Championship 24/25

[Exiled_Rover]

5 hours ago, DeeCee said:

Tbh I'd like Derby to stay up, proving to the idiots that Eustace was well worth backing and on a personal note I have soft spot as father came from Derby and supported them but still took me on Ewood every week.

I hope they go down this season.

I don't wish Eustace ill will beyond this season, but he absolutely fucked us in February so I hope his gamble fails in the short term. 

[Mercer]

25 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

Very tight at the bottom of the league

I reckon Plymouth, Cardiff and Hull will go down.

PNE fans not happy with the tactics or Heckingbottom as manager there tonight

Derby are now done.

Led twice last week at Pompey and came away with just a point, lost today to Luton.  2 points from last 4 games tells me they've stalled at the wrong time (Luton 9 points from last 6 games have the momentum).

Plymouth, Cardiff and Derby for the drop.

[ElTwis]

So. Buoyed on by a brilliant performance today (and also a couple cans) I've had a little look and I don't think we're dead and buried yet. Cynics look away now and the rest of you bear with me as we make some big assumptions and ignore some bigger contradictions...

Assumption 1 - Rovers will win the next 3 matches. I know, I know but that's the only way this works, if you can't accept this then skip the post. We probably also need a few goals within those matches but if we play as we did today that won't be an issue.

Assumption 2 - anyone can beat anyone in this league - I think this is a bit easier to accept  particularly towards the end of the season but is slightly contradictory of #1

Assumption 3 - leeds are the best team in the league and will show that (this is very important...)

Assumption 4 - millwall and West brom will not win all their remaining 3 fixtures - all we need is a draw somewhere and we're golden

Assumption 5 - Middlesbrough will not win twice - classic Boro, who knows which team will turn up on any given day

If you're still with me after those 5 then you're a true believer and the next bits won't be an issue for you I'm sure.

Bristol City - need 2 pts to ensure they finish ahead of Rovers. They play Luton away next and only just beat an unmotivated Sunderland who were down to 10 from the 7th minute. Accepting assumption #2 means this is 0 pts. They then play leeds and obviously accepting #3 that's also 0 pts. That means they go into the final day needing a win against PNE as their (at best) +8 gd will be under threat from our (at worst) +5 gd.

Coventry - need 3 pts to definitely finish ahead of Rovers. Play Plymouth next who just beat Sheff Utd, then Luton who, as we know, have just spanked Bristol City. Even if they get a draw from one of these games (highly unlikely) they will need to win their last game against Middlesbrough as again their gd is under threat from a resurgent Blackburn Rovers.

 

All in all then, I've booked my Travelodge for Wembley.

 

 

[47er]

9 hours ago, simongarnerisgod said:

looking at the table,if pne don`t pick up another few points  they`ll be getting dragged into the drop zone😆

Worst record (jointly with Luton) for points gained after conceding the first goal.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Lets get to the Nitty Gritty:

Burnley....that's what happen's when you have Owner's with a plan and the drive to get out of this League.

We can only look on with envious Eye's and it God damn well pains me to say that.

[Mattyblue]

…and parachute money.

They end up in this league by season three and we’d see how ‘driven’ they are, I’d imagine driving away from Turf Moor pronto…

[philipl]

Three games to go and 49 points with goal difference is not an unreasonable realistic requirement to finish 21st. On this basis Preston are already safe... just.

Luton and Plymouth have the run ins from hell playing teams at the top still in play off or automatic promotion fights (and not Sunderland who are already safely in the play offs). 

The others all have eminently winnable games on paper so it comes down to ability, grit and momentum. On yesterday's showing, Derby don't have any of those qualities so they will join Luton and Plymouth preparing for a trip to Burton next season.

Up top, the dingles and Leeds have the automatic places sewn up barring losing two of the last three games. Similarly, Bristol City and Coventry have to implode not to get 5th and 6th between them. 

Boro have to go to Coventry on the last day of the season with Coventry visiting Plymouth and Luton before then so even a slip up against those two relegation haunted sides means Coventry still have 6th place in their control.  

 

[sharpysharps86]

Cardiff have sacked their manager. Of course their last win was against Rovers 😂.

[chaddyrovers]

 

 

Edited Saturday at 12:12 by chaddyrovers

[Mattyblue]

Not sure what your point is?

You think those owners would hang around if you didn’t get out the league before the parachutes ran out? Their whole model is based on PL/parachute income?

[longsiders1882]

43 minutes ago, Mattyblue said:

Not sure what your point is?

You think those owners would hang around if you didn’t get out the league before the parachutes ran out? Their whole model is based on PL/parachute income?

Who knows what will happen. It feels more when than if we fail to get promoted within 2 seasons so lord knows what happens then, how much debt we will be carrying, what saleable players we’d have.

My point, if I had one, was simply to point out any success we’ve had in the last 15 years was built by getting promoted without massive investment, not by having parachute payments. The club since that first promotion has been managed mostly exceptionally well and this has given us seasons in the top flight and promotions I never imagined we’d see back in the 4th Division days. Other clubs who’ve  had PL money and parachute payments haven’t necessarily fared quite so well. Middlesbrough, Stoke, WBA spring to mind - even Swansea and Hull. I know it will end for us but until then I’ll try to enjoy the ride.

[Mattyblue]

If you hadn’t have had that first promotion under Dyche none of this would have happened - you were going nowhere pre his appointment.

You’ve a lot to thank him for.

Edited Saturday at 13:13 by Mattyblue

[longsiders1882]

1 hour ago, Mattyblue said:

If you hadn’t have had that first promotion under Dyche none of this would have happened - you were going nowhere pre his appointment.

