EFL Championship: 5 Things we learned from the opening weekend

Although diehard supporters of England's top tier are anxiously anticipating the resumption of the Premier League season this coming Friday, there was plenty of football league action for followers to sink their teeth into this past weekend in the EFL Championship.

This season, England's second division welcomed the likes of relegated Middlesbrough, Hull City and Sunderland, as well as promoted the Millwall, Bolton and Sheffield United.

With more than half of the clubs in the Championship fancying themselves for promotion, the season ahead is sure to be as enthralling as always and the opening weekend of games saw numerous very tight affairs.

Having cast my eye over the action, here are five key points which surfaced during the first round of matches.

#1 Molineux: A potential fortress

All in all, it was a pretty miserable campaign for Wolves last season, who slumped to an eventual 15th place finish, clear from relegation but a long way off from the desired playoff spots. On Saturday, under new management and parading a host of fresh faces, the West Midlands side defeated promotion favourites Middlesbrough 1-0 to ease nerves that a similar fate awaits them this term.

Why should Wolves fans fear such a reality though? Quite simply, they shouldn't.

It is of course just ninety minutes of football into a relentless marathon, but under the stewardship of experienced Nuno Espírito Santo, Wolves are perfectly equipped to surprise everyone in a similar fashion throughout the entire campaign. Central to this would be their home form and Wolves made Molineux an uncomfortable venue for Boro on Saturday.

Santo's side consistently peppered the opposition goal with a total of ten shots and tightened at the back with the likes of Saiss and record signing Neves in deep midfield often suffocating a blunt Middlesbrough front line.

Few teams will visit the West Midlands outfit this term with a more experienced and valuable side than Middlesbrough's and so it seems that Wolverhampton Wanderers could be a tricky side to face away from home for every club.

#2 Villa's end product remains questionable

Gabriel Agbonlahor gave Aston Villa the lead but they came away with only a draw

Having invested in excess of £30 million last season in frontmen such as Ross McCormack, Jonathan Kodjia and Scott Hogan, the Villans have focused the majority of their business this window on defensive and midfield reinforcements. Consequently, it seems as though little improvement will be made on their meagre return of 47 goals last term, which was six fewer than relegated Blackburn Rovers.

In their opener, Steve Bruce's men looked to put such concerns to bed when Gabriel Agbonlahor fired home in the first ten minutes, but it would be the only time the Hull City net would bulge. The Tigers were on the back foot and Villa had plenty of opportunities, including 12 shots and five on goal, but the end product yet again proved to be the main stumbling block.

As a result, one of the promotion favourites had to settle for a draw and missed the chance to secure the full three points on the opening day.

With the likes of John Terry installed at the heart of the defence, it's clear conceding goals will not be the problem this term but rather converting them and barring an additional signing or sudden revival of Kodjia and co., it's likely this will be a taking point throughout the entire campaign.

#3 Billy will continue his sharp shooting

Billy Sharp got off a rollicking start for Sheffield United

With the English second tier growing tighter and more competitive by the second, it's certainly no easy task for a newly promoted outfit to make themselves heard. At the weekend, however, Sheffield United, returning to the Championship after a six-year absence, defeated a sturdy Brentford side 1-0 courtesy of a Billy Sharp header.

It's the 31-year-old's third spell at his boyhood club and he proved once again how vital he will be for the Blades over the next nine months or so.

Last campaign, United comfortably secured the League One title in a season where Sharp bagged himself 30 goals; the more cynical followers thought a far more desolate reality would await the Englishman this term, though. With a goal to his name already and another one which was disallowed, it's clear there's no sign of the striker slowing down and he still remains one of the most potent individuals in the entire football league.

Sharp himself has experienced the Championship with multiple clubs including the likes of Southampton and Doncaster Rovers and he will consequently not be fazed by the challenge that awaits him in spearheading the Blades' lineup.

#4 McCarthy and Ipswich off to a strong start

Much to smile about for Ipswich Town on the opening day

For a club entering their sixteenth consecutive season in the same division, it’s understandable that the Ipswich Town fan base are growing frustrated by their side’s lack of progress. Recent years have promised to be more fruitful with the Tractor Boys making the playoffs three seasons ago, only to lose out to Norwich City, and finishing seventh in 2015/16.

Last term, however, mundanity set in and the club fell to a very disappointing 16th place, just shy of relegation and having drawn more games than any other second tier outfit (16). McCarthy, despite his heroics during previous seasons with Town, came under fire following winless streaks last winter and an embarrassing cup exit to Lincoln Town.

Ahead of the new campaign, the East Anglian club is fifth favourites to face the drop but got off to a good start at home to Birmingham City on Saturday, who they defeated 1-0.

The negative atmosphere which hung over Portman road for much of last season had dissipated with McCarthy himself claiming, "I've had lovely support from everybody at the club and the fans. They turned up and it humbles me.”

Two key performers in the game for Town were keeper Bartosz Bialkowski and Joe Garner, the latter grabbing a goal on his league debut for Ipswich and the former denying an energetic Birmingham City either side of the interval. Ipswich are unlikely to blow any team out of the water this season but 20 + goals from Garner and a water-tight defence could be enough to propel them out of trouble.

#5 No guaranteed play-off spots

Fulham had to do with a draw in their opening game against Norwich

Traditionally, when the Championship season starts, it’s the relegated trio from the Premier League coupled with last term’s playoff teams who are favourites for Premier League promotion but very seldom do events unfold in such a way. The nation’s second tier is comprised of eleven or twelve sides who genuinely have a shot at promotion but narrowing that down to three is a task for a very brave individual.

The opening weekend echoed this, with practically every match proving tight and often being settled by one goal margins. The existing three favourites for promotion, Middlesbrough, Aston Villa and Fulham all drew their opening games, outlining that it’ll be more challenging than ever for clubs to bulldoze their way through teams in the division.

Clubs such as Wolves and Aston Villa have invested extraordinarily well and are up for the fight, whilst the likes of Norwich City and Fulham are likely to continue their good form from last campaign and prove awkward customers. Even towards the lower end of the table, clubs such as Burton, Bolton and Millwall will be tricky sides to visit and snatch points from.