Championship halfway stage vs pre-season expectations

[nlukka]

Looking at the league table earlier, I was thinking about how certain teams have fared against how I thought they'd do at the start of the season. At the start of the season I thought there'd be around 10-12 teams realistically vying for a play-off spot, with the automatic places to be taken by Wigan and Reading. 

 

For me the over-achievers have been:

 

1) Leicester: I honestly didn't expect us to be doing this well. I thought with the way last season ended, as well as that terrible 17 game run, that we'd struggle to get in to the play-offs this year. Add to that the relatively quiet summer in terms of transfer activity and I expected a top-10 finish for this year.

 

2) Derby: Last season their home form was quiet good and I felt that with 10-12 more points on the road this season they could get in the play-offs. To see them sitting second right now is a real surprise, albeit that they're on a bit charge at the moment. 

 

3) Burnley: With Austin leaving, thought they'd really struggle. I think Sean Dyche has done terrifically well to get them where they are in the table, fair play to him. 

 

4) QPR: I seriously thought they'd go the way of Wolves/Blackburn last year. I thought they had too many big-time Charlies in their team with not enough players who knew this level of football. In addition I doubted Redknapp's ability to manage at this level after so many years since the Portsmouth promotion. Despite a recent blip in the last 3 games they've been pretty steady all season and have done far better than I expected. 

 

Under-achievers:

 

1) Bolton: Given the way they ended last season and with a fairly good summer of signings, I expected them to be firmly in the top six this year. They've had a bad start and now sit just above the bottom six, which I think is pretty poor return.

 

2) Wigan: Kept the majority of the Premiership squad intact, added some good signings (Holt, Maclean, McCann etc) but have failed to deliver this season. I think I over-estimated Owen Coyle as a manager and under-estimated the impact of playing in the Europa League. I expected them to be head and shoulders above everyone so I got that one massively wrong!

 

3) Reading: They still have a good core of the players that got them up last time, as well as some good additions and with a manager who knows how to win promotion. Along with Wigan I expected them to be running away with it this year. 

 

4) Watford: Well it's all gone wrong really. Can't say I'm too disappointed for them and their big-time fans! 

 

5) Brighton: Even with the Poyet fiasco over the summer I thought they'd do slightly better, they've not really looked like mounting a promotion challenge at all this season. 

 

The rest I've not mentioned is because they're doing pretty much as I thought. It just goes to show how unpredictable and competitive this division is, as cliché as that sounds. 

 

For the rest of you, are there other teams that have done better or worse than you thought? 

 

 

[Simonb]

Over achieving. . Leicester, derby, blackpool and burnley

under achieving .. qpr, Bolton, forest, Watford, wigan n reading

[Lionator]

funny what you say about Brighton because they are by far and away the best team we've played this season.

[nlukka]

funny what you say about Brighton because they are by far and away the best team we've played this season.

 

True, but that wasn't really the point I was making. In the first half of the season they've not really looked like they're making a promotion push. They might be gathering a bit of momentum now, so possibly by the end of the season they'll be showing what they're capable of.

[dmayne7]

I may be alone but I'm genuinely not overly surprised by our position. I think as soon as it was clear Pearson would be staying, I expected us to at least be top 6 and close to the auto's. 

 

The surprising bit has been the manner of our wins. You only need to look at the last 3 games to see how much we've grown as a team. Such character which is really the thing that has defined the teams whom gained promotion in the past few years. 

 

I still refuse to get excited until we either get 10 points ahead or we can stay in the same position with 10 games to go. It's Leicester after all!

[Harry - LCFC]

Not that surprised either.

 

Totally rejected the idea that we would be significantly worse this season. We'd kept the same squad which would only improve with experience. Never understood why people thought that way. Made no sense to me whatsoever.

[cjslcfc]

Not that surprised either.

 

Totally rejected the idea that we would be significantly worse this season. We'd kept the same squad which would only improve with experience. Never understood why people thought that way. Made no sense to me whatsoever.

