The Championship - Week 4 review / Week 5 preview
Week four - Another game, another goal for Michael Chopra. The Cardiff forward has scored in every match this season and took his tally to seven with the Bluebird’s second goal against Bristol City. Robins defender Jamie McCombe had gifted the league leaders the lead, deflecting a cross in to his own net, before Chopra struck in first half stoppage time. Alex Rae added a third goal midway through the second half to seal Cardiff’s third win in four games. Like their opponents, Bristol City had started the match with an unbeaten league record so far this season, but this came to an abrupt end as the Cardiff juggernaut marched on.
Joining the club from the Welsh capital on ten points are the relegated trio of Newcastle, Middlesbrough and West Brom. The Magpies picked up their first away win of the season with first half goals from Kevin Nolan and Ryan Taylor enough for a win at Selhurst Park. Boro downed Doncaster by the same score - new boy Leroy Lita joining potential departee Tuncay Sanli on the scoresheet. West Brom were also 2-0 winners, piling more misery on Roy Keane’s Ipswich, who have earned just a solitary point so far. The Tractor Boys had goalkeeper Richard Wright to thank for keeping the score respectable - the former Arsenal and England keeper stopping a Luke Moore penalty as well as making a string of other saves.
Sheffield Wednesday were the big scorers of the day, smashing four past Scunthorpe. The Iron have the worst defensive record in the division and saw strikes from Richard Wood, Jermaine Johnson, Marcus Tudgay and Darren Potter hit the back of their net. There was also a win for Wednesday’s city rivals United. The Blades travelled to Reading’s Madejski Stadium and came away with all three points. Reading took an early lead, recent purchase from Doncaster Matt Mills heading in a Gylfi Sigurdsson free-kick for the home side’s first goal of the season. Stephen Quinn equalised before half-time, and Royals goalkeeper Adam Federici then gifted the visitors the lead, letting Jamie Ward’s long range strike through his arms. Federici had been the hero in midweek with his penalty save from Swansea’s Mark Gower but was hopelessly at fault and he had to pick the ball out of his net again at the death, David Cotterill scoring past him from outside the area.
Watford drew 2-2 against a Blackpool side who have now drawn every game this season. Tommy Smith scored his second of the season for the Hornets and he was joined on the score sheet by Tom Cleverley. The young Manchester United midfielder now has two goals in two games since joining on loan. Swansea claimed their first win of the season away to previous high fliers Coventry. Ashley Williams’ second of the season was enough to beat the Sky Blues and he remains the only player to score for the Swans. There were also wins for Derby, Leicester and Preston who all sit pretty in the top half as well as a draw at Loftus Road between fellow strugglers QPR and Nottingham Forest.
Week 4 results- August 22-23, 2009
Cardiff 3-0 Bristol City
Coventry 0-1 Swansea
Crystal Palace 0-2 Newcastle
Derby County 2-1 Plymouth Argyle
Leicester 1-0 Barnsley
Middlesbrough 2-0 Doncaster
Preston 2-0 Peterborough
QPR 1-1 Nottingham Forest
Reading 1-3 Sheffield United
Sheffield Wednesday 4-0 Scunthorpe United
Watford 2-2 Blackpool
West Brom 2-0 Ipswich Town
Week five - The Brian Clough trophy will be contested at the City Ground as Nottingham Forest host East Midlands rivals Derby County. The two former teams of the celebrated managerial icon meet in the day’s early kick-off and the home side will be looking to win back the bragging rights after Derby won on Forest’s turf in February. Dele Adebola should be fit for Forest, despite picking up a thigh injury against QPR, but they will again be without Lewis McGugan as they look for their first win of the season and first points at home. The Rams have a 100% home record but are yet to record a win on the road. Steve Davies will miss out with a leg injury sustained at the weekend but the prognosis is better than first feared and he will not be out long term.
Two teams who have enjoyed positive starts to the season face off at Ashton Gate as Middlesbrough travel to Bristol City. Boro have won their last three games and are yet to concede a goal in the opening four league matches. Robert Huth and David Wheater have been solid in front of new goalkeeper Danny Coyne and manager Gareth Southgate will hope he can hold on to the central defensive pair beyond the close of the transfer window next week. The goals are starting to come for the Teesside club and Leroy Lita broke his duck in the victory over Doncaster. He will hope to continue where he left off as he returns to his former stomping ground, having scored 31 goals for the Robins before joining Reading for £1m in 2005. City lost at Cardiff at the weekend but have won two out of two at home so far and will look to bounce back against a team who were very poor on the road last season in the Premier League.
Depending on results elsewhere, the winner of the Sheffield United vs. West Brom match could go top of the table. The Blades will have the added advantage of a midweek rest having already exited the League Cup at the first hurdle whilst the Baggies will hope to have come through their second round tie with League Two highfliers Rotherham unscathed. United won comfortably at Madejski Stadium against Reading at the weekend but will find West Brom a different proposition, Roberto Di Matteo’s side one of four teams level on points at the top of the table. Meanwhile, Brendan Rodger’s defeated Royals side travel to South Yorkshire to take on Barnsley in a meeting of two teams struggling at the foot of the table.
There are two matches to be played on Bank Holiday Monday, the pick of which sees Newcastle welcome in-form Leicester City. The Foxes have enjoyed an excellent start since winning promotion at the first attempt from League One. Matty Fryatt has two goals in as many games and the team remain unbeaten but the striker and his teammates might find it tougher going against the Magpies, who have won three games in a row without conceding a goal. The Geordies were tipped to struggle with the ongoing off-field dramas regarding the ownership and management of the club but they have managed to retain enough Premier League quality players to keep affairs on the pitch in order.
Week 4 fixtures
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Nottingham Forest vs. Derby County - 13:00
Barnsley vs. Reading - 15:00
Blackpool vs. Coventry - 15:00
Bristol City vs. Middlesbrough - 15:00
Doncaster vs. Cardiff - 15:00
Ipswich vs. Preston - 15:00
Plymouth vs. Sheffield Wednesday - 15:00
Scunthorpe vs. QPR - 15:00
Sheffield United vs. West Brom - 15:00
Swansea vs. Watford, -15:00
Monday, August 30, 2009
Peterborough vs. Crystal Palace - 17:15
Newcastle vs. Leicester - 19:45
The Championship 2009/10 Week 1 review / Week 2 preview - August 12
Week 2 review / Week 3 preview - August 18
Week 3 review / Week 4 preview - August 20
Week 4 review / Week 5 preview - August 26
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