View Full Version : Top 6 done & dusted already??
Bend It Like Dennison
13-11-2007, 08:16
I know its only November, but after seeing whats on offer from Coventry last night, one of the supposedly top 6 fringe teams, I really cant see many other teams apart from maybe Sheff United having any kind of a say in the promotion shake up.
Even Albion I thought, despite the very flattering scoreline, looked fairly average.
All in all, Watford aside The Championship is looking even poorer than ever IMO this year.
Anyone else feel the same??
maybe, but there is always the one team who goes on a run after Christmas but i have to admit, it is looking more open than for a long time
Much too early to say yet BILD. Always a surprise team or two going in other directions.
N. Herts Wolf
13-11-2007, 11:54
There being only 8 points between 3rd and 15th, I think this might be a little premature.
saturday boy
13-11-2007, 11:58
Watford aren't going to maintain their form over the course of the season - they remind me a lot of Cardiff from last year (although I suppose they could be a Reading and win the laegue by Christmas). Ipswich are going to have to sort out their away form because their freakish home form isn't going to last either - they might be this year's Colchester.
Outside the current top 6 I think Sheffield United won't end up too far away from the top two by the end of the year and if Leciester and Southampton sort themselves out they should mount a challenge. Stoke look strong again this year and Sheffield Wednesday are improving - both weren't too far away last season. I think the current top 3 will see ou the distance but the rest of the top 6 will be wide open.
PeteWolf
13-11-2007, 12:02
All in all, Watford aside The Championship is looking even poorer than ever IMO this year.
The two Watford fans that I know have both said that they've been poor this year and that the defeat to Albion the other week had been coming for a while.
The division is certainly there for the taking if Mick can face up to his own tactical inadequacies and do something about it instead of just mouthing off at the fans.
Jackfoxy
13-11-2007, 12:09
It's too early to predict much yet. Saying that I'm going to anyway ;)
I think that we'll put a good challenge in because we'll spend in January. As will all the other sides that came down last year. I think any team that finishes above Charlton will get automatic promotion. We'll be in the mix no doubt but it depends on if we buy well in Jan.
Del Woppio
13-11-2007, 12:12
Every season fans say that this is the worst Championship/Div one/two ever. Every season fans say it's this season or never. There is still a long, long way to go - nothing is settled yet.
Florida Wolfey
13-11-2007, 12:19
Del,
You have to say it's not a very good league though. The overall quality is poor. Last nights game Cov v Albion reflected that and they are two teams up near the top.
I agree nothing is settled yet but the top three at present look reasonably strong whilst everyone below them seem to have good and bad games. Ipswich at home look formidable but other than that it's a hard one to call.
I actually think the championship standard has increased year on year. The only thing to have really changed is the quality gap from the top to the bottom is a lot less giving the perception that the league is poor but makes the league more interesting.
Del Woppio
13-11-2007, 12:24
That depends on your definition of a good league... If you're talking of the quality of the football -it's never been a very good league - there are 20 better teams in the country. There are always good teams, inconsistent teams, $$$$ teams, teams that try and play football, physical hoof merchants - every year it's the same, yet every year the same cliches are trotted out.
Bend It Like Dennison
13-11-2007, 12:37
Last year you had very good sides like WBA, Blues, Derby & then later on Sunderland.
Cant see anyone in the championship emulating any of the above this season.
Big Saft Kid
13-11-2007, 12:38
I don't think Watford will finish in the top two. It's started to come apart for them in the last few weeks and I would think they'll finish in the top 6 at best -- if they're lucky. Albion, from what I've seen on the box this season look easily the best in this league, and I expect them to win it. Having said that, I think 2nd spot is definitely up for grabs, and we're as good as any of the others in contention. It looks like the second auto team may well go up without reaching the magic 92 points that's usually required. 85 or so may be enough.
Woburn Wolf
13-11-2007, 12:41
The BBC is running its CCC Predictor again - see http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_1/predictor/default.stm I went through the season last night and putting on my best rose coloured glasses and assuming we strengthen significantly in Januaery ended up with the following top 6. 1. Sheff Utd 2. Wolves 3. Watford 4.Charlton 5. WBA 6. Saints. Relegated Burnley, Blackpool and Scunthorpe.
Every season fans say that this is the worst Championship/Div one/two ever. Every season fans say it's this season or never. There is still a long, long way to go - nothing is settled yet.
That argument becomes reality this year given that the relegated sides in May from the prem will be coming down with 3 times as much money than in the past... and thats before they sell their best players back to the prem and reinvest
Japan Wulf
13-11-2007, 13:30
That depends on your definition of a good league... If you're talking of the quality of the football -it's never been a very good league - there are 20 better teams in the country.
Probably true but if the Championship isn't very good it makes you wonder what English football would be like if you took out all the foreign players. An awful lot of the guys now plying their trade in the Championship would find themselves in the employ of the PL clubs. Would that make the PL a "not very good league" too?
Anyway, back to the main point of the thread; Absolutely no idea who will end up in the top six but three predictions.
(1) Bristol will end up mid table like Cardiff last year.
(2) One team that everyone expects to be there will slip up.
(3) A present mid table team will make the top six.
It's (2) and (3) that make it interesting.
I expect to see Wolves, WBA, Watford and Charlton battling it out for the auto spots and one of them winning the playoffs. We all have the best squads and the most money to spend. Sheff Utd maybe if they get they sack Robson.
January will be massive for everyone and we need to get it right. Plus 5 wins out 7 games in Nov and Dec will help aswell.
