Over halfway and the league is as tight as it has ever been. Who are your current picks for automatic promotion and playoff places?

I think it will finish:

1. West Brom
2. Watford

3. Ipswich
4. Crystal Palace
5. Wolves
6. Stoke


22. Colchester
23. Blackpool
24. Scunthorpe

I can see struggling Preston escaping and Blackpool collapsing over the coming months.

Your predictions?

Watford will be lucky if they can stay in the play-offs. Have been shockingly poor at home recently. Shocking that there is only 12 points between the play-off position & the relegation zone. I fancy Sheffield United to start climbing up and get at least the play-offs

Yeah although i feel that Watford will again find their early season form.

That's what I was going to say, A few wins from the teams in the relegation zone and just above could put them mid-table. I think Irvine will sort Preston out soon and will start to climb the table. Also QPR seem to be getting things sorted, Could bringing so many new players in be detrimental though?

Thats the question. Money as we know does not always bring success. Although the likes of Hall, Buzaky etc that they have completed transfers for already this window will undoubtedly strengthen the squad.

And look what happened at Leicester City with Martin Allen, he brought in a host of players but then fell out with Milan Mandaric. Now Ian Holloway is picking up the pieces. I just hope that Flavio Briatore and Bernie Ecclestone run the club right and not anything like that chump Vladimir Romanov at Hearts.

Ye Watford have been quite poor reently but that is just like us (Wolves) We have had a dreadful christmas month but we are still only 2 points away from the playoffs and I think we will still do it.

As much as I hate to say it and have hitting myself right now as I type it I do believe Albion will probably get automatic this season, Probably top spot. I know all Wolves fans have probably just put a price on my head for saying that haha, I've just put a price on my head for saying that, but they have played sensational ever since the 0-0 draw with us at their ground, I think Watford will join them in the automatics because they have been up there basically since day one and can't see that changing.

The playoffs is extremely open theres alot of teams that can make it and have good quality players in their line-ups. Obviously as a Wolves fan I'm hoping we get in there. If we do we will possibly be 5th again. Can imagine Bristol City still been there in 6th place, Charlton will have to fight hard but I believe they will keep a play-off place could be 3rd and the other playoff sport I would give to probably Crystal Palace. They have been sensational recently and deserve a good push and I think they will get a good strong run of results on finished the league in 4th place for the play-offs.

1st - West Brom
2nd - Watford
---------------------
3rd Charlton
4th Crystal Palace
5th Wolves
6th Bristol City

That means it would be Wolves vs Charlton and Palace vs Bristol City if last season playoffs were anything to go by. I think we do seem a bit edgy this season and I think even though we have already beat Charlton I think the Addicks will take us 2-0 at their place and we will beat them 1-0 at home so they would be in final. I think Palace would join them with 2 good 1-0 wins and it would make for a great final which I think Charlton would go through.


The relegation battle.
I think Preston are in a bad stage at the moment, and looking at the transfer window they seem to be losing quite a few players. Even though they are only 3 points off and haven't got a awful goal difference I think they are just too drained to spring a comeback and can imagine them unfortunately dropping into league 1.
To be honest I think the three teams above the relegation place are very good, But i think Norwich are going to struggle as I can't remember when they were last this close and battling from relegation. I can imaging Leicester easily avoiding relegation by the end of the season and Scunthorpe just squeezing out the relegation zone towards the end.
I think Colchester are bound to go down. They have fought well this season but there doesn't seem a great lot they can do this season. They will probably end up 23rd and drop.
So i think the relegation zone will be,

22nd - Norwich
23rd - Colchester
24th - Preston


Sorry about the essay haha.

Good post Wrighty

I didn't realise Preston were selling a few players, That will make it harder for them unless they bring in some new faces. They need to keep hold of Whaley for sure, he's playing well at the moment and has scored in his last three games.

After the cracking result at the weekend and the signings of Chaplow and Brown if we can spend more money in the transfer market i can see us staying up and finishing comfortably.

Yesterday was the best i have seen us play for a long time and Chris Brown was fantastic dont think he will ever be a 20 goal a season striker but his work rate is 1st class and he can bring others into play.

Chaplow is a workhorse a box to box midfielder with goals in him and wont shy a tackle and he will be a great addition to the squad.

We are trying to sign Taylor Twellman from New England revolution in the MLS but arnt having much luck with 102 goals in a 192 games i think he is worth a gamble.

Also with the rumoured signings of Micheal Hart from Aberdeen Vidarsson from Everton and a bid lodged for Darren Huckerby are board are trying to pull us out


The lose of Agyemang,Pugh,Carroll are not major Agyemang had 1 good game in 20 and at most is an impact player coming off the bench for the last 20 mins against a tiring defence.

Pugh was just awful for us and i cant believe we made a profit.

Carroll too imature and tempermental to be in a first team he is too light weight and will never be the next Duncan Ferguson as the toon fans think.

