Kevin Phillips’ Expert Analysis: Championship GW29 Predictions & Analysis

Hull City’s Season

What’s impressed me with Hull is the new manager coming in, even with the transfer embargo restrictions. When I look at the team, there are no real big stars that stand out. They look like they’ve got a real good togetherness. And, they’ve got a striker in Oli McBurnie. He’s been around. He knows where the back of the net is. And again, he’s like an old-fashioned type, centre forward, like Brobbey. He likes to go up against people, likes to be aggressive.

But I think they’ve got their consistency. And, when I look at it, the balance of the team is really good. They’ve got pace in the wide area. They’ve got leaders in the team, and they’ve got ball players as well. So, I think the balance of the side and not having people who are big names standing out. They’ve just got a good, solid squad that’s performed really, really well. So for me, it’s the consistency that the manager brought to the team.

Oli McBurnie and World Cup Chances

I think it’s probably too much for him for a World Cup spot. It’s a big jump from the Championship to the Premier League and an even bigger jump from the Premier League to the international scene. So, I think that’s a bit too far, but all he can do is keep doing what he’s doing for his club. He scored a fantastic goal the other night. He’s well known for scoring goals like that. 11 goals this season.

So, he’s a player that they need to keep fit, and he’s certainly a player that if he can get another 9, 10 goals, then Hull’s certainly in the mix for promotion this year. Whether they can get into the top two, who knows? They’re only five points off second with a game in hand. They’ve certainly got an opportunity if they can keep everyone fit.

Prediction

I’m going to go 2-1 to Hull with McBurnie scoring again.

Hull 2 – 1 Swansea

Blackburn’s Struggles

I’ve been very surprised by Blackburn. Valerien Ismael has got experience in this league. It looks like they’ve suffered badly with injuries. When I look at their squad, and I read the comments, and I look at the highlights, they’ve lost some influential players throughout the season at times when they needed them.

At one point, they went on a run when they beat the likes of Leicester, Middlesbrough, and Hull. They had a full-strength team. So they know that when they’ve got everyone fit, they can compete. But what they also know is when they have injuries, they’re struggling, and that’s the case at the moment.

So, can they go out into the market and bring some players in? It doesn’t look like it, so he’s just going to have to go with what he’s got. So I am surprised, but it just shows that if you don’t have a big enough squad, you lose your good players; it’s going to affect you.

Venky Ownership Unrest

I don’t think it really affects the players. It can have a bearing on the manager. We’ve seen that in many situations when the managers are arguing with the board about wanting to bring players in. And unfortunately, there’s only one winner at the end of the day.

So it won’t really affect the players. But on the other side of that, as players, when you are struggling, it would be nice to see one or two fresh faces come through the door just to give everyone a lift, especially when you’re struggling at the bottom of the league. So I wouldn’t say it had a big bearing on it. It’s more really on the manager.

Prediction

I’m going to go with my old team, Watford, to capitalise on their poor run at the moment. So I’m going to go Watford 2, Blackburn 1.

Blackburn 1 – 2 Watford

James McLean Leaving Wrexham

I don’t think it really affects their playoff hopes. I think James McLean’s been a great servant for Wrexham. Made 90 appearances for them. So he’s been a really good professional for them on and off the pitch. So, it’s never nice to lose an influential player on and off the pitch, but I think they’ve got enough in the squad to keep the momentum going from where they are.

James has gone back to his hometown in Derry. He deserves that, he’s had a fantastic career, and he wants to spend the rest of his career back at home. So I don’t think it’ll be a huge loss, only time will tell, but I think they’ve got enough in the squad to keep going where they are.

Prediction

I’m going to go 1-1.

QPR 1 – 1 Wrexham

South Coast Derby

I’ve played in quite a few big derbies, and I would say the Southampton-Portsmouth one is a proper hatred. I never realised until I went down there how much the two towns hate each other, and I mean proper hatred. So, yes, it’s a big derby. I played obviously in the North East Derby, which for me is the biggest one because of the amount of support in the ground. Played in the Blues-Villa one, which is a big one, Watford-Luton, West Brom-Wolverhampton, big one again.

So, I would say Southampton vs Portsmouth, just in terms of the intensity of the atmosphere and the rivalry, is right up there and I was very lucky enough to score the winner for Southampton in this derby at Southampton’s ground and it’s a great derby so it’s going to be a real tough game at the weekend but an excellent derby to play in.

