As we reach the first international break, three promotion favourites have made very different starts to life in the Championship, writes Sports News Blitz’s Gabriel Mills.
West Ham and Wolves have both spent time near the top of the table. Meanwhile, fellow relegated side Burnley sit at the bottom.
Only eight matches have taken place so far. So, how much can we learn from these early results? Are the three clubs in the right positions heading into October?
West Ham – second (15 points)
Many expected Nuno Espírito Santo’s side to challenge strongly for the Championship title. However, their first three matches brought plenty of frustration.
West Ham led Burnley by two goals in the opening matchweek. The Hammers then conceded twice in the final 10 minutes and had to settle for a 2-2 draw.
Charlton then visited the London Stadium. The visitors took all three points after Taty Castellanos missed a late penalty for West Ham.
The Hammers also struggled against Watford the following week. The match ended 1-1, with West Ham needing a fortunate own goal to level the score.
Turning point
A huge Wednesday night fixture under the lights against Wolves was the turning point – Nuno’s side put four goals past their manager’s former club to get the first win on the board.
Was it a convincing 4-2 victory? Not particularly. Was it important? Absolutely.
This set West Ham away on a four-match win streak, scoring 16 goals in that time including a 6-0 demolition of Wrexham.
Importantly, the big players began to shine.
Jarrod Bowen hit four goals and two assists while Konstantinos Mavropanos found form in front of goal from centre-back.
A point at the Den against bitter rivals Millwall ended the winning streak but after a dismal first half, Hammers fans would take a 2-2 draw.
West Ham have seemingly clicked following a slow start, and an automatic promotion spot feels the minimum they can achieve with a star-studded team.
Burnley – 24th (four points)
Burnley have made a shocking start to their Championship campaign.
The Clarets sit at the bottom of the table after eight league matches. They are also the only team in the division without a victory.
Burnley suffered another major blow when Zian Flemming left for Ipswich. The club reportedly received around £20 million for last season’s top scorer on deadline day.
The Clarets have also struggled to protect leads.
Burnley scored first against Bristol City, West Brom, Wrexham and Derby. However, they went on to lose two of those matches.
Tough run
It is worth noting that Burnley have been faced with a difficult opening run of fixtures, having already played four of the top five.
In a home match against a strong Middlesbrough side, the Clarets showed grit and quality to secure a well-earned point – but this side of them has not been shown enough.
The players are capable of hitting levels that can propel them up the table, but it has been showcased rarely so far, which reflects their dismal league position.
Wolves – fourth (14 points)
Wolves have arguably enjoyed the most consistent start among the three relegated clubs.
They have lost only once. That defeat came against West Ham at the London Stadium.
Despite conceding four goals, Wolves did not look completely outplayed during the match.
The Old Gold then produced convincing wins over Preston and Stoke. They scored seven goals across those two games.
Fer López has stood out during the opening weeks. The Spanish midfielder earned a nomination for the Championship Player of the Month award for August.
The 22-year-old has scored four goals and provided two assists in seven matches.
Wolves also have a game in hand on several other promotion contenders. A victory in that match could move them to the top of the table.
Defensive concerns
While their attacking play is dynamic, free-flowing and almost impossible to stop, there was plenty of concern over the defensive side.
Having conceded 10 goals in the opening five matches, Wolves have tightened up in the most recent two.
A first clean sheet of the season came away at Sheffield United as Raúl Jiménez struck an 89th-minute winner.
This was backed up by a dominant win at home in the Black Country derby against West Brom – the hosts keeping another clean sheet and conceding just 0.27 expected goals.
If the previous defensive worries have been squashed, Wolves could be a huge threat towards those chasing them for promotion.
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