The first football Saturday of the season in the Championship ends with the game between Sheffield United and Swansea City. The latter has been bombarded as a degradant as title favorite and also Sheffield United seems to play at least this year for a place in the first six.
Sheffield United:
Rarely does a PhD student experience such a strong season as Sheffield United did in the past year. The Blades have made the eventual champion Wolverhampton Wanderers very difficult at times and seemed to have a time for direct promotion. A large form dip since the winter, however, ensured that the playoffs were no longer achieved. Yet many fans of Sheffield United will not forget that Chris Wilder’s team managed to lead the ranking in the fourteenth round of competition.
Especially experienced attackers Leon Clarke and Billie Sharp were able to amaze friend and foe with a combined goal score of 32 in the Championship. United has done well to not sell this duo (yet) this transfer period. The two top shooters of last season will have to compete for the two places in the forefront this year with the acquisition of David McGoldrick (transfer free from Ipswich Town). Judging from the last exhibition game, a 0-2 victory over Doncaster Rovers, we can assume that Sharp and Clarke will be the regular rush duo in Sheffield.
Swansea City:
With last year’s relegation, Swansea City finished in eighth place in the Premier League, the Wales club dropped back to the second level in England for the first time since 2011. Three points (and a few goals) The Swans did not get enough to pass Southampton on the rankings and avoid relegation. Swansea will be the only Welsh team in the Championship this season, as rival Cardiff City last season won promotion as number two of the league.
In addition to a mental touch, the relegation also caused a dent in the selection of The Swans. So Sung-yong Ki, Lukasz Fabianski and yesterday also Alfie Mawson left for three different teams still acting in the Premier League (Newcastle United, West Ham United and Fulham). Andre Ayew was also leased to the Fenerbahçe of Phillip Cocu and Renato Sanches returned to Bayern Munich.
The most eye-catching and incoming transfer is that of former Twente Bersant Celina. The Kosovaar who was let for a year by Manchester City to the Tukkers for the 2016-2017 season, has been sold for 3.4 million euros by the British superpower. Celina was leased to Ipswich Town last season, also in the Championship. Here the attacker came to 35 games in which he managed to find the net seven times.
PREDICTION: Both teams to score / NO @ 1.84
