2010-2011 Free Championship Preview

Tue, Aug 3, 2010

By James Cochrane

OUTRIGHT

In regards to the outright market, there are two teams that take my fancy and I must admit to being sweet on both of them. Nottingham Forest are sure to be close once again and with Billy Davies in charge it is no surprise, however, with the transfer policy they follow it would seem the Scot is getting frustrated and with such a lack of communication between Davies and the ‘transfer committee’ I cannot side with them at 9/1.

Our first port of call is READING. The Royals were fancied to go well last year and were advised by ourselves, however, their challenge was short lived after a dismal start to the season under Brendon Rogers and relegation was looking a real possibility. However, Rogers was relieved of his duties and Brian McDermott took charge. McDermott completely turned around the Royals fortunes and they finished only 7 points off the play-offs. They knocked Liverpool out of the FA Cup and went close to eliminating Aston Villa. Their form after Christmas was that of a side capable of promotion and if they carry that into this season then they have every chance of mounting a serious challenge.

The question we have to answer is whether they will carry on that form, and in my opinion I believe they will. McDermott has the team playing with such freedom that any pressure the players may be feeling is easily relieved and in turn, this makes it easier for the players to go out and perform. Midfielder Gylfi Sigurdsson found a rich vein of form towards the end of the season and was named their player of the season and he will be pivotal to the team’s progression. If Simon Church, Shane Long and Grzegorz Rasiak can find their shooting boots early on I fully expect the men in blue and white to be challenging at the top. Looking at the market of what looks a fairly weak Championship, they look great value at 12/1.

The second team that have caught my eye is NORWICH CITY. The Canaries also started slowly last season and succumb to a 7-1 defeat to Colchester on the opening game of the season. After that humiliating defeat, then manager Brian Gunn was sacked and the Norwich board poached Paul Lambert from Colchester. The impact he made was instant and he led them to the League One crown.

Had it not been for the opening day defeat to Colchester the Canaries would have boasted the best defence in the league and if they bring that form into this season they stand a great chance of mounting a challenge. To add to their tight defence, their attack is very strong. Grant Holt was somewhat of a surprise purchase but he had a cracking season. He led the front line throughout the season and not only scored but created chance after chance for his striking partners. Chris Martin is only young but he looks a cracking prospect having scored 21 in 66 games for the men in yellow. The extra years experience should stand him in good stead for the coming season.

To add to their front line they have brought in Simeon Jackson. Simeon is another young striker who knows where the back of the net is. He finished last season with a whimper for Gillingham but his confidence looked low and if any manager can get him firing again it’s Paul Lambert.

The Championship looks incredibly tight this season and in my mind the favourites look a little weak, a team always comes from the pack and, at 18/1, I believe Norwich to be great value.

Bettrends Advice

Reading – Each-Way – 12/1 (General)

Norwich – Each-Way – 18/1 (VC, Bet365, Stan James)

TOP SCORER

The top scorer market is sure to be tight and there are many top quality strikers capable of taking the spoils.

Kris Boyd is a great signing for Middlesbrough and in my opinion he could easily get around 20 goals for ‘Boro. He has consistently scored goals at the highest level of Scottish football and is an out and out striker. However, at 7/1 I am happy to pass him by. Although a move to the championship would seem a step down from Rangers, it’s not. It’s hard to say how he will adapt and therefore I will be looking elsewhere.

The first player that I want to side with is NICKY MAYNARD. Nicky has scored goals wherever he has been and in 78 games he has scored 31 goals for Bristol City and he scored 21 in the league last season. Bristol City are building a good team for the coming season and signings like David James are certainly a step in the right direction. To add to the signing of James they have also captured Nicky Hunt from Bolton and Damion Stewart from from QPR and with rumours that they are still looking to buy, the future looks bright for City. Maynard will be the man to push them up the league and I believe he is great value at 14/1.

The second player that looks great value is GYLFI SIGURDSSON from our outright interest, Reading. The young Icelandic midfielder has been on loan at lower league clubs in recent seasons to gain some experience and it looked to have done the trick as in his 32 league appearances last season he scored 16 goals. That’s one hell of a return for his first full season and I see no reason why he won’t carry on that form this year. The young midfielder has been on record stating he has turned down offers from the Premier League to stay at Reading as he is very confident he will be playing in our top league, with the Royals, next season. If he replicates last season’s form, added to an extra year’s experience, then the 33/1 on offer looks huge.

Bettrends Advice

Nicky Maynard – 14/1 (Skybet, Paddy Power, Coral)

Gylfi Sigurdsson – Each-Way – 33/1 (Tote, Coral)

RELEGATION

Much like the race for promotion, there are a number of teams that could very easily be sucked into a relegation scrap and it looks tighter than ever and as the last few seasons have shown, no team is safe from the drop.

WATFORD managed to pull themselves clear of the bottom three last year and ended up finishing 16th with 54 points. However it was somewhat of a struggle and I think they will be a lot closer this season. It is widely known that the Hornets are struggling for money and buying players is not something they are able to do and loan players will be the only new faces at Vicarage Road this season.

Manager Makly Mackay knows he is going to have to rely heavily on the emerging youth talent to keep them up but in a tough league like the Championship, it may be a big ask. Worryingly, three of their top four goal scorers last season were loan players and I just cannot see where they will replace those goals and they will miss Tom Cleverley and Heidar Helguson. They have also lost club captain Jay DeMerit, and losing such a committed player is always a worry. It will be tight at the bottom but with such a young side, a year of struggle may be too much.

Bettrends Advice

Watford – 11/4 (William Hill)

HANDICAP

The handicap market is one I am always interested in and in my opinion, there are a number of teams that look good value.

As I touched on, BRISTOL CITY look like a side on the up and have made some very astute signings this summer. David James will give the whole area a massive boost and to have a player with such experience at the back is going to stand them in good stead. The added experience of Nicky Hunt and the Jamaican International Damion Stewart all points to a solid season for the Robins and in Steve Coppell, they look to have the perfect manager to take them forward. If Nicky Maynard does find his shooting boots then I will expect to see them challenging in the play-offs at the very least. They are set at +18 with Coral and that looks more than fair.

The second team I feel may go well is COVENTRY CITY. The Sky Blues have looked a team that could go somewhere in recent seasons but inconsistency has been a massive downfall and they have always failed to build on a decent start. However, they have acquired a manager I respect in Aidy Boothroyd and I feel he may turn around their fortunes. He has signed striker Clive Platt from his old club, Colchester, who will add some much needed experience up front as well as Lukas Jutkiewicz from Everton. The youngster scored 12 goals at Motherwell last season and will give Boothroyd’s men something different up front.

I am also impressed with the signings of Lee Carsley (who has been made captain) and defender Richard Keogh from Carlisle. Both are sure to make the Sky Blues line up much harder to break down and add a solid core to the team. I feel they may be another surprise team this season and being set at +27 seems too high to me.

Bettrends Advice

Bristol City +18 – Each-Way – 14/1 (Coral)

Coventry City + 27 – Each-Way – 18/1 (Bet365)