Championship 2018-19

[Admiral Nelsen]

2 hours ago, DE. said:

No chance of us getting into the playoffs imo, it'll be the same as under GB, as soon as we get close we'll start falling away. The consistency and quality just isn't there yet. A top ten finish would be a good start and a base to build on assuming Venky's don't randomly decide to do something stupid in the next 12 months. You can never be sure.

Probably right, although the gap isn't insurmountable. Wouldn't totally write us off, but I'd expect us to finish about 7th-10th if I'm being truthful, even if that happens to be above 'Boro. 

Think the GB comparison is about right too. The only difference for me is that then, the squad was good enough, just that GB probably was't the man to take us to the next level in retrospect. I think this time the roles are reversed; Mowbray is that bit cannier and more ruthless, but the squad as things stand probably falls a little short. Next season is more likely to be the big one for this squad. 

[Bigdoggsteel]

Saturdays game will go a long way to telling us where we are at. A win and we are right in there,  the next game will be telling then. Can we handle the pressure of breaking into the golden circle of the top 6? We could never handle it under Bowyer. 

[DE.]

1 hour ago, Admiral Nelsen said:

Probably right, although the gap isn't insurmountable. Wouldn't totally write us off, but I'd expect us to finish about 7th-10th if I'm being truthful, even if that happens to be above 'Boro. 

Think the GB comparison is about right too. The only difference for me is that then, the squad was good enough, just that GB probably was't the man to take us to the next level in retrospect. I think this time the roles are reversed; Mowbray is that bit cannier and more ruthless, but the squad as things stand probably falls a little short. Next season is more likely to be the big one for this squad. 

Pretty much. My main concern going into next season would be whether we can keep Dack, as replacing him would be very difficult. We also have to consider the likes of Graham and Mulgrew getting on in age, which means performances could drop off or injuries start increasing at any time. We've been quite lucky so far for both as far as injuries are concerned, but as it stands we realistically have nobody to take Graham's spot if he is suddenly out for an extended period. Nuttall has done well in the last couple of matches but there would be a huge drop in quality if he was to replace Graham long term. 

There are a lot of questions for next season which will concern me even if we have a good top ten finish this season. 

[SBlue]

In other news, Sheffield Wednesday are asking supporters to buy up to 5 years of PL season tickets upfront on the off chance they get promoted one day.

Massive cash flow issues at Hillsborough and their owner is bananas.

https://www.swfc.co.uk/news/2019/january/owls-revel-new-strand-of-club-1867/

Edited January 23, 2019 by S8 & Blue

[SBlue]

18 minutes ago, Bigdoggsteel said:

Saturdays game will go a long way to telling us where we are at. A win and we are right in there,  the next game will be telling then. Can we handle the pressure of breaking into the golden circle of the top 6? We could never handle it under Bowyer. 

There was more pressure last year and we got through that. The mental side of things with this squad isn't in question for me. Ability though - let's see.

[Bigdoggsteel]

2 minutes ago, S8 & Blue said:

There was more pressure last year and we got through that. The mental side of things with this squad isn't in question for me. Ability though - let's see.

Not sure it's that simple. Shrewsbury absolutely collapsing in the last few games really helped us. We didn't take the chance to finish 1st. That didn't bother me though and still doesn't, I knew we were a better side than Wigan and would do better this year. 

If anything, I would say we have the ability, but as has been shown with the late goals conceded, we don't always deal well with pressure...

Edited January 23, 2019 by Bigdoggsteel

[davulsukur]

53 minutes ago, S8 & Blue said:

In other news, Sheffield Wednesday are asking supporters to buy up to 5 years of PL season tickets upfront on the off chance they get promoted one day.

Massive cash flow issues at Hillsborough and their owner is bananas.

https://www.swfc.co.uk/news/2019/january/owls-revel-new-strand-of-club-1867/

Doesn't even sound like its an If they get promoted, just when.

Crazy, here's £3200 for potentially, nothing.

[SBlue]

4 minutes ago, davulsukur said:

Doesn't even sound like its an If they get promoted, just when.

Crazy, here's £3200 for potentially, nothing.

They do get a 5% discount on season tickets mind. Prices of which have yet to be released and are already the most expensive in the league.

i'm preparing my "20's Plenty" banner for the game at theirs.

Edited January 23, 2019 by S8 & Blue

[Bigdoggsteel]

5 minutes ago, davulsukur said:

Doesn't even sound like its an If they get promoted, just when.

Crazy, here's £3200 for potentially, nothing.

Sounds bonkers, but at the end of the day it is optional! 

[davulsukur]

27 minutes ago, Bigdoggsteel said:

Sounds bonkers, but at the end of the day it is optional! 

Back the lads FFS!

