League 1 - 21 games played. 

It's all to play for! 

Portsmouth continue their blistering pace and are surely hopeful of finally escaping League 1 but need to be wary of a Sheffield Wednesday type of slip up as despite only losing once so far this season, they are only 7 points clear of 3rd having played a game more. 

Bolton are the only other team consistently hitting the magical 2 points per game mark whereas Peterborough have had an especially good run to join the battle for a top 2 position. 

Oxford, Barnsley and Derby await any slipups! 

At the bottom, Cheltenham are slowly improving but it is looking too little too late. Burton, Exeter, Fleetwood and Carlise all seem determined to join them! 

January will be a key month....will teams invest wisely or with panic?

 

Championship - 21 games in.

21 games in and the table is taking shape. 

Unsurprisingly, Leicester and their financial wealth, are dominating the league before their return to the Premiership.  Ipswich maintain their very impressive form as a top 2 finish would not have been predicted by many pundits. Sound investment and a fantastic young manager seem to be paying off. If they strengthen again in January then you would expect them to finish in the top 2 or 3. 

Leeds and Southampton are closing the gap, with an impressive ppg jump over the last 7 games, but do have a tendency to stumble now and then so may not be able to close the gap to Ipswich. The race for the playoffs will be fascinating as all of the owners of the top 13 or 14 clubs will be targeting a top 6 finish. There will be some disappointed fans at the end! 

Leeds and Southampton look destined to finish in the top 4 with Leicester and Ipswich but the final two play off spots are up for grabs. Investment in January could make all the difference and I predict West Brom and Sunderland to fill the final two spots - assuming Sunderland sign a striker in January. 

Middlesborough have had a poor 7 games but surely have enough to make a play off run and Millwall are in danger of being dragged into the bottom three.

At the bottom, Rotherham and Wednesday are becoming detached, although both have the ability to pick up points and optimism abounds around Hillsborough with their new manager in particular. Candidates for the final relegation place almost overlaps teams who are dreaming of the playoffs.... 

Such is the craziness of the Championship....

 

Championship - 14 games in.

With 14 games now played the Championship is predicatbly dominated by the relegated teams from the Premiership and the big spenders of Ipswich. 

 After the top 3 though there looks like being a fascinating fight for the play offs. A whole host of teams with previous Premiership experience are battling to return with several clubs destined for disappointment! 

 At the bottom, Wednesday look doomed with little evidence of a new manager bounce and QPR continue to struggle. The bottom 6 look like they will be the bottom 6 at the end of the season and are now in their own little league.

Championship - almost 14 games in

 The Championship is almost 14 games in and the big boys are moving to the top.

Leicester seem to be unstoppable, Ipswich's massive investment in players is paying off and Leeds are getting their act together. However, the Championship is the most competitive league in Europe so expect twists and turns!

Make sure you return when everyone has played 14 games!

 

League 1 - 14 Games in.

League 1 teams have now all hit the 14 match marker.  What do we see and what can we predict?

Oxford continue to be in the conversation for automatic promotion and a great last 7 games from Portsmouth has propelled them to the top.  I expect both these teams to be in the top 3 at the end of the season as it already looks a 3 horse race for the top 2 spots.  Bolton continue to impress and will be there or thereabouts come the end of the season.

Barnsley and Peterborough may spoil the promotion party but they have played a game more and their ppg indicates a strong play off run with no indication of a top 2 push.

The January transfer window may be fascinating and the teams from the current top 4 or 5 who get that right may secure promotion.  Last season, Ipswich and Plymouth both invested heavily in the January transfer window while Sheffield Wednesday did little business.  Plymouth and Ipswich secured the automatic promotion spots while Wednesday faded from the top 2.  They did scrape up via the playoffs...but probably wish they hadn't given they have yet to win a game in the Championship.

I am also starting a points per game tracker - take a look! - L1 - PPG tracker

 It's looking good for Portsmouth....

They are smack bang in the middle of the PPG needed to be champions after 14 games.... Check back once everyone has played 14 games and the data can be ranked!

League 1 - As we get to 14 games in....

The League 1 table will start to take shape now as teams start to get to 14 games in.... 

Stevenage's electrifying start, after their promotion as runner's up last year, has cooled but a PPG (points per game) of 1.57 is more than enough for mid table with a possible late flirt at the playoffs.

 

Burton, for the second year in a row, start abysmally but are quickly turning it around. Their improvement is rapid and they could be a dark horse for the playoffs. 

The third team to hit 14 matches also achieved promotion last year, this time via the playoffs, and Carlise continue to average just under a point per game. With 4 teams being relegated it is essential to get over that 1 point per game average. 

Teams promoted via the playoffs often struggle at a higher level and Carlisle will have to rely heavily on their team spirit and organisation if they are to stay up.

 

Championship - 7 games in....

 And we are off....

Surely Preston can't keep this up.....and who'd have thought Middlesborough would have had such a bad start?

League 1 - 7 games in....

So 7 games in...how is it looking...  

Stevenage continue their impressive form with a ppg of 2 but Oxford and Port Vale are the two teams who are earning enough points per game to be in and around the top 2 when the season end. 

Exeter's loss to Leyton Orient changes their destination from the automatics to the playoffs. How they fare in the next 7 games will be fascinating. Will they do a Wimbledon on 2021 / 2022 and fade away down the table or is there a top 6 team at St James Park this year? 

In 2021 / 2022 Rotherham came from mid-table to finish runners up but I don't think anyone below 1.86ppg can hope for the top 2 anymore. Reading and Wigan are distorting the picture at the bottom as they wouldn't be there but for the points deduction.....meaning it is looking particularly grim for Cheltenham, Fleetwood and Burton already. 

 History would suggest they are in significant trouble already.

Championship Tracking 2023 / 2024

The Championship Tracking spreadsheet for 2023 / 2024 is up and ready to go!

League 1 Tracking 2023 / 2024

The League 1 2023 / 2024 tracking page is set up and ready to go!  

 Click here for the key - Click me for the key