Deadbats season preview/predictions Championship 18-19

[Deadbat_DB]

Here goes nothing...

My predictions!


1st - Stoke City

Manager – Gary Rowett

To me they seem the stand outs of the teams coming down and have added to the squad. City seem to have kept a lot of the squad that came down. Shaqiri has gone but still around is Butland, Crouch, Shawcross, Allen, Fletcher and a number of other performers who have played top level most of their career. Add in Abofe who has proven to score a lot of goals and the wing play of Ince and McClean and they look the stand out squad by some way. They have a bit of everything and new manager Rowett will hope there is no hangover from relegation. I see them scoring a lot of goals and have pace and power throughout the team and the players who can dig in when the going gets tough.

IN
Oghenekaro Etebo (Feirense – 6.2 million)
Benik Afobe (Wolverhampton Wanderers - loan with obligation to buy in January)
Adam Federici (Bournemouth - undisclosed)
James McClean (West Brom)
Tom Ince (Huddersfield – 10 million)

OUT
Kevin Wimmer (Hannover – loan)
Ramadan Sobhi (Huddersfield Town - undisclosed)
Marc Muniesa (loan made permanent)
Lee Grant (Manchester United - undisclosed)
Xherdan Shaqiri (Liverpool)
Dominic Telford (Bury – loan)

Key Player: Benik Afobe. Will be counted on to get the goals.

Verdict – Promotion…They have spent a lot on the likes of Ince and Etebo and have a lot of experience performers still around. Getting Rowett was a good move also.


2nd - Middlesbrough

Manager – Tony Pulis

Pulis is the sort of manager that gets results. It may not always be attractive on the eye but he gets teams organised and makes them hard to beat. He did not quite have the impact Boro would have hoped last season and they limped into the playoffs and then were beaten fairly easily really. They have made a few smart acquisitions in Flint and McNair. Flint especially will bolster a defence that already has strong performers in the likes of Ayala and Gibson. They have experience in Midfield but will expect more consistency from the likes of Assombalonga. I expect them to buy again before the end of January to give them more at the top of the field.


IN
Paddy McNair (Sunderland - £5m)
Aden Flint (Bristol City - undisclosed)

OUT
Patrick Bamford (Leeds – 7 million)
Antonio Barragan (Real Betis – loan deal made permanent)
Tomas Mejias (Omonia Nicosia - free)
Hayden Coulson (St Mirren - loan)
Fabio (Nantes - undisclosed)
George Miller (Bradford – loan)
Joe Fryer (Carlisle – loan)

Key Player: Adama Traore. If he is still here (and has been linked with a few Premier League teams before he got an inury) his pace and running is key to Boro’s attacking purpose.


3rd - Nottingham Forest

Manager – Aitor Karanka


IN
Michael Dawson (Hull City – free)
Joao Carvalho (Benfica - £13.5m)
Diogo Goncalves (Benfica - loan with option to buy next summer)
Gil Bastiao Dias (Monaco - loan)
Hillel Soudani (Dinamo Zagreb - £2.7m)
Costel Pantilimon (Watford, undisclosed)
Lewis Grabban (Bournemouth, undisclosed)
Jack Colback (Newcastle, loan)
Jack Robinson (QPR)

OUT
Eric Lichaj (Hull City, undisclosed)
Aaron Smith (Hamilton, free)
Tyler Walker (Mansfield - loan)
Andreas Bouchalakis (Olympiacos - undisclosed)
David Vaughan (Notts County - free)
Jorge Grant (Luton - loan)
Jason Cummings (Peteborough – loan)

Spent a lot of money after a really disappointing season. Karanka’s first full season now has a great deal of expectation due to the outlay. Big money signings in Carvalho (13.5 million!), Goncalves and Soudani will be expected to deliver from the off. They seem to be this season’s ‘Wolves’ and have added a few quality Championship performers in Watson, Grabban, Dawson, Colback and Robinson. Will miss loanee Kiera Dowell but you expect almost all 10 of the above signings to be starters which means they will have an almost entirely new team. May take time to gel but they have a lot of talent and Karanka has gained promotion before at this level.

