Championship 2018-19

[philipl]

The fact all three relegated sides came straight back up from League 1 and Wigan and Rotherham are yo yo clubs means you cannot rule out all three going straight back down again.

Championship is a very unforgiving league. 

I don't expect relegation but I certainly don't rule out a tough long season with more losses than wins. 

I think the squad even today is marginally better than the one that went down and Mowbray is dramatically better than Coyle. So logic suggests a finish around 16th.

A great season for Dack and that becomes 8th without ever seriously being in play off contention, a couple of wonder signings will put us into the play off mix, a couple of nasty injuries to key players like Dack and Mulgrew and we are hoping for 21st.

[DE.]

5 minutes ago, philipl said:

The fact all three relegated sides came straight back up from League 1 and Wigan and Rotherham are yo yo clubs means you cannot rule out all three going straight back down again.

Championship is a very unforgiving league. 

I don't expect relegation but I certainly don't rule out a tough long season with more losses than wins. 

I think the squad even today is marginally better than the one that went down and Mowbray is dramatically better than Coyle. So logic suggests a finish around 16th.

A great season for Dack and that becomes 8th without ever seriously being in play off contention, a couple of wonder signings will put us into the play off mix, a couple of nasty injuries to key players like Dack and Mulgrew and we are hoping for 21st.

Pretty much spot on. Considering how shallow our squad is I think injuries will end up having a huge say in where we finish. I also can't help but think that if Graham struggles for form or fitness we are going to be in trouble. Mowbray must surely be concerned by our lack of forward options? 

[Bigdoggsteel]

Dack and Mulgrew can't be replaced, same as Barca are weaker without Messi and Real without Ramos. 

Graham is great, especially with his reignited motivation, but of the 3, we could manage without him the best. Ideally with the proven championship striker we sign stepping in! Or even Armstrong 

[islander200]

8 minutes ago, Bigdoggsteel said:

Dack and Mulgrew can't be replaced, same as Barca are weaker without Messi and Real without Ramos. 

Graham is great, especially with his reignited motivation, but of the 3, we could manage without him the best. Ideally with the proven championship striker we sign stepping in! Or even Armstrong 

At the moment we couldn't manage without Graham.Il take your point when/If a proven striker comes in.Danny Graham is the only player in our squad capable of playing the lone front man role at the moment 

[blueboy3333]

2 minutes ago, Bigdoggsteel said:

Graham is great, especially with his reignited motivation, but of the 3, we could manage without him the best.

 Graham was pivotal to our upturn in results last season and also Dack's upturn in performances. I wouldn't fancy a season of Samuel or Armstrong up front on their own holding the ball up and bringing Dack etc into the game. Graham is very very good at what he does. 

[blueboy3333]

Just now, islander200 said:

At the moment we couldn't manage without Graham.Il take your point when/If a proven striker comes in.Danny Graham is the only player in our squad capable of playing the lone front man role at the moment 

Agreed, and it would cost a lot of money to replace Graham's ability and experience. Those of us who watch the games know that. 

[Bigdoggsteel]

Just now, blueboy3333 said:

 Graham was pivotal to our upturn in results last season and also Dack's upturn in performances. I wouldn't fancy a season of Samuel or Armstrong up front on their own holding the ball up and bringing Dack etc into the game. Graham is very very good at what he does. 

No doubt. His hold up is crucial to how we play. As is his interplay with Dack. I just think he is more replaceable than Dack or Mulgrew. The fact that not many of us would question Graham being first choice this season shows he is rebuilt his reputation big time. I actually think he has a big season in him. I'm talking similar goal figures to last season 

[Bigdoggsteel]

3 minutes ago, islander200 said:

At the moment we couldn't manage without Graham.Il take your point when/If a proven striker comes in.Danny Graham is the only player in our squad capable of playing the lone front man role at the moment 

No, I wasn't saying I hope we sign a replacement for Graham. I'm happy with him being first choice. I just think it's more likely than we can loan or buy good back up for him as opposed to Dack or Mulgrew 

[blueboy3333]

Mulgrew is the one I worry about. As much as I love the beautifully coiffured Adonis with the wand of a left foot, I also fear he might get exposed for his lack of pace in the Championship where most weeks there will be some speed merchant up against him. Probably baseless because he's probably too clever to get caught out but I do wonder why we want to sign Bauer.

[DE.]

48 minutes ago, blueboy3333 said:

Mulgrew is the one I worry about. As much as I love the beautifully coiffured Adonis with the wand of a left foot, I also fear he might get exposed for his lack of pace in the Championship where most weeks there will be some speed merchant up against him. Probably baseless because he's probably too clever to get caught out but I do wonder why we want to sign Bauer.

Mulgrew got caught out more than once last season defensively, so not baseless at all. If Mulgrew and Lenihan can strike up a good partnership then they should be able to make up for each other's weaknesses, but if one of them suffers a long term injury I would fear for us. Downing isn't Championship quality imo.

[47er]

You need 4 centre-backs, all able to play in this league. I think we have two.

Disaster beckons if it isn't fixed.

[Ozz]

2 hours ago, DE. said:

Pretty much spot on. Considering how shallow our squad is I think injuries will end up having a huge say in where we finish. I also can't help but think that if Graham struggles for form or fitness we are going to be in trouble. Mowbray must surely be concerned by our lack of forward options? 

Agree totally after watching the alternatives play last Saturday. 

Remember folks we will be playing in Premier League 2 this season. Not third tier. 

