Deadbat
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Every year I have a stab at guessing who will finish where in our league; so here goes again. I am sure I will get plenty of criticism for our relatively low position I have predicted (as I did last year when we finished pretty much dead on where I said; think I said 9th and it was 8th!). Hope I am wrong and we finish higher!
....
1) Middlesbrough – Gordon Strachan did not totally convince after he took over from Gareth Southgate but armed with fresh funds given to him by chairman Steve Gibson; he has continued to change the squad. Much of the incomings signings have continued to come from Glasgow with signings from Celtic and Rangers dominating the new look squad. Kevin Thompson and Nicky Bailey give Boro industry and goals from the middle of the park and David Wheater and Steven McManus give them a no nonsense central defensive partnership. They look a very deep squad and if they gel quickly they will be tough to stop.
Key Man : Kris Boyd. A surprise signing and he will score a hatful in the Championship.
2) Notts Forest – Forest had a great season last time out but were badly outplayed in the play offs when they ran out of gas and were ‘outfootballed’ by Blackpool. However, Billy Davies will rally his troops again and they have pretty much the same squad. They have ample striking options and also have some good experience throughout the team. Always backed well at the City Ground, Forest will go one better this time out.
Key Man : Rob Earnshaw. May drift in and out of games but scores goals at this level.
__
3) QPR – Neil Warnock knows what it takes to get teams promoted and he will have QPR in and around the top of the division. He has brought in proven Championship players in Paddy Kenny, Clint Hill, Shaun Derry, Bradley Orr and Jamie Mackie. They may still lack real quality in the side especially up front but with funds at his disposal he can strengthen again if needed.
Key Man : Akos Buzsaky. With the likes of Derry and Leigertwood to allow him to flourish he can be the creative force in the R’s midfield.
4) Burnley – On paper they have as strong a squad as the one that went up last time out of the Championship but have a weaker managerial team. They have two sound keepers in Jensen and Grant and also possess experienced campaigners like Alexander, Carlisle, McCann and Elliott Iwelumo and Patterson will score goals up front and they have a relatively strong squad with few departing players.
Key Man : Ross Wallace. Impressed at Preston and now playing with better players his talents will be recognised more.
5) Cardiff City – City were heavily tipped to finish the job last season but flopped badly at Wembley Stadium in the Playoffs. Financial problems still surround the club with a transfer embargo still lingering. However, they still have the core of the squad that got them within a whisker of promotion and with the likes of Chopra, Bothroyd, McCormack they will score goals . Losing Joe Ledley is a loss but if they can sort out things off the pitch they could take that next step.
Key Man : Peter Whittingham. Scores goals, makes goals and has a delightful left foot. A clever player who arguably should be playing at a higher level.
6) Bristol City – Hiring Steve Coppell was a real coup as was the short term signing of David James. They have some real talent going forward with the likes of Maynard, Haynes, Cisse all capable of worrying defences with genuine pace. They have some experience in the likes of Nicky Hunt and Louis Carey at the back but there are holes in the side particularly in midfield where they lack creativity. However, Coppell gets his sides to play football and as well as being attractive to watch his sides invariably finish near the top.
Key Man : Nicky Maynard. Was prolific last season and under Coppell he can become an even more rounded player.
---
7) Reading : They looked like they may go down for long periods last season but ended the season in sparkling form. Brian McDermott did a superb job and there is no reason why they cannot continue the resurgence. They have some exciting attacking players in the likes of Church, Long, Hunt, Sigurdsson and McAnuff. If they can keep things tight at the back then they will be a playoff contender.
Key Man : Gylfi Sigurdsson. This talented midfielder came to the public eye after his winner at Anfield but his form and consistency last season proved he can play in the Premiership.
8) Leicester City – Nigel Pearson was a surprise departure and Paulo Sousa an equally surprise replacement. The Foxes have a decent squad though and with the goals of Matt Fryatt, Steve Howard, Paul Gallacher and Andy King they will be near the upper reaches again. Matt Oakley and Ritchie Wellens will anchor the midfield once again with the likes of Dyer and N’Guessan providing the width. They may not have the same resources at the back and rely on younger players in this area and this may stop them from making the playoffs again
Key Man : Andy King. This talented midfielder keeps popping up with goals and his ability to be in the right place at the right time will be vital again.