 

I think the awful run clouded many people's judgement on our team

[Lionator]

Hard to imagine where we'd be now if we'd have sacked Pearson after that Barnsley game back in April when the fans were baying for blood.

 

My guess is not 4 points clear at the top of the championship.

[ramadaone]

funny what you say about Brighton because they are by far and away the best team we've played this season.

And their injury list has been horrific.

If they get these players back on the pitch soon they are play off material at the very least

Hopefully too far behind us already

[nlukka]

Not that surprised either.

 

Totally rejected the idea that we would be significantly worse this season. We'd kept the same squad which would only improve with experience. Never understood why people thought that way. Made no sense to me whatsoever.

 

 

I think the awful run clouded many people's judgement on our team

 

In all honesty I think the awful run did cloud my judgement, as well as the cruel manner of our play-off defeat. I just felt that it would knock our confidence and that we'd go the way of Middlesbrough this season. I also thought some of the other teams looked far stronger than us (at least on paper anyway).

 

On the plus side, however, I have enjoyed our matches far more this season having had such low expectations! For the first time in years, I'm actually just enjoying the football without being too concerned about the results...let's see if I'm still saying that come May!

[foxfanazer]

Wigan and Bolton have been the big surprises for me. Thought they'd both be right up there. The Europa league obviously hasn't done them any favours

[Happy Fox]

I expected us to finish 2nd, so for that reason we are superseding my expectations by being 1st.

 

Long may it continue.

[cc_star]

Most people thought we'd finish 6th-10th

Some of those people, perhaps those who thought we may be even below 10th are loudest moaners even though we're 4pts clear at the top.

I thought we'd be about 6th I think, and am delighted with anything over that - especially automatics.

Not sure over-achieving is the right word.

Clough built a very good team at Derby, he was a good coach but obviously lacked something extra that could turn the team he built without throwing money around into winners

QPR should be walking the league with Reading up in second

[teblin]

Wigan and Bolton have been the big surprises for me. Thought they'd both be right up there. The Europa league obviously hasn't done them any favours

Knew Wigan would struggle as soon as they appointed coyle, they will improve now.

[tartanowl]

Over achievers:

Leicester, Derby, Burnley, Ipswich, Leeds, Huddersfield and Bournemouth are all currently at least a few places higher in the table than where I thought they would finish.

I thought you would be top 6 but you're looking strong title contenders now and it makes our 3 points against you all the more impressive.

Under achievers:

Reading, Watford, Wigan, Bolton are the main ones.

I'm disappointed we are in the bottom 3 too. I didn't have any great expectations for the season but I hoped we would survive this season without trouble. We look better now Jones has gone but we will still do well to stay up with our unbalanced squad. The January window will make or break our season. Luckily there are a few other shit teams in the league (Charlton, Doncaster, Millwall, Yeovil, Barnsley) that should be surmountable. We need to finish above 3 of those 6.

[Happy Fox]

Over achievers:

Leicester, Derby, Burnley, Ipswich, Leeds, Huddersfield and Bournemouth are all currently at least a few places higher in the table than where I thought they would finish.

I thought you would be top 6 but you're looking strong title contenders now and it makes our 3 points against you all the more impressive.

Under achievers:

Reading, Watford, Wigan, Bolton are the main ones.

I'm disappointed we are in the bottom 3 too. I didn't have any great expectations for the season but I hoped we would survive this season without trouble. We look better now Jones has gone but we will still do well to stay up with our unbalanced squad. The January window will make or break our season. Luckily there are a few other shit teams in the league (Charlton, Doncaster, Millwall, Yeovil, Barnsley) that should be surmountable. We need to finish above 3 of those 6.

 

Connor Wickham made the difference the only player of genuine championship quality in your team without him you would be even more deeper in the mire.

[Corky]

Overachievers-

 

Leicester- Horrendous run towards the end of last season and no significant business done in the summer, yet a total turnaround and sit at the top with a cushion at New Year. We are often loathe to really praise our own but it's been a superb half of the season.

 

Derby- Unbelievable really, mixed start to the season, surprise sacking and even bigger surprise appointment, paid off so handsomely so far, you have to give credit.

