Source - http://www.football-lad.com/championship-preview-week-5/ - Worth a look But will post it anyway.... Well after a great start to the season, plenty of unexpected results and more money being spent by Sven. Hopefully that will continue this weekend, and no doubt the competitive nature of the division we will see some shocks. The problem for managers or the good for supporters of lower teams is the fact that this is football and anyone can win on the day. And for me I think this weekend you will see a few more shocks, however I feel the big teams may start to hit form now. However I wonât pretend I know of injury worries each team has but I will give you my views and you may not agree but I doubt anyone will ever agree fully on the 12 games in the Championshipâ¦.. Brighton v Peterborough Two teams that have come up from League one, who have shown what they want to achieve in their transfer window. Brighton may have being the busier of the two with the well-publicised signings of Bergkamp and Craig Mackail-Smith, but their whole squad has that balance that Norwich had last year. Peterborough yet again will no doubt rely on Sir Alex sending them a couple of players. The attacking nature of both sides will produce a great game, and for me I see goals everywhere in this game. But I think Brighton have a bit of a solid nature to them to. Jamesâs Prediction: Brighton 3 -2 Peterborough. Crystal Palace v Blackpool Having seen both of these two sides live, and one I was impressed with and one I was really not. Both sides came to the KC and played the same way but Blackpool seemed to have a bit more quality and bit more of a cutting edge. Crystal Palace are a very physical side, and the pace that they have on the wings and upfront will be key, but for me that is more a key skill they can use away from home. Blackpool though have far more than Palace, and although they look solid so far I can see Blackpool rolling them over. Jamesâs Prediction: Crystal Palace 1 â 2 Blackpool. Derby V Burnley Burnley since they came down from the Championship have tended to be a very busy side in the transfer window and on paper you would say they are a better side than what Derby have. However they have lost that bit of quality they had, they have got a very workman like side. Derby have addressed the problems they had at the back, and they have matched that so far with goals going in at the right end. Burnleyâs form so far has being pretty poor and Derbyâs being pretty good and I donât see it going any other way than the home sides. Jamesâs Prediction: Derby 2 â 0 Burnley. Doncaster v Bristol City I have long being an admirer of Doncaster and how their manager tends to set up Doncaster, every time I have seen them they seem to be able to score at pretty much any opportunity. However so far this year they have literally not got anything working and I donât see their season starting this season. Bristol may not have started amazingly and I feel they havenât done enough in the transfer window to be up there. But they have one key thing, they have Nicky Maynard, there is no side in this division who he canât score against. Good luck to whoever has to face him. Jamesâs Prediction: Doncaster 0 â 3 Bristol City. Hull v Reading. Well a game very close to my heart, and I am not quite sure which way this will go. My heart is saying one thing and my head is saying another. Hull have had their problems so far this season, conceding too many, and not scoring enough. However they do have talent, Koren, Cairney, Chester, Rosenior, Brady and Fryatt have quality and thatâs not being doubted, just for whatever reason it has not clicked, and Nigel Pearson has said they will go to a more direct route which will be interesting. Reading for me have lost too many of their key players and for me are now just an average Championship side, and I donât see them getting anything at the KC unfortunately. Jamesâs Prediction: Hull 2 -0 Reading Ipswich v Leeds Both sides have had some what indifferent starts, having seen first-hand how clinical Leeds can be. However having also seen Ipswich I see this game being very tight, Leeds still have the problems that where there last season the ability to concede goals from nothing, however they also have the ability to score plenty. Ipswich have made some very good signings, and they have talent in their side but for whatever reason it is not gelling. It is one of those games that will be too tight to call. Jamesâs Prediction: Ipswich 1 â 1 Leeds Leicester v Southampton Leicesterâs season has being somewhat weird, they have no doubt got quality in their side and they have enough to go up if they can get a proven quality striker bar David Nugent. If Sven continues to play a 4-3-3 I canât see them getting anything here. Southampton for me where one of my early season predictions for promotion, they have a quality manager, goals pretty much everywhere in the team, and a tight defence. They should overcome a Leicester side that are still developing and not quite the finished article. Will the pressure start getting to Sven? Jamesâs Prediction: Leicester 0 â 2 Southampton Middlesbrough v Coventry Two sides who were poor performers last season and could be considered candidates for the drop this season due to the competitive nature of the division. Both however ended the season with completely contrasting motives for the coming season, âBoro have their hopes set on the Premier League and Coventry are just hoping to stay up. I think Coventry will continue their poor start, their squad is nowhere near good enough, Middlesbrough obviously need a few more additions if they are going to achieve the play offs but they will have enough to overcome Coventry. Jamesâs Prediction: Middlesbrough 2 â 0 Coventry Millwall v Barnsley Millwall had the quality up top last season and if they can replace them goals I see another comfortable season for the Londoners, with Henderson starting well and a good young talent in Marquis coming through. Barnsley have made some interesting signings, however some in my view are poor ones to. I donât see them being anything other than battling relegation if they manage to stay up they have had a successful season for me. I donât see them getting any points here today to help them towards staying say, and I doubt this will be a classic but this is the Championship so you never know. Jamesâs Prediction: Millwall 1 â 0 Barnsley Nottingham Forest v West Ham A lot of pressure has being put on Steve Mclaren to win promotion back to the Premier League, and thatâs without making any big signings which I still feel they need. A goal scorer is really what they need, and if they donât sign one I canât see where the quality is coming from. They have had a good start in my books , a decent start is all you need in this league, however there is only one result I can see here. West Ham still have some of their highest earners, so promotion is a must, and their signings have being good so far. West Ham may not quite be in the shape Big Sam wants them to be but I can see them coming to the fore very soon. Yamoâs Prediction: Nottingham Forest 0 â 3 West Ham Portsmouth v Cardiff I donât think anyone knows how Portsmouth continue to pay some of the wages that they are, the problem being where is the quality in the side. Portsmouth really need to get a couple of good loans in, but I think that will be too soon for this weekend. Cardiff have had a mixed start, but a very good one after some tough games. For some reason a lot of journalists seem to be writing them off due to the fact they donât have a stand out player, but the quality is there but in the whole team. Joe Mason could be one of the bargains, and I feel this will be a big result if they can get the win, i expect them to. Jamesâs Prediction: Portsmouth 0 â 2 Cardiff Watford v Birmingham Both teams have had a somewhat poor pre-season and summer due to managerâs leaving an financial problems at Birmingham. Both sides for whatever reason are down the bottom end of the table and I donât really see that changing, Birmingham made some good signings in Burke and King, but I really donât think they were the type of players Hughton would of brought in. Watford brought in a quality striker in Iwelumo however he is already under pressure. I see Watford coming out of this with a result, and Birmingham fans will start panicking. Jamesâs Prediction: Watford 2 â 1 Birmingham. As you can see this weekâs games have produced some brilliant fixtures and I can see their being a few shocks and I will be honest I doubt I have got even half of the games results right, as yet again I am just a fan not an expert. So what results do you see coming this weekend? Do you agree with my predictions?
