2024/25 Season Preview: EFL Championship, Part Six

The final four teams face my wrath, let’s hope my predictions don’t dent their prospects!!!

The first team, Swansea, are one of only three predictions that I got bang on last season. It’s not impressive, there were about ten teams that could’ve finished between 20th and 10th, so really, a lot of it was pot luck. What a way to entice you to read the final instalment of my 24/25 predictions.

Stick around at the end for a full list of 23/24 predictions, actual placings and 24/25 predictions. The Premier League predictions are coming next week.

Swansea City, 11th

Last Season: 14th / Top Scorer: Jerry Yates & Jamal Lowe (7) / 23/24 Prediction: 14th

Manager: Luke Williams / Key Man: Ronald / Young Gun: Eom Ji-sung / Key Signing: Goncalo Franco

Michael Duff jumped ship from Barnsley to the Swans after Russell Martin, Ryan Manning and Joel Piroe were all nabbed by Premier League relegated league rivals, the un-relegated Southampton and the remaining Leeds. He was gone by December 4th, just days after Piroe scored against his former club for his new employers. In came former Russell Martin Swans assistant Luke Williams, who made the jump from League Two’s Notts County, bringing with him a continuation of his former boss’ possession based style of play. Moving away from the style Duff had failed to implement.

That style of play is very much the Swansea way, but it didn’t set the world alight by any stretch. No wins in his opening four had the Swans craning their long necks at the relegation spots, and the new manager bounce was not in motion. But, Williams was never going to be that kind of manager, and the style soon started to pay off with only four losses in the last twelve.

Now, Williams has a full season to implement his style fully with several players already well versed in it from their Martin days. It’s obviously not to everyone’s taste, especially in this league, but Southampton certainly benefitted from it last season. So, why the heck not?

The loss of co-top-scorers Jerry Yates and Jamal Lowe — both off to league rivals again — is an area that needs fixing. Williams had Macauley Langstaff to rely on at Notts County, and I’m surprised he didn’t plump for his golden boy once more. Instead, Lowe’s wing wizardry is replaced by 22 year old Eom Ji-sung from Gwangju FC in the K-League, he’s a hot prospect who knows where the net is.

The Jerry Yetas replacement (who was oddly allowed to be loaned to Derby) is Slovenian Zan Vipotnik who comes in after hitting double figures for fallen French giants, Bordeaux. He managed 10 in 37 in Ligue 2 last year in a struggling side who were relegated due to administration. They’re not you’re expected signings, they’re younger models from aborad who could be well off the pace or just the right profile for what Williams is hoping to deliver: a top six finish.

With a manager who can get them playing, and has found great success in doing so in recent years, there is absolutely no reason why the Swans can’t push up the table. The additions are left-field but exciting, young and hungry, while those already in the squad will feel excited by the prospect of fluid football and managerial consistency. The Swans are absolutely an outside bet, the rest of the window has been relatively quiet with the only other additions being Portuguese midfielder Goncalo Franco coming in from Moreirense who weren’t too far off a Conference League spot in the Primeira Liga, so that’s a bit of a coup. He’ll be one to watch. Lawrence Vigoroux also comes in after playing third-fiddle at Burnley last year.

The recruitment doesn’t drive me crazy, and they are in that peloton pack, so could Williams’ style be the difference between mid-table stodge and having a good go at the top six? It’s the best hope they have.

Watford, 23rd

Last Season: 14th / Top Scorer: Mileta Rajovic (10) / 23/24 Prediction: 3rd

Manager: Tom Cleverley / Key Man: Giorgi Chakvetadze / Young Gun: Yaser Asprilla / Key Signing: Moussa Sissoko

Last year, for some reason, I had the Hornets down as my dark horses, but, rather than galloping away as I anticipated they would in a second year of parachute payments that they had to make the most of, they stung me — badly.

I was a fan of Valerian Ismael at West Brom and Barnsley, and felt he wasn’t afforded enough time at the former given what he had achieved with the latter. But, as Watford fans will tell you, football is not a patient game. Ismael lasted until 9 March when he was relieved of his duties following a 2–1 home loss to Coventry. During his tenure, there were flashes of what could be achieved with the squad at his disposal; 4–0, 5–1, and 5–0 scorelines were all recorded but still the boys in yellow sat flat in 14th.

Ex-player Tom Cleverley (I won’t do a pun) was given the reigns and apparently showed enough in his eight game caretaker role to suggest to Gino Pozzo that he’s the man for the job. He’s not. Only two wins followed Ismael’s departure and they finished 15th.