Key Player: Lewis Grabban. Scored a lot of goals at Villa last year on loan and you feel his experience and nous at the top of the pitch will be ***** with the new international talent around him.




4th - Brentford

Manager – Dean Smith

Always play attractive football but had a horrid start last year and were playing catch up. They nearly made the playoffs in the end and with a better start you would expect them to be in the mix. Possess some really technical footballers all over the field and like to get it down and play. They have some young talent in the likes of Watkins, Mepham and newly signed Konsa. Maupay needs to be more consistent in finding the net but the returning Alan Judge will give them a new dimension. They might be the surprise packet this season in terms of gate crashing the top 6.

IN
Ezri Konsa (Charlton Athletic - undisclosed)
Said Benrahma (Nice - undisclosed)

OUT

John Egan (Sheffield United)
Konstantin Kerschbaumer (FC Ingolstadt – undisclosed)
Theo Archibald (Forest Green - loan)

Key Player: Ryan Woods. The Ginger Pirlo makes them tick. Really good footballer who can do a bit of everything.


5th - West Bromwich Albion

Manager – Darren Moore

Like Stoke have kept most of the squad together, save for Foster (replaced by Johnstone who was excellent at Villa), McClean and Evans. Still here are the likes of Dawson, Morrison, Brunt, Phillips, Livermore, Chadli, Barry and Rondon. There is a lot of experience and ability. Darren Moore got the full time gig after nearly keeping them up but now faces a different type of challenge. They may lose a few of these before the end of August but have brought in the talented Harvey Barnes up top to add to the talent they have. I may have pegged these a bit low but some of the squad is getting on in years and feel they might not quite have the pace and energy needed at times to stretch teams away from home. Rondon is also being linked with a move to Newcastle but if they get Dwigh Gayle in exchange the drop off won’t be too much in terms of goals scored.


IN
Sam Johnstone (Manchester United - £6.5m)
Kyle Bartley (Swansea – undisclosed)
Harvey Barnes (Leicester – loan)
Jonathan Bond (Reading)

OUT
Jonny Evans (Leicester City – £3.5m)
Yuning Zhang (ADO Den Haag - loan)
Ben Foster (Watford - undisclosed)
Ethan Ross (Colchester)
James McClean (Stoke City)

Key Player: Matt Phillips. Had a bit of a stop start season last year but the lower level will see him flourish.

Verdict – Playoffs…they have a lot of talent but Moore will have more pressure this season when the expectation will be for them to get straight back up.


6th - Leeds United


Manager – Marcelo Bielsa

Bielsa is a proven manager and a bit of a coup for Leeds to get him. They keep changing their managers and surely have to stick with one for a period of time. There is talk of more money to spend and with the crowds and the momentum a club like them can get if they get off to a good start; then I feel they may have a better season this time around. As it stands the squad is relatively unchanged but with a few new incoming signings and Douglas was a bargain buy; added to Bamford up the top of the field and some decent carryovers; then Bielsa may get them moving the right way. This is one prediction I may get badly wrong and they could end up in the bottom half if things implode again.

IN
Barry Douglas (Wolves – 3 million)
Patrick Bamford (Middlesbrough – 7 million)
Lewis Baker (Chelsea - loan)
Jamal Blackman (Chelsea – loan)

OUT
Madger Gomes (Sochaux - released)
Felix Wiedwald (Eintracht Frankfurt - undisclosed)
Lewie Coyle (Fleetwood - loan)
Pawel Cibicki (Molde - loan)
Jay-Roy Grot (VVV-Venlo - loan)
Paudie O'Connor (Blackpool - loan)
Tyler Denton (Peterborough - loan)
Mallik Wilks (Doncaster - loan)

Key Player: Patrick Bamford. He has bounced about way too much for a guy with so much talent. Expect him to be a key player at Leeds as he finally tries to establish himself somewhere.

