Welcome again to Championship Chat. Of course, it has been absolutely ages since I last updated, so you may well have forgotten entirely about this. No matter, on with today's post.
We're into January, and the Championship is shaping up nicely into an extremely competitive and entertaining league, with plenty of teams still vying for the top six positions and plenty still in danger of relegation. But some teams are exceeding the expectations given at the beginning of the season, perhaps they were relegation candidates but are now thriving. On the contrary, some teams would have been tipped for promotion at the beginning of the season but something just hasn't clicked. I'm going to examine these teams today, please feel free to leave a comment telling me what you think.
Overachievers
Peterborough United.
At the beginning of the season, many people (including, I must say, me) doomed Peterborough to relegation due to the combination of poor performances the last time they were in the Championship and the loss of top-scorer Craig Mackail-Smith. However, they have done very well so far, and are currently nine points outside the relegation places in 16th place. A fair amount of this success has been down to the form of George Boyd, who is getting admiring glances from other Championship teams. Goals have also not been hard to come by for Peterborough, Grant McCann has got eight goals from midfield and the captain has been extremely influential in their success this far, while Emile Sinclair has got seven and Boyd, Lee Tomlin and Paul Taylor have contributed six each.
Can they keep it up?
There's no reason why not, although retaining their key players in this transfer reason will be key. They're still not going to be troubling the top teams, but they have a solid squad and as survival is surely the main objective, they can build and mount a push for the top half next season.
Southampton.
League leaders Southampton have stunned Championship fans this season, with the Saints currently placed for successive promotions and a return to the Premier League. Ricky Lambert is currently the league's top scorer with 15 goals in 26 games, an excellent tally. However Lambert is not the only reason for their success, as Nigel Adkins has built a talented squad that are hungry to prove their excellent form so far has not been a fluke. José Fonte and Jos Hooiveld have formed a formidable partnership in the centre of defence, and the midfield is full of talents such as Jack Cork and Morgan Schneiderlin.
Can they keep it up?
A month or so ago, I'd have said definitely, but now I'm not so sure. A bit of a sticky patch for the Saints has seen West Ham draw level with points with them and they've suffered a few losses. Having said that, I watched them beat Palace 2-0 and they were unfortunately excellent, looking disciplined and dangerous. They'll be there or there abouts come the end of the season.
Barnsley
Nobody was expecting much from Barnsley at the beginning of the season, with some (once again, including me) believing they could suffer relegation. But some excellent signings and good performances has seen them comfortably in mid-table, above big-spenders Leicester. Ricardo Vaz Te has been the star, the former Bolton man having scored 10 goals at this point. Craig Davies and Andy Gray have also contributed 15 goals between them, and captain Jacob Butterfield has been one of the Championship's stars this season, although he is now unfortunately out for the rest of the season. Barnsley have been impressive at times, although they have conceded a high number of goals compared to the teams around them.
Can they keep it up?
Eh. A lot will depend on the form of Vaz Te, who's scored some vital goals. In places the squad looks a bit weak, such as the slightly leaky defence. However, there are definitely worse teams in the Championship, and their good first half of the season will certainly help them survive.
Underachievers
Nottingham Forest.
I'm really not sure what's happened to Forest this season. They got rid of McClaren early on and replaced him with Steve Cotterill, who, despite initial success, has not been able to drag Forest away from that bottom three, and they currently find themselves two points from safety. Last season's sixth placed team have suffered a complete capitulation, and it's confusing to see why, as they still have plenty of talented players such as Lewis McGugan, Jonathan Greening and Luke Chambers. I think the real problem is the loss of last season's manager Billy Davies, who was an excellent manager for them, and why the board sacked him is a mystery.
Can they get better?
A lot will depend on whether Cotterill can get the best out of his squad. Many strikers have not been firing, like Ishmael Miller with just four and Robbie Findley with five. The worst thing for Forest is that these are among their top scorers, Marcus Tudgay being top with six. They've also got the third worst defence in the league, conceding 42 goals. These problems need to be addressed in this transfer window otherwise it could be a long, hard and ultimately disappointing season for Forest.
Leicester City.
If there's one team that's the epitome of underachieving, it's Leicester. With an extremely competent squad, and a talented manager in Sven-Goran Eriksson, many (*sigh* again, me) predicted huge success for the Foxes. However, they couldn't get going, and Eriksson was sacked fairly recently and replaced by Nigel Pearson, but this hasn't changed Leicester's fortunes, and their most recent result was a disappointing 2-1 loss to Barnsley. Jermaine Beckford has not been able to score the goals that were expected of him, and much has been left to Dave Nugent and Paul Gallagher.
Can they get better?
Pearson has been saying the right things, as he intends to trim the fat of his squad and bring in some players who want to play for the team. Some players may have been accused of complacency, and Pearson will have none of that when he is in charge. However, this season may be a lost cause for Leicester, and they may have to focus on next season. I say this because they're seven points of the playoffs and a whopping 15 off the top, where everyone expected them to be. Right now, fans will hope for a playoff push and look forward to the 2012/13 season.
Ipswich Town.
With a very talented squad, Ipswich were seen as dark horses for the playoff spots. However they've really struggled to succeed despite their players. Sitting in 19th, just four points of the relegation spots, the Tractor Boys' fans must be casting nervous glances down the table. Like Leicester, some players have struggled to score goals, such as Jason Scotland with five and Lee Bowyer with two. Michael Chopra has managed to get seven but he has been more prolific for other clubs. However their clear problem is their defence, the worst in the Championship conceding a 51 goals in 26 games, an average of almost two every game.
Can they get better?
That defence must be sorted before Ipswich can push up the table. As said before, they have some talented players but they will get nowhere if they keep conceding. They were unlucky to lose David Stockdale back to Fulham as he really is an excellent 'keeper, and they don't really have a particularly good replacement fit. I doubt they'll be relegated, but it could be close.
