Championship / Andrew French / 18 September 2009 / Leave a comment

He was brave enough to oppose Newcastle in midweek; now Andrew French is looking to the bottom of the Championship for this weekend's main selections and can see wins for struggling Peterborough and Barnsley.

"...the pressure is definitely on Reading boss Rodgers though, whose much-changed side have struggled to recapture the form they showed under previous boss Steve Coppell."

They are without a win so far this season but Peterborough have been knocking on the door as they steadily adapt to life in the Championship, and I fancy them to open their account by beating struggling Reading - a result which would turn up the heat on the Royals' new manager Brendan Rodgers.

Posh have drawn their last three games - two of them away from home - and the most recent point was claimed at Leicester, who do not give up anything lightly at the Walkers Stadium where they are unbeaten in more than a year.

Darren Ferguson has not panicked at Peterborough despite the winless start and stuck to his game plan: the pressure is definitely on Reading boss Rodgers though, whose much-changed side have struggled to recapture the form they showed under previous boss Steve Coppell. The Berkshire club has won just once so far (at struggling Barnsley) and have failed to find the net in five of their seven league games. Back Peterborough to add to their woes at [2.52].

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It might be a bit too soon to claim Mark Robins as a saviour, but he clearly has had an effect at Barnsley. They were shot-shy in defeat at Watford last weekend, but stormed to an impressive 3-2 win at Derby in midweek. Their home form so far is dire (three defeats, one goal scored and eight conceded) and Robins will know that must rapidly improve. Therefore, visitors Swansea provide a fine opportunity for the Tykes to claim their first three Oakwell points of the season.

The Welsh side have been slow out of the blocks under new manager Paulo Sousa and Tuesday's goalless draw with Doncaster made it just one win in seven league games - and without last season's top scorer Jason Scotland, they have netted only three times. Therefore, get behind Barnsley at [2.56].

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Certainly not the most attractive odds you'll back a team at this season, but it would be folly not to invest something on Newcastle as they host basement boys Plymouth. Tuesday's home defeat to Watford took the Pilgrims to the bottom of the table, and although manager Paul Sturrock feels they just need the rub of the green to turn things around, they are going to require much more than better fortunes to make the long journey home from Tyneside anything other than miserable.

The Toon suffered their first defeat of the season at Blackpool on Tuesday, but they have won all three home league games without conceding a goal. It's difficult to see Argyle altering that, and even at [1.41], I'd back Newcastle.

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It's starting to get a bit embarrassing for Ipswich and their high-profile manager Roy Keane: seven games, no wins, three points. Keane is clearly losing patience, and the likes of Gareth McAuley and Ben Thatcher have been told they are surplus to requirements. The Tractor Boys failed to build upon the early lead they took against Nottingham Forest in midweek and ended up with only a point, but Keane would probably take a share of the spoils if he were offered it before this weekend's trip to Doncaster.

Sean O'Driscoll's side will doubtless be happy to bob around in mid-table after doing so well to stay up last term, and with four draws in seven games so far, not getting beaten is clearly the name of their game. With the need to grab something out of the game so important to Keane and his side, I would be happy to lay Doncaster at [2.46].

*(Andrew is showing a profit of approximately £130 (£10 level stake/liability) on all his selections so far this season)

Tags: Brendan Rodgers, Doncaster, Ipswich, Newcastle United, Plymouth, Reading, Roy Keane, The Championship, The Championship Betting