Nottingham Forest

Saturday 5th November 2011

English Championship

Cardiff City v Crystal Palace

One point separates Cardiff and Crystal Palace in the table as both sides currently sit in the play-off zone so an attractive match is in proposition tomorrow at the Cardiff City Stadium.

Malky MacKay is four months into his job as Cardiff manager and despite some tricky moments and a lot of rebuilding, he looks to be getting things right on track for another push for promotion. Taking over from Dave Jones was always going to be difficult as he was in charge of some of the most successful Cardiff City teams in recent times. It’s a hard act to follow but the Scot is doing things his own way and getting a lot of success from it. Already in the quarter finals of the League Cup, his side sit fifth in the Championship, one point off tomorrow’s opponents and four points behind second placed West Ham. Their most recent match resulted in an impressive 3-0 success against Derby at Pride Park. It was only their second away win of the season but on the basis of it, it won’t be the last win on the road. Having won three of their last four they are hitting form heading into the Winter months which will delight MacKay as he is well aware that one team always puts together a run between now and Christmas which see’s them in contention for promotion.

Crystal Palace were previewed in this blog last month when they beat our selection, Ipswich, at Portman Road. It was a surprise to me as I felt that they were a far better side at home and that their early season form on the road flattered them somewhat. That’s not proving an error in judgment as they are now unbeaten in nine games in all competitions. Dougie Freedman’s side are also in the last eight of the League Cup so he’s another Scottish manager who is proving to be a hit in the English Championship. Palace have drawn their last two matches 0-0 with Reading and Portsmouth. Standards have been set so high that the Eagle’s fans will probably be disappointed with those results as they were both at Selhurst Park where they have been so strong this campaign. With three defeats and four wins from their seven away games, life is rarely dull on their travels. Their last defeat on the road was over a month ago and confidence will certainly be high, especially as their last away game was that impressive 1-0 win against the Tractor Boys.

MacKay has attempted to blend youth with experience during his overhaul of the playing squad. He has also looked to his fellow countrymen to bolster the players already there with the likes of Craig Conway, Don Cowie and Kenny Miller joining in the summer. All three are internationalists and will be key players in the coming months.

Palace will be hoping that Owen Garvan returns to the squad along with Alexander Tunchev. Both have missed recent games with injuries but are influential players who should at least find themselves on the bench. Jermaine Easter and Glenn Murray are likely to play upfront after forming a very hard working partnership.

Cardiff are on an impressive run of their own with just two defeats in 15 with their home record particularly impressive. From their first seven matches they have won four and drawn two. The only defeat at home has come against Brighton at the beginning of the season.

Their win against Derby was one of authority and they will hopefully have enough to dispose of a stubborn Crystal Palace side.

My Selection: Cardiff to beat Crystal Palace

Best odds available: 20/21 available with Boylesports

English Championship

Portsmouth v Nottingham Forest

Steve Cotterill returns to Fratton Park less than a month after leaving to become Nottingham Forest manager. Portsmouth will be desperate to put one over their former boss as the two sides clash.

Pompey have yet to appoint a full time replacement for Cotterill and it might be having an adverse effect on the players as from the four games since his departure, they have won just once and and lost two of the other three. Guy Whittingham, caretaker manager, is probably unlikely to get the role permanently but he will be doing is utmost to ensure he is being considered. Pompey’s home form has been good through all the upheaval with four wins and two draws from seven games. Their only defeat came against Peterborough at the end of September. After two games on the road where they picked up a solitary point, they will be glad to get back to home comforts and will be especially motivated as their former manager makes a return.

Forest were in dire straights before Cotterill took over in October. Steve McLaren’s reign was nothing short of a disaster and he had to go as players were simply not playing for him any longer. Since Cotterill has took charge their fortunes have definitely changed although their is plenty of room for improvement. Three wins from four matches is a big step in the right direction especially when you consider the calibre of teams they have beaten. Middlesbrough and Reading have been accounted for at the City Ground whilst a 2-1 win away to Blackpool means they have a 100% record on the road under their new boss. The only blot in his short career as Forest manager was a 1-0 loss at home to Hull where they dominated for large spells.