Verdict– Playoffs….Think they may be a team that does better than others think due to the influence of Bielsa.

[Deadbat_DB]

7th - Swansea City

Manager – Graham Potter

Potter was a bit left field really and you worry if they are going through a bit of a transition. They have a number of players still around and the likes of Jordan Ayew (his brother has gone on loan to Fenerbahce) and Wilfried Bony up top to compliment the young McBurnie. They have experienced wide performers in Dyer and Fer and the backline has solid players in Naughton, Mawson, Olsson. The midfield is lacking real quality but Sam Clucas is still around but they may need to add in this area to give them creativity and bite. I do not see them bouncing back at the first attempt and feel it will take Potter time to adjust to his new surroundings.

IN
Yan Dhanda (Liverpool – free)
Joel Asoro (Sunderland - undisclosed)

OUT
Lukasz Fabianski (West Ham United - £7m)
Kyle Bartley (West Brom – undisclosed)
Roque Mesa (Sevilla £5m)
Ki Sung-Yeung (Newcastle - free)
Kenji Gorre (Nacional - free)
Adam King (Peterborough - loan)

Key Player: Alfie Mawson. Solid centre back who proved he was capable at the top level. Will be a talisman as they attempt to return at the first attempt.

Verdict – Top 10. I think that taking a punt on Potter may backfire. They have still got the crux of a decent side and on paper should be top 6 but I fear that they may have a big of a hangover.


8th - Derby County

Manager – Frank Lampard

Losing Rowett was a blow and bringing in Lampard was a bold move. Historically managerial appointments like this have not worked with first time managers of a pedigree as a player often struggling with their first job at such a level. Derby keep spending money and Mel Morris seems to keep chucking funds at it. You wonder how long this will go on. They have brought in a few younger players in Wilson, Mount and Marriott but the bulk of the side will be the team that has sadly not proved good enough to get over the line the last 3 or 4 years. At time of writing it seems Vydra; their key man may move on also. You worry that the side is simply a year older not wiser and how a new manager can get something out of the squad when experienced managers before him have not been able to.


IN
Harry Wilson (Liverpool)
Jack Marriott (Peterborough)
Mason Mount (Chelsea)
Florian Jozefzoon (Brentford – undisclosed)

OUT
Andreas Weimann (Bristol City - undisclosed)
Charles Vernham (Grimsby – loan)

Key Player: Tom Lawrence. He showed it in fits and starts last season but he needs to be the main creative player this season.

Verdict – Just missing the playoffs….They have brought in some youth to an ageing squad but Lampard will need time to make his mark.


9th Aston Villa

Manager – Steve Bruce

Not brought any players in amidst financial difficulties behind the scenes and also speculation over the future of Steve Bruce. The manager stays for now but there are no newcomers and the likes of Johnstone, Grabban, Snodgrass will not be back. John Terry has also moved on. The imminent departure of Grealish and you worry whether they have enough to sustain another top 6 challenge. Need more goals and consistency from big money signings Lansbury, Hogan and Kodija who have struggled to stay fit.

IN
N/A

OUT
Pierluigi Gollini (Atalanta - £3.75m)
Jordan Amavi (Marseille – loan deal made permanent)

Key Player: Albert Adomah. Always seemed to be the outlet last season when Villa needed to break out and weighed in with his fair share of goals and assists.

Verdict – Mid Table…. This squad looks some way off the side that mounted a challenge for automatic promotion last year. You fear it could worse before it gets better.



10th - Sheffield Wednesday

Manager – Jos Luhukay

They may be under a transfer embargo in the sense they cannot really bring anyone in but you forget they had so many injuries last season and even though the season was a poor one; they finished well. They have a range of striking options and some solid players in the middle in terms of Hutchison, Bannan and Lee. At the back there are questions still and the keeping situation seems a bit muddled with Westwood seemingly on his way out. Forestieri is temperamental but talented and Nuhiu is a handful. Expect them to start better and although will be a way off the playoffs expect them to do better this time around.


