Championship preview and predictions (2 Viewers)

[EFL View]

Hi

I'm an Ipswich Town fan who has written a two-part predictions piece over on my substack blog.

Let me know what you think of my assessment of Coventry and others - are you feeling confident about this season?

If you enjoy, please consider subscribing (it's free) to the blog.

Cheers

Championship predictions: 1st-12th

Championship predictions: 13th-24th

 

---

[CBS16]

I hope you're correct! However a play offs of us Leicester Birmingham and Millwall would be absolute carnage

 

[Mucca Mad Boys]

Have I missed something?! Why are Millwall projected to finished 3rd!?

 

[Lamps]

Ipswich top. You played your reserves against us last season and were one of the best sides I saw. Why expect anything different now?

Southampton are like pin a tail on a donkey. One of the worst sides ever in the Prem. New manager with no Championship experience. Devoid of all confidence. But if they get their acts together they could be up there.

Millwall 3rd? You on drugs? It's difficult for clubs coming down. £20m on players isn't massive these days for a Championship also ran club.

4th Coventry. I have predicted 2nd to 4th although I'm yet to see anyone agree with me. We have a solid Championship side that know each other well. Rudoni is a beast. Most probably the best Championship player this season and is still improving under Lampard. His boyhood favourite player he styled his game on. Now they stay behind each training session working on it. Has paid dividends. Was our second best scorer last season from midfield. We gave Betis a very good game last night. They came for a training game last night and ended up rolling on the floor every time the wind blew. They put a very strong side out. For the 1st 10 minutes it looked like damage limitation but we grew into the game. But what impressed me the most is when we made several changes they still didn't look a class above us. Not bad when your opponents last competitive game was a European final against Chelsea where they were the best side for the 1st 45 minutes.

5th Leicester? A club in total turmoil. They have just mortgaged their final Prem money as they actually loaned against their first year of Prem payments during last season. This money will only keep them going this season because of their excessive wage bill. Nobody wants their overpaid players as they're not Prem quality but on Prem wages. Are these Primadonna's ready for a long, hard season in the Championship? Then shall we get onto the points deduction which should happen?

6th Birmingham. An unknown trying to do a Stoke. They could be good. They could be out of their depth considering the money they have put into players that I wouldn't want my club to sign. It could work out. But I'm not expecting the dummy Brummies to do as most expect them to do.

7th Norwich. Won't disagree with this. Always the bridesmaid never the bride. Even with a top goalscorer just not good enough.

8th Swansea. As bad as Millwall. They will be lucky to finish mid table. We took their best player in January and they didn't even see how good he is.

9th Sheffield United. You're off the ball here. If they keep Hamer the top 6 is a guarantee. He is a cheat code for the Championship. If he leaves then I understand. They rely on loans every season. We're still in July.....just. But they will not finish as low as 9th whatever happens.

10th Derby. They have the manager to get them this high but not the players to get them higher.

 

[EFL View]

Have I missed something?! Why are Millwall projected to finished 3rd!?

Appreciate it's a slightly rogue call but I back them to be the surprise package. Their recruitment has really gone up a notch in the past couple of seasons, some really decent finds from abroad. Lots of continuity as well and I back the likes of of Neghli, Ivanovic and De Norre to step up in their second seasons and be among the best players in their positions. Love the Doughty signing too. Feels quite similar to Luton a couple of years back.

 

[EFL View]

Ipswich top. You played your reserves against us last season and were one of the best sides I saw. Why expect anything different now?

Southampton are like pin a tail on a donkey. One of the worst sides ever in the Prem. New manager with no Championship experience. Devoid of all confidence. But if they get their acts together they could be up there.

Millwall 3rd? You on drugs? It's difficult for clubs coming down. £20m on players isn't massive these days for a Championship also ran club.

4th Coventry. I have predicted 2nd to 4th although I'm yet to see anyone agree with me. We have a solid Championship side that know each other well. Rudoni is a beast. Most probably the best Championship player this season and is still improving under Lampard. His boyhood favourite player he styled his game on. Now they stay behind each training session working on it. Has paid dividends. Was our second best scorer last season from midfield. We gave Betis a very good game last night. They came for a training game last night and ended up rolling on the floor every time the wind blew. They put a very strong side out. For the 1st 10 minutes it looked like damage limitation but we grew into the game. But what impressed me the most is when we made several changes they still didn't look a class above us. Not bad when your opponents last competitive game was a European final against Chelsea where they were the best side for the 1st 45 minutes.

5th Leicester? A club in total turmoil. They have just mortgaged their final Prem money as they actually loaned against their first year of Prem payments during last season. This money will only keep them going this season because of their excessive wage bill. Nobody wants their overpaid players as they're not Prem quality but on Prem wages. Are these Primadonna's ready for a long, hard season in the Championship? Then shall we get onto the points deduction which should happen?

6th Birmingham. An unknown trying to do a Stoke. They could be good. They could be out of their depth considering the money they have put into players that I wouldn't want my club to sign. It could work out. But I'm not expecting the dummy Brummies to do as most expect them to do.

7th Norwich. Won't disagree with this. Always the bridesmaid never the bride. Even with a top goalscorer just not good enough.

8th Swansea. As bad as Millwall. They will be lucky to finish mid table. We took their best player in January and they didn't even see how good he is.

9th Sheffield United. You're off the ball here. If they keep Hamer the top 6 is a guarantee. He is a cheat code for the Championship. If he leaves then I understand. They rely on loans every season. We're still in July.....just. But they will not finish as low as 9th whatever happens.

10th Derby. They have the manager to get them this high but not the players to get them higher.

Cheers, lots to unpack there!

Millwall see post above.

