Friday 29 November 2013 09:44, UK
Burnley's three draws on the spin could be classed as an indifferent run considering Leicester and QPR have come back to them at the top of the table.
Nottingham Forest (5th, 27 points) I expect Forest's midfield to be pivitol to their success this year. They have Andy Reid and Jamie Mackie getting goals from wide areas, while Henri Lansbury, who has come into his own this season, has supporting roles from Radoslaw Majewski and Nathaniel Chalobah. Elsewhere on the pitch, Billy Davies will be pleased, too, with the performances of young centre-half, Jamaal Lascelles, while Jamie Paterson is someone I highly rate - he has wonderful balance and an eye for the spectacular. With the congested period over Christmas, Forest have certianly got the strength in depth in their squad to make inroads on the top three and they have the potential to get into the Premier League not only by the play-offs but by the automatic places as well, if they get everything together. Everything's looking good for Forest at the moment and who knows this might be the season they get back up. Leeds (6th, 26 points) The Whites have won four on the spin at home and Brian McDermott has utilised a more direct style of play at Elland Road, bringing in Dexter Blackstock - a proven player with a great track record who takes bumps and bruises - to ensure Ross McCormack stays central, gets space and hurts defenders with his low centre of gravity and great shot. What was great against Middlesbrough was that Lee Peltier, who has been playing as a centre-half or right-back, produced a cross that Robert Snodgrass would be proud of, but Leeds is an intimidating place to go and that will help United progress this year. Derby (7th, 25 points) We wondered whether Steve McClaren could organise Derby but he has, with a 1-0 victory at Bournemouth evidence of it. The game wasn't full of free-flowing attacking but they tested the Cherries goalkeeper, Lee Camp, on several occasions and had the match-winner in Jamie Ward, who has been a revelation in a midfield packed full of stars, which includes reported Liverpool target Will Hughes. The Rams responded from their defeat to QPR and are really buying into what Steve is saying and while you wonder whether the squad is strong enough to last the pace, that first XI is going great guns. Reading (8th, 25 points) You would have imagined Reading being deeply ensconced in the top six by now but it's just not happening - they have won just six out of 16 games - and I think they are really missing Jason Roberts. We saw the impact he can make in the Royals' magnificent promotion season with his experience and power, but that has been missing, while Adam le Fondre and Pavel Pogrebnyak rarely play together, so Nigel Adkins will be looking to readdress his frontline and push on. The imminent full takeover of Anton Zingarevich has yet to materialise but Reading need to do a bit of business to ensure they don't drift away from the teams above them. Brighton (9th, 24 points) I think Albion are outside of the top six because of the injury to Leonardo Ulloa. The Argentine battering ram was on fire at the start of the season, scoring four in the first five Championship games, but without him and Craig Mackail-Smith due to injury, they went on a five-game winless run. However, victories in their last three against Doncaster, Blackburn and Wigan have transformed Brighton's fortunes with Ashley Barnes and Jake Forster-Caskey finding their shooting boots, and their often-solid defence always gives them a chance to get something from matches. Watford (10th, 23 points) The Hornets are making too many fundamental errors at the minute, while the back three is ever-changing and, with Almen Abdi out, there is a lot of pressure on Lewis McGugan to be creative and score goals from midfield. But, as I mentioned last week, they have struggled with the breakup of that Troy Deeney-Matej Vydra strike partnership, which had pace, strength, quality and a real goal threat. Gianfranco has plenty of individual talents but, as he has alluded to himself, they need to be better in team play because they are not functioning like they did last term and, as a result, are not as dangerous. Let us know your views on the Championship promotion race by filling in the feedback form below.