IN
N/A

OUT
Jack Hunt (Bristol City - undisclosed)
Jordan Rhodes (Norwich City - loan)
Glenn Loovens (Sunderland – free)

Key Player:

Verdict – Mid table. Had horrendous time with injuries and are struggling due to FFP restrictions but ended the season well and in the likes of Hooper, Nuhiu, Forestieri etc they have good options at the top of the field. Lukukay has got them more organised and disciplined at the back.


11th - Sheffield United

Manager – Chris Wilder

Had a great return to the Championship and even though the play off threat petered out; United always played the right way with attacking and vibrant football. They have some really solid and consistent players in the likes of Basham, O’Connell, Fleck, Sharp and Clarke. They have added players at the back but Brooks will be a loss. Also, still question marks over midfield quarterback Paul Coutts; who is still not back in the first team reckoning yet. United will have to adapt at times as teams know how they play and have to be more clinical at both ends. Should be comfortable around the middle of the league but need to spend on more quality to keep up with the rest. Ownership wrangles off the pitch threaten to halt the momentum Wilder has built up.


IN
Dean Henderson (Manchester United - loan)
John Egan (Brentford - undisclosed)
David McGoldrick (Ipswich -free)

OUT
Chris Hussey (Cheltenham Town – free)
Louis Reed (Peterborough United - undisclosed)
Samir Carruthers (Oxford United - loan)
James Hanson (AFC Wimbledon - undisclosed)
Clayton Donaldson (Bolton - free)
David Brooks (Bournemouth - undisclosed)
Nathan Thomas (Notts County - loan)
Ben Heneghan (Blackpool - loan)
Sam Graham (Oldham – loan)County Needs
Callum Semple (Queen of the South)
Regan Slater (Carlisle)
Harvey Gilmour (Tranmere)
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Key Player: John Fleck. A player that does not get the plaudits he deserves. One of the best midfielders in the division. Good on and off the ball. Makes United tick.

Verdict – Mid table. Wilder will continue to get the maximum out of this group but not sure they can expect seasons like they got last year from messrs Clarke and Sharp. Concerns over lack of pace and goals throughout the rest of the team remain.

[Deadbat_DB]

12th - Millwall

Manager – Neil Harris

They had a really good season last year and were close to the playoffs. Steadily added to the squad over the years and have some really solid, if not spectacular, players who know the system and do the basics. Their style may not be pretty and they like to get it forward quickly for the likes of Morison and Gregory to chase and then others feed off of them. It is effective though. Harris will continue to get the maximum out of this group. Another play off push may be beyond them but they will not be near the bottom either.

IN
Murray Wallace (S****horpe United - undisclosed)
Ben Amos (Bolton - loan)

OUT
Noah Chesmain (Colchester United – free)
Harry Toffolo (Lincoln City - free)
Tom King (AFC Wimbledon - loan)
Kristian Brymora (Hassleholms IF - free)
Harry Smith (Macclesfield - free)

Key Player: Steve Morsion. He is the one man who seems too embody what they do. Works so hard for the team; battles for every ball and links well with others.

Verdict – Mid table. Came with a remarkable last push last season after a subpar start. They now feel they belong at this level.


13th - Preston North End

Another side that had a really good season and went under the radar last season. Neil did an impressive job and against sides with far bigger budgets, wage bills and income; they competed and bettered many more fancies sides. You scan down the squad and no one really stands out but there are a lot of hungry, young players and some really underrated players. They may lack a proven goal scorer and Hugill’s departure was a blow but a striker by committee approach may see them still be able to get enough goals.

