Deadbat
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Chanpionship Preview 2016/17 (incorporating Ins and Outs)
Well here goes nothing….every year I stick my neck out and predict where all sides will finish in United’s respective league and this time it is the Championship.
Last year in League One, I got 4 of the top 6 and predicted 2 of the 3 that went up also. I had United 6th so was off on that one and the only one I did not predict for promotion – got Bolton and Millwall right. I also got 3 of the 3 relegated teams. I was miles off on Fleetwood though and did not feel Coventry would have been quite so bad.
As for this year, I think the league is quite open. There are no Newcastle’s in the league and I do not see one team running away with it. It really is a case of any team could beat anyone.
However, when you see the money spent by likes of Middlesbrough, Villa, Wolves (17 million) and even Bristol City (5 mill+ for a player) it makes you realise the resources clubs are chucking at it. Reassuringly they are sides like Huddersfield and Reading who spent little and did well. So it does not mean everything.
I expect Boro to do better than Sunderland and Hull who I feel will be quite a bit off the top having lost key men and having ownership questions. I expect Wednesday (sadly), Fulham to be in the mix again but Reading might not be as strong. I also feel likes of Derby, Villa and Wolves will have better seasons this time. Down near the bottom, you feel it will be tough for likes of Burton and Barnsley to replicate last year and also fear for Bolton out of the promoted sides as their style is quite predictable. I also think bigger sides such as Ipswich, QPR may struggle.
As for us? Who knows. We could be anywhere from flirting with the playoffs to a solid middle to two thirds down. I am known as a pessimist but I cannot see us being in a relegation scrap. I think Wilder’s high demands and the way he has the team believing in what they do means that we will be fine in that regard. I would have liked a few more ‘wow’ signings but seems the money is not quite there for that sadly so it may be a season of gulp…consolidation. That would not be a bad thing after the last 6 years.
So here are my predictions complete with the ins and outs over the summer for our Championship rivals (I may have missed odd transfer but hope most is there). Hope I have got most of the information correct – apologies if not.
Scroll down for bonus predictions for the ‘other’ leagues and competitions!
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1) Middlesbrough
Ins: Cyrus Christie (Derby), Jonny Howson (Norwich), Britt Assombalonga (Forest), Darren Randolph (West Ham), George Miller (Bury), Martin Braithwaite (Toulouse), Connor Roberts (Swansea), Ashley Fletcher (West Ham)
Outs: Jordan Rhodes (Wednesday), Cristhian Stuani (Girona), Brad Guzan (Atlanta United), James Husband (Norwich), Viktor Fischer (FSV Mainz), Bernardo Espinosa (Girona), Antonio Barragan (Real Betis - loan), Julien De Sart (Zulte Wargem – loan), Carlos De Pena, Victor Valdes
They came down with barely a whimper which surprised me as they had some good young talent and seemed to have enough to do as well as say Burnley did. They did not concede a lot but could not score and in the end they lacked the quality to compete. Questions carried on about the manager who of course eventually left. Steve Agnew did not get much of a response and they have a new man t the helm now. They have the bulk of a squad that came down but also that came up the year before. Ben Gibson is still there and they have added some real Championship experience in the likes of Christie, Howson and Assombalonga. Add in mainstays like Friend, Leadbitter, Clayton, Forshaw and Ayala and they have the nous and know how at this level.
New manager Gary Monk will be anxious to prove Leeds were wrong not to keep him and you feel he has done enough in both jobs at Swansea and Ellan Road to suggest there is a good young manager in there. If they start well with no hangover you feel these could be the side to beat with a squad packed with experience. They have 5 million+ strikers in Ashley Fletcher and Rudy Gestede that may struggle to get a game. That shows the striking options they have. Their miserly defence remains relatively unchanged. They have ratter sin midfield who will get stuck in and turn the ball over the other way. For me, the team to beat.
Key Player: Britt Assombalonga – He has at times looked devastating but has rarely remained fit and that means there is still a question mark over such a fee (14 million!) but if he gets the service and does remain fit you think he could score a lot of goals for a team that should be right up at the top. Gibson could be the best defender at this level if he remains.