 

Burnley- Wonderful start, still in contention, totally unfancied playing some entertaining football.

 

Ipswich- Big fan of Mick and he's turned it around incredibly there. Now a play-off contender a year after looking certs for League One. Hardly spent a penny either, top work.

 

Yeovil- Slightly different, but the fact they are in this division is remarkable in itself. Even now they aren't bottom and can still touch survival.

 

Underachievers-

 

Bolton- Fantastic squad on paper, momentum from the end of last season, sitting 18th currently. Freedman has plenty of questions to answer.

 

Wigan- Starting to improve under Rosler, Coyle was a shambles. Failed to score in something like six away games in a row, had a great squad and the cup winners to take over, Coyle did so poorly.

 

QPR- Yes they are still very much involved but 24 goals in 23 games, playing with no striker and sitting fourth is underachieving for a squad that should be top. No doubt they'll spend a shedload in January but have been very unconvincing so far.

 

Reading- Manager who wins promotion regularly, talented squad, currently 9th. Not good enough for a relegated club with money to spend and Sharp, Le Fondre, Drenthe and Pogrebniyak to call upon.

[SMX11]

I don't think we are overachieving at all, we knew what we are capable of and the only think we lacked for most of last season was consistant performances. So far this year we have done that :xmasbiggrin:

[Bayfox]

I thought we would be there or there abouts.

our squad was always gonna be a year older,we kept them together. It was always about whether others strengthened whilst we always knew we may stand still in terms of numbers and what the clubs coming down did.

for me the only real over achievers are derby, didnt see that coming.

maybe burnley. Really thought with austin gone and a small squad they would be midtable at best.

under achievers qpr and wigan.

qpr should walk this league in the fashion newcastle or west brom did.

wigan. How a side can keep most its key players add grant holt and go backwards is beyond my logic.

[tartanowl]

Connor Wickham made the difference the only player of genuine championship quality in your team without him you would be even more deeper in the mire.

We are toothless up top I'll admit and midfield is a weak area too. JJ looks like he is past his best, Nuhiu is looking a failed gamble from abroad, Madine is banged up and wasn't good enough anyway, we miss Antonio who has struggled with injuries this season, and Maguire fell out with Jones so we don't know how he will do.

I think defensively we have some Championship standard players that would get in a number of teams. Kirkland, Buxton, Roger Johnson, Gardner (when fit) and Loovens are all solid for this division. Our squad is weak though undoubtedly.

[Super_horns]

Seems to be a few off field issues at Reading maybe affecting the team?

 

Bolton certainly haven't performed and Wigan maybe rely too much on Powell but as stated above Rosler seems to be getting results early on.

 

Certainly we haven't produced good enough results - particularly at home.

 

Vydra wasn't replaced and missing Abdi's creative guile as well.

 

Least this new man seems to have got has defending..

 

Credit to the likes of Burnley and Ipswich - shows what a couple of goal scorers and organising can do for you in this league (same with Derby)

 

Teams like Bournemouth and Huddersfield are more than holding their own scoring goals and playing some decent football.

 

Personally I did think you'd guys would be top 6 at least (same with Forest) but still got to do it on the pitch which you have.

[Fox92]

In terms of overachieving, Derby and Burnley are the obvious choices. Both of which people would have no doubt had for around mid table. At the other end, I'd have expected Wigan and Bolton (who I tipped for automatic promotion) to be performing better. That said, Wigan haven't conceded that many goals (less than us) and have to compete in Europe... Even with all the problems at QPR, I knew they'd be up and around the top 6. They have a brilliant squad, and Redknapp knows how to get teams out of this division.

 

A note on ourselves, I expected us to be around the top 10 (I'm a massive Pearson fan and he isn't an idiot regardless of lack of signings this summer) but I didn't expect us to be top of the league over the new year. I'm very happy with our season so far and just hope, like all of us, we can keep this up. However, like last season, my expectations have not changed. I wanted us to be in the play offs come the end of the season and that hasn't changed regardless of our position so far.