Every season regardless of how tough the Premiership is looking there seems to a surprise package rising from the depths of the Championship. But which club is doing the best in its mission to upset their well established neighbors? More recently it was Phil Browns Hull City who beat Arsenal at the Emirates during their amazing start to the 2008-2009 season, there was also Ipswich Town under George Burley remember them? All the way back in 2000-2001, when the club finished 5th in the league.
So whats going on this season I hear you ask? Well in England there's Blackpool, Newcastle and West Brom who have all made encouraging starts to life in the top flight. None of them are in the relegation zone and all look like they could stay up.
Blackpool
Under maverick manager Ian Holloway are looking like a decent side, so far they've beaten Wigan 4-0 away and more surprisingly took all three points in a 2-1 victory over Liverpool at Anfield. Three of their players have really stood out for me, Luke Varney with 2 goals and an assist, goalkeeper Matt Gilks who put in an
amazing performance in a 2-0 win against Newcastle and Charlie Adam "the Scottish Pirlo" with his two goals and two assists this season.
The squad has been put together on a shoe string budget by Holloway who has a collection of rejects was all around the football world. Although its nice to see I do think they'll get relegated, a bit like Burnley last season they have enthusiasm, energy and bravery but I feel they will burn out by Christmas. There isn't enough quality in the team even the players I've mentioned earlier are decent enough but I don't think they can consistently perform at the highest level.
Newcastle
Well here's an interesting one, I don't think we'd be talking about them as promoted teams if Mike Ashley hadn't been so trigger happy by getting rid of Sam Allardyce. Big Sam isn't the best in the business but is a specialist at making sure teams survive which is exactly what Newcastle needed the season they went down.
Currently on paper they have the strongest line up, with two Argentina internationals in the form of Jonas Gutierrez and Fabricio Coloccini, the sometimes controversial Joey Barton and the inconsistent but troublesome Andy Carrol. Carrol has now scored 5 goals in 8 Premier League games and Barton has scored 1 and set up 2 from the heart of the Newcastle midfield this season.
Like Blackpool they haven't spent too much with their most high profile signing being Sol Campbell on a free transfer who's experience I feel they will need to use to ensure they stay up this season.
A weakness if feel with the club is Chris Hughton who I'm not too sure about as a manager, I feel that if results go against Newcastle he may struggle controlling the dressing room which is full of strong characters like Kevin Nolan, Andy Carrol and Joey Barton. The board at Newcastle also isn't renowned for its patience and if anything will cost Newcastle their place in the top flight it could be dressing room and boardroom instability.
West Brom
Now I feel that Roberto Di Matteo's side are an interesting prospect. They are the biggest spenders out of the new boys with a total of 9.5 million pounds on various players to strengthen their squad. They have already spent some time in the top four (although it was only one night) I feel that they may have what it takes to stay up.
At the start of the season I saw them sell two of their "best" players in the shapes of Robert Koren and Jonathon Greening. This didn't look very promising, but what Di Matteo has done is sign Paul Scharner, Marc-Antoine Fortune and Peter Odemwingie. Both Scharner and Fortune are hard working players who have both been involved in relegation scraps for various clubs and Odemwingie off the back of the World Cup adds a bit of class up front.
Simon Tchoyi who made his debut against Manchester United I feel could be West Brom's surprise weapon. The former Redbull Salzburg winger put in a man of the match performance in a 2-1 victory against Manchester City and then went on to score the equalizer against Manchester United in an impressive 2-2 draw at Old Trafford. They are currently on an impressive 6 match unbeaten run including wins over Fulham and Birmingham City, I really do think they have a real chance of avoiding relegation.
Is it easier this season?
With all three promoted sides looking like they have a real possibility of staying up, the question is why? I personally feel that there are far too many predictable teams in the Premiership at the moment. Sides like Blackburn, Wolves, Stoke and Birmingham while decent at home are liable to drop important points on their travels. There are also teams like Wigan, West Ham and Fulham who have a soft centre (lack the power and industry of the teams mentioned earlier) and are very inconsistent both home and away.
In what Sky Sports for sales purposes labels "the best league in the world" I don't feel there is the quality in the bottom half of the table to make life difficult for the new boys this season. A counter argument to this is that the Championship is such a tough league that the promoted teams are better prepared for life in the top flight this. I can only discredit this argument with this
article written by the rather articulate former England goalkeeper David James.
Conclusion
For this season I hope that sides like Stoke and Wolves are punished and sides with endeavor and creativity like Blackpool and West Brom stay up, this is the only way the league will improve. But my prediction this season is from the promoted sides, Blackpool will go down but West Brom and Newcastle will stay up at the expense of West Ham and Wolves.
