The domestic football season is back! It might seem as though it has barely been away what with the World Cup bringing us a fantastic feast of football in the summer, but for all those disappointed by England’s (predictably) poor showing in Brazil, now is the time to re-focus on club football.
It is the Football League which gets a head start on the Premier League, beginning a week earlier, and here we focus on the Championship as we seek out some winning accumulator bets. With a short odds easy winner, a medium risk option and a high risk/high reward punt, we’ve got options for all sensibilities as we try to help you turn a healthy profit this weekend.
Easy Winner – 3/1 (Bet365)
- Derby to beat Rotherham (8/13) – Derby were unlucky not to make it into the automatic promotion places last term and under Steve McClaren they have developed into a very organised and effective outfit. Rotherham came up from League One after just a season there, before which they had six seasons in League Two. We feel they have come up to the Championship too soon and an easy win for the better side is definitely on the cards here.
- Nottingham Forest to beat Blackpool (1/4) – Blackpool survived in the Championship by the skin of their teeth last season and we don’t think the appointment of former Charlton manager Jose Riga will do much to change things this term. More importantly, their threadbare squad and raft of new additions just isn’t going to cut it. Forest are looking to kick on after a decent campaign last season and we think they will get off to winning ways on Saturday.
- Wigan v Reading: over 2.5 goals (21/20) – Two attacking sides with aspirations for promotion this season go head to head here and we think there is one certain outcome: goals. At the right side of evens we think this gives a great boost to our first acca.
Medium Risk – 36/1 (Coral)
- Millwall to beat Leeds (11/8) – Leeds have had a torrid time of things in the last couple of seasons and the purchase of the club by erratic Italian Massimo Cellino doesn’t look like being a recipe for stability. Millwall will be looking to kick on to good things under Ian Holloway this season and we think they will certainly get the better of Leeds on Saturday after the West Yorkshire side have sold top scorer Ross McCormack to Fulham.
- Derby to win both halves (7/2) – As mentioned, Derby are very good and Rotherham could struggle this term. McClaren will send his players out to post a big win to build confidence and we think they will get it, playing the Millers off the park both sides of the break.
- Blackburn v Cardiff: draw (12/5) – Cardiff have a fair chance of bouncing straight back to the Premier League this season, but we think it will take a while to find their feet. Blackburn appear to have come through the worst of their troubles and finished the season strongly, but we think the draw is the most realistic result here and one which both managers would probably settle for.
Long Shot – 129/1 (Bet365)
- Millwall to win by two goals (11/2) – Without their best player (who, as mentioned, has been sold off to Fulham) and with the chairman making new unsettling proclamations by the week (the latest that all players should live in Leeds itself and that Paddy Kenny should be dropped because of his “unlucky” date of birth!) we think it is going to be a long and hard season for Leeds fans. And their woes look set to start when they visit Millwall on Saturday, with the home side cruising to a comfortable victory.
- Wigan v Reading: both to score in the first half (4/1) – With both sides eager to get off to winning ways this term as they chase promotion, a fast and open start is on the cards and we think backing both to score in the first 45 minutes could well pay dividends.
- Ipswich v Fulham: draw and under 2.5 goals (3/1) – Fulham were inconsistent to say the least last season and we can’t see them getting the win at Ipswich. In what looks like being a tough battle, a 0-0 or 1-1 draw looks the most likely result at the final whistle.