League One Tips: Tough start for new Black Cats boss Johnson

Johnson faces tough assignment at Lincoln

Lincoln City v Sunderland
Saturday December 12th, kick-off 15:00

It's all change again at Sunderland following the recent news that Lee Johnson has been appointed as the new head coach. The Mackems board have deemed replicating the European model is the way forward, so Johnson will try to bring a winning mentality to the club.

But that is the problem, and the crux of the matter here, the club just do not have that mentality. A European model sounds great on paper, but to me, it's just a sound byte at the moment with a new appointment.

In the long run, the 39-year-old could turn out to be a good appointment as he played some attacking football with Bristol City, but the Black Cats have no divine right to be winning this division, just like Ipswich don't. And that always impacts on the price.

At 2.6613/8 on their travels, it's a poor price against one of the better teams in the league.

Lincoln produced a bit of a masterclass on Saturday by beating Rochdale 2-0 - and indeed, a winning selection for the column.

The local press has described their season thus far as "no flash in the pan", which is true, and manager Michael Appleton has got his players working to the system, the ethos and using game intelligence - something he touched on with the players working out a press following Rochdale's change in tactics.

Lincoln are 2.8815/8, so we'll double up on the Draw No Bet, and I can see the game being a low-scoring one as the Imps have collected four clean sheets at home this season.

Burton will have no possession, but might be able to nick a draw

MK Dons v Burton Albion
Saturday 12th December, kick-off 15:00

It seems as though MK Dons have turned a corner, although if you've ever driven in Milton Keynes, a roundabout would be more apt. There are plenty of them.

Russell Martin's passing game is paying off and they've now collected two outstanding wins against Sunderland and Charlton. However, asking to take 1.875/6 on them this weekend is too short.

Burton aren't the force they used to be in this division as they were under Nigel Clough, and following on from Clough has been a tough gig for Jake Buxton. His team started poorly, but they have managed to collected a few draws recently. Plenty of them in fact, with six from their last 11.

Buxton's team have given away some cheap goals this season, whilst MK Dons had a problem of conceding very early. The game plan here will be much the same with the Dons, they'll have all the ball, whilst Burton will have to soak up pressure without possession - but they did that with 1-1 draws against Sunderland and Crewe - and they had just 28% of the ball against the Black Cats.

The Dons of course should win, but Burton might be good enough to nick something from this and the Double Chance appeals at around 3.02/1.

Tangerines are dreaming of moving up the table again

Blackpool v Oxford United
Saturday 12th December, kick-off 15:00

Do you remember a time when Blackpool were always going off a false price without winning? How times have changed, because the Tangerines are now one of the form teams in the division. They've won five of their last six with 1-0 successes against Portsmouth and Fleetwood, so it's understandable that Neil Critchley's team are chalked up at 2.186/5.

Blackpool's possession-based game lacked a bit of firepower, but veteran forward Gary Madine has added something and they are playing a lot better, and with a lot more confidence.

The same cannot be said for Oxford, who are nowhere near the levels when reaching the play-offs last season.

A lack of clean sheets has been the Achilles' heel for Karl Robinson's team, who are a centre-back light it seems. His young defence kept a clean sheet in the 0-0 against Ipswich recently, and rather surprisingly, was their first of the season.

It's hard to back them with any conviction even at a bigger price of 3.5551/20, and the other question is can they replicate the very good first 45 minutes against Hull City?

I'm not so sure, and it's a bit of a U-turn for me in backing Blackpool, but they were so good in seeing off Portsmouth in what was their best display of the season, and a performance along those lines again should be good enough.