skip to main |
skip to sidebar
Coupon for Dec 29-30
Ten draws: Barnsley v Blackburn, Bristol City v Peterborough, Charlton v Derby, Hull v Leeds, Carlisle v Bury, Portsmouth v Yeovil, Aldershot v Torquay, Dagenham & Redbridge v Port Vale, Dartford v Cambridge, Forest Green v Kidderminster.
Best draws: Barnsley v Blackburn, Bristol City v Peterborough, Carlisle v Bury, Aldershot v Torquay, Dartford v Cambridge.
Five aways: Swansea, Swindon, Crewe, Brentford, Southend.
Nine homes: Arsenal, Manchester United, Sunderland, Brighton, Leyton Orient, Sheffield United, Stevenage, AFC Wimbledon, Cheltenham.
Coupon for Dec 30-Jan 2
Ten draws: Blackburn v Nottingham Forest, Derby v Middlesbrough, Sheffield Wednesday v Burnley, Doncaster v Sheffield United, Notts County v MK Dons, Walsall v Stevenage, Accrington v Chesterfield, Bristol Rovers v Plymouth, Oxford v Cheltenham, Wycombe v Exeter.
Best draws: Sheffield Wednesday v Burnley, Doncaster v Sheffield United, Notts County v MK Dons, Walsall v Stevenage, Accrington v Chesterfield.
There is no home and away coupon for Dec 30-Jan 2.
Coupon for December 22-23
Ten draws: Newcastle v Queens Park Rangers, Southampton v Sunderland, Birmingham v Burnley, Leicester v Cardiff, Sheffield Wednesday v Charlton, Crewe v Bournemouth, Doncaster v MK Dons, Wycombe v Bradford City, Hyde v Mansfield, Woking v Forest Green.
Best draws: Newcastle v Queens Park Rangers, Southampton v Sunderland, Crewe v Bournemouth, Doncaster v MK Dons, Hyde v Mansfield.
Five aways: Norwich, Brighton, Bolton, Portsmouth, Rotherham.
Nine homes: Liverpool, Manchester City, Crystal Palace, Ipswich, Leeds, Millwall, Scunthorpe, Walsall, Port Vale.
Pick of the draws: I get the feeling QPR are up and running after gaining their first Premier League win of the season last weekend. Newcastle, by way of contrast, are on the slide. Sunderland have shown signs of recovery by defeating Reading and playing with spirit in defeat against Manchester United. That should be enough to earn them a point at Southampton. Crewe and Bournemouth are the in-form sides in League One and I don't expect either to lose. Doncaster at home are not as formidable as Doncaster away and I'm backing fellow promotion contenders MK Dons to share the spoils. Hyde have staged a remarkable revival in the Blue Square Premier and can match Mansfield.
Away days: Don't be surprised if Norwich's remarkably successful run continues at West Bromwich Albion, who are now without a victory in their past four games. In the Championship, Gus Poyet's enterprising Brighton side look too strong for an ailing Blackburn while improving Bolton should have too much quality for bottom club Peterborough. Even at this early stage it is hard to see Hartlepool, 13 points from safety, escaping relegation from League One. Expect Portsmouth to add to their misery. In League Two, Rotherham will feel confident of prevailing at crisis club Bristol Rovers, especially in view of their good form on the road.
Homes sweet homes: Ipswich and Bristol City, who meet at Portman Road, are at the wrong end of the Championship but Ipswich are in better shape. Anything can happen in this season's Championship, so take a punt on Leeds, despite that League Cup drubbing by Chelsea, beating third-placed Middlesbrough. Struggling Scunthorpe's League One victory at Leyton Orient was one of the upsets of last weekend and I'm backing them to gain another three points against disappointing Carlisle. Walsall's home record is nothing to shout about but they could get some joy from the visit of Colchester, who are slipping towards the relegation zone.
Coupon for December 26-27
Ten draws: Stoke v Liverpool, Huddersfield v Blackpool, Hull v Leicester, Wolves v Peterborough, Oldham v Doncaster, Portsmouth v Crawley, Shrewsbury v Notts County, Chesterfield v York, Dagenham & Redbridge v Southend, Rotherham v Port Vale.
Best draws: Stoke v Liverpool, Wolves v Peterborough, Portsmouth v Crawley, Shrewsbury v Notts County, Chesterfield v York.
Please note: There is no home and away coupon for Dec 26-27.
Ten draws: Bolton v Charlton, Leeds v Ipswich, Millwall v Leicester, Doncaster v Coventry, Shrewsbury v Carlisle, Walsall v Yeovil, AFC Wimbledon v Rotherham, Cheltenham v Port Vale, Chesterfield v Burton, Forfar v Arbroath.
