English Championship 2019/20 preview
Another new football season is upon us. With the Premier League naturally taking all the attention, I turn mine to preview the English Championship, the second tier in England’s football league system. The Championship has traditionally and historically known to be the most difficult league to get out of.
This is due to the interesting mix of experienced teams, whose been in the league for some time. Relegated teams whose just left the big time in the Premier league and the hungry, yet wide eyed teams coming up from League One.
This has conjured up probably the most eclectic mix of footballing styles, all thrown together, fighting for success. It’s what makes the Championship so unpredictable and difficult to navigate.
You have to combat all styles. From slick footballing teams to physical ones. From long ball merchants to strong defensive outfits or exciting attacking teams. The Championship is always the most difficult league to predict. What’s predictable is that it will be another season full of excitement and drama.
The Contenders
Following their disappointing exit from the play off SF’s, after finishing 3rd in the league. Leeds United’s key could be keeping hold of manager Marcelo Bielsa.
Spygate aside, his experience, unique coaching methods and idea’s changed Leeds’ fortunes and they looked dominant at times. With the benefit of last season’s experience, automatic promotion is a realistic goal. However, their small squad will be tested. So fitness to key men such as Pablo Hernandez and new loan signing Helder Costa will be important.
Everyone in Cardiff City will be fighting tooth and nail for manager Neill Warnock’s last season in football before he retires. The experience of playing in the Premier League and maintaining the bulk of the players, even though some have departed, is important. With some good acquisitions, as well as, of course, Warnock’s record at this level, along with the experience of Sean Morrison and the ability of Bobby Reid. Could make it a successful season.
Fulham will have high expectations following their relegation from the Premier League. They drop down into the Championship with a potent attack and Premier League experience, so will expect to score plenty of goals. Although manager Scott Parker will still have defensive frailties to address, they seem to be in a good position to mount a challenge to bounce back with the likes of Aleksander Mitrovic and new signing Anthony Knockaert.
Although they have lost some key players. I still feel perennial yoyo team West Brom are looking strong. With no nonsense tactician Slaven Bilic now at the helm, combined with a few experienced heads, it could well be their year. The only issue would be if they have replaced the goals missing in the squad, due to some attacking departures. Hopefully this can be negated with the likes of new signing Kenneth Zohore and Matt Phillips.
Losing the play off final and then manager Frank Lampard, really set Derby County back. However, the experience, will place them in good stead for this season. Although they have lost a few of that team. New manager Philip Cocu will try to use his own experience to keep his team within touching distance. But it’ll be tough and he’ll have to bring a few youngsters through to add to record signing Krystian Bielik and the impressive Jayden Bogle.
Brentford have invested heavily this term with a distinct eye on mounting a serious challenge for promotion. They have showed steady improvement over the years and in their last season at Griffin Park, will be doing everything in their power to make it a season to remember. Manager Thomas Frank has forged a distinct playing identity which consists of hard work and attacking football. He will hope Neal Maupay and Ollie Watkins can provide vital goals.
The Possibles
Now playing in their second season in the Championship. Stoke City will be desperate to improve on a dismal 16th place last season. They still have players with Premier League experience and quality, so that, combined with their now Championship knowledge, will hopefully be enough for manager Nathan Jones to mount a decent promotion or play off push with the likes of Sam Vokes upfront.
Huddersfield are coming off a disastrous relegation season in the Premier League. I feel most were hard on them, as they more than exceeded expectations for the previous two seasons. This inevitably prompted changes and in the past 6 months, they have changed their chairman, manager and several keys players. So I expect a consolidation season, after a whirlwind past three years. However, manager Jan Siewert has more then enough quality and experience in the squad including captain Aaron Mooy for a play off finish.
Manager Lee Johnson has done some solid work in the transfer market to bolster his squad. Bristol City finished 8th last season, just 4 points from the play offs, this was following a 5th place finish the season before. Due to this, they will definitely be looking to finish in the top six this time around. They seem to be in a good position with key acquisitions such as Jay Dasilva, who will add to their exciting attacking style that will give any team trouble.
One of my dark horses are Sheffield Wednesday. It will hurt them seeing neighbours United playing in the Premier league. Not to mention their manager who left for Newcastle. That alone will motivate them and new manager Lee Bullen. Financial issues and a mini transfer embargo aside, they have rallied with a few key acquisitions to plug the gaps, including Kadeem Harris and have come out with a very capable squad.
Finishing seventh last season, just missing out on the play off’s by one point, must have been heartbreaking for Middlesborough. That alone should be motivation for this term. However, debut manager Jonathan Woodgate has urged all to be realistic in somewhat of a transitional period for the club. That said, the club still have big ambitions and quality in the squad. Especially with striker Britt Assombalonga, so anything is possible.