2) Aston Villa
Ins: Glenn Whelan (Stoke), Ahmed Elmohamady (Hull), John Terry (Chelsea), Sam Johnstone (Man Utd – loan), Chris Samba,
Outs: Jordan Veretout (Fiorentina), Carlos Sanchez (Fiorentina), Libor Kozak, Nathan Baker (Bristol City)
The squad is massive and needs pruning and you do wonder about the size of the wage bill and FFP but they now have a manager Steve Bruce that has been around but is relatively successful wherever he goes. He has got teams out of this division quite a few times and knows the city well. You feel with a more settled pre-season and him getting some experienced players in like Whelan and Terry, that they will be much better. They still have question marks over certain players with young Jack Grealish still not really growing up and Ross McCormack seemingly on the way out (if he can get out of his gates at home).
At the back along with Terry, they have Elmohamady, Chester, Taylor, Richards, Elphick, De Laet, Hutton and many of these were Premier League players until recently. You look at the midfield and they have Whelan, Lansbury, Hourihane, Grealish, Jedinak, Adomah, Gardner, Bacuna and it is packed full of quality. Even up top they have Hogan who came in for a lot of money and Agbonlahor who has been around forever to supplant the talented Kodija. On paper, they look an extremely strong outfit but flunked badly last time with managerial changes needed to halt the slide.
You cannot see them doing anywhere near as badly and even though Terry and Whelan may be on their last few years, they still should have enough to ensure the side will not let up and have collapses like they did last year. If they improve the home form and get the crowd on side early on, expect momentum to see them be competing at the top.
Key Player: Jonathan Kodija – Scored 19 goals in a team that struggled at times last season. With an improved squad and a settled management team, you figure he could be right at the top of the scoring charts. A player who can score with both feet, head and takes penalties, he seems to be a real all-around striker. Plays off the last man but can score poachers goals as well as long range efforts. Packs a real shot on him too. Villa will count on him to be their talisman up top.
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3) Sheff Wed
Ins: Jordan Rhodes (Middlesbrough), George Boyd (Burnley)
Outs: Urby Emanuelson (Utrecht), Filipe Melo (Chaves), Vincent Sasso (Belenenses), Claude Dielna
They missed out again in the playoffs and many fans were split on whether manager Carlos Carvahal should be back but the duffle coated Portuguese is back at the helm for another assault. In theory, they will fancy their chances as there are no real powerhouses like last season and they have a relatively unchanged side. They are strong at the back with Lees, Loovens and the underrated Hutchinson being key to the lack of goals conceded and they have an abundance of strikers with Rhodes, Fletcher, Hooper and Winnall but are no closer to knowing the best two and keeping all four happy might be a challenge. Some have flattered to deceive and Abdi and Reach did not quite have the impact that the Owls would have hoped for substantial outlays and wages.
They have some good performers for this level in the likes of Bannan and Lee who do the engine work and also weigh in with goals and assists. George Boyd might not be a glamourous signing but he is as hard working as they come. The fans may be disappointed they have not spent more but they were not far off last season and whilst others have strengthened, they will know the strong defence and organisation will ensure they will be tough to beat again. Fans hope the shackles may come off a bit more and that they attack teams more, especially at home. The owners have spent a lot of money and will feel that this year they need to see some return. If they fail again it will be 18 years without being in the top flight which is the longest by some way in their history and the pressure may be too much for the affable Carvahal.
Key Player: Fernando Forestieri – He may have missed the penalty that ended their latest attempt for the Premier League but he is the man that gives them the extra quality…the x factor. He dives, moans and spends a lot of time on the floor, but he is a very skilful performer and has the class needed to create and take goals. For all his criticism, he is the one player on the Wednesday side that other teams fear when he gets on the ball. His loyalty may be in question as he effectively went on strike last season to engineer either a move or a better deal at Hillsborough; but you feel his performances will go a long way to seeing whether this year is Wednesday’s year.
4) Fulham
Ins: Ibrahima Cisse (Standard Liege), Marcelo Djalo (CD Lugo), Oliver Norwood (Brighton – loan), Tomas Kalas (Chelsea – loan)
Outs: Scott Malone (Huddersfield), Richard Stearman (Sheff Utd), Jozabed Sanchez (Celta Viga), Lasse Christensen (Brondby), Jesse Joronen (AC Horsens), Larnell Cole, Ryan Tunnicliffe, Scott Parker, Cameron Burgess (Scunthorpe),
Maybe the most attractive team to watch last season, they scored a lot of goals but also let a lot of goals in. They had full backs that bombed before, creative midfielders and a mix of strikers at the top of the field. They had a lovely style and really pushed on after Xmas and just ran out of steam at the end but many felt they would win the playoffs so their limp performances against Reading were a bit of a surprise. Jokanovic rarely stays as manager long but he seems settled enough at Craven Cottage although interest came from former club Watford and Palace in the summer.
