Buckle up. The new Championship season is around the corner and our EFL pundit Tom shares his 1-24 predictions.
The new Championship season is around the corner and our EFL pundit and co-host of podcast 'There Is a Floodlight That Never Goes Out', Tom shares his 21/22 season preview, with his 1-24 predictions.
AFC Bournemouth - Whilst it’s an appointment that has been bashed in the media- Scott Parker does seem to be a good fit for Bournemouth. I like the football Parker plays and I certainly think the Cherries can push on this season. Dom Solanke to improve once more, Ben Pearson to eat up Championship midfielders and David Brooks to be his usual maverick self. The Cherries will push hard for Top 2 but fall just short.
Prediction: 3rd
Barnsley- Markus Schopp is a bit of an unknown to 22 managers in this league isn’t he. Only Valerien Ismael knows what to expect. A variation of ‘Struber-Ball’ and ‘Ismael-Ball’ seems to be coming to Grove Street and I for one am excited. Now of course the losses of Alex Mowatt & Daryl Dike will be felt but I feel as if we’ve replaced well whilst also having the quality in the squad to succeed them anyway. To start with the Mowatt replacement job- Josh Benson is a class addition from Burnley and appears to have class in abundance. And with Herbie Kane to step out of the shadows, Callum Styles to step into the middle, Romal Palmer stepping up the consistency, with Big Aapo still doing the business when called upon and who knows- Marcel Ritzmaier possibly just stepping up to the gauntlet, the Reds’ midfield could be even stronger. And despite the fact Dike & Chaplin have left Oakwell, I actually think the Forward line has indeed improved, Aaron Leya Iseka, Obbi Oulare & Devante Cole are class additions and I’m really excited about Leya Iseka in particular- with the Belgian having rumoured to have commanded a fee that smashed the Georgi Hristov/Mike Sheron transfer record. Cartlon Morris is the ‘Tarn Thierry Henry’ and for me is one of the best players in the league- not very often have I seen a player at Oakwell who is as exciting as he. Cauley Woodrow the new skipper gets better and better, and at this club I have to applaud his loyalty, something we very rarely see nowadays- what a boy. Dom Frieser and Clarke Oduor are both very useful assets in the attack too with the former never stopping running & the latter being somewhat mercurial. Defence wise our central defence is rather impeccable, Helik, Andersen, Sibbick, Moon, Kitching & Sraha, it could be impregnable at times. Cal Brittain and Jordan Williams as wing-backs also really excite me. The only thing I worry about is over-playing in our own half but I trust this set of lads and I truly believe we’re one of the 6 best teams in the League again this season.
Prediction: 6th
Birmingham City- Lee Bowyer is such an average manager I can neither praise nor berate him. Brum’s business has flattered to deceive for me this Summer, and the additions of Jordan Graham, Tahith Chong & Ryan Woods just to name a few don’t inspire me. Another tawdry season of nothingness for the Blues, with the odd goal from the Juke keeping them well clear of safety.
AFC Bournemouth - Whilst it’s an appointment that has been bashed in the media- Scott Parker does seem to be a good fit for Bournemouth. I like the football Parker plays and I certainly think the Cherries can push on this season. Dom Solanke to improve once more, Ben Pearson to eat up Championship midfielders and David Brooks to be his usual maverick self. The Cherries will push hard for Top 2 but fall just short.
Prediction: 3rd
Barnsley- Markus Schopp is a bit of an unknown to 22 managers in this league isn’t he. Only Valerien Ismael knows what to expect. A variation of ‘Struber-Ball’ and ‘Ismael-Ball’ seems to be coming to Grove Street and I for one am excited. Now of course the losses of Alex Mowatt & Daryl Dike will be felt but I feel as if we’ve replaced well whilst also having the quality in the squad to succeed them anyway. To start with the Mowatt replacement job- Josh Benson is a class addition from Burnley and appears to have class in abundance. And with Herbie Kane to step out of the shadows, Callum Styles to step into the middle, Romal Palmer stepping up the consistency, with Big Aapo still doing the business when called upon and who knows- Marcel Ritzmaier possibly just stepping up to the gauntlet, the Reds’ midfield could be even stronger. And despite the fact Dike & Chaplin have left Oakwell, I actually think the Forward line has indeed improved, Aaron Leya Iseka, Obbi Oulare & Devante Cole are class additions and I’m really excited about Leya Iseka in particular- with the Belgian having rumoured to have commanded a fee that smashed the Georgi Hristov/Mike Sheron transfer record. Cartlon Morris is the ‘Tarn Thierry Henry’ and for me is one of the best players in the league- not very often have I seen a player at Oakwell who is as exciting as he. Cauley Woodrow the new skipper gets better and better, and at this club I have to applaud his loyalty, something we very rarely see nowadays- what a boy. Dom Frieser and Clarke Oduor are both very useful assets in the attack too with the former never stopping running & the latter being somewhat mercurial. Defence wise our central defence is rather impeccable, Helik, Andersen, Sibbick, Moon, Kitching & Sraha, it could be impregnable at times. Cal Brittain and Jordan Williams as wing-backs also really excite me. The only thing I worry about is over-playing in our own half but I trust this set of lads and I truly believe we’re one of the 6 best teams in the League again this season.
