Rivals for auto spots (2 Viewers)

KenilworthSkyBlue · Sunday at 1:35 PM

covcity4life said:
Ya fair enough. It's hard to guage. Maybe in blinded by the robins aspect of it and a good second half Vs Boro but if in gonna have Boro up there I had to put stoke there

Stoke's squad isn't great IMO. They don't have the quality to sustain their current form.

robbiethemole · Sunday at 1:43 PM

clint van damme said:
There's not one post in this thread has said this!

picky fucker, not on this thread maybe, but you know they are about

fernandopartridge · Sunday at 1:50 PM

KenilworthSkyBlue said:
Stoke's squad isn't great IMO. They don't have the quality to sustain their current form.

They haven't won in four games now

clint van damme · Sunday at 1:55 PM

robbiethemole said:
picky fucker, not on this thread maybe, but you know they are about

I've not seen one personally.
Think most people are fairly optimistic.

stupot07 · Sunday at 1:58 PM

The January Transfer window will be huge, especially if Ipswich and Leicester are up and around their.

skybluegod · Sunday at 1:59 PM

Ccfcisparks said:
wow did we really have that many

Started on fire but pretty much fell off from game 10 onwards. Think we lost 5-0 to Luton in game 10 and then only won something like 3 of the next 15. Not sure this team would have such a fall off.

Evo1883 · Sunday at 2:00 PM

Realistically i cant think of automatic promotion anytime before christmas

Personally im thinking of it , but realistically theres so much football to be played still

Macca · Sunday at 2:05 PM

Play offs is the target every season now. Autos would probably be my greatest moment in 45 years as a City fan

Macca · Sunday at 2:06 PM

Having watched the Old Farm Derby I'd say Ipswich are as least as good as us

Evo1883 · Sunday at 2:07 PM

Macca said:
Having watched the Old Farm Derby I'd say Ipswich are as least as good as us

They took their chances , we were far better against norwich tbh than they were

Matt smith · Sunday at 2:12 PM

Philogene said it could be game over for everyone else when they get going

bring it on

stupot07 · Sunday at 2:19 PM

Evo1883 said:
They took their chances , we were far better against norwich tbh than they were

Tbf you can't really compare, today's game was a proper derby game, Norwich were well up for it, pressed with far more intensity and aggression than against us.

TomRad85 · Sunday at 2:32 PM

Evo1883 said:
Realistically i cant think of automatic promotion anytime before christmas

Personally im thinking of it , but realistically theres so much football to be played still

I just want to be there abouts in Jan as I think we have the remaining funds to help push us over the line.

Gibbo · Sunday at 2:35 PM

Leicester Ipswich and Middlesbrough. All the others will have occasional defeats

Leicester in particular

KenilworthSkyBlue · Sunday at 2:48 PM

fernandopartridge said:
They haven't won in four games now

Oh well there you go then. I rarely even start looking at the table or form trends until January.

It's a pretty pointless exercise as so much can change.

rob9872 · Sunday at 2:51 PM

Has it cme a season too soon for Doug? A lot of free season tickets to give up next year.

Covcraig@bury · Sunday at 3:55 PM

I’m getting carried away but I really don’t want to. As we all know this is the best and hardest league in the world. Anything can happen. So let’s just take every game at face value as there is nothing guarantied. One game at a time, so let’s just enjoy the moment.

Saddlebrains · Sunday at 4:52 PM

At the next international break we are 15 games in. Over a quarter of a season. The table never ends up far off from that at the end, bar the inevitable 1 team that will fall like a stone towards a relegation battle (which will be Preston) and one that comes from the bottom and makes a play off push (probs the blunts)

If we are still within spitting distance of the top 2 come the next international break we will be up there for the foreseeable I feel

HuckerbyDublinWhelan · Sunday at 4:56 PM

Fully expect Leicester, Ipswich and Southampton to be amongst the autos come January. We stay in line with them January will be huge

procdoc · Sunday at 5:09 PM

HuckerbyDublinWhelan said:
Fully expect Leicester, Ipswich and Southampton to be amongst the autos come January. We stay in line with them January will be huge

Southampton have been awful

oneofourown · Sunday at 5:14 PM

covcity4life said:
Who are they? Not getting carried away but stats suggest we are a real contender for an automatic spot. So who are we up against?

For me there obviously loads of teams in playoff contention but not many you wold expect to be fighting for top 2. Normally 3-4 max in that race.

Obviously we can only go on 9 games so far but for me:

Boro - top 2 contender
Leicester top 2 contender
Preston playoffs max
Stoke top 2 contender
QPR great run but I think playoffs only
West brom good team but playoffs
Birmingham playoffs max
Wrexham playoffs max
Swansea playoffs max
Sheff utd autos gone. Big run maybe playoffs
Southampton top 2 contebder
Ipswich top 2 contender
Millwall playoffs max
Watford playoffs max
Bristol city playoffs max despite good few years

So that leaves us with

Cov
Boro
Stoke
Leicester
Ipswich
Southampton

As top 2 contenders in my humble opinion.

Leicester possible points decision and reliance on wingers?

