Championship Predictions 2016/17 (Part 3/4)

Why just one day remaining until Fulham and Newcastle kick-off the 2016/17 English Championship season at Craven Cottage, it is time to complete the nye-on impossible job of predicting where each of the 24 teams will be placed come May 7 2017.

Part three of my season preview will focus on the teams that I have predicted to finish 12th-7th, and yes, the stadium at the top is Villa Park. 

12th – Nottingham Forest

Given their 16th place finish back in May, the choice of placing Nottingham Forest in the top half was by no means one that was made without careful consideration.

But given Forest’s mediocre finishes in recent years, something has surely got to give soon, and the appointment of Philippe Montanier could be just what the club need.

The Frenchmen led his most recent club Rennes from the bottom half of Ligue 1 when he took over in 2012, to a solid eighth place finish in 2016. An achievement that would be welcomed at the City Ground.

The two-time European Cup winners were by no means easy to score past last season – conceding on just 47 occasions – but they lacked a talisman at the other end with star striker Britt Assombalonga missing almost the entire season through injury, and his return should be the boost that the club need to secure a top half finish.

Nottingham Forest fans will be hoping to see more images like this of star striker Britt Assombalonga doing what he does best.

11th – Preston North End

Now the decision to place Preston in the top half may surprise those who know of, or watch, slightly less of the Championship than they do of other divisions.

Nevertheless, stability is key to success at this level, and Preston bring plenty of that. Manager Simon Grayson has been at the club since 2013 and oversaw their promotion back to the second division which was followed by their 11th place finish last time out.

A solid side whose defensive record was not matched or exceeded by any club outside of the play-offs last season, Grayson has added Tommy Spurr to bring further assurance at the back, along with adding competition in goal with the signings of Anders Lindegaard and Chris Maxwell from West Brom and Fleetwood respectively.

At the other end, North End have held on to their main attacking threat in Joe Garner, while adding Simon Makienok on loan from Palermo and Ben Pringle from fellow Championship club Fulham for a bargain £255,000.

10th – Leeds United

Yet another club who have failed to realise their potential in this most testing of football divisions, Leeds finished in the bottom half (13th) last season, with former boss Uwe Rosler replaced by Steve Evans after just months in the job.

Evans has already been dismissed by the club’s colourful owner Massimo Cellino, and the Italian has opted for former Swansea City manager Gary Monk to take the reins from the self-assured Scotsman.

Leeds should enjoy a more successful campaign this time out if Monk is given time and freedom at the helm, but with Cellino constantly peering over his shoulder, that period could be limited unless results come think and fast.

The signing of striker Kemar Roofe from Oxford United will seriously enhance the side’s potency up top, while Monk has also brought in Swedish forward Marcus Antonsson, who will arrive in England as a relatively unknown quantity.

Kyle Bartley will at least temporarily fill the void left by Giuseppe Bellusci after a loan deal was agreed for the young defender, but, further forward, the sale of 19 year-old midfielder Lewis Cook to Bournemouth may prove costly.

9th – Aston Villa

With many predicting Aston Villa to finish in a play-off spot at the very least, I believe that new boss Roberto Di Matteo could have his work cut out in his first season at Villa Park.

Villa might have a very good squad on paper, but one should perhaps look at it with the view that little has changed for the side that was battered week in, week out in the Premier League last season.

Money has been spent on the likes of Aaron Tshibola, Tommy Elphick, and of course Ross McCormack. Add on a further £4 million plus for Italian goalkeeper Pierluigi Gollini and owner Xia Jiantong has in fact signed cheques worth a total of almost £25 million this summer.

Should Di Matteo have failed in his pursuit to bring McCormack to the club then Villa would have been positioned no higher than mid-table, but the £12 million man could form a devastating partnership alongside Rudy Gustede this season.

Ciaran Clark and Idrissa Gueye’s exits will hurt the club.

The capture of Ross McCormack is one that will bring renewed hope to Aston Villa supporters this season.

8th – Birmingham City

And if I had not already angered every single Aston Villa supporter, then this will surely upset the remaining few, placing their greatest rivals Birmingham City above them in the league table.

Manager Gary Rowett has not made a considerable number of alterations to the squad which he left to enjoy their summer holidays three months ago. But substantial changes were by no means necessary.

Major improvements have been made since the 42 year-old joined the club, and, with the addition of Robert Tesche, James Vaughan, and Ryan Shotton – all from fellow Championship clubs – the necessary adjustments might just have been made. 

If Birmingham are to fall short of the play-offs, or even a top-ten finish this season, then it will be due to a lack of squad depth rather than an absence of quality. The boys from St Andrew’s could be criticised for a lack of firepower if anything, and an injury to someone like Clayton Donaldson would certainly leave Rowett in a tricky position.

7th – Cardiff City

One of the more awkward sides to assign a league position to, Cardiff City have made a slight improvement to their squad this summer, as the club look to build on their 8th place finish in 2015/2016.

Head coach Paul Trollope has entered his first management role since leaving Bristol Rovers six years ago, and although his lack of experience in the top job could come under question, he has proven his coaching ability at Birmingham City, Norwich City, and Cardiff themselves since leaving the Memorial Stadium in Bristol.

Strikers Eoin Doyle and Kenwyne Jones have left the club, but Trollope has signed two unmistakable replacements in Frédéric Gounongbe and Kenneth Zohore. Both unknown to defenders at this level, the former actually helped himself to healthy 22 goals last season with K.V.C. Westerlo in the top tier of Belgian football.

Iceland captain Aron Gunnarsson will return to the Cardiff City Stadium full of confidence after what proved to be a wonderful European championships for the 27 year-old, and he will again be joined in midfield by another player of real quality in Peter Whittingham. The two will be key to Cardiff’s success in 2016/2017.

Frédéric Gounongbé has been the headline signing at the Cardiff City Stadium this summer.