Mid way through an International Break with 1/4 of the season gone seems a good point to review my thoughts from the outset of the season
http://westbrom.com/forum/index.php?topic=7790.msg673895#msg673895Generally if a team is within a place or two of where I would have put them I am giving myself a pat on the back. Some I have got spectacularly wrong
Teams performing within expected rangeWBA, Leeds, Fulham, Bristol City, Barnsley, Wigan, Reading, Cardiff, Blackburn, Hull, Birmingham and Luton
Feel these I got broadly right while Fulham are a little off the initial pace the but top of the table is so closely bunched my view remains that the automatics are broadly a 3 horse race between Leeds, WBA and Fulham. Other clubs will interfere with it from time to time but across the season these are the 3 teams to beat.
Wigan and Barnsley were predicted to struggle and they are. Hull Birmingham and Blackburn are looking like the typical mid-table sides capable of getting the odd eye catching result but not really capable of stringing enough consistent performances to break the out of mid table.
Reading had a good window flattered to deceive with a good win against Cardiff but have looked mediocre otherwise. I did not think Cardiff would challenge they are not.
Finally from this group Luton maybe are doing a little better than expected but aren't looking all that good.
Teams above expected rangeCharlton, Preston, Forest, Swansea, QPR, Sheffield Wednesday, and Millwall.
Charlton are way ahead of expectations they endured a difficult summer a lot of their squad wasn't assembled to the last minute yet Lee Bowyer has them in the top half of the division just a couple of points off the play-offs. Even if they regress but finish comfortably outside the relegation zone then this is a heroic achievement
Preston are way ahead of the mid-table spot that I had them pencilled in for as are QPR who looked like a team that might struggle.
Swansea are less of a surprise but what is a surprise is that Borja Baston was a) still at the club and b) quite a good footballer, whether his goals are enough to keep them in a play-off spot remains to be seen.
I was quite negative about Sheffield Wednesday and they are doing a fair bit better than I thought they would this with a manager I don't like nor rate, fair enough can't get everything right.
Forest always seem to have potential, their squad is massive too many players stranded by their ever revolving door of managers all of whom have bought in players who are promptly discarded by their successor. To get this team sorted out and not only into the top 6 but into a promotion spot at this stage is an excellent job by Sabri Lamouchi.
Finally Millwall are not good but I had them firmly in the bottom 6 their win against Leeds elevates them out of immediate danger so they are a little above where I would have placed them.
Teams Underperforming Brentford, Boro, Stoke Huddersfield, and Derby.
At least I didn't tip Stoke to be among the front runners and it is fair to say they have not been playing as badly as their results would imply but there is no way they should be in the bottom half of the table let alone in a relegation spot.
I got Huddersfield wrong I was a lot more bullish about their prospects than I was about Cardiff's for instance. There are good players at the club but I under estimated how deeply the rot had set in. Showing some signs of life under the Cowley brothers so they may yet rescue their season.
I thought both Brentford and Derby would be challenging. Both are slightly misfiring although ironically after the drink drive debacle Derby are starting to show some form. Brentford on the other hand seem to have lost their way a bit with a greater emphasis on defence (which was their problem last year) but the goals have dried up.
To some degree I can see all of the above improving, yet I cannot see that from Boro who have been playing poorly and getting the results they deserve. This was always going to be a transitional season but they should not be hovering just above the relegation zone.
The Championship is an unpredictable beast and the fact that only 2 teams have made it through the 1st quarter running at the magic two points a game level shows just how competitive it is. Nobody can take anything for granted and no doubt when I take stock of this at Christmas things will have been stood on their head
