Saturday's football

Wolves V Barsnley

At the risk or repeating myself I find myself once again backing Wolves at home. Its simple really, they have looked a class apart when facing the lesser opposition and their problem area of goals has been cleared up this season. Iwelumo and Ebanks-Blake are sticking them in for fun and at the moment the only thing that I can see getting in their way is complacency. A defeat last week to Qpr might have been a blessing in disguise though to keep them focused and they look very very comfortable at home where they have collected 28 points from a possible 33. Wolves also have had the benefit of resting players recently showing their strength in dept.
Barnsley are one of those sides that will be happy with mid table this year. Their away form has seen them lose 7 times and their squad is hit with injuries. 17 players were declared fit for their midweek trip to Swansea. On saying that, they were unlucky to come away from Swansea without the 3 points after conceding a 94th minute goal to tie things up at 2 – 2.

Verdict
Barnsley’s midweek effort at Swansea will have alerted Mick McCarthy’s men and there will be no complacency from them today. The manner in which Barnsley threw away the 3 points was disheartening and it might be a long tough afternoon for them.

PICK
Wolves –1 ( 1.74 @ ladbrokes) 5 points
Wolves win 2 – 0 (7 @ladbrokes) 1 point
Wolves win 3 – 0 (10 @ladbrokes) 1 point

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Reading v Norwich

Like Wolves, Reading are one of those sides that always look the business at home in the championship, and once again I find myself backing them to win today. They are putting goals away for fun and look set for a quick return to the premiership where lets face it, they deserve to be.
Keeper Marcus Hahnemann picked up a knock midweek and looks set to miss but I don’t think his absence will be critical. Reading strolled to a 1 – 0 win over Blackpool on Tuesday night, an Ingimarsson goal enough to separate the sides but in truth it was never in doubt as Reading played against 10 men a long time. They even had the luxury of missing a penalty when Hunts shot was saved by Paul Rachubka.
That win made it 9 wins from 11 at home and they look set to extend that with victory today.
Norwich face another tough away assignment after being leapfrogged by Waterford in their 2 – 1 defeat to the same club on Tuesday night. Goals have been an issue and Glen Roeder has signed injury-prone striker Carl Cort until the end of the season though the jury is out on that one.
Norwich have only kept a clean sheet once this season on the road and that was way back in September.

Verdict
It should be another routine 3 points for the home side here and anything but would be a shock as they bid to overtake Wolves. Home points are critical over the xmas period.

PICK

Reading – 1 (1.72 @ ladbrokes) 5 points