9) Hull City – Getting Nigel Pearson in as manager will help Hull to settle down but losing so many players and faced with more departures due to finances it will be hard for them to bounce straight back up. They have some promising young players coming through and have retained enough experience to ensure they will win more than they lose.
Key Man : Tom Cairney. The Tigers will place a lot of hope in Cairney who broke into the side at the back end of their relegation campaign and he will be a key figure this season.
10) Portsmouth - Steve Cotterill has taken over a shell of a side with barely enough players to fill the starting eleven at the moment but they still have a solid core with the likes of Ibrahim Sonko, Hayden Mullins, Herman Hreidarrson, Michael Brown and Tommy Smith all proven at this level. If they can add some players then they may do better than many expect.
Key Man : David Nugent. If he remains at Fratton Park; then he can get back to the prolific level of a few seasons ago.
11) Norwich City – City have excellent support and should be backed by around 30,000 most games at Carrow Road. They have a good young manager in Paul Lambert and goals aplenty in Grant Holt. Andrew Surman and Simeon Jackson were astute signings and the Canaries should carry on the momentum from last season and conceivably may even go higher than this.
Key Man : Grant Holt. May not be the quickest or the most skilful but knows where the back of the net is.
12) Sheffield United – Hard to pick where they will finish as last season was blighted by injuries and a succession of loan players which led to real inconsistency. On the face of it they should do better this season but it is easier to forget they also began last season with a far deeper squad than this one. The defence is sorely lacking in quality/depth and the side is bereft of pace. However, the plusses are the experience of Simonsen, Morgan, Nosworthy, Montgomery and Cresswell and the creativity of Ward, Britton and Yeates. They also have options up front with the aforementioned Cresswell, Evans and new signing Bogdanovic. The much maligned Henderson will actually be missed as he recovers from injury but it seems manager Blackwell has been charged with playing a more attractive, passing style. The fans will have to show some patience if the team has changed its style. They have tough looking early fixtures and it will be key they get off to a good start. If they don’t then the fans will call for the manager’s head and he could be gone with Gary Speed the obvious replacement.
Key Man : Chris Morgan. Morgan may be non nonsense and not win any beauty prizes for his style of play but every club in this league would love to have him as their centre back and skipper. With all the departures around him (Kenny, Walker, Naughton, Kilgallon, Naysmith) he has remained ever dependable.
13) Leeds United – With a big support at Elland Road and the backing of Ken Bates; Leeds should be able to be comfortable around mid table even if back to back promotions may be out of reach. Losing Beckford’s goals will hurt but bringing in attacking players like Paynter and Sam and defenders Bruce, Connolly and Bessone means Leeds should have enough depth to cope with the step up.
Key Man : Robert Snodgrass. A talented and combative midfielder who can get beyond the strikers to score goals.
14) Ipswich Town – Town had a disastrous start under Roy Keane last year but will surely start better and with some more signings to come in they will have an improved season. They still do not have enough quality to be real contenders and look very frail at the back. If Keane gets players in they will be higher up and possibly playoff contenders.
Key Man : Connor Wickham. The talented youngster will spearhead the Town attack and will score goals but may be lured by the big boys before the season end.
15) Doncaster Rovers- Rovers have now become an established force at Championship level and are attractive to watch. They won’t trouble the top of the league but should not be dragged down near the bottom either. Keeping Sean O’Driscoll as manager is vital to their future and if they can hang on to him then they will consolidate further at this level.
Key Man : Billy Sharp. Surprising that Rovers managed to snare Sharp and his signing will be vital in Rovers consolidating at this level. Seems better as a big fish in a small pond and the style Rovers play suits him to the ground as a penalty box predator.
