Strength of the Championship this year

[um bongo molongo]

Having watched The Football League show last night, I'm a bit concerned how strong some of the sides look - feel like it will be much harder to get near automatic promotion this season. QPR had Zamora and Andy Johnson up front, Barton and Hoilett in midfield and brought Charlie Austin off the bench. Wigan have kept most their side who won the FA Cup last year and have added Grant Holt. Watford have most of the same side as last year (minus Vydra) with an extra years experience in a young squad. And Reading have a good side, and Guthrie is probably a good signing.

Am I being pessimistic thinking we'll do very well to get a play off place again, and that's probably the most we can hope for?

 

[Hyperion]

No more than mid table in my opinion for us. Really tough this year and I don't feel we have had enough stability at the club yet to let Oscar do his thing

 

[Driver8]

Those three teams went down for a reason - they were poor- so if they keep their players that's fine with me. It is a very tough league though.

 

[dadams2k11]

Bolton, Wolves, Blackburn is all I'm going to say. Last season Blackburn on paper should of walked the league. It all depends how their players play on the day.

 

[saafend_seagull]

Having watched The Football League show last night, I'm a bit concerned how strong some of the sides look - feel like it will be much harder to get near automatic promotion this season. QPR had Zamora and Andy Johnson up front, Barton and Hoilett in midfield and brought Charlie Austin off the bench. Wigan have kept most their side who won the FA Cup last year and have added Grant Holt. Watford have most of the same side as last year (minus Vydra) with an extra years experience in a young squad. And Reading have a good side, and Guthrie is probably a good signing.

Am I being pessimistic thinking we'll do very well to get a play off place again, and that's probably the most we can hope for?

After one game.

Guthrie signed 18 months ago, vydra was useless last five months. Watford will miss the Chelsea guy.

Top 6 first 11, but no strength in depth for us.

 

[cliveh27]

Yes, it will be a tough league. It will make our team work harder, so they will be ready for the premiership next season.

 

[kevtherev]

It will be the toughest league for sure. But people say that every year. It will level out as usual, everyone will start beating each other. I don't think there were any stand out results yesterday that made you sit up and take note, all very predictable. I suppose Yeovil beating Millwall was a shock, but then was it really as after Wood left last season Milwall went into free fall, I think they will struggle tbh....The stand out result was Wigan,,Barnsley stay up year in year out on the back of their home form. So for Wigan to bash 4 past them is quite impressive, although Barnsley did have 10 men for a lot of that game.

 

[Icy Gull]

It will be the toughest league for sure. But people say that every year. It will level out as usual, everyone will start beating each other. I don't think there were any stand out results yesterday that made you sit up and take note, all very predictable. I suppose Yeovil beating Millwall was a shock, but then was it really as after Wood left last season Milwall went into free fall, I think they will struggle tbh....The stand out result was Wigan,,Barnsley stay up year in year out on the back of their home form. So for Wigan to bash 4 past them is quite impressive, although Barnsley did have 10 men for a lot of that game.

From a quick scan of the match reports it seems Reading were not that impressive and according to Dave Jones the ref had a mare at QPR, with Bond suggesting that Sheff Weds were unlucky. Not there but it seems Kenny was the much busier keeper who pulled off a few excellent saves whilst Kuz didn't appear to have any meaningful saves to make in the 2nd half until he ended up picking the ball out of the net. That's the way it goes and disappointingly we can't go all season unbeaten now

 

[Giraffe]

I've rule out the top three as Wigan, QPR and Reading should comfortably take those positions.

BUT after that there are probably a dozen teams that could reach the okay offs and we are definitely one of those. And that would be more than good enough for me.

 

[um bongo molongo]

I was judging it more on the strength of the sides put out than the results of one week tbh - albeit just my opinion of various players. Can't think of a championship side recently who've had the attacking options of Zamora, Austin, Andy Johnson (who looked very good in the highlights) and Hoilett, and Redknapps a good manager at this level. And I didn't expect Wigan to keep some of the players they have (McManaman etc), they only just went down and Holt is a very good signing for this level. I think those 2 will probably be the top 2.

 

[Icy Gull]

I've rule out the top three as Wigan, QPR and Reading should comfortably take those positions.

BUT after that there are probably a dozen teams that could reach the okay offs and we are definitely one of those. And that would be more than good enough for me.

Has there ever been a season when the three relegated clubs occupied the top three places in the Championship?

 

[BensGrandad]

Lets just wait until the league settles down. There is a reason that the media always used to wait until about 4 games had been played before compiling the league tabe.

 

[kevtherev]

Has there ever been a season when the three relegated clubs occupied the top three places in the Championship?

Only Sunderland and Newcastle have won the league after being relegated in the last 11 years, I think.

 

[um bongo molongo]

Lets just wait until the league settles down. There is a reason that the media always used to wait until about 4 games had been played before compiling the league tabe.

Very true, and there's still potentially a lot of transfer activity to come (hopefully including us). But where's the fun in waiting 4 weeks to debate it?

 

[GolfingGull]

BUT after that there are probably a dozen teams that could reach the okay offs and we are definitely one of those. And that would be more than good enough for me.[/QUOTE]

As you say, there are a dozen teams capable of occupying the top 6. With such fine margins, there probably wont be much difference between third and twelfth. So long as we play good attractive football and stay in The Championship ( which we should never take for granted), I`ll be pleased with that. Anything more will be a bonus.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Has there ever been a season when the three relegated clubs occupied the top three places in the Championship?

Not sure. But as I have said a number of times only 16 relegated Prem teams have bounced back straight away. Interestingly more drop further down the league. We have had this strength discussion many times before and similar cases have been made and most turn out to be incorrect; ex-Prem status is rarely an accurate indicator of the coming season's form IMHO.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Having watched The Football League show last night, I'm a bit concerned how strong some of the sides look - feel like it will be much harder to get near automatic promotion this season. QPR had Zamora and Andy Johnson up front, Barton and Hoilett in midfield and brought Charlie Austin off the bench. Wigan have kept most their side who won the FA Cup last year and have added Grant Holt. Watford have most of the same side as last year (minus Vydra) with an extra years experience in a young squad. And Reading have a good side, and Guthrie is probably a good signing.

Am I being pessimistic thinking we'll do very well to get a play off place again, and that's probably the most we can hope for?

Zamora and Johnston are both 30 plus and both very injury prone. I cannot see them both tearing up The Championship.

 

[bhawoddy]

Those three teams went down for a reason - they were poor- so if they keep their players that's fine with me. It is a very tough league though.

Very naive to think relegated prem players are poor.

 

[um bongo molongo]

Zamora and Johnston are both 30 plus and both very injury prone. I cannot see them both tearing up The Championship.

Which is probably why he's bought Charlie Austin. They make pretty good options for the bench...

 

[BensGrandad]

According to one of the red tops Harry is lining up a £6m purchase of Defoe, yet again