A look at the top 6

[Tricky Trevor]

So I was bored so I've been checking out the top 6.
Sunderland. Excellent at home against decent sides. Very good away against the bottom half.
Clarets. Excellent away, the only blip being S'land and we know why. Poor at home against massed defences but we better learn soon.
Leeds. Very good at home. Average away. Only 4 draws against decent sides and first win is at 13th Sheff W.
Sheff U. Excellent at home. Same problem as Leeds away first win being at 15th placed Hull.
WBA. First win against 17th placed Swansea doesn't auger well for a good season.
Fiddlers. Excellent at home but they've only played WBA of the upper echelon. Dreadful away with no wins.

Long way to go yet and I'd discount WBA & Rovers once they meet decent opposition. I'd expect Sunderland to keep on winning at home it's how they go on in their away games at the better sides but they do look good.
We all know our weaknesses, it comes up on here often enough, but encouraging with players to return and the January window.
The Tyke duo need to sort out away form. Two good sides but not as good as the media write them up. Two managers that have had promotions before, as with ours. It could go to the wire.

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[Rowls]

Good news: Rovers are in an elevated position and rely solely on their home form

Bad news: We've had a lot of poor teams at home and haven't been tested yet.

[willsclarets]

Good news: Rovers are in an elevated position and rely solely on their home form

Bad news: We've had a lot of poor teams at home and haven't been tested yet.

At least if a better team comes to beat us we might have a bit more space to attack.

[Buxtonclaret]

Playing 'Better' sides, that don't 'Park The Bus' might not be a bad thing.

[Mattster]

Playing 'Better' sides, that don't 'Park The Bus' might not be a bad thing.

Plymouth and Hull didn't park the bus and we didn't really look much better against either.

[Hipper]

From TV.

Sunderland are easily the most complete and best team I've seen.

Burnley's current team look OK in defence but poor in attack and it's not obvious with the players playing at the moment how we can do much better. I'm not sure I'd be so expectant of injured players coming back or the transfer window. It's good in theory but who knows. We've only played three of the top nine so there are challenges ahead which will tell us where we really are. I'm not convinced we are second best.

Sheffield Utd looking good but I've not seen too much of them.

Leeds are looking steadily good but, in terms of play, I'm still waiting for them to jump to a level that says they are the best and most exciting team. It looks like they can be but they are not there yet. However they have played more of the top nine then the rest and still only have one defeat. They look the second best team in the division with the potential to be the best.

WBA look mediocre but their 3-0 win at Portsmouth was impressive.

Blackburn are also mediocre from what I've seen so far.

Two teams that can impress but not yet consistently are Middlesbrough and Norwich. Watford are the other side we must consider but I've not seen them at all.

[The Shire Claret]

I think we will win the league

With how solid we are at the back and most likely have the most money to invents in January … (borrowed money I know) we will buy what we need if we need it …

Tresor sale will help with reinvestment as that pretty inevitable .

So many gifted players to come back too

Sunderland are looking good but do they have the depth ?

I don’t see anyone else pulling up trees

UTC

[Mattster]

IMO the top 6 at the end of the season will be Sunderland, Leeds, Sheffield United, Burnley, Middlesbrough and Norwich. We'll be closer to 6th and 1st if we keep going as we are.

[Benson]

IMO the top 6 at the end of the season will be Sunderland, Leeds, Sheffield United, Burnley, Middlesbrough and Norwich. We'll be closer to 6th and 1st if we keep going as we are.

Maybe you should proof read that

[claretonthecoast1882]

IMO the top 6 at the end of the season will be Sunderland, Leeds, Sheffield United, Burnley, Middlesbrough and Norwich. We'll be closer to 6th and 1st if we keep going as we are.

Closer to 6th and 1st ?

I know I haven't just read a post by you trying to mock someone for not being an adult and proof reading their posts

[ArmchairDetective]

Unless we have a massive downturn in form or a couple of other teams have a massive upturn in form I'd be very surprised if we aren't within that top 3 or 4 teams come the end of the season. For me our final position within that small cluster just depends on how much we can progress from our current way of playing.

If you'd have offered me this start before the first game kicked off I'd have snapped your hand off. It's a great sign that we're not losing the games in which we don't play particularly well. Let's hope we can continue to kick on.