Ipswich and soton started slow and if we keep winning it puts pressure on them to break out on a run sooner rather than later

Stoke Boro are outsiders(like us) but I think we look better than them

I'm not saying we will definitely win the league but......we have a chance and I'm sorry but I can't stop thinking about it.

Is this based on statistics or just your thinking?

covcity4life · Sunday at 5:20 PM

oneofourown said:
Is this based on statistics or just your thinking?

Just my thinking

Paxman II · Sunday at 5:20 PM

As I consider what we have already done and watched a few other so called 'contenders' performances, I'd say we are the favourites for the auto's. Ipswich will come stronger but don't over estimate them. Norwich are very poor and it's no great feat to have beaten them. Yes we drew with them but that was at the begining as players were settling in. We have since found fantastic form and a blend of unrelenting football. There's no going back. Normally we have to give it 10/12 games to see a pattern form. Well we are almost at that point given our next few all look capable wins. From here questions would be asked if we did not make a sustained effort and push for the top. Leicester are a mixed bag, their results don't lie but they have not been entirely convincing.
My top contenders would be:

Ipswich, Leicester and Coventry.

Shannerz · Sunday at 5:21 PM

I still expect Ipswich to be the strongest team in the league.

Mcbean · Sunday at 5:27 PM

EPL investigation into incester will do nothing I think as their points deduction won’t be valid in the EFL - however the scabby bastards got away with all sorts in the championship like the Gary Lineker investment - they should get at least 20 points deduction imo - should sort them out

Yank · Sunday at 5:32 PM

Still a long ways to go for all teams, but if we stay relatively injury free and DK lets us strengthen as much as feasible in January, I think we will be right up there. Leicester are a toss up just depending on any penalties they may get, and Southampton looks great one game, and then shit the next. However, do feel they could be up there. Boro as well.

Surprise contenders?

Call me crazy but I think Bristol and WBA if they can bring in some reinforcements come January.

QPR, Stoke, and Preston will tail off imo.

Regardless, we just have to stay focused, stay consistent, and whatever bumps come our way(They will happen) just have to roll with them.

itsabuzzard · Sunday at 5:51 PM

clint van damme said:
Expect Stoke to fall away.
Think it will be us, boro and the parachute clubs

This.

skybluecam · Sunday at 6:02 PM

Opta's current predicted table...

Robinshio · Sunday at 6:06 PM

rob9872 said:
Has it cme a season too soon for Doug? A lot of free season tickets to give up next year.

this is only season 3 of 5 , any time in the next 3 years including this one, and that is the case (the 1st play offs were pre the 1st season of the premier season ticket)

HuckerbyDublinWhelan · Sunday at 6:33 PM

procdoc said:
Southampton have been awful

They have but the squad they have is good enough to be right up there. They also have a 20 goal striker which is massive in this league.

Lamps · Sunday at 6:58 PM

SkyblueTexan said:
Although I’m absolutely chuffed and buzzing, please let us stay grounded. We had 19 points after 9 games in 21-22 and finished 12th. Don’t want to look too far ahead.

I get what you're saying. But the team of 21/22 wasn't anything on the team of now. We had 2 excellent players and nearly all the rest were average at best.

If we lost our best 2 players then we would lose most of the time. Now, losing Rudoni, Torp and others? We just continue to hammer sides. The one player we wouldn't want to lose through injury, Grimes, hasn't had an injury for years. We have been changing half our outfield players yet continue to score goals.

I know its too early to celebrate anything, but in all the games I've seen there's been no team to worry me. Lots of goals and 4 clean sheets now. No player has looked out of place. Top of the Championship with an unreal GD. Averaging 3 goals a game even after not scoring in 2 games. We don't have to improve but we most probably will. We can lose the next game and will still be in the automatic promotion places.

Let's just enjoy the season. Not bothered about dreaming of losing most games in the Prem.

Lamps · Sunday at 7:38 PM

HuckerbyDublinWhelan said:
They have but the squad they have is good enough to be right up there. They also have a 20 goal striker which is massive in this league.

They have the squad maybe but they don't have the manager. The Championship is one of the most competitive divisions in the world. Will Still isn't a highly experienced manager. The Championship will have been an eye opener for him. Southampton are already 8 points and a GD of 21 behind us after just 9 games.

They have a tough decision to make. Continue with a manager who has a seriously underperforming side or bring in an experienced Championship manager. But even that could take time when they're falling behind the pack.

skybluecam · Sunday at 7:47 PM

rob9872 said:
Has it cme a season too soon for Doug? A lot of free season tickets to give up next year.

I’m sure the guaranteed £100m+ will soften the blow.

AOM · Sunday at 7:59 PM

Think I agree with most assessments on here already, and Ipswich and Leicester (points deduction depending) are the main automatic rivals.
I know Middlesbrough have started well, but for some reason I just can't see them being more than play off contenders.

Have a feeling Millwall and Birmingham will be potential play off candidates as well, but the latter in particular have started poorly.
Sheffield United could also have a shout but they'll really need a turnaround.

Definitely the most open Championship we're likely to see for a while, and looks like we've got a very good opportunity to really go for promotion

Rivals for auto spots (2 Viewers)

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