Portsmouth look to have been dealt a massive blow with the loss of their captain Liam Lawrence. The midfielder picked up an injury against Crystal Palace on Tuesday and it looks highly unlikely that he’ll be able to take part tomorrow. Greg Halford may well take his place as the utility man looks as though he’ll return from is own injury.

Forest are unlikely to change a winning formula after their 1-0 success against Reading. Cotterill has looked to stabalise the team and shored things up at the back. He will be looking towards Marcus Tudgay for their goals with the striker having notched in two of his four games in charge.

Passions are likely to be running high tomorrow come 3pm at Fratton Park. For all the good Cotterill did under immense pressure during his time with Portsmouth, football fans are a fickle lot and all they will remember is that he left their club for another, a rival in their own division.

It’s a more speculative punt than normal as a lot has to be taken on faith with regards to how well Forest are currently playing or if they have been successful because of the immediate impact of a new manager. Portsmouth have a small squad and with the loss of their influential captain it seems even more condensed. They don’t score too many at the best of times and with Lawrence out, they could be vulnerable against a team who look to be on a roll whatever the reason for their upsurge in form.

Cotterill will know these players inside out and as he’s a very shrewd character, the value may well lie in the away win.

My Selection: Nottingham Forest to beat Portsmouth

Best odds available: 85/40 available with Victor Chandler

There will be another preview for Sunday’s games so check back on Saturday night

Also, I have succumbed to the Twitter craze and will be updating regularly with my thoughts on football and horse racing so if you wish, follow me @CReilly1967

Nottingham Forest start their Championship Campaign on Saturday as they host Barnsley. As proud sponsors of Nottingham Forest, online bookmaker Victor Chandler have launched a football betting promotion surrounding their quest. Forest finished in sixth place in the Championship last year, taking up the last play off spot in the division. However, things did not pan out as they fell to Swansea City in the semi finals. That was a bitter disappointment of course and now they will have to start all over again. They are one of the favourites, along with West Ham, to book promotion back to England’s top flight next season. As sponsors, Victor Chandler are offering their Forest Freebie. If you back Nottingham Forest to win the nPower Championship as outright winners (at a current price of 14/1 with VC Bet at the moment), if they fail to win the league but do get promoted through the play offs, then Victor Chandler will refund your lost stake as a free bet. This means that having a good punt on Nottingham Forest looks to be very good value at the moment. Forest played some smart football last season, and if they can build upon that, then they have every chance of pushing hard for a Premier League place. It is worth doing your Championship betting at Victor Chandler for this, and the maximum refund is £50 per person and applies to each way and win bets only.

This Victor Chandler Forest Freebie is time sensitive and you need to get your bet in by the end of 31/8/11 in order for it to qualify.

As one of our highly recommended online bookmakers, Victor Chandler really offer a lot for all of your football betting. New customers to Victor Chandler can get a free £25 bet when they open a new account with the popular bookie as well. So back Forest with VC Bet and take the coverage of them not winning outright but getting promoted through the play offs! A great offer!

Championship Outright Winner Odds at Victor Chandler
Leicester City: 7/2
West Ham: 7/2
Nottingham Forest: 14/1
Blackpool: 14/1
Middlesbrough: 16/1
 

Saturday 15^th January

English Premier League

Stoke City v Bolton Wanderers

Stoke and Bolton have had to deal with some unfair criticism during their Premier League tenure, but both have had a good first half to the season and will look to continue it at the Britannia tomorrow.

