s squad has plenty of strong characters and the fact that the manager has just spent £1million on Bolton’s Danny Ward suggests he still has the backing of the board for now. The Terriers shouldn’t be far away but I’m yet to be convinced that Sheffield Wednesday are ready to make a title push, despite Gary Megson‘s heavy investment in power over panache. They are 7/1 with William Hill. For once, it’s easy to pick holes in the merits of relegated sides Preston, Sheffield United and Scunthorpe, while the promoted teams could also struggle to acclimatise to a higher level. Last season’s League 2 champions Chesterfield, for example, have lost their best two strikers. 

At the bottom, Bury may find it tough to survive and can be backed for an immedaite return to League 2 at 11/4 with Skybet and Victor Chandler, while Hartlepool also look set for another season of struggle and are the same price with Betfred and totesport for the drop. Oldham’s summer signings have been collectively underwhelming and it would be no surprise if they were to also be looking down rather than up for most of the campaign. Paul Dickov‘s side are 3/1 with Betfred and totesport for relegation.

Saturday 13^th March

English Championship

Ipswich Town v Scunthorpe United

These sides meet for the 2^nd time in the league within a month and both are still on the hunt for the points which will keep them in the Championship.

Roy Keane has made a somewhat underwhelming start to his reign as Ipswich boss. The former Sunderland manager too charge of his first full season in August and harboured realistic dreams of being promoted to the Premier League. He signed some good players and used his contacts to bring in guys who have played at the top level over the last few years. Those dreams of being promoted and ambitions of playing at the top level come August of this year, however, have quickly disappeared and Keane and his men now find themselves locked in a tight relegation battle. Before Tuesday’s home win over Cardiff, Town were 1 point off the relegation zone so the 3 points gained in midweek have given them some breathing space. Ipswich’s main problem is the number of draws they have accumulated, especially at home. They’ve drawn 10 of their 17 league games at Portman Road, losing just 2. They’re obviously hard to beat but they quite clearly also have problems scoring goals. For a side which can boast attackers such as Jon Walters, Pablo Counago, David Healy and Darryl Murphy, 19 goals in 17 home league games is not good enough.

Scunthorpe find themselves below tomorrow’s opponents in the table and right in the mix of the relegation scrap. Nigel Adkins’ men average the 2^nd highest average for goals per game, with 3 goals per game. The statistic is dampened somewhat when you look at their goals against column, especially away from home. The Irons have the worst away defensive record in the Championship, conceding 7 more goals than the 2^nd worst, Watford, with 38. It works out conceding, on average, more than 2 goals a game, so their problems clearly lie at the back end of the pitch. They have managed 3 wins on the road thus far but have lost 11, the 3^rd least in the league. They have lost their last 3 on the road after managing back to back successes away to Derby and QPR. Scunthorpe have only won once since their win at QPR, a 2-1 victory at home to Barnsley in the middle of February. 3 out of their next 4 games are against sides in and around them so they are entering a crucial period of the season and one which they simply must collect points in. Tomorrow’s visit to Ipswich is arguably the hardest of the relegation battles they’ll face so any result will surely be a bonus.

Ipswich have not lost in the league at home since September when a 4-0 mauling to Newcastle served as a wake-up call to Keane who has adopted a slightly more conservative approach. They have won 5 and drawn 5 of their last 10 at Portman Road which is more than decent for a side who were struggling for form. As well as Cardiff, Ipswich have seen off an inform Coventry side and promotion chasing Blackpool, so they are more than capable of holding their own. A key player in their recent good form at Portman Road has been Darryl Murphy. The Irishman is on loan from Sunderland until the end of the season and he’s been the difference in recent games. Murphy has had a point to prove after being left out in the cold by Steve Bruce so the loan move has given him a chance to score goals on a regular basis and he’s done that. He’s notched 5 in 8, including both goals in the win over Cardiff. He’s formed a decent partnership with David Healy, also on loan from Sunderland, and the two have certainly provided Town with more cutting edge up top.

Scunthorpe have not played since the 27^th of February so it will be interesting to see the effect that has had on the players. Adkins is likely to go with Gary Hooper and Paul Hayes in attack once again as the two have 18 between them and are arguably Scunny’s most important players. Playing both, however, can leave them exposed at the back and could possibly explain why they lose so many goals.

I don’t think anyone can argue that Ipswich have the better players but that is often not enough a lot of the time. Roy Keane was faced with moulding these players into a unit and to play as a team. There are some signs that he is achieving this at long last and as such I think they’ll go on from their win on Tuesday, where they bossed a Cardiff side in the play-off picture, and make it back to back home wins.

