Could this be the most open Champ season for years...? 10:47 - Oct 1 with 1332 views | W7Ranger | Just looking at the league table and the last few rounds of matches... Round 8. 8 games (so far) last night - 6 draws. 4 more games tonight and can easily see another couple of draws. Round 6. 6 draws. Round 5. 7 draws. We currently sit 10th, but could jump to joint 2nd with a win tonight (2 other results permitting). Only Middlesboro are running at more than 2pts per game, and they've drawn 3 of there last 4 matches. Obviously still early days. And maybe in recent years we're usually looking at ourselves way down the table at this stage to notice what's happening at the top end. But it does seem (to me anyway) a potentially very tight season ahead with no teams really standing out (as yet!). EDIT: Also just noticed that Leicester have drawn there last 4 matches! [Post edited 1 Oct 10:51]
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Could this be the most open Champ season for years...? on 12:36 - Oct 1 with 1129 views | Northernr | It's certainly making a mockery of almost all the season preview thinking at this point! |  | |  |
Could this be the most open Champ season for years...? on 12:55 - Oct 1 with 1081 views | nix | Yes. So weird how everyone seems to be cancelling everyone else out. I'm surprised as I thought the parachute teams plus the big spenders (Wrexham, Birmingham etc.) would make the play offs almost impossible to amyone else. Pleased so far that it's more achievable. Meanwhile how did Ismael get the Blackburn gig? Great Powerpoint? |  | |  |
Could this be the most open Champ season for years...? on 13:02 - Oct 1 with 1066 views | kensalriser | Does look like peak Championship so far but it's really too early to tell. A few years ago Reading came tearing out of the blocks and were top at this stage but they soon fell away. I'd be surprised if Ipswich weren't in the top 3 in a couple of weeks. I think they got a bit lucky with that Blackburn game and will probably win it now. |  |
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Could this be the most open Champ season for years...? on 14:18 - Oct 1 with 945 views | W7Ranger |
Could this be the most open Champ season for years...? on 12:55 - Oct 1 by nix | Yes. So weird how everyone seems to be cancelling everyone else out. I'm surprised as I thought the parachute teams plus the big spenders (Wrexham, Birmingham etc.) would make the play offs almost impossible to amyone else. Pleased so far that it's more achievable. Meanwhile how did Ismael get the Blackburn gig? Great Powerpoint? |
So far it looks like anyone could beat anyone (or draw with anyone) as most teams appear to be pretty evenly matched. Would make for a brilliant season if it stayed that way. |  | |  |
Could this be the most open Champ season for years...? on 14:21 - Oct 1 with 938 views | daveB | It's very early though, we've seen QPR top in October before and almost relegated by the end and bottom at this stage but go on to have a fun season. I'd still back the likes of Ipswich, Southampton, Birmingham and even Sheff Utd to get better and finish a lot higher than they are now |  | |  |
Could this be the most open Champ season for years...? on 14:31 - Oct 1 with 919 views | W7Ranger |
Could this be the most open Champ season for years...? on 14:21 - Oct 1 by daveB | It's very early though, we've seen QPR top in October before and almost relegated by the end and bottom at this stage but go on to have a fun season. I'd still back the likes of Ipswich, Southampton, Birmingham and even Sheff Utd to get better and finish a lot higher than they are now |
I agree it is still very early. Another observation hi-lighting the amount of draws is that currently 22 teams out of the 24 have only 3 wins or less so far to there name. That "should" change by this evening. But still it's very low after most teams have played 8 games so far. |  | |  |
Could this be the most open Champ season for years...? on 14:38 - Oct 1 with 897 views | Northernr |
Could this be the most open Champ season for years...? on 14:21 - Oct 1 by daveB | It's very early though, we've seen QPR top in October before and almost relegated by the end and bottom at this stage but go on to have a fun season. I'd still back the likes of Ipswich, Southampton, Birmingham and even Sheff Utd to get better and finish a lot higher than they are now |
It's squad depth in the first two cases, but I must admit I'm surprised how ropey they've looked so far. |  | |  |
Could this be the most open Champ season for years...? on 14:49 - Oct 1 with 851 views | Burnleyhoop |
Could this be the most open Champ season for years...? on 14:38 - Oct 1 by Northernr | It's squad depth in the first two cases, but I must admit I'm surprised how ropey they've looked so far. |
Squad depth tends to show its face in mid winter. The teams that have performed well in the early stages of the season, but lack squad depth, tend to drop away when the injuries and suspensions bite further into the season. Blackburn are notorious for it. |  | |  | Login to get fewer ads
