[Football] The PL/Championship 'gulf'

[Stat Brother]

I think the gulf between the Prem and Championship is over estimated a lot. Apart from the Big 6, there really isn't that much a difference.

In fact, the 3 promoted sides are currently 6th, 10th and 11th whereas the 3 sides relegated last season are currently 13th, 14th and 23rd in the championship.

Have to agree with the OP. The PL has an element of Emperors clothes about it.

The Newcastle v Palace game I watched earlier was below championship standard yet Newcastle are sitting in 6th! The passing was all over the shop from both teams, lack of creativity and just all round bad.

In the Premier League you just can't make these comparisons till at least halfway.
As is customary in the Championship 5th to 18th is covered by 9 points, with only a fixture v Bolton as a 'banker'.

Of course Huddersfield are 10th they've only played Utd & Spurs, Newcastle win a game and almost automatically they leapfrog 5 teams, the same with us.
Any team given palace's fixtures would be bottom now, probably not so pisspoor bottom, but bottom nevertheless.

Stoke will be expecting to be top 10 by the end of November, West Brom will be in the relegation zone.

 

[chaileyjem]

Any team given palace's fixtures would be bottom now, probably not so pisspoor bottom, but bottom nevertheless.

.

They’ve lost at home to Hudds, Swansea and Southampton.
And away to Burnley and Newcastle .

(As well as Liverpool, Man City, Man Utd, and Chelsea) . All of whom bar City have dropped points to “teams like Palace” including er, Palace.

So probably not.

 

[Hugo Rune]

Any team given palace's fixtures would be bottom now, probably not so pisspoor bottom, but bottom nevertheless.

For me, it’s all about that 1st fixture.

We were like stunned rabbits in headlights with Man City and that defensive mindset carried over till Watford. That was when we realised we were a Pröpper Premier League team and deserved to be in the world’s biggest league.

Getting beaten by Huddersfield in their first fixture would have made the Palace manager, team and fans feel like they were Championship level. They’ve not shaken off that belief since (except with Chelsea) and are doing their best to lose every game. Their strategy of catching a top 6 team on a off day is not going to yield them many points (although I can see them taking points from Utd, Arsenal & Spurs). Their problem is that they can’t beat the Swanseas & Newcastles. The West Ham fixture will certainly be interesting.

 

[Peter Grummit]

7 of our starting eleven last night were regulars last season.
Probably enough evidence straight away that there is not much difference between top of Championship and bottom half Premier League.

For me, it's less about the relative merits of the divisions and more about the merit of teamwork. Many of the teams who are doing better than expected are those with a solid core and a team ethic to work hard for each other. Huddersfield, Burnley, BHA. Teams with perhaps more talented individuals (read bigger wages) are not succeeding unless they are willing and able to roll their sleeves up. West Ham, Palace, Everton. ManU yesterday.

Some of the relegated teams definitely fall into the 2nd category - Sunderland; Villa and Norwich the year before.

A lot of Champ teams have parachute payments, so the financial gap is mitigated. But evidence suggests this is not enough without that work ethic.

PG

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[Fnd_hudds]

Went to both our games this weekend (was with the home fans at the Olympic stadium - looked like it was going off in the away end!).

We actually both played in a very similar way. Solid set up at the back, let them have the ball in non-dangerous areas, and funnel them into putting in crosses from deep which our CBs could easily gobble up. And then whenever we got the opportunity we broke forward in numbers.

That's what this season is going to be all about; playing to our strengths. We're going to take some pumpings along the way, but both of our clubs have an identity and an understanding between manager, team, and fans. When things get silly and owners start firing managers etc. (tbh it's already started), that understanding and togetherness will help us rise above the rest.

What a cracking weekend

 

[Stat Brother]

For me, it’s all about that 1st fixture.

We were like stunned rabbits in headlights with Man City and that defensive mindset carried over till Watford. That was when we realised we were a Pröpper Premier League team and deserved to be in the world’s biggest league.

Getting beaten by Huddersfield in their first fixture would have made the Palace manager, team and fans feel like they were Championship level. They’ve not shaken off that belief since (except with Chelsea) and are doing their best to lose every game. Their strategy of catching a top 6 team on a off day is not going to yield them many points (although I can see them taking points from Utd, Arsenal & Spurs). Their problem is that they can’t beat the Swanseas & Newcastles. The West Ham fixture will certainly be interesting.

Yep although if Huddersfield were only guaranteed to win one game all season, everybody's money would have been on their first game irrespective of the opposition, palace were always onto a hiding to nothing, that day.

Much like playing City first game of the season was always going to be 'easier' (should that read 'less impossible') than when they're up and running.

 

[Lurchy]

Er, Bolton?

Er, there's always exceptions!

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

I always thought the gap between league 1 and the Champ was bigger.

 

[Bob'n'weave]

For me, it's less about the relative merits of the divisions and more about the merit of teamwork. Many of the teams who are doing better than expected are those with a solid core and a team ethic to work hard for each other. Huddersfield, Burnley, BHA. Teams with perhaps more talented individuals (read bigger wages) are not succeeding unless they are willing and able to roll their sleeves up. West Ham, Palace, Everton. ManU yesterday.

Some of the relegated teams definitely fall into the 2nd category - Sunderland; Villa and Norwich the year before.

A lot of Champ teams have parachute payments, so the financial gap is mitigated. But evidence suggests this is not enough without that work ethic.

PG

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This with Big Ben on.

Everything else below the PL looks like park footy compared to the standard needed to survive this div. Not to say that there aren't PL quality teams in the Championshite , but generally there is a gulf in match quality. The opportunity to raise our game in the PL, week in - week out is what we are now grabbing with both hands and running with. If you ran down a checklist of all the back of house qualities/structure/culture you need, we are at the top of the pile. Then there is the quality of the players, and I give us a generous 'average' on that one. That leaves the X factor, teamwork, spirit, belief, #Together etc. I reckon we can navigate the gulf if we keep our shite together.