Tony Pulis’ side has been battered from pillar to post ever since they were promoted to England’s top flight for their style of play. Critics have attempted to downplay their incredible achievements by branding them too physical and even setting out to injure other opponents. Such claims are downright ridiculous and it’s a credit to Pulis who has gone about his business in a quiet and dignified manner. His side are currently enjoying their third consecutive season in the Premier League and they’re comfortably set in mid-table as we approach the second half of the campaign. Occupying 11^th spot in the table, Stoke are six points off the relegation zone but also the same number of points from the final European spot. A key difference in their performance this season as opposed to the previous two, as that they have accrued more points on the road. Normally so strong at home, the Potters have won three games away already, just one fewer than their whole total of last season and one more than their debut year.

Owen Coyle has enjoyed the exact opposite reaction from pundits than his opponent tomorrow. Journalists and colleagues alike have praised his brand of football and lauded him for turning Bolton into a football playing side. For years Wanderers were criticised for being too physical, like Stoke, and for playing route one football, like Stoke. Sam Allardyce’s sides always had a touch of quality about them with the likes of Jay Jay Okocha and Youri Djorkaeff pulling the strings so the criticism was very unfair. It was slightly more understandable when Gary Megson had the manager’s job as his sides tended to be far more reserved and disciplined with little flexibility. Coyle has transformed that viewpoint however and his midfield is much more dynamic with creativity in abundance. Having played one more game than tomorrows opponents, Bolton find themselves three points better off, despite having won just one in their last six league games.

Stoke have completed the permanent transfer of Jermaine Pennant from Real Zaragoza as they look to finish in the top half of the table for the first time since their return. The winger had been in excellent form during his loan spell and linked up really well with the likes of Tuncay, Ricardo Fuller and Kenwyne Jones. More than that, however, he provided a real balance with Matty Etherington on the left wing. Bolton also have a number of player who have been a real threat going forward this season. Aside from Kevin Davies, Johan Elmander, Stuart Holden and Lee Chung-Yong have been a menace for Premier League defences. Coyle will have to do without Lee, however, as he is on International duty with South Korea in the Asian cup.

Bolton are currently experiencing their leanest run of the season with just four points from a possible 18. Their away form has also been very poor of late as they have lost their last four on the road scoring just one goal. Stoke know that they can bully teams at home with their physicality and their ability to hem teams in with their style of play. Whether that’s possible against Bolton, a strong team themselves, remains to be seen. However with the form Bolton are in on the road, and the fact Stoke brushed aside Everton last time out, I fancy the home side to edge this.

My Selection: Stoke City to beat Bolton

Best odds available: 6/5 available with Boylesports

English Championship

Nottingham Forest v Portsmouth

Nottingham Forest put their incredible home record on the line again with Portsmouth the latest side attempting to leave the City Ground with all three points.

Billy Davies has overseen a fantastic run of 31 Championship games unbeaten at home which is the envy of all of his rivals. This league is notoriously difficult to get out of and one of the most important ingredients for doing is a strong home record. Davies, who has already been promoted with Forest’s arch rivals Derby, knows that there are obviously other things needed, but will be especially pleased with how difficult it is to come to the City Ground these days. Six wins and six draws already this term, Forest are beginning to put a run together which would see them challenge the teams above them in the hunt for promotion. One defeat in nine has saw them rise to seventh in the table just a couple of points behind Watford with a game in hand.

Portsmouth have had a pretty normal season compared to last year and Steve Cotterill has used this to his advantage by steering Pompey clear of any real danger of relegation. Currently in 18^th position and five points clear of the final relegation spot, 2011 will hopefully, for Pompey supporters, see a fresh start for the club after all their recent problems, on and off the park. Working with such a small squad is never easy so Cotterill and his players have to be commended for their performance thus far. A key player for them has been Liam Lawrence as the experienced midfielder has brought some much needed quality and composure to the South coast club. Having already chipped in with seven league goals, his involvement between now and the end of the season is vital if the club are to consolidate and move forward. He was a doubt earlier on in the week but should be fit to take his place on Saturday.

The visitors have failed to win a game in their last five in all competitions. They were also soundly beaten last time out in the FA Cup away to Brighton. Forest, who were victorious in the cup, have Marcus Tudgay available again whilst captain Paul McKenna will also return. Pompey will have to do without Dave Kitson and Greg Halford.  Both will be missed as they provide both experience and quality.