My selection: Ipswich to beat Scunthorpe at a best priced 8/11 available with Betfred

English Championship

Leicester City v Cardiff City

A match at the opposite end of the table this time as 5^th placed Leicester entertains 6^th placed Cardiff at the Walkers Stadium.

Nigel Pearson has done a remarkable job with Leicester in their first season back in the Championship since winning promotion last season. They sit comfortable in the playoff zone and are on real good run at the moment. They have lost just once in their last 9 with the defeat coming in their most recent game away to Sheffield Wednesday last Saturday. With regards to their home form they have lost just 3 games all season and won 9 of their 17 home matches. They’ve not lost a league game at the Walkers since the beginning of December, winning 5 and drawing 3 of their last 8. Their most recent home game saw an excellent 3-0 win over rivals Nottingham Forest two weeks ago. It’s a win which will have galvanised the team after losing top scorer Matty Fryatt to injury at the beginning of last month.

Cardiff have and indifferent 2010 thus far, with 4 wins, 4 defeats and 3 draws from their 11 league games. They have had to contend with a whole host of problems off field from high court appearances for missed tax payments, through to a catalogue of injuries to high profile, and important players. It has been seen them lose 3 of their last 4 in the league and only 1 goal scored in those 4 games. They turned in arguably their worst performance of the season on Tuesday night in the aforementioned loss to Ipswich. It was a weak, timid display and it infuriated Dave Jones.

The Foxes will be boosted by the loan signing of James Vaughn from Everton on an initial 1 month loan. The young striker has found games hard to come by for the Toffee’s this season but he has undoubted quality and could prove to be a shrewd signing by Pearson for the next few games at least. The bluebirds may be able to call on three players who are recovering for injury. Stephen McPhail, Mark Kennedy and most importantly, Peter Wittingham, are all close to comebacks. Wittingham especially has been a big miss as he’s the league’s top scorer and is also extremely creative. He could return but his sharpness may not be a 100% so it will be interesting to see if he starts the game.

It’s a big match for the promotion picture and one that both sides will be desperate for the win with so many sides bunched up from 7^th to 12^th looking for a way into the play-off zone. Leicester have not lost in the league at home this year and they had an emphatic win over Forest last time out. They are a very disciplined side and are excellent on the break. Cardiff like to play football so there is a chance they’ll set up to win the game which will allow space for the home side to exploit. A win will give them a big advantage in their quest for promotion and I think they can get it.

My selection: Leicester to beat Cardiff at a best priced 11/10 available with Skybet

English League 1

Millwall v Charlton

The New Den will play host to a London derby tomorrow as Millwall battle fellow promotion hopeful’s Charlton.

Kenny Jackett has got his Millwall side hitting top form at the best possible time. They are on a run of 8 wins in their last 10 games which has seen them rise to 5^th in the table and with a 4 point cushion over 7^th placed Huddersfield. Their home form has been excellent all season with 12 wins, 4 draws and just the 1 defeat from their 17 home games thus far. Their solitary loss came back in November and it was a game I tipped them to win comfortably. They lost 2-0 to a Wycombe side who have been in the drop zone all season long. It’s been the sole blip on an otherwise fantastic home record. Their record at home against sides in the playoff picture also reads well. They have defeated Leeds, Colchester, MK Dons, Huddersfield and most recently, Norwich.

Charlton started the season so well and were candidates to win the league let alone gain promotion. Things have tailed off a little, however, and they find themselves closer to 7^th than they do 1st. Things have picked up again and they go into tomorrow’s match having won their last two games, one at home and one away. They wins have come against inferior opposition however, in the shape of Southend and Stockport. They weren’t very impressive in either of the games but they got the points and at this stage, that’s all that matters.

Neil Harris and Steve Morrison have formed an exciting partnership for Millwall in recent weeks and are on form heading into Saturday. Between them they have 24 goals in total 6 in the last 3 matches. They will prove a handful tomorrow and it will be a real test for a Charlton defence who have only kept one clean sheet in their last 15 games.

It’s hard to see past Millwall with such a good home record, they’re in excellent form at the minute and they have proven they are capable of beating the best in the league at home. Charlton are not at their best at this moment in time which is what edges it in the home sides favour for me.

My selection: Millwall to beat Charlton at a best priced 13/10 available with Coral 

Saturday 14^th September

English Championship

Preston North End v Swansea

The home side have started where they left off last season whilst Saturday’s visitors are still coming to terms with the loss of former manager Roberto Martinez who left for Wigan during the summer.

