This season The Championship is soo poor, anyone else agree ?I

[Riversider]

It's competitive,  but don't confuse competitive with strong, in the recent past The Championship has been graced by the likes of Wolves, Brighton and Newcastle amongst others, but this season there isn't one single side that is anywhere near as strong as those teams,
And in a poor Championship season were only 7th and likely to drop down to 9th after games in hand have been played out,
The first team that goes on a run and wins 5 games in a row this season will be clear at the top , and with the squad we have at our disposal that team could well be us, but to do that we must find consistency,  and we must start being dominant at home and stop looking so fragile,
We've got Queens Park Rangers in 3 weeks time straight after an International break, does anybody have any confidence that we are going to get anything out of that game ? But that's exactly the sort of game that we should be picking three points up from, same as Hull City this weekend but I wouldn't be confident enough to bet my wages on us getting 3 points from either of those matches,
I love The Championship and much prefer it to The Premier League,  but you've got to go back a few years to the last time the quality was as poor as this season,
Let's try and stay in the mix until January, bring in the players that we are crying out for then blow the rest of them out of the water in the second half of the season,
But whichever 3 go up this season they are going to need a miracle to stay up next season .

[MJG]

Are you deeming the league poor because one team isn't running away with it? Maybe collectively the league is stronger as its closer. One team doing well doesn't mean it's a stronger league, in fact I think it makes it the opposite.

[The Rock]

I'd tend to agree with most of this, but if you look at Villa, Southampton, Newcastle etc. are these teams that much a class above? TV monies are making a bigger and bigger difference though.

I think in years past, after ~ 14 games there was a definite 8 teams battling for top 6, and this year there are 11 teams battling for top 2. Not sure it is a sign of how well they would do in the PL. I think certain teams would be more prepared, but most, including our squad with no real defensive additions, would need proper investment in key areas and need to get it right. 

[Sting of the North]

Are you deeming the league poor because one team isn't running away with it? Maybe collectively the league is stronger as its closer. One team doing well doesn't mean it's a stronger league, in fact I think it makes it the opposite.

:plus one:


@Riversider: Care to elaborate further on why you believe that the Championship is not strong this year? Is it only because we don't have "the likes of Wolves, Brighton and Newcastle among others"? If so, does that make the rest of the teams in the league worse, or does it at best only mean that maybe 2 out of 46 games is a little bit easier than the past few seasons (assuming everything else alike)?

[FFC1987]

I don't agree with it but I think OP has come to that conclusion on the basis that anyone 3 teams promoted this year, will 100% be relegated next year. Currently, there isn't a 'wow' team like some previous years which, when up, look like they could easily be a mid table EPL team. Might be wrong but that was my take from it.

[MJG]

Not sure if I should put this here or on the Table thread but anyway...


Considering there is a game tonight, if someone wins then the Top 12 teams will collectively have the 4th highest number of points at 14 games from the last ten years.

WBA have the 8th highest out of last 10 years at this stage. The highest being 33 points.

Its clear whatever way I look at it that the league is more condensed than usual at this stage.

12th is has always been in last 10 years at 14 games 19 or 20 points apart from once when it was 18 (If Brentford win tonight it will break that but makes it even more condensed in top 12)


For the record all the points at 14 games.

[Southcoastffc]

"I love The Championship and much prefer it to The Premier League,  but you've got to go back a few years to the last time the quality was as poor as this season"

I agree with the OP in this.

[filham]

We have just completed three matches against lowly placed teams which presented an opportunity to pick up nine points which would have lifted us up to the top of the table, we dropped five points and missed the golden opportunity.

[Robbie]

I think might be a timing thing. I think the quality / our quality will pick up in H2 ....
I am pretty relaxed if we get to Xmas on 4-7th place.

These are small squads, you need to retain as many good/uninjured plays for March/April.

[ffc73]

We have just completed three matches against lowly placed teams which presented an opportunity to pick up nine points which would have lifted us up to the top of the table, we dropped five points and missed the golden opportunity.

This has been the recurring story of our season to date. Very frustrating

[YankeeJim]

Football, after all, is entertainment. Leagues aren't armies. The competition in the Championship is wonderful. You can easily make an argument that  any of a half dozen teams (maybe more) could win it. I find that immensely preferable to the forgone conclusion of Liverpiddle on Citi only winning it all and a dozen or better of the teams in the Prem having NO chance of getting to Europe. I honestly won't be upset if we don't get promoted.

[ScalleysDad]

At this moment in time there is not a stand out team. There is not even a team you would pay twice over to watch but is that not what we expected when relegation was confirmed? This would be a tough slog and a rollercoaster with no brakes and a wheel missing. People are bemoaning dropped points against teams we have labelled 'lesser' teams but recently Barnsley slugged out consecutive draws at Swansea and West Brom after getting walloped and before they beat us Stoke took three points away to Swansea. I bet not many people had those results on their accumulator. High fliers and perennial favourites to go up Leeds played out an abysmal draw with Preston and have scored four goals in five games during October and have lost to Millwall. Who would have predicted that? We had Board meltdown after not crushing Charlton who went on to wallop Derby during the following week. That euphoria at The Valley has now been tempered with a loss and a draw but I don't read about 'Bowyer Out' threads on their forum.
Its going late January before the top pack starts to assert itself and that will be partly influenced by transfers, loanees being called back and ultimately teams gelling and key players flourishing. We have had moans and groans about an away point at Boro. Under the circumstances not a bad point at all with the asides that the Manager and the players seem to be as one. Had every bodies golden boy scored people might have actually let up a bit but this ongoing sense of entitlement is becoming tedious. Looking at teams above us West Brom were held to a draw, Preston had to make a comeback against a supposed 'lower team', the Yorkshire big two failed to score and Bristol City were held by the mighty Wigan who we comprehensively beat a short time ago.

