With the football season just past its halfway stage and the clubs in the top two divisions out of league action for the coming weekend due to the FA Cup, it is time to assess the campaign so far on a club-by-club basis.
It is shaping up to be an exciting season in the Premier League with Arsenal joining the annual Chelsea-Manchester United battle for the title and several clubs competing at both ends of the table - for the final Champions League place and to avoid relegation.
In the Championship, Newcastle United and West Bromwich Albion lead the way but there is good pressure from Nottingham Forest.
As usual at this stage, most of the division still harbour realistic hopes of a playoff place while four of the bottom five clubs have changed their manager as they seek to stay in the division.
I have included the original predictions which I made in these pre-season guides for the Premier League and The Championship for no other reason than to show how poor my crystal ball skills were.
The Premier League
Table
CHELSEA
Position: 1st (P20 W14-D3-L3, Pts 45)
Top Scorer: Didier Drogba (14 league goals)
Manager: Carlo Ancelotti (since June 2009)
Cup progress: Reached last 16 of the Champions League where they will face former manager Jose Mourinho, now in charge of Internazionale. Knocked out of League Cup in quarter finals in a penalty shoot-out against Blackburn Rovers.
Recent form: The Blues have been patchy and failed to win away since their fine 3-0 success at the Emirates at the end of November seemed to put them in control of the league. They lost 2-1 to Manchester City before draws against West Ham United and Birmingham City. Chelsea’s home form remains excellent with only two dropped points so far, though that was also relatively recently in a 3-3 draw with Everton. Their title bid will greatly depend on how they cope next month without the services of Didier Drogba who is at the African Nations Cup.
Original prediction: Champions
MANCHESTER UNITED
Position: 2nd (P20 W14-D1-L5, Pts 43)
Top Scorer: Wayne Rooney (13 league goals)
Manager: Sir Alex Ferguson (since November 1986)
Cup progress: Reached last 16 of the Champions League where David Beckham will return to Old Trafford with AC Milan. Reached semi finals of the League Cup where they will face city rivals Manchester City.
Recent form: With six wins from their last eight matches, United have stayed in touch with Chelsea at the top despite having lost five league matches this season already. But with just one draw all season, it has been a very much all-or-nothing campaign. Despite looking lightweight up front at times – all of their defeats have come when failing to score – United’s points total so far will please Sir Alex Ferguson who knows his teams usually peak in the second half of a season.
Original prediction: 2nd
ARSENAL
Position: 3rd (P19 W13-D2-L4, Pts 41)
Top Scorer: Cesc Fabregas (9 league goals)
Manager: Arsene Wenger (since October 1996)
Cup progress: Reached last 16 of the Champions League where they will face FC Porto. Knocked out of League Cup in the quarter finals when young team were convincingly beaten by Manchester City.
Recent form: Consecutive losses in the league in November to Sunderland away and at home against Chelsea seemed to end Arsenal’s title bid prematurely once again. But with 16 points collected out of 18 in busy December, the Gunners are right back in contention, and they will finally catch up that game in hand against Bolton Wanderers at home in the first week of January. A win in that match would put them to within a point of leaders Chelsea.
Original prediction: 4th
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
Position: 4th (P20 W11-D4-L5, Pts 37)
Top Scorer: Jermaine Defoe (14 league goals)
Manager: Harry Redknapp (since October 2008)
Cup progress: Knocked out of League Cup in the quarter finals by Manchester United in repeat of the 2009 Final.
Recent form: Spurs have put themselves in an excellent position to challenge for a top four spot in the second half of the season thanks to a brilliant show of attacking strength in the majority of their games. This was no more evidently on display than in the 9-1 demolition of Wigan Athletic with Jermaine Defoe scoring five goals in a mach to equal Alan Shearer and Andy Cole’s Premier League record. Typically, Tottenham lost their next home match, 1-0 to Wolverhampton Wanderers, and so there are still too many off-days for their fans to be certain of fourth. But that Wolves defeat is the only one in nine games since Redknapp’s men lost horribly to Arsenal.
Original prediction: 7th
MANCHESTER CITY
Position: 5th (P19 W9-D8-L2, Pts 35)
Top Scorer: Carlos Tevez (9 league goals)
Manager: Roberto Mancini (since December 2009)
Cup progress: Reached first semi finals of a major domestic cup for over two decades after beating Arsenal 3-0. They will face Manchester United over two legs for a place in the final.