Preston remain unbeaten after 5 games accumulating a total of 9 points in the process. They find themselves just inside the ridiculously early play-off picture in 6^th position, 4 points of current leaders Newcastle United. As mentioned in a previous article, North End had the most amount of home wins in the division last season and have started in a similar vein. From their 4 home games this term, 2 of which were in the League cup, they have won 3 and drawn 1.

Swansea were a somewhat surprise package when promoted to the Championship a year ago. They were in and around the promotion picture for much of last season only to lose out in the final few weeks of the season. They played an open and expansive style of football under Martinez with the likes of Ferrie Bodde, Jordi Gomez and Jason Scotland flourishing. Gomez and Scotland have since followed Martinez to JJB Stadium whilst Bodde is just coming back from a long term injury.

Preston should be able to welcome back influential defender Youl Mawene from injury whilst manager Alan Irvine will be hoping Sean St Ledger will return from international duty ready to take his place alongside Mawene. Swansea will be hoping to give debut’s to Craig Beattie and Abu Bakr whilst prodigal son Lee Trundle will be looking to start his first game of his 2^nd spell at the Swans after a deadline day move from Bristol City.

As ever with Preston, their strengths will lie upfront with a powerful duo of strikers in Neil Mellor and Jon Parkin. Swansea’s task will be made doubly difficulty with the absence of Gary Monk and Rangel who are both suspended for Saturday’s match. North End will be looking for their creative players such as Ross Wallace and Richard Chaplow to provide a bit of spark and take the game to the visitors. I really fancy Preston to have a good season this term and their home form will be key to that. Paulo Sousa, Swans manager, is still to prove himself adept at this level and I can see him and his side on the wrong end of a defeat on Saturday.

My selection: Preston North End to beat Swansea

Best odds available: 5/6 with several bookmakers including StanJames

English League 1

Charlton v Southampton

Four years ago this match was taking place in the Premier League, as it is, Charlton will be entertaining Southampton in the 3^rd tier of English football.

Charlton can boast a 100% record in League 1 so far with 6 wins from their initial half dozen games. They have adapted well to their new league and have been very impressive, especially going forward. They have brushed aside the likes of Walsall, Tranmere and most recently, Brentford. In these last 3 matches they have amassed a total of 8 goals and managed to keep a clean sheet in the same run of games. Phil Parkinson, manager of Charlton, has rejuvenated an ailing club by bringing in experienced faces to mentor and support their prodigious young talent. Deon Burton, Christian Dailly and Miguel Llera have been brought in over the summer. Add their experience to bright, exciting youngsters such as Jay Shelvey, Lloyd Sam and Nick Bailey and you have a more than decent chance of challenging for promotion.

Southampton were relegated along with Saturday’s hosts last season. Their start to this one, however, has been far different to that of Charlton’s. By going into administration they triggered an automatic 10 point deduction meaning they needed 10 points just to be on level par for the season. As yet, they have only managed 4 points, all coming from draws. They still retain several quality players in the shape of Kelvin Davis, Adam Lallana and Marius Saganowski. They have also signed Ricky Lambert from Bristol Rovers who is a prolific goal scorer at this level.   

I watched Charlton’s last match against Brentford and was very impressed with not only their style of play but their control of the football match. Their midfield was particularly good and their wide players, Sam and Bailey, were threats throughout the match – they’ll always create chances. Southampton have proven to be stubborn opponents already this term losing only two of their 6 matches. Both these defeats however have come on the road and they have looked more vulnerable on their travels.

Charlton just look to be on a roll and I can’t see their progress being halted this weekend. I can’t see Southampton edging closer to the level par mark by picking up a point or 3 on Saturday and fully expect Phil Parkinson and his troops to be chalking up another victory and making it a magnificent 7.

My selection: Charlton to beat Southampton.

Best odds available: 8/11 with Coral

Saturday 17^th January

English Premiership

Blackburn Rovers v Newcastle United

Blackburn find themselves at the wrong end of the Premiership and need points desperately. Newcastle seemed to be getting their act together towards the end of last year with victories over Aston Villa and Spurs. Since their victory over Spurs however, they have failed to win any of their following 5 matches, losing 3 of these. One of the key factors of their recent poor run is the absence of key players such as Martins, Beye, Ameobi and Taylor who were all excellent in their decent run during November and December. It is expected that only Steven Taylor has a chance of returning tomorrow which means manager Joe Kinnear goes to Lancashire with another depleted squad.

