Championship Thread

[Cjay]

Championship relegation battle is an all timer.

6 points separate Sheffield Wednesday in 23rd and Watford in 12th (Watford do have a game in hand).

For comparison though.

Same stage last season the gap between 23rd and 12th was 18 points

Season before 27 points

Season before 14.

Had Stoke won yesterday they'd have gone from 22nd to 16th!!!!!

[1964white]

The championship table is incredibly difficult to call.

Four teams challenging for an automatic place.

Five teams for play-off place.

Twelve teams hoping to avoid relegation.

[Jaydog]

The championship table is incredibly difficult to call.

Four teams challenging for an automatic place.

Five teams for play-off place.

Twelve teams hoping to avoid relegation.

I’d fear the play offs more than ever this year. The top four are different class to the rest over the course of a full season, or so it seems atm anyway. But the other teams won’t fear us in the play offs. Us & Soton will have way more to lose.

[1964white]

I’d fear the play offs more than ever this year. The top four are different class to the rest over the course of a full season, or so it seems atm anyway. But the other teams won’t fear us in the play offs. Us & Soton will have way more to lose.

It would be a travesty if we missed out on promotion, though I suspect the Leicester & Ipswich fans would say the same.

I'm unsure what's in store for LUFC, if we are not promoted, it would be like starting all over again.

[Cjay]

Leicester exploiting a loophole the incompetent EFL are now closing

[Cjay]

I’d fear the play offs more than ever this year. The top four are different class to the rest over the course of a full season, or so it seems atm anyway. But the other teams won’t fear us in the play offs. Us & Soton will have way more to lose.

I would as well.

I don't think either of the 2 who don't make top 2 will win the playoffs

The mental deflation of missing out on automatic would be crippling

[weasel]

With the results tonight we have now secured a top half finish.

[malcolmw]

Championship relegation battle is an all timer.

6 points separate Sheffield Wednesday in 23rd and Watford in 12th (Watford do have a game in hand).

For comparison though.

Same stage last season the gap between 23rd and 12th was 18 points

Season before 27 points

Season before 14.

Had Stoke won yesterday they'd have gone from 22nd to 16th!!!!!

Looking at the remaining fixtures, there are a few interesting things:
- Southampton have to play all 3 teams above them - all away. They have to play 8 of the top 12.
- Ipswich have to play Southampton at home and play 6 of the top 12.
- Leicester have to play Southampton at home and play 5 of the top 12.
- We play Southampton at home and 5 of the top 12.

Southampton - on paper - seem to have the toughest run in.

Picking "top 12" was purely arbitrary, and I know most feel there is a big gap below the top 4. However, at this stage of the season, playing team like Hull, West Brom, Norwich, Preston - especially away - could be regarded as risky fixtures.

I don't actually think Leicester have it won just yet. One more slip up from them and either ourselves or Ipswich could sneak in.
Could be us fighting Leicester for the 2nd promotion place!

[andrewjohnsmith]

Championship relegation battle is an all timer.

6 points separate Sheffield Wednesday in 23rd and Watford in 12th (Watford do have a game in hand).

For comparison though.

Same stage last season the gap between 23rd and 12th was 18 points

Season before 27 points

Season before 14.

Had Stoke won yesterday they'd have gone from 22nd to 16th!!!!!

There's some logic in that the top 4 are all so dominant. Stands to reason that most of the rest of the league is cr@p

Curious - are the points totals in the bottom half lower than last season too? And do Sheff Wed have more points than their equivalent last season?

[andrewjohnsmith]

Looking at the remaining fixtures, there are a few interesting things:
- Southampton have to play all 3 teams above them - all away. They have to play 8 of the top 12.
- Ipswich have to play Southampton at home and play 6 of the top 12.
- Leicester have to play Southampton at home and play 5 of the top 12.
- We play Southampton at home and 5 of the top 12.

Southampton - on paper - seem to have the toughest run in.

Picking "top 12" was purely arbitrary, and I know most feel there is a big gap below the top 4. However, at this stage of the season, playing team like Hull, West Brom, Norwich, Preston - especially away - could be regarded as risky fixtures.

I don't actually think Leicester have it won just yet. One more slip up from them and either ourselves or Ipswich could sneak in.
Could be us fighting Leicester for the 2nd promotion place!

It's hard to say which are the more difficult games. Bottom 12 all fighting relegation so all fired up. Sheff Weds are 3rd best over the last 5 games. Sunderland in 11th have lost 5 in a row. Almost everyone in the league still has something to play for - either relegation or the playoffs. Of course, as we get down to less games, some teams will be settled as mid table.

[malcolmw]

It's hard to say which are the more difficult games. Bottom 12 all fighting relegation so all fired up. Sheff Weds are 3rd best over the last 5 games. Sunderland in 11th have lost 5 in a row. Almost everyone in the league still has something to play for - either relegation or the playoffs. Of course, as we get down to less games, some teams will be settled as mid table.