Recent form: Sixth place in the league with two defeats all season and a first Cup semi final for more than two decades was still not enough to prevent Mark Hughes from getting the sack. Chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak of the Abu Dhabi United Group wielded the axe despite City winning their last match under Hughes, 4-3 against Sunderland. But the Dubai moneymen were always likely to want their own man in place at some stage and Hughes hardly helped himself with a Premier League record of seven consecutive draws which caused them to fall away from the leaders. More heavy investment in the January transfer window is likely to follow to firm up a leaky defence and ensure City get fourth place at least. Comfortable wins against Stoke City and Wolverhampton Wanderers have allowed Roberto Mancini to ease into his new role.
Original prediction: 5th
ASTON VILLA
Position: 6th (P20 W10-D5-L5, Pts 35)
Top Scorer: Gabriel Agbonlahor (8 league goals)
Manager: Martin O’Neill (since August 2006)
Cup progress: Knocked out in the first round of the Europa League against Rapid Vienna, but reached the semi finals of the League Cup where they will face Blackburn Rovers.
Recent form: Four consecutive wins without conceding a goal in the run-up to Christmas included a first win at Old Trafford against Manchester United since the 1980s. The four wins were part of a run of just one loss in 12 matches which had taken Villa into the top four. But late goals in two losses over Christmas to Arsenal (0-3) and Liverpool (0-1) have once again suggested Villa have a habit of losing crunch matches at a crucial stage of the season.
Original prediction: 8th
LIVERPOOL
Position: 7th (P20 W10-D3-L7, Pts 33)
Top Scorer: Fernando Torres (12 league goals)
Manager: Rafael Benitez (since June 2004)
Cup progress: Knocked out of the group stages of the Champions League having picked up just seven points from their six matches. Finished third in group so the Reds have the consolation of a Europa League place – they face Unirea Urziceni in the last 32. Knocked out of the League Cup by Arsenal in the fifth round.
Recent form: Three wins out of the last four matches have given Liverpool’s points tally a little more respectability and leaves them still in a position to challenge for fourth place. But that is a disappointing state of affairs for a club which finished runners-up in 2008-09, having lost only two league games all season. This time around, the Reds have already lost seven games and went through a patch of just two wins in nine league matches – though those two wins were against Manchester United and Everton. Even this slight recent revival was tempered by a woeful 2-0 loss at bottom of the table Portsmouth.
Original prediction: 3rd
BIRMINGHAM CITY
Position: 8th (P20 W9-D5-L6, Pts 32)
Top Scorer: Lee Bowyer (5 league goals)
Manager: Alex McLeish (since November 2007)
Cup progress: Knocked out of the League Cup in the third round, losing 2-0 away to Sunderland. Recent form: They cannot have had it much better than this at St Andrew’s – eleven matches unbeaten, seven of which were wins including five consecutively. If anything, the four draws have been just as impressive as they have come against Manchester City, Liverpool, Everton and Chelsea, while none of the wins was by more than one goal. Whichever way it is looked at, though, it is a valuable run which has just about secured a Premier League place next season for The Blues already. That’s not bad for a newly-promoted team, especially after a concerning start of six defeats in the first nine games.
Original prediction: 18th
FULHAM
Position: 9th (P19 W7-D6-L6, Pts 27)
Top Scorer: Bobby Zamora (6 league goals)
Manager: Roy Hodgson (since December 2007)
Cup progress: Reached last 32 of the Europa League where they will face holders Shakhtar Donetsk. Qualifying from the group with a 3-2 win in their final match against Basle. Knocked out of the League Cup in the third round after extra time by Manchester City.
Recent form: Tipped by many to struggle this season with the extra workload of the Europa League, Fulham have lost just twice in their last 13 league matches, though they are yet to win consecutive league games. Roy Hodgson is a canny manager and The Cottagers have also come through a tough festive period with four points against Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea, including a fine display in the 3-0 win against United. Victory in their game in hand at Stoke City next week would push them towards the European qualifying spots once again.
Original prediction: 11th
SUNDERLAND
Position: 10th (P20 W6-D5-L9, Pts 23)
Top Scorer: Darren Bent (13 league goals)
Manager: Steve Bruce (since June 2009)
Cup progress: Knocked out of the League Cup in the fourth round by Aston Villa, losing 3-1 on penalties after a 0-0 draw.
Recent form: An impressive 1-0 win at home against Arsenal is now Sunderland’s only win in eleven league matches, six of which have ended in defeat, blowing what had been a reasonable start. Wins against Arsenal and Liverpool, and a draw at Old Trafford against Manchester United, have been offset by away losses at lesser lights, the worst of which came at Wigan Athletic just a week after the Latics had been hammered 9-1 by Tottenham Hotspur. It leaves The Black Cats just five points clear of relegation and no doubt they would have been even closer without Darren Bent’s excellent contribution.
