Brentford [2.36] v Nottm Forest [3.3]; The Draw [3.55]
The Championship manager-go-round is becoming a rather embarrassing affair and you just wonder if Dougie Freedman will be in for the chop should his Nottm Forest side, as I suspect they will, lose at Brentford.
No less than six managers have lost their job since this time last month alone, and my theory is that owners and chairman have realised that this year's Championship is so open that with the correct appointment their own club could easily get in the mix.
How else do you explain Kit Symons losing his job at Fulham following a defeat to Birmingham. If the Cottagers had have won that game they'd now be sitting three points off a play-off place. Were Fulham expected to challenge for the play-offs at the start of the season? I doubt they were.
Back to this game and the focus is now fully on Freedman. Failure to beat East Midlands rivals Derby in the game before the international break was expected to see the end of his tenure at the City Ground, but you sense the victory achieved that night has only resulted in a stay of execution unless Forest go on a terrific run of form.
But I'm not convinced Forest are good enough to go on such a run, and following just one win in nine league games - that victory over Derby - I fancy they'll struggle at rejuvenated Brentford.
The Bees themselves have already had a managerial change this season, Lee Carsley replacing outgoing boss Marinus Dijkhuizen, and results have started to go in their favour. Brentford won four on the spin under Carsley recently before losing narrowly to top-of-the-table Hull, and with home advantage on Saturday I fancy they'll get the better of an out of form Forest side.
The question is, will Freedman see the weekend out as a manager of a Championship football club? Lose at Griffin Park at the weekend and I suspect he won't.
Recommended Bet
Back Brentford to Win @ [2.36]
Ipswich [2.26] v Wolves [3.6]; The Draw [3.5]
Dare I say it? A match between two Championship clubs that appear to be happy with their current managers, Mick McCarthy at Ipswich and Kenny Jackett at Wolves.
On current form we have to favour McCarthy's men. The Tractor Boys were amongst the early pacesetters in the league after collecting 10 points from their first four games, but they went on a bit of an inconsistent run after that and slipped to mid table.
They appear to be back on track after a four game unbeaten run, and back-to-back wins courtesy of scoring seven goals with their star striker Daryl Murphy netting a hat-trick in his side's 2-5 win at Rotherham.
The Republic of Ireland striker should be in a great frame of mind after helping his nation qualify for Euro 2016 during the international break, and back at Portman Road I rate Ipswich a decent bet to beat 'inconsistent' Wolves.
Jackett's men have been on an eight game run that reads, won two, lost three, won one, lost one, drew one. They've won only one of their last six however and they've failed to find the back of the net in three of their last five outings.
As difficult as the Championship has been this season nothing should surprise us any more, but I just feel that Ipswich are rediscovering their best form, and if Murphy is on song, as he was when he scored a brace in this fixture last season, then the home side should prevail.
Recommended Bet
Back Ipswich to Win @ [2.26]
Leeds [1.91] v Rotherham [4.7]; The Draw [3.6]
This promises to be a fascinating match between Leeds, now managed by Steve Evans, and Rotherham, who up until six weeks ago were also managed by Evans. The Millers are now managed by Neil Redfearn, who coincidentally used to manage Leeds, not once, twice, or three times, but four times!
What all that effectively means is that both Evans and Redfearn will arguably know more about the opposition than they do about their own side having been in their current jobs for just a few weeks.
And both will be desperate to put one over their former employers.
So we can expect a very intense game with both sides desperate to win, and hopefully that will result in a goal-filled affair.
Rotherham's last seven games have averaged over three goals per match, and one of those outings finished 1-0 at Middlesbrough when they just parked the bus. Redfearn's men will be more adventurous against Leeds given the manager's desperation for not just a win at Elland Road but any win with Rotherham being bottom of the table.
Leeds on the other hand will fancy their chances having won back-to-back league games for the first time this season. A lot of their games in the early part of the campaign were resulting in both sides getting on the scoresheet and I can see a similar outcome here with at least three goals being shared between the two sides.
