Pre-Season Preview: Rotherham, Sheffield Wednesday, Stoke City, Swansea City, Watford, Wycombe Wanderers

Rotherham United :

Having been promoted as League One runners-up last term, Rotherham and manager Paul Warne will once again have a crack at the Championship. 

Given the strange circumstances, Rotherham weren’t allowed to play the rest of their league football last term and were promoted on points per game, meaning that the Millers’ League Cup defeat to Salford on Saturday was their first competitive fixture in six months.

Transfers:

The Championship newbies have added a couple of recruits to their ranks, most notably Chelsea goalkeeper Jamal Blackman who joins on loan for the season. Mickel Miller, Kieran Sadlier and Angus McDonald have joined on free transfers, as well as defender Wes Harding, who has joined from Birmingham City for an undisclosed fee.

Manager:

Having seen two relegations from the Championship during his tenure as Rotherham United manager, Paul Warne will certainly be looking to end that poor run and he spoke with the press on fixture release day to discuss recruitment ahead of the new campaign as new faces at the New York Stadium will certainly boost Rotherham’s survival hopes …

“We’re trying to sign players who don’t need loads and loads of our attention. I know that sounds awful but we need players who can come in and if need be, play the first game of the season.”

“We’ve tried to take, in our opinion, our level of recruitment up a bit.”

“We obviously need to strengthen in the middle of the park and bring in some cover at left-back and something up top.”

Targets:

The Target for the Millers this season is very simple on paper: stay up. It’s something that they haven’t been able to do since they clinched 21st place in the 2015/16 Championship season and since have yo-yo’ed between the second and third tiers of English football. It will prove to be a tough ask but Paul Warne will have learned from his managerial experience in the Championship with Rotherham and, hopefully for them, the 47-year-old will be able to guide them to survival.

Key Player:

Rotherham will look to the services up-front of record-signing Freddie Ladapo, who joined permanently last summer from Plymouth. Ladapo played a key role in the Millers’ promotion bid last season, scoring 14 goals in 31 appearances last term and the 27-year-old will certainly fancy his chances as a Championship striker.

Youth Prospect:

Admittedly, Rotherham are unlikely to rely upon youngsters to keep them in the Championship, however 19-year-old defender Jake Cooper could be a player to keep your eyes on. With three EFL Trophy appearances to his name, Cooper is yet to play league football for the Rotherham first-team, however he impressed in the National League North on loan at Gateshead, which would’ve helped the defender toughen up. Paul Warne awarded the teenager with a new two-year contract recently which could suggest he may be called upon if defensive options are cut short.

 

Sheffield Wednesday:

 

Sheffield Wednesday will have their own survival concerns ahead of the 2020/21 season, the Owls have been punished with a 12-point deduction for breaking certain spending rules, giving the other 23 Championship sides a significant head start.

Having finished 16th last term, eights points off of the relegation zone, Wednesday fans will rightfully be concerned regarding their chances of survival this season.

Transfers:

The Owls will be keen to see more faces through the door between now and the end of the transfer window, but thus far defender Chey Dunkley and midfielder Fisayo Dele-Bashiru have joined permanently from Wigan and Manchester City respectively. They have also captured midfielder Izzy Brown, who joins on loan from Chelsea.

However, there have been some significant departures with Morgan Fox and Steven Fletcher both joining Stoke on free transfers, as well as Fernando Forestieri who is yet to find a new club after his release in the summer. Wednesday have lost 40 of the 58 league goals that they scored last season, a frightening statistic going into a season in which they are already behind.

Manager:

Wednesday manager Garry Monk is arguably the ideal candidate to lead Sheffield Wednesday through this mess, having experienced a nine-point deduction whilst manager of Birmingham City. 

Following Wednesday’s 2-1 defeat to Middlesbrough in the final game of the 2019/20 Championship season, Monk addressed the press and discussed plans for the new campaign…

“I know what needs to be done. It will take time.

We have played well and been in positions to take points but we have not done some of the basics and that is what needs to be corrected.