Manager – Alex Neil

IN
Ryan Ledson (Oxford United – undisclosed)
Michael Crowe (Ipswich Town – free)
Jordan Storey (Exeter City - undisclosed)
Graham Burke (Shamrock Rovers - undisclosed)
Andrew Hughes (Peterborough United - undisclosed)

OUT
Greg Cunningham (Cardiff City - undisclosed)
John Welsh (Grimsby Town - free)
Tommy Spurr (Fleetwood Town - loan)
Matthew Hudson (Bury - loan)

Key Player: Ben Pearson. The talented midfielder is another at this level that does a bit of everything. Wins tackles, covers ground and is good on the ball.

Verdict – Mid table. A slight drop off from last year but not by much. A solid, established Championship side but another that needs more investment to have a proper go you feel.

14th - Wigan Athletic

Manager – Paul Cook

Cook has been one of the managers of the Football League in recent years, doing superb jobs at Chesterfield, Portsmouth and now at Wigan. Just someone who seems to know what he is doing and gets the best out of whoever he coaches. They have some players who will be fine at this level in Burn, Morsy, Grigg, Vaughan and Power. Have quite a deep squad for a promoted side and always seem to have the money and backing to add to it if they need to. I fancy them as the team that will do the best out of the teams that come down and could even go higher.

IN
Kal Naismith (Portsmouth – free)
Leonardo da Silva Lopes (Peterborough United – undisclosed)
Christian Walton (Brighton - loan)
Reece James (Chelsea - loan)
Callum McManaman (Sunderland – undisclosed)

OUT
Noel Hunt (Waterford – free)
Andy Kellett (Notts County – free)
Josh Laurent (Shrewsbury – loan)
David Perkins (Rochdale – free)

Key Player: Nick Powell. Finally found some form and showing the talent he once displayed that saw Man Utd sign him from Crewe for big money.

Verdict –Mid table. Remind me a bit of Millwall last season in that they have some players who can cope with step up. Cook is a very good manager.

15th – Bristol City

Manager – Gary Johnson

City impressed many with their swashbuckling style and some superb cup results also. They just run out of steam at the end of the season and have lost two really key players in Flint and Reid. They still have some quality left and the likes of Bryan, Pack, Brownhill added to the dangerous Diedhiou but those two losses will be really felt. Flint more so maybe than Reid as he was so effective at both ends. They have brought a few players in but many of these were mid table or lower Champ players last season and Eisa is a bit of a wildcard. They will do well to keep up with form from last season and Johnson needs to pull a few rabbits out of the hat before August if they have any hopes of flirting with the top 6 again.


IN
Adam Webster (Ipswich - £3.5m)
Marley Watkins (Norwich - £1m)
Hakeeb Adelakunm (S****horpe -free)
Andreas Weimann (Derby County - undisclosed)
Jack Hunt (Sheffield Wednesday - undisclosed)
Mohamed Eisa (Cheltenham - undisclosed)

OUT
Hordur Magnusson (CSKA Moscow - undisclosed)
Aden Flint (Middlesbrough - undisclosed)
Bobby Reid (Cardiff - £10m)
Gustav Engvall (KV Mechelen - undisclosed)
Zak Vyner (Rotherham - loan)
Jonny Smith (Tranmere - loan)

Key Player: Joe Bryan. Been linked with Premier League teams. He is a wing back who gets up and down the field, scores goals, makes assists and his energy symbolises City when they are at their best.

Verdict – Just below mid table. They have lost two key players and not sure they have effectively replaced them and will struggle to maintain energy levels of last year.



16th - Birmingham City

Manager – Gary Monk

Had a bit of a shocker last season with Redknapp and then Cotterill making a pig’s ear of things both on and off the field. Monk did enough to keep them up but the purse strings will have been tightened after some wild spending a year ago that did not pay off. Will need more from some of these signings, such as Jota and Dean, who were signed for a lot of money from Brentford but were not even regulars. There has only been one incomer, Pedersen a defender, and much of the squad is similar to last season. I just feel they cannot start as badly as they did and with a more regular core of players starting, Monk can get them organised and know what he has to work with.

