Crystal Palace - Bristol City

Thankfully to 10 points penalty, Palace are fighting to avoid relegation instead for play-off. They’re 21^st with same number of points as first under the line Sheff.Wed. (Palace have one game more to play). Ex-boss Warnock, left the club (to QPR) and it was a big hit, but club’s management (their PR office) did an excellent job showing him as a traitor who looks for more money. So, dressing room atmosphere is good again and after three consecutive defeats (all at home), Eagles noticed a hard fought draw on the road vs. Doncaster and in last round home win against play-off contenders Sheff.Utd.. The morale has been boosted, but  they have to continue winning. New manager, Paul Hart, has one injury doubt, midfielder Neil Danns. Palace have won their last four home league games against Bristol City.

 

The Robins are five points far from relegation zone, they have only one win in last ten games, while on the road have a winless run of seven games (just two wins in total this season). In those seven games, they scored just once! They’re typical home side and away City play very defensively trying with counter-attacks and individual efforts of Nicky Maynard (who is usually cut off from the play). The problem for this game is defensive line which is a base of they play suffered a disaster in previous round at home vs. Doncaster and conceded five goals (2-5). So, confidence won’t be on the highest level. They’ll also fight against statistics which say City haven’t won at Selhurst Park since December 1961. Boss Johnson can not count on forward Evander Sno and midfielder Elliot. Midfielder Brian Wilson, defenders Jamie McCombe and Jamie McAllister also continue to struggle with the injury problems.

 

This will be a hard battle and I don’t expect too many goals. Who score first will probably win. Team quality, current shape, motivation, and a manager are the main factors here (beside home ground). Don’t think visitors can resist. Home win. 1.95 at 888sport.

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Sheffield United – Bristol City

Blades have had a turbulent season so far. As a play-off contenders had a weak start, then faced the injury crisis and noticed 8 games without a win. Overcoming the injuries reflected in positive run, but recently they again have some important players out. First goalie, Mark Bunn, broke his hand (Ian Bennett is decent substitution). Rock in the defense line, Chris Morgan, and fellow center-half Marcel Seip are out and that’s the main problem. As a result of these missings, United conceded 6 goals on two away games (WBA 1-3 and Watford 0-3). Then home draw vs. Derby 1-1 and unlucky defeat in the last round, on the road vs. Preston 1-2. Boss Kevin Blackwell was fuming on referees, accusing them for wrong decisions that ended in a defeat. However, Blackwell said, it wasn’t a players’ fault and the atmosphere in a dressing room hasn’t been spoiled. Beside mentioned players, Blackwell will miss midfielder James Harper. Only the current top three clubs have a better home record than the Blades.

City lie at the middle of the table, at 13th place, with the same distance from play-off and relegation zone. Their previous record and recent shape suggest they’ll stay there where are now. They have just a single win (Preston at home 4-2, before Ferguson’s appointment) in past eleven games and noticed just one point. Their main problem currently is scoring goals, they scored just once in last five competitive games (Coventry at home 1-1). Major cause is absence of key striker (and probably the best player), Nicky Maynard. For today’s clash, manager Gary Johnson will also miss winger Jamal Campbell-Ryce, another striker Danny Haynes and defender Jamie McAllister. City have conceded nine goals in injury time this season - more than any other Championship team (interesting fact is United have scored more goals in injury time than any other club - six).

I see United in play-off zone at the end of the season. They definitely have a quality for that, but if they want to reach it simply have to win games like this. They’re playing well recently, have huge attacking potential and their home ground is a fortress. Home win

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Swansea City - Bristol City

After very successful previous season and 8th place, Welsh side are facing a lots of problems at the start of recent one. Departure of best striker and club’s mascot Jason Scotland was a big hit for their ambitions. Management evaluated the middle of the table should be achieved even without him, but big problems with injuries threat to ruin the calculation even on the start. Swans noticed just a single win from six games (Coventry 1-0, away), two draws and three defeats with just three goals scored (no other club has scored fewer in the Championship). At home even worse, just one scored goal (four conceded) in three games. Boss and former Portugal star, Paulo Sousa, has been trying to make formation without Scotland, but his permanent headache is additionally caused by medical reports. Striker Stephen Dobbie (ribs), midfielder Darren Pratley (shoulder), Irish winger Thomas Butler (hernia) and Spain forward Guillem Bauza (knee) are all out for tonight’s encounter. These four should be first team regular! But that’s not the end. Two defenders, Angel Rangel and skipper Garry Monk are suspended, while another striker (third), Lee Trundle, cannot be included under the terms of his loan from Bristol City! Missing of seven regular players would hit even for much stronger squads and it seems we’ll wait to see some of their bright moments.

Bristol City came into this season with same ambitions, top half of the table and every chance for something more should be used. So far, they play over the expectations. At their home Ashton Gate, the Robins are brilliant with all three wins, over Crystal Palace 1-0, QPR 1-0 and Championship giants Middlesbrough 2-1. And despite not so good record on the road (two draws and defeat in three games and nine games without an away win in the league (two draws, seven defeats)), club show some signs of big potential and announce a battle for the biggest surprise of the season. The main reason for their good displays is young striker Nicky Maynard, who has netted five goals so far this season (from City’s seven). He functions very well with on-loan Costa Rican Alvaro Saborio in attacking line and these duo was meritorious for last good result, 1-1 in Coventry, Maynard – goal, Saborio – assist. City’s play was always characterized with iron defence and tight midfield, game “for a goal less”. Now, it’s got a new dimension and they could make some very good displays and results this season. Defenders Bradley Orr and Lewin Nyatanga have fully recovered from illness. Only missing will be striker John Akinde who is out for a month with an ankle injury. 

There have only been two goals in last five matches between these clubs and everything suggests on another low scoring game. Odds on under are miserable (about 1.65), but odds on City (3.12 at Pinnacle) are simply sweet and shouldn’t be overlooked. Even with a covering of a draw (about 2.15). Definitely worth of a bet. So, dnb on visitors. 

Maybe one more later. Stay tuned.

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Brentford 0 - 1 Bristol City

Nicky Maynard's second-half header helped 10-man Bristol City scrape into the second round of the Carling Cup.
The Bees dominated the first half and Myles Weston and Sam Saunders tested Dean Gerken, while Steve Kabba fired over after rounding the Robins keeper. 
City had Danny Haynes sent off for two bookings but, minutes later, Maynard nodded in Liam Fontaine's cross. 
Brentford went close when Saunders' header hit the bar and looped back down on to the woodwork, but City survived.
www.bbc.co.uk