The Championship Betting: Nothing to fear from the Forest for these Owls

Championship / Andrew French / 11 September 2009 / Leave a Comment

Brian Laws receives high fives and cuddles from one of his Sheffield Wednesday players last season. Will these scenes be repeated on Saturday?

"They showed their well-being before the international break with a 3-1 win at Plymouth and although they were beaten at Port Vale in the Carling Cup, their Championship form has been solid enough so far to suggest they are safer conveyances for our money in the bread and butter league games."

Andrew French has been in scintillating form this season with his Championship selections, and he fully expect wins for The Owls, The Baggies and Boro this Saturday. It's not such good news for The Royals however.

I'm struggling to fathom why Sheffield Wednesday are as big as [2.3] to beat Nottingham Forest at Hillsborough on Saturday - and would advise you to back them at anything close to that price.

Including games at the end of last season, the Owls have won three of their last four home league games and netted nine times in the process. They showed their well-being before the international break with a 3-1 win at Plymouth and although they were beaten at Port Vale in the Carling Cup, their Championship form has been solid enough so far to suggest they are safer conveyances for our money in the bread and butter league games. Forest's form only adds to my confidence - one win from five so far this term, and only two away-day successes in the league during 2009. I make Wednesday at [2.3] my best bet this Saturday.

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There could well be big black clouds over both dressing rooms at Vicarage Road. Watford have seen three senior first-team players leave during the closing stages of the transfer window, while Barnsley showed manager Simon Davey the door after a start that has left them bottom of the table with just one point to their name.

I always thought Barnsley would struggle again this season and the club obviously felt the same, judging by the speed with which they wielded the axe. I don't like backing against a new manager in his first match but I think Mark Robins will need more than two days to get his new charges in order.

Watford had the basis of a side that could perhaps have moved up the table rather than down it, but losing striker Tommy Smith and defender Mike Williamson to Portsmouth hurts them at both ends of the pitch. However, the encouraging start by new signing Danny Graham in attack coupled with the fact the Hornets' home form last season was still decent even though they struggled, gives me the confidence to side with them at [2.06].

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Doncaster confounded many people by staying up quite comfortably last season, and they have already tucked themselves into a cosy mid-table position this term. Their win over high-flying Cardiff last time out shows they can certainly mix it with anyone on their day, and they will be full of confidence heading to Reading - where the hosts are still very much feeling their way into the new season.

Manager Brendan Rodgers was always going to change things when he took over from Steve Coppell, although quite whether he'd have planned to lose Kevin Doyle and Stephen Hunt is another matter. The Royals did win their first game of the season before the international, but that was at basement boys Barnsley. Doncaster will be a tougher nut to crack and I fancy them to frustrate their hosts as they move through this transitional period - therefore, lay Reading at [1.93].

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Nothing particularly clever in my last couple of recommendations, but I suggest backing both West Brom [at 1.42] and Middlesbrough [at 1.8].

Both sides have impressed since dropping out of the Premier League, and both host sides who have done anything but impress so far this season. Plymouth just avoided the drop last season and look destined to be slugging it out at the foot of the table again so a visit to Albion is not going to offer much relief.

Meanwhile, Boro host Ipswich whose manager Roy Keane has already shown his squad he rules with a rod of iron by ringing the changes after just two points from the first five games - but they will need to make some drastic improvements in order to trouble Gareth Southgate's side.