A new football season has just begun,
and fans up and down the country are full of optimism and excitement. Will
their team finally get promoted or get their hands on some silverware?
We'll begin by analysing the teams that have the best chance of automatic promotion. After that, we'll look at who could qualify for the play-offs. Finally, we'll conclude by assessing two teams that could be involved in the relegation dogfight. We have plenty of ground to cover so let's get started.
Automatic Promotion
The Championship is blessed with
several top-class teams. This will make the fight for the automatic promotion
spots all the more exciting. Here are some of the teams we think will be
competing for the top two positions in May.
- Leeds – The Whites have one of the best squads in the league and are heavily tipped for promotion. They also have one of the best managers in Marcelo Bielsa. What's more, they'll be keen to put last season's heartbreak behind them after they were defeated in the play-offs by Derby County. Keep a close eye on Leeds Utd's performances this season, we think they'll be involved at the business end yet again.
- Fulham – The Cottagers will be desperate to bounce straight back up
to the Premier League after being relegated last season. They have a plethora
of talented players including Aleksandar Mitrovic, Ivan Cavaleiro, and Anthony
Knockheart. If they can keep their big guns firing on all cylinders, they'll
fancy their chances of going up automatically.
- West Brom – The Baggies are a ready-made Premier League club. They have
the stadium, the fan base, and most importantly, the players. We know that they
can beat anyone at the Hawthorns. If they can back those performances up by
collecting points on the road, they'll be a force to be reckoned with.
Play-Off Positions
- Swansea – It's been a few years since the Swans last played in the
Premier League. However, they've spent plenty of time rebuilding their squad
and look like they're ready to compete with the best teams in the country
again. Write them off at your peril.
- Bristol City – City are one of the few teams mentioned here that have
never played in the EPL. However, they look ready to break that trend. The
Robins are brilliant in attack and solid at the back. What more do you need to
make a charge up the Championship table?
- Cardiff – Neil Warnock is a master at getting teams promoted. He's
made an extremely successful career out of it. The Bluebirds might have been
relegated last season, but they'll certainly believe they're good enough to go
straight back up.
Relegation
- Wigan – The Latics look like they might struggle this season. They
didn't have a successful summer in terms of transfers and that could come back
to haunt them. We hope we're wrong about this one because Wigan are a club
steeped in history.
- Hull – Hull City have been toying with relegation for a couple of
years now. They'd be a huge loss to the Championship, but we fear the worst for
them. Hopefully, they prove us wrong and pick up plenty of points.
