some cheaty predictions about the EFL — so if i feck it up, it’s even worse — CHAMPO 20/21
Yeah, I’m cheating quite a lot by waiting until just under a quarter of the way through the season, but I wanted to base it on how the teams are playing for the first bit and then extrapolate from there, instead of basing it on like, transfers, last season bull-ony, and variables; I wanted a bit of pudding to find the proof, but I’ll leave you enough at the end.
What?
I don’t need to explain myself to you.
This’ll either make me look a lot worse if I get it wrong, but a feckin genius if I’ve analysed play correctly.
Here are my predictions for the English Football League Championship.
BOURNEMOUTH
It’s a well-run club, so I wouldn’t be worried for ’em. They might lack a wee bit of firepower, but they be strong at the back, and they’ll settle quick, I reckon. They’ll continue to be well put-together under Tindall in the Champo, but it might take one more season of fresh recruitment to secure a return to the top flight.
Prediction: 8th
BARNSLEY
Gerhard Struber had swiftly become the heart and soul of the team he’d assembled, so with him gone, The Tykes’ll be hit hard. But they’ll continue with what he’s instilled long enough to work with another manager, I just don’t reckon it’ll be successfully.
Lotsa guts, but more gore at Oakwell.
Prediction: 22nd
BIRMINGHAM
Aitor’s gonna bring stability even if it’s only for a season, and that seems to be fine with the owners; content with putting out a fire every Summer by covering it with a heavy blanket that’s gonna be burned through slowly and steadily. I dannae reckon that they’re gonna shoot up the table, and they might flirt with the bottom lot a few times, but the lower side of mid-table suits ’em this time.
Prediction: 17th
BLACKBURN
Plenty of firepower thus far, and expect that to continue. Adam Armstrong specifically will finish this season with between 60 and 70 goals on his CV. They still be loose though, and I dunno if Big Tony is the man to take ’em up, but he’ll take ’em close. Then someone else’ll come in and take all the glory after the promising defence has had another season of growth.
Prediction: 7th
BRENTFORD
Last season’s play-off finalists need to reset after a few high-profile departures, and Thomas Frank will keep the ship settled as they go. Young Marcus Forss has stepped up so far, and Ivan Toney looks a stellar replacement up top, so they could get back to the form that saw ’em nearly go all the way last time out. That’s if they could stop leaking a load of goals… That’s gonna cost ’em.
Prediction: 10th
BRISTOL CITY
A neat-ish start to the season under the new boss in terms of results, though it’s turned a bit scrappy on the pitch and obvs needs a bit of fine tuning. This’ll see ‘e flirt with flirting with the play-offs, only to drop off into mid-table.
There’ll be consistent hope, but no-one else’ll be that worried.
Prediction: 13th
CARDIFF
Eh, they’re hanging about as it stands, and I’d expect more of the same, maybe a late push for play-offs that falls short. But they got some game-changers in there… The squad’s still gelling, but it might just take ’em too long to become one.
Prediction: 9th
COVENTRY
They’ve gone for survival and they need to stick to that game-plan. Any changes now will scupper the hard work, and that goes for panic-buying in January as well. Stick to their guns and they’ll acclimatise and survive.
Prediction: 21st
DERBY
The young ‘uns (and Wayne Rooney) have a season to test themselves and see what they can handle, and that might well include a managerial change. If that is the case, they’ll need someone else willing to give youth a chance, but if Cocu himself is given a chance, Derby’ll settle in mid-table and be set up for the future.
Prediction: 14th
HUDDERSFIELD
A new manager with good ideals will grind out some results for The Terriers, but they’re clearly in a sketchy spot as a club if they’re sacking The Cowleys. They’ve got a tight squad by the looks of it, but for this season at least, they’ll be on the right side of jobber-ville.
Predictions: 16th
LUTON
Back on track.
Nathan Jones has had his holiday and now he’s back to implement the game that saw them romp up the divisions. I ain’t saying they’re heading straight for the Prem, but they’ll impress this season and continue to build towards that eventual ascension.
Prediction: 12th
MIDDLESBROUGH
Warnock is annoyingly good at this level and he’ll prove so again. He’s got a squad that’ll grow throughout the season and will finish impressively, as their goal haul improves. Don’t expect ’em to concede many on their grinding march to the play-offs.
Prediction: 5th
MILLWALL
It’ll be another entertaining but ultimately frustrating miss for the lads from The Den. You’ll watch five games that make it look like they deserve automatic promotion and then three games that make them look like relegation candidates, and that’ll be their whole season.
Prediction: 11th
NORWICH
They were prepping for this with games to play in the Premier League last season. They were buying, offering contracts, and generally making an escape plan to get right back up. And it’ll work. Farke’s a bright bulb and with the players he’s hung onto and some new additions (no matter how temporary), he’s adapted his lads enough to hop on the promotion/relegation/promotion trampoline.