Original prediction: 12th
EVERTON
Position: 11th (P19 W5-D7-L7, Pts 22)
Top Scorer: Louis Saha (10 league goals)
Manager: David Moyes (since March 2002)
Cup progress: Reached last 32 of the Europa League with a game to spare. They will face Sporting Lisbon in the next round. Knocked out of the League Cup in fourth round, losing 2-0 at Tottenham Hotspur.
Recent form: The season has been a tale of woe for the Merseyside clubs so far. While Liverpool have struggled by their high standards, injury-ravaged Everton have still not been able to keep pace, spending all but two weeks of the season in the bottom half of the table. The home win against Burnley in their most recent match was the Toffees first success in eight league attempts, though their form has steadily improved with four successive draws immediately prior to that lifting them to mid table.
Original prediction: 6th
STOKE CITY
Position: 12th (P19 W5-D6-L8, Pts 21)
Top Scorer: James Beattie (3 league goals)
Manager: Tony Pulis (since June 2006)
Cup progress: Knocked out of the League Cup in the fourth round, going down to a 4-0 hammering away to Portsmouth.
Recent form: Unsurprisingly, Stoke City’s form at the Britannia Stadium is the reason for the continuation of last season’s position of lower mid table. The Potters fans have only enjoyed one win away – 1-0 at Tottenham Hotspur – though that is at least one more win than at the same stage last season. But since the win at White Hart Lane at the end of October, City have won just once in the league and that was against bottom of the table Portsmouth. A failure to score in five of the last six games and, indeed, four defeats in the last five games suggest Tony Pulis’s men may be looking over their shoulder a little more than they would have hoped.
Original prediction: 13th
BLACKBURN ROVERS
Position: 13th (P20 W5-D6-L9, Pts 21)
Top Scorer: David Dunn (5 league goals)
Manager: Sam Allardyce (since December 2008)
Cup progress: Reached semi finals of League Cup where they will face Aston Villa over two legs.
Recent form: Blackburn Rovers have been struggling to find the net with any regularity under Sam Allardyce, and have struggled away from home with just five points on the road all season. Two score draws in the Christmas fixtures against Wigan Athletic and Sunderland brought to an end a run of just a single goal in six league games. Rovers have still been picking up points – three of those six matches ended 0-0 – but they have now failed to win any of their last eight league games.
Original prediction: 9th
BURNLEY
Position: 14th (P20 W5-D5-L10, Pts 20)
Top Scorer: Graham Alexander (5 league goals)
Manager: Owen Coyle (since November 2007)
Cup progress: Knocked out of the League Cup in the third round, losing 3-2 at Barnsley.
Recent form: The most schizophrenic of all the Premier League sides this season are Burnley, with just one defeat at home all season – but only one point from 30 away, coming in a dramatic 3-3 game at Manchester City. It is fair to say that if The Clarets are to retain their hard-won Premier League place, they are going to need to rely on that home form holding up. But, already it is slipping with all of their last four matches all ending in draws. Combined with their awful away form, Burnley have now failed to win any of their last nine league games since beating Hull City 2-0 on the last day of October. It is going to be a long second half to the season.
Original prediction: 20th
WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS
Position: 15th (P20 W5-D4-L11, Pts 19)
Top Scorer: Kevin Doyle (5 league goals)
Manager: Mick McCarthy (since July 2006)
Cup progress: Knocked out of the League Cup in third round, 1-0 by Manchester United at Old Trafford.
Recent form: Wolverhampton Wanderers may have emerged from the worst part of the season still in a decent position. Just two wins from their opening 14 games had seen last season’s Championship winners drift towards the bottom of the Premier League. But three wins in four after that, including an impressive 1-0 victory against Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane, has seen Wolves climb the table before they predictably lost their two festive fixtures to Liverpool and Manchester City which has halted their progress somewhat and they are still just a point above the drop zone.
Original prediction: 16th
WIGAN ATHLETIC
Position: 16th (P19 W5-D4-L10, Pts 19)
Top Scorer: Hugo Rodallega (7 league goals)
Manager: Roberto Martinez (since June 2009)
Cup progress: Knocked out of the League Cup at the second round stage, losing 4-1 to Championship side Blackpool.
Recent form: A second 5-0 thrashing of the season against Manchester United means it is only one win in nine league matches now for Wigan Athletic. Sound beatings are becoming a regular occurrence for The Latics with heavy defeats at Arsenal (0-4), Portsmouth (0-4) and of course the 9-1 loss at Tottenham Hotspur in addition to their losses against United. And so it is no surprise that Wigan’s goal difference of -23 is the worst in the top flight. But Roberto Martinez’s men have a canny knack of getting a win just when they need one and have not lost consecutive games since August.