Losing Scott Malone will be a blow as the full backs were so important to the play but young talent Ryan Sessegnon remains in the other full back berth. They have added Djalo to supplant the backline but the midfield remains the big strength of this side. Stefan Johansen scored 11 goals from midfield and with the excellent Tom Cairney and the creative former Blade Kevin McDonald, added to newcomer the imposing Cisse from Standard Liege and there will not be many better midfields at this level. Expect more from Chelsea loanee Lucas Piazon this time around who has extended his loan at the Cottage but they will get goals from the pacey Sone Aluko who will be expected to profit from the aforementioned creativity from behind him.
They probably need another striker with Chris Martin going back to his parent club and a bit more depth but overall the way Jokanovic has them attacking teams means they will continue to be attractive to watch and also outscore many teams due to this approach.
Key Player: Tom Cairney – An excellent box to box midfielder. Can do a bit of everything. Scored 12 goals but was at the heart of many things they did well last season. Fulham have done well to retain him as he is entering his prime and will need to be up there to stave off Premier League interest.
5) Derby (promoted in the Playoffs beating Sheff Wed in the final)
Ins: Curtis Davies (Hull), Tom Huddlestone (Hull), Andre Wisdom (Liverpool)
Outs: Tom Ince (Huddersfield), Will Hughes (Watford), Cyrus Christie (Middlesbrough), Alefe Santos (Yeovil), Abdoul Camara (Guingamp)
Got it badly wrong with the managerial appointments last season although it was more of a surprise Nigel Pearson did not work out than the returning Steve McClaren, that on the face of it seemed a puzzling reappointment. Gary Rowett knows the club and was ridiculously sacked from Birmingham. He has done well at both St Andrews and previously at Burton and you feel this was a safe hire. It was too late for him to turn it around last season.
They seemed to have always been there or thereabout for the last few years but then after losing in the playoff final after dominating QPR, they then missed out on the last day of the top 6 and then fell further away last year. They do not have exactly a young squad and another squad that seems very top heavy and the amount of wages going out must be perilously close to the FFP regulations. However, the squad is packed full of experience and quality still. They have lost Will Hughes and Tom Ince but have Chris Martin returning as well as former hero Tom Huddlestone. Andre Wisdom and Curtis Davies give them physical presence at the back but you expect it will the mainstays such as Carson, Keogh, Johnson, and Martin that will still dictate how far they go. You look at the striking options in Martin, Nugent, Bent, Vydra, Nugent, Weimann, Russell and Blackman and it makes it a real puzzle how they were not higher up last year although the decision to let Martin go to a rival in Fulham was equally baffling.
They seem to have power and pace in key areas and you sense they will do much better this season. Huddlestone will come in and quarter back play and with Keogh, Davies, Shackell and Pearce at the back; they should be relatively tight in this area. With the above strikers, you sense that Rowett will find a pairing that should see them score a lot more goals this season.
Key Player: Chris Martin – A player I have always liked. He is a bit of a plodder but the ball sticks when it comes to him and he does score goals. He is a proper target man who allows others to play off him. I expect him to have a real resurgence this season with the likes of Bent and Nugent profiting from him as Rowett gets the best out of him.