RANT OVER LOL

Do you really see Bristol City finishing outside the top 6??

Stranger

Yeah it was a good win for your boys yesterday Steve0, It had to be an ex-Liverpool player though didn't it.

Darren Huckerby? I havnt heard that one, he would be a good signing though.

alrite pal

Yeah super Neil scored 2 mins after coming on i have his name on the back of my shirt which means he will leave soon.

Yeah ive been told that we are trying to bring the huck to Deepdale not sure how to take it we are willing to spend money at the moment but i see wages being a problem if any deal is in the pipeline.

I hope we get Twellman he has spat his dummy out over in the US and he wants the move because we can triple his wages so we will have to see if we go back in after our $2 million dollar offer was rejected by the MLS.

Great to see Cardiff shooting up the table!
I think we may end up in the Playoffs come the end of the season.
Come on you Bluebirds!!

Yes Cardiff playing well at the moment but were not getting crushing wins just winning by the odd goal.

I think they will have a serious dip in form. And with points so tight, they will narrowly miss out.

In my opinion...

West Brom
Bristol City
---
Charlton
Palace
Watford
Ipswich


---
Preston NE
Scunthorpe
Colchester

Well, you can't be right all the time 'ay floody

They will probably make the playoffs.

I hope for their own sake they don't go up.

Good to see you getting used to life down in this section Floody. Nothing better than thinking ahead

I've been watching us in this league for Several years. Fitting back in should be no problem.

With only 10 games left to be played i think the race to the Premiership will go down to the wire. It's that close at the top any two of four teams can take the automatic promotion places. Bristol City, Watford, Stoke and West Brom are all up there and only four points seperating first from fourth, with the Baggies having a game in hand.

Bristol City are have a miraculous first season in the Championship, surprising everyone with their recent run of form and finding themselves at the top of tree. I personally think that their youngish team will have the ability to keep them up there for the remainder of the season but narrowly missing out of the top two.

Watford, having lost Marlon King will not have the same attacking threat, but what a striker they have in Darius Henderson. With his goals i can see them grabbing one of the automatic places. Aidy Boothroyd has done an excellent job since taking over at Vicarage Road.

Stoke are another surprise package this season. Their season has just got better and better. Although having lost their last two games they still find themselves in the mix in the race for the Premiership. I think the latter stages of the season will provide too much pressure for Tony Pulis' side has they will settle for a Play-Off Place.

West Brom are my favourites to take the Championship title and take top spot. The Premiership quality and experience throughout the side will prove the difference. Kevin Phillips is in superb form, providing the goals which has given the Baggies a better goal differencethan any of the other top four clubs in the division. This will prove the difference at the end of the season and with the baggies also having a game in hand it is in their hands to keep the pressure on the others at the top.

1. West Brom
2. Watford
--------------------------
3. Stoke City
4. Bristol City
5. Charlton Athletic
6. Ipswich Town

The relegation battle is just as close as the promotion race.

Colchester already look like they are down and out at the foot of the table, and 8 points from safety. It doesn't look good for Geraint Williams' men. Even if there is a late push for safety i still think Colchester are for the drop.

Things also dont look too good at Scunthorpe. The Irons gave themselves hope after beating Coventry last week.

Sheff Wed are the other team in the remaining relegation place. The Owls had a poor start to the season losing 6 consecutive games. Things got better at the half way point of the season, recording a derby day win over local rivals Sheff Utd. Things have only got worse since then. Sheff Wed find themselves back in a relegation scrap.

They're are several other clubs lingering around at the bottom, with big named clubs such has Leicester City, Southampton and Sheff Utd amongst the teams struggling at the wrong end.

21. Preston North End
------------------------------
22. Sheff Wed
23. Scunthorpe
24. Colchester

yea i agree. from the three teams that go up, there is usually only one that copes well in the prem, sometimes two. if bristol city and/or stoke get promoted, they would have a very difficult season.

Agreed i think Bristol City would sturggle like Derby have in the premiership.

I would like to see teams like

Watford
WestBrom
Charlton

to get promoted as tehy have reasonable chance of staying up.

I'd like to see Cardiff there but i think they'd get a slaughtering in most games, and would have to rely on picking up points at home.

I think it is hard to tell who will finish were at the moment, the league is so tight and anyone can finish anywere.

I think it will finish

[size=24]1. West Brom
2. Stoke

3. Bristol City
4. Watford
5. Charlton
6.Palace

22. Coventry
23. Scunthorpe
24. ColchesterIt is a tight league and anything could happen in the last 8 games, but the league is starting to seperate and a playoff pack and a relegation pack is starting to form.[/size]

On The Ball City!!!!!

With only a couple of games left to go i think it will be West Brom and Stoke to go up automatically with Sheffield Wednesday taking that final relegation place. Both top teams have the momentum.