Ranking Championship auto promotion candidates by how much we’d like them in the Premier League…..
With just eight games left in what has been a characteristically hectic season of second-tier foolishness, it’s squeaky bum time in the Championship.
There is still everything to play for both up and down the division, as is typically the case. While the majority of the top half still hopes to be promoted, either by winning at Wembley in the play-off final or by finishing in the two automatic promotion slots, eight teams are battling it out for the two relegation spots that remain.
By this time of year, the Championship is usually divided into multiple mini-leagues. We currently have the play-off dreamers, the relegation mob, and the cohort that will automatically be promoted.
This time around, supporters of the Championship have been treated to a four-team battle instead of the customary one or two teams that dominate the chase for automatic promotion.
Leeds United, Leicester City, Ipswich Town, and Southampton have been in a different league from the rest of the division as they try to earn automatic promotion to the Premier League, much like Rotherham United (for a far more unpleasant reason).
We have ranked the top four teams according to our desire for them to be in the Premier League as we race toward the final day on May 4.
Here is how we would like the top-two battle to conclude for now, from a strictly selfish standpoint. A comparable ranking of the confirmed play-off candidates will follow later.
4) Under head coach Russell Martin, Southampton Saints have evolved into a possession-focused machine that may occasionally be caught off guard defensively.
When executed well, Martin’s favorite play style can look amazing, but it can also go horribly wrong. A prevalent grievance of his Swansea City team was that, although visually appealing, their offensive play lacked depth.
Because Martin has so many attacking options at his disposal, including Championship performers like Adam Armstrong and Che Adams who haven’t yet reached the same heights in the Premier League, this hasn’t been as big of a problem at Southampton.