16) Swansea City – Losing two managers in back to back close seasons may be tough to recover from. Brendan Rodgers was a surprise choice and following Martinez and Sousa will be almost impossible. They have a tight defence but really struggled to score goals and losing the creativity of Britton won’t help. They won’t be playoff contenders this season.
Key Man : Darren Pratley. A box to box midfielder who can protect the back line but get forward and score goals.
17) Barnsley – Mark Robins is a promising young manager and he came in and had instant success with a struggling side. They tailed off at the end of the season and they lack real squad depth. Also the signings they have brought in do not exactly inspire but Robins knows what he is doing and his sides are organised. They need to ensure they can score enough goals but if they do then they will be ok.
Key Man : Hugo Colace. Retaining the Argentinian midfielder was an important move for the Tykes and his performances will be key once
again.
18) Preston North End – Darren Ferguson may regret jumping into the managerial post at Deepdale as the club have admitted serious financial difficulties and have had to offload players such as Wallace and Mellor. They have some experienced players like Wayne Brown, Callum Davidson and Chris Brown. Paul Hayes is a decent signing who will score goals but the side overall does not look strong enough to do anything but languish towards the lower reaches.
Key Man : Sean St Ledger - Surprised that he has remained at Deepdale but he could be gone if recent developments are anything to go by. Holding onto him is vital if they want to stay away from the relegation spots.
19) Derby County – Nigel Clough was dealt a tough hand as he was faced with rebuilding an ageing squad with over paid players and a club that lost its Premiership parachute payments. Clough has had to raid the lower leagues in search of re-enforcements but this is a side that will be nearer the bottom than top and Clough will have to continue to wheel and deal faced with a tight budget.
Key Man : Kris Commons. One of the few quality players left at Pride Park. He has the quality to open defences up.
20) Coventry City – The idea of bringing Chris Coleman in was to allow City to play attractive, passing football. With little funds coupled with Coleman failing to sort out a leaky defence; the City board decided to make a change. Aidy Boothroyd comes in and the style of football will probably be more direct but a scan of the squad reveals a real dearth of talent with the keeper Kieran Westwood a notable exception. Experienced players like Lee Carsley, Gary McSheffrey and Clive Platt are not the type of signings that point to a promising future although in the short term they may help keep them up.
Key Man : Aron Gunnarson. Aswell as possessing a huge throw, Gunnarson can play a bit too and is one of the few standout Sky Blue performers.
21) Millwall – They have promised to come up for the last few seasons and they finally ended the Playoff hoodoo season when they beat Swindon at Wembley. Kenny Jacket’s side is well organised and has some experience in Harris, Robinson, Ward and Lisbie. They will be hard to beat at the Den but the step up in class may mean that consolidation is considered an excellent season.
Key Man : Steven Morison – He scored a bucket load of goals in League One after coming from non league and a lot will be expected of him again.
___
22) Crystal Palace – Dealing with administration, a points deduction and a relegation dog fight, Palace somehow survived on all fronts. A new manger in George Burley will try and pick up the pieces but they have lost key men such as Derry, Ertl and Hill and it seems like others in Speroni and Ambrose may follow too. They may find themselves the wrong side of the cut off point this season.
Key Man : Julian Speroni. If he remains then he will continue to be Palace’s best player and most important. Maybe the best keeper outside the Premiership.
23) Watford – Malky Mackay managed to keep the Hornets up but with no incoming players of real note and a paper thin squad that lacks experience and quality. It is hard to see where the goals are coming from and at the other end it is hard to see how they stop them going in. A bad start and they could be in real trouble.
Key Man : Danny Graham. He had to go down the divisions to come back up but he has proved he is a capable Championship striker.
24) Scunthorpe – Nigel Adkins did a sensational job last season to keep the Iron up but this year will be his toughest test yet. Losses of key players such as Hooper, Hayes, McCann and Williams makes his job even harder. Adkins has tried to bring in more promising lower division players such as Bobby Grant from Accrington and Chris Dagnall from Rochdale to plug the gaps but it is going to be a hard season for them and they will struggle to stay out of the drop zone. Will still surprise one or two teams at Glanford Park.