Original prediction: 15th
WEST HAM UNITED
Position: 17th (P20 W4-D6-L10, Pts 18)
Top Scorer: Carlton Cole (7 league goals)
Manager: Gianfranco Zola (since September 2008)
Cup progress: Knocked out of the League Cup in the third round after a 3-1 extra time defeat against Bolton Wanderers
Recent form: Four points from the last six games is relegation form and West Ham United have been stuck in first gear with just three more wins since an opening day success away at Wolverhampton Wanderers. It has been a troublesome second season for likeable manager Gianfranco Zola after his impressive ninth-place finish in 2008-09 with injury to Carlton Cole robbing him of his best striker and alternatives sparse after the long-awaited retirement of Dean Ashton. The Hammers have little money to spend and must hope Cole recovers from his knee problems soon, else they face a real fight to prevent a second Premier League relegation.
Original prediction: 10th
BOLTON WANDERERS
Position: 18th (P18 W4-D6-L8, Pts 18)
Top Scorer: Ivan Klasnic (6 league goals)
Manager: vacant – Gary Megson sacked in December 2009.
Cup progress: Knocked out of the League Cup in the fourth round, losing 4-0 to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
Recent form: Blowing a two goal lead against Hull City at home with minutes to go cost Gary Megson his job in the most predictable sacking of the season. The majority of the fans at the Reebok Stadium had never particularly taken to Megson and he was under real pressure from the start after mediocre finishes in the last two seasons. A decent run of just one defeat in six games towards the start of the season seemed to relieve some of the pressure. But the Trotters have won just once in the last nine games, 3-1 at home against fellow-strugglers West Ham United. Christmas fixtures against Burnley and Hull City were expected to yield more than just two points but they did not and Bolton became the third Premier League club to seek a new manager this season. With two of their next three league fixtures coming against Arsenal, it is likely to get worse before it gets any better.
Original prediction: 14th
HULL CITY
Position: 19th (P20 W4-D6-L10, Pts 18)
Top Scorer: Stephen Hunt (5 league goals)
Manager: Phil Brown (since December 2006)
Cup progress: Knocked out of the League Cup in third round, losing 4-0 at home against Everton.
Recent form: After staying up by the skin of their teeth last season, Hull City were always going to struggle in this campaign without serious improvements to the squad. A poor start, which culminated in a meek 2-0 loss to Burnley, put manager Phil Brown under pressure but instead it was the chairman Paul Duffen who stepped down, replaced by Adam Pearson. The return of the industrious midfielder Jimmy Bullard saw an upturn in The Tigers’ fortunes on the pitch but his comeback was short-lived and he picked up another injury in the 3-0 defeat to Aston Villa. Further defeats to Arsenal and Manchester United have followed and it is now just one win in eight for Hull. The fixtures get no easier, either, with Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur away and the return against United at Old Trafford unlikely to yield many points in the coming weeks.
Original prediction: 19th
PORTSMOUTH
Position: 20th (W4-D2-L14, Pts 14)
Top Scorer: Aruna Dindane (4 league goals)
Manager: Avram Grant (since November 2009)
Cup progress: Knocked out of the League Cup in the fifth round by Aston Villa, losing 4-2 at home.
Recent form: Rock bottom since the end of August with players who are not paid on time and a winding-up order from HMRC hanging over their heads – it has not been a happy season at Fratton Park. Having lost eight of their opening nine games, including all of their first seven, Pompey have done reasonably well just to avoid being cut adrift. But three more defeats in their last four games still leave Avram Grant’s new club in a desperate struggle to stay up.
Original prediction: 17th
The Championship
Table
NEWCASTLE UNITED
Position: 1st (P24 W15-D6-L3 Pts 51)
Top Scorer: Kevin Nolan (10 league goals)
Manager: Chris Hughton (since October 2009 (permanent basis))
League Cup: Lost 2-0 to Peterborough United in the third round.
Recent form: The Magpies have opened up a slight gap at the top thanks to an unbeaten run of 11 games, including eight wins. Seven consecutive wins within this run is the best sequence of any team in the division. However, three of their last four matches have been draws, giving the chasing pack renewed hope.
Original prediction: 11th
WEST BROMWICH ALBION
Position: 2nd (P23 W13-D6-L4 Pts 45)
Top Scorers: Jerome Thomas, Simon Cox, Chris Brunt (6 league goals each)
Manager: Roberto Di Matteo (since June 2009)
League Cup: Lost 2-0 to Arsenal in the third round.