With such a threadbare squad, lessened even more with injuries, Portsmouth have it all to do, especially as they have to travel to a ground where no visiting side has left with three points for over a year. Forest are hitting form just at the right time and they should account for tomorrow’s opponents as they continue their quest for promotion to the Premier League.

My Selections: Nottingham Forest to beat Portsmouth

Best odds available: 8/11 available with Betfred

Scottish Premier League

Aberdeen v St Mirren

Amazingly just one points separate’s Aberdeen and St Mirren as we approach February but that’s the case as the two meet at Pittodrie tomorrow.

Craig Brown has had an immediate effect since becoming Aberdeen boss at the end of 2010. Before that, Aberdeen were enduring a horrific season under former manager Mark McGhee which culminated in seven straight defeats. Brown has came in from Motherwell, with his assistant Archie Knox, and instilled some much needed organisation and discipline within the squad. He has sought to strengthen the squad with the introduction of David McNamee at full back and Nick Blackman upfront. Blackman was on loan at Motherwell for the first half of the season, he impressed with 10 goals so it was natural Brown would be interested in him again at his new employers. The former Scotland manager has used his lengthy list of contacts to further bolster his squad with Fulham midfielder Robert Milsom joining until the end of the season as well.

Danny Lennon’s first season managing at this level has been one of inconsistency and frustration. St Mirren continue to struggle at the wrong end of the table, where they are just four points off bottom, and fail to turn good performances into points. Lennon doesn’t have the resources available to him that Brown will at Aberdeen, but even still, he will be annoyed with the amount of missed chances taken by his misfiring strikers. All of this was highlighted last week in the Scottish Cup as they were held to a goalless draw at home to second division Peterhead.

Aberdeen, on the other hand, ran riot against lower league opposition in the cup hitting East Fife for six. The man who got a hat-trick that day, Chris McGuire, is bang in form and enjoying a new lease of life under his new manager. St Mirren can take solace from the fact that they won last time out on the road against Inverness. They are actually unbeaten in the last three on the road which should provide some encouragement.

If this match took place a month ago then I believe it would have a very different complexion on it. Aberdeen were struggling whilst St Mirren were putting a run of form together. However it’s not and with Brown having such a positive impact up North, I feel the value is definitely with the home side tomorrow.

My Selection: Aberdeen to beat St Mirren

Best odds available: 10/11 available with William Hill

Once again, there are three golden tickets to the Premier League up for grabs this season, with QPR currently in the box seat to be one of the promoted clubs from the Championship. Neil Warnock couldn’t have imagined that his team would enjoy such a near-perfect start, which has seen the Super Hoops drop just four points to leave them six points clear of the chasing pack and with an outstanding goal difference of +21.

While it is too early to talk about QPR as being ‘past the post’, the west London side are no bigger than 13/10 with William Hill to win the league and it is likely that the club will strengthen in January if Rangers continue to stay at the top of the Championship. Every bookmaker go odds on that the league leaders are promoted this term and Coral have 4/7 on offer.

You can throw a blanket over the chasing pack and it is Cardiff who are in second place after ten matches. The Bluebirds have wobbled a little in recent weeks, although returned to winning ways with victory at Barnsley in their last game and are buoyed by the return of Craig Bellamy from injury. Bet365 offer a best price 6/4 that the Welsh team are celebrating promotion this season and you can get 5/1 with Sky Bet that they land the title.

There are then a range of teams who are between 14/1 and 20/1 in the outright betting, all of whom could take advantage of any QPR slip-up this season but have so far shown too much inconsistency. The one side that catches the eye is Nottingham Forest, who are on offer at 18/1 with Blue Square. The Tricky Trees have once again had a slow start to their campaign, although Billy Davies’ men are now 10th and have only lost once all season.

