CC Championship 25th February

[keemanan]

Teamnews reveals AJ 'may' play

Andrew Johnson has a "50-50" chance of returning to the Crystal Palace team after missing two matches with a gashed thigh, according to boss Iain Dowie.


Defender Tony Popovic (back) also has an outside chance of returning, but Aki Riihilahti (groin) and Marco Reich (ankle) are likely to miss out.

Midfielder Andy Hughes (hamstring) is a major doubt for Norwich. Keeper Darren Ward (back) is out, but Leon McKenzie is desperate to start after performing well in the reserves.

[kompressaur]

need to read up (thats my new catchphrase aint it?) but things on the champ sat coupon that makes me go ooooh are....

Coventry (on a no bad run at home i was thinking) Southampton like Aliensyndrome have forgotten how to score. I see no reason why not to back Watford.

[zonker84]

Coventry are worthy of consideration possibly, but it's that time of the season where you have to look at the league table and try to work out what they are thinking regards motivation.

By this, I mean that Coventry look up and find themselves 11pts behind Preston in 6th having also played 2 games more. They look down and find themselves 15pts ahead of Millwall (3rd bottom) with a points total that the bottom three will struggle to reach by the end of the season.

Burnley are in a very similar position.

Regardless of form, that has to take the edge off Coventry (and Burnley). I am not questioning their professionalism, but it's human nature not to be quite as up for it if you've in effect nothing to play for. Promotion is almost impossible, as is relegation. There's no prize money for league positions in this division like the Premier League either.

I won't be betting on this match, but if I was a bookmaker, I'd be happy to lay Coventry at Evens. You'd have to lay at slightly higher on Betfair, and with the commission factor, this removes a lot of the edge

[kompressaur]

Im glad Cardiff was just your demention creeping in Keem. Im still keen.

Southampton fans havent had much to cheer at home this season have they? Theyve scored well under a goal a home game and 15/17 of their games have went under 2.5. I can only see vic chandler's under 2.5 odds and the under 2 and 1 doesnt interest me.

Looks just Coventry (i typed Cardiff there too Keeman its vooddo on us. its gonna be a draw aint it? Just Watford for me then. (cardiff will win and Watford will draw)

[zonker84]

Originally Posted by Was

I am only thinking out loud and perhaps fishing for a bit of feedback but I can't help thinking that the following are overpriced and are maybe worth a small interest;

Norwich 4.40

Luton 5.40

Preston 5.50

Hull 2.90

Millwall 4.33.

Norwich are the most likely out of the five

I'd be on Norwich and possibly Hull out of those if I had to pick a couple. Hull might be better off on the +0.25 Asian, as that looks possible draw material.

Norwich have been shocking at times this season, but player for player, they're as good as anyone in the division. I don't think they'll produce a shocker and be 2-0 down early as they have away from home sometimes this season, should give you a run for your money.

[kompressaur]

I quite like Norwich and Millwall to draw Was/Zonker but then you could say wtf do i know? I quite like Wolves in that one i gotta admit. Hull have had some poor results at home from what i can see.

Any Wolves or Hull fans reading this?

[zonker84]

Wolves struggle to score Komp. I think I saw only 1 of their last 15 league games has had Over 2.5 goals. Hull were a bit more low-scoring early in the season, but when I think about that game, I see 0-0, 1-1 or 1-0 either way.

I'd lay Wolves all day long @ around 6/4.

Hull have improved marginally from earlier in the season with the help of a couple of signings, and as I say, I'd take them not to lose if I had to take a bet in that one. Won't be though

[kompressaur]

well i'll sit it out then Zonks but good luck if you get involved. what about Leeds then? Keem and Gett1n fancy them and i would be interested in the 4/5 at Centerbet. 4/6 is the best i can see in my high street. I might take them even attat price

[zonker84]

Leeds have the Zonker seal of approval @ 4/5 I think

Seriously though, Luton could go there and win 2-0, but they could more easily lose 3-0. They're a team that likes to play football and go for it. They do give you a chance, and with Leeds basing their tactics on solid defence, you'd think if Leeds can score first, they should do it.

You could also probably make a case for laying the draw given that Leeds don't draw much at home, nor Luton away. Also neither team would really gain much by drawing.

[rcgills]

For all those interested in Leeds, Bet365 have Leeds -0.5 at 1.90, despite still going 1.72 on Leeds to win on the normal 1X2 market

Was almost put off reading the Soccernet preview, saying that they're without a number of first teamers (Derry, suspended, and Cresswell, Richardson and Kilgallon injured), but then realised they've been without most of those players for a few weeks now.

[zonker84]

Excellent spot RC, shame I missed that

[rcgills]

Ben Foster is likely to return to the Watford team for the home game against Cardiff.

The on-loan Manchester United goalkeeper missed last weekend's win at Brighton with a ban, but he has completed the one-match suspension and is available to Hornets boss Adrian Boothroyd.

But Boothroyd will be without midfielder Al Bangura, who picked up his fifth booking of the campaign in the 2-1 defeat at Leeds on February 14, and striker Darius Henderson, who serves the second of a three-game ban.

