Brentford v Sheffield Wednesday
Football : England : NPower League One
Sunday 5th September 2010 – Kickoff 12 noon

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The venue is Griffin Park on Sunday high noon when hosts bottom-placed Brentford take on league leaders Sheffield Wednesday.

There appears to be a great disparity between the two sides going into this fixture – Brentford without a win and only one point, versus a rampant Sheffield Wednesday side who are unbeaten in their first four matches, scoring 9 goals and conceding only 1 in the process.

Brentford (24th)

Brentford have not started well as their early results this season show; they lost 0-2 away at Carlisle United, lost 1-2 at home to Walsall, gained a valuable point at Swindon Town when they drew 1-1, but was then followed up with a surprising 1-3 defeat at home to newly promoted Rochdale which would have raised a few eyebrows.

The Bees will have loan keeper Ben Hamer back for a fourth stint, but Richard Lee is set to retain the gloves for this match. Winger Sam Wood should be in line for a return, along with striker Carl Cort who should be fit now following an Achilles injury. Also, Charlie MacDonald and Gary Alexander should be recalled after sitting out the midweek JP Trophy win over Stevenage.

The last time these two sides met, Sheffield Wednesday beat Brentford away 2-1 back in 2005.

Sheffield Wednesday (1st)

Sheffield Wednesday have come out of the blocks early in their new season in League One, winning three and drawing the other of their first four matches; home wins over Dagenham & Redbridge and Brighton & Hove Albion 2-0 and 1-0 respectively, a 0-0 draw at Colchester United was then followed up with a 5-0 thrashing of Hartlepool United as The Owls issued an early statement of intent to the rest of the division.

The Owls should definitely not be in this division, but thanks largely to Brian Laws who helped guide them to relegation from the Championship after a run of some 10 games without a win and was subsequently sacked in December 2009, was then inexplicably offered the manager’s role at then Premiership Burnley – he duly obliged, and The Clarets are now once again a Championship side.

But enough about Laws and his inept football management, The Owls will certainly go into this match full of confidence and will be looking to extend their lead at the top of League One.

Owls manager Alan Irvine has a selection dilemma with midfielder Giles Coke available for a recall – however, Coke’s replacement midweek, James O’Connor, scored both goals in their JP Trophy win over Notts County. Winger, Jermaine Johnson is still sidelined but Chris Sedgwick should be recalled despite being substituted midweek.

Strikers, Clinton Morrison, Neil Mellor and Marcus Tudgay (a subject of Blackpool interest) are all jostling for starting berths in The Owls XI.

The Betting Verdict :

The Owls are flying high at the moment, and their firepower up-front have all proved themselves at Championship level, so I can see only one outcome here.

FIXED ODDS BETTING :

Pick : Take Sheffield Wednesday to win at a massive 2.32 with Pinnacle Sports