☺️

[Oldgregg86]

23 hours ago, S8 & Blue said:

In other news, Sheffield Wednesday are asking supporters to buy up to 5 years of PL season tickets upfront on the off chance they get promoted one day.

Massive cash flow issues at Hillsborough and their owner is bananas.

https://www.swfc.co.uk/news/2019/january/owls-revel-new-strand-of-club-1867/

There is a club in Sweden that offers a life time season ticket, I think for about 16 grand. 

You would have to be young and healthy to invest that.

 http://www.sportbible.com/football/news-reactions-take-a-bow-aik-fan-spends-16500-to-become-first-ever-lifetime-season-ticket-ho-20181214

Edited January 24, 2019 by Oldgregg86

[Mr. E]

It is absolutely mad that players of the caliber of Mikel are going to Boro, while it feels like we are very very far away from being able to attract such quality again.  It feels like there are two divisions between us, and yet we are supposed to compete in the same one.

[Bigdoggsteel]

7 minutes ago, Mr. E said:

It is absolutely mad that players of the caliber of Mikel are going to Boro, while it feels like we are very very far away from being able to attract such quality again.  It feels like there are two divisions between us, and yet we are supposed to compete in the same one.

I always thought he was over rated. At the end of the day, Boro are only 7 points ahead of us! 

[Mr. E]

16 minutes ago, Bigdoggsteel said:

I always thought he was over rated. At the end of the day, Boro are only 7 points ahead of us! 

Chelsea fans I've talked with have always rated him, won the Champions League...and he's two years younger than our Danny Graham...

[Bigdoggsteel]

16 minutes ago, Mr. E said:

Chelsea fans I've talked with have always rated him, won the Champions League...and he's two years younger than our Danny Graham...

You would wonder why he is going to a championship club so 

[philipl]

Forget about Boro dropping back, Mikel is one heck of a player.

[G Somerset Rover]

24 minutes ago, Bigdoggsteel said:

You would wonder why he is going to a championship club so 

They must be paying huge bucks. Don't know how them and villa keep getting away with it.

[K-Hod]

43 minutes ago, Bigdoggsteel said:

You would wonder why he is going to a championship club so 

££££££

[JacknOry]

1 hour ago, Mr. E said:

Chelsea fans I've talked with have always rated him, won the Champions League...and he's two years younger than our Danny Graham...

That being so why have no prem clubs come in for his signature? I know he is/was a good player but it would suggest that either there is not much outside interest for whatever reason or Boro are paying more than PL clubs would offer.

[Bigdoggsteel]

26 minutes ago, Gavlar Somerset Rover! said:

They must be paying huge bucks. Don't know how them and villa keep getting away with it.

 

8 minutes ago, K-Hod said:

££££££

Ya but my point was if he was that good a Premier league club would pay him those wages. 

Ya, hopefully the chickens will come home to roost for Villa this summer 

[G Somerset Rover]

9 minutes ago, Bigdoggsteel said:

 

Ya but my point was if he was that good a Premier league club would pay him those wages. 

Ya, hopefully the chickens will come home to roost for Villa this summer 

Villa were offering Mepham more than Bournemouth. I bet Boro did the same with Mikel in comparison to other clubs. He’s obviously a greedy bugger having gone to China in his prime.

Edited January 24, 2019 by Gavlar Somerset Rover!

[Bigdoggsteel]

Just now, Gavlar Somerset Rover! said:

Villa were offering Mepham more than Bournemouth. I bet Boro did the same with Mikel in comparison to other clubs. He’s obviously a greedy bugger having gone to China in his prime.

How are Villa doing it???????????????????????????????????????????????????

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

19 hours ago, philipl said:

Forget about Boro dropping back, Mikel is one heck of a player.

I think he blew a bit hot and cold to be honest. When he was good he was very good but on a bad day he could be very ordinary.

[AllRoverAsia]

I have no idea how accurate this is, source Football Manager 2019 editor.

Rovers suprised me though.

Edited January 25, 2019 by AllRoverAsia

[SBlue]

Sounds right. I believe it - relatively.

All clubs in the list are as ballparkish as each other.

 

Armstrong may have England/goal incentives etc. May even had to take a pay cut to come here. Dack will have been on 4-5k a week MAX before we snapped him up.

 

Remember when we were under embargo and Bowyer bemoaned a 10k a week limit?

There were a few clubs scoffing at his whinging yet at the time we thought it a massive restriction.

We ended up signing Sacha Petshi and Fode Koita.

Those two couldn’t believe their luck.

 

 

We’re a different club nowadays, parachute payments and unsustainable gambles and lack of perspective are long gone - TM and League One has got us a bit saner.

 

The “spoilt millionaire” trope doesn’t work for our players anymore - I reckon there’s a good few professionals on this board that earn more than Travis, Smallwood, Downing, Nuttall etc.

Edited January 26, 2019 by S8 & Blue