[Goliath]

So I was bored so I've been checking out the top 6.
Sunderland. Excellent at home against decent sides. Very good away against the bottom half.
Clarets. Excellent away, the only blip being S'land and we know why. Poor at home against massed defences but we better learn soon.
Leeds. Very good at home. Average away. Only 4 draws against decent sides and first win is at 13th Sheff W.
Sheff U. Excellent at home. Same problem as Leeds away first win being at 15th placed Hull.
WBA. First win against 17th placed Swansea doesn't auger well for a good season.
Fiddlers. Excellent at home but they've only played WBA of the upper echelon. Dreadful away with no wins.

Long way to go yet and I'd discount WBA & Rovers once they meet decent opposition. I'd expect Sunderland to keep on winning at home it's how they go on in their away games at the better sides but they do look good.
We all know our weaknesses, it comes up on here often enough, but encouraging with players to return and the January window.
The Tyke duo need to sort out away form. Two good sides but not as good as the media write them up. Two managers that have had promotions before, as with ours. It could go to the wire.
Top 6.jpg

There's an argument to say we are having too much possession at home where teams are happy to just sit behind the ball.
If we went slightly more direct at home and stayed the same as we are away we would probably do a bit better

[Mattster]

Maybe you should proof read that

Fair.

Meant than, obviously. You had me worried I'd named more than 6 teams ngl

[bumba]

We'll be closer to 6th and 1st if we keep going as we are.

Oh dear, how funny

[ClaretLoup]

Nice table Trev, thanks for posting. I love a stats table, me.

Re WBA they are currently 21st in the form table assessed over the last six games. Like Burnley they have struggled to overcome the low block outfits at home like Millwall and Cardiff and they have also lost 1 - 0 to Boro.

Interestingly Millwall and Cardiff are in fourth and third positions respectively in the six game form table, nestling behind Leeds and Sunderland.

https://www.footballwebpages.co.uk/ch ... rm-guide

[GDK]

Intersting stats, but I do find it surprising how desperate fans are to return to the Premier League at the first attempt. Our last two seasons in it were painful to watch. I'm enjoying this season far more despite the lack of goals and won't worry too much where we are in the form table.

At least it feels like we're watching a Burnley team again and not some bizarre football experiment.

[Spijed]

Nice table Trev, thanks for posting. I love a stats table, me.

Re WBA they are currently 21st in the form table assessed over the last six games. Like Burnley they have struggled to overcome the low block outfits at home like Millwall and Cardiff and they have also lost 1 - 0 to Boro.

Interestingly Millwall and Cardiff are in fourth and third positions respectively in the six game form table, nestling behind Leeds and Sunderland.

https://www.footballwebpages.co.uk/ch ... rm-guide

Had Anthony not missed the open goal we'd have been in virtually the same position as Leeds and Sunderland form wise, regardless of how we've played. Aside from a few sides there is little to choose between the teams in this division. So the argument that we've played mainly the bottom clubs doesn't mean much.

[Mattster]

Had Anthony not missed the open goal we'd have been in virtually the same position as Leeds and Sunderland form wise, regardless of how we've played. Aside from a few sides there is little to choose between the teams in this division. So the argument that we've played mainly the bottom clubs doesn't mean much.

Had Preston not had a goal wrongly disallowed we'd be worse off.

All ifs and buts, we are where we are.

[Spijed]

Had Preston not had a goal wrongly disallowed we'd be worse off.

All ifs and buts, we are where we are.

Yes 2nd.

[Goliath]

Intersting stats, but I do find it surprising how desperate fans are to return to the Premier League at the first attempt. Our last two seasons in it were painful to watch. I'm enjoying this season far more despite the lack of goals and won't worry too much where we are in the form table.

At least it feels like we're watching a Burnley team again and not some bizarre football experiment.

If we could guarantee staying at the level we are now, with our current crowds that'd be fine. But that's not realistic, we know a few seasons at this level means we lose parachute payments, crowds drop and it can quickly spiral out of control.

Premier league football is great for the town not just the club

[Tricky Trevor]

I’ll update the top 6 after game 23, halfway, but up to press we have been superb.
Sheff U A W 0-2
Leeds U A W 0-1
Sunderland A L 1-0, and we all know why.
Blackburn H D 1-1
Watford H W 2-1

10pts from 3 away games and 2 home.

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[BabylonClaret]

And those top 3 games were away too!