Monday 16 January 2012
Monday 12 September 2011
Team Talk: Southampton
Hello and welcome to another edition of Team Talk. Today I'll be turning my eye towards the south coast and having a look at newly-promoted, high flying Southampton.
Manager: Nigel Adkins
Adkins joined from League One side Scunthorpe in September 2010, and since then the Saints have been on the up. In his first season at the club he got them promoted to the Championship in second place, and they show no signs of letting up as they have stormed the league so far, and are currently in second place again behind, funnily enough, last year's League One champions Brighton. Despite having relatively little experience at this level, Adkins has got his side playing excellent football and dismantled one of the pre-season favourites Leeds on the opening day. He has got a good record with his teams, getting Scunthorpe promoted at the first time of asking and then kept them there for the season, and another promotion with Southampton where they won many plaudits. If he can keep this up, Southampton may be able to replicate Norwich's achievement of last season of back-to-back promotions.
Star Player: Rickie Lambert
Southampton's top scorer nabbed 21 goals last term in an extremely impressive year, forming a formidable partnership with Lee Barnard. Lambert finished as League One's third top scorer and shows no sign of slowing as he is already the top scorer in the Championship, with five goals. The former Bristol Rovers man has scored 61 goals in 95 games for the Saints, which is a hugely impressive total, and the fans will hope he can continue his goalscoring form throughout the season to push Southampton towards promotion.
Other important players:
Lee Barnard - Mentioned above, Barnard got 16 goals last season and combined well with Lambert.
Jack Cork - Young central midfielder already looks at home in the Championship.
Adam Lallana - Exciting winger making real strides so far, full of potential.
Strengths:
The team plays very attractive football which has so far been a success, and this has won them many fans country-wide. This is, unfortunately, rarely seen in the Championship, and those who use it often don't get the recognition they deserve (see Doncaster). However, with Swansea's success last season, Southampton will be emboldened, and hopefully will continue to entertain. They also have a relatively young squad, meaning that if they can retain their players they will have good chemistry in future seasons. The young age of the squad also helps their speed of play, as they will be less likely to get fatigued than older players. Despite this, they have also got a fair amount of Championship experience in the likes of former Palace duo Jose Fonte and Danny Butterfield, David Connolly and Dan Harding, which will certainly help.
Weaknesses:
Southampton can rely too much on Lambert and Barnard, which last season worked, but they may not be able to get as many goals this season as they did last. I'd also say that they don't have the best goalkeepers, a choice of Bartosz Bialkowski or Kelvin Davis, although Bialkowski is certainly decent, but they may want someone with more experience at this level. The midfield can be a little lightweight, although Morgan Schneiderlin and Jack Cork help with this.
Conclusion:
Southampton have the potential to do very well in this league. They play exciting, attractive, football, and have plenty of people who can score goals. If they can keep clear of injuries and possibly make a couple of signings in January, they should be able to keep up at the top of the table. I doubt they'll get promoted, but they may well make the playoffs.
Manager: Nigel Adkins
Adkins joined from League One side Scunthorpe in September 2010, and since then the Saints have been on the up. In his first season at the club he got them promoted to the Championship in second place, and they show no signs of letting up as they have stormed the league so far, and are currently in second place again behind, funnily enough, last year's League One champions Brighton. Despite having relatively little experience at this level, Adkins has got his side playing excellent football and dismantled one of the pre-season favourites Leeds on the opening day. He has got a good record with his teams, getting Scunthorpe promoted at the first time of asking and then kept them there for the season, and another promotion with Southampton where they won many plaudits. If he can keep this up, Southampton may be able to replicate Norwich's achievement of last season of back-to-back promotions.
Star Player: Rickie Lambert
Southampton's top scorer nabbed 21 goals last term in an extremely impressive year, forming a formidable partnership with Lee Barnard. Lambert finished as League One's third top scorer and shows no sign of slowing as he is already the top scorer in the Championship, with five goals. The former Bristol Rovers man has scored 61 goals in 95 games for the Saints, which is a hugely impressive total, and the fans will hope he can continue his goalscoring form throughout the season to push Southampton towards promotion.
Other important players:
Lee Barnard - Mentioned above, Barnard got 16 goals last season and combined well with Lambert.
Jack Cork - Young central midfielder already looks at home in the Championship.
Adam Lallana - Exciting winger making real strides so far, full of potential.
Strengths:
The team plays very attractive football which has so far been a success, and this has won them many fans country-wide. This is, unfortunately, rarely seen in the Championship, and those who use it often don't get the recognition they deserve (see Doncaster). However, with Swansea's success last season, Southampton will be emboldened, and hopefully will continue to entertain. They also have a relatively young squad, meaning that if they can retain their players they will have good chemistry in future seasons. The young age of the squad also helps their speed of play, as they will be less likely to get fatigued than older players. Despite this, they have also got a fair amount of Championship experience in the likes of former Palace duo Jose Fonte and Danny Butterfield, David Connolly and Dan Harding, which will certainly help.
Weaknesses:
Southampton can rely too much on Lambert and Barnard, which last season worked, but they may not be able to get as many goals this season as they did last. I'd also say that they don't have the best goalkeepers, a choice of Bartosz Bialkowski or Kelvin Davis, although Bialkowski is certainly decent, but they may want someone with more experience at this level. The midfield can be a little lightweight, although Morgan Schneiderlin and Jack Cork help with this.
Conclusion:
Southampton have the potential to do very well in this league. They play exciting, attractive, football, and have plenty of people who can score goals. If they can keep clear of injuries and possibly make a couple of signings in January, they should be able to keep up at the top of the table. I doubt they'll get promoted, but they may well make the playoffs.
