Predictions, predictions, predictions. That time of year again where every fanbase thinks they’re getting playoffs, winning the league easily or relegated before a ball is even kicked, gotta love it. Luckily, I’m going to do all of that for you so you don’t need to watch this season play out. The beauty of 1-24s is you can do all the research you want, think you’ve got a team nailed down to a tee, but in reality none of us have a shaggy and scooby. I think the league this year will be much better than previous seasons, I can see the league being a lot more competitive and higher in quality throughout the league rather than it being top heavy. So if I put your team in say 15th, that doesn’t mean I think you’re bad, it means there’s a lot of good teams and someone has to finish somewhere. Trying to figure out what team has and will make good signings, what that team will look like under the manager and what he wants to do and then using positives for one team and negatives that you might have said a positive about for another team and then putting it all into a predicted table is the fun part. Before I get into all of that, I just want you to know if you get upset with where I put your team, I do not care. Write the issue you have with it on a piece of paper and then put it in the bin where it’ll be more useful. Anyway!
24th: Derby County
This might shock a few people I think? But I’m looking at the current squad and thinking, really? I’m well aware additions will be made but christ. It looks like a Mick McCarthy tribute act. I like Paul Warne and I don’t think you can critique him too much at Championship level as keeping Rotherham up is arguably one of the hardest things you can achieve when you factor in budget and quality of player in comparison to the rest of the league, so I don’t think you can hold that against him, I just don’t think he’s that style of coach that can get players not as good as others playing to a higher level consistently.
23rd: Plymouth Argyle
I’ll admit this is quite lazy from me. Wayne Rooney being the head coach is part of this, and I’m higher on him than most it seems, but I just don’t know how this plays out. Did a really good job at Derby with younger players but had Liam Rosenior with him, then did a fairly decent job with DC United again with younger players. So I can understand why Plymouth appointed Wayne given his contacts and the small but ok work he’s done so far (Birmingham being disastrous) — but my question is are the players going to buy into it and are they good enough to go again? Whittaker and Cooper are both huge talents, I like Mumba and Randall too, but I want to see more quality and I don’t think I can put them higher currently.
22nd: Watford
My team. Now, where do we start? The owner seems to be asset stripping, the recruitment team being borderline useless — However Cleverley has shown some good things so far in his coaching journey, but it’s only a small sample size. But he’s not being helped at all in the squad building, the good players are leaving and bad ones are coming in. The recipe for a team going down is off field issues (tick) defensively bad (tick), can’t put the ball in the back of the net (tick). If Cleverley keeps this lot up it’ll be the best achievement of any Watford head coach under the Pozzo’s. The owner is killing the club and is using a club hero as his shield. Unless things change, it won’t be this season, it’ll be next season, and tactics and man management can only cover so many cracks. We have some good players like Andrews, Louza, Dele-Bashiru, Chakvetadze, Vata, Kayembe — Sissoko should be fine at this level too, but something feels off. I do think if we bring in a competent striker and speedy left wing back we’ll be clear of relegation, but I have no faith in us doing so.
21st: Oxford United
Really wouldn’t shock me if Oxford finish higher. I like the business they’re doing by mixing experience from this level and youthful players who want to prove themselves. Whether it maintains at in the Championship is yet to be seen but I think Des Buckingham has found the right balance with his team defensively and using speed on the counter, which I think he’ll look to do a lot this year given how successful it was vs Bolton and given the level of opposition being higher. I would like to see them bring in another striker, whilst I do see what Mark Harris brings with setting the press and being intense, having someone else that can score goals with Murphy leaving will boost their chances of survival big time. I also think their midfield core is at a very high level given they’ve just come from League One. Cameron Brannagan, Ruben Rodrigues, Tyler Goodrham, Will Vaulks, Marcus McGuans, Idris El Mizouni. Those are all plug and play kinda players where you can take them all out and switch and there wouldn’t be too much of a drop off, albeit creatively there might be, either way it’s stacked. Midfields can win you a lot of points which is why I think they’ll survive.
20th: Cardiff City
This one will get a bad reaction from Cardiff fans and rightfully so in some ways, but again this is just a feeling — similar to one I had with Blackburn last season and I got grilled for saying they’ll be in a relegation scrap. I think the players they’re signing are fine but I don’t think much makes sense? I was higher on Cardiff than most last season and had them 12th in pre season or something as I had a Turkish follower (and this is why I’ve got them here) who said Bulut is excellent in the first season then turns to shit in his second season when his sit back and rely on set pieces approach doesn’t sustain. So I looked into this and Bulut does seem to leave or get bad results in his second season — 1 win in his last 15 at Yeni Malatyaspor, did well at Alanyaspor, sacked at Fener and then 4 wins in 20 for Gaziantep. For a good 3/4 months of last season they were very poor too, but I think they’ll be fine eventually. Am I basing this on loose information and elementary research? Possibly. Won’t go up or won’t go down but something will happen at Cardiff, always seems to anyway.