The Championship might actually be tougher this season because it is decidedly average across the board and any result, for the time being anyway, is possible. Brentford are on their way to a pretty decent October all things considered. Who would have thought.

[Baszab]

Suggest you watch Brentford QPR - they both look quicker and sharper than us
Benrhama looks particularly dangerous 

[Fulham 442]

Being played at a blistering pace too.

[bahay18]

It's certainly fast and furious but not a great deal of quality . Everyone is more aggressive than us but if we play our football we have more than enough .

[Whitesideup]

Too early to say. Last year Norwich weren't doing so well and turned out well. Interesting though that the promoted teams from last year, though not doing famously, are holding their own.

I subscribe more to the theory that the standard overall is on the rise, that the weaker teams are in fact not that weak, but more competitive, better organized, and if moments go their way, capable of upsetting anyone. That would make the league overall stronger rather than weaker. This theory would support MJG's comment about compression of results.

[YankeeJim]

At this moment in time there is not a stand out team. There is not even a team you would pay twice over to watch but is that not what we expected when relegation was confirmed? This would be a tough slog and a rollercoaster with no brakes and a wheel missing. People are bemoaning dropped points against teams we have labelled 'lesser' teams but recently Barnsley slugged out consecutive draws at Swansea and West Brom after getting walloped and before they beat us Stoke took three points away to Swansea. I bet not many people had those results on their accumulator. High fliers and perennial favourites to go up Leeds played out an abysmal draw with Preston and have scored four goals in five games during October and have lost to Millwall. Who would have predicted that? We had Board meltdown after not crushing Charlton who went on to wallop Derby during the following week. That euphoria at The Valley has now been tempered with a loss and a draw but I don't read about 'Bowyer Out' threads on their forum.
Its going late January before the top pack starts to assert itself and that will be partly influenced by transfers, loanees being called back and ultimately teams gelling and key players flourishing. We have had moans and groans about an away point at Boro. Under the circumstances not a bad point at all with the asides that the Manager and the players seem to be as one. Had every bodies golden boy scored people might have actually let up a bit but this ongoing sense of entitlement is becoming tedious. Looking at teams above us West Brom were held to a draw, Preston had to make a comeback against a supposed 'lower team', the Yorkshire big two failed to score and Bristol City were held by the mighty Wigan who we comprehensively beat a short time ago.

The Championship might actually be tougher this season because it is decidedly average across the board and any result, for the time being anyway, is possible. Brentford are on their way to a pretty decent October all things considered. Who would have thought.

Huddlesfield, poor pitiful Huddlesfield, have an unbeaten run of six. Who would have thought?

[ScalleysDad]

Too early to say. Last year Norwich weren't doing so well and turned out well. Interesting though that the promoted teams from last year, though not doing famously, are holding their own.

I subscribe more to the theory that the standard overall is on the rise, that the weaker teams are in fact not that weak, but more competitive, better organized, and if moments go their way, capable of upsetting anyone. That would make the league overall stronger rather than weaker. This theory would support MJG's comment about compression of results.

Okay. I buy into the competitive/better organised angle of the debate but it is decidedly average fair by and large.

[The old mucker]

I just don't understand how some people can say they prefer the championship to the premier league surely you'd rather be playing the likes of man city and liverpool to Barnsley or hull,and it must be every club ambition to pit there wits against the best

[ScalleysDad]

At this moment in time there is not a stand out team. There is not even a team you would pay twice over to watch but is that not what we expected when relegation was confirmed? This would be a tough slog and a rollercoaster with no brakes and a wheel missing. People are bemoaning dropped points against teams we have labelled 'lesser' teams but recently Barnsley slugged out consecutive draws at Swansea and West Brom after getting walloped and before they beat us Stoke took three points away to Swansea. I bet not many people had those results on their accumulator. High fliers and perennial favourites to go up Leeds played out an abysmal draw with Preston and have scored four goals in five games during October and have lost to Millwall. Who would have predicted that? We had Board meltdown after not crushing Charlton who went on to wallop Derby during the following week. That euphoria at The Valley has now been tempered with a loss and a draw but I don't read about 'Bowyer Out' threads on their forum.
Its going late January before the top pack starts to assert itself and that will be partly influenced by transfers, loanees being called back and ultimately teams gelling and key players flourishing. We have had moans and groans about an away point at Boro. Under the circumstances not a bad point at all with the asides that the Manager and the players seem to be as one. Had every bodies golden boy scored people might have actually let up a bit but this ongoing sense of entitlement is becoming tedious. Looking at teams above us West Brom were held to a draw, Preston had to make a comeback against a supposed 'lower team', the Yorkshire big two failed to score and Bristol City were held by the mighty Wigan who we comprehensively beat a short time ago.

The Championship might actually be tougher this season because it is decidedly average across the board and any result, for the time being anyway, is possible. Brentford are on their way to a pretty decent October all things considered. Who would have thought.

Huddlesfield, poor pitiful Huddlesfield, have an unbeaten run of six. Who would have thought?

QPR could have gone second tonight. Who would have thought?
Glad they did'nt though as the comparisons and disappointments would have taken up pages.