Friday 9 September 2011
Transfer Window Round-Up
Hello and welcome back to The Championship Chat. Today I'm having a look at the best (and a couple of the worst) transfers involving Championship teams. So let's get started.
Good Signings
Michael Chopra from Cardiff to Ipswich, £1.5 million.
I believe that Ipswich may have picked up a real bargain in Chopra. 27 goals in 73 games between 2009 and 2011 for Cardiff is a good record, and he has consistently proven himself to be a formidable striker in this league. I am surprised that Cardiff let him go, as he could have still done a job with Kenny Miller and Rob Earnshaw, however he was apparently deemed surplus to requirements at Cardiff and Ipswich will have a signing they are delighted with.
Kevin Phillips from Birmingham to Blackpool, free.
Will he ever stop scoring? Already on four for the season, Kevin Phillips has defied age by continuing to score goals at every level. Released by Birmingham (who may well regret that decision), Blackpool have snapped him up in the hope that he will lead their front line after the loss of DJ Campbell. His age may catch up with him eventually, but the fact that he is already joint top scorer at this early stage of the season suggests that this may well have been an excellent signing.
Vicente from Valencia to Brighton, free.
Wait, what? Vicente? Former Spanish international Vicente? To Brighton? Oh my God.
This was my reaction when I heard that the Seagulls had signed the 30 year old winger. This could turn out to be an incredible signing, as he played 243 games for Valencia and a a further 38 for Spain, giving him vast amounts of experience at high levels. Of course, whether Vicente will adapt to the rough and tumble style of the Championship is yet to be seen, but he may be able to stun the Championship's defences across the country.
Luke Varney from Derby to Portsmouth, free.
I really rate Varney. After a series of impressive performances on loan at Blackpool last season, he earned a move to Portsmouth, where he may well be seen as Dave Nugent's replacement. Often underrated, he has a decent scoring record at this level and should do well when paired with Dave Kitson. Portsmouth needed a striker, and they have got a good one.
Michael Johnson from Manchester City to Leicester, season long loan.
Let's face it, I could've picked any of Leicester's recent signings as impressive, but I believe that the capture of industrious midfielder Michael Johnson is one of the best. Despite a series of horrendous injuries, Johnson has always impressed in his small number of matches for Man. City and he should quickly adapt to this league. In fact, this loan spell may be exactly what Johnson needs to finally establish his reputation. He may not be at Leicester permanently, but he should be able to make a big impression if he avoids injuries.
Jonathan Parr from Aalesund to Crystal Palace, undisclosed fee.
I had to mention one Palace signing! From what we have seen of Norwegian Parr so far, he seems to be a real find. Comfortable at left back or in midfield, he has already got a goal and a couple of assists in his five games for the Eagles, and is quickly becoming a fan favourite. Linking up with fellow Norway international Steffen Iversen, Parr has shown signs of very high quality.
Bad Signings
Jimmy Bullard from Hull to Ipswich, free.
Whilst Bullard obviously has a lot of talent, the main problem is usually with his wages. He has a reported £50,000 a week wage, which is ridiculous for a Championship player, and forced Hull to get rid of him in order to stop them from becoming bogged down with that payment. It is possible that Ipswich have negotiated him down to a more reasonable wage, which would make this a good signing. However, if he is still on those exorbitant wages, I'm afraid it's a bit of a bad deal.
Matt Mills from Reading to Leicester, £5 million.
Again, this isn't a problem with the player himself. Mills is a good player and a fine leader on the pitch, and Leicester have done well to get him. But he is simply not a £5 million rated player! I'm positive that they could find players just as good for less money, but it seems that when Leicester are involved the price of players suddenly increases as they can afford to pay that much more. I'm not sure that Mills is much better than Palace's Paddy McCarthy, whom I rate extremely highly (and not just through Palace bias), who would never command that fee. This seems to be poor financial judgement from Leicester.
George Boateng to Nottingham Forest, free.
This signing confuses me on so many levels. Firstly, Boateng is 36, so is unlikely to play for too much longer. Secondly, could Forest really not find a better player to spend those probably high wages on? Thirdly, whilst he used to be a good player, I have never really rated Boateng, so I doubt that he's that much better now. This just seems to be a marquee signing, and Forest are really signing a name rather than a player.
Good Signings
Michael Chopra from Cardiff to Ipswich, £1.5 million.
I believe that Ipswich may have picked up a real bargain in Chopra. 27 goals in 73 games between 2009 and 2011 for Cardiff is a good record, and he has consistently proven himself to be a formidable striker in this league. I am surprised that Cardiff let him go, as he could have still done a job with Kenny Miller and Rob Earnshaw, however he was apparently deemed surplus to requirements at Cardiff and Ipswich will have a signing they are delighted with.
Kevin Phillips from Birmingham to Blackpool, free.
Will he ever stop scoring? Already on four for the season, Kevin Phillips has defied age by continuing to score goals at every level. Released by Birmingham (who may well regret that decision), Blackpool have snapped him up in the hope that he will lead their front line after the loss of DJ Campbell. His age may catch up with him eventually, but the fact that he is already joint top scorer at this early stage of the season suggests that this may well have been an excellent signing.
Vicente from Valencia to Brighton, free.
Wait, what? Vicente? Former Spanish international Vicente? To Brighton? Oh my God.
This was my reaction when I heard that the Seagulls had signed the 30 year old winger. This could turn out to be an incredible signing, as he played 243 games for Valencia and a a further 38 for Spain, giving him vast amounts of experience at high levels. Of course, whether Vicente will adapt to the rough and tumble style of the Championship is yet to be seen, but he may be able to stun the Championship's defences across the country.
Luke Varney from Derby to Portsmouth, free.
I really rate Varney. After a series of impressive performances on loan at Blackpool last season, he earned a move to Portsmouth, where he may well be seen as Dave Nugent's replacement. Often underrated, he has a decent scoring record at this level and should do well when paired with Dave Kitson. Portsmouth needed a striker, and they have got a good one.