19th: Preston North End
I always put Preston below where they should be because the job Ryan Lowe is doing is bizarre. Gets good results but the fans aren’t keen on him for fair reasons — mainly his personality and style of play. I must admit when they came to the Vic towards the end of last season and were still in the playoff hunt, and decided to come for a point I was stunned, never see a team lack so much ambition with playoffs on the line. They’re also data outliers in the sense they don’t create much, concede a lot of chances but win games; a lot of this is game state as they score first. I just can’t see them being extremely efficient again for another season, especially with the huge loss of Alan Browne. But then again they’ve got experienced players that know what to do in key moments of games, so I’ve probably put them too low again. Also, keep Riis fit, he scores goals. And for the love of god play Frojkaer Jensen in his preferred role, the kid has enormous ability.
18th: Blackburn Rovers
Whether Rovers kept Szmodics or not I don’t think I would have changed their position too much. I think they’re quite a hard club to manage with the transfer policy or what you hear about the ownership and the investment going into the squad. I think they’ve got a fair few good young players coming through with a core of Championship experience too. I wanted Eustace as Watford head coach a few seasons back and I’d still love him to in the future at some point too — I think he’s a really smart coach that will get you points regardless without having what I’d call a set style, he can be adaptable. I think he’ll look to make Rovers hard to beat and he’ll get a lot of draws and 1-0s in there and have a comfortable season.
17th: Sunderland
I’m so low on Sunderland like you wouldn’t believe BUT that’s only because of the people at the club (I’m not including Kyril in this, the other one I’m on about) basically I think they’ve stumbled onto a sensible appointment with someone who can coach young players and improve them as well as playing different brands of football to suit the team. I don’t expect Clarke to leave so that’s why I’ve got them here, oh and Alan Browne is an annoyingly good signing. Clarke leaves though and I think they finish lower but that’s a given. They desperately need a striker too, fancy Rajovic or Bayo lads? Just to be clear, their team is much better than a 17th placed finish, I just think the club is in a bit of a dilemma and unsure of itself.
16th: Swansea City
I’m putting Swansea here simply because I’m not that convinced by their new GK, even though Luke Williams had him before at Swindon, he fits what he likes but also never played at a level consistently higher than League Two. I’m also not a keeper scout so I don’t want to pretend I am. Another thing is despite liking their new outfield signings, it’s do I trust the people at that club to get a striker in of adequate quality? Not really. Swansea are a side that should be better than they are but they’re not because of decision makers at the club who think they deserve credit for appointing Luke Williams when they should get no credit because they were backed into a corner and tried to go away from something that’s ingrained in a club. I also think Josh Tymon has the quality to proper announce himself as one of the best left backs in the league this season. Midfield is great, some fun wingbacks, Ronald as well. Sometimes maybe good sometimes maybe shit. That kinda vibe.
15th: Hull City
Not a fucking scooby with these lot. Going from bore-yourself-to-wins-oooo-another-pass-in-the-defensive-third-possession to Tim goals goals and more goals Walter should be fun. I’m expecting the Hull owner to lose his mind and turn them into a proper throwback Galatasaray team with some random wonderkids, an experienced British core and then some old Super Liga lads who fancy a crack in the Champ. I do think a narrative will be created around Hull and if they do finish lower and It’ll be a stick to beat Walter with. They’ve lost Greaves, Zaroury, Carvalho, Tufan, Philogene, Delap + others and not replaced any of them yet. But I foresee 5-4 wins, 5-1 wins and 4-0 losses on the way. It’ll be a lot more fun with a lesser quality team and still won’t make the playoffs. I hope they’re allowed Pillows in the ground in Strasbourg.
14th: Portsmouth
I probably should have looked at this for every club. Pompey’s fixture placement is mental. Probably the hardest I’ve ever seen at this level? They play arguably all of the favourites in their first seven games, then have them again in February and then a fairly tough final 7 games too. Theres not really a lot to build momentum if they don’t pick up a lot of points in those time frames. I said this at the time, fixture placement can determine A LOT when it comes to a managers time at a club, it’ll be interesting to see what Pompey do if they are off to a rocky start. Away from the negatives and into the positives; top young head coach who also values set pieces. I’m banking on them picking up a lot of points in the middle of the season.
