Leicester lead the way at the top of the championship
We are past the half way stage of the season and at least 10 teams are still fighting for the play offs. In this article I will have a look at the teams challenging for those crucial play off spots and also the automatic spots, currently Leicester are top of the league as Nigel Pearson's men are to hot to handle this season. QPR are the other team who occupy the automatic spot.
Burnley, Derby, Nottingham Forest and Reading are all sitting in the play offs at the moment and are definitely showing signs that they are ready to enter the big time.
Leicester
Unbeaten in the league since December in a 3-1 defeat the Brighton, Leicester have definitely shown why they are at the top of the league. Strength in depth has been one of the main reasons why we see Leicester at the top of the table and also the attacking options. David Nugent is currently the leading scorer for the foxes scoring 17 goals and Vardy is behind him on the list with 10. Pearson has strengthened Leicester's defence and 10 clean sheets this season is a sign of a top quality team.
Pearson added Kevin Phillips to his squad in January because he wanted another experienced player to help them win promotion and avoid a repeat of the play offs last season.
Can they go up?
I will be very surprised if they don't, they are the most consistent team in the division and they should be playing premier league football next season. If they get into the Premier league I think they'll stay up they have the financial backing to sign some great players to help them.
Predicted finish- 1st.
QPR
Harry Redknapp hasn't done a bad job this season at QPR but in my opinion he should be doing better, at the moment they are ten points behind Leicester and only four points off 4th position. On deadline day we saw QPR sign five players including 4 strikers, this is no surprise as they have scored the least out of everyone in the top six with just 36 goals.
Top scorer Austin is out for the season which is a huge blow for the side but they still have a great squad and they SHOULD go up with the squad they have.
Can they go up?
Yes. Their squad is fantastic nearly all of them have played in the premier league and have got wealth of experience which you need to get out of this division. However motivation is hard for these players as they don't really want to play in the championship but if they want to go to the prem then they have to step it up.
Predicted finish - 2nd.
Burnley
Burnley have surprised everyone this season, Dyche's men are doing brilliantly in the league especially the attacking men Danny Ings and Sam Vokes, between them they have scored 37 goals. At the other end in defence they have kept eleven clean sheets. Following the departure of Jay Rodriguez many predicted Burnley not to do very well but they certainly shut the critics up.
The next two games see Burnley play championship strugglers Millwall and Bolton and many expect them to pick up maximum points.
Can they go up?
Of course they have a chance but I think next season would be the season for them, this season maybe a bit early for them as they don't have enough quality to compete with the likes of Leicester.
Predicted finish- 4th.
Derby
Similar to Burnley the Rams have surprised most people this season. After Nigel Clough got sacked Derby were left in 14th position and in stepped Steve McClaren who so far has done a fantastic job. Talented young players such as Andre Wisdom, Patrick Bamford and George Thorne have all signed for Derby on loan till the end of the season.
The Rams have been receiving praise because of their attacking play and they deserve it. Chris Martin, Ward and Bamford have been leading the line in recent matches and have been causing a threat to most teams. Martin who was with Derby last season signed on a free from Norwich and has scored 17 goals so far which has guided Derby to 4th spot.
Can they go up?
Like Burnley I think next season Derby can challenge for those automatic spots, the team is young and has a lot of talent but they do struggle against the teams around them.
Predicted finish - 5th
Nottingham Forest
With the financial backing from the owners you could say Forest have underachieved this season. The reds are six points off 2nd and are eleven games unbeaten, Billy Davies' men seem to be getting better and better as each game is going along, but can they maintain the unbeaten run. Strikers have been the big worry for them so far this season but Davies has signed Djebbour to sort out their problems.
Forest have done well against the teams around them this season but do struggle against the teams at the bottom half of the table which is one of the reasons why they sit 5th behind their fierce rivals Derby.
Can they go up?
They do have the squad to challenge and if they keep their unbeaten run up then who knows, however if they don't go up this season then they have a great chance next season.
Predicted finish - 3rd
Reading
Reading are the last team who occupy that crucial play off spots. Adkins men have been in and out of the play offs all season but are now finding form to push higher up the league. Adam Le Fondre is the Royals top goal scorer with 13 goals. Reading trashed out of form Blackpool and Bolton 5-1 and 7-1, Le Fondre scored a hat-trick in both games.
They are now four points ahead of Ipswich who sit in 7th place and are now aiming to open the gap between them, can Adkins pull out some more great results.
Can they go up?
The strike force is the problem for them at the moment, I don't think they have the squad to do it but if they sign a striker in the summer then I think next season they'll be more of a threat.