6) Wolves
Ins: Diogo Jota (Atletico Madrid – loan), John Ruddy (Norwich), Ruben Vinagre (Monaco – loan), Will Norris (Cambridge), Barry Douglas (Konyaspor), Roderick Miranda (Rio Ave), Ruben Neves (Porto - loan), Willy Boly (Porto – loan), Ryan Bennett (Norwich), Phil Ofusu-Ayeh (Eintracht Braundschweig)
Outs:
James Henry (Oxford), Jon Flatt (Cheltenham – loan), Mike Williamson (Oxford), Bradley Reid (Tamworth), Dominic Iorfa (Ipswich), George Saville (Millwall), Jed Wallace (Millwall), Jon Dadi Bodvarsson (Reading), Pau Gladon (Heracles – loan), Ethan Ebanks Landell (MK Dons), Silvio
Seemed to massively underachieve last season but have had four managers in 10 months now! Nuno Espirito Santo comes in as the next ‘unknown’ manager in the Championship. It is fair to say these types of appointments have seen mixed success with some disasters and some panning out. It does not seem long since Walter Zenga was in charge but that did not last long and whilst Paul Lambert steadied the ship, you sensed the owners wanted their own man in. Super-Agent Jorge Mendes remains the key man in the operations behind the scenes with the money coming from Chinese owners Fosun with the owner valued at 4.2 billion alone! Despite this wealth it remains to be seen if the big money signings will be able to adapt to the Championship. Quite a few came in last year and only Helder Costa really worked out with Cavaleiro another costing 7 million and not really impressing. However, they have taken things to the next level and some of the new signings are mind blowing in the sense many were linked with top Spanish and Premier League clubs.
The two big additions are Neves and Jota. Neves signs for 17 million. Yes, you read that right. 17 MILLION. A sobering thought for many Blades fans who think our owners can compete at this level. Sure, it does not mean everything spending this kind of money and Wolves hardly did much last year but it seems a long way off from us spending even 5 million on one player! Jota played 27 times for Porto on loan last season and is on a 5-year contract at Atletico Madrid and will play just behind the strikers. Boly comes in at the back with a big reputation but needs to kick start his career whilst Ofusu-Ayeh is another ‘unit’ to play at the back.
They do have some Championship and British experience in the likes of Ben Marshall, John Ruddy (who will probably deputise for Carl Ikembe, who was sadly diagnosed with leukemia), Conor Coady, David Edwards, Danny Batth and Nouha Dicko. I lot depends how quickly Santo can adapt to this level and that he can get the expensive new guys to integrate into a totally different style of football. I get the sense the type of signings means that if they get off to a slow start, they will chuck more cash at it and eventually get it right.
Key Player: Helder Costa – Costa stood out at Molineux last year. He scored goals, ran at defences and excited the fans. He seemed too good for the Championship but the Wolves have held onto him and added some of his countrymen to help them giving a better fist of the Championship. You expect with Santo in at the helm he may get the best out of Costs and his fellow Portuguese players.
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Well here goes nothing….every year I stick my neck out and predict where all sides will finish in United’s respective league and this time it is the Championship.
Last year in League One, I got 4 of the top 6 and predicted 2 of the 3 that went up also. I had United 6th so was off on that one and the only one I did not predict for promotion – got Bolton and Millwall right. I also got 3 of the 3 relegated teams. I was miles off on Fleetwood though and did not feel Coventry would have been quite so bad.
As for this year, I think the league is quite open. There are no Newcastle’s in the league and I do not see one team running away with it. It really is a case of any team could beat anyone.
However, when you see the money spent by likes of Middlesbrough, Villa, Wolves (17 million) and even Bristol City (5 mill+ for a player) it makes you realise the resources clubs are chucking at it. Reassuringly they are sides like Huddersfield and Reading who spent little and did well. So it does not mean everything.
I expect Boro to do better than Sunderland and Hull who I feel will be quite a bit off the top having lost key men and having ownership questions. I expect Wednesday (sadly), Fulham to be in the mix again but Reading might not be as strong. I also feel likes of Derby, Villa and Wolves will have better seasons this time. Down near the bottom, you feel it will be tough for likes of Burton and Barnsley to replicate last year and also fear for Bolton out of the promoted sides as their style is quite predictable. I also think bigger sides such as Ipswich, QPR may struggle.
As for us? Who knows. We could be anywhere from flirting with the playoffs to a solid middle to two thirds down. I am known as a pessimist but I cannot see us being in a relegation scrap. I think Wilder’s high demands and the way he has the team believing in what they do means that we will be fine in that regard. I would have liked a few more ‘wow’ signings but seems the money is not quite there for that sadly so it may be a season of gulp…consolidation. That would not be a bad thing after the last 6 years.
So here are my predictions complete with the ins and outs over the summer for our Championship rivals (I may have missed odd transfer but hope most is there). Hope I have got most of the information correct – apologies if not.
Scroll down for bonus predictions for the ‘other’ leagues and competitions!