You’ve a lot to thank him for.

we owe the first promotion to Coyle and a massive slice of good fortune but agreed, Dyche was the one who really pulled everything together for us. He was a once in a lifetime manager and I’ll be forever thankful.

[Hasta]

20 hours ago, ElTwis said:

So. Buoyed on by a brilliant performance today (and also a couple cans) I've had a little look and I don't think we're dead and buried yet. Cynics look away now and the rest of you bear with me as we make some big assumptions and ignore some bigger contradictions...

Assumption 1 - Rovers will win the next 3 matches. I know, I know but that's the only way this works, if you can't accept this then skip the post. We probably also need a few goals within those matches but if we play as we did today that won't be an issue.

Assumption 2 - anyone can beat anyone in this league - I think this is a bit easier to accept  particularly towards the end of the season but is slightly contradictory of #1

Assumption 3 - leeds are the best team in the league and will show that (this is very important...)

Assumption 4 - millwall and West brom will not win all their remaining 3 fixtures - all we need is a draw somewhere and we're golden

Assumption 5 - Middlesbrough will not win twice - classic Boro, who knows which team will turn up on any given day

If you're still with me after those 5 then you're a true believer and the next bits won't be an issue for you I'm sure.

Bristol City - need 2 pts to ensure they finish ahead of Rovers. They play Luton away next and only just beat an unmotivated Sunderland who were down to 10 from the 7th minute. Accepting assumption #2 means this is 0 pts. They then play leeds and obviously accepting #3 that's also 0 pts. That means they go into the final day needing a win against PNE as their (at best) +8 gd will be under threat from our (at worst) +5 gd.

Coventry - need 3 pts to definitely finish ahead of Rovers. Play Plymouth next who just beat Sheff Utd, then Luton who, as we know, have just spanked Bristol City. Even if they get a draw from one of these games (highly unlikely) they will need to win their last game against Middlesbrough as again their gd is under threat from a resurgent Blackburn Rovers.

 

All in all then, I've booked my Travelodge for Wembley.

 

 

Hope you’ve snapped up the 300/1 for us to finish top 6. 

[chaddyrovers]

On 18/04/2025 at 19:53, Mattyblue said:

They were saying how marvellous ‘Hecky’ was a month or so back…

since we beat them on the 31st of January, they have only won 2 games in 12 games. 

Poor performances and not likely Heckingbottom style and would like to see them try a different formation/style

[ElTwis]

4 hours ago, Hasta said:

Hope you’ve snapped up the 300/1 for us to finish top 6. 

I did last night and this morning slightly regretted it

[Upside Down]

9 hours ago, Mattyblue said:

Not sure what your point is?

You think those owners would hang around if you didn’t get out the league before the parachutes ran out? Their whole model is based on PL/parachute income?

Not sure what your point is here to be fair.

They've obviously got a plan to prevent getting stuck in this division. They will most likely spend next season getting thrashed every week but they'll come down and use the parachute cash to build stronger for the next attempt.

That's exactly what anyone who has the slightest shred of ambition does in this situation.

[Mattyblue]

My point doesn’t make sense now as it was a reply to longers’ original, now deleted, post that was coming out with the usual tired Dingle stuff about Jack (usual mask slipping from him).

 

[longsiders1882]

13 hours ago, Mattyblue said:

My point doesn’t make sense now as it was a reply to longers’ original, now deleted, post that was coming out with the usual tired Dingle stuff about Jack (usual mask slipping from him).

 

Mask slip? All I said was you’d had the benefit of his money AND parachute payments. I don’t know why the post was deleted to be honest. 

[Mattyblue]

Yes I wonder…

[Upside Down]

On 20/04/2025 at 10:09, Mattyblue said:

My point doesn’t make sense now as it was a reply to longers’ original, now deleted, post that was coming out with the usual tired Dingle stuff about Jack (usual mask slipping from him).

 

Fair do's.

Nothing new about dingles talking shyte. Still bitter that we've actually won something in living memory.

Possibly due to that nagging feeling they've all got deep down where they know they're only above us because of 15 years of venky virus.

[USABlue]

On 18/04/2025 at 14:21, Mercer said:

Derby are now done.

Led twice last week at Pompey and came away with just a point, lost today to Luton.  2 points from last 4 games tells me they've stalled at the wrong time (Luton 9 points from last 6 games have the momentum).

Plymouth, Cardiff and Derby for the drop.

Need teams at the bottom to pick up points against some playoff "rivals" keep the dream alive or nightmare even.

[Claytons Left Boot]

Leeds currently 3-0 up at home to Stoke, so, if Burnley beat Sheffield United later this afternoon, looks like they’ll be going up with Leeds. 

I’ve never liked Leeds and, in my younger days, I would have felt that life wasn’t worth living watching the Clarettes win promotion.

These days, I’m indifferent to it all. 😕
 

 

[simongarnerisgod]

leeds will spend a fortune to stay in the premier league,it does`nt always work out that way but i can see them surviving their first season,as for our imbecile neighbours,parker has a shocking record in the premier league🤣,be like southampton,actually trying to outfootball far better teams like kompany did

[DE.]

Derby couldn't have had a better match today than a Tony Mowbray team on the fringes of the playoffs,

With that said, Eustace has done an incredible job there. Derby were down and out. Their form since he arrived would, I imagine, have them comfortably mid-table over the course of a season. Even if they go down he's done very well to even get them into contention to stay up.

Still think he should have waited for better options in the summer, mind.

Edited Monday at 15:33 by DE.