13th: Stoke City
I’m going to get burnt by Stoke again aren’t I. Every year, apart from last year I have them fairly high and then they stink the gaff out. But I’m convinced they’re over their hoodoo now of wasting everyone’s time and finally settled with Steven Schumacher and his way of playing. I was looking at their squad and they have some top players, Burger especially. One of the best keepers in the league too. Exciting wingbacks, solid centre backs, functional midfield, a very good finisher in Vidigal but again like other clubs need another striker which I trust them to get. Don’t let me down again Stoke.
12th: Sheffield Wednesday
I’ll be honest, this is entirely on Danny Rohl and his coaching because I’m not keen on any of their signings so far, they’re just fine, but I believe he has an ability that gets players playing far above their station and that can only be a good thing. I also think they will eventually bring in some higher quality players to go with their already alright squad. Don’t really have much else to say about these.
11th: Bristol City
I feel like Bristol City are ‘dark horses’ every year but finish anywhere between 11th-17th. I think they’re a dead horse at this point, the Turkey (pre Euro 2024) of the Championship. Solid squad, exciting players mixed with experience, great academy, good grass coach. Although I am slightly less high on Liam Manning as others. I think he’s good, but is he good? He’s very meticulous and can work out a solid game plan but there’s something not quite there yet with him for me, I need to see him take the handbrake off sometimes. I think they’ll have a good season but I’m wary of having them this high. I also really like the signing of Sinclair-Armstrong. Has all the tools of being a top striker for this level if he can compose himself in front of goal. The movement is there, the speed is there, the physicality is there, the shot placement is there, just the way he takes those shots needs to improve and then he’ll explode.
10th: Millwall
I’m going high on Millwall this year. I’ve seen a lot about how Neil Harris isn’t that sexy or the brand of football isn’t great or is he that good? Fuck all that. This geezer is Millwall, he will get this club up and going and will play up to the crowd like you wouldn’t believe, he knows what he’s doing. I also think they’ve got a sneakily very good side with signings that also make me go ooooo. New keeper looks good, defence will be solid, I think De Norre is vastly underrated in this league, that brother can play. Got finishers in Langstaff and long range shooters in Flemming. Some good young talent in Esse and Mayor. I’d like to see them add another midfielder perhaps but I’m all in on Millwall this year in a season where I think predictors will have them low. I also think everything surrounding the club and what the playing staff and non playing staff have been through recently will give them that bit extra, that playing squad will be more united than ever. MILLLL
9th: QPR
Like Rohl at Sheffield Wednesday, this placement is all on Marti Cifuentes and what he can do with a slightly higher budget than last time and the players he wants to bring in. They’ll be defensively excellent again no doubt and I think the signing of striker Zan Celar will get them goals that they sorely lacked last season when Dykes was leading the line. Not that high on their new keeper but you’d expect him to be an upgrade on Begovic. Like Bristol City they have a functional midfield and then some star quality in Ilias Chair. They should be in for a really good season.
8th: West Brom
I think from 8th-2nd you can probably interchange most of these, there’s really not a lot in it. Carlos Corberan is a genius but I think this year they’ll just fall short of playoffs simply because I think the league is harder and I’m not sure if they’ll have enough to get over that line, but it won’t be from a lack of trying. Arguably the best coach in the league but unfortunately doesn’t have the resources of other clubs so I’m being a coward and putting baggies 8th.
7th: Middlesbrough
Again could easily finish higher and I suspect most will put them higher. Probably got the favourite to win the golden boot in Lath and I expect them to score a lot of goals, but I also expect them to concede a fair few and I’m not that keen on their midfield or having Ayling as a starter despite the form he showed towards the back end of last season. I want to see something else in midfield, it’s all a bit passey passey, samey. It’s probably a harsh criticism but I want to see more variety. But it’s a really fun squad with goals in abundance, especially from Lath, Forss and I think Burgzorg will hit double figures too, possibly even Azaz not being far behind, and then of course McGree is a wonderful footballer. Get a horrible bastard in the middle to rat around and get yourselves into the playoffs — also fully expect Ryan Giles to go back, so that’s fun too. But I just don’t think a club that starts Ayling and might give regular minutes to Coburn as a team that is “definitely” getting playoffs — not to say anyone is saying that mind. Word salad.