Boothroyd must decide whether to stick with Hameur Bouazza alongside Marlon King in attack, or whether to play Ashley Young with King up front, and Anthony McNamee on the left wing.

Midfielder Dominic Blizzard is still building his match fitness after a debilitating virus.

Cardiff striker Guylain N'Dumbu-N'Sungu will earn a recall if England Under-21 international Cameron Jerome fails to shrug off a groin strain.

Huddersfield-born Jerome, 19, picked up the injury after scoring the only goal in the Bluebirds' home victory over Hull City.

If Jerome is ruled out, Congo-born N'Dumbu-N'Sungu will partner Scotland international striker Steven Thompson for the first time since signing from Darlington in January.

The Bluebirds are still minus Dutch defender Glen Loovens (hamstring) and Wales cap Paul Parry (knee).

That's from Soccernet. Henderson out is a bit of a blow for Watford, although Ashley Young has scored 12 so far this season, so is a more than able replacement if they go with him up front. Interesting that Jerome could miss out for Cardiff, if he doesn't play then I'd certainly be a lot more confident on Watford. As things stand at the moment, I think they should win but I've just got a nagging doubt somewhere in the back of my mind.

Marginally better price available on the A/h than for the normal 1X2 at Bet365, by the way, 1.825 for Watford -0.5, as opposed to 1.80 for the Watford win.

[Swooperman]

Quite fancy Plymouth at Derby really, 2/1 Bet365.

Preview:
Defender Alan Wright is poised for a Derby debut against Plymouth after arriving on a month's loan from Sheffield United.

And Charlton striker Kevin Lisbie, who has also joined for a month, is another expected to make his first appearance for the Rams.

But Morten Bisgaard will miss the game while serving a one-game suspension and on-loan Spurs frontman Mounir El Hamdaoui is another expected absentee after the Moroccan fell victim to a groin strain.

Seth Johnson and Michael Johnson are also sure to miss out after the pair underwent knee operations.

Darren Moore is back from a groin injury though but a hamstring problem rules out Richard Jackson.

Plymouth left-back Anthony Barness is set to be fit after recovering from a groin injury.

Barness trained on Thursday and should come straight back into the starting line-up.

Hasney Aljofree will partner Paul Wotton at centre-back as Mat Doumbe is ruled out with a one-match ban while Elliott Ward has returned to West Ham after his three-month loan spell.

Manager Tony Pulis will have to make a decision over who will take Wotton's place in central midfield, with Lee Hodges the favourite to come in.

The other option is to move David Norris into the centre and recall Akos Buzsaky on the right wing.

Derby have no win in 6 & are sinking fast at that rate, although theyve held Southampton, Leeds & Leicester in that run. Their home record is 4-9-4-25-23 but their last 5 overall is 0-3-2-2-5 & at home 1-3-1-8-5. Theyre in a bad run & i think will feel that a draw today is not good enough 7 they need to try for 3 points.
Plymouth are essentially a home team, their away being 3-7-7-12-20. Their last 5 away being 2-2-1-5-3.
I think Derby will be less cagey & negative as they have been & know that really they have to beat teams like Plymouth to escape, but Derby have only beaten Crewe in the last 13 games, stretching back to early December.
Plymouths away record doesnt put me off as 2 of the 3 wins have been in their last 8 games from which theyve been 4-3-1

[keemanan]

Jerome would be a worry for them and so would the Watford home form of late. Scored 8 in their last 2 at home and already beaten Cardiff 3-1 , albeit whilst the bluebirds were in the duldrums. I just cant seem to get a handle on Cardiff though , they beat Leeds away , drew at Sheff Utd, so they are capable. I think maybe I should just walk away from this but I just know Watford will win 3-0!

[Swooperman]

Heres the Southampton - Sheff Weds preview. Soton look tempting at 4/5 Ladbrokes

Southampton could be boosted by the return of six players when they host Sheffield Wednesday at St Mary's.

Grzegorz Rasiak, Richard Chaplow and Andrew Surman are all available to George Burley after being cup-tied for the defeat by Newcastle last weekend.

Kamil Kosowski (hamstring), Djamel Belmadi (Achilles) and Danny Higginbotham (groin) are back in contention after missing the trip to St James' Park through injury.

Claus Lundekvam (hamstring) and Kenwyne Jones (calf) picked up knocks against the Magpies but have resumed training and should be fit, but goalkeeper Bartosz Bialkowski misses out with a knee injury that requires surgery.

Sheffield Wednesday look likely to patch up their match day squad with members of the youth team after having only 11 first-teamers fit and available for selection.

Manager Paul Sturrock has been trawling the loan market this week without success and will instead hope that Peter Gilbert (knee) and Deon Burton (hamstring) come through fitness tests to bolster his threadbare party.

To add to the Owls' injury woe, on-loan Yoann Folly and Leon Best are banned from playing against their parent club.

Those on the Wednesday injury list include Richard Wood (groin), John Hills and Drissa Diallo (both hamstring), Barry Corr (back), Jon-Paul McGovern (thigh), Steve Adams (Achilles/calf) and David Lucas (knee).