The standard is bang average. Some times teams will play above themselves and make a game of it, sometimes the game is over after a first goal in the first 10 minutes.
Two things I've definitely picked up on this season (and last time) is that you need to be good at set-pieces, both ends, to flourish and that most teams, when chasing a game, will just hoy the ball in the box and look for the breaks rather than doing anything out of the ordinary to break you down. Having a competent and strong centre half is definitely a must.
This season, from 7th to 22nd the standard was more or less the same depending on when you played a team. Next season it will likely be a bit stronger as you'd imagine Sheff Utd and Bolton will be a bit stronger than Wigan and Rotherham.
About right. Toon scored 24 from set species, Brighton only managed 12 (less than average) and Villa were bottom of the pile with 8. Championship lead changed over 27 times during the season. I think the last Sunday made it 28 or 29.
The relegation teams have the advantage of parachute payments to the tune of £45 million on the first season which should enable them to maintain a larger squad necessary to cover for the inevitable injuries given the 8 extra games. Newcastle nearly came unstuck even with less than the normal expected injuries they were still short.
In the end it did not matter (cause they won away against Brighton & Huddersfield) because all the other clubs had just as many injuries and their squads turned out not to be as strong. Squads need to more than 25 of the PL.
The season before last Burnley won home and away against the bottom seven clubs. Brighton did almost the same last season just gone. That is what makes life difficult in the Championship, the need to go through so many games without mistakes, without too many injuries, and able to see the game out with a single goal lead. Other Championship clubs have an annoying habit of pinching goals against the run of play.
Almost half the Championship clubs are up to their ears in debt, already blown all their money under the new rules, have not got large enough squads, and make losses every year, and lose any players that are any good to the PL.
Teams to watch (if they do not go up);
Sheffield Wednesday: strong squad, lots of experience and running a year behind Brighton (got promoted one year later)
Fulham: even if they lose Cairney, they have a strong midfield of McDonald and Johansen.
Brentford: got some good players of they are fit: e.g. Judge and Jota.
Villa: half a team and an experienced Manager. Underachieved.
Pretenders: Derby, Boro, Norwich. That's make seven, which is more than enough.
PS: having a big strong centre half is a must. Championship teams pinch the points against the run of play with a long cross from a deep position to a burly player up front like Rhodes, Chris Wood, Gestede, D Murphy.
Prediction: Sunderland to drop too many silly points to the no hopers and make a late run for the play-offs. No danger of relegation because there are more than enough clubs with no money and not very good.