Prediction: 6th
Birmingham City- Lee Bowyer is such an average manager I can neither praise nor berate him. Brum’s business has flattered to deceive for me this Summer, and the additions of Jordan Graham, Tahith Chong & Ryan Woods just to name a few don’t inspire me. Another tawdry season of nothingness for the Blues, with the odd goal from the Juke keeping them well clear of safety.
Prediction:16th
Blackburn Rovers- Put simply Tony Mowbray should’ve been given his P45 at the end of May. The failure to do so from the Venky’s , places Rovers in a precarious position & with the inevitable loss of Adam Armstrong and the Bradley Dark-shaped void continuing for another season, the ‘Burn’ in the words of Liam Gallagher in 95’, will struggle. A scrap for survival beckons.
Prediction: 19th
Blackpool- There’s a few reasons that Blackpool will survive but the main one, is the Neil Critchley factor. He is an outstanding Coach at this level who without doubt will achieve great things within the game. Other factors for me include, Kenny Dougall being majestic, Jerry Yates scoring goals & Chris Maxwell stopping them going in. Survival would be a success for the Seasiders and despite it probably being a long-hard struggle, they will achieve just that.
Prediction: 20th
Bristol City- Nigel Pearson still hasn’t got the right minerals in this squad that he so vitally needed following last term’s shambolic home form. The Only positive for the Robins is that certain young players such as Tyreeq Bakinson will continue to improve, but other than that a poor season ahead. I’ll put my neck on the line here and say that by Christmas Pearson will have left Ashton Gate.
Prediction: 18th
Cardiff City- Big Mick to get the Barnsley Schopp early on. By that pun I mean that Mick McCarthy will barely survive ’til Xmas with Cardiff languishing in the bottom Half before another gaffer has a slight resurgence with the Bluebirds taking them up to a respectable twelfth. Kieffer to bag a few less than he did last season in a side that desperately needed reinforcements but couldn’t afford them. The young ’uns are going to be relied on heavily.
Prediction: 12th
Coventry City- Mark Robins has done an outstanding job with Cov. I back him to build on the back of last season with a respectable 15th in their first season back at the Ricoh in the Champ in 9 years. The loss of Leo Ostigard is the only reason why the Sky Blues don’t quite crack the top half but I still really like them as a team. McFadzean, O’Hare & Godden is a brilliant core.
Prediction: 15th
Read Part 2: Derby County > Nottingham Forest
Read Part 3: Peterborough United > West Bromwich Albion
Blackpool- There’s a few reasons that Blackpool will survive but the main one, is the Neil Critchley factor. He is an outstanding Coach at this level who without doubt will achieve great things within the game. Other factors for me include, Kenny Dougall being majestic, Jerry Yates scoring goals & Chris Maxwell stopping them going in. Survival would be a success for the Seasiders and despite it probably being a long-hard struggle, they will achieve just that.
Prediction: 20th
Bristol City- Nigel Pearson still hasn’t got the right minerals in this squad that he so vitally needed following last term’s shambolic home form. The Only positive for the Robins is that certain young players such as Tyreeq Bakinson will continue to improve, but other than that a poor season ahead. I’ll put my neck on the line here and say that by Christmas Pearson will have left Ashton Gate.
Prediction: 18th
Cardiff City- Big Mick to get the Barnsley Schopp early on. By that pun I mean that Mick McCarthy will barely survive ’til Xmas with Cardiff languishing in the bottom Half before another gaffer has a slight resurgence with the Bluebirds taking them up to a respectable twelfth. Kieffer to bag a few less than he did last season in a side that desperately needed reinforcements but couldn’t afford them. The young ’uns are going to be relied on heavily.
Prediction: 12th
Coventry City- Mark Robins has done an outstanding job with Cov. I back him to build on the back of last season with a respectable 15th in their first season back at the Ricoh in the Champ in 9 years. The loss of Leo Ostigard is the only reason why the Sky Blues don’t quite crack the top half but I still really like them as a team. McFadzean, O’Hare & Godden is a brilliant core.
Prediction: 15th
Read Part 2: Derby County > Nottingham Forest
Read Part 3: Peterborough United > West Bromwich Albion
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