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1) Middlesbrough
Ins: Cyrus Christie (Derby), Jonny Howson (Norwich), Britt Assombalonga (Forest), Darren Randolph (West Ham), George Miller (Bury), Martin Braithwaite (Toulouse), Connor Roberts (Swansea), Ashley Fletcher (West Ham)
Outs: Jordan Rhodes (Wednesday), Cristhian Stuani (Girona), Brad Guzan (Atlanta United), James Husband (Norwich), Viktor Fischer (FSV Mainz), Bernardo Espinosa (Girona), Antonio Barragan (Real Betis - loan), Julien De Sart (Zulte Wargem – loan), Carlos De Pena, Victor Valdes
They came down with barely a whimper which surprised me as they had some good young talent and seemed to have enough to do as well as say Burnley did. They did not concede a lot but could not score and in the end they lacked the quality to compete. Questions carried on about the manager who of course eventually left. Steve Agnew did not get much of a response and they have a new man t the helm now. They have the bulk of a squad that came down but also that came up the year before. Ben Gibson is still there and they have added some real Championship experience in the likes of Christie, Howson and Assombalonga. Add in mainstays like Friend, Leadbitter, Clayton, Forshaw and Ayala and they have the nous and know how at this level.
New manager Gary Monk will be anxious to prove Leeds were wrong not to keep him and you feel he has done enough in both jobs at Swansea and Ellan Road to suggest there is a good young manager in there. If they start well with no hangover you feel these could be the side to beat with a squad packed with experience. They have 5 million+ strikers in Ashley Fletcher and Rudy Gestede that may struggle to get a game. That shows the striking options they have. Their miserly defence remains relatively unchanged. They have ratter sin midfield who will get stuck in and turn the ball over the other way. For me, the team to beat.
Key Player: Britt Assombalonga – He has at times looked devastating but has rarely remained fit and that means there is still a question mark over such a fee (14 million!) but if he gets the service and does remain fit you think he could score a lot of goals for a team that should be right up at the top. Gibson could be the best defender at this level if he remains.
2) Aston Villa
Ins: Glenn Whelan (Stoke), Ahmed Elmohamady (Hull), John Terry (Chelsea), Sam Johnstone (Man Utd – loan), Chris Samba,
Outs: Jordan Veretout (Fiorentina), Carlos Sanchez (Fiorentina), Libor Kozak, Nathan Baker (Bristol City)
The squad is massive and needs pruning and you do wonder about the size of the wage bill and FFP but they now have a manager Steve Bruce that has been around but is relatively successful wherever he goes. He has got teams out of this division quite a few times and knows the city well. You feel with a more settled pre-season and him getting some experienced players in like Whelan and Terry, that they will be much better. They still have question marks over certain players with young Jack Grealish still not really growing up and Ross McCormack seemingly on the way out (if he can get out of his gates at home).
At the back along with Terry, they have Elmohamady, Chester, Taylor, Richards, Elphick, De Laet, Hutton and many of these were Premier League players until recently. You look at the midfield and they have Whelan, Lansbury, Hourihane, Grealish, Jedinak, Adomah, Gardner, Bacuna and it is packed full of quality. Even up top they have Hogan who came in for a lot of money and Agbonlahor who has been around forever to supplant the talented Kodija. On paper, they look an extremely strong outfit but flunked badly last time with managerial changes needed to halt the slide.
You cannot see them doing anywhere near as badly and even though Terry and Whelan may be on their last few years, they still should have enough to ensure the side will not let up and have collapses like they did last year. If they improve the home form and get the crowd on side early on, expect momentum to see them be competing at the top.
Key Player: Jonathan Kodija – Scored 19 goals in a team that struggled at times last season. With an improved squad and a settled management team, you figure he could be right at the top of the scoring charts. A player who can score with both feet, head and takes penalties, he seems to be a real all-around striker. Plays off the last man but can score poachers goals as well as long range efforts. Packs a real shot on him too. Villa will count on him to be their talisman up top.
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3) Sheff Wed
Ins: Jordan Rhodes (Middlesbrough), George Boyd (Burnley)
Outs: Urby Emanuelson (Utrecht), Filipe Melo (Chaves), Vincent Sasso (Belenenses), Claude Dielna
They missed out again in the playoffs and many fans were split on whether manager Carlos Carvahal should be back but the duffle coated Portuguese is back at the helm for another assault. In theory, they will fancy their chances as there are no real powerhouses like last season and they have a relatively unchanged side. They are strong at the back with Lees, Loovens and the underrated Hutchinson being key to the lack of goals conceded and they have an abundance of strikers with Rhodes, Fletcher, Hooper and Winnall but are no closer to knowing the best two and keeping all four happy might be a challenge. Some have flattered to deceive and Abdi and Reach did not quite have the impact that the Owls would have hoped for substantial outlays and wages.