Michael Johnson from Manchester City to Leicester, season long loan.
Let's face it, I could've picked any of Leicester's recent signings as impressive, but I believe that the capture of industrious midfielder Michael Johnson is one of the best. Despite a series of horrendous injuries, Johnson has always impressed in his small number of matches for Man. City and he should quickly adapt to this league. In fact, this loan spell may be exactly what Johnson needs to finally establish his reputation. He may not be at Leicester permanently, but he should be able to make a big impression if he avoids injuries.
Jonathan Parr from Aalesund to Crystal Palace, undisclosed fee.
I had to mention one Palace signing! From what we have seen of Norwegian Parr so far, he seems to be a real find. Comfortable at left back or in midfield, he has already got a goal and a couple of assists in his five games for the Eagles, and is quickly becoming a fan favourite. Linking up with fellow Norway international Steffen Iversen, Parr has shown signs of very high quality.
Bad Signings
Jimmy Bullard from Hull to Ipswich, free.
Whilst Bullard obviously has a lot of talent, the main problem is usually with his wages. He has a reported £50,000 a week wage, which is ridiculous for a Championship player, and forced Hull to get rid of him in order to stop them from becoming bogged down with that payment. It is possible that Ipswich have negotiated him down to a more reasonable wage, which would make this a good signing. However, if he is still on those exorbitant wages, I'm afraid it's a bit of a bad deal.
Matt Mills from Reading to Leicester, £5 million.
Again, this isn't a problem with the player himself. Mills is a good player and a fine leader on the pitch, and Leicester have done well to get him. But he is simply not a £5 million rated player! I'm positive that they could find players just as good for less money, but it seems that when Leicester are involved the price of players suddenly increases as they can afford to pay that much more. I'm not sure that Mills is much better than Palace's Paddy McCarthy, whom I rate extremely highly (and not just through Palace bias), who would never command that fee. This seems to be poor financial judgement from Leicester.
George Boateng to Nottingham Forest, free.
This signing confuses me on so many levels. Firstly, Boateng is 36, so is unlikely to play for too much longer. Secondly, could Forest really not find a better player to spend those probably high wages on? Thirdly, whilst he used to be a good player, I have never really rated Boateng, so I doubt that he's that much better now. This just seems to be a marquee signing, and Forest are really signing a name rather than a player.
Monday 5 September 2011
Team Talk: Crystal Palace
Hello, and welcome to what will become a hopefully weekly segment called Team Talk, where I will take a look at one Championship team, their strengths, weaknesses, and just general bits and bobs. And where better to start than the team I support, Crystal Palace. So without further ado, let's have a look at the Eagles!
Manager: Dougie Freedman.
Freedman took over struggling Crystal Palace in January after a 3-0 loss to Millwall prompted Palace's new owners into sacking George Burley. Freedman was put in charge of keeping Palace in the Championship, and to many's surprise, managed it, saving Crystal Palace with two games of the Championship remaining. Freedman then set about rebuilding the squad, and has brought in many of his own faces over the summer.
Many will point out Freedman's inexperience as a manager, but he has more than most people think. He served under Paul Hart and George Burley as assistant manager, both of whom are well-respected within the footballing world. A football career of 16 years will obviously help, a lot of which was spent at Palace. The fans adore him, and the players will have nothing but respect for him, so he will hopefully be able to unite the squad and get the belief flowing through Selhurst Park again.
Star Player: Julian Speroni
3-time Palace Player of the Year Speroni has performed key defensive duties in goal for Palace, and his spectacular saves have won the hearts of the Eagles' fans. After a shaky start when he lost his place to Gabor Kiraly, Speroni came into his own after the Hungarian's departure, and solidified his place in the team, being almost ever-present for the past four seasons. One of his best attributes is shot-stopping, and he is excellent in one-on-one situations which can be useful behind an occasionally leaky defence. Perhaps his weakness is in coming to claim crosses, as he can sometimes be hesitant or show signs of his past faults.
Other important players:
Darren Ambrose - The midfielder can come up with a goal from nothing.
Paddy McCarthy - Captain is an influential leader and one of the first names on the team sheet.
Nathaniel Clyne - Ever-present last season, the young right back surely has a bright future.
Strengths:
The first thing to mention is the academy. Palace's academy has churned out the likes of now-Premiership players Ben Watson and Victor Moses, as well as Wilfried Zaha, Nathaniel Clyne and Sean Scannell who are still all at the club. The fact that a fair few of the first team are academy players shows how good the system is, and with the likes of Jonny Williams, Matthew Parsons and Ryan Inniss coming through it should be able to sustain Palace well into the future. The defence is solid, although lacks strength in depth. McCarthy is an excellent centre back at this level, and Dean Moxey and Nathaniel Clyne provide good cover on the flanks. The squad also boasts a fair number of international players, with Kagisho Dikcagoi (South Africa), Mile Jedinak (Australia) and Steffen Iversen and Jonathan Parr (both Norway) probably being the most significant.
Weaknesses:
It is difficult to see where the goals will come from in this side. Darren Ambrose, who scored 20 goals two seasons ago, struggled for form and fitness last year and probably cannot be relied on to get the goals again. Palace fans hope that a partnership of Scannell and Glenn Murray will net their goals, but this partnership is still developing and, of course, Scannell is still young and so will not be able to play every game this season. Steffen Iversen is a very good hold-up man but for him to score goals, service will be needed from the wings.
The lack of a regular centre back partner for McCarthy is also cause for concern, as Freedman was forced to bring in Alexander Tunchev and Andrew Davies two days before the start of the season. The permanent signing of Antony Gardner will be some relief, but they will need games together to re-gel. The midfield is also a tad lightweight, but Jedinak may help to solve this.
