Championship Betting: Forest, Derby and Wolves look to maintain excellent form

Championship / Andrew French / 21 November 2008 / Leave a Comment

Predicting winners in the Championship is no mean feat. The League is filled with teams capable of beating any opponent on their day, which is why Andrew French is on hand to shed some light on who to put your money on this weekend.

A few weeks ago I sat preparing to write my preview of midweek Championship's fixtures, and the bet that really stood out for me was bottom club Nottingham Forest to win at mid-table Crystal Palace.

Rumours had been circulating that manager Colin Calderwood was in the last-chance saloon, and stories emanating from Nottingham were that the players knew they had to buckle down and start performing. However, I pulled back from tipping Forest (who were something like [5]), and sure enough they won the game 2-1.

That win was the start of a four-match unbeaten run - albeit the other three have been draws - and Forest have managed to hold the likes of Birmingham and Derby, and are starting to show they can pull away from the foot of the table.

So, this weekend, I'm backing them to take three points when Norwich City are the visitors in a live Sky game. Forest are available at [2.22].
The Canaries are only just above the drop zone themselves, and are currently without a win in four games. They've lost their last four away games and have not kept a clean sheet since late September.
Neither side are particularly mean at the back, and with that in mind I'm suggesting backing Over 2.5 goals at [2.14].

In the Correct Score market, I'm looking at 2-1 to Forest, which can be backed at [1.5] - and I'll also be adding in Draw/Forest in the Half-Time/Full-Time market at [5.8], as Norwich have shown plenty of resilience in defeat lately, being level at half-time in both of their last two losing games.

Only goal difference separates Ipswich Town and Derby County in the league table, and although the Horses are one place above their visitors to Portman, home advantage does not make me convinced that Ipswich should be just [2.12] to back.

But for a pitifully poor start, Derby would be up among the play-off places on the back of a run of just two defeats in 13 league games. However, because they were so slow out of the blocks that means they are playing catch up. Yet current form combined with the strength in the Derby squad leads me to suggest backing them at [4.1]
Derby's only recent defeat came at Reading (who are awesome at home), while Ipswich were beaten at basement boys Doncaster last weekend.

Elsewhere in the Championship there are three games where I think home wins look pretty much nailed on - you can back them as three singles, or follow me and combine them in a treble on Betfair Multiples.

The aforementioned Reading boast an almost perfect home record and average three goals a game at the Madjeski. Visitors Southampton are in the mire towards the bottom of the table, and their defence will struggle to handle the Royals, who are [1.43] to back.

Leaders Wolves show no signs of stopping and with seven wins out of eight at Molineux, they still look a good bet at [1.57] to see off Blackpool.
Burnley are the surprise package in the top six, and followed up their Carling Cup success at Chelsea with a fine 2-1 win away at QPR. Visitors Doncaster have lost seven successive away league games, and even though they beat Ipswich last week, that's not enough for me to do anything other than back Burnley at [1.65].

As I said though, consider Reading, Wolves and Burnley in a treble that will pay around [3.45] on Betfair Multiples.