It has been tough for everyone.

I can’t fault the effort that they give. We work as hard as possible.

Being on top and dominating periods…but we needed the basics to be done properly.”

Targets:

The Hillsborough faithful will surely want to see their team make a play-off push once again in the near future but this season is simply about survival for Sheffield Wednesday. They’ve lost numerous key players and require new faces to make an impact from the off if they are to avoid dropping down to League One.

Key Player:

It’s very tricky to work out who will be Wednesday’s hero this season given that so many key players have departed. To date, Jordan Rhodes is the only striker amongst the Wednesday ranks meaning that the 30-year-old will be heavily relied on to make up a significant portion of the goals that will hopefully keep Wednesday in the second-tier come May. Adam Reach is also a well-known name still at Hillsborough, however the 27-year-old only managed to record two goals and seven assists in 40 appearances across all competitions last term; worrying times for Wednesday.

Youth Prospect:

The addition of 19-year-old midfielder Fisayo Dele-Bashiru could prove to be shrewd business from the Owls. Having played for both Manchester City’s U18 and U23 sides, the Englishman could prove to be a bright spark in what looks to be a gloomy season for Sheffield Wednesday.

 

Stoke City:

Following two underwhelming campaigns in the second division following relegation from the Premier League in 2018, Stoke finally look like they may put up a fight in their quest to return to the top-flight. Manager Michael O’Neil will be looking forward to having a full season with his team after steadying the ship mid-season last term after Nathan Jones was dismissed having looked out of his depth.

Stoke ended last season in 15th, but relegation to League One was a real possibility for a significant chunk of the season and the Potters won’t want to relieve any fears of a second relegation in three years.

Transfers:

Michael O’Neil has added plenty of experience to his Stoke squad with Sheffield Wednesday duo Morgan Fox and Steven Fletcher joining on free transfers, as well as former-Aston Villa defender James Chester and ex-Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel who have signed for free too.

The Potters have also seen the likes of Mame Diouf and Adam Federici leave the Bet 365 on respective free transfers whilst left-back Stephen Ward has joined League One outfit Ipswich Town after failing to impress following his move from Burnley last season.

O’Neil will also be keen to offload other players who were signed during the Potters’ Premier League days, such as Kevin Wimmer who was signed for £18m in 2017 and has returned from a loan spell in Belgium, in order to raise transfer funds.

Manager:

When speaking to the media ahead of their Carabao Cup tie with Blackpool, manager Martin O’Neil was asked on how different the team this season will be to the one that finished last season, to which the Northern Irishman responded…

“I wouldn’t say we’ll go for tried and tested regulars because I’m not sure we have too many of them to be honest! We’ll pick a team designed to win the game, picked with one eye on September 12 as well.

That’s a combination of fitness and tactics as well. That’s how we’ll approach the game.

We want competition for places. We want the young players to challenge more to start games and the onus is on them.

Many of them have really come back in good shape and trained extremely well. Competition is what creates a team with the right mindset and a team that can obviously be at the other end of the table from where we’ve been in the last two seasons.”

Targets:

Michael O’Neil will be very keen to get the season off to a good start after two poor campaigns which have seen Stoke closer to the relegation places than the play-offs. The Potters will certainly benefit from having O’Neil managing from the start of the campaign after steadying the ship last term, and there will be hope that a play-off push could be on the cards this year.

As a bare minimum, Stoke will want to stop the rot that’s held them back from progressing the last two campaigns and that starts with winning football matches. If O’Neil’s side start their Championship campaign strongly, it could be an exciting season at the Bet 365 Stadium.

Key Player:

There are a few figures that Stoke will rely upon this campaign but the signing of John Obi Mikel adds a significant amount of experience to this squad. Having one numerous titles throughout his career, the midfielder knows what it takes to win and, if he can stay fit and play in most, if not all, of Stoke’s league games this season, they’ll benefit having his presence in the side.

