Holloway's Productive Palace to see off McCarthy's Iffy Ipswich

Ahhh, a lovely lot of football fixtures in midweek & we've got two selections for you coming from the Championship & League One plus a little rant about a certain recent managerial appointment.....

Crystal Palace vs Ipswich Town

This fixture is an interesting one as both teams have new managers with this being Ian Holloway's first in charge at Palace after joining from Blackpool, his side are in a much healthier position, sitting 3rd in the table, than rivals Ipswich who are still bottom after winning at Birmingham on Saturday.

(Glenn Murray's goalscoring exploits have been a revelation at Palace this season)

We have repeatedly opposed Ipswich for the past season or so believing that they had a poor manager & a poor squad of players........ & we don't think a lot has changed with the appointment of Mick McCarthy as manager. McCarthy admittedly has done a decent job with teams in the Championship but seems to lack any appreciation of the quality it takes to compete at a higher level & has twice been sacked when steering teams to humiliating points totals in the Premier League (Sunderland in 05-06 & Wolves last year). For people to say it was a mistake to sack Mick last season seems awfully misguided - yes they were dreadful after he went but they also were beforehand & he was responsible for the assembling of the team including paying actual money for Jamie O'Hara. Mick's got some task on his hands here & although he managed a win in his first game back it should be noted that Birmingham can be just about the worst team in pro football on their day & had a stinker on Saturday, yet Ipswich were poor too & just edged the 1-0 win. Ipswich just don't have the players needed to get them goals with on-loan striker DJ Campbell their top scorer with 3 & they've bagged a meagre 11 goals in 14 league games so far.

Palace have been relatively free-scoring & with Holloway certain to impose his attacking philosophy on the side we could see things light up at Selhurst Park for the rest of the year especially with the young attacking talent that is Wilfried Zaha at the club. Palace are unbeaten in 11 after losing their first 4 games (one in League Cup) of the season & posted an impressive pressing display against Blackburn on Saturday as they came up with a 2-0 win against Blackburn. Top scorer Glenn Murray scored both goals against Rovers to take his total to 10 from 11 appearances & if he's on form here he'll be hard to stop. Odds of Evens for Palace to win, who are at home, sit 3rd & are playing bottom placed Ipswich look too big to resist so get on!

Bournemouth vs Shrewsbury Town

Down in League One, Bournemouth entertain Shrewsbury Town at Dean Court. Both sides have struggled so far this season & sit in lowly positions of 16th & 20th respectively.

(Smiles all round at Bournemouth after the impressive young manager's return)

Bournemouth sacked manager Paul Groves early in October & brought back Eddie Howe, he left the Cherries nearly two years ago to take up the reins at Championship Burnley & has cited personal reasons for his return. He has made an immediate impact with Bournemouth picking up three wins & a draw in his four matches in charge, to illustrate how impressive this is this they had previously lost 4 in a row & had only won once in the league all season. The most impressive victory was over current league leaders (injury hit) Tranmere Rovers (3-1) & they are scoring goals for fun with 12 in these matches. Goals are coming all over the pitch with midfielder Marc Pugh scoring three & Irishman Harry Arter & striker Lewis Grabban grabbing a couple each.

Shrewsbury have failed to win on the road this season & have a record of three draws & four defeats in their seven away league matches. They have lost their last two in a row against Doncaster Rovers & Portsmouth & have conceded on average 1.57 goals per game. They are currently on a run of only one victory in their last nine, a fortunate 1-0 win over a Walsall side who dominated them & with one point in their last three so confidence is short in the Shrews' ranks. Bournemouth are on a crest of a wave since the popular Eddie Howe returned to the dugout & they should be too strong for a poor Shrewsbury side at a price of 4/6.

Selections:
Crystal Palace to beat Ipswich Town at Evens (Various)
Bournemouth to beat Shrewsbury Town at 4/6 (General)

Wembley awaits – Carling Cup Semi Final, Second leg. Cardiff City vs Crystal Palace

Cardiff City host Crystal Palace tomorrow night in the second leg of the Carling Cup Semi Final. Palace hold a slender one goal advantage from the first leg. Cardiff, still aggrieved at a seemingly legitimate disallowed Kenny Miller goal, will be looking to turn their fortunes around and reach Wembley for the fourth time in four years. The sides are led by two young Scots, Malky Mackay and Dougie Freedman. The up-and-coming managers will be looking to achieve something they never did as a player, qualify for a major final.

(Freedman and Mackay, well regarded)

Depending on what you consider to be the Eagles best XI will determine how many players you think Freedman decided to rest on Saturday in the Eagles’ defeat to Blackpool, some claiming up to 9 players were left out of his side. All of those rested will be available for Palace come tomorrow night, the visitors also welcome back the tricky Sean Scannell (ban) and Alex Marrow and former Derby and Exeter man Dean Moxey (injuries) to their squad. Malky Mackay’s focus remains on the league fielding his best available side against Portsmouth on Saturday, the likelihood is that the game will come too soon for full-back Kevin McNaughton whereas French striker Rudy Gestede may be fit enough for a place on ‘le bench’ meaning Mackay will stick with the same side that picked up all three points against their 2008 FA Cup final opponents – the only decision the ex Watford man will need to take is who to play in goal.

The league fixture between the sides back in November in the Welsh capital saw the home side coming out on top with a 2-0 victory courtesy of goals from Kenny Miller and Peter Whittingham. Palace are yet to return from the hosts new Cardiff City Stadium collecting anything more than a point. The Bluebirds' recent league form is good, in the last 8 games they’ve won 4, drawn 3 and lost just 1, in contrast Palace have won 3, drawn 1 and lost 4, in those 8 games Palace have found it difficult to find the back of the net, scoring just seven times. This trend isn’t out of the ordinary as in their 27 league games to date they’ve breeched the opposition defence on a lowly 26 occassions.

The first goal in this match is crucial; if Palace, backed by the best part of 4000 travelling fans, take the lead this one could be all over bar the shouting. However should Cardiff take the lead they rarely surrender it. The visitors are yet to draw a game away from Selhurst Park this season, a fact that only adds weight to which ever side scores first is most likely going to go on and win this one. Will Palace try to defend what they have? If so, they could be in trouble, as Cardiff have the players that could hurt Freedman’s men. The aforementioned Miller and Whittingham assisted by Joe Mason all have the ability to cause problems. Whittingham, linked with a January move to the Premier League, is Cardiff’s key man, the former Villa player takes free kicks and penalties and is available at a juicy 11/4 with Paddy Power (just 2/1 elsewhere) to score at anytime – a bet we think is worth taking.

(Peter Whittingham, 'he does what he wants' pictured here with Kenny Miller)

Cardiff buoyed by Craig Conway’s late strike on the weekend will have their tails up, not much is being said to the press by the Welsh side which contrasts to that of Palace, clearly this is one of the biggest games in the clubs' recent history. We think that with home advantage Cardiff will prove too strong for Palace, the Welsh side can be backed at 4/5 to win in 90 minutes.

Selections

Cardiff to beat Crystal Palace in 90 minutes at 4/5 with William Hill

Peter Whittingham to score at anytime at 11/4 with Paddy Power