They have some good performers for this level in the likes of Bannan and Lee who do the engine work and also weigh in with goals and assists. George Boyd might not be a glamourous signing but he is as hard working as they come. The fans may be disappointed they have not spent more but they were not far off last season and whilst others have strengthened, they will know the strong defence and organisation will ensure they will be tough to beat again. Fans hope the shackles may come off a bit more and that they attack teams more, especially at home. The owners have spent a lot of money and will feel that this year they need to see some return. If they fail again it will be 18 years without being in the top flight which is the longest by some way in their history and the pressure may be too much for the affable Carvahal.
Key Player: Fernando Forestieri – He may have missed the penalty that ended their latest attempt for the Premier League but he is the man that gives them the extra quality…the x factor. He dives, moans and spends a lot of time on the floor, but he is a very skilful performer and has the class needed to create and take goals. For all his criticism, he is the one player on the Wednesday side that other teams fear when he gets on the ball. His loyalty may be in question as he effectively went on strike last season to engineer either a move or a better deal at Hillsborough; but you feel his performances will go a long way to seeing whether this year is Wednesday’s year.
4) Fulham
Ins: Ibrahima Cisse (Standard Liege), Marcelo Djalo (CD Lugo), Oliver Norwood (Brighton – loan), Tomas Kalas (Chelsea – loan)
Outs: Scott Malone (Huddersfield), Richard Stearman (Sheff Utd), Jozabed Sanchez (Celta Viga), Lasse Christensen (Brondby), Jesse Joronen (AC Horsens), Larnell Cole, Ryan Tunnicliffe, Scott Parker, Cameron Burgess (Scunthorpe),
Maybe the most attractive team to watch last season, they scored a lot of goals but also let a lot of goals in. They had full backs that bombed before, creative midfielders and a mix of strikers at the top of the field. They had a lovely style and really pushed on after Xmas and just ran out of steam at the end but many felt they would win the playoffs so their limp performances against Reading were a bit of a surprise. Jokanovic rarely stays as manager long but he seems settled enough at Craven Cottage although interest came from former club Watford and Palace in the summer.
Losing Scott Malone will be a blow as the full backs were so important to the play but young talent Ryan Sessegnon remains in the other full back berth. They have added Djalo to supplant the backline but the midfield remains the big strength of this side. Stefan Johansen scored 11 goals from midfield and with the excellent Tom Cairney and the creative former Blade Kevin McDonald, added to newcomer the imposing Cisse from Standard Liege and there will not be many better midfields at this level. Expect more from Chelsea loanee Lucas Piazon this time around who has extended his loan at the Cottage but they will get goals from the pacey Sone Aluko who will be expected to profit from the aforementioned creativity from behind him.
They probably need another striker with Chris Martin going back to his parent club and a bit more depth but overall the way Jokanovic has them attacking teams means they will continue to be attractive to watch and also outscore many teams due to this approach.
Key Player: Tom Cairney – An excellent box to box midfielder. Can do a bit of everything. Scored 12 goals but was at the heart of many things they did well last season. Fulham have done well to retain him as he is entering his prime and will need to be up there to stave off Premier League interest.
5) Derby (promoted in the Playoffs beating Sheff Wed in the final)
Ins: Curtis Davies (Hull), Tom Huddlestone (Hull), Andre Wisdom (Liverpool)
Outs: Tom Ince (Huddersfield), Will Hughes (Watford), Cyrus Christie (Middlesbrough), Alefe Santos (Yeovil), Abdoul Camara (Guingamp)
Got it badly wrong with the managerial appointments last season although it was more of a surprise Nigel Pearson did not work out than the returning Steve McClaren, that on the face of it seemed a puzzling reappointment. Gary Rowett knows the club and was ridiculously sacked from Birmingham. He has done well at both St Andrews and previously at Burton and you feel this was a safe hire. It was too late for him to turn it around last season.
