LFW Sunday Championship Preview

LFW takes a look ahead to this Sunday's fixtures in the Coca Cola Championship and the last in 2008.

Welcome back to LFW look at the forthcoming fixtures in the Championship as the busy Festive period brings us a second round of games in two days and the last of 2008. The Boxing Day games brought a few surprises, but there were were no great movers or shakers as far as league positions are concerned. I am very pleased to say, that Charlton are now 15 games without a win following their 2-2 draw with QPR, but the point was not enough to prevent the Addicks falling to the bottom of the table. Charlton now have a very tough looking trip to Sheffield United to look forward too.

Charlton moved to the bottom following Doncaster's impressive 4-2 win at the City Ground against Forest, which has ulimately led to the Championships lastest Managerial casualty as Forest Manager, Colin Calderwood was promptly shown the door. Doncaster now face 4th placed Burnley at home on Sunday and the now Managerless Forest face another struggling side as they travel to Carrow Road to take on Norwich.

Just above the relegation zone are Southampton, who were beaten on their travels on Boxing Day at Plymouth and things certainly don't get any better for the Saints as they take on second placed Reading at St Marys. Simon Grayson's controversial move to Leeds has left another Championship side Managerless. Blackpool however, gained a creditable point away at Sheffield Wednesday but now face leaders Wolves at Bloomfield Road. Elsewhere and Cardiff v Plymouth looks a decent encounter, as does Bristol City v the very much in form, Crystal Palace. City ended an 8 game winless run on Boxing Day with a 4-2 away win at Watford, whereas Palace made it 8 games unbeaten with a 3-1 home win over Norwich and remain in the play off places.

LFW Preview of QPR's home clash with Watford, will be online soon...

Sunday, 28 December, 2008

Barnsley v Preston North End

Birmingham City v Swansea City

Blackpool v Wolverhampton Wanderers

Bristol City v Crystal Palace

Cardiff City v Plymouth Argyle

Coventry City v Sheffield Wednesday

Derby County v Ipswich Town

Doncaster Rovers v Burnley

Norwich City v Nottingham Forest

Queens Park Rangers v Watford

Sheffield United v Charlton Athletic

Southampton v Reading

A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL OF YOU!!!

What to read next:

End of Term 23/24 – Attack
The fourth and final part of our annual review and number crunch of the QPR squad finishes with the club’s amazing non-scoring strikers.

End of Term Report 23/24 – Midfield
The third part of our end of term report focuses on QPR’s midfield – an enormous problem for this team for a number of seasons now, it’s been one of the areas of significant improvement under Marti Cifuentes.

End of Term Report 23/24 – Defenders
Part two of our annual individual player reports for the season focuses on a defence which really came into its own under Marti Cifuentes and contains the two outstanding candidates for the club’s player of the year award.

End of Term Report 23/24 – Goalkeepers
The first of our annual four-part individual assessment of the QPR players’ performances during the previous season always starts with the goalkeepers – and, regrettably, that means we’re puncturing the recent feel-good factor round here by beginning with a negative.

The Coventry Conference – Report
Coventry away, for so long a fixture that loomed almost as large as the spectre of Eoin Jess over Queens Park Rangers, turned into an eighth away win of the campaign and survival party for a manager and support base who both really stepped up when it mattered in 23/24.

Coventry City 1 - 2 Queens Park Rangers - Player Ratings and Reports
If you saw the match, please give us your player ratings and a mini match report.

The season that was - Preview
As QPR, unbelievably, head to Coventry on the final day safe and secure, LFW looks back at a tumultuous two years at the football club, and the lessons it must learn to make the most of the potential it now has to move forwards.

I hear you’re a set piece team now father – Analysis
In his final analysis piece for LFW this season, Dan Lambert looks at how QPR went from being the worst team in the league for offensive set pieces to, eventually, kind of good.

Coventry left to reflect on another Wembley heartache - Oppo Profile
For a second year in a row a promising Coventry City season has ended in penalty shoot-out heartbreak at Wembley, only this time with some added VAR nonsense thrown in for good measure - Neil Littlewood (@littlewood88) and Dominic Jerrams (@SideSammy) take us through it.

The Copa de Ibiza - History
As QPR prepare to visit Coventry City on Saturday, we look back at connections between the two sides, past results, and Rangers’ last successfully foray into European competition with the 2005 Copa De Ibiza triumph.