Key Man : Martyn Woolford – An old fashioned style winger who weighs in with his share of goals.
....
1) Middlesbrough – Gordon Strachan did not totally convince after he took over from Gareth Southgate but armed with fresh funds given to him by chairman Steve Gibson; he has continued to change the squad. Much of the incomings signings have continued to come from Glasgow with signings from Celtic and Rangers dominating the new look squad. Kevin Thompson and Nicky Bailey give Boro industry and goals from the middle of the park and David Wheater and Steven McManus give them a no nonsense central defensive partnership. They look a very deep squad and if they gel quickly they will be tough to stop.
Key Man : Kris Boyd. A surprise signing and he will score a hatful in the Championship.
2) Notts Forest – Forest had a great season last time out but were badly outplayed in the play offs when they ran out of gas and were ‘outfootballed’ by Blackpool. However, Billy Davies will rally his troops again and they have pretty much the same squad. They have ample striking options and also have some good experience throughout the team. Always backed well at the City Ground, Forest will go one better this time out.
Key Man : Rob Earnshaw. May drift in and out of games but scores goals at this level.
__
3) QPR – Neil Warnock knows what it takes to get teams promoted and he will have QPR in and around the top of the division. He has brought in proven Championship players in Paddy Kenny, Clint Hill, Shaun Derry, Bradley Orr and Jamie Mackie. They may still lack real quality in the side especially up front but with funds at his disposal he can strengthen again if needed.
Key Man : Akos Buzsaky. With the likes of Derry and Leigertwood to allow him to flourish he can be the creative force in the R’s midfield.
4) Burnley – On paper they have as strong a squad as the one that went up last time out of the Championship but have a weaker managerial team. They have two sound keepers in Jensen and Grant and also possess experienced campaigners like Alexander, Carlisle, McCann and Elliott Iwelumo and Patterson will score goals up front and they have a relatively strong squad with few departing players.
Key Man : Ross Wallace. Impressed at Preston and now playing with better players his talents will be recognised more.
5) Cardiff City – City were heavily tipped to finish the job last season but flopped badly at Wembley Stadium in the Playoffs. Financial problems still surround the club with a transfer embargo still lingering. However, they still have the core of the squad that got them within a whisker of promotion and with the likes of Chopra, Bothroyd, McCormack they will score goals . Losing Joe Ledley is a loss but if they can sort out things off the pitch they could take that next step.
Key Man : Peter Whittingham. Scores goals, makes goals and has a delightful left foot. A clever player who arguably should be playing at a higher level.
6) Bristol City – Hiring Steve Coppell was a real coup as was the short term signing of David James. They have some real talent going forward with the likes of Maynard, Haynes, Cisse all capable of worrying defences with genuine pace. They have some experience in the likes of Nicky Hunt and Louis Carey at the back but there are holes in the side particularly in midfield where they lack creativity. However, Coppell gets his sides to play football and as well as being attractive to watch his sides invariably finish near the top.
Key Man : Nicky Maynard. Was prolific last season and under Coppell he can become an even more rounded player.
---
7) Reading : They looked like they may go down for long periods last season but ended the season in sparkling form. Brian McDermott did a superb job and there is no reason why they cannot continue the resurgence. They have some exciting attacking players in the likes of Church, Long, Hunt, Sigurdsson and McAnuff. If they can keep things tight at the back then they will be a playoff contender.
Key Man : Gylfi Sigurdsson. This talented midfielder came to the public eye after his winner at Anfield but his form and consistency last season proved he can play in the Premiership.
8) Leicester City – Nigel Pearson was a surprise departure and Paulo Sousa an equally surprise replacement. The Foxes have a decent squad though and with the goals of Matt Fryatt, Steve Howard, Paul Gallacher and Andy King they will be near the upper reaches again. Matt Oakley and Ritchie Wellens will anchor the midfield once again with the likes of Dyer and N’Guessan providing the width. They may not have the same resources at the back and rely on younger players in this area and this may stop them from making the playoffs again
Key Man : Andy King. This talented midfielder keeps popping up with goals and his ability to be in the right place at the right time will be vital again.
