Championship Predictions > May 1st

[StevieDay1983]

[StevieDay1983]

Here are the odds and ratings for the penultimate round of Championship matches coming up. The only main real issue to address is relegation. The top two automatic promotion spots have been confirmed by Norwich and Watford and the four play-off contenders of Brentford, Bournemouth, Swansea, and Barnsley have also secured their places. Wycombe are all but relegated due to their inferior goal difference and it's a case of two from Sheffield Wednesday, Rotherham, and Derby taking those final positions. Give us your thoughts on this weekend's action. Who are you tipping to go down?

[StevieDay1983]

Birmingham vs Cardiff

The Championship matches this weekend throw up some intriguing clashes and I'm keen to hear from the likes of @yossa6133, @waynecoyne, @Neubs, @Kenton Schweppes, and @skyblues88 about how they feel their sides will do this round. I'm focusing on the Birmingham versus Cardiff game at 3pm BST on Saturday afternoon where neither side has anything to play for but pride.

Birmingham seem to be thriving under new manager Lee Bowyer. The Blues have only lost 1 of their 8 league games under his leadership. It's helped move the club up to 16th place in the table and eradicate the threat of relegation. The team is now unbeaten in their last 6 league matches and that includes winning 3 of their previous 4 games. One player that has really benefited from Bowyer's arrival is powerful front man Lukas Jutkiewicz who has bagged 4 goals in his last 4 league games. Bowyer has also turned St Andrew's into a fortress with his team yet to taste defeat on their home patch under his management.

Cardiff come into this game knowing that the play-offs have gone and it's all about preparation for next season now. The injury list remains long with Lee Tomlin, Isaac Vassell, Joe Bennett, Max Watters, Sean Morrison, Junior Hoilett, Thomas Sang, Joel Bagan, and Jordi Osei-Tutu among those players who have either been ruled out or will be in a fight for fitness to play. Mick McCarthy has already admitted that a number of youngsters including the talented Isaak Davies, Rubin Colwill, Kieron Evans, and Sam Bowen will be taking up a squad space given the injuries crisis. The Bluebirds are unbeaten in 4 league games now and showed in their past two away league games against Reading and Brentford that they can grind out results against high-performing sides on the road.

This is a dead rubber if you think that both sides have nothing to play for in terms of their league position but there is a lot of history between Birmingham and Cardiff both on and off the pitch so there's a lot of pride at stake. There will also be a lot of players on that pitch out to prove a point to their manager ahead of next season. I think Birmingham have to be considered favourites here given their form but Cardiff are looking like a very disciplined side again who are making themselves tough to beat. I, perhaps optimistically, feel that a draw is the best value.

Draw @ 3.25 with SBK

BTTS @ 2.05 with SportNation

 

[yossa6133]

Come on Swansea!