Leicester could finish literally anywhere. I had them between 4th and 10th during various points of writing the article and concede they could be lower than that. The first XI is still very good though and the gap between the PL and Champ is so big that there have been a few examples of teams coming down from the Prem in chaos and doing well - Sheff United last year being the main one. Definitely has the potential to blow up in my face though!

Swansea have improved post-Grimes. A good player but everything went through him and it's enabled them to play a more mixed style rather than the possession for possession's sake stuff they were doing before. They've got some nice direct wingers and if they get a Kone or McBurnie they could be inside the top six.

Sheff United I've gone for 9th on the assumption that Hamer will go. There's not been many incomings to replace the ones who have left and I've heard there isn't much money about to bring anyone in. Following Wilder makes it not a great situation for Selles (who I rate) to come into as well.

 

[Lamps]

Cheers, lots to unpack there!

Millwall see post above.

Leicester could finish literally anywhere. I had them between 4th and 10th during various points of writing the article and concede they could be lower than that. The first XI is still very good though and the gap between the PL and Champ is so big that there have been a few examples of teams coming down from the Prem in chaos and doing well - Sheff United last year being the main one. Definitely has the potential to blow up in my face though!

Swansea have improved post-Grimes. A good player but everything went through him and it's enabled them to play a more mixed style rather than the possession for possession's sake stuff they were doing before. They've got some nice direct wingers and if they get a Kone or McBurnie they could be inside the top six.

Sheff United I've gone for 9th on the assumption that Hamer will go. There's not been many incomings to replace the ones who have left and I've heard there isn't much money about to bring anyone in. Following Wilder makes it not a great situation for Selles (who I rate) to come into as well.

Like I said they didn't appreciate Grimes. He is one of our first names on the teamsheet. He controls our games. We went on a brilliant run after signing him that took us from a relegation battle to the top 6. Best £3.5m we have ever spent.

I agree about Sheffield United. Without Hamer they're quite average for a Championship side. But they know his value to them and won't sell cheaply. He won't be happy there but that's life as he is under contract. Personally I would say he was better for us than for them.

Edit... they have to sell him for over £16.5m to make a profit as we have a sell on clause of 10% of what he is sold for. We sold him for £15m. He is now 28 and an established Championship player not an established Prem player.

 

[Matt smith]

Like I said they didn't appreciate Grimes. He is one of our first names on the teamsheet. He controls our games. We went on a brilliant run after signing him that took us from a relegation battle to the top 6. Best £3.5m we have ever spent.

I agree about Sheffield United. Without Hamer they're quite average for a Championship side. But they know his value to them and won't sell cheaply. He won't be happy there but that's life as he is under contract. Personally I would say he was better for us than for them.

Didn’t he get championship player of the season?

 

[Lamps]

Didn’t he get championship player of the season?

Who? Hamer?

If you read carefully you will see the both of us have agreed that Hamer is the difference. But from experience you should also know that he wants better than the Championship.

If you also want to get into the nitty gritty you might have noticed Rudoni wasn't included at all. Top 3 clubs nearly took every place.

 

[Martw]

Appreciate it's a slightly rogue call but I back them to be the surprise package. Their recruitment has really gone up a notch in the past couple of seasons, some really decent finds from abroad. Lots of continuity as well and I back the likes of of Neghli, Ivanovic and De Norre to step up in their second seasons and be among the best players in their positions. Love the Doughty signing too. Feels quite similar to Luton a couple of years back.

I can understand Millwall being competitive and easily top 10 , very experienced manager in the league and they seem to be recruiting well , So not top 6 for me but also not remotely surprised if they do better. Not the worse shout .... Well done on the report though, great effort and its all about opinions and we should respect them (unless its about the Villa doing well!)

 

[blunted]

Some really contentious predictions there.
Trouble with predictions is that they are always wrong so you set yourself up for a fall, as do we all.
Think Ipswich will win the league.
Middlesborough that low? I believe Adi Viveash is the best coach in this league.
The only thing that everyone agrees on at this moment in time is Sheff Wed for relegation.
Birmingham and Wrexham could go either way. Most supporters are getting royally pissed off with them and if teams react accordingly they could have a tougher time than they think.
Revisit in May for possible humble pie.

 

[Lamps]

I believe Adi Viveash is the best coach in this league.

He is good. But not that good. We have better ourselves now.

 

[EFL View]

Some really contentious predictions there.
Trouble with predictions is that they are always wrong so you set yourself up for a fall, as do we all.
Think Ipswich will win the league.
Middlesborough that low? I believe Adi Viveash is the best coach in this league.
The only thing that everyone agrees on at this moment in time is Sheff Wed for relegation.
Birmingham and Wrexham could go either way. Most supporters are getting royally pissed off with them and if teams react accordingly they could have a tougher time than they think.
Revisit in May for possible humble pie.

Hope you're right about us winning the league, although of course I'd be more than happy if my own prediction came true!

Middlesbrough (as well as Millwall) is possibly the controversial one. I like Viveash a lot but Edwards has always played 3atb systems and that doesn't suit the squad they've got. I think even if they switch formations, there's a big lack of depth at centre back and not enough pace at the top of the pitch. Apart from Morris, their other midfield options are quite passive too. Granted, I haven't seen much of the new lad they've brought in from Ligue 2, so he might change that.

I've got a bit more time for Birmingham and Wrexham than most. As the fan of another club that was on its arse, got big investment with celebrity involvement and had some success, I can understand why some are getting carried away. Birmingham are the more interesting of the two, the other factor they'll have to deal with is that they won't be a surprise package like we were when we came up.

Of course there will be portion or two of humble pie!

 

[Captain Dart]

I believe Adi Viveash is the best coach in this league.

If he was that good he would be working at a Premier League club.