Recent form: Just one loss in ten games has kept West Brom firmly in an automatic promotion place.
Original prediction: 3rd
NOTTINGHAM FOREST
Position: 3rd (P24 W11-D10-L3 Pts 43)
Top Scorer: Robert Earnshaw (7 league goals)
Manager: Billy Davies (since January 2009)
League Cup: Lost 1-0 at home to Blackburn Rovers in the third round.
Recent form: Forest are on an unbeaten run of 16 matches, the longest by any club in the division so far this season. Their sequence of 10 wins and six draws began with five straight wins which lifted them out of mid table to their current challenging position.
Original prediction: 13th
CARDIFF CITY
Position: 4th (P23 W11-D4-L8 Pts 37)
Top Scorer: Peter Whittingham (13 league goals)
Manager: Dave Jones (since May 2005)
League Cup: Lost 1-0 at Aston Villa in the third round.
Recent form: The Bluebirds remain as inconsistent as ever, exemplified in their most recent match against Peterborough United when they blew a 4-0 lead and only drew 4-4. That does mean that they have had just one defeat in their last five matches but even that followed on from three consecutive defeats.
Original prediction: 9th
LEICESTER CITY
Position: 5th (P22 W10-D7-L5 Pts 37)
Top Scorer: Matt Fryatt (11 league goals)
Manager: Nigel Pearson (since June 2008)
League Cup: Lost 2-1 to Preston North End in the second round.
Recent form: Consecutive wins against both Sheffield clubs either side of Christmas steadied Leicester’s promotion push after a run of just four points from 15 immediately before it.
Original prediction: 14th
SWANSEA CITY
Position: 6th (P24 W9-D10-L5 Pts 37)
Top Scorer: Lee Trundle, Darren Pratley (5 league goals each)
Manager: Paulo Souza (since June 2009)
League Cup: Lost 2-1 at home against Scunthorpe United in the second round.
Recent form: The Swans have lost only to in-form Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest in their last 18 matches but could only manage draws in their two Christmas fixtures with Reading (1-1) and Crystal Palace (0-0), and continue to struggle to find the net regularly.
Original prediction: 17th
SHEFFIELD UNITED
Position: 7th (P24 W9-D8-L7 Pts 35)
Top Scorer: Darius Henderson (10 league goals)
Manager: Kevin Blackwell (since February 2008)
League Cup: Lost 2-1 at home against Port Vale in the first round.
Recent form: One defeat in nine matches, including five wins, has pushed the Blades right back in contention for a playoff spot after a worrying run of four consecutive defeats.
Original prediction: 4th
BLACKPOOL
Position: 8th (P22 W9-D7-L6 Pts 34)
Top Scorer: Charlie Adam (7 league goals)
Manager: Ian Holloway (since May 2009)
League Cup: Lost 4-3 to Stoke City in the third round.
Recent form: The Tangerines have hit a sticky patch over the last few weeks with three losses in their last six matches. But they still managed a fine 3-0 win at Middlesbrough in December, and have the benefit of games in hand on all their rivals above them.
Original prediction: 22nd
CRYSTAL PALACE
Position: 9th (P24 W8-D10-L6 Pts 34)
Top Scorer: Darren Ambrose (11 league goals)
Manager: Neil Warnock (since October 2007)
League Cup: Lost 2-0 at home against Manchester City in the second round.
Recent form: Palace have lost just three times since mid-September to overcome their early-season woes but the number of draws is preventing them from making further progress.
Original prediction: 6th
QUEENS PARK RANGERS
Position: 10th (P24 W8-D9-L7 Pts 33)
Top Scorer: Jay Simpson (9 league goals)
Manager: Paul Hart (since December 2009)
League Cup: Lost 1-0 at Stamford Bridge against Chelsea in the third round.
Recent form: QPR suspended then-manager Jim Magilton after the 3-1 defeat to Watford after a bust-up with midfielder Akos Buzsaky, an incident which coincided with a poor run of form of just one win and five defeats in seven games. Since Magilton was replaced by Paul Hart, an extension of that run now reads as just two wins in eleven games. Their most recent result was a 3-0 defeat at Ipswich Town.
Original prediction: 7th
MIDDLESBROUGH
Position: 11th (P24 W9-D5-L10 Pts 32)
Top Scorer: Adam Johnson (9 league goals)
Manager: Gordon Strachan (since October 2009)
League Cup: Lost 2-1 to Nottingham Forest after extra time in the second round.