Conclusion:
Palace have a good squad, and the signings they've made over the summer should be good enough to keep them up, and even push towards the mid table, which is surely the aim for the fans and players. As an avid fan, I seriously hope we keep the academy products, as they will be vital to future success.
I hope you enjoyed this instalment of Team Talk, which I will be writing on a regular basis from now on. Next up will be a look at recently promoted Southampton. Thanks for reading!
Manager: Dougie Freedman.
Freedman took over struggling Crystal Palace in January after a 3-0 loss to Millwall prompted Palace's new owners into sacking George Burley. Freedman was put in charge of keeping Palace in the Championship, and to many's surprise, managed it, saving Crystal Palace with two games of the Championship remaining. Freedman then set about rebuilding the squad, and has brought in many of his own faces over the summer.
Many will point out Freedman's inexperience as a manager, but he has more than most people think. He served under Paul Hart and George Burley as assistant manager, both of whom are well-respected within the footballing world. A football career of 16 years will obviously help, a lot of which was spent at Palace. The fans adore him, and the players will have nothing but respect for him, so he will hopefully be able to unite the squad and get the belief flowing through Selhurst Park again.
Star Player: Julian Speroni
3-time Palace Player of the Year Speroni has performed key defensive duties in goal for Palace, and his spectacular saves have won the hearts of the Eagles' fans. After a shaky start when he lost his place to Gabor Kiraly, Speroni came into his own after the Hungarian's departure, and solidified his place in the team, being almost ever-present for the past four seasons. One of his best attributes is shot-stopping, and he is excellent in one-on-one situations which can be useful behind an occasionally leaky defence. Perhaps his weakness is in coming to claim crosses, as he can sometimes be hesitant or show signs of his past faults.
Other important players:
Darren Ambrose - The midfielder can come up with a goal from nothing.
Paddy McCarthy - Captain is an influential leader and one of the first names on the team sheet.
Nathaniel Clyne - Ever-present last season, the young right back surely has a bright future.
Strengths:
The first thing to mention is the academy. Palace's academy has churned out the likes of now-Premiership players Ben Watson and Victor Moses, as well as Wilfried Zaha, Nathaniel Clyne and Sean Scannell who are still all at the club. The fact that a fair few of the first team are academy players shows how good the system is, and with the likes of Jonny Williams, Matthew Parsons and Ryan Inniss coming through it should be able to sustain Palace well into the future. The defence is solid, although lacks strength in depth. McCarthy is an excellent centre back at this level, and Dean Moxey and Nathaniel Clyne provide good cover on the flanks. The squad also boasts a fair number of international players, with Kagisho Dikcagoi (South Africa), Mile Jedinak (Australia) and Steffen Iversen and Jonathan Parr (both Norway) probably being the most significant.
Weaknesses:
It is difficult to see where the goals will come from in this side. Darren Ambrose, who scored 20 goals two seasons ago, struggled for form and fitness last year and probably cannot be relied on to get the goals again. Palace fans hope that a partnership of Scannell and Glenn Murray will net their goals, but this partnership is still developing and, of course, Scannell is still young and so will not be able to play every game this season. Steffen Iversen is a very good hold-up man but for him to score goals, service will be needed from the wings.
The lack of a regular centre back partner for McCarthy is also cause for concern, as Freedman was forced to bring in Alexander Tunchev and Andrew Davies two days before the start of the season. The permanent signing of Antony Gardner will be some relief, but they will need games together to re-gel. The midfield is also a tad lightweight, but Jedinak may help to solve this.
Conclusion:
Palace have a good squad, and the signings they've made over the summer should be good enough to keep them up, and even push towards the mid table, which is surely the aim for the fans and players. As an avid fan, I seriously hope we keep the academy products, as they will be vital to future success.
I hope you enjoyed this instalment of Team Talk, which I will be writing on a regular basis from now on. Next up will be a look at recently promoted Southampton. Thanks for reading!
Saturday 3 September 2011
Who will be the Championship's next big scalp?
Charlton. Norwich. Southampton. Leeds. What do all of these teams have in common? The answer is that they have all spent time in League One in recent years, despite being proclaimed to be big teams in the Championship who should be able to reach the Premiership again. These, then, are scalps, big teams that have been relegated despite the hype given to them pre-season, and this post will discuss who may be the next one. So without further ado, let's kick off with...
Birmingham City: Recently-relegated Birmingham at first glance had very little to worry about at the beginning of the season, with a squad filled with Premier League experience and a Carling Cup under their belts. However, during pre-season, owner Carson Yeung was arrested, and a mass exodus followed. Roger Johnson, Scott Dann, Cameron Jerome, Barry Ferguson, Ben Foster and others have all left, leaving what may look like a rather mediocre squad.
I seriously doubt they'll go down, but promotion will be extremely difficult, and a bottom half finish beckons.
West Ham United: This may look ridiculous on paper, but bear with me. Yes, their squad is surely too talented for the Championship, but the deadline-day loss of influential captain Scott Parker to Tottenham will be huge. The crushing disappointment of last season also hangs over the squad, and Sam Allardyce has an axe hanging over his neck, waiting to drop if he cannot fulfil the high expectations of the Hammers' fans and board.
West Ham will not go down unless there is a major shock. They have far too many talented players, and plenty of money to spend. However, should this "Premiership-or-bust" strategy fail, there could be serious trouble at Upton Park, as players will grow restless and money will become more of an issue.
Cardiff City: Play-off semi finalists Cardiff have had a difficult summer. The inability to get Craig Bellamy back will hurt them. However, they have managed to retain a lot of their squad. The main problem will be their failure in previous seasons, as the fans will be impatient and the board, who have already got rid of Dave Jones, will want new manager Malky Mackay to provide the journey to the Premier League they have wanted for so long. With all of this pressure, will they be able to deliver? Sometimes over-expectation can destroy a team, as Charlton saw a few seasons ago.
