Premiership Preview - Derby County and Everton

Derby County
Last Season: Championship Playoff winners (Promoted)

Logic dictates that the winners of the Championship playoffs will be the weakest team in the following year’s Premiership. They are, after all, the team who finished the lowest down the league ladder.

So what of Derby? Billy Davies has shown that he is a talented young manager with plenty of promise, but he’s yet to experience the pressure cooker of the Premiership. His squad is filled with talent. Matt Oakley is an experienced pro who’s performed in the Premiership before, new signing Robert Earnshaw is a genuine goalscorer given the right service and in Giles Barnes, Derby have one of hottest young talents in the country.

A good squad yes, but good enough to stay in the Premiership? Unfortunately, probably not.

The last time Derby were in the top flight they had players like the rubber legged Paulo Wanchope, the solid Igor Stimac and the darting Francesco Baiano. That side was full of flair; this side will be based more on stopping the opposition than getting through them.

Of course everyone will be tipping the Rams to go down, and Davies will be using this as motivation to stay up and prove everyone wrong. They’ll battle, they’ll fight and they’ll make life hard for whoever they face; but ultimately they’ll fail.

Davies, like so many managers before him, could use this season as an experience to put to use in future, when the club has strengthened and have been promoted again. Looking at the tough season he has ahead, it may be his only option.

Key Man: Stephen Bywater. The goalkeeper never really got a chance at West Ham, but he’ll need to perform well this season if Derby are to have any hope of staying up.
One to Watch: Giles Barnes. Excellent in the Championship, can the youngster reproduce his form on the biggest stage?
This Season: A learning curve for Davies. Relegation.

Everton
Last Season: 6th
Under David Moyes, Everton have become as solid and uncompromising as the Scot’s post-match interviews. Never really offering anything overly exciting (like the interviews), the Blues will be firmly in the top half of the table for most, if not all of the season.

Their impressive home form will be the main reason behind this; Everton can beat anyone at Goodison Park, but they could struggle to combine European football and a strong domestic season.

Two years ago Everton’s European campaign was over before anyone had even realised it had begun, but they will do better this time. Evertonians are success-starved, they have been twelve years without a trophy, and although they are unlikely to be polishing some silver come May, at least they are no longer looking over their shoulder at the dreaded prospect of relegation.

The signings of Phil Jagielka and Steven Pienaar will improve the squad, which is a relatively settled one. Phil Neville, Mikel Arteta and Andy Johnson will all perform, while in producing young strikers James Vaughan and Victor Anichebe, the Toffees have shown that their youth system didn’t just give in after Wayne Rooney.

However, there are rumblings of discontent in the background. The proposed move to a new stadium seems neverending, and the fans are upset at a perceived lack of ambition throughout the club.

On the field though, they remain one of the toughest sides to face, and Moyes will marshal his troops well. The Blues will perform in the same steady manner they always do, beating some of the top sides but losing to lesser ones. They’ll be comfortably mid-table, but is that enough for their fans?

Key Man: Andy Johnson. His goals could be the difference between success and failure.
One to Watch: Tim Cahill. Needs to get fit quick to avoid another injury disrupted campaign for Moyes’ boys.
This Season: Steady if unspectacular. As always. Top half. As always.