Burnley have once again shown two sides this term, going unbeaten at Turf Moor in their five matches to date and failing to win any of their games on the road. Providing that Brian Laws can figure out a way of winning away, then the Clarets should be in the mix and Ladbrokes offer a tempting 14/1 that the Lancashire side finish top of the pile.

Another team whose target is promotion are managed by Roy Keane and Ipswich Town are having a much better campaign than last season where a slow start meant they were scrapping against relegation for much of the season. Not so this term and the Tractor Boys are 14/1 with Coral to win the Championship. Keane has steered Sunderland to the promised land of the Premier League and he is 7/2 with Coral to do the same with Ipswich.

Meanwhile, there is a hot race going on for the Top Goalscorer award in the Championship, with Burnley’s Chris Iwelumo on offer at 6/1 with bet365 and Jamie Mackie available at 8/1 with Coral. The latter has been an inspiration for QPR and was recently called up by Scotland.

There are only six teams that can realistically win the Premier League, although there are at least a dozen sides who have the potential to finish top of the Championship. While Newcastle cruised to the title last season, it looks set to be more competitive this time around, with fifteen teams currently trading at 20/1 or lower.

It’s Middlesbrough who are the favourites to win the English second flight and potentially join fellow north-east clubs Newcastle and Sunderland in the Premier League next term. They have certainly been the big spenders of the Championship this summer, recruiting Barry Robson, Willo Flood, Scott McDonald and Stephen McManus from former club Celtic. However, the real coup de grace is the acquisition of Kris Boyd and that means the bookies are offering no bigger than 7/1 (Victor Chandler) about Boro.

Most firms have Nottingham Forest as second favourite to win the league and they should certainly be featuring at the right end of the table come May. Billy Davies steered his team to third place last season and there are several young players in the squad who should improve. The Tricky Trees should have plenty of firepower in Robert Earnshaw and Dexter Blackstock, with Coral offering a best price 9/1 that they win the league.

The team that finished like a train in the Championship last season were Reading, who were relegation candidates after the first few months of the campaign but ended up close to the play-offs. Brian McDermott deserves tremendous credit for turning around the Royals’ fortunes and they are 14/1 (Sporting Bet) to continue making progress by winning the league.

Former Reading boss Steve Coppell is sure to get a warm reception when he returns to the Madejski Stadium next season with his Bristol City team. It’s a shrewd appointment by the Robins as they look to finally make the big time and Sky Bet offer 20/1 that the supporters at Ashton Gate are toasting a title-winning campaign. Striker Nicky Maynard is one reason why they might be riding high, although the manager will be concerned by how many goals were conceded last term.

It’s unusual to see the three relegated teams from the Premier League so low in the outright betting list. Burnley are 11/1 (totesport) to bounce back from last season’s relegation, although the bookmakers expect Hull City (22/1 bet365) and Portsmouth (28/1 Coral) to have a much tougher time of things on their return to the Championship.

Queens Park Rangers are back among the favourites this season, two years after Flavio Briatore bought the west London club. In that time, several managers have come and gone, although Neil Warnock is a manager well-versed in the Championship and the Super Hoops are 12/1 (Coral) to win the league. Roy Keane’s Ipswich Town (16/1 Paddy Power) are also among the favourites, although it could be a couple of promoted teams that feature near the top.

Leeds United have finally made it out of League One and are 18/1 (Blue Square) to make it a double promotion by winning the Championship. However, they were faltering badly towards the end of the campaign and that allowed Norwich (18/1 Victor Chandler) to win the league. Perhaps the Canaries can have another season to remember.

Saturday 17^th April

English Championship

Blackpool v Nottingham Forest

Both of these sides have aspirations of playing in the Premier League next season so there’s a lot on the line as Forest travel North to take on Blackpool at Bloomfield Road.

