The French Connection: A footy treble from across the divisions

The French Connection / Andrew French / 21 November 2008 /

" class="free_bet_btn" rel="external" onclick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/G4/inline-freebet');" target="_blank">

The struggling team that can't win at all, hosting the promotion hopefuls that aren't winning away - I'm kicking off this week's French Connection treble with a suggestion for a draw in the Championship.

Watford v QPR pits together two teams who will badly want just not to lose. The Hornets have seen manager Aidy Boothroyd leave the club, and caretaker Malky Mackay has not been able to reverse the trend that has taken them into the relegation zone. The Hornets have lost their last five league games, conceding 14 goals in the process.

Rangers, meanwhile, were many people's tips for promotion but they too have made a start to the season that has seen their manager, Iain Dowie, depart. Paulo Sousa was appointed as his replacement this week. The former Portuguese international star may only have just arrived but just a glance at the league table will tell him that it is on the road the Hoops are struggling: only one win and two goals in eight games. In fact, the West London club have not scored a league goal away from home since mid-September.

This is Mackay's first home game in charge since stepping into Boothroyd's shoes, and a point would guarantee Watford cannot hit the bottom of the table as well as ending their losing run. A draw would not be so bad for Rangers either, given their results on their travels so far.
Therefore, a draw in the Watford/QPR game at around [3.23] is the first leg of the treble.

And I'm sticking with draws as we move into League One, where the match in question is Brighton v Huddersfield.

Albion have flattered to deceive this season, and after a brush with the play-offs last term they have only four wins to show for their efforts from 16 games - and only two of those have been at home.

They have drawn four of their eight games at the Withdean Stadium, and that can become five when they entertain Huddersfield who are, for the third time, under the caretaker stewardship of Gerry Murphy, following the departure of Stan Ternent.

Murphy engineered a last-minute win away at Leeds United last weekend, but the Terriers have not won back-to-back league games this season, and I think they'll fall short again.

So, part two of the treble is backing the draw in the Brighton/Huddersfield fixture at around [3.4].

Last week's League Two tip, Aldershot, did the business for us, and I am looking for them to help out again - although, this week, I am predicting defeat for the Shots.

They have a miserable away record, with just one win and seven defeats in eight attempts. They have scored a mere seven goals, and conceded 20 - plenty of reasons to suggest they will come unstuck at Chester then.

Mark Wright has returned to the Deva Stadium hot-seat for the third time, and inherits a squad that would be much closer to the foot of the table but for the likes of Luton and Bournemouth having started the season with a negative points tally.

Winning home games to get away from the drop zone is of paramount importance for Wright, so the visit of a team that has lost almost 90% of its away games must be viewed as prime three-point fodder. For that reason, I'm including Chester at around [2.58].

So, this week's French Connection is backing two draws (Watford v QPR and Brighton v Huddersfield) and adding in Chester to beat Aldershot - a treble that will pay around [28.2].