Next season (2011/2012)

[Barry the bird boggler]

So how will next season's Championship pan out....

As with the bookies I can't see much beyond Leicester, West Ham and Birmingham as the top 3

Next 3 I'd suggest Ipswich, suprise package - Southamption and Leeds

Figure on quite a large chasing pack though; Reading, Burnley, Blackpool, Forest, Cardiff, the other surprise package Brighton, Hull, Portsmouth and Middlesbrough

Coventry, Derby, Bristol City, Millwall will be mid table

Relegation

Please god let it be Palace this time. Think Watford and Doncaster, Peterborough or perhaps Barnsley will complete that battle.

So, in summary, play off/promotion battle for 15 clubs, a relegation fight for 4 or 5 clubs....

All in all could be very exciting and definitely THE BEST league competition anywhere in the world.

[B14 Royal]

Agree with most of that but Leeds don't have a back 4 or a midfield. They're gonna have to do some serious spending to get a competitive team together.

[Snowball]

Leicester look an obvious bet (at first glance at least) as they have some class players
are still looking to buy and have a very good manager.

Their form last year from (Oct 3rd) the moment Ericson took over (unfair on him) was good enough for 7th place

1 36 17 14 05 66-45 +21 65 1.81 Norwich City
2 36 19 07 10 55-30 +25 64 1.78 Swansea City
3 36 16 14 06 47-29 +18 62 1.72 QPR
4 36 18 08 10 58-41 +17 62 1.72 Nottingham Forest
5 36 16 13 07 63-42 +21 61 1.69 Reading
6 36 17 09 10 60-46 +14 60 1.67 Cardiff City
7 36 17 08 11 63-48 +15 59 1.64 Leicester City

Their form in 2011 would have given them 80 points. When they played at the MadStad they showed some real
class but looked to be frustrating Sven. Expect a much better defence and they look certs for the top six and
a very strong bet for the top three.

As for automatic. IMO, with such an incredibly competitive league, winning a few of the top-six six-pointers,
or getting some extra luck here and there, can give a side "worth third" the championship, it's that tight. For
example, I think Norwich were a better team than QPR and they topped the table from game 7-46 but QPR
had nipped ahead in those first six games.

[Snowball]

As somebody said on another thread, this league always looks "impossible"

I looked at the league a week or two ago and thought a reasonable case could be made for all bar 3-4 clubs.

It would be interesting to see if the clubs that do well always get off to a flier.

Sunderland didn't but the rest?

[URZZZZZZZZ]

The Leicester one is interesting.

They are currently putting in a state of the art pitch, renovating the training ground, and the owners seem to have their heads screwed on.

However on the pitch they are very bare following all their loan players going back to their parent clubs, and there appears to be no sign of them re-signing. Top 6 will be much more realistic for them than top 2. Sven's philosophy is to get in a load of Premiership rejects rather than hungry youngsters, it may well backfire.

[Snowball]

After 10 Games >>> Final Table

Basically, if you're not in the running after ten games, it's highly unlikely you get auto.

The final day top two sides, after 10 games was:

TOP-3rd
TOP-2nd
2nd-TOP
3rd-5th
14th-2nd
2nd-TOP
6th-2nd

So the final top two came from (position after ten games)

1-1-1-1
2-2-2-2-2
3-3
5th
6th
14th (Sunderland under Keane)

Of the 14 top-two finishers

28.6% were top after 10 games
64.3% were in the top two after ten games
78.6% were in the top three after ten games
92.9% were in the top six after ten games

Just one anomaly, Sunderland, when Keane took over and was given a war-chest. Cardiff were ten points clear of Sunderland
and eventually finished 24 points BEHIND Sunderland, an incredible 34-point turn-round

Sunderland were not THAT special for the period, must have been an otherwise even year

1 Sunderland 36 23-6-7 62-33 +29 75 2.08 ppg

[Snowball]

The Leicester one is interesting.

They are currently putting in a state of the art pitch, renovating the training ground, and the owners seem to have their heads screwed on.

However on the pitch they are very bare following all their loan players going back to their parent clubs, and there appears to be no sign of them re-signing. Top 6 will be much more realistic for them than top 2. Sven's philosophy is to get in a load of Premiership rejects rather than hungry youngsters, it may well backfire.

I hope you're right.

My error. I presumed they'd sign people like Yakubu (who Everton want to sell)

You think Sven might come sniffing round Mills & Co?

[Snowball]

So who (eg Leicester/West Ham/Birmingham) is likely to be a failure when expected to do well?

And who might be the surprise package (eg Coventry or someone like that)?

[RG30]

Covenry will struggle, they have just lost Marlon King and are having financial problems http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/coventry-city-fc/coventry-city-fc-news/2011/06/07/coventry-city-on-the-brink-after-accounts-revealed-92746-28833554/

I think Middlesbrough will be decent next season, they finished the season on a high and have Tony Mowbray who done a good job at West Brom and is a bit of a legend at the club so will have the fans onside.

Brighton and Southampton will be very competitive next season, both have healthy budgets.

[fester_royal]

I know west sham have just come down so will obviously be up there with the bookies but personally I could really see them being somewhat shell shocked for a long period before big Sam starts to make a Mark. Birmingham are my favourites, a newly promoted team always seems to do well so I'm plugging Brighton just for family reasons.. As for the rest.. Half the league is potentially a chasing pack.. Put together a good run and it's in the bag

[Snowball]

Covenry will struggle, they have just lost Marlon King and are having financial problems http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/coventry-city-fc/coventry-city-fc-news/2011/06/07/coventry-city-on-the-brink-after-accounts-revealed-92746-28833554/

I think Middlesbrough will be decent next season, they finished the season on a high and have Tony Mowbray who done a good job at West Brom and is a bit of a legend at the club so will have the fans onside.

Brighton and Southampton will be very competitive next season, both have healthy budgets.

So they may need to sell players? We fancy any?

[Friday's Legacy]

agree with the opening post but throw in cardiff to struggle for survival this season. there's always one or two surprises as well. lets hope its us again.

[Snowball]

Watford have lost a few? Cardiff?

[loyalroyal4life]

southampton top 6 finish is not a bad bet

[Ian Royal]

I will be a bit miffed if Saints or Brighton finish above us. But unless we make top 6 again, one of them is pretty likely to.

[soggy biscuit]

I will be a bit miffed if Saints or Brighton finish above us. But unless we make top 6 again, one of them is pretty likely to.

reckon both will.

Wouldn't surprise me in the least to see one of those 2 take the play off winners spot

[urz13]

Predictions for where we'll finish? I'll say 4th and go up via the playoffs

[roadrunner]

I will be a bit miffed if Saints or Brighton finish above us. But unless we make top 6 again, one of them is pretty likely to.

reckon both will.

Wouldn't surprise me in the least to see one of those 2 take the play off winners spot

Agree with this. Both will be well supported, both full of confidence and good footballing sides. I certainly fancy them to finish above us.

Having said that I'm more optimistic about next season than I was the last, and that's with us likely to be minus Longy and Kebe. I like McDermott, I trust him too. He's a good honest manager and he gets players playing for him.

Finish: 8th

[PEARCEY]

I can't see Leicester top 3 and reckon they are borderline play-off contenders.
Its all about Middlesbrough next season.

[urz13]

Why all the negativity? With Coppell, we were millimetres from automatic promotion then just failed in the playoffs. The season before last, we had an absolutely dire first half but ended up a whisker away from the playoffs. Last season we had an ok first half and a superb second half. Why all the negativity about us being in the chasing pack/finishing mid table? We've been up there the last 3 seasons, why not this coming one?