Time for the special computer that crunches the numbers to determine the final Championship positions for the season of 2017/18.
Last season the Octopus feature was a late arrival for the Championship – it was off having its tentacles given a Brazilian for all I know.
Then again I still don’t know why I call a number crunching supercomputer an Octopus but some things are probably best left unasked.
In any event here are the updated Championship predictions for the season of 2017/18 after all sides have played 33 games of the campaign.
Who goes down?! Who is the current favourite to lift the title this year?
Well you don’t have to guess.
With some playing 34 games in the Championship in the season of 2017/18, the current favourite to lift the title are Wolverhampton Wanderers with 99 points. Cardiff City sit in second place on 87.
The Play Off spots are also pretty nailed on if the predictions are to be believed – Aston Villa, Derby County, Fulham and Bristol City. Middlesbrough lose out by two points.
At the other end of the table it’s also pretty nailed on with Burton Albion, Birmingham City and Sunderland all predicted for the drop. Barnsley in 21st place escape by four points.
The one thing that can’t be ignored though is there is a hell of a lot of football still to be played even though we find ourselves almost in March and sides that have started well may fade away and others could find form as the months tick by, but this is a bit of fun – I wouldn’t bet your house on it!
The predictions are a reflection on the season so far, and absolutely nothing more, and in most cases the next fixture day could cause wholescale changes to the table.
For Barnsley specifically, it’s a mixed bag when it comes to the Octopus in the final weeks of the campaign.
Compared to last month their expected points tally drops two from 42 to 41 but importantly they rise from 22nd place into the last safety spot at 21.
They avoid relegation in the end by a predicted six points but that’s more to do with Birmingham City being predicted to be even worse in the form charts.
With struggles all season long, as well as the blow of Paul Heckingbottom walking days after signing a new deal, fans will take survival and look for hope with Jose Morais getting a pre season under his belt over the summer.
And the live by the match predictions, how do we stand now?