[Husky]

14 hours ago, roverandout said:

I wouldnt call ali average..hes a very good player who has scored some crucial goals for spurs

We saw the player he was in the World Cup - anonymous. Sterling took a lot of flack as he missed chances and gave the ball away a lot - but at least he was in the game running around and trying. Ali got away with criticism by most as you couldn't even tell he was on the pitch most of the time. M.I.A.

Edited July 31, 2018 by Husky

[scotchrover]

http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11688/11454561/sky-bet-championship-table-prediction-where-will-the-24-clubs-finish-this-season 

A more in-depth version of the previous link I posted. I still think we’ll do better than some of those teams above us, on there. 

[OJRovers]

13 minutes ago, scotchrover said:

http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11688/11454561/sky-bet-championship-table-prediction-where-will-the-24-clubs-finish-this-season 

A more in-depth version of the previous link I posted. I still think we’ll do better than some of those teams above us, on there. 

Its an impossible league to predict.

I see that they have Norwich on there predicted as 14th, when they have been throwing a bit of cash about this summer (signed Marshall and Rhodes).

Rovers will need to use our promotion momentum to over-achieve vs some of the massive budgets (Stoke, Boro) but there's not much between the teams outside the top 3/4 contenders.

[Admiral Nelsen]

3 minutes ago, OJRovers said:

Its an impossible league to predict.

I see that they have Norwich on there predicted as 14th, when they have been throwing a bit of cash about this summer (signed Marshall and Rhodes).

Rovers will need to use our promotion momentum to over-achieve vs some of the massive budgets (Stoke, Boro) but there's not much between the teams outside the top 3/4 contenders.

100% agree. It'll be too much for this squad to compete at the top of the table, but there's no reason at all why we can't be successful with momentum and the culture of the squad.

We'll be clear of relegation as a minimum, for me. A couple of clever signings and a fair crack with injuries and who knows.

[JHRover]

Think there's the 4/5 favourites - Stoke, Villa, Boro, Forest

Then after that it could be anyone.

For all the talk about Villa crisis I look at their squad and manager and simply cannot imagine them being top 6 at the minimum.

I think Norwich will be up there after some good business and their German manager will be used to the division after an average season last year.

I'd be surprised if PNE, Sheffield United or Millwall lived up to last year's levels.

I don't think Swansea or West Brom will be anything more than play off pushing.

One or two unknown quantities in particular Bielsa at Leeds and Lampard at Derby.

 

[Husky]

8 hours ago, OJRovers said:

Its an impossible league to predict.

 

Anyone that tried the BBC predictor league last season can attest to that.

Perhaps that's why the BBC got rid of it?

[Mike E]

10 hours ago, 47er said:

You need 4 centre-backs, all able to play in this league. I think we have two.

Disaster beckons if it isn't fixed.

I think we have our Nelsen (Mulgrew) and our Samba (Lenihan) and our Zurab (Downing) imo. We need our Todd to complete the set and then I'll feel our defence is reliable for this level.

[scotchrover]

24 minutes ago, Mike E said:

I think we have our Nelsen (Mulgrew) and our Samba (Lenihan) and our Zurab (Downing) imo. We need our Todd to complete the set and then I'll feel our defence is reliable for this level.

I always thought Elliot Ward had a bit of Todd about him..

[47er]

43 minutes ago, Mike E said:

I think we have our Nelsen (Mulgrew) and our Samba (Lenihan) and our Zurab (Downing) imo. We need our Todd to complete the set and then I'll feel our defence is reliable for this level.

Very scaled down versions! Isn't Downing a bit "pedestrian"?

[Mike E]

1 hour ago, 47er said:

Very scaled down versions! Isn't Downing a bit "pedestrian"?

Scaled down for sure, but I think the 'type' for each is the right analogy.

I refer to Downing as Zurab because he's an all-rounder that is an adequate replacement for the other 3, but should never start ahead of them.

He's a bit of everything and being a bit pedestrian comes with that kind of territory unfortunately.

If I had my way, we'd have a 'Todd' in situ and one of our young cbs would be the Zurab. Probably Wharton or Platt.

[nathan_rovers1]

Is anyone else particularly excited for this season? 

When we got relegated from the championship for the games that Mowbray was in charge we were competitive over those 11 games. I think we may be a surprise package this year! 

[JacknOry]

1 hour ago, nathan_rovers1 said:

Is anyone else particularly excited for this season? 

When we got relegated from the championship for the games that Mowbray was in charge we were competitive over those 11 games. I think we may be a surprise package this year! 

TM inherited a mess that is for sure and managed to get a good points return from that mess - think over a season that would have had us safe in midtable.

The team has had a year now to take onboard how TM wants to play, his methods in training etc and had a good year enjoying the habit of winning. 

That will all count for a lot going into this season and I think that as long as we strengthen the obvious areas that need it, we will finish well above the relegation zone. We might even make a push for the top ten and the even the playoffs if our team carries on from where they left off and our new signings improve us massively.

[nathan_rovers1]

52 minutes ago, JacknOry said:

TM inherited a mess that is for sure and managed to get a good points return from that mess - think over a season that would have had us safe in midtable.

The team has had a year now to take onboard how TM wants to play, his methods in training etc and had a good year enjoying the habit of winning. 

That will all count for a lot going into this season and I think that as long as we strengthen the obvious areas that need it, we will finish well above the relegation zone. We might even make a push for the top ten and the even the playoffs if our team carries on from where they left off and our new signings improve us massively.

I think on results over 11 games we were mid-table with a terrible sqaud. We have a much better squad with an amazing team spirit, I think we should be confident this year!