Chiswick_Wolf
13-11-2007, 14:06
All being well we should be in the mix - but "its a funny old game" and whilst you can say roughly where teams will be - I don't think anything can be guaranteed and that is true for any team.
There are so many factors that will come into play over the next few months - who comes out of the Christmas period well - who keeps most free from injury - who loses their star striker - who buys best in January - who goes on a moral boosting cup run and who gets dumped out by a minnow in the first round. All perfectly possible for any team and likely to have some sort of impact before the end of the season.
If come January - we're in the top 4 or in touch with the top two - automatic is very much on the agenda.
JR's Boots
13-11-2007, 14:27
The two promoted sides will be out of Charlton, WBA, Watford, Sheff Utd and Wolves. Ipswich or Sheff W for the PO's.
However we need to strengthen in key areas in Jan in order to make the top 2.
The two promoted sides will be out of Charlton, WBA, Watford, Sheff Utd and Wolves. Ipswich or Sheff W for the PO's.
However we need to strengthen in key areas in Jan in order to make the top 2.
Why don't you just quote my post ;)
Big Saft Kid
13-11-2007, 15:40
xxxxxxxxxx
JR's Boots
13-11-2007, 16:20
Why don't you just quote my post ;)
I'm just furiously agreeing with you then...:)
Essex Wolf
14-11-2007, 14:55
As long as Wolves are in or around the top 6 area come the end of 2007/start of 2008 and the top two aren't more than about 12 points ahead there is still every chance of a auto promotion slot.
The Christmas and new year period see Wolves play 4 games in just 9 days and it is this part of the season than can make a heap of difference as to a teams chances.
With so many of the clubs injured players now getting back to fitness and the possiblity of MM signing more new players come January there is every reason to think positive.
wolves85nb
14-11-2007, 15:08
With the way Watford set up I'd guess they're the most likely to gain the most points over the course of the season because they can battle and get results out of the clubs like Colchester, whereas tesco's struggle when they need to dig deep and grind out a result. For me, tesco's will not get automatic based on this and will finish PO's again. Second place could possibly be between Sheff Utd and Wolves with Charlton also in the PO's. That's an early prediction based on what I've seen but it's definately too early to say anything for definate.
Essex Wolf
14-11-2007, 15:28
The thing is with he Albion I believ they are performing to their peak already whilst Wolves have een missing so many players the season so far that once MM does have more options things I would hope will just get better than they have been.
Salop Wolf
14-11-2007, 20:10
I'm not one who says the league is 'the weakest yet' every year but this time round I have to say I think it is. Looking below the current top 6, I would be amazed if we cannot finish in the play-offs.
We havent particularly played that well but find ourselves in amongst it. If we hadnt capitulated against Watford it would be very close indeed.
If we can take the games by the scruff of the neck in the second half of the season and start bangin' em in, we still look possibles for automatic.
swisswolf
15-11-2007, 15:57
Out of the current top 6, I would imagine Bristol City will not make the play-offs at the end of the season, especially after losing 6-0 to Ipswich. For the teams below, a lot will depend on who has money to spend in the January sales. Plymouth and Coventry could well get into the top 6, but won't have much to spend.
If we buy 3 good players we'll make the playoffs easily and possibly make top two depending on how many points we're adrift in January.
Grizzled Wolf
15-11-2007, 16:22
........Wolves have been missing so many players the season so far that once MM does have more options things I would hope will just get better than they have been.
Almost every season since this board commenced many moons ago...we have said the same thing about injured players. I can still remember when Kenny Miller broke his collar bone just when we were getting up a head of steam a few years back.
What the hell is it with us and injuries? I know all teams have them but we seem to have so many all at the same time...this season we are still waiting for a slug of players to return to "match fitness." (Which by itself seems to take up two thirds of a season.)
Is it the training methods..the physio methods..just plain old bad luck on the field or the frailty of our players? The other thing we seem to do a lot of...is to buy players who are already demonstratably broken and try to repair them with super glue!
I personally blame Stewarton for most of it!!
GoldenHorseshoe
15-11-2007, 17:00
Almost every season since this board commenced many moons ago...we have said the same thing about injured players. I can still remember when Kenny Miller broke his collar bone just when we were getting up a head of steam a few years back.
What the hell is it with us and injuries? I know all teams have them but we seem to have so many all at the same time...this season we are still waiting for a slug of players to return to "match fitness." (Which by itself seems to take up two thirds of a season.)
Is it the training methods..the physio methods..just plain old bad luck on the field or the frailty of our players? The other thing we seem to do a lot of...is to buy players who are already demonstratably broken and try to repair them with super glue!
I personally blame Stewarton for most of it!!
Grizz, I've said before that we have loads of injuries, and that the injuries take forever to recover from. I think we have a bunch of wimps, hockey players can have a new knee fitted 1 week and be playing 10 days later.
All you need is weight training and a steady supply of steroids;)
Grizzled Wolf
16-11-2007, 17:06
Grizz, I've said before that we have loads of injuries, and that the injuries take forever to recover from. I think we have a bunch of wimps, hockey players can have a new knee fitted 1 week and be playing 10 days later.
All you need is weight training and a steady supply of steroids;)
........and all these tear jerking stories about.."the poor lad played on Tuesday so he is bound to be totally exhausted for Saturdays game".......Jesus H!!!.. this week Edmonton Oilers hockey team play 3 games in 4 days including thousands of miles of travelling. To play a game that is 100% more physically demanding than football.
Meanwhile we have players whimpering away on the physio's couch with a severe hangnail...we had a name for it in the RAF...:swinging the lead."
