" Has the Championship become predictable? "
Wed Apr 07, 2021 1:25 am
When we're not playing at 3pm or when they matches aren't on Cardiff City TV, I watch Soccer Saturday or Soccer Special.
But my Sky hasn't been working the last few days, so listened to Radio Five Live on Monday.
The presenter (I can't remember who it was unfortunately) pointed out that the Championship is such a popular league for people to watch and to take an interest in because it has a reputation for being so unpredictable.
They then asked the question whether that is still the case, in terms of where teams are in the league compared to where they were expected to finish?
Pointed out that three of the top seven are teams that were relegated from the Premier League season, with two of them looking very likely to be going up automatically.
The other teams in the top seven are made up of two teams who were in the play-offs last season (with the other just outside the play-offs - us) and Reading were tipped by some to finish in the top half at least due to their summer signings. Said that the only team bucking the trend were Barnsley, who have surprised everyone.
Also said that the bottom three of Wycombe, Sheffield Wednesday and Rotherham is what most people would have expected it to be.
The presenter said that although there are surprise results over the season, the way the league table is shaped is what would have predicted before the season started.
The guests were Simon Francis, who used to be Bournemouth's captain and Alex Bruce, who played for several EFL clubs in his career. Mark Clemmit, who has covered the EFL for years on that radio station, was also there.
They all put it down to Covid-19 and that it's been a very strange season for everyone, and that there being no crowds for nearly all the season would have made a big difference.
Do you think the Championship has become predictable or is it because of Covid-19 and there being no crowds?
But my Sky hasn't been working the last few days, so listened to Radio Five Live on Monday.
The presenter (I can't remember who it was unfortunately) pointed out that the Championship is such a popular league for people to watch and to take an interest in because it has a reputation for being so unpredictable.
They then asked the question whether that is still the case, in terms of where teams are in the league compared to where they were expected to finish?
Pointed out that three of the top seven are teams that were relegated from the Premier League season, with two of them looking very likely to be going up automatically.
The other teams in the top seven are made up of two teams who were in the play-offs last season (with the other just outside the play-offs - us) and Reading were tipped by some to finish in the top half at least due to their summer signings. Said that the only team bucking the trend were Barnsley, who have surprised everyone.
Also said that the bottom three of Wycombe, Sheffield Wednesday and Rotherham is what most people would have expected it to be.
The presenter said that although there are surprise results over the season, the way the league table is shaped is what would have predicted before the season started.
The guests were Simon Francis, who used to be Bournemouth's captain and Alex Bruce, who played for several EFL clubs in his career. Mark Clemmit, who has covered the EFL for years on that radio station, was also there.
They all put it down to Covid-19 and that it's been a very strange season for everyone, and that there being no crowds for nearly all the season would have made a big difference.
Do you think the Championship has become predictable or is it because of Covid-19 and there being no crowds?
Re: " Has the Championship become predictable? "
Wed Apr 07, 2021 5:55 am
A lot depends on whether clubs who are relegated from the Premier can keep the bulk of their squads together, Norwich and Watford didn't have to offload any and are doing well, but when they go back up I think they'll struggle again unless they can spend a huge amount on the right players. It's the same for the League 1 clubs who get promoted into the Championship, not many come up and do well at first until they can survive a few years and build. Unfortunately it's all about money and the richest clubs will always dominate.
Re: " Has the Championship become predictable? "
Wed Apr 07, 2021 5:58 am
Good question, and I guess all answers are subjective.
In my view Covid has massively helped the likes of Norwich, Watford and Bournemouth. Normally when a team drops out of the PL they get asset stripped of their best players for various reasons. This season it did not happen and by and large they kept most of their players. The result is the table that we look at now.
Crowds, or lack of, have certainly had an impact also. Just citing our last 2 matches, there is no way, with 20,000+ City fans at the CCS that Forest would have felt so comfortable....and equally our players felt they could just go through the motions. Our vociferous support would not have allowed it. Equally v Sheff Wed, they have decent crowds and the nervousness of the home fans would have fed to the home team and the outcome may have been completely different.
I still believe that the Championship is still the best League in the world, still totally unpredictable. I much prefer it to the PL where it is more or less broken into 3 tiers of 6-7 teams.
In my view Covid has massively helped the likes of Norwich, Watford and Bournemouth. Normally when a team drops out of the PL they get asset stripped of their best players for various reasons. This season it did not happen and by and large they kept most of their players. The result is the table that we look at now.
Crowds, or lack of, have certainly had an impact also. Just citing our last 2 matches, there is no way, with 20,000+ City fans at the CCS that Forest would have felt so comfortable....and equally our players felt they could just go through the motions. Our vociferous support would not have allowed it. Equally v Sheff Wed, they have decent crowds and the nervousness of the home fans would have fed to the home team and the outcome may have been completely different.
I still believe that the Championship is still the best League in the world, still totally unpredictable. I much prefer it to the PL where it is more or less broken into 3 tiers of 6-7 teams.
Re: " Has the Championship become predictable? "
Wed Apr 07, 2021 9:11 am
No think this season is unusual due to the circumstances! The main point is teams have kept their best players after relegation that as made them far stronger than otherwise would be, if go back you'll find all teams that have kept team together tend to get promotion...... besides this season maybe one relegated team goes up but not alway.... did say aswell that promoted teams generally do not spend 1st time promoted so taking pot luck in premier league thus gives them far more money to try get back up if relegated? But championship is best league outside any top European leagues always unpredictable results wise, but prefer it to premier league another question is var needed now as players are manipulating penalties just like premierleague....
Re: " Has the Championship become predictable? "
Wed Apr 07, 2021 7:35 pm
ive always though the saying anyone can beat anyone in the championship as if it differs to football as a whole a myth .... surely if that were the case the points spread would be much tighter.... but year in year out you get good clubs getting promoted on 80 /90 odd points because they win a lot and poor clubs being relegated on half that amount of points because they lose a lot...