9) Hull City – Getting Nigel Pearson in as manager will help Hull to settle down but losing so many players and faced with more departures due to finances it will be hard for them to bounce straight back up. They have some promising young players coming through and have retained enough experience to ensure they will win more than they lose.
Key Man : Tom Cairney. The Tigers will place a lot of hope in Cairney who broke into the side at the back end of their relegation campaign and he will be a key figure this season.
10) Portsmouth - Steve Cotterill has taken over a shell of a side with barely enough players to fill the starting eleven at the moment but they still have a solid core with the likes of Ibrahim Sonko, Hayden Mullins, Herman Hreidarrson, Michael Brown and Tommy Smith all proven at this level. If they can add some players then they may do better than many expect.
Key Man : David Nugent. If he remains at Fratton Park; then he can get back to the prolific level of a few seasons ago.
11) Norwich City – City have excellent support and should be backed by around 30,000 most games at Carrow Road. They have a good young manager in Paul Lambert and goals aplenty in Grant Holt. Andrew Surman and Simeon Jackson were astute signings and the Canaries should carry on the momentum from last season and conceivably may even go higher than this.
Key Man : Grant Holt. May not be the quickest or the most skilful but knows where the back of the net is.
12) Sheffield United – Hard to pick where they will finish as last season was blighted by injuries and a succession of loan players which led to real inconsistency. On the face of it they should do better this season but it is easier to forget they also began last season with a far deeper squad than this one. The defence is sorely lacking in quality/depth and the side is bereft of pace. However, the plusses are the experience of Simonsen, Morgan, Nosworthy, Montgomery and Cresswell and the creativity of Ward, Britton and Yeates. They also have options up front with the aforementioned Cresswell, Evans and new signing Bogdanovic. The much maligned Henderson will actually be missed as he recovers from injury but it seems manager Blackwell has been charged with playing a more attractive, passing style. The fans will have to show some patience if the team has changed its style. They have tough looking early fixtures and it will be key they get off to a good start. If they don’t then the fans will call for the manager’s head and he could be gone with Gary Speed the obvious replacement.
Key Man : Chris Morgan. Morgan may be non nonsense and not win any beauty prizes for his style of play but every club in this league would love to have him as their centre back and skipper. With all the departures around him (Kenny, Walker, Naughton, Kilgallon, Naysmith) he has remained ever dependable.
13) Leeds United – With a big support at Elland Road and the backing of Ken Bates; Leeds should be able to be comfortable around mid table even if back to back promotions may be out of reach. Losing Beckford’s goals will hurt but bringing in attacking players like Paynter and Sam and defenders Bruce, Connolly and Bessone means Leeds should have enough depth to cope with the step up.
Key Man : Robert Snodgrass. A talented and combative midfielder who can get beyond the strikers to score goals.
14) Ipswich Town – Town had a disastrous start under Roy Keane last year but will surely start better and with some more signings to come in they will have an improved season. They still do not have enough quality to be real contenders and look very frail at the back. If Keane gets players in they will be higher up and possibly playoff contenders.
Key Man : Connor Wickham. The talented youngster will spearhead the Town attack and will score goals but may be lured by the big boys before the season end.
15) Doncaster Rovers- Rovers have now become an established force at Championship level and are attractive to watch. They won’t trouble the top of the league but should not be dragged down near the bottom either. Keeping Sean O’Driscoll as manager is vital to their future and if they can hang on to him then they will consolidate further at this level.
Key Man : Billy Sharp. Surprising that Rovers managed to snare Sharp and his signing will be vital in Rovers consolidating at this level. Seems better as a big fish in a small pond and the style Rovers play suits him to the ground as a penalty box predator.
16) Swansea City – Losing two managers in back to back close seasons may be tough to recover from. Brendan Rodgers was a surprise choice and following Martinez and Sousa will be almost impossible. They have a tight defence but really struggled to score goals and losing the creativity of Britton won’t help. They won’t be playoff contenders this season.