Rovers are undefeated in the 4 matches that new manager, Sam Allardyce, has presided over. Two of these have resulted in comfortable wins over Stoke and Blyth Spartans in the FA cup. The other two games were games which they should have won. They had several good chances away to Sunderland and should have taken at least one of them, whilst they were cruising at 2-0 up at home to Man City before self-destructing and conceding two goals in the last couple of minutes.

Much talked about striker Roque Santa Cruz returns to the squad for the first time under Allardyce’s reign as does influential midfielder, David Dunn. As I have mentioned already, Newcastle will be without a whole host of players. Apart from those already listed, Geremi, Jose Enrique, Alan Smith and Mark Viduka.

As well as needing the points to get out of the relegation zone, ‘Fat Sam’ will be keen to get one over his former club. It is clear he is still bitter about his hasty departure last season and his relationship with Magpies owner, Mike Ashley, was never the best to begin with so we can safely assume that he does not think a great deal of his former boss.

The key to this game will be how well Newcastle’s defence plays against a talented array of Blackburn strikers. Cruz, Benny McCarthy, Jason Roberts and Matty Derbyshire all have claims of starting tomorrow afternoon. Whoever plays, they will certainly test a leaky Newcastle defence.

Sam Allardyce knows they have to pick up wins soon, especially against sides in and around them. With the two sides experiencing differing injury lists, I feel the home side will just edge a tense 90 minutes.

My selection: Blackburn to beat Newcastle.

The best price available for a Blackburn win is 11/10 available with several bookmakers including William Hill

English Championship

Sheffield Wednesday v Charlton Athletic

I went against Wednesday last week but I am going to side with them this weekend. A lot can change in football in seven days and that has certainly been the case for the home side. A new chairman, the return of a fans favourite, ticket prices slashed, a couple of new players and a couple of players back from injury and things are all rosy in the Owl’s garden again.

Charlton won their first match in an age in their FA cup replay midweek against an equally hapless Norwich side. They have, by all accounts, been playing some good stuff recently without being able to put the ball in the back of the net. It’s a strange on as Andy Gray is a good striker at this level and has a proven track record.

Recent recruit Tom Soares will bolster their midfield and give them a bit of steel in the middle of the park. Their problems, however, lie at the back. They have the 2^nd worst defensive record in the league having conceded 47, 20 of these coming on their travels. Charlton have only won once away from home all season losing 9, including their last 3.

Wednesday have a decent enough home record winning 7, drawing 4 and losing only two games. They will be cheered on by a bumper home crowd and manager Brian Laws has stated that there is a feel good factor about the club again.

My selection: Sheffield Wednesday to beat Charlton

The best price available for a Sheffield Wednesday is 5/6 with several bookmakers including betfred

Scottish Premier League

Hamilton v Inverness Caley Thistle

This is the proverbial relegation 6 pointer in tomorrow’s SPL match at New Douglas Park. The visitors have been on a treacherous run of late, losing their last 6 league matches. They gained their first win in 7, in all competitions, last weekend against 1^st division side, and poor travelers, Partick Thistle.

Hamilton have been relatively impressive in their debut season in the SPL. They managed to pick up a couple of early wins which set them on their way and after a sticky few months, seem to be returning to their early season form. They have picked up maximum points from their last 3 home fixtures with victories over Aberdeen, Motherwell and Kilmarnock. What is even more remarkable is the fact they did not concede in any of these matches, racking up 5 goals at the other end.

Star striker and top scorer, Richard Offiong, will miss tomorrows match due to suspension. They will miss his work-rate, running and goal threat, but manager Billy Reid has recently acquired Paul McGowan from league leaders Celtic, on loan. The young lad has been champing at the bit for first team football and will be looking to prove himself if he gets the nod tomorrow.

ICT fans have been unhappy to the say the least with manager Craig Brewster and his tactics this season. They have vented their frustration at several matches and the highland club is not a happy place to be at the moment. They themselves have brought in a couple of reinforcements with one of them, Felipe Morais, scoring twice on his debut. Having seen a fair bit of him during his time at Hibs, he is a fair weather player. When things are going his way he’s a decent player, when defenders get in his face and things start to go wrong, he is worse than a man down.

Hamilton have several exciting youngsters who have been thriving on their return to Scotland’s top flight. McCarthy and MacArthur have been nothing short of excellent this season and will be looking to help continue their sides recent good form at NDP to increase the gap between themselves and the bottom club.

My selection: Hamilton to beat Inverness Caley Thistle

The best price available for a Hamilton win is 6/5 available with a couple of bookmakers including bet365

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.