IN
Kristian Pedersen (Union Berlin - undisclosed)

OUT
Jason Lowe (Bolton Wanderers – free)
Andrew Shinnie (Luton Town – free)
Robert Tesche (Bochum - free)
Chick Keita (Eupen – loan)

Key Player:

Verdict – Improved from last season but not by much but enough to be away from a relegation battle.

[Deadbat_DB]

17th - Norwich City

Manager – Daniel Farke

Norwich had an up and down year. They had some good results and at times Daniel Farke looked like he could replicate that success that Huddersfield manager David Wagner but inconsistency reigned and they ended up finishing 14th. They have made a few tweaks with keeper Tim Krul coming in – you feel Angus Gunn will be missed after signing for Southampton for big money from Man City. Jordan Rhodes will look to rediscover any kind of form after a few wretched years. Maddison will be a big loss and as of yet, they have not really invested much of the cash; save for Ben Marshall coming in from Wolves. With Josh Murphy also moving on, there is a real drop off in creativity.

IN
Emiliano Buendia (Getafe – undisclosed)
Moritz Leitner (Augsburg - undisclosed)
Teemu Pukki (Brondby IF - free)
Felix Passlack (Borussia Dortmund - loan)
Jordan Rhodes (Sheffield Wednesday - loan)
Tim Krul (Brighton)
Ben Marshall (Wolves – 1.5 million

OUT
Ebou Adams (Ebbsfleet United - free)
Savvas Mourgos (Dordrecht - loan)
Josh Murphy (Cardiff City - £11m)
Marley Watkins (Bristol City - £1m)
James Maddison (Leicester City - £24m)
Diallang Jaiyesimi (Yeovil Town - loan)
Marcel Franke (Darmstadt - loan)
Tristan Abrahams (Exeter - loan)
Steven Naismith (Hearts - loan)
Yanic Wildschut (Bolton – loan)

Key Player: Teemu Pukki. Scored a lot of goals for Brondby and will be counted on to hit the ground running.

Verdict – Big crowds at Carrow Road always help City but you worry that this season may be a bit of a struggle with the players lost.



18th - Blackburn Rovers

Manager – Tony Mowbray

Came back at the first attempt and Tony Mowbray did a great job. They have some decent players who underperformed when they were at this level previously. Expect Danny Graham to score goals and Chelsea loanee; Kasey Palmer was a really good acquisition. Mulgrew and Lenighan at the back are also solid defenders. Ben Gladwin and Peter Whittingham give them some creativity from midfield Maybe need another couple of options at the top of the field. They have enough talent and experience to stave off any threat of going back down and you feel they may even go a bit higher if they get off to a good start.

IN
Joe Rothwell (Oxford United - undisclosed)
Jacob Davenport (Manchester City - undisclosed)
Kasey Palmer (Chelsea – loan)

OUT
Scott Wharton (Lincoln – loan)

Key Player: Bradley Dack. Finally started to show consistency and form after showing promise a few years ago.

Verdict – Lower mid table. Will have enough to stay up but establishing a good home record will be very important.





19th - Hull City


Manager – Nigel Adkins

Adkins came in and just about did enough to keep them up but Hull were not exactly convincing. They have moved on some of the experienced pros in Dawson, Larsson, Meyler etc and maybe needed to shake things up and a few young players have come in with Burke and Kane adding to a few foreign punts. They have a light squad and you worry that if Dicko is not amongst the goals; who will score. There is some decent players in the squad but a lot of holes and Adkins does not seem to be manager that once was one of the hottest coaching talents in the UK – after poor tenures at Reading and Sheff Utd and still to really prove his worth at the KC.

IN
Eric Lichaj (Nottingham Forest - undisclosed)
David Milinkovic (Genoa - undisclosed)
Todd Kane (Chelsea – loan)
Reece Burke (West Ham - undisclosed)
Jordy de Wijs (PSV Eindhoven - undisclosed)
George Long (Sheffield United)

OUT
Allan McGregor (Rangers – free)
David Meyler (Reading – free)
Michael Dawson (Nottingham Forest – free)
Seb Larsson (AIK Solna - free)
Max Clark (Vitesse Arnhem - undisclosed)

Key Player: Kamil Grosicki. Showed his talent but it was fits and starts and injury problems did not help. Needs to be the main man in the middle pulling the strings.