Yes, fair point Andrew about the bottom teams. I was just trying to find some quick metric to guage who had the hardest run to the end of the season.
As you say, it's really about form and whose squad is fittest.
Leicester also have another cup game to endure.

But some teams - like us - are harder to beat at home - they could be the real obstacles for the title chasers.

I suppose I could look at current form and analyze who plays who based on that but that's way too much work.

I'm sure others on the forum have opinions on the remaining fixtures, who can chime in.

One thing we can be sure of is there will be some upsets. Whoever holds their nerve best will win the league.

[andrewjohnsmith]

Yes, fair point Andrew about the bottom teams. I was just trying to find some quick metric to guage who had the hardest run to the end of the season.
As you say, it's really about form and whose squad is fittest.
Leicester also have another cup game to endure.

But some teams - like us - are harder to beat at home - they could be the real obstacles for the title chasers.

I suppose I could look at current form and analyze who plays who based on that but that's way too much work.

I'm sure others on the forum have opinions on the remaining fixtures, who can chime in.

One thing we can be sure of is there will be some upsets. Whoever holds their nerve best will win the league.

It's all anyone's guess. Ipswich looked like they were drifting out. Then win 6 in a row.

We've won 4 out of 4 against top 2. We've also dropped plenty of points against bottom half teams. Honestly, I wish we got to play Ipswich a couple more times.

This division is a big guessing game. This year probably more than any. 4 teams on pace for automatic promotion.

[Chilli D]

Looking at the remaining fixtures, there are a few interesting things:
- Southampton have to play all 3 teams above them - all away. They have to play 8 of the top 12.
- Ipswich have to play Southampton at home and play 6 of the top 12.
- Leicester have to play Southampton at home and play 5 of the top 12.
- We play Southampton at home and 5 of the top 12.

Southampton - on paper - seem to have the toughest run in.

Picking "top 12" was purely arbitrary, and I know most feel there is a big gap below the top 4. However, at this stage of the season, playing team like Hull, West Brom, Norwich, Preston - especially away - could be regarded as risky fixtures.

I don't actually think Leicester have it won just yet. One more slip up from them and either ourselves or Ipswich could sneak in.
Could be us fighting Leicester for the 2nd promotion place!

Ipswich also have to play Norwich away Malcolm which is a big deal in this part of the world. The two sets of fans absolutely hate each other and with both sides still in the promotion mix one way or another, it takes on extra significance. It also has something to do who has the best tractors apparently....

[lufc1304]

Ipswich also have to play Norwich away Malcolm which is a big deal in this part of the world. The two sets of fans absolutely hate each other and with both sides still in the promotion mix one way or another, it takes on extra significance. It also has something to do who has the best tractors apparently....

[1964white]

It's all anyone's guess. Ipswich looked like they were drifting out. Then win 6 in a row.

We've won 4 out of 4 against top 2. We've also dropped plenty of points against bottom half teams. Honestly, I wish we got to play Ipswich a couple more times.

This division is a big guessing game. This year probably more than any. 4 teams on pace for automatic promotion.

Ipswich did invest well in the January window after their dip.

Kieffer Moore - 5 goals & 1 assist

Jeremy Sarmiento - 3 goals & 1 assist

And Blackburn captain Lewis Travis.

[Chilli D]

Watching Jeremy Clarkson drive his Lambourghini tractor on Clarkson's farm is their version of porn.

[Cjay]

There's some logic in that the top 4 are all so dominant. Stands to reason that most of the rest of the league is cr@p

Curious - are the points totals in the bottom half lower than last season too? And do Sheff Wed have more points than their equivalent last season?

The top 4 are all obviously above normal

57ish is about right for 6th, has been slightly more, has been slightly less, but it's about right.

Two of the bottom 3 having 38 points at this stage is unusual, went back 10 years and it's happened once.

You'd usually be 21st maybe 20th or even in the high teens position wise on occasion.

47/48 points for 12th is about right, similar to 6th it can be a bit more but it's pretty on point.

16th though is usually a few points more (43,44,45) Not 40.

So 2 of the bottom 3 being above normal and 16th being below explains the tightness.

Does this mean it's a more competitive season than normal or less?

I don't know, I'd say it's pretty normal but with a higher standard at the top and at the bottom?

[Barlow Boy]

Personally I think Southampton are out of the automatic places race, they are already 6 points behind us, their GD is worse and they have to visit Leicester, Ipswich and us.

It’s two from three in the automatic promotion spots for me now.

[lufc1304]

Watching Jeremy Clarkson drive his Lambourghini tractor on Clarkson's farm is their version of porn.

Viewed whilst wearing an odd number of socks???

[Chilli D]

Personally I think Southampton are out of the automatic places race, they are already 6 points behind us, their GD is worse and they have to visit Leicester, Ipswich and us.

It’s two from three in the automatic promotion spots for me now.

And they now have two games to fit in somewhere due to Leicester still being in the FA Cup and last night's postponement