In this alternative to the weekly round up, we'll be looking at ten aspects of the Sky Bet Championship during each round. This week it is all about Huddersfield Town that sit atop the Championship after 5 matches.
1) Yorkshire on top
Yorkshire's Huddersfield Town have defied critics so far and sit atop the Championship table. The fans won't start to dream of promotion just yet only being 4 weeks in but they have had a near perfect start so far including 3 late goals that have gained them 2 wins and 1 draw. Perhaps this season they will be known as the “Fergie time” team?
2) Newcastle United bouncing back
Despite the Geordie's early form, (2 losses in the first 2 games) manager Rafa Benitez was insistent that his side were good enough to compete for honours in the league. His persistence with his team seems to be paying off as they have now won their last 3 league games and sit 4th in the table. With 2 new signings in the last week to add to his ample squad, the Spaniard can start to call on some high-class talent. It would be surprising now if Newcastle aren't challenging for the title next May.
3) Can Aston Villa turn around a bad start?
With just 1 win, 2 draws and 2 losses so far in the Championship, Aston Villa look to be suffering from the same inconsistencies that plagued their Premier League season last year. It seems that there's a serious lack of confidence running through the squad and Manager Roberto Di Matteo was scathing of their performance in the 3-1 defeat against Bristol City this weekend saying that they didn't even look like a team.
With games against Forest, Brentford and Ipswich before the crucial visit of Newcastle to Villa park, it will be vital that Aston Villa pick up some form once the International break has finished.
4) Owen Coyle under pressure already
It's only 5 games in and there's talk of managerial dismissals already. Blackburn's manager Owen Coyle lamented the last minute goal by one of their former players against Fulham this weekend, but unless results improve and quickly it could be a very tough September for Rovers.
Their next 2 games, away at QPR and then a trip across to Headingley for a tough match against Leeds will ensure that pressure is maintained on a team already rooted to the bottom of the table. Will Coyle be the first manager to be shown the door?
5) A long time coming
In what was his first minute of competitive football in over 4 years, Shaun Barker stepped onto the field to represent Burton Albion in the Championship against the side that let him go last season, Derby County. It was an emotional moment, his playing time only lasting one minute of a 1-0 victory against the Rams, but his recovery from a serious cruciate ligament injury and a dislocated knee was complete. Who knows if he will be able to have a meaningful and injury free season, but
Barker remains realistic. "If it doesn't happen now I will have to put my hands up and walk away. I don't like being defeated and I hope this year that I will get back out there."
6) Nottingham Forest win at home again
Nottingham Forest fans must be looking forward to every game at the moment after witnessing 11 goals in just 3 home matches. Successive 4-3 victories first against Burton Albion and then Wigan Athletic followed up by a less stressful 3-1 result against Leeds United mean that Forest are looking upward.
They currently find themselves in 7th but with ties at Villa Park followed by Rotherham United, Nottingham Forest will be hoping they can continue their free-scoring run away from home.
7) Two new signings at the Toon
Rafa Benitez has signed 2 new players, Daryl Murphy and Achraf Lazaar on long term deals. Striker Murphy (33) was previously at Ipswich and averaged almost 1 goal in every 3 games. He was also a Republic of Ireland international and featured in Euro 2016.
Lazaar (24) is a left back and was at Italian club Palermo. He is already an Egyptian International and Newcastle manager Benitez hopes he will do well, "Achraf is a good, young player with International experience, who has grown his game in Italy."
8) Barnsley winners but not without Payne
Barnsley were another team to maintain their 100% home record this weekend with a comfortable 4-0 win against struggling Rotherham United. The Tykes now find themselves 3rd in the table after this, but spare a thought for Striker Stephan Payne, one of Barnsley's substitutes, who was brought on the field with an hour gone but only lasted 3 minutes before having to go off after picking up an injury.
The striker replacing him, Tom Bradshaw, went on to score the third of the 4 goal rout.
9) Late goals again!
There were 3 late goals in the Sky Bet Championship this weekend that had a direct impact on the games they fell in.
Reading snatched a late dramatic 0-1 victory at Cardiff City through a Yann Kermorgant goal in the 89th minute.
Fulham grabbed all the points in the same way with a 94th-minute strike against bottom side Blackburn.
Brentford thought they had the points in the bag when Lasse Vibe scored an 88th minute goal. However, Sheffield Wednesday's Sam Hutchinson snagged a share of the spoils with the last header of the game, making it 1-1 final score.
10) Jimmy gets it right
Third time lucky for Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink as he saw his QPR side beat Wigan Athletic 0-1 and avoid a third straight Championship defeat.
Nedum Onuoha's 48th minute strike was enough to see off a well-organised Wigan side and the Rangers manager now sees organisation as the key to the result. "Overall it was a solid performance, it was a grinder, and at times a little bit nervous. That is normal away from home. We stayed together as a team and we ground out a good win."
