Little quality in the CCC this season.

[Hendraldinhio]

And that is my honest opinion. Sides, like dare i say ourselves (Stoke) will be hard pressed to find a better opportunity than the one at present to launch an assualt on the Premiership - providing they speculate to accumulate. With a bit of investment, and the purchase of 4 quality players, a top 6 finish could quite easily be achieved. I'll use Stoke as the example, as clearly that is the easiest for me use, due to my inferior knowledge of other clubs.

Start of the season, we looked a side destined to struggle, little quality throughout the side. We were making errors at the back , that lead to goals, and very little creativity coming from the midfield. Then, we had an influx of loan players, Hendrie, Griffin, Diao and Delap, despite his perfromances being limited due to injury and most recently, Lawrence.

These players have clearly made an enormous difference, 6 wins in 8 tells its own story. We've rembered the winning feeling and have been more resolute when protecting leads as well as having more quality when going forward. Not only on the field, but off the field too. These kind of quality players give the club a feel good factor, and reignites supporter excitement at witnessing better standard of football. Clealrly, for Stoke to maintain there challenge, we'll need to retain the loanee's that have been so crucial.

I think that this is a real example of how tight, and lack of outstanding quality there is in the division. That and the fact that there is 6 points between 7th and 20th.

[mr.watford]

Maybe the league isn't poor, maybe it's just that everyone (Leeds apart ) is really well matched and anyone can beat anyone. It's still impossible to predict who'll win the league and whether the teams at the top will stay there, whereas last season it was pretty clear that Reading would walk it.

[Hendraldinhio]

Originally Posted by mr.watford

Maybe the league isn't poor, maybe it's just that everyone (Leeds apart ) is really well matched and anyone can beat anyone. It's still impossible to predict who'll win the league and whether the teams at the top will stay there, whereas last season it was pretty clear that Reading would walk it.

It's a poor division, it really is in my opinion. It needs 4 quality players and you are well set for an assault on the Premiership; proved by our upturn in fortunes.

Edit: All the sides are of very similar playing ability, there's no real quality stand out sides. But, that is major reasonm why the CCC is exciting as it is.

[mr.watford]

Last season, the league was terrible outside the top 6 (although I wasn't complaining), proven by the fact that Wolves finished 7th despite being shocking for the whole season and having Hoddle in charge.

Having four class players would make you top 6 contenders in most seasons in my opinion.

[MUMUFMUFCOK!]

It says a lot about the difference in quality between the Premiership and Championship, more than anything. Salif Diao, Lee Hendrie, Andy Griffin...all not good enough to play in the PL, but can add so much to a second tier side.

[Ben_W]

There is a huge gap in quality - largely due to the massive gap in money, but the fact that anyone can beat anyone in the CCC and League One make them far more exciting propositions.

[Budgiebasher]

Any team who can find a bit of form and string together some good results will be right up there, every team is so inconsistent, ala Ipswich, Norwich, Brum who were 1 game away from sacking Bruce, Luton who were flying until last month. It's a strange league, anyone can beat anyone.

[Huckerbys right foot]

exactly

Ipswich beat Luton 5-0 ..then lost 5-0 or 5-1 the week after (i think)

we beat Cardiff/Brum and Preston

yet we draw to southend etc..


any team is able to beat any team

its close this season .. look at ipswich after yesterdays result they went up about 7 places and only a couple of points of the playoffs