OK I'm biased, I'm only interested in two divisions, the premiership and whatever division Barnsley are in. I couldn't give a toss about the championship this year. The quality I've seen in the last two weeks in this division is excellent. I saw a lot of third division football when I was growing up and I can't remember players who could put that free kick away for Peterborough today. I thought that despite our failings today, the defence was tremendous and the effort was great. This is a very good and very professional division and I think we'll do well in it, but we'll have to step up in consistency to boss it.
I am very surprised at the quality of this league. Its definitely a world away from what we saw last time we were at the same level. A top ten finish first season would be good achievement IMHO.
The quality of lower league football has improved over the years. This is due to the fact that most British players who would have been in the top division 25 years ago are now playing in the Championship so we have better quality players playing in lower divisions. In addition, coaching techniques have improved across all divisions. We only have to look at the number of coaches and back room staff at Oakwell compared to the old days to appreciate the extra attention given to the players which improves the quality of play on the pitch, despite what we say in the heat of the moment whilst at a match.
I'd say the difference with this league is the quality of finishing, we were never under massive pressure from teams last season (in general) but they only needed one or two chances to score...in League One, that's not really the case as there seems to be more chance of the attacker making a balls up of the opportunity than scoring.
There's nothing 'ale house' about this league at all. I haven't seen any drop in the quality of football since relegation. If anything, the football played in this division is more pleasing on the eye. I think teams in the Championship tend to be stronger, better disciplined and more organised, but, with one or two exceptions, they're not playing better football. IMHO the football we are playing is better than it has been for years. Our problem has been stopping the opposition from playing, but I think we're getting better at that. Last two games I've seen (Rochdale and Bradford) we've looked far better without the ball. I didn't go yesterday, I listened to it on the radio, but before the sending off I hardly heard mention of Turnbull making a save and we appeared to be creating just as many chances as the opposition. After Bailey received the red card Peterborough created a lot of chances and we could have lost by more, but we were a man down and a goal down, we couldn't shut up shop, we had to try to force the game and get a goal; inevitably that left us exposed at the back. As it is, we lost to goals from a fantastic free kick and mistake from our own player on the edge of the box. I'm not sure how you legislate for that.
Whether we like it or not, we are in the pub league and need to get out asap. The reason we are in it is COS we were **** last year and not good enough to stay in the second tier. We are now in the third of four tiers and this is clearly a sub standard division by definition. Hth
The difference between the level of football played in the 1st Division compared to the Championship is similar to the level of difference between the Championship and the Premiership. That is to say.............HUGE You only have to watch the Football League Show to witness this. There isn't going to be many teams that gets promoted within these three leagues that's isn't going to struggle.
Some people on here seem to be deluding themselves that it is a good league. It ain't I am afraid. Hopethishelps....it helped the good Dr.
Promoted from League 1 last season were Wolves, Brentford and Rotherham. They currently sit 7th, 10th and 15th. There doesn't seem to be much struggling going on to me. Fulham were relegated from the Prem and are below all three of these clubs. Cardiff were also relegated and are just one point ahead of Rotherham, but behind Brentford and Wolves. All three clubs that were relegated from the Championship last season are in the bottom half of the league 1 table. Not that what I've written will make any difference. Some people have decided that League 1 is a crap, and no evidence to the contrary, even that from their own eyes, will change their opinion.
The facts are: League one is 3rd best of only 4 leagues. It is better than league 2 but that's it I am afraid. In effect its poor compared with premier and championship. Always has been always will be. Hence the nickname, alehouse league. It's carp I am afraid.
I've seen very little difference in the quality of football this season from last. But I have seen a better BFC team playing better football than last. So it's not purely down to us still being **** therefore opponents still look great. I think this division is far better than it's given credit for. Danny will tell you (and his record shows it to be true) that this is a hard league to get out of. As the saying goes, 'anybody can beat anybody'. I think the Championship has become like that too, in recent years. Because of the foreign invasion in the Prem which forces talent further down the pyramid therefore increasing the quality and competitiveness in these lower divisions. I could easily see us down here for years. But I could easily see us getting out of it this season. I'm enjoying it. I know we're losing more than we're winning, we're in mid table, but I really am enjoying the season so far and watching these lads develop. I'm probably not a fair measure of a supporter though, as I'm just happy to have a football club full stop, considering what we've been through. And after the efforts of the last couple of seasons with managers I disliked and players I felt unworthy of the shirt, summat just feels right this season. So aye, I'm the wrong type of supporter. I should have stuck to my pre season mindset where I was jokingly going to go all season being arrogant and expect us to smash teams up 24/7. Some on here actually expected that. They think we 'should' be better than this. They cite history, gates and so on. Very Wednesday-esque it is. Nowt wrong with being proud, nowt wrong with thinking we're a big club in this division and hoping we do well. But to expect it 'just because?'. Nar. Not for me. We are where we are. It is what it is.
Have to say I've been surprised by the standard of teams and football in this division so far. Not much different to last season. And if reev says different that'll do for me, because he's wrong more often than not.
It fairly well fits the "small fish in a big pond vs large fish in a small pond" analogy. Only thing is in the 80's/90's we were a piraña, not a trout, like the last 8 years in the championship. We need to get back to the old model of producing good home grown players. There seems some progress on this, so I'm happy too.
Well its just as well you don't get barred for being annoying ....else many including posters on this thread would have been chucked off years ago! Hth