Could this be the most open Champ season for years...? on 14:52 - Oct 1 with 828 views | dm97 | No 100 pointers in this league. I reckon we might see one of least spread tables come end of season (reckon could be as low as 35 points from 1st to 24th, mid-80s to 50), which would be some turnaround after 25 points or so separated 3rd and 6th last year. Depending on your persuasion that is either very exciting or very worrying. Edit: 1st-23rd (for a moment forgot about SWs impending doom of admin). That aside though [Post edited 1 Oct 14:55]
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Could this be the most open Champ season for years...? on 15:24 - Oct 1 with 719 views | daveB |
Could this be the most open Champ season for years...? on 14:38 - Oct 1 by Northernr | It's squad depth in the first two cases, but I must admit I'm surprised how ropey they've looked so far. |
yeah I thought Ipswich would walk it this year, I think Burnley stated simialr to this under Kompany and then went on a mad run from october onwards |  | |  |
Could this be the most open Champ season for years...? on 15:50 - Oct 1 with 616 views | Boston | Whatever the reasons, it's bloody interesting. Now let's hope Oxford recognize they're doomed and roll over. |  |
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Could this be the most open Champ season for years...? on 15:51 - Oct 1 with 617 views | Northernr |
Could this be the most open Champ season for years...? on 14:52 - Oct 1 by dm97 | No 100 pointers in this league. I reckon we might see one of least spread tables come end of season (reckon could be as low as 35 points from 1st to 24th, mid-80s to 50), which would be some turnaround after 25 points or so separated 3rd and 6th last year. Depending on your persuasion that is either very exciting or very worrying. Edit: 1st-23rd (for a moment forgot about SWs impending doom of admin). That aside though [Post edited 1 Oct 14:55]
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Some points off for Leicester at some point as well, although they've been promising that for bloody years. They'd be second bottom with the rumoured deduction of 9. |  | |  |
Could this be the most open Champ season for years...? on 16:27 - Oct 1 with 526 views | davman |
Could this be the most open Champ season for years...? on 14:49 - Oct 1 by Burnleyhoop | Squad depth tends to show its face in mid winter. The teams that have performed well in the early stages of the season, but lack squad depth, tend to drop away when the injuries and suspensions bite further into the season. Blackburn are notorious for it. |
This. Relegated teams generally start slowly as they are used to losing, but then their class and depth will start to show October / November time. With the cash advantage they have, it'll be hard for them not to get promoted by accident. Yes some teams have pushed the boat out a bit more this season (possibly because they know change to PSPis coming???)and have started better than expected, but surely they'll revert to type soon enough. |  |
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Could this be the most open Champ season for years...? on 16:35 - Oct 1 with 504 views | W7Ranger |
Could this be the most open Champ season for years...? on 16:27 - Oct 1 by davman | This. Relegated teams generally start slowly as they are used to losing, but then their class and depth will start to show October / November time. With the cash advantage they have, it'll be hard for them not to get promoted by accident. Yes some teams have pushed the boat out a bit more this season (possibly because they know change to PSPis coming???)and have started better than expected, but surely they'll revert to type soon enough. |
Not sure how Luton went spectacularly against the status quo last season then. |  | |  |
Could this be the most open Champ season for years...? on 16:38 - Oct 1 with 484 views | Northernr |
Could this be the most open Champ season for years...? on 16:35 - Oct 1 by W7Ranger | Not sure how Luton went spectacularly against the status quo last season then. |
They're still stalling in League One. Was told they did similar to us when they went up - suddenly started handing out 30k/40k a week wages to no marks like Jacob Brown while the players who actually got them there stayed on their original deal. Totally split the dressing room. Then when they needed a firefighter last year they hired a builder based on a hot streak at a steady, well run club. |  | |  |
Could this be the most open Champ season for years...? on 17:02 - Oct 1 with 406 views | Loyalitat |
Could this be the most open Champ season for years...? on 15:50 - Oct 1 by Boston | Whatever the reasons, it's bloody interesting. Now let's hope Oxford recognize they're doomed and roll over. |
I suspect that they'll fancy their chances tonight against us after drawing games against Leicester and Coventry as well as winning away at Bristol City in their last four games. We can't take them lightly, as they have enough to beat us. The young forward they've signed on loan from Spurs: Lankshear, and Brannagan spring to mind. [Post edited 1 Oct 17:03]
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