The 2011/12 Football Predictions: Half Time Report Part 2

Welcome back to The 2011/12 Football Predictions: Half Time Report Part 2. This time around we are going to take a look back at my Football League predictions. Yes ladies and gents I’m stretching this bad boy into 3 parts. Now trust me as I said last time there are a few stinkers in this. I think I may have gone for too many “safe” predictions which turned out to be just hype rather than lobbing in a few “left field” (ahem) predictions instead of just the hyped up teams.

So lets start down in basement of the Football League. Lets take a brief look back at my “wondrous” predictions for this League which to be honest hasn’t exactly set my world on fire this year.

Going up: Crawley Town, Bristol Rovers and Port Vale

Play off Contenders: Rotherham, Shrewsbury, Gillingham Swindon with Oxford having a chance

Struggling/Going Down: Barnet, Aldershot, Morecombe, Plymouth, Macclesfield

Well looky here. Crawley are challenging for the league! Those playoff contenders as of 17 of January are almost perfection. Swindow, Shrewsbury, Gillingham and Swindon being the 4 playoff place holders. Hey this is going well so far… oh wait Rotherham are 11th, Port Vale are 14th and to my complete shame Bristol Rovers are having an dreadful season, have sacked their manager and sit 18th only 6 points above the dop zone. Wow I couldn’t have got that more wrong could I? Still I’m confident the rest of the promotion places will stay roughly where they are. Bloody Bristol Rovers…

The relegation places are looking so-so for me. Sure Plymouth are struggling mightily and Barnet are hovering just above the drop zone the rest are well… having good season. I think Plymouth will defiantly go down but the bottom of that league is really tight so its tough to call. Still at least I swerved touting Bradford to go up once again! Just a final note I have to say well done to Paul Sturrock for the top notch job hes doing at Southend.

Now lets jump up a league and this is where my predictions start to go less well. Sure they could come good but I’ve thrown in some right stinkers in this lot:

Going up: Huddersfield and MK Dons

Play off Contenders: Preston, Scunthorpe and Shef Wed with Colchester, Charlton and Orient challenging

Struggling/Going Down: Bury, Rochdale, Stevenage & Yeovil to go down with Tranmere, Wallsall, Hartlepool and Shef Utd to struggle

Huddersfield, MK Dons and Shef Wed are doing really well and are right in with a shout of going up. I still think Huddersfield will go up. I also clearly underestimated how good a job Powell would do at Charlton. Far from being playoff contenders they’ve lead the way all season. Here is where is goes all wrong. Shef Utd to struggle? They’re 2nd! Colchester and Orient are hovering around mid table a long from going up. Scunthorpe are just above the relegation zone for crying out loud. They could go down and are far…far from promotion contenders I touted them to be.

But hey look Yeovil and Rochalde are indeed doing as badly as I thought. Wallsall and Tranmere aren’t so hot either.Here comes the doozey though: Stevenage to go down!? . They are in the playoffs! Their manager has just left to join Preston. Without their manager they’ll struggle to maintain they’re lofty heights but going down? Nah no chance! Also it appears I’ve under estimated my beloved Carlisle Utd. They could even sneek going up…maybe…ahem.

Now to big one. The one that people are actually going to care about. That is the Championship. The place where “fallen giants” come to slumber. Or…something like that. Ok look I’m just delaying this because I’ve had what only be described as an absolute nightmare with these predictions. Was it preseason hype that I bought into? I don’t know but…just look for yourself.

Going up: Leicester and Forest

Play off Contenders: West Ham, Leeds, Southampton and Reading

Struggling/Going Down: Doncaster, Palace, Peterborough with Watford, Barnsley and Bristol City struggling

Wow Steve what were you thinking? Forest and Leicester. Turns out the commenter “Perd” (Hello Mike!) was spot on. Forest are terrible. They’re only just above the relegation zone and went over a 1000 hours of football without scoring at one stage. McClaren instead of being a great appointment was a total disaster and is now back at AZ whom he should never have left in the first place. Leicaster sacked Sven too quickly and could still go up with a “surging run from deep”. Well I hold some kind of hope anyway…

At least West Ham are doing well as well every man and their dog predicted. Shame some Hammers are moaning about the style of football being played. Look do you want to go back up or play lovely football and lose in the playoff final to Palace again (sorry Mike)? Ok I kid big Sam does play mince football but still promotion is promotion. Southampton are doing better than a mere playoff place and are riding high at the top of the league. I’d be happy to see them back in the top league and look like they are capable of more than keeping pace with the likes of the Hammers. Reading are in the playoffs and Leeds are only 3 points off the playoffs so they’re right about where I thought they’d be.

Now here is a couple I got right (finally). Bristol City are indeed struggling and have changed managers. Doncaster finally looked like punching way above their weight has taken it’s toll even though Saunders has given them hope. Watford are only just keeping their head above water as well. Look I just noticed one of tips to struggle, Peterborough, are only two points off Leicester and another tip to struggle Leicester, Barnsley are above them. As are Palace. Oh deary deary me.

So there you go. Turns out I’m pretty decent with the playoff contenders but my word I’ve had some bad choices. I think I shouldn’t have bought into some of the hype. I’m looking at you Leicester and Bristol Rovers. Sometimes I think I was clearly mad. I mean seriously Forest? What was I thinking?

So come back next time for the conclusion of my half time prediction reports when I cast my eye on the biggest league in the world right now.