Youth Prospect:

20-year-old Tyrese Campbell is certainly one to watch for Stoke this season. The striker has already scored 11 times in 48 appearances for the first-team and could certainly be called upon if the likes of Sam Vokes, Benik Afobe or Stephen Fletcher are absent. If you’re going to get promoted you need numerous sources of goals, and Campbell can certainly be one of them. 

 

Swansea City:

After dramatically clinching a play-off spot on the final day of last season, Swansea weren’t able to make it to Wembley, losing 3-1 to Brentford on aggregate. However, Steve Cooper’s side will be looking to repeat last season’s efforts and potentially go one better than last term.

Transfers:

The South-Wales side have been busy in the transfer market this summer, with the loan signing of Wolves’ Morgan Gibbs-White arguably the stand-out addition. Steve Cooper has also added Wigan’s Jamal Lowe and Bristol City’s Korey Smith and goalkeeper Freddie Woodman has returned for another season on loan from Newcastle. Chelsea centre-back Marc Guehi has also returned for another season on loan.

Swansea have lost one of their key men of the second-half of last season in Rhian Brewster, who has returned to parent club Liverpool. Midfielder Conor Gallagher has also returned to Chelsa after his loan spell and both long-term servants Jefferson Montero and Mike van der Hoorn left as free agents.

Manager:

Steve Cooper addressed the press ahead of Swansea’s Carabao Cup tie with fellow Welsh side Newport, discussing the transfer window so far…

“We wanted to be creative and productive with the players that we identified and brought in.

Every player that we’ve brought in so far had options to go to other clubs, so the fact they’ve committed to us is a really good sign.

They’re players that we want. We feel they can make us better, whether it’s by being in a position or a certain level of player.

We have to bring players in and I’d like to do a few more.”

Targets:

An up-turn in form as well as poor runs from other sides towards the end of last season saw Swansea sneak into 6th place, thus confirming a play-off spot. Steve Cooper will be keen to see his side replicate those efforts, if not improving on them this time around. It feels too early to be involving Swansea in the conversation of automatic promotion but the Welsh side are certainly realistic candidates for a top-six finish come the end of the season.

Key Player:

Morgan Gibbs-White is an addition I highly rate for Swansea. The creative midfielder has struggled to find consistent gametime in the Premier League for Wolves and still only 20-years-old, a season in the Championship will do the Englishman some good. Swansea still need to find a striker who will replicate the form of Rhian Brewster and if they can find that individual and link them up with Gibbs-White, Swansea will be a frightening force going forwards for opposition Championship sides.

Youth Prospect:

Also 20 and that is Marc Guehi. The centre-back impressed on loan at the Liberty Stadium last term and will be a key player at the back for Swansea if they are to clinch a play-off spot once again.

 

Watford:

After a five year stay in the Premier League came to an abrupt end last term, Watford will be looking to dust themselves off quickly as they target an instant return to the top-flight. What new manager Vladimir Ivic lacks in experience of the league, he makes up for in winning titles, the sort of experience that the Hornets will need if they are to be promoted at the first time of asking.

Transfers:

The Hornets have added two new faces to their ranks, 19-year-old right-back Jeremy Ngakia, who left West Ham as a free agent in the summer, and 36-year-old striker Glenn Murray who has joined on loan from Brighton.

However, it will feel like the Hertfordshire club will have a whole new squad with the likes of Luis Suarez, Ken Sema, Jerome Sinclair and others returning from respective loan spells.

In terms of outgoings, veteran left-back Jose Holebas has joined Olympiacos following the expiration of his contract at Vicarage Road, Granada opted to make Dimitri Folquier’s loan move permanent as well as Cucho Hernandez and Pontus Dahlberg both leaving on respective loan deals. It also looks like a matter of days until long-serving captain Troy Deeney departs too.

Manager:

43-year-old Ivic had the following to say in his first interview as Watford manager with the club’s official press website…

“First of all, from the beginning I have a big expectation of myself and of my coaching staff.