That may be unfair to Cleverley, he’ll be given some time but there is a real feeling emanating around the constantly revolving doors of Vicarage Road that this could get ugly.

The signings have not been incredible now the parachute payments have stopped — the marquee signing being a 34 year old Moussa Sissoko. Don’t get me wrong, having a 71 cap France international in your team in the Championship is always a plus, but he’s not the player he was. But he is the best they’ve brought in. The stellar Ismael Kone has left for Marseille, while Yasser Larouci comes in at LB after a poor spell at Sheffield United.

There is, however, still a lot of quality in this side. There is defensive quality in Hoedt, Porteous, Pollock and Sierralta, as well as attacking threats in Ince, Asprilla, Sema and Giorgi Chakvetadze, who had an excellent Euros and should kick on. An excellent ball carrier who showed how capable he is of making things happen. And, there will be hope that big Dane, Mileta Rajovic can build upon his 10 league goals.

With that quality, why are they in question? It’s steady decline that often ends in complete implosion. Watford may look down at Birmingham, or even around them at Sunderland et al, teams who’ve gone down rebuilt and come up with more identity and momentum. Changing managers at the drop of a very expensive hat is no method to get a club back to the big time, which many Hornet fans will feel is where they should be.

Cleverley is popular in those parts, but there’s little to suggest he is of the same calibre of manager that other lower ranked sides from last season now possess. I think he could be an early exit, or demotion, and we may be looking at a bit of a merry-go-round at Vicarage Road, again.

West Bromwich Albion, 10th

Last Season: 5th / Top Scorer: Brandon Thomas-Asante (11) / 23/24 Prediction: 9th

Manager: Carlos Corberan / Key Man: Alex Mowatt / Young Gun: Tom Fellows / Key Signing: Ousmane Diakite

Right, here we go then.

When I originally planned this list, I had the Baggies as a cert to be in the top six. But then I changed my mind when we let a few key players go, then I changed my mind again when it seemed we are actually making strides to rebuild and replace, taking cash for players not of the profile Carlos wants, on big wages, or with expiring contracts. But, lets start with Don Carlos shall we.

Carlos Corberan is the best manager in the league, that’s not biased. Look at what he achieved at Huddersfield and look where they are now, look at how he transformed a struggling Albion side in 22/23 and took them to a better place ready for a promotion tilt in 23/24. He had no money to spend.

He’s spent around 500k so far this summer, but the club has been placed on some kind of EFL-imposed business plan to fall in line with financial fair play. That means we likely won’t be able to spend anything else, whilst resigning ourselves to losing first teamers including Okay Yokuslu, top scorer Brandon Thomas-Asante, Conor Townsend, Cedric Kipre, Matt Phillips and Nat Chalobah. Some of those left on frees, but the first three generated fees — which the club very much needed — and fans aren’t too cut up about losing Townsend (who is only playing at this level because he’s left-footed IMO) or Thomas-Asante, who’s form is patchy at best.

The incomings haven’t been too bad so far considering. Paddy McNair on a half season loan is good business, at 29 he’s played over 200 tier two games. Ousmane Diakite is an imposing CDM who comes in on a free and fills the Yokuslu gap — though he is one of only three senior central midfielders in the squad. Tobjorn Heggem is the man we spent the 500k on, and looks a decent snip as a left-sided defender whom *apparently* PL clubs were looking at.

The one that’s got fans riled up, and convinced that the rest of our business will be sh*te is Devante Cole. He scored 18 goals in League One last year, and has never really played at this level properly. He got 24 games in 21/22 and only managed 1 goal. He’ll likely be a backup to a fit-again Josh Maja, but he’ll be eating up wages while doing very little.

Karlan Grant also returns from a tepid loan spell at Cardiff, he has scored a lot goals at this level in the past and there will be some weight on his shoulders. There will also be a heavy reliance on breakthrough winger Tom Fellows, who, along with Alex Mowatt and the departed Kipre, were Albion’s best players last year.

The Baggies have also signed perennial loanee Gianluca Frabotta from Juventus on a 3 year deal as a new LB option, and Lewis Dobbin looks an exciting addition out wide as he comes in on loan from Villa. It’s not perfect but it’s a start. Albion simply cannot financially out muscle other sides in this league, so Corberan has to be clever in his recruitment. Loans, freebies, European players at a snip, that seems to be the route, and, in all honesty, it kind of is the Albion way. Think Jonas Olsson, Zoltan Gera, Graham Dorrans etc. It’s served us well in the past at this level.

