Apologies if this has been covered but I'm well out of the loop with the other leagues (typical Premier League fan/..) and I just had a random look and I was stunned to see at this late stage 1 point separates the top 5 teams. Surely that is a record not just for England but any major league at this stage of the season? At this stage we've normally got 3 at the top within about 5 points of each other and the others playing catch-up but trying to get the permeation of which 2 from 5 might go up automatically is a hell of a task. I really dont fancy going back down to that kind of dogfight.
It really is amazing. The top few for the past three months (Derby, Bournemouth, Boro) keep taking turns at the top before tripping up, and that has let Norwich and Watford, who are now the form teams with momentum, back into the race. I fancy Norwich will claim one of those top two places, possibly with Derby.
Four of the top 5 are free-scoring, too - only Boro keep it tight at the back. So they've all got impressive goal differences while clearly all being seriously flawed (all with 8 or more defeats from 36 games).
It boiling up to a fantastic finish, while on the subject of the championship, what happened to Rhodes at Blackburn, not been in the starting 11 on several occasions of late(not injured) including an unused sub against Liverpool at the weekend, reports in the press this morning stating that he may be joining Norwich on loan with a view to a permanent in the summer, £8 million the figure been throw around , didn't Blackburn try to get £12-13 million out of us for him last summer. Sound's like Blackburn want him and his wages off the books as promotions not on the cards this season.
I'm being serious. Any league where a club like Borussia Dortmund can languish at the bottom of the league has to be the most exciting league in the world. The Bundesliga title race is breathtaking.
BOURNEMOUTH Position: 1st Points: 66 Goal difference: +35 Form since December 5: P17 W10 D3 L4 F38 A19 Pts 33 Recent form: P6 W2 D2 L2 F10 A8 Pts 8 Games remaining: Sat, Mar 14: Blackpool (H); Tue, Mar 17: Cardiff City (A); Sat, Mar 21: Middlesbrough (H); Fri, Apr 3: Ipswich Town (A); Mon, Apr 6: Birmingham City (H); Fri, Apr 10: Brighton & Hove Albion (A); Tue, Apr 14: Reading (A); Sat, Apr 18: Sheffield Wednesday (H); Sat, Apr 25: Bolton Wanderers (H); Sat, May 2: Charlton Athletic (A) Games remaining against top-eight clubs: 2 DERBY COUNTY Position: 2nd Points: 66 Goal difference: +29 Form since December 5: P17 W9 D4 L4 F33 A20 Pts 31 Recent form: P6 W2 D2 L2 F10 A11 Pts 8 Games remaining: Sat, Mar 14: Norwich City (A); Tue, Mar 17: Middlesbrough (H); Fri, Mar 20: Wolverhampton Wanderers (A); Fri, Apr 3: Watford (H); Mon, Apr 6: Wigan Athletic (A); Sat, Apr 11: Brentford (H); Tue, Apr 14: Blackpool (H); Sat, Apr 18: Huddersfield Town (A); Sat, Apr 25: Millwall (A); Sat, May 2: Reading (H) Games remaining against top-eight clubs: 5 WATFORD Position: 3rd Points: 66 Goal difference: +28 Form since December 5: P17 W12 D1 L4 F41 A22 Pts 37 Recent form: P6 W4 D1 L1 F13 A10 Pts 13 Games remaining: Sat, Mar 14: Reading (H); Tue, Mar 17: Wigan Athletic (A); Sat, Mar 21: Ipswich Town (H); Fri, Apr 3: Derby County (A); Mon, Apr 6: Middlesbrough (H); Sat, Apr 11: Millwall (A); Wed, Apr 15: Nottingham Forest (A); Sat, Apr 18: Birmingham City (H); Sat, Apr 25: Brighton & Hove Albion (A); Sat, May 2: Sheffield Wednesday (H) Games remaining against top-eight clubs: 3 MIDDLESBROUGH Position: 4th Points: 66 Goal difference: +28 Form since December 5: P17 W10 D3 L4 F23 A12 Pts 33 Recent form: P6 W2 D1 L3 F6 A6 Pts 7 Games remaining: Sat, Mar 14: Ipswich Town (H); Tue, Mar 17: Derby County (A); Sat, Mar 21: Bournemouth (A); Fri, Apr 3: Wigan Athletic (H); Mon, Apr 6: Watford (A); Sat, Apr 11: Rotherham United (H); Tue, Apr 14: Wolverhampton Wanderers (H); Fri, Apr 17: Norwich City (A); Sat, Apr 25: Fulham (A); Sat, May 2: Brighton & Hove Albion (H) Games remaining against top-eight clubs: 6 NORWICH CITY Position: 5th Points: 65 Goal difference: +31 Form since December 5: P17 W12 D2 L3 F41 A15 Pts 38 Recent form: P6 W5 D0 L1 F13 A3 Pts 15 Games remaining: Sat, Mar 14: Derby County (H); Tue, Mar 17: Huddersfield Town (A); Sat, Mar 21: Nottingham Forest (H); Fri, Apr 3: Brighton & Hove Albion (A); Mon, Apr 6: Sheffield Wednesday (H); Sat, Apr 11: Bolton Wanderers (A); Tue, Apr 14: Leeds United (A); Fri, Apr 17: Middlesbrough (H); Sat, Apr 25: Rotherham United (A); Sat, May 2: Fulham (H) Games remaining against top-eight clubs: 2 BRENTFORD Position: 6th Points: 62 Goal difference: +12 Form since December 5: P17 W9 D1 L7 F28 A22 Pts 28 Recent form: P6 W3 D1 L2 F12 A7 Pts 10 Games remaining: Sat, Mar 14: Cardiff City (H); Tue, Mar 17: Blackburn Rovers (A); Sat, Mar 21: Millwall (H); Fri, Apr 3: Fulham (A); Mon, Apr 6: Nottingham Forest (H); Sat, Apr 11: Derby County (A); Tue, Apr 14: Sheffield Wednesday (A); Sat, Apr 18: Bolton Wanderers (H); Sat, Apr 25: Reading (A); Sat, May 2: Wigan Athletic (H) Games remaining against top-eight clubs: 1 IPSWICH TOWN Position: 7th Points: 61 Goal difference: +17 Form since December 5: P17 W8 D3 L6 F28 A20 Pts 27 Recent form: P6 W2 D1 L3 F8 A9 Pts 7 Games remaining: Sat, Mar 14: Middlesbrough (A); Tue, Mar 17: Bolton Wanderers (H); Sat, Mar 21: Watford (A); Fri, Apr 3: Bournemouth (H); Mon, Apr 6: Huddersfield Town (A); Sat, Apr 11: Blackpool (H); Tue, Apr 14: Cardiff City (H); Sat, Apr 18: Wolverhampton Wanderers (A); Sat, Apr 25: Nottingham Forest (H); Sat, May 2: Blackburn Rovers (A) Games remaining against top-eight clubs: 4 WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS Position: 8th Points: 58 Goal difference: +6 Form since December 5: P17 W9 D4 L4 F28 A14 Pts 31 Recent form: P6 W3 D1 L 2 F12 A5 Pts 10 Games remaining: Sat, Mar 14: Brighton & Hove Albion (A); Tue, Mar 17, Sheffield Wednesday (H); Fri, Mar 20: Derby County (H); Fri, Apr 3: Nottingham Forest (A); Mon, Apr 6: Leeds United (H); Sat, Apr 11: Birmingham City (A); Tue, Apr 14: Middlesbrough (A); Sat, Apr 18: Ipswich Town (H); Sat, Apr 25: Wigan Athletic (A); Sat, May 2: Millwall (H) Games remaining against top-eight clubs: 3
Brentford's run-in is as soft as they come. What a story it would be if they charged past everyone and took it.
I've watched a fair bit of Championship football this season. It's a really good league. Bournemouth look a brilliant team and play really good football. I'd really like to see them and Brentford promoted.
I had a bet on Bournemouth to win the league at the end of last season at 55\1. Hell, I didn't expect them to actually go and do it! Bournemouth, Middlesborough and Brentford for me. Weirdly, Brentfords manager is leaving at the end of the season, regardless of whether they get promoted or not.
Before I looked at the table, for some reason i thought Watford were struggling. Am I just wrong or have they put a run together to come from nowhere?
If Bournemouth, Norwich and Ipswich came up (and we stay up) then it's a geographical nightmare. I'd rather Boro, Derby and Watford (although not close the latter is easy to get to, we always beat them).
Norwich are the ones to watch......despite the blip against Wigan. Derby should go up given their squad but it's a right bunfight at the top...no-one has put a run together recently to pull clear.If any team does that now that might be enough. Personally would like to see Bournemouth,Derby and Watford to go up,but it's eminently possible none of them will.
Despite it being a geographical nightmare, I wouldn't mind getting Ipswich as I have family round there.