It’s my first time in England and I need to adapt as fast as possible, to do the best for the club is very important to me.”

I’ve worked with my coaching staff for three years, so I know that we will ask the most from ourselves so we can help the players to achieve the club’s goals.”

Targets:

The season will only be deemed a success for the Hornets if it ends with promotion back to the Premier League after a season of struggles which ultimately saw them relegated from the top-flight. Ivic will be the fourth manager to take charge of Watford in just over a year, possibly a reason as to why the Serbian signed a one-year contract.

Having overseen league wins in Israel with Maccabi Tel Aviv in 2018/19 and 2019/20 respectively, as well as a Greek cup win with PAOK in 2016/17, Ivic certainly has a winning pedigree, however it will fascinating to see whether that will be enough to oversee a instant return to the top-flight for Watford.

Key Player:

Ben Foster would’ve been quick to admit that his form post-lockdown wasn’t at the level which he’d previously reached whilst in between the sticks in his second spell at Watford, however the veteran keeper will play a significant role this campaign if the Hornets are to achieve promotion. 

At 37, the Englishman is one of the senior figures in the squad and possesses bags of experience that will prove invaluable to this squad of mixed ages. If the former-England goalkeeper can produce performances similar to those that he has provided for Watford in the past two seasons, then he will win the Hornets points on his own.

Youth Prospect:

Ben Wilmot joined Watford two years ago but has only managed two appearances thus far, joining Udinese and Swansea respectively on loan. However, having impressed in the Championship last season with Swansea, Watford should be ready to give the 20-year-old regular football. The Englishman can play in defence and midfield, versatility that undoubtedly makes him a decent option for the Hornets.

 

Wycombe Wanderers:

 

After defying the odds last season, Wycombe find themselves a Championship outfit, having won the League One play-offs as pre-season favourites for relegation. Manager Gareth Ainsworth has done a spectacular job at Adams Park, but the Chairboys will be looking to do more this season than just make up the numbers.

Transfers:

Wycombe have been relatively busy in the transfer market, adding defender Giles Phillips, forward Uche Ikpeazu, right-back Jason McCarthy, winger Daryl Horgan, centre-back Ryan Tafazolli and goalkeeper Curtis Anderson to their ranks. Adding a healthy mixture of youth and experience will help Ainsworth’s side if they are to survive an instant return to the third-tier.

In terms of departures, Sido Jombati, Jamie Mascoll, Craig Mackail-Smith and Jacob Gardiner-Smith all left upon the expiration of their respective contracts as well as loanees Nnadmdi Ofoborh and David Stockdale who returned to their parent clubs.

Manager:

Following Wycombe’s 2-1 play-off final win over Oxford United in July, manager Gareth Ainsworth had the following to say about the Chairboys’ promotion…

“It’s an amazing place to be, one of the biggest leagues in the world, and Wycombe Wanderers are going to be playing in it next year.

We can’t afford the best football players, but we have heart and determination, and that was a Wycombe performance.

I am so, so proud of the boys. They just grind it out. I still can’t believe it that we’re a Championship club.”

Targets:

Even the most optimistic of football fans would say that back-to-back promotions would be out of the realms of possibility but Gareth Ainsworth’s men have already defied the odds once, why not again?

In all seriousness, Wycombe will see Championship survival as an achievement as, if not greater, than promotion to the league itself given where the club was this time last year.

It will be a tough ask, but survival would be another chapter in a fairytale football story.

Key Player:

One player who particularly impressed during Wycombe’s promotion charge was defensive midfielder Dominic Gape. The 25-year-old was a major presence in the middle-of-the-park for the Chairboys last term and deserves a chance of playing at this level, having failed to make it through at Southampton.

Youth Prospect:

Wycombe currently boast one player under 21 in their current squad, 19-year-old goalkeeper Curtis Anderson who joined on a free transfer this summer. Ryan Allsop is set to take the first-choice spot in between the sticks, however Anderson could certainly push for a place if given an opportunity in cup competitions.

 

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