Following the sacking of Martin O’Neill, despite high expectations, Nottingham Forest have a new manager in relatively unknown Frenchman Sabri Lamouchi and more subdued expectations. Forest fans are being more realistic with a hope for just a play off push. He has brought in a number of Portuguese players such as Tiago Silva to add to Lewis Grabban, which would suggest exciting, attacking football, but it could go either way.
The Hopefuls
With yet another managerial change, Swansea welcome new manager Steve Cooper, an experience former Liverpool academy and England youth manager. His task’s been made harder with key departures in the squad. That aside, important signings could be the difference in a top half finish and a long, mid table season. However, not much is expected for the season and it’s possibly more about stabilising and the form of Mike van der Hoorn.
Manager Tony Mowbray did relatively well last season following Blackburn’s promotion from League One. With a decent 15th place finish, the goal will be to improve on that this term. Naturally, the squad will need improving, especially in the defensive areas. But it does seem like Mowbray has them moving in the right direction and it could be another fairly decent season, if not spectacular, especially with the likes of Bradley Dack.
I personally think Preston North End will be hard pressed to improve on, or even emulate their 14th place finish of last season. Even though they have brought back the legendary Dave Nugent. Manager Alex Neil will need to work wonders with his relatively small squad, to get the absolute best out of them. I believe the best they can expect for this season is hopefully stability and consolidation.
Sadly. Hull City are another team who are having to start over with a new manager. Just when they thought they had turned the corner. Neil Adkins finished 18th then13th last season but decided not to renew his contact. Now, new manger Grant McCann is left to pick up the pieces with a depleted squad. I expect it will be a tough but steady campaign, where keeping Jarrod Bowen and bringing youngsters through will be key.
With little to no money to spend. Queens Park Rangers fans have resigned themselves to a long season of mid table obscurity. They have lost some of their better players from last season, as well as their manager. Although new manager Mark Warbuton brought in a whole host of new ones. It may just come down to the experience and ability of the manager and maybe the form of Ebere Eze, if they are to improve on last seasons 19th place.
Another team who lost their manager from last season, much to the fans anger. Birmingham City will start over with former assistant, now caretaker head coach Josep Clotet at the helm. After a mixed season, where they thought they had turned the corner and then a turbulent summer, which also saw them lose some key players. They need the likes of Daniel Crowley to hit form in order to improve on their 17th place finish from last season.
The Under Threats
I feel its touch and go whether Wigan Athletic can improve on their 18th place finish, after two relegations and two promotions in the previous four years. Maintaining their Championship league status last term was massive for manager Paul Cook, who will now hope to build on this platform. Although they have lost some important performers and not brought in many, they still have hopes of a big season from Anthony Pilkington.
Naturally, the newly promoted teams are favourites to be fighting relegation. Although I agree. I still consider Luton as a dark horse. Two successive promotions have them in high spirits and although, I’m sure they are not hopeful for a third in a row, manager Graeme Jones has the team playing a combative and energetic attacking style of play that will be complimented by League One golden boot winner James Collins, who will trouble many teams.
Manager Jose Gomes is in the midst of consolidating, with Reading slowly making progress. Having only come in at the end of December, he steered his team out of a relegation fight to finish seven points above safety in 20th, equalling their finish from the season before. He will now try to improve on last seasons position, with his brand of Portuguese football, hopefully with help from some experienced signings including Charlie Adam.
Millwall just survived relegation by finishing four points and one place above it in 21st. This was a stark contrast from the season before where they finished 8th. An impressive FA Cup run to the QF’s showed what Manager Neill Harris’s team is capable off and they will hope to make progress this season, as I doubt they could survive another brush with relegation. They have bolstered their ranks and will hope new signing Matt Harris can be key.
Manager Lee Bowyer could be the main factor in Charlton’s hopes of staying in the league. To the fans relief, he agreed a new contract after talks had broken down. Promotion via the play offs in his first full season, shows his potential. His team did it by generally being defensively solid and clinical up front, this will be tested. Lacking funds, they’ve had to be shrewd. However, keeping key players is more important, such as Lyle Taylor.
Under manager Daniel Stendel’s high pressing football, Barnsley collected a club record points tally last season, as they gained automatic promotion. Although optimism is high, they will take anything from 21st above this season. However, it could be a tough season after the departure of some key players. Now with a relatively youthful squad. It could be a long hard season ahead, but anything is possible especially if Kieffer Moore has a big season.
