Matchweek 3
12/12 played
Top of the pile. Charlton, and only Charlton, on nine points from nine. Karlan Grant had the whole penalty area to himself for the only goal against a Preston side that managed one shot on target and have now lost all three, three days after being beaten 4–0 by Everton in the cup. Nathan Jones has the division's last perfect record and the least fashionable squad to have it.
Biggest turnaround. Southampton 5–1 Millwall, though the table is the better story than the scoreline. Millwall had won their opening two and led through Sykes' deflected effort; Southampton answered with five, Larin twice, including an overhead kick. It took them to two points and 18th — because they started the season on minus four, the deduction imposed alongside expulsion from last season's play-off final after the club admitted filming three opponents' training sessions, Middlesbrough's among them. Two league wins to reach positive numbers. A five-goal afternoon that gets you to 18th is a strange sort of triumph, and an entirely self-inflicted one.
Worst decision. The one that wasn't made. Lankshear was clearly offside when he turned in Whittaker's rebound to put Middlesbrough ahead against West Brom. Boro won 3–1, Lankshear scored twice and now has six in five since leaving Spurs, and Albion's unbeaten start died to a goal that should not have stood. Both halves of that go on the record.
What I got wrong. Six of eight on the coupon, and both misses were draws. Watford–West Ham was a 47% away single that finished 1–1, Nabizada's solo goal cancelled out by Pollock's own goal. Cardiff–Sheffield United was marked 1 and 2 at a 29% draw, and three goals inside seven minutes led to 2–2.
Note for the model. Second round running where every uncovered Championship miss landed on X, in the same fixture type: two closely matched sides, the draw priced normally, the draw excluded. Twice is not proof. It is enough to start measuring instead of shrugging.
| # | Team | P | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Charlton Athletic | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | +3 | 9 |
| 2 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | +5 | 7 |
| 3 | Swansea City | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | +4 | 7 |
| 4 | Queens Park Rangers | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | +3 | 7 |
| 5 | Southampton | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | +5 | 6 |
| 6 | Middlesbrough | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | +2 | 6 |
| 7 | Millwall | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | +1 | 6 |
| 8 | West Bromwich Albion | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | +1 | 6 |
| 9 | Birmingham City | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | +1 | 5 |
| 10 | Watford | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | +1 | 5 |
| 11 | Blackburn Rovers | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| 12 | Bolton Wanderers | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| 13 | Bristol City | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | -1 | 4 |
| 14 | Cardiff City | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 15 | Sheffield United | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 16 | Norwich City | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | -1 | 3 |
| 17 | Portsmouth | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | -1 | 3 |
| 18 | Lincoln City | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | -2 | 3 |
| 19 | West Ham United | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | -1 | 2 |
| 20 | Wrexham | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | -1 | 2 |
| 21 | Derby County | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | -4 | 1 |
| 22 | Burnley | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | -5 | 1 |
| 23 | Preston North End | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | -4 | 0 |
| 24 | Stoke City | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | -6 | 0 |