Key Man : Darren Pratley. A box to box midfielder who can protect the back line but get forward and score goals.
17) Barnsley – Mark Robins is a promising young manager and he came in and had instant success with a struggling side. They tailed off at the end of the season and they lack real squad depth. Also the signings they have brought in do not exactly inspire but Robins knows what he is doing and his sides are organised. They need to ensure they can score enough goals but if they do then they will be ok.
Key Man : Hugo Colace. Retaining the Argentinian midfielder was an important move for the Tykes and his performances will be key once
again.
18) Preston North End – Darren Ferguson may regret jumping into the managerial post at Deepdale as the club have admitted serious financial difficulties and have had to offload players such as Wallace and Mellor. They have some experienced players like Wayne Brown, Callum Davidson and Chris Brown. Paul Hayes is a decent signing who will score goals but the side overall does not look strong enough to do anything but languish towards the lower reaches.
Key Man : Sean St Ledger - Surprised that he has remained at Deepdale but he could be gone if recent developments are anything to go by. Holding onto him is vital if they want to stay away from the relegation spots.
19) Derby County – Nigel Clough was dealt a tough hand as he was faced with rebuilding an ageing squad with over paid players and a club that lost its Premiership parachute payments. Clough has had to raid the lower leagues in search of re-enforcements but this is a side that will be nearer the bottom than top and Clough will have to continue to wheel and deal faced with a tight budget.
Key Man : Kris Commons. One of the few quality players left at Pride Park. He has the quality to open defences up.
20) Coventry City – The idea of bringing Chris Coleman in was to allow City to play attractive, passing football. With little funds coupled with Coleman failing to sort out a leaky defence; the City board decided to make a change. Aidy Boothroyd comes in and the style of football will probably be more direct but a scan of the squad reveals a real dearth of talent with the keeper Kieran Westwood a notable exception. Experienced players like Lee Carsley, Gary McSheffrey and Clive Platt are not the type of signings that point to a promising future although in the short term they may help keep them up.
Key Man : Aron Gunnarson. Aswell as possessing a huge throw, Gunnarson can play a bit too and is one of the few standout Sky Blue performers.
21) Millwall – They have promised to come up for the last few seasons and they finally ended the Playoff hoodoo season when they beat Swindon at Wembley. Kenny Jacket’s side is well organised and has some experience in Harris, Robinson, Ward and Lisbie. They will be hard to beat at the Den but the step up in class may mean that consolidation is considered an excellent season.
Key Man : Steven Morison – He scored a bucket load of goals in League One after coming from non league and a lot will be expected of him again.
___
22) Crystal Palace – Dealing with administration, a points deduction and a relegation dog fight, Palace somehow survived on all fronts. A new manger in George Burley will try and pick up the pieces but they have lost key men such as Derry, Ertl and Hill and it seems like others in Speroni and Ambrose may follow too. They may find themselves the wrong side of the cut off point this season.
Key Man : Julian Speroni. If he remains then he will continue to be Palace’s best player and most important. Maybe the best keeper outside the Premiership.
23) Watford – Malky Mackay managed to keep the Hornets up but with no incoming players of real note and a paper thin squad that lacks experience and quality. It is hard to see where the goals are coming from and at the other end it is hard to see how they stop them going in. A bad start and they could be in real trouble.
Key Man : Danny Graham. He had to go down the divisions to come back up but he has proved he is a capable Championship striker.
24) Scunthorpe – Nigel Adkins did a sensational job last season to keep the Iron up but this year will be his toughest test yet. Losses of key players such as Hooper, Hayes, McCann and Williams makes his job even harder. Adkins has tried to bring in more promising lower division players such as Bobby Grant from Accrington and Chris Dagnall from Rochdale to plug the gaps but it is going to be a hard season for them and they will struggle to stay out of the drop zone. Will still surprise one or two teams at Glanford Park.
Key Man : Martyn Woolford – An old fashioned style winger who weighs in with his share of goals.