Ian Holloway has done a marvellous job this season to even get his side close to the play-off picture. In a league where the likes of Middlesbrough, Ipswich and Sheffield United are all behind Blackpool, it’s testament to the hard work and endeavour of one of the more colourful characters in the game. Holloway has transformed a side who were only ever hoping for a mid-table finish at best into a side who currently sit 2 points off the final play-off position with 3 games to go. Their success this season has been built on a very good home record. They have won 12 of their 21 home games, losing just 4 all season long. After a lull during January and February, they have picked up again and have went on a run of 1 defeat in 6 before last week’s defeat to Newcastle at St James’ Park – where everybody has struggled this season.

Nottingham Forest secured their play-off position last week with a comfortable win over Ipswich. Forest had a sustained challenge for automatic promotion which only petered out in the last couple of months, which can be put down to the loss of some key personnel to injury. Billy Davies will be determined to get his side back on a consistent run of good form before the play-off begins however, and after guiding Derby to the Premier League through the play-offs, as well as leading Preston to the play-off final before that, there is nobody better for the challenges which lie ahead. Forest, however, have struggled on the road of late and have not won on the road since their demolition of West Brom at the Hawthorns at the beginning of January. It’s a run of form which has seen them lose 7 and draw 1 of their last 8 on the road, scoring just 4 goals in the process.

Blackpool’s key player without a doubt has been Charlie Adam. Their skipper moved from Rangers in the summer for £500,000 and has never looked back. He has scored 15 goals from midfield and has been the catalyst for ‘Pool’s promotion bid. His form has earned him a call-up to the Scotland squad and he has been linked with a lucrative move to the Premier League in recent weeks. His future could lie in the top league with another club should Blackpool be unsuccessful in their bid to gain promotion, despite this, he will be as committed as anyone to push his side as far as they can go.

There has never been much between these sides when they play, as shown by the numerous draws in recent times (5 of the last 7 have ended in stalemates). This time around, however, a draw is not much good to the home side who need all 3 points to keep the pressure on Swansea and Leicester above them. With a play-off place assured and the likelihood it will be 3^rd place at that, I think Blackpool’s desire will be greater and can see them sneaking all 3 points.

My selection: Blackpool to beat Nottingham Forest at a best priced 6/5 with Betfred

English League 1

Gillingham v Leeds United

I think it’s always wise towards the end of the season to concentrate on matches involving teams who have something to play for and that is certainly the case for both Gillingham and Leeds.

Gillingham are still in deep trouble at the bottom end of the table where they currently lie 3 points and one place from the relegation zone, directly above Tranmere who have a game in hand as well. They are there in no small part because of their dreadful away form which reads zero wins, 6 draws and 15 defeats. It’s a shocking record which would normally see a side already relegated in most leagues. However, their home form has compensated for this somewhat as they have lost just 3 games all season at Priestfield, winning 10 and drawing the other 8. It’s the home form of a side who could be chasing promotion yet they are most definitely hampered by their inability to win away from home. Their recent home record is good as well, with 3 wins and 3 draws from their last 6.

Leeds are starting to recover from a shocking run of form which has saw them lose their lead at the top to Norwich, drop out of the automatic promotion spots for a couple of weeks, only to climb back up to 2^nd after 3 successive wins. Those run of wins were preceded by 4 straight defeats at the most crucial part of the season. Their return to form is most welcome for Simon Grayson who must have had visions of last season’s collapse at a similar stage. Their away form for much of the season has been pretty good with 11 wins and 5 draws from their 21 matches on the road thus far. They have won their last two away from home as well, against both Yeovil and Carlisle, and perhaps most encouragingly for all concerned with the club, is the fact they have created chance after chance in both these games.

Leeds have an excellent record against sides in the bottom half of the table away from home and will be looking to consolidate and continue this tomorrow. Gillingham have done reasonably well against the top sides at home, losing only to Norwich. I don’t think there is much between Leeds and Norwich when both are on form and the signs are there that Simon Grayson’s side are coming back to their best in recent games. They know they have to keep on winning with it being so tight for that 2^nd automatic promotion spot. A win tomorrow puts them within touching distance of playing in the Championship again and it’s a win I’m backing them to get.

My selection: Leeds to beat Gillingham at a best priced 5/6 available with Totesport

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.