[hoosier-daddy]

I'm surprised how some people are surprised we want to return to the Premier League. It's extremely basic stuff. If we don't go up then the income drops and we go from challenging for the Premier League, to challenging for promotion from League One.

I would take a season of 'pain' if it means hundreds of millions goes into the club.

[mybloodisclaret]

I'm surprised how some people are surprised we want to return to the Premier League. It's extremely basic stuff. If we don't go up then the income drops and we go from challenging for the Premier League, to challenging for promotion from League One.

I would take a season of 'pain' if it means hundreds of millions goes into the club.

100% this. We will never really compete in the top half of the Premier League, however, when we are there we make tens of millions of pounds. Yes transfers, wages and ALK debt take the majority of it, but it makes / keeps us sustainable and punching above our weight.

[Stonehouse]

Might not be bad being a yo yo club and making millions and the horse botherers scratting around mid table and PNE the only east Lancs club never to be in the Prem .( And oh how we laughed)

[Commy]

It's if you can guarantee going back up. It is getting hard for the teams without money but there are still the Luton's in the play off lottery. The three last year all had money. Ipswich ploughed a load in to get promotion.

[Quicknick]

Good news: Rovers are in an elevated position and rely solely on their home form

Bad news: We've had a lot of poor teams at home and haven't been tested yet.

Better teams will try and take us on. We could well do much better against them, Rowls.

[Guller Bull]

Boro’s injury woes are extensive for the next game. See link from Teeside Gazette (riddled with ads much like the Burnley Express site)

https://www.gazettelive.co.uk/sport/foo ... t-30662920

[Tricky Trevor]

Halfway review, both Rovers and Watford have a game in hand.
Leeds Utd. 31 points at home is superb but it will be more difficult 2nd half with 4 of the top 7 on their away schedule. Will be in it to the end.

Sheff.Utd. Much more balanced as regards results and fixtures. Should go close for automatic.

Burnley. 1st, 2nd and 4th to visit the Turf. I don’t expect us to win them all. Away wins at 5 of the top 12 is excellent and away form plus our overall recent improvement will keep us up there until the end.

Sunderland. Should have a good second half at home but more difficult away with some tough opponents to visit. Toss of a coin for me but I lean towards play-offs.

B. Rovers. Doing much better than they could ever have expected. 3rd, 4th, 6th & 7th to visit Deadwood might prove too much for them unless they pick up more away wins.

Watford. Superb at home, abysmal away. With 1,2 and 3 to visit them and away games at 4,5,7 &8. I wouldn’t even bet on them for the play-offs.

[Tricky Trevor]

A top 6 league table would be:
Burnley…….3-1-1.10points
Sheff.Utd….3-0-2. 9points
Leeds Utd….2-1-2. 7points
Watford…….2-0-3. 6points
Sunderland..1-2-2. 5points
B’burn R…….1-2-2. 5points

[timshorts]

A top 6 league table would be:
Burnley…….3-1-1.10points
Sheff.Utd….3-0-2. 9points
Leeds Utd….2-1-2. 7points
Watford…….2-0-3. 6points
Sunderland..1-2-2. 5points
B’burn R…….1-2-2. 5points

Well that's a little bit misleading. It gives far too much emphasis on the identity of the sixth placed club.

By way of example, if you replaced Watford with millwall, then top of that mini-league with 10 points would be millwall.

[Tricky Trevor]

Well that's a little bit misleading. It gives far too much emphasis on the identity of the sixth placed club.

By way of example, if you replaced Watford with millwall, then top of that mini-league with 10 points would be millwall.

Correct, they’ve had a very strange mixed bag of a season but the thread is on the top 6.

[criminalclaret]

What's Millwall got to do with it?

Championship form table for last 6 and 10 matches respectively puts Burnley top in both and Millwall on 16th and 19th places.


https://thefishy.co.uk/formtable.php?ta ... ab-overall

[HahaYeah]

Millwall have absolutely sucked since I confidently asserted that they would be in the top six at the end of the season.

[Tricky Trevor]

Now down to the top 3.
Leeds away record might let them down by comparison but home is the best.
Sheff U 2 Ws and 5 Ls against top 5 opponents is shocking but they are strong against the rest.
I do think we’ll win it but no chicken counting the boys need to turn up for every second from now to season end.

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