Recent form: Boro sacked Gareth Southgate after a 2-0 win against Derby County when they were just one point off the top. They now find themselves 19 points away from the summit after a run of just two wins in eleven games. Boro have lost four of their last five matches under new manager Gordon Strachan, whose reigns at his earlier clubs have traditionally started slowly.
Original prediction: 1st
BRISTOL CITY
Position: 12th (P24 W7-D11-L6 Pts 32)
Top Scorer: Nicky Maynard (10 league goals)
Manager: Gary Johnson (since September 2005)
League Cup:
Recent form: A run of just one win in ten games extending to the back of October has seen City drop away from the playoff scene into their predicted position of mid table.
Original prediction: 12th
WATFORD
Position: 13th (P24 W8-D8-L8 Pts 32)
Top Scorer: Tom Cleverley (8 league goals)
Manager: Malky Mackay (since June 2009)
League Cup: Lost 2-1 to Leeds United after extra time in the second round.
Recent form: It has been a tough few weeks for Hornets fans who will have been relieved to hear that their club is not going into administration. On the pitch, the team has won just one of its last seven games, suggesting that the speculation over the club’s finances has not served them well. They remain safe enough in mid table for now, though.
Original prediction: 16th
DONCASTER ROVERS
Position: 14th (P23 W7-D9-L7 Pts 30)
Top Scorer: Billy Sharp (10 league goals)
Manager: Sean O’Driscoll (since September 2006)
League Cup: Lost 5-1 to Tottenham Hotspur at home in the second round.
Recent form: An excellent run of five wins in seven matches is just what Rovers needed, having won just twice before November all season. Unsurprisingly, their form has had a positive effect on their league position, lifting them from a low of 20th to 14th.
Original prediction: 18th
BARNSLEY
Position: 15th (P22 W8-D6-L8 Pts 30)
Top Scorer: Adam Hammill, Daniel Bogdanovic (5 league goals each)
Manager: Mark Robins (since September 2009)
League Cup: Lost 2-0 to Manchester United at home in the fourth round, one of only three clubs outside the Premier League to reach that stage.
Recent form: The Tykes have lost just three league games and progressed well in the League Cup since Mark Robins replaced Simon Davey in September after a woeful start of just one point from 18. They are currently on a run of eight unbeaten league matches, with four wins and four draws.
Original prediction: 23rd
PRESTON NORTH END
Position: 16th (P23 W7-D8-L8 Pts 29)
Top Scorer: Neil Mellor (6 league goals)
Manager: Vacant – Alan Irvine sacked in December 2009.
League Cup: Lost 5-1 to Tottenham Hotspur at home in the third round.
Recent form: A run of just one win in ten matches was enough for Alan Irvine to be given an unwanted late Christmas present. After failing in the playoffs last season, another top six push looked likely in the early months before this recent form has dropped them to lower mid table.
Original prediction: 5th
COVENTRY CITY
Position: 17th (P24 W7-D7-L10 Pts 28)
Top Scorer: Leon Best (8 league goals)
Manager: Chris Coleman (since February 2008)
League Cup: Lost 1-0 at home to Hartlepool United after extra time in the first round.
Recent form: The Sky Blues have won three of their last four games, much to the relief of their supporters as it followed a run of just two wins in 18 matches. City’s recent upturn means the threat of relegation has eased for now.
Original prediction: 19th
DERBY COUNTY
Position: 18th (P24 W7-D5-L12 Pts 26)
Top Scorer: Rob Hulse (6 league goals)
Manager: Nigel Clough (since January 2009)
League Cup: Lost 2-1 to Rotherham United in the first round.
Recent form: Just one win and three goals in six matches means The Rams are looking over their shoulder going into the New Year.
Original prediction: 10th
IPSWICH TOWN
Position: 19th (P23 W4-D12-L7 Pts 24)
Top Scorer: Jonathan Stead, Jonathan Walters (6 league goals each)
Manager: Roy Keane (since April 2009)
League Cup: Lost 2-1 to Peterborough United in the second round.
Recent form: Roy Keane’s men may have lost just once since October but there have also only been four wins. Ipswich are the draw specialists of the division with 12 in 23 games so far. At least they have finally started getting three points– their first success came at the 15th attempt, ruining early on what many had predicted to be fruitful season.
Original prediction: 2nd
READING
Position: 20th (P24 W5-D8-L11 Pts 23)
Top Scorer: Grzegorz Rasiak, Gylfi Sigurdsson (6 league goals each)
Manager: Vacant – Brendan Rodgers sacked in December 2009.
League Cup: Lost 2-1 at home to Barnsley in the second round.
