Championship rivals 2018-19

So when time permits I will probably put more detail into this thread but for now I will say I think Stoke, Derby and Forest will be the biggest threat this coming season.

Stoke, Derby, Blues, Albion, Villa, Forest - that's a lot of Midlands derbies to look forward to!

Think Stoke will win the championship.
Middlesboro or Nottingham Forest for the other automatic place.

Then it is Leeds, Derby and hopefully Villa (and we lose in the play off final again)!

Well at least west brom are in a familiar position - the relegation zone haha.
Strange sort of opening day which - albeit the first 90 minutes of a 4,140 minute season for each team (not including playoffs) I think reflects the open nature of the championship.
Leeds and Stoke will be interesting tomorrow, as of course will be our outing on Monday.
Apart from Brentford who hammered a - for me - likely relegation candidate Rotherham, anyone who didn't draw only won or lost by one goal. So nothing to conclude really for me other than anyone who is sure of how things will end up this season is a better pundit than me (not difficult tbh).

I saw absolutely nothing from any team that would leave me concerned about getting promotion. Lots of folks pushing Derby, Boro, Forest etc and I really don't understand why? What have they done to close the gap exactly? I don't see it.

Swansea and Albion also looked very average today. It will be interesting to see what Stoke and Leeds look like tomorrow, but the bottom line for me is we still have a great spine to the team and should fear no-one in this league, it's that simple. We bring in three or four quality players and once again Bruce should have no excuses.

Quite honestly I think our squad as it stands more than holds it own in this division especially when our current injuries clear up but it does need reinforcing for the relentless season, as injuries will happen.

The problem (stuck record here) is Bruce, somehow he will contrive not to get the best out of the players or to play them out of their proper position. Playing a 352 when we don't have the people to play the system (i.e. Hutton in a 3 man defence) and I could carry on but I am even boring me!

Looks like Leeds dismantled Stoke pretty effectively today. Another ex prem team getting a wake up call.

Stoke's problem is Rowett, he's worse than Bruce, his football is diabolical, I'm amazed that in some quarters he seems to have a reputation as a young 'progressive' manager, they might get top six, by virtue of them having so many good players, but I can't see them running away with it like some were suggesting, they remind me of us last season in a way, a lot of older players, and a manager who plays typical old fashioned British football, only difference for them is that I can't see any teams being as good as Wolves, Fulham or even Cardiff were last season, so they might still have a chance at top two.

As for Leeds everyone seems to be getting carried away with them, but we'll see how they go, Bielsa has a reputation of falling out with his players before too long, and their team isn't all that different from what it was last season, so I'm not getting carried away with them just yet...

Man, but tomorrow's game becomes more intriguing by the minute given some of the results we have seen in matchday 1.
I dont care if it's the first match or the last, 3 points is 3 points and a win at Hull would set us up very nicely thank you.
With our reasonably kind first few fixtures we really could stake our claim to get into the top two and stay there.
Having said that, as I outlined above, I haven't got a bloody clue how we will perform.
Be really interesting to see the team that Jurassic Steve puts out and also whether Jack plays.

Leeds are looking like they could be the team to beat, two good wins against strong opponents, this seasons 'Wolves' ?

talking of the dingles I see they played against 10 men again today, another dodgy red card.

Just watched Leeds tearing Derby a new one. Bielsa been there 10 minutes and already got them right on it.
Of course the have the advantage of their players being played in their natural positions. Anyway, the standard has been set if we want automatic promotion.

Leeds always start well and go to pot before Christmas, lets see if that continues, we have the makings now just need to gel and maybe a few additions.

Leeds did look good today, equally Derby looked pretty poor. Funny reactions on the local radio phone-in after the game though, some people need to wind their necks in.

LOL it does make me laugh how the media are now kissing Leeds's backside after just TWO games . The media will try to paint them as "this years Wolves" but the difference is Wolves actually had players with champions league experience such as Boly, Neves, Jota, Carvalho etc, who has Leeds got? It's pretty much the same team who started like a house on fire last season aswell and then totally fell apart. Last season they started off being unbeaten In the first seven games and won five of them whilst also keeping six clean sheets. And back then all the talk was about them and not Wolves. Bar Bamford and Douglas they got the same squad and I don't think that defense or rookie keeper is gonna be able to hold up when the going gets tough. They are playing a very intense, fast-paced game which I think will take it's toll as the season goes on.

The good thing for us is we haven't even gotten out of third gear yet and I don't expect to see us hit form until the new loan signings come in and bed in. IF we can keep on winning whilst playing average then we will be in a brilliant position to push on mid-season. As for the others, I have to say West Brom do have a very solid first eleven on paper and if they do get their act together then I expect to see them up there. Same with Stoke too. Swansea look like they might be up and down I think. Then you have the likes of Brentford and Boro having solid starts. This year could be way tougher than last year tbh as last year at least Hull and Sunderland were cack, but I don't see the relegation teams being that bad at all so it's gonna be a tough old slog. I'm just hoping we'll be this year's Brighton. A team who went close the year before, stuck together and stayed consistent the next season to get over the line.

Swansea looked better than they did against Blues tonight, but still couldn't put the game to bed and threw away the lead twice. Leeds looked good but equally couldn't find the extra level they needed to sneak one away from Swansea completely.

Leeds of course appear to be the ones to watch at the moment but I'm not going to be overtaken with hype for them.

Would be great to see us win by 3 or 4 tomorrow.

Good to see Weimann has found his place.