Verdict – Staying up. Just…Feel they could get sucked into trouble this season and I would not be shocked if they did go down. Adkins is a poor manager whose sound bites and business speak do not cover up for a lack of ideas shown on the pitch.



20th - Reading

Manager – Paul Clement

Went from a play-off final team under Jaap Stam to a team that was right near the bottom and he was jettisoned long before the end of the season. Clement did enough to just about keep them up and he has gone for some experience in the former Hull duo. McNulty did not show he could consistently score at League One level so the jury is still out on him making a step up two divisions. The squad otherwise remains relatively unchanged. They have some talented youngsters in Liam Moore, Jon Swift and Liam Kelly but you do have concerns about the goals at the top of the field. Hard to see them improving much from last season.

IN
Andy Yiadom (Barnsley - free)
John O’Shea (Sunderland – free)
David Meyler (Hull City – free)
Marc McNulty (Coventry City - undisclosed)
Darren Sidoel (Ajax - free)

OUT
Sandro Wieser (FC Vaduz - free)
Danzell Gravenberch (KSV Roeselare - loan)
Tennai Watson (AFC Wimbledon - loan)
Jonathan Bond (West Brom)

Key Player: Liam Kelly. The diminutive Irishman links play and will get better as he develops.

Verdict – Stay up…Just….Had a poor season last time out and although Paul Clement will have a full season to work with this group, they have signed a few ageing pros who were in struggling sides last season. McNulty has yet to prove he can score goals at this level.

21st - Queens Park Rangers

Holloway went out which was not a surprise despite all their financial problems, which continue. However, the McClaren appointment is baffling. He inherits a lightweight squad that relies on players like Matt Smith and Connor Washington. If either of those struggles or gets injured, you fear for them. They have lost both their keeper and a key defender and the defence in particular looks lacking in experience and leadership. With all the money issues; they may lose any talent they have left and it will be a struggle to stay adrift.

Manager – Steve McClaren

IN
Joe Felix (Fulham - free)
Tony Leistner (Union Berlin - free)

OUT
Alex Smithies (Cardiff City - undisclosed)
Jack Robinson (Nottingham Forest – free)


Key Player: Luke Freeman. He is a talented performer who plays in that number 10 role where he can get on the ball and make things happen. Wasted a bit at QPR.


Verdict – Just avoiding relegation. Steve McClaren was a baffling appointment for me. He has consistently failed yet keeps getting jobs. The squad looks bereft of talent and lacks depth.

[Deadbat_DB]

22nd - Ipswich Town

Manager – Paul Hurst

Bringing in Paul Hurst was a good move and reward for someone who did so well at Grimsby and Shrewsbury. Although, you feel Mick McCarthy did a great job to keep Ipswich around the middle of this league for so long with little in the way of spending power. The football may have been dull but he got results and they overachieved. Hurst had brought in a clutch of young players and Ellis Harrison will be counted on for goals with McGoldrick gone and Waghorn seemingly on his way out too. I see a very young team that on the whole will struggle to put together many results. If they struggle at home again like last season, they will be looking over their shoulder.

IN
Ellis Harrison (Bristol Rovers)
Trevor Chalobah (Chelsea - loan)
Jordan Roberts (Crawley Town - free)
Gwion Edwards (Peterborough)

OUT
Michael Crowe (Preston North End – free)
Stephen Gleeson (Aberdeen - free)
Adam Webster (Bristol City -£3.5m)
Luke Hyam (Southend - free)
David McGoldrick (Sheffield United – free)

Key Player: Joe Garner. He never really did it after coming in from Rangers and needs to get back to the form he showed at Preston.

Verdict – Relegation. I fear that they may be sorry for what they wished for with McCarthy being ousted.