Recent form: Brendan Rodgers paid the price for failing to lift a dispirited squad after last season’s playoff defeat and the departure of Steve Coppell. His sacking came after a run of just three wins and six defeats in 11 games which compounded a slow start to leave the Royals struggling. Since Rodgers’ sacking, form has hardly improved with just two points to show from their three matches around Christmas.
Original prediction: 8th
SCUNTHORPE UNITED
Position: 21st (P23 W6-D5-L12 Pts 23)
Top Scorer: Gary Hooper (7 league goals)
Manager: Nigel Adkins (since November 2006)
League Cup: Lost 5-1 at Manchester City in the fourth round, one of only three clubs from outside the Premier League to reach that stage.
Recent form: The Iron have won just once in their last ten league matches, nine of which have been since their heavy loss when exiting the League Cup. Their recent form will disappoint manager Nigel Adkins as, before then, they had embarked on a run of just two defeats in eight matches which lifted them up to 14th.
Original prediction: 24th
PLYMOUTH ARGYLE
Position: 22nd (P23 W6-D3-L14 Pts 21)
Top Scorer: Alan Judge (5 goals)
Manager: Paul Mariner (since December 2009)
League Cup: Lost 2-1 to Gillingham in the first round.
Recent form: This has been an odd season for the Pilgrims who have won their last two matches under new manager Paul Mariner, including a 4-1 demolition of Reading. But this was only after club legend Paul Sturrock moved upstairs following a second bad run of consecutive defeats in the season. Plymouth had lost seven games in a row near the start of the season before a slight recovery. But then three 1-0 losses finally ended Sturrock’s second reign. Mariner started with two further defeats without scoring before those two recent wins give the Pilgrims’ fans hope.
Original prediction: 21st
SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY
Position: 23rd (P23 W4-D7-L12 Pts 19)
Top Scorer: Marcus Tudgay (6 league goals)
Manager: Vacant – Brian Laws left by mutual consent in December 2009.
League Cup: Lost 2-0 to Port Vale in the second round.
Recent form: Manager Brian Laws left the club by mutual consent after a run of nine games without a win has left Wednesday stranded in the relegation zone. That run has since extended to 11 games but at least they scored for the first time in over six games in the battling 2-2 draw against leaders Newcastle United on Boxing Day.
Original prediction: 15th
PETERBOROUGH UNITED
Position: 24th (W3-D9-L12 Pts 18)
Top Scorer: George Boyd (9 league goals)
Manager: Mark Cooper (since November 2009)
League Cup: Lost 5-2 to Blackburn Rovers in the fourth round, one of only three clubs from outside the Premier League to reach that stage.
Recent form: Posh have struggled to adapt to this level all season with just three wins so far. Darren Ferguson left the club by mutual consent in November after the team picked up just four points from eight matches. But there has been little improvement in terms of results under new manager Mark Cooper as they have only taken five points in their eight matches since then. This leaves Posh rooted to the bottom of the table where they have been since early November.
Original prediction: 20th
League One
Table
LEEDS UNITED continue to sweep all before them as they charge their way towards the Championship having lost just once all season.
United have racked up 56 points at the halfway stage, eight clear of second-placed Charlton Athletic as they seek to escape League One at the third attempt.
Charlton have also had a good season, having lost just twice and they are well-placed to make an immediate return to the second tier after a nightmare relegation campaign in 2008-09.
But the Addicks are sure to be pushed all the way by another relegated team, Norwich City, who are just three points behind, having lost just once in 16 matches after a poor start.
Colchester United are also firmly in the hunt on 45 points, having recovered from a slight blip in form to record five wins out of their last six games.
Then there is a gap of seven points to the other playoff teams, Huddersfield Town and Swindon Town both on 38 points.
Free-scoring Huddersfield are unbeaten at home but have unsurprisingly struggled away, given that they have played all but one of their fellow top half teams.
Swindon were draw specialists up until October with seven of their opening 12 games ending in stalemate.
But the Robins have started to convert one point into three more regularly with six wins from their last eight league matches.
Millwall on 36 points are just outside the playoffs along with Milton Keynes Dons, also on 36 points and Bristol Rovers, on 34 points, both of whom have fallen away in recent weeks.
The Dons have won just two of their last nine league games while Rovers have lost three of their last four.
At least their form is not as bad as poor Stockport County, rock bottom with 14 points having lost their last 11 league matches.
The Hatters, who spent the summer in administration, look destined for the drop. Now fully 10 points adrift of safety, their team is just not competitive enough for this level.