Predicted finish - 6th
Predicted table:
We are past the half way stage of the season and at least 10 teams are still fighting for the play offs. In this article I will have a look at the teams challenging for those crucial play off spots and also the automatic spots, currently Leicester are top of the league as Nigel Pearson's men are to hot to handle this season. QPR are the other team who occupy the automatic spot.
Burnley, Derby, Nottingham Forest and Reading are all sitting in the play offs at the moment and are definitely showing signs that they are ready to enter the big time.
Leicester
Unbeaten in the league since December in a 3-1 defeat the Brighton, Leicester have definitely shown why they are at the top of the league. Strength in depth has been one of the main reasons why we see Leicester at the top of the table and also the attacking options. David Nugent is currently the leading scorer for the foxes scoring 17 goals and Vardy is behind him on the list with 10. Pearson has strengthened Leicester's defence and 10 clean sheets this season is a sign of a top quality team.
Pearson added Kevin Phillips to his squad in January because he wanted another experienced player to help them win promotion and avoid a repeat of the play offs last season.
Can they go up?
I will be very surprised if they don't, they are the most consistent team in the division and they should be playing premier league football next season. If they get into the Premier league I think they'll stay up they have the financial backing to sign some great players to help them.
Predicted finish- 1st.
QPR
Harry Redknapp hasn't done a bad job this season at QPR but in my opinion he should be doing better, at the moment they are ten points behind Leicester and only four points off 4th position. On deadline day we saw QPR sign five players including 4 strikers, this is no surprise as they have scored the least out of everyone in the top six with just 36 goals.
Top scorer Austin is out for the season which is a huge blow for the side but they still have a great squad and they SHOULD go up with the squad they have.
Can they go up?
Yes. Their squad is fantastic nearly all of them have played in the premier league and have got wealth of experience which you need to get out of this division. However motivation is hard for these players as they don't really want to play in the championship but if they want to go to the prem then they have to step it up.
Predicted finish - 2nd.
Burnley
Burnley have surprised everyone this season, Dyche's men are doing brilliantly in the league especially the attacking men Danny Ings and Sam Vokes, between them they have scored 37 goals. At the other end in defence they have kept eleven clean sheets. Following the departure of Jay Rodriguez many predicted Burnley not to do very well but they certainly shut the critics up.
The next two games see Burnley play championship strugglers Millwall and Bolton and many expect them to pick up maximum points.
Can they go up?
Of course they have a chance but I think next season would be the season for them, this season maybe a bit early for them as they don't have enough quality to compete with the likes of Leicester.
Predicted finish- 4th.
Derby
Similar to Burnley the Rams have surprised most people this season. After Nigel Clough got sacked Derby were left in 14th position and in stepped Steve McClaren who so far has done a fantastic job. Talented young players such as Andre Wisdom, Patrick Bamford and George Thorne have all signed for Derby on loan till the end of the season.
The Rams have been receiving praise because of their attacking play and they deserve it. Chris Martin, Ward and Bamford have been leading the line in recent matches and have been causing a threat to most teams. Martin who was with Derby last season signed on a free from Norwich and has scored 17 goals so far which has guided Derby to 4th spot.
Can they go up?
Like Burnley I think next season Derby can challenge for those automatic spots, the team is young and has a lot of talent but they do struggle against the teams around them.
Predicted finish - 5th
Nottingham Forest
With the financial backing from the owners you could say Forest have underachieved this season. The reds are six points off 2nd and are eleven games unbeaten, Billy Davies' men seem to be getting better and better as each game is going along, but can they maintain the unbeaten run. Strikers have been the big worry for them so far this season but Davies has signed Djebbour to sort out their problems.
Forest have done well against the teams around them this season but do struggle against the teams at the bottom half of the table which is one of the reasons why they sit 5th behind their fierce rivals Derby.
Can they go up?
They do have the squad to challenge and if they keep their unbeaten run up then who knows, however if they don't go up this season then they have a great chance next season.
Predicted finish - 3rd
Reading
Reading are the last team who occupy that crucial play off spots. Adkins men have been in and out of the play offs all season but are now finding form to push higher up the league. Adam Le Fondre is the Royals top goal scorer with 13 goals. Reading trashed out of form Blackpool and Bolton 5-1 and 7-1, Le Fondre scored a hat-trick in both games.
They are now four points ahead of Ipswich who sit in 7th place and are now aiming to open the gap between them, can Adkins pull out some more great results.
Can they go up?
The strike force is the problem for them at the moment, I don't think they have the squad to do it but if they sign a striker in the summer then I think next season they'll be more of a threat.
Predicted finish - 6th
Predicted table:
- Leicester
- QPR
- Forest
- Burnley
- Derby
- Reading
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