Championship Preview

This summer has seen Cardiff fans and the owners in dispute over whether the side should play in blue or in red, but it is the other teams who must be seeing green as Cardiff have spent a lot of money in the summer. The Bluebirds have strengthened the squad that made the playoffs last season and should have enough about them to compete for automatic promotion. Keeper Joe Lewis is highly regarded and should add to a back line that was one of the best in the league. The midfield looks strong and up top they have a wealth of talent. Heidar Helguson impressed in the Premier League last season and should cause havoc for defenders in the Championship. His presence in the air coupled with the pace of Craig Bellamy, the wide threat of Kim Bo-Kyung and the runs from midfield of Peter Whittingham means Cardiff should be among the goals. Throw in a good young manager in Malky MacKay and they look a tasty bet at 12/1 (general).

All three relegted sides should be in the mix with Bolton possibly the strongest of the three. Owen Coyle has managed to keep the same squad as last season. If Matt Mills can form a partnership with either Zat Knight or David Wheater Bolton could go some way to addressing the defensive problems that haunted them last season. In Midfield they have a wealth of talent with Eagles, Petrov, Mark Davies, Stuart Holden, Chung-Yong Lee and Keith Andrews. If Davies, Sordell or N’Gog can get among the goals then Bolton should go well.

Wolves are 9/1 (general) and could be in the top six as well. New manager Stale Solbakken once lead Copenhagen into the last 16 of the Champions League. If he can get the team to believe in themselves once more and keep key players then the Midlands side might back bounce at the first attempt.

Blackburn at 12/1 (Coral) have one of the strongest squads in the Championship and if it was not for the issue of Steve Kean I would think they would be great value. As it is we will keep a watching brief, but a midfield of Danny Murphy, Steven N’Zonzi, Dickson Ethuhu, Morten Gamst Pedersen and David Dunn is an impressive one. If they can find someone to grab the goals while Leon Best is out then they will be in the mix come the end of season.

Leicester at 8/1 (general) and Nottingham Forest 12/1 (general) are both sides with big investment and could go well if the new signings click. For Forest it is probably too much to make the leap from just avoiding relegation last season to promotion this season, but they should be much improved. Leicester should be in the play-off mix after some solid additions (notably Zak Whitbread in central defence), but at 8/1 they look a little short.

In addition to Cardiff I like the look of Blackpool at 18/1 (Skybet/BetVictor). Blackpool were beaten at Wembley by West Ham, but Holloway has strengthened his squad well and if they can keep a hold of wing pair Ince and Phillips they should go very well.

I’m not a huge fan of Steve Bruce as a manager, despite this though I am tipping up Hull each-way at 28/1 (general). A side that finished eighth last season and had the second best defensive record has added goalscorers in the shape of Nick Proschwitz and Sone Aluko. Robert Koren is one of the top midfielders outside the top flight and Matty Fryatt should be among the goals again.

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19/08/2012     © Frixo 2024