Wycombe Wanderers are also in trouble, standing six points adrift after a recent run of just four points from their last 18 while third-bottom Tranmere Rovers are another team to have spent much of their season in the drop zone.
At least Tranmere have come out of their own terrible run of defeats earlier in the season to have lost just once in their last six and reach 21 points.
They are now just three points adrift of Leyton Orient, in the final relegation place, and Brighton and Hove Albion, both on 24 points.
Oldham Athletic on 25 points have two games in hand on all of the teams around them after postponements due to the recent wintry weather.
Gillingham and Exter City on 26 points are just two points clear of the trap door.
League Two
Table
ROCHDALE are the latest team to hit the front of the basement division after an excellent run of seven wins and a draw from their last eight matches.
That puts the Dale on 51 points from 24 games, putting them in excellent shape for a first promotion in 34 years as they hold a 14-point advantage over fourth place.
Former leaders Bournemouth are five points behind in second place but with a game in hand and reasonable recent form with just two losses in 11 games, though they were both heavy defeats.
There is a further gap of seven points to Rotherham United on 39 points, though the Millers would surely have had a larger total if all their Christmas matches had not been postponed.
Indeed, Rotherham have not played since 12th December, denything them a chance to extend their run of just one defeat in seven.
Fourth-placed Notts County have rarely stayed out the news this season after caretaker manager Dave Kevan became their third boss of the season.
Swede Hans Backe left the club just days after Peter Trembling took over from Munto Finance who had launched ambition plans in the summer of bringing Premier League football to Meadow Lane.
On the pitch, County have lost just two of their last 14 league games to record 37 points from 22 games.
But a damaging run of six draws in seven matches has left them currently two points adrift of Rotherham in an automatic place.
Level on points with County but having played a game more, Dagenham and Redbridge are fifth.
That represents something of a disappointment for the Daggers who led League Two briefly in November before a current run of just one win in seven games.
Aldershot in sixth are on a much better run, having shot up from mid table on the back of four wins in their last five games.
The Shots are 36 points, just three behind Rotherham, though having played a game more.
Chesterfield occupy the final playoff spot on 35 points but having enjoyed seven wins out of eight in October and November, four defeats in their last five games puts their top seven place in doubt.
Shrewsbury Town and Bury are also on 35 points with Morecambe on 34 points and Accrington Stanley on 33 also well-placed to take advantage of any slip-ups.
At the bottom, Darlington's season of woe continues, though at least they are unbeaten since 12th December - because they have not played due to postponements!
When the Quakers have taken to the field this season, they have lost on all but four occasions with two wins and two draws their only return so far.
Indeed, Darlington have lost their last five league games, conceding 19 goals, leaving them 14 points adrift of safety.
Grimsby Town have been in the relegation zone with Darlington for much of the season and the Mariners are starting to be cast adrift as well.
They have won just three times all season and collected 17 points from 23 matches. Indeed, they are without a win in 15 attempts and are now five points away from Lincoln City in 22nd place, having played one game more.
Blue Square Premier
Table
OXFORD UNITED still lead the Blue Square Premier division but their lack of recent action has seen their lead cut to just two points.
The Us are still well-placed with 56 points from 24 games, two fewer matches than second-placed Stevenage Borough who are on 54 points.
York City have won their last nine league and cup matches to stay third, five points behind Stevenage having played a game less.
Then, there is another five point gap to fourth-placed Mansfield Town on 44 points and AFC Wimbledon on 43 points.
Wimbledon have taken 16 points out of 18 and not conceded a goal in any of those six games to rise from mid table to fifth.
While Wimbledon have risen, Kettering have suffered from the effect of losing manager Mark Cooper to Championship club Peterborough United.
A run of just one win in six league matches since Cooper's departure means the Poppies have dropped out of the playoff places with 42 points from 25 games.
At the bottom, Chester City have still not wiped out their 25 points deduction. They are on -3 points from 25 games and the pressure on their small squad has started to tell.
Just a single point from their last seven games has ended the slimmest chance that they would survive in the division.
Second-bottom Grays Athletic are five points adrift from safety after a run of just one win in 13 games, leaving them on 17 points.
But third-bottom Ebbsfleet United are fighting hard with three wins from their last five games to reach 18 points.
Forest Green Rovers occupy the final relegation place at present, but they are also on a good recent run of seven points from nine to hit the 20 points mark before their FA Cup tie with Notts County this weekend.
With just one win in 17 games, Eastbourne Borough look most likely to be caught but their reasonable start puts them on 22 points. Gateshead's inconsistency also keeps them on 22 points.
Statistics from Statto.com and BBC Sport website.
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