The Championship Betting: Royals can put in a majestic performance at the Madejski as QPR come to town

Championship / Andrew French / 24 October 2008 / Leave a Comment

Andrew French talks us through the best of the betting in The Championship this weekend where he expects Sheffield United to find some luck, Reading to continue their promotion challenge and Norwich to make the most of having Leroy Lita on loan.

It's much talked about and widely lauded - Reading's form at the Madejski Stadium has been simply eye-catching. And I don't see QPR offering much of a challenge to the only 100% record in the four English divisions when they visit Berkshire for the Saturday teatime game on Sky.

Okay, so the Royals' midweek 2-1 success over Doncaster was somewhat laboured, but the way they responded to Rovers' equaliser in the second half suggested that perhaps Steve Coppell's side did have another gear or two to go through.

This weekend's visitors, Rangers, were widely tipped to mount a title challenge with so much cash slopping around in the Loftus Road coffers. However, despite some potentially exciting signings, the West London outfit are still looking a little short of the likes of Reading, Birmingham and Wolves.

Persistent rumours of a rocky relationship between owner Flavio Briatore and manager Iain Dowie can't help matters.

It's on the road that Rangers have particularly struggled - only one win six attempts, and just two goals - but their current form is none too impressive either, with a single win in five outings.
Therefore, I'd advocate backing Reading at [1.76] but I'm confident enough to suggest Reading/Reading in the Half-Time/Full-Time market at [2.8].

However, despite Reading have scored goals for fun at home (21 in six games), bear in mind that 14 of those arrived in three fixtures. Rangers may not be winning on the road but they are not getting thrashed either, with just six goals against in half a dozen outings. Therefore, I think backing Under 2.5 goals at [2.22] is not the risky bet the bare stats might suggest.

Blackpool helped ruin my midweek acca by beating Derby 3-2, and I think the Seasiders may be able to build on that success and see off Crystal Palace at Bloomfield Road.

Simon Grayson's side are now unbeaten in four home league games, and they will be well aware that taking as many points as they can at home is key to avoiding being sucked towards the wrong end of the table.

Visitors Palace were unlucky to lose to a stoppage-time goal at Birmingham, but they have been generally poor travellers, with just one win in six attempts - and that was at basement boys Nottingham Forest. It's Blackpool for me at [2.52].

Having drawn a blank in their last two games, I cannot believe Sheffield United will remain goalless for a third consecutive game with the abundance of attacking riches they have at their disposal.

By all accounts they battered Southampton during the 0-0 draw on Tuesday - but that game came less than 48 hours after defeat in the Sheffield derby. With greater recovery time and a bit more luck in front of goal, I'm confident they can cater for Preston, who have lost their last three away games.

North End made a flying start to the season but have since won just once in eight games, and I think United will have too much for them - I'll be backing Kevin Blackwell's charges at [1.87].

Another team to screw up my midweek bets was Norwich, although I doubt I wasn't alone in failing to predict they would trounce Wolves 5-2 at Carrow Road. They had gone four games without a win before that, but on-loan striker Leroy Lita found his touch with a hat-trick and the Canaries will be brimming with confidence for the visit of Doncaster.

As already discussed, Rovers gave a good account of themselves at Reading in the week, but they are finding life tough having made the step up from League One. Five consecutive away defeats underline that, and I'll be backing Norwich at [1.8] to extend that to six.

Combining Reading, Blackpool, Sheffield United and Norwich as a fourfold on Betfair Multiples offers a tempting price around [13.4], and I'll be having a little of that.