Weekend Preview: The Championship

Fulham v Blackburn Rovers

Fulham were the second Championship side to part with their manager this week and it is not an easy first game for caretaker boss as they host Blackburn who will be looking to bounce back from the midweek defeat at home to Derby.

It was the inevitable decision that has probably taken a couple of weeks too long to happen in the eyes of some Fulham fans. Just a single point from the opening seven games and the midweek at Forest was definitely the final nail in the coffin for Felix Magath. After trailing 2-0 at half-time his side responded to lead 3-2 only to throw this away running out on the wrong side of a 5-3 scoreline. Scoring just five goals and conceding fifteen leaves very little to back up a case that the Fulham board were wrong to part company with Magath. Who they bring in is going to be key, but for now former Welsh international Kit Simmons has been put in caretaker charge. Symons has been on the coaching staff at Craven Cottage since 2009 taking charge of the club’s recent successful Under 18’s side. For that reason expect a few changes to the starting line-up and it is likely that Simmons will include some of his former and maybe even current academy stars in the match day squad. One positive note for the Cottagers is that Ross McCormack scored his first league goals of the season with a brace in Wednesday night’s defeat at Forest.

wigan_7761Blackburn have reverted to recent type so far this season mixing some unplayable football with some inconsistent displays which leaves them 13th with ten points from their opening seven games. Since the opening game draw with Cardiff, Rovers have alternated between taking all three points and none at all. If the pattern continues it would be another three points on the board. After ending last season with an unbeaten run of twelve games including three wins in a row to close out the season, this squad know how to get the job done at this level, it is just the case of remaining focused and battling to the final whistle of every game. What Blackburn games do offer is plenty of goals. All their Championship games this season have had at least three games bar one and every game has seen both teams find the net. Jordan Rhodes continues to provide a consistent flow of goals for Blackburn and he will want to add to his tally of three league goals so far this season. The striker is this game’s key man.

Score prediction: 2-1 Blackburn win

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