Once again, it is extremely difficult to say that Cardiff will be relegated. But I do not think they will do well this season, and perhaps a few seasons of mid-table mediocrity are in the future.
Crystal Palace: Yeah, yeah, I know it wouldn't be particularly shocking if Palace went down, but hey, we're still a fairly big club. Palace have struggled in the last two seasons and many were predicting another difficult season, but their early start has confounded critics. The only major loss to the team is that of energetic midfielder Neil Danns to Leicester, whereas big names Nathaniel Clyne, Darren Ambrose, Julian Speroni and Wilfried Zaha have all been retained. Palace have also been able to add to their side, with Jonathan Parr and Kagisho Dikgacoi being the major new faces.
Palace are definitely in danger of relegation. Despite a new look to the side, they are still weak in defence and lack real strength in depth. But a good start helps, and Palace appear to have a new found belief in manager Dougie Freedman, so they should survive another season.
Birmingham City: Recently-relegated Birmingham at first glance had very little to worry about at the beginning of the season, with a squad filled with Premier League experience and a Carling Cup under their belts. However, during pre-season, owner Carson Yeung was arrested, and a mass exodus followed. Roger Johnson, Scott Dann, Cameron Jerome, Barry Ferguson, Ben Foster and others have all left, leaving what may look like a rather mediocre squad.
I seriously doubt they'll go down, but promotion will be extremely difficult, and a bottom half finish beckons.
West Ham United: This may look ridiculous on paper, but bear with me. Yes, their squad is surely too talented for the Championship, but the deadline-day loss of influential captain Scott Parker to Tottenham will be huge. The crushing disappointment of last season also hangs over the squad, and Sam Allardyce has an axe hanging over his neck, waiting to drop if he cannot fulfil the high expectations of the Hammers' fans and board.
West Ham will not go down unless there is a major shock. They have far too many talented players, and plenty of money to spend. However, should this "Premiership-or-bust" strategy fail, there could be serious trouble at Upton Park, as players will grow restless and money will become more of an issue.
Cardiff City: Play-off semi finalists Cardiff have had a difficult summer. The inability to get Craig Bellamy back will hurt them. However, they have managed to retain a lot of their squad. The main problem will be their failure in previous seasons, as the fans will be impatient and the board, who have already got rid of Dave Jones, will want new manager Malky Mackay to provide the journey to the Premier League they have wanted for so long. With all of this pressure, will they be able to deliver? Sometimes over-expectation can destroy a team, as Charlton saw a few seasons ago.
Once again, it is extremely difficult to say that Cardiff will be relegated. But I do not think they will do well this season, and perhaps a few seasons of mid-table mediocrity are in the future.
Crystal Palace: Yeah, yeah, I know it wouldn't be particularly shocking if Palace went down, but hey, we're still a fairly big club. Palace have struggled in the last two seasons and many were predicting another difficult season, but their early start has confounded critics. The only major loss to the team is that of energetic midfielder Neil Danns to Leicester, whereas big names Nathaniel Clyne, Darren Ambrose, Julian Speroni and Wilfried Zaha have all been retained. Palace have also been able to add to their side, with Jonathan Parr and Kagisho Dikgacoi being the major new faces.
Palace are definitely in danger of relegation. Despite a new look to the side, they are still weak in defence and lack real strength in depth. But a good start helps, and Palace appear to have a new found belief in manager Dougie Freedman, so they should survive another season.
Sunday 7 August 2011
Championship Preview!
Hello, and welcome to what I hope will become a regularly-updated blog. I'll be talking about life in the Championship, especially the mighty Crystal Palace, and just venting my feelings towards the goings-on. With that said, I am now going to do a Championship preview, which comes a little late what with the opening weekend already passed. However, here goes, I'll be talking about each team in order of where I believe they'll finish in the table.
1st: Leicester City
Yes, it's predictable, but Leicester seem to be the real deal. Quality signings like Dave Nugent, Kasper Schmeichel, Matt Mills, Neil Danns and Michael Johnson will surely make them a force to be reckoned with, and with Sven in charge they have a wily old manager who surely has the experience to take them up. It's all a question of the team gelling of course, and we may have seen that yesterday as the Foxes scraped a 1-0 win over Coventry.
Yes, it's predictable, but Leicester seem to be the real deal. Quality signings like Dave Nugent, Kasper Schmeichel, Matt Mills, Neil Danns and Michael Johnson will surely make them a force to be reckoned with, and with Sven in charge they have a wily old manager who surely has the experience to take them up. It's all a question of the team gelling of course, and we may have seen that yesterday as the Foxes scraped a 1-0 win over Coventry.
2nd: Reading
Last season's beaten Playoff finalists have a point to prove, and will surely be hungry to return to the Premier League this time around. Shane Long, whatever you think of him, is quality, and keeping hold of him is surely manager Brian McDermott's priority, especially with big-spenders Leicester and Premiership teams Everton and Fulham sniffing around. However, the team also has quality elsewhere, with new captain Jobi McAnuff, now an experienced Championship player, still able to produce the goods. Exciting young winger Hal-Robson Kanu is an excellent prospect, and the likes of Noel Hunt, Jimmy Kebe and Ian Harte make up a quality Championship-level team.
3rd: West Ham United
Surely a team with this much quality should make at least the playoffs? However, new manager Sam Allardyce has inherited a squad that must be low on confidence after an abject Premier League campaign and the loss of several key players will not help. Retaining their core will be central, especially the Writer's Player of the Year Scott Parker who will surely boss the Championship if he does not move. The Hammers have made some quality signings, such as Kevin Nolan, with whom Parker should forge an excellent partnership, and John Carew, who will surely bang in the goals at this level. Whether this high-quality side can measure up to the rough and tumble of the Championship has yet to be seen, as well as whether they can gel. A 1-0 loss to Cardiff is not a good start though.