Prediction

I think looking at Portsmouth’s result last night, they dug in. Southampton got the good win last night. I’m gonna go for a draw, these derbies tend to end in a draw. I’m gonna go 1-1.

Portsmouth 1 – 1 Southampton

Hayden Hackney Future

I think he’s definitely good enough to play in the Premier League. Whether he’s good enough to play in a top four or five, I’m not so sure. But certainly to play in the Premier League, yes, he’s got the attributes, he’s got the qualities, he’s got the leadership qualities, and he’s shown that at Middlesbrough.

Although from where Middlesbrough are at the minute, they’re flying, they don’t want to sell anyone. It would have to take probably a club record bid to get him out of that club, and I certainly don’t want to see that happen because I don’t want to see any unrest come to Middlesbrough.

So it would take a huge, huge offer for Middlesbrough to let him move on. So, but he certainly, if Middlesbrough go up this season, he’s certainly a player that can play in the Premier League for sure.

Prediction

I’m going to go 2-0 to Middlesbrough. I think they’re flying at the moment.

Middlesbrough 2 – 0 Preston

EFL Transfer Restrictions

Unfortunately, no, I don’t think the rules should be changed for Sheffield Wednesday. The rules are the rules. You can’t really bend them just for one team because you’ve got injuries. I’ve already spoken about it with other teams.

Blackburn and Hull have had some injuries; everyone suffers them, and unfortunately, with the restrictions on the club and the injuries, it doesn’t help, but if you bend the rules for one team, you’ve got to do it for the others. Unfortunately, you’d open a can of worms if you did that.

They’ve just got to get on with it and try and ride it out, get players back as quickly as they can. I wouldn’t agree with them giving them any leeway.

Prediction

Unfortunately, it’s tough for Wednesday. I’m gonna have to go Bristol City 2-0.

Bristol City 2 – 0 Sheffield Wednesday

Millwall vs Charlton

Another London derby. Millwall, doing very, very well, played well at Coventry. I’m going to go Millwall home win 2-0.

Millwall 2 – 0 Charlton

Derby vs West Brom

I think Derby again, John Eustace has got them flying, playing really well. Tough to beat at home against my old team again, who have had a couple of really bad results. So I’m going to go with Derby County 2, West Brom 1.

Derby 2 – 1 West Brom

Sheffield United vs Ipswich

Sheffield United had a decent run, got beaten last night, but Ipswich are flying. I can’t see anything more than an Ipswich win. I’m going 2-1 to Ipswich.

Sheffield United 1 – 2 Ipswich

Leicester vs Oxford

Leicester have been disappointing this season, up and down. But with Oxford, where they are, the troubles they’ve got, I’m going to go for a 2-0 home win to Leicester.

Leicester 2 – 0 Oxford

Birmingham vs Stoke

Almost like a Midlands derby again. Blues are really, really good at home. Stoke lost last night. I think this will be a tight game. I’m going to go 1-1.

Birmingham 1 – 1 Stoke

Norwich vs Coventry

Norwich have found a bit of form, haven’t they? And Coventry, obviously, flying at the top as well. I think this will be a tight, tight game at Carrow Road, so I’m going to go for a 1-1 draw.

Norwich 1 – 1 Coventry

Brian Brobbey Style

He’s a good striker. Almost reminds me of an old-fashioned centre forward, who probably would have survived back when I played. He likes to battle, he likes to back into people. Plus, he’s very good at holding the ball up, and that relieves pressure from the team when it goes up because it sticks.

So, certainly a player that would definitely suit playing in a pair because he could link the play, and then the other striker could run behind. He started the season quietly. He’s had to be patient. He’s got himself in the team now, and he’s scoring goals. So, he’s turning out to be a really, really good signing for Sunderland.

Habib Diarra Returning from AFCON

I would say he will struggle to get back into the team at the moment. The team pretty much picks itself at the moment. But he’s not a bad player to have back up. He’s a club record signing at £30 million. He’s only made, I think, five appearances. So, he’ll need to fight his way back into the team.

It’s down to him to keep his place, but he’s clearly got talent, so he’s an excellent backup for Le Fee. At the minute he’s just gonna have to be patient.