Championship betting preview: Preston North End- Cardiff City
Sep 13, 2016
Championship: Preston North End- Cardiff City
Very disappointing start to the campaign for these two, both feel they are playing much better than recent results suggest and that is probably true, but for me City have the greater potential and I favour them to win tonight.
This is the (almost) always difficult second season in the Championship for PNE, they finished a very respectable 11th last year, but I never really "believed" that, felt they had really overachieved and spoke about that and trouble they had had with quick turnarounds, ahead of a late season game against Burnley ...........
Preston have had a very decent first season back in the Championship, but I have spoken several times about my feeling being that they have overachieved and I rate them below many of the other teams around them in the league table. They have only pride to play for now and their two wins in ten starts have come against struggling teams in Blackburn Rovers and Bolton Wanders, when local bragging rights were at stake. Both Preston and Burnley, like the rest of the Championship played on Tuesday and the quick turnaround is a big advantage in my opinion to the much deeper and stronger visiting squad. PNE are 1-4-6 next time out after a midweek game, Burnley are 8-3-0 (including winning their last six) in their second game of the week, this will be the first Friday start of the season for the hosts and that will mean a major change in schedule/build up and that will go double on the back of a Tuesday game. Burnley have already played two Friday fixtures, won both and put in one of their best opening 45 minutes displays in the second a 3-1 win at Griffin Park over the mighty Bees ( who were poor that day) and that came following a midweek fixture. So they have done this before and are bigger, stronger and tougher than the hosts, they are unbeaten in 20 league starts and if they can continue that to the end of the campaign, will set a new club record and will probably be playing Premier League football next season, but they have to get out of the "drawing" habit.
Those quick turnaround were more about after a midweek game, but you get the picture, they have lost 5 of 6 starts and all three home games, crowds are down and supporters are not happy with the style of football, head coach Simon Grayson made a big error with some "don't come if you don't like the football " comments and he did an about turn on the club website, but the damage was done and this "crowd", such as it is, will turn quickly tonight if things do not go their way. They are being "forced" to open up and you don't win much in modern football with a negative mindset, but that is a bit alien to Grayson and his team and when they do, they are getting beaten.
I was keen on City pre season and still expect them to come good once things have settled down, but they could do with another win and soon, just to calm everyone, the late window signing of Rickie Lambert (pictured) looks good business and he was very lively on his debut a 3-2 loss at Norwich City on Saturday. The Canaries are amongst the promotion favourites, so no shame in that and there were huge positives to take from that game by the Bluebirds, two goals for Anthony Pilkington, the better team early, they fell behind against the run of play and then hit the bar and missed another good chance before conceding a second. They got back into things at 2-1 and were pressing for an equaliser, when they were caught on the break, but still battled hard and scored again. Despite conceding three, Lee Peltier and Jazz Richards are starting to build a real understanding at the back and Pilkington, Whittingham, Lambert and co ensure they pose a threat at the other end and we can perhaps follow them for a couple of weeks if they can just pick up that second win soon.
1.5 units Cardiff City level ball 2.26 asian line/Sportmarket.
Good Luck.
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