4th: Southampton
I believe the Saints will be this year's surprise package, and that theory was backed up yesterday as they walked over Leeds United on their way to a 3-1 win. Southampton never looked like losing, and with a side that boasts the attacking prowess of Rickie Lambert, Adam Lallana, David Connelly and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (who of course may be on his way to the Premier league), they should have no trouble scoring goals. Defensively, they also look solid, with former Palace favourite José Fonte and captain Dan Harding marshalling the back. Along with one of the signings of the summer in the quality Jack Cork, the Saints will surely be marching towards the top.
5th: Blackpool (promoted through playoffs)
Not many people seem to think that Blackpool will return to the Premier League at the first time of asking. However, I believe that this team is still a good side, and has managed to retain several key players. Centre backs Craig Cathcart and Ian Evatt are still with the team, Matt Gilks is a good 'keeper, and they have managed to keep a hold of Gary Taylor-Fletcher. Add a couple of good signings in Kevin Phillips (who still manages to keep scoring) and Barry Ferguson, and the loss of Charlie Adam, David Vaughan and DJ Campbell may not have as big an influence as people believe.
6th: Nottingham Forest
Another team that made the playoffs next year, Forest have one of the best managers in the league with Steve McClaren, as well as a good squad including Lee Camp, Chris Cohen, Chris Gunter and Dexter Blackstock. While they made the playoffs last year, they were sometimes horribly inconsistent, and McClaren will have to sort this out if he is to take Forest to higher places.
7th: Middlesbrough
Ah, Middlesbrough. Since their relegation they have been almost-constant underachievers, with many expecting them to have returned to the top division by now. However, they have suffered with a divided squad and poor managers. Tony Mowbray may have fixed both of these problems, as the squad seems much more of a unit then in previous years. The squad will probably still need strengthening if they are to challenge for the top spots, but Scott McDonald is an excellent striker, and Matthew Bates and Stephen McManus will be solid at the back. If they can strengthen and Mowbray can unite the squad, Middlesbrough should have a successful season.
8th: Ipswich Town
Ipswich have made some excellent signings over the summer, with Michael Chopra, Ivar Ingimarsson, Lee Bowyer and Jay Emmanuel-Thomas possibly being some of the best bargains of the summer. There is also a lot of Championship experience in the squad, with Mark Kennedy, Grant Leadbitter (spit), Jason Scotland and Damien Delaney all having played in this division for several seasons. Many expect Ipswich to be pushing for a playoff place, and I believe they will, but I do not think they will make it this year. However, it will certainly be a good season for the Tractor Boys, who will surely improve on last year's 13th placed finish.
9th: Cardiff City
The Bluebirds have undergone a summer of turmoil, with a series of rumours about financial trouble and gaining a new manager in Malky Mackay. They have also lost Jay Bothroyd, Craig Bellamy and Michael Chopra, three potent attacking options. However, they still have a strong side, including Peter Whittingham, Kenny Miller and Rob Earnshaw looking to fill the gap left. Cardiff should have a decent season, but I do not see them being able to emulate last season's strength. They have had a good opening game though, beating pre-season favourites West Ham 1-0.
10th: Burnley
Burnley have one of the best young managers in the country in Eddie Howe, even if he did turn down Palace to go there! The former Bournemouth man will want to do well in his first full Championship season. However, they had a poor end to the season, and that may well carry into this one. Their key men should be Martin Paterson, Brian Jensen and Charlie Austin, and their form will be instrumental to any success Burnley should have. However, they have a small squad, so any injuries may be costly.
11th: Birmingham City.
If Cardiff have had a season of turmoil, then Birmingham have undergone a complete meltdown since winning the Carling Cup last season. A mass player exodus seems to be in order, with Barry Ferguson, Lee Bowyer, Roger Johnson and Ben Foster, as well as former manager Alex McLeish moving to arch-rivals Aston Villa. New man Chris Hughton has a lot on his hands, especially with the mystery surrounding owner Carson Yeung. All in all, they may suffer a difficult season, especially if more players leave.
12th: Leeds United.
Leeds had an excellent season last year by most accounts, narrowly missing out on a Playoff place. However, I do not think they are as strong this year in relation to the rest of the league. Losing Kasper Schmeichel and Bradley Johnson will be big, as Andy Lonergan is only a decent replacement. They do have a few positives, as Max Gradel and Ramon Nunez should be exciting on the wings, but the loss of Luciano Becchio for a few months will not help at all, as it is now difficult to see where the main goal threat is. Jonny Howson is an excellent prospect as well as a good player in his own right, and should turn in consistently good performances, but overall I sense a tricky season for Leeds.
13th: Watford.
Watford are often a bit of an anomaly in the Championship, as no one ever seems to be sure where they'll finish. One season they'll be in a relegation battle, and the next they'll be pushing for the Playoffs. This season however, I believe will be a bit more stable. Sean Dyche has a decent squad, but the loss of Danny Graham will be massive. Chris Iwelumo is not a bad replacement though, who with Don Cowie should score a fair few goals this season. Scott Loach is a good keeper, and the Hornets will hope not to leak too many goals with him at the back. Overall, a solid season.
14th: Crystal Palace.