23rd - Bolton Wanderers

Manager – Phil Parkinson

Parkinson’s ugly style of football is abject to watch but with a tight budget and troubles off the field; he got them up and kept them up. They have moved things around a bit with some of the old guard such as Wilbraham, Pratley, Morais and both keepers moving on. Donaldson will suit their style as he loves to chase the long ball but Oztumer you feel could be wasted as they tend to bypass midfield. Wildschut is an interesting one as he has shown flashes but not consistently. Wheater and Beevers still are the two most important players. ‘Kick it and head it’ centre backs as I call them but they are effective and without them they would have been relegated long before the last day survival they achieved.

IN
Jason Lowe (Birmingham City – free)
Erhun Oztumer (Walsall - free)
Clayton Donaldson (Sheffield United - free)
Pawel Olkowski (Cologne - free)
Yanic Wildschut (Norwich – loan)
Marc Wilson (Sunderland – undisclosed)

OUT
Jeff King (St Mirren - free)
Darren Pratley (Charlton – free)
Aaron Wilbraham (Rochdale - free)
Chris Taylor (Blackpool - free)
Mark Howard (Blackpool - free)
Ben Amos (Millwall - loan)
Filipe Morais (Crawley – loan)

Key Player: Sammy Ameobi. At times looks unplayable. Fast, strong and with a great shot but he drifts in and out of games. Needs to establish his position and show it week in, week out.

Verdict – Relegation. They stayed up just last year but with the bulk of the squad the same minus Madine who they had for the first 5 months last year; you worry where the goals will come from.


24th - Rotherham

Manager – Paul Warne

Did tremendously to come straight back up and maybe even their fans would have felt this was a bit ahead of schedule. They have built themselves on teamwork and honest but have some decent talent in the likes of Vaulks and Taylor. Vassell and Robertson come in from Blackpool and Billy Jones gives them some experience adding to the solid Richard Wood. You do feel they lack talent and depth and wonder where the goals will come from. Need the likes of Ball and Smith to really up their games and these are two players who have never really proved it at this level before. Easy to say they will struggle but they do have a real shortage of quality and not sure that they have improved much to allow them to compete every week. Paul Warne will do his utmost to have them scrapping for every ball and every point.

IN
Sean Raggett (Norwich- loan)
Billy Jones (Sunderland - free)
Kyle Vassell (Blackpool – undisclosed)
Clark Robertson (Blackpool – undisclosed)
Marek Rodak (Fulham – loan)

OUT
Jerry Yates (Carlisle – loan)
Dominic Ball (Aberdeen - loan)


Key Player: Marek Rodak. The on-loan Fulham man will be busy in goal!

Verdict – Relegation –This may seem like a lazy prediction and I would not be shocked to see them take things right to the end of the season.

[costablade]

Can't argue with much of that DB, when you look at some of those teams and the money they have it really is like a mini Premier league. On paper you would expect United to finish mid table at best but i think we will be better once we get going, I'd predict somewhere just outside the top six, I expect the Wendy's to make the play offs Jos' had them playing as solid unit towards the end of last season, I expect them to be better this time around.

Utb

[FatherKnowsBest]

It could all look very different from that in 10 days time...

[mahatmafoot]

"but you forget they had so many injuries last season", wow, never realised that, never mentioned on Radio Sheffield!

[rodcurrie]

I dunt see Brentford finishin in't top 6,the 3 relgated clubs shud all be theer or theerabarts.I think Villa will be in n around top 6,sadly i think the Millers will have a struggle to survive but dearie me DB surely thaz got 10&11positions wrong mi owd pal.Cheers tho interestin read.UTCB

[Blade for Life]

Surely the piggies have to dump some high earners sooner rather than later. I can see a classic late fire sale. I think they will finish lower. Our finish depends on what happens in the next few days. Villa and Derby looking to hijack our targets. I would not be surprised if CW brings a player in that we have not been connected with.