Ipswich
It is a new start for
the tractor boys under the leadership of Paul Hurst. Mick McCarthy’s 5 and half
years at the club saw plenty of ups and downs but owner Marcus Evans clearly
wants something different this season and has pinched Paul Hurst from
Shrewsbury. Hurst has had a very solid managerial career in the lower leagues guiding
Grimsby back to the football league and taking Shrewsbury to within inches of
the Championship last season having been relegation favourites. However, this
will be his first time managing in the Championship and he may find difficulties
but one thing throughout his managerial career is that his teams come the end
of the season are fighting to achieve something and he will install that
mentality at Ipswich if given a sustained period of time at the club. There is
plenty of talent at Portman Road including Joe Garner, Andre Dozzell, Grant
Ward and Martyn Waghorn. They will be hoping to keep the latter at the club with
strong interest from some of their Championship rivals. Paul Hurst has flexed
his muscle in the transfer window and has gone to the lower league to sign
talented players like Jordan Roberts, Gwoin Edwards, Ellis Harrison and Janoi
Donacien who he believes can make the step up to the Championship. Paul Hurst
has stuck to his transfer philosophy and there is no doubt he will be looking
for further additions should players like Waghorn leave the club. The Ipswich
fans will head into the season with some optimism and a cautious approach
because there will be excitement in terms of a young, hungry manager however,
he is unproven at this level and signing players yet to taste the Championship
could also be a concern. A mid-table finish would certainly represent an
excellent first season in charge for Paul Hurst and anything above that would
be sensational. Paul Hurst has ambition and he will hope the board and fans follow
his ambitions.
I think it could be a
very long, difficult season for Ipswich with the club going through a serious transition
of players and coaching staff. The club need a goalscorer and without Martyn
Waghorn it could be a real struggle to score goals because although they have
Joe Garner, his injury record is poor, and they need him should Waghorn depart.
The fans are going to have concerns and rightly they should as they will be involved
in the relegation battle.
My Predicted Finish:
22nd
Leeds
It was a very
disappointing season for Leeds in end despite the season starting so magnificently.
They were a force in the opening months of the season under Thomas Christensen
but a poor run cost him his job and his successor Paul Heckingbottom didn’t do
much better and Leeds finished in the bottom half. However, the club will head
into the new season in unknown terrority due to their highly surprising
appointment of Marcelo Bielsa. The highly regarded Argentinian has admirers including
Guardiola and Pochettino and Leeds will no doubt be excited about their new boss.
However, he comes with controversy after being suspended by Lille after a
horrendous run of form, he quit Marseille just one game into a new season and
last only 2 days in charge of Lazio, so it is a case of which Bielsa will Leeds
get because he was very successful in charge of Athletic Bilbao and that is the
Bielsa Leeds will want. The Argentine is described as a master of football by
many of his admirers and Leeds have done brilliantly to convince him to manage
in the Championship and the Leeds fans will want instant success from their charismatic
new leader. Bielsa is very much a tactician always changing his ideas and
formations to get the best results out of games and his pressing style has won
plenty of admirers and he will have to quickly adapt to the Championship
because it is a very unforgiving league to new managers in the English game as
many have found out. There will be plenty of optimism around the whole football
club and promotion will be the main goal this season. Leeds were competitive for
parts of last season and they do have talented players including Samuel Saiz,
Ezgjan Allioski, Pontus Jansson and Kalvin Phillips. A team of underachievers
and Bielsa must quickly get the best out of them to have any chance of making
the play-offs which would be the minimal expectation this season. Bielsa has
flexed his transfer muscle to sign the likes of Jamal Blackman, Lewis Baker and
Patrick Bamford. The latter is very well travelled, and he must find a home rather
than constantly moving clubs and he will be hoping Leeds provide him with that
stability. He is a proven goal scorer and Bielsa will be hoping to get the best
out of him. The pressure will on Bamford and Bielsa to succeed and Bielsa will
be looking for consistency from his team this season.
I think Bielsa is an exciting
appointment from a Leeds’ fan perspective they will want the successful Bielsa
not the one who failed at Lille and left Lazio after 2 days. It could be a very
exciting season but like Derby, I think they will just miss out on the play-offs
this season, but they will be battling hard should Bielsa last the season
because his habit of not lasting long could come into play if they have a poor
start.
My Predicted Finish:
8th
Middlesbrough
It was a solid season
back in the Championship for Middlesbrough. Garry Monk’s surprise sacking was
the only shock in a relatively comfortable season for the club following Tony
Pulis’ appointment. Although they didn’t achieve promotion, the goal will be
the same this season. Pulis installed a solid defence but at times they lacked
a spark in the attacking areas and it did cost them in the play-off semi-finals.
Pulis will be looking to strengthen his Middlesbrough team but the loss of key
assets like Ben Gibson and potentially Adama Traore means Pulis will have to
act quickly to replace what he has lost. Aden Flint is an excellent signing for
Middlesbrough and Pulis would off hoped to play him and Gibson together but
with Gibson off to Burnley, Pulis will have to assess and find a replacement. Flint
will also have to adjust because success is vital at Middlesbrough with Bristol
City pushing but not desperate for success. Pulis will certainly be active
because he is aware Traore will probably leave and even if he does stay, Pulis
has made his intentions to add attacking quality to Boro clear. Middlesbrough
finished 5th last season and their ambition will be to improve on
that and plenty of talent in the Boro squad including Britt Assombalonga, Martin
Braithwaite, Stewart Downing and Jonny Howson but they certainly need some
creative flair, and this will intensify should Traore leave. If Pulis gets the
players he wants and Boro gain consistency in their play, it could a very exciting
season in the North East and there is no doubt the Middlesbrough fans will
expect to be in the play-offs as a bare minimum, but automatic promotion is not
out of their reach.
I think Pulis will
certainly get Middlesbrough going and should he get the players he wants and keep
the core of their side from last season, Middlesbrough will be a force to be
reckoned with and automatic promotion could be calling for Middlesbrough and celebrations
a plenty in the North East
My Predicted Finish:
2nd
Millwall
What a brilliant
season it was for Millwall last season. Following their promotion from League 1,
the lions just missed out on a play-off spot by 3 points and Neil Harris will
be have belief that Millwall can compete for a play-off spot once again. Neil
Harris has done a wonderful job at his football club and he will be dreaming of
guiding Millwall into the top flight but with the bigger teams in the league
getting better squads, this will only intensify the desire to do better and
they are difficult to play against in particular at The Den and this will be
integral once again should Millwall have any chance of finishing in the top 6.
They certainly overachieved last season with the likes of Steve Morison, George
Saville, Aiden O’Brien and Jed Wallace and this is no disrespect to them because
they were all brilliant for the club last season and they will be determined to
do better this time around and it is an exciting team to watch at times even if
they aren’t household names on the pitch. A mid table finish would be a disappointment
but realistically it would still be an excellent season for the club, but one
thing Neil Harris will not want is second season syndrome because it will be
difficult to top the brilliance of last season and he will not want their
levels to drop to a point where they are dragged into the relegation battle.
Millwall will have a quiet confidence and belief that something special could
happen this season.
I think Millwall had
a brilliant season last year and they will find it difficult to top that and due
to the improvements of the arguably the bigger clubs, I think Millwall will be comfortable
in mid table and this would represent another good season.
My Predicted finish:
14th
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