Yeah, this is quite hopeful on my part, however I do genuinely believe that Palace can get a decent midtable finish. After the past couple of seasons, an end of the season where the Eagles have nothing to play for would surely be a relief for most Palace fans. Dougie Freedman's first full season in charge since replacing George Burley sees him inherit a slightly disjointed, low on confidence squad, which does seem to have a fair amount of quality in it. New signings have been mostly promising, with Glenn Murray from Brighton being the fans' highlight, but also Norway, Australia and South Africa internationals Jonathan Parr, Mile Jedinak and Kagisho Dikgacoi should do well. The defence is a little suspect, with only captain Paddy McCarthy remaining as a first-choice centre back actually at the club, and four defensive loans have been brought in in the last week. Palace's performance against Peterborough was bad, with the defence looking shaky and the midfield weak, and the Eagles lost 2-1. Palace are of course widely known for their excellent academy, with Nathaniel Clyne and Sean Scannell having broken into the team and the likes of Nathaniel Pinney and Jon Williams on their way, the future looks bright.
15th: Hull City.
The Tigers are a bit like Middlesbrough in that they have underachieved since being relegated from the Premier League. A wealth of Championship experience in their squad has not translated into results, and unfortunately for the fans they have seen a string of average finishes. This season, I cannot see this changing much, as the squad has changed very little. If they un-suspend Jimmy Bullard he may well be a key player, if they want to keep him and his exorbitant wages. Whilst Jay Simpson is a good striker, he may well not be able to score enough to send Hull up the table. They should survive fairly comfortably, but will need significant changes in order to push for the playoffs.
16th: Derby County.
Another underachiever, Derby have suffered since that famously dreadful season in the Premier League. However, Nigel Clough appears to be building a good side, and the Rams have seen some good signings come in such as Kevin Kilbane, and the possibility of Chris Riggott. Derby should be able to improve on last season's 19th placed finish, and this season may be the start of Derby's push towards a return to the Premier League.
17th: Millwall.
One of Palace's rivals, Millwall had a very successful season last year, ending up pushing for the Playoffs. However, they look like they may see trouble this season, having lost top scorer Steve Morison to Norwich and Neil Harris to Southend. This could see them have a serious lack of firepower, although Darius Henderson had been brought in from Sheffield United. I do not believe that Millwall will be able to score the goals that kept them in the top half last season, and could well see them dragged towards the relegation zone. However, they should have enough quality to stay up.
18th: Portsmouth.
Surely the only way is up for Porsmouth. They have endured a series of horrible seasons financially, which has seen them left with a bare bones squad, and they still have one of the smallest squads in the league. Pompey have brought in some good players this season, one being David Norris, who showed his quality at Ipswich last season. Liam Lawrence is a good winger and should be able to score a few, however the loss of David Nugent will hurt, as it means Portsmouth must rely on other strikers such as the new Luke Varney, who may not be able to be as prolific as Nugent has been. Unfortunately, I think that Portsmouth will struggle again, but ultimately stay up and live to fight next season.
19th: Brighton and Hove Albion.
(spit)
Ah, Brighton. Finally back in the Championship after several seasons in League One, fans of both Brighton and their arch-rivals Crystal Palace will be itching to play one another again. Brighton have of course moved into the new Amex stadium, and there is a feel-good atmosphere about the place. However, their squad is low on quality, although they have brought in Will Hoskins and Craig Mackail-Smith, who scored 35 goals last season for Peterborough in League One, but the problem is that these two have very little experience at Championship level, and in fact the last time Mackail-Smith played in the Championship his Peterborough side were relegated. Whether he can now make the step up is yet to be seen, but Brighton will fight and the Amex will be a tricky place to go. I believe they will just stay up, but of course they will drop six points to the Eagles!
20th: Coventry City.
Seen by many as certainties for relegation, Coventry do seem to be in a world of trouble. They have a rookie manager in Andy Thorn, and financial trouble has seen a lack of movement in the transfer market. They have a small squad, but there is a fair bit of quality in it, especially Sammy Clingan, Richard Keogh and Lukas Jutkiewicz. The Sky Blues will certainly struggle but they will scrap, and a narrow 1-0 loss to Leicester on the opening day has shown this, and I believe they have enough about themselves to stay up.
21st: Bristol City.
Bristol City have been in freefall for a while now, and ended last season very poorly. Their key men should be David James, David Clarkson and Jon Stead, James hoping to prevent from City leaking too many goals and Clarkson and Stead probably the main strikers. Unfortunately, Bristol City seem to be quite a poor side on the whole, and could be in for a season to forget. They should be able to stay up but it will not be easy for Keith Millen to keep them in the Championship.
22nd: Barnsley.
Barnsley have done well for the past few seasons, as many believe that simply keeping up the Tykes has been an excellent achievement for Keith Hill. Barnsley have not been in any real trouble of relegation in recent seasons, however the increased quality of this year's teams may hit them hard. Ricardo Vaz is an excellent signing, and the fans will hope for him to score plenty. However, their defence seems fairly suspect, and they may well leak more goals than they want to. Unless there is change to this, I can see Barnsley finally being relegated to League One this season.
23rd: Peterborough United.
Despite an opening 2-1 win against Crystal Palace where they were the superior team, I am still tipping Peterborough to struggle. They have lost their top striker and player in Craig Mackail-Smith, so without him it is difficult to see where goals will come from. A lot will rely on George Boyd, who turned in impressive performances last season and naturally linked him to a fair few Championship clubs. David Ball will have to fill the enormous gap left by Mackail-Smith, and I cannot see them scoring too many without him. Just like the last time they were in the Championship, Posh should struggle and come the end of the season, should be in the bottom three.
24th: Doncaster Rovers.
It has been through hard work and seemingly a lot of luck that Doncaster have managed to stay in the Championship this long. Sean O'Driscoll has worked miracles and managed to keep Rovers up season after season. But last season's very narrow escape does not bode well, and just like Barnsley, the increased quality of the league will hurt them. Billy Sharp is a good striker, but a seemingly serious injury against Brighton will worry Doncaster fans, and it seems like Doncaster's luck will finally run out.
Well, that's my thoughts. It's been a long article, so hopefully you've taken the time to read this. Leave your thoughts and predictions in the comments, and I should hopefully have another post out before Thursday.
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