They seemed to have always been there or thereabout for the last few years but then after losing in the playoff final after dominating QPR, they then missed out on the last day of the top 6 and then fell further away last year. They do not have exactly a young squad and another squad that seems very top heavy and the amount of wages going out must be perilously close to the FFP regulations. However, the squad is packed full of experience and quality still. They have lost Will Hughes and Tom Ince but have Chris Martin returning as well as former hero Tom Huddlestone. Andre Wisdom and Curtis Davies give them physical presence at the back but you expect it will the mainstays such as Carson, Keogh, Johnson, and Martin that will still dictate how far they go. You look at the striking options in Martin, Nugent, Bent, Vydra, Nugent, Weimann, Russell and Blackman and it makes it a real puzzle how they were not higher up last year although the decision to let Martin go to a rival in Fulham was equally baffling.
They seem to have power and pace in key areas and you sense they will do much better this season. Huddlestone will come in and quarter back play and with Keogh, Davies, Shackell and Pearce at the back; they should be relatively tight in this area. With the above strikers, you sense that Rowett will find a pairing that should see them score a lot more goals this season.
Key Player: Chris Martin – A player I have always liked. He is a bit of a plodder but the ball sticks when it comes to him and he does score goals. He is a proper target man who allows others to play off him. I expect him to have a real resurgence this season with the likes of Bent and Nugent profiting from him as Rowett gets the best out of him.
6) Wolves
Ins: Diogo Jota (Atletico Madrid – loan), John Ruddy (Norwich), Ruben Vinagre (Monaco – loan), Will Norris (Cambridge), Barry Douglas (Konyaspor), Roderick Miranda (Rio Ave), Ruben Neves (Porto - loan), Willy Boly (Porto – loan), Ryan Bennett (Norwich), Phil Ofusu-Ayeh (Eintracht Braundschweig)
Outs:
James Henry (Oxford), Jon Flatt (Cheltenham – loan), Mike Williamson (Oxford), Bradley Reid (Tamworth), Dominic Iorfa (Ipswich), George Saville (Millwall), Jed Wallace (Millwall), Jon Dadi Bodvarsson (Reading), Pau Gladon (Heracles – loan), Ethan Ebanks Landell (MK Dons), Silvio
Seemed to massively underachieve last season but have had four managers in 10 months now! Nuno Espirito Santo comes in as the next ‘unknown’ manager in the Championship. It is fair to say these types of appointments have seen mixed success with some disasters and some panning out. It does not seem long since Walter Zenga was in charge but that did not last long and whilst Paul Lambert steadied the ship, you sensed the owners wanted their own man in. Super-Agent Jorge Mendes remains the key man in the operations behind the scenes with the money coming from Chinese owners Fosun with the owner valued at 4.2 billion alone! Despite this wealth it remains to be seen if the big money signings will be able to adapt to the Championship. Quite a few came in last year and only Helder Costa really worked out with Cavaleiro another costing 7 million and not really impressing. However, they have taken things to the next level and some of the new signings are mind blowing in the sense many were linked with top Spanish and Premier League clubs.
The two big additions are Neves and Jota. Neves signs for 17 million. Yes, you read that right. 17 MILLION. A sobering thought for many Blades fans who think our owners can compete at this level. Sure, it does not mean everything spending this kind of money and Wolves hardly did much last year but it seems a long way off from us spending even 5 million on one player! Jota played 27 times for Porto on loan last season and is on a 5-year contract at Atletico Madrid and will play just behind the strikers. Boly comes in at the back with a big reputation but needs to kick start his career whilst Ofusu-Ayeh is another ‘unit’ to play at the back.
They do have some Championship and British experience in the likes of Ben Marshall, John Ruddy (who will probably deputise for Carl Ikembe, who was sadly diagnosed with leukemia), Conor Coady, David Edwards, Danny Batth and Nouha Dicko. I lot depends how quickly Santo can adapt to this level and that he can get the expensive new guys to integrate into a totally different style of football. I get the sense the type of signings means that if they get off to a slow start, they will chuck more cash at it and eventually get it right.
Key Player: Helder Costa – Costa stood out at Molineux last year. He scored goals, ran at defences and excited the fans. He seemed too good for the Championship but the Wolves have held onto him and added some of his countrymen to help them giving a better fist of the Championship. You expect with Santo in at the helm he may get the best out of Costs and his fellow Portuguese players.
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