Best draws: Leeds v Ipswich, Millwall v Leicester, Walsall v Yeovil, AFC Wimbledon v Rotherham, Cheltenham v Port Vale.
Five aways: Everton, Crystal Palace, Derby, Wycombe, Livingston.
Nine homes: Manchester United, Queens Park Rangers, Blackpool, Cardiff, Middlesbrough, Bournemouth, Crewe, Leyton Orient, Portsmouth.
Pick of the draws: Ipswich have made rapid strides under new manager Mick McCarthy, moving clear of the Championship relegation zone. They are in the mood to give inconsistent Leeds a good game at Elland Road and earn a point. Millwall have been one of the surprise packets of the season and I'm taking them to share the points with promotion-seeking Leicester at the Den. Walsall's poor home form has had them struggling in League One while mid-table Yeovil's away record has stood them in good stead. Stalemate is the likeliest result. AFC Wimbledon won a lot of friends in defeat against MK Dons in the FA Cup and they are capable of holding Rotherham in League Two. The top-of-the-table clash between Cheltenham (3rd) and Port Vale (2nd) looks like ending in deadlock.
Away days: Everton's late, late victory over Tottenham last weekend should encourage them to gain maximum points at Stoke, who are averaging less than a goal a game. Crystal Palace, second in the Championship, suffered a blip against Blackpool but I believe they will recover quickly at the expense of Birmingham, who are struggling to get their act together. Nigel Clough's Derby are due a good result away from home and could get it at Bristol City, who have already lost six times at Ashton Gate. In League Two, Wycombe can take advantage of Accrington's recent stumbles and in the Scottish First Division, Livingston look a good thing at bottom club Dumbarton.
Homes sweet homes: The fixture against mid-table Fulham could be the last-chance saloon for Queens Park Rangers, who are still without a win in 16 Premier League matches. Expect them to break their duck at Loftus Road on Saturday. Blackpool can end their run of draws at home in the Championship by beating underachieving Blackburn. Eddie Howe's Bournemouth are on a roll in League One and are a hot tip to see off ailing Colchester. Cash-strapped Portsmouth gained a creditable draw at leaders Tranmere last Saturday and can go one better against not-so-proud Preston.
Ten draws: Arsenal v West Brom, Manchester City v Manchester United, Crystal Palace v Blackpool, Huddersfield v Bolton, Preston v Crewe, Swindon v Doncaster, Bristol Rovers v Dagenham & Redbridge, Oxford v Aldershot, Rotherham v Gillingham, Cambridge v Gateshead.
Best draws: Arsenal v West Brom, Crystal Palace v Blackpool, Swindon v Doncaster, Oxford v Aldershot, Rotherham v Gillingham.
Five aways: Queens Park Rangers, Burnley, Stevenage, Bournemouth, Notts County.
Nine homes: Aston Villa, Swansea, Leicester, Sheffield Wednesday, Wolves, Coventry, Crawley, Tranmere, Bradford City.
Pick of the draws: You wouldn't bet on Arsenal to win any match at the moment but overachieving West Brom have also lost their last two games, so a point apiece seems the likeliest outcome. The Eagles of Crystal Palace are flying high in the Championship but mid-table Blackpool will be eager to frustrate their former manager Ian Holloway, who thought the grass was greener at Selhurst Park. Doncaster's away record in League One is something special (won 7, drawn 2, lost 1), so they won't fear a trip to Swindon, who can beat anybody when they are in the mood. League Two strugglers Aldershot have perked up recently and can hold Oxford. In the Blue Square Premier, Cambridge are tipped to halt their slide by depriving Gateshead of maximum points.
Away days: Queens Park Rangers, still without a Premier League victory this season, have a wonderful opportunity of ending their wretched run at Wigan, who look as though they are in for another long, hard winter. Burnley are playing with great enterprise in the Championship and a win over better-placed Nottingham Forest is well within their grasp. League One Stevenage are more reliable away than at home and must be backed at Hartlepool, who are eight points adrift of the next-to-bottom club, Scunthorpe. Eddie Howe has worked wonders during his short stay at Bournemouth and they will be confident of gaining maximum points at Scunthorpe. Promotion contenders Notts County are unbeaten on their travels and I can't see that changing at Yeovil.
Homes sweet homes: Paul Lambert's Aston Villa, despite relegation worries, have more going for them than many people believe and are worth a punt against on-form Stoke. Sheffield Wednesday, second from bottom in the Championship, have an excellent chance to return to winning ways against fellow strugglers Bristol City, who were thrashed by Wolves at Ashton Gate last weekend. The manner of that overdue win should encourage Wolves to shade Birmingham in the Midlands derby at Molineux. I'm taking League Two play-off hopefuls, Bradford City, to send Torquay home pointless.