6th: Sheffield United
This feels very similar to my West Brom pick and putting them 6th last year when everyone else had them having a stinker. To put it bluntly, I trust Chris Wilder to get it right and I think he’ll be backed with the players he wants with an already really good Championship squad. I also think he’s been unfairly judged recently as well. Ok he left Boro in bad circumstances and then came to Watford where he was basically a placeholder for someone else at a batshit club that nobody has been able to get right for over five years, so I discount that massively, and then back to one of the worst Premier League sides we’ve ever seen; so all in all, context permitted, he’s had 9 bad months in his last 15 year managerial career? It’s like they say, you’re only as good as your last game, Chris is still a top manager in my eyes and was the one who gave Ryan Andrews his breakthrough. Anyway, with Harrison Burrows, Callum O’Hare and Kieffer Moore already in with more to come. I think Arblaster is going to be a top player, they’ve already got excellent defenders for this level. And if they keep Hamer, I mean are we really looking at this lot as having a poor season? It’s gonna come back to bite me but I expect Sheffield United to be in and round it quite comfortably.
5th: Coventry City
Along with Corberan, Mark Robins is arguably the best manager in the division, and you can certainly put forward a case of the job he’s been doing at Coventry in the last decade or so being one of the most impressive things in English football. They’ve got goals, skill, physicality, speed everywhere. I like they’ve on paper upgraded their keeper, but I do want to see a bit more in the backline. Whilst Kitching and Thomas had a solid season, I feel like they’re not as good as the players around them ability wise..? Again might be harsh but I look at their central defence as the reason why I don’t have them pushing for autos but I fully expect them to be in the playoffs.
4th: Luton Town
3rd: Burnley
Burnley’s squad on paper is very exciting but we all know the caveat: Scott Parker. Yes he’s had two promotions on his CV but both have been quite underwhelming in the way he went about it. The football for results but made it harder than it needed to be. Has he learned from his mistakes? Will he adapt to the boring football that he’s shown in his last three jobs? The players Burnley have at this level will make it hard for him to fuck this one up, I just don’t trust him to deliver what I think should be arguably a title winning squad. Over to you Scotty.
2nd: Norwich City
Like a few others, I suspect this might get a bit of backlash — but I’m fully on board with Ben Knapper and his idea of Norwich City. They’ve also sneakily brought back the number of really good academy players coming through which a few could play a part in this season. My reason for Norwich to get second is simple, out of every club in the league, I feel these are the most settled in terms of coaching, players they want to bring in and already having huge quality in the squad anyway. Angus Gunn despite having a horror final 6 weeks or so is still one of the best in the league. I really like the signing of Jose Cordoba, I want to see another in there though. Stacey is very good at this level too. A midfield of McLean, whilst not sexy is absolutely needed in a team like this — a leader and an experienced head whilst also still playing at a high level. Gabriel Sara who you could put down as one of the best players in the entire league and Marcelino Nunez whose ability is unquestionable and is starting to show why he’s so good too. And then you’ve got a front three of Rowe, Sargent and Sainz. Put all that in the pot with a head coach that has experience in winning with younger players and developing them at a rapid rate. I’m sold, the Canaries are going up.
1st: Leeds United
A title winning manager, a spine of Rodon, Struijk, Ampadu, (New signing), Rutter and Joseph. I back them to replace both wide players pretty sensibly and well. Already added a stud at this level in Jayden Bogle. I’d be stunned if Leeds don’t win the league this season. The only thing that could maybe go against them is if Farke doesn’t show more adaptability in his play style. It all felt off the cuff and nothing was really a pattern of play, but he’s elite at this level, if I can see that, Farke will no doubt be working on that. I do think as I said earlier that Joseph should be the one to take that striker spot as his own, Piroe I’ve never been convinced as a signing for Leeds and Bamford, despite having good moments, feels like it’s time to move on? Either way, I’ll be backing Joseph as top scorer in the league; the kid is goals.
Conclusion:
As I said earlier, if you’re annoyed by where I’ve put your team.. remember this, it’s not the actual league table and what I say is meaningless. I’ll be drinking a lovely Guinness (don’t let the woke say it’s a bad drink, it isn’t) as you’re complaining that Derby are bottom or something. I do not care that a prediction doesn’t make you happy. Enjoy your day and thank you for reading!
I think you may well come to wonder why you thought Norwich could possibly end that high but good piece until the bizarre comment re woke which jarred against the quality of what went before.
Well written piece. Complete honesty about the club at the allotments, made me smile that you couldnt actually bring yourself to say any (nice) about the Hatters