Recommended Bet
Back Over 2.5 Goals @ [2.26]
The Championship manager-go-round is becoming a rather embarrassing affair and you just wonder if Dougie Freedman will be in for the chop should his Nottm Forest side, as I suspect they will, lose at Brentford.
No less than six managers have lost their job since this time last month alone, and my theory is that owners and chairman have realised that this year's Championship is so open that with the correct appointment their own club could easily get in the mix.
How else do you explain Kit Symons losing his job at Fulham following a defeat to Birmingham. If the Cottagers had have won that game they'd now be sitting three points off a play-off place. Were Fulham expected to challenge for the play-offs at the start of the season? I doubt they were.
Back to this game and the focus is now fully on Freedman. Failure to beat East Midlands rivals Derby in the game before the international break was expected to see the end of his tenure at the City Ground, but you sense the victory achieved that night has only resulted in a stay of execution unless Forest go on a terrific run of form.
But I'm not convinced Forest are good enough to go on such a run, and following just one win in nine league games - that victory over Derby - I fancy they'll struggle at rejuvenated Brentford.
The Bees themselves have already had a managerial change this season, Lee Carsley replacing outgoing boss Marinus Dijkhuizen, and results have started to go in their favour. Brentford won four on the spin under Carsley recently before losing narrowly to top-of-the-table Hull, and with home advantage on Saturday I fancy they'll get the better of an out of form Forest side.
The question is, will Freedman see the weekend out as a manager of a Championship football club? Lose at Griffin Park at the weekend and I suspect he won't.
Recommended Bet
Back Brentford to Win @ [2.36]
Ipswich [2.26] v Wolves [3.6]; The Draw [3.5]
Dare I say it? A match between two Championship clubs that appear to be happy with their current managers, Mick McCarthy at Ipswich and Kenny Jackett at Wolves.
On current form we have to favour McCarthy's men. The Tractor Boys were amongst the early pacesetters in the league after collecting 10 points from their first four games, but they went on a bit of an inconsistent run after that and slipped to mid table.
They appear to be back on track after a four game unbeaten run, and back-to-back wins courtesy of scoring seven goals with their star striker Daryl Murphy netting a hat-trick in his side's 2-5 win at Rotherham.
The Republic of Ireland striker should be in a great frame of mind after helping his nation qualify for Euro 2016 during the international break, and back at Portman Road I rate Ipswich a decent bet to beat 'inconsistent' Wolves.
Jackett's men have been on an eight game run that reads, won two, lost three, won one, lost one, drew one. They've won only one of their last six however and they've failed to find the back of the net in three of their last five outings.
As difficult as the Championship has been this season nothing should surprise us any more, but I just feel that Ipswich are rediscovering their best form, and if Murphy is on song, as he was when he scored a brace in this fixture last season, then the home side should prevail.
Recommended Bet
Back Ipswich to Win @ [2.26]
Leeds [1.91] v Rotherham [4.7]; The Draw [3.6]
This promises to be a fascinating match between Leeds, now managed by Steve Evans, and Rotherham, who up until six weeks ago were also managed by Evans. The Millers are now managed by Neil Redfearn, who coincidentally used to manage Leeds, not once, twice, or three times, but four times!
What all that effectively means is that both Evans and Redfearn will arguably know more about the opposition than they do about their own side having been in their current jobs for just a few weeks.
And both will be desperate to put one over their former employers.
So we can expect a very intense game with both sides desperate to win, and hopefully that will result in a goal-filled affair.
Rotherham's last seven games have averaged over three goals per match, and one of those outings finished 1-0 at Middlesbrough when they just parked the bus. Redfearn's men will be more adventurous against Leeds given the manager's desperation for not just a win at Elland Road but any win with Rotherham being bottom of the table.
Leeds on the other hand will fancy their chances having won back-to-back league games for the first time this season. A lot of their games in the early part of the campaign were resulting in both sides getting on the scoresheet and I can see a similar outcome here with at least three goals being shared between the two sides.
Recommended Bet
Back Over 2.5 Goals @ [2.26]