There is also still a load of quality and experience in this squad, even if it is a bit thin on the ground. Diangana, Wallace, Swift, Furlong, Bartley, Ajayi, Palmer are some of the names that remain, and have played collectively played a heck of a lot of football throughout their careers in tier two.

Don Carlos will need to be wily and utilise the loan market to make this side able to compete at the top end. Had the financial side been different, we would be talking about an assault on the top two, that is how good this man is. Instead, I think most Albion fans will be hoping for the top six. Corberan is probably the only man who can deliver that with things as they are, but he has publicly said this will be the toughest time of his managerial career. The concern is whether he could be tempted by a move to a more stable club. If that happens, we’re doomed.

We’re lucky to have him, and if he does make the top six, or even promotion, I think we can safely hands him the keys to West Bromwich. Not that he, or anyone, would necessarily want them.

10th is the realistic shout given plenty of other sides are coming in with momentum and new strength, but the Corberan factor — should he remain for the duration — could make that very, very wrong.

Sheffield United, 3rd

Last Season: 20th (relegated from PL) / Top Scorer: Oli McBurnie & Ben Brereton-Diaz (6) / 23/24 Prediction: N/A

Manager: Chris Wilder / Key Man: Gus Hamer / Young Gun: Ollie Arblaster / Key Signing: Kieffer Moore

Docked two points, which means that when I was putting this together I didn’t actually realise they weren’t meant to be last alphabetically because I did it via the current table, but alas, here we are. That was boring, and also pretty lazy; I could just change it, but, I think this is a case of saving the best ’til last.

They were the worst and last in the Prem last year, not that that makes much sense, which is probably okay because nothing at Brammall Lane made sense last year. There’s little analysis that needs doing there beyond the word ‘bad’, but looking at their recruitment and the style Wilder is going for, there are several reasons to suggest they will be right up there again in 24/25.

First off, let’s look at the signings. It could be argued that the captures of Kieffer Moore, Callum O’Hare and Harrison Burrows are three of the best signings in the league this season. 6ft 5 Moore will be near the top of the goalscorers chart come May, perhaps not a 20 goal a season striker, but he should hit figures of 15–18. Callum O’Hare has been excellent, when fit, for Coventry for several years now, though he’s never been a regular scorer he is one of the best ball carriers in the division providing incisive actions in the final third. Oh, and both of them were completely free.

Harrison Burrows is the one I am most excited about, though. Captaining Peterborough at such a young age and then scoring both goals in a comeback EFL Trophy win takes some doing, and I’m surprised he hasn’t opted for a Prem club. He will play every minute at Brammall Lane, which I suspect is behind his choice, and has all the makings of being the best left-sided player in the division. I’m serious, he’s that good. The step up won’t be an issue.

The Blades have also let go some big names on big money, including Basham, Egan, Norwood, McBurnie and Baldock, while fees have been received for Jebbison, Bogle, Traore, Archer and William Osula. Jamie Shackleton and Sam McCallum come in to add youthful balance, and I anticipate there will be further additions, on top of the excellent recent capture of Harry Souttar, given the fees received and the parachute payments.

Wilder has also opted to change his once revolutionary underlapping centre-backs for a possession style approach that retains plenty of width in order to find the big man Moore who will be sat ahead of O’Hare. Behind them will likely be the breakout Ollie Arblaster, Gus Hamer (what a player to have at this level!) and potentially Tom Davies — who has never played below the Prem — ever.

The width comes courtesy of Burrows, Norrington-Davies, McCallum, and presumably Shackleton given the right side looks undercooked. My general concern for the Blades is the defence that was so leaky last year. Aaron Trusty, Jack Robinson and Anel Ahmedhodzic (if he stays), and Souttar are the out and out CBs in the squad. They’re not a bad four to have by any stretch of the imagination, but that four needs to be made a five or six, especially if three of them will start games. There’s three weeks of the window left, so I would expect a fair few more to come through the door.

If you build it they’ll come and all that, and Wilder is building it. This is an exciting time to be a Blade, a refreshed team with some strong signings. There is no reason why Wilder can’t do what he did in 18/19. They’ll be right up there.

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Apologies for the longer post, but as promised here are my predictions from last year, the results and a comparison to this season.

Thanks for joining me on this absolutely irrelevant and unnecessary rollercoaster, but then I suppose all rollercoaster are just that, but we ride them anyway. Onto 24/25, see you in a year.