Prediction: 2nd
NOTTINGHAM FOREST
This side shouldn’t be struggling but a lot of ’em have been lazy so far. It’ll be a lost season in their record books and could see a lot of lads start to finish up or leave for pastures new. Hughton will guide them to unattractive survival though.
Prediction: 19th
PRESTON
Solid. Rigid. Like a hearty meal of starch. A good, honest meal.
But sometimes potatoes need to be mashed, or fried, or smothered. Preston’s potatoes are not that, and that’ll see ’em quite far down the menu.
Prediction: 15th
QPR
They’ve got a squad who can show off, but struggle to hold on. Like a one-armed butler, they can dish it out, but they can’t take it. It won’t be their undoing, because they’re seemingly relentless, but that doesn’t go for their defence, who appear to be too relenting.
Here’s to hoping it don’t cost Mark his job.
Prediction: 20th
READING
These lot are ready. Last season was an effective building season, and folk (including me) didn’t realise that until now. Their strike force is potent, their defence dominant, their ‘keeper crackin’, and their midfield… Good. But if that’s the only lull; that their midfield isn’t legendary, that’ll still be more than enough for another crack at the top flight, and maybe even a record points haul, breaking their own second division record.
Prediction: 1st
ROTHERHAM
I’ve been saying for ages now that Paul Warne has been working a plan to perfection, and that’ll begin to pay dividends in the Champo now. He’s bred a team too good for League One and now, good enough for the Championship. It won’t be a barnstorming season for them, but they’ll set up well and impress at times along the way, with an aim of steady improvement in the coming seasons, hopefully still under Warne.
Prediction: 18th
WEDNESDAY
Owls fans will be hoping there won’t be six days in the Championship week because Wednesday got relegated.
But it’s looking like that might be the case. A talented squad will give it a helluva go, but with the shadow hanging over them that they gotta shake, it might be too little, too late with all the other clubs gaining ground ahead of them.
Apart from one.
Prediction: 23rd
STOKE
The Ramblers have certainly focused up a bit and O’Neill knows the players he wants aboot. They’re back to putting on some classically solid Stoke performances and that will impress and frustrate in equal measure, but they’ll need to keep their chins up, especially when they go behind, ‘cos that attitude could be the difference between promotion and mid-table.
Prediction: 6th
SWANSEA
After their mad dash into the play-offs last season, Swansea proved their solidity, their flash, and their heart. Joe Rodon will be a big loss, but their additions have only shored them up ten-fold , and when yer already hella solid, yer gonna have a good time.
Cooper knows the squad now, and he knows what they’re capable of and where they can push themselves to.
Prediction: 3rd
WATFORD
Like Norwich, The Hornets have retained their vim and general shape for their new season in the Champo. Unlike Bournemouth, they have managed to replace, or at least attempt to replace, the few major departures that have occurred. Strong defensive displays will accompany eventual dominance up top and get them close to an immediate return to the top flight.
Prediction: 4th
WYCOMBE
*sigh*
It’s gonna be an entertaining season for Wycombe fans and it’s fantastic to see a club like them at this level. But for all the heart and passion The Chairboys will show, they’ll be outclassed, but not easily. Teams will work, they’ll work harder than they will against any other side to beat them, but they will.
Wycombe will not be ashamed of their maiden season in the Championship, even though it will end with relegation.
Though everyone, including me, is rooting for ya, lads. There’s not much that’ll take me back to Wycombe, but when I’m allowed, I’ll come and have a drink with ya to celebrate.
Prediction: 24th
1. Reading
2. Norwich City
3. Swansea City
4. Watford
5. Middlesbrough
6. Stoke City
7. Blackburn Rovers
8. Bournemouth
9. Cardiff City
10. Brentford
11. Millwall
12. Luton Town
13. Bristol City
14. Derby County
15. Preston North End
16. Huddersfield Town
17. Birmingham City
18. Rotherham United
19. Nottingham Forest
20. QPR
21. Coventry City
22. Barnsley
23. Sheffield Wednesday
24. Wycombe Wanderers
Aye, I’m happy with that.
Some teams that ya reckon should impress will struggle under a new set-up and the might of other clubs, see Millwall and Brentford, who will miss out on the play-offs due to that simple age-old reason that other clubs will be better than them.
That’s what ya gotta love about the Champo, all luck of the draw, with such a prize at the end of it. There are stakes, there are risks, and when they all pay off, it’s lovely.
Though when they don’t, it’s detrimental.
The only big picture in this division is the potential of the Premiership. Anyone who would take that away does not have the best interest of football or the fans in mind.
Keep it streets ahead,
C.L.R.
