Who's going down to League One in 2019? Bolton?

[officer_dibble]

We’re in the mix now after a few unexpected wins at the start of the season perhaps making us think it might be a bit more comfier! Be a higher points total than last season I think. Are there 3 worse teams than us?

[nicholaldo]

We’re in the mix now after a few unexpected wins at the start of the season perhaps making us think it might be a bit more comfier! Be a higher points total than last season I think. Are there 3 worse teams than us?

We always have been, and always will be until we attract either some proper investment or a buyer with deeper pockets. We can stay up but we'll finish no higher than eighth bottom.

[Harry Genshaw]

Be a higher points total than last season I think. Are there 3 worse teams than us?

That's my biggest concern. We're definitely evolving as a side and look stronger than last year, however the division is much stronger too and even the weaker looking sides have pulled off some notable victories

[officer_dibble]

We have strengthened our attacking options but failing permission to start with a 12th player from the league we don’t look any more like scoring than when we had Wilbraham and ale Fondre as our striker options.

[dave the minion]

..... however the division is much stronger too and even the weaker looking sides have pulled off some notable victories

Like beating Derby and West Brom?

[Lost Leopard Spot]

..... however the division is much stronger too and even the weaker looking sides have pulled off some notable victories

Like beating Derby and West Brom?

Yep.

I've said from the start, fourth from bottom will be an almighty tedious struggle between us and fxcking Brum.

[Harry Genshaw]

..... however the division is much stronger too and even the weaker looking sides have pulled off some notable victories

Like beating Derby and West Brom?

Exactly. Take Ipswich at the weekend. They had to win eventually but doing it at Swansea and scoring 3?

[bristol_Wanderer3]

..... however the division is much stronger too and even the weaker looking sides have pulled off some notable victories

Like beating Derby and West Brom?

Exactly. Take Ipswich at the weekend. They had to win eventually but doing it at Swansea and scoring 3?

I actually think the division is much weaker this year, but much more even. There are no outstanding teams like Wolves, and Fulham in the 2nd half of the season. Villa are worse, Derby are worse. A lot of experienced managers are no longer in the Championship and a number of inexperienced managers are learning on the job. Literally any team out of the 24 that get it together and hit upon a formula, and are able to avoid key injuries, could win the league this year.

We are much, much better. We could even challenge near the top, or could have had Ameobi not got injured. He is our only attacking player who can make a real difference, turn a 0-0 into a 1-0 out of the blue. Yes, he has been inconsistent, but he has 1 goal, and 2 assists this season in just over three full games worth of football. This is only the second full season of his career where he is a regular starter. This was the season for him to gain consistency and the signs were he was doing that. Hopefully he will be back soon and get a run of games.

Having said all that, my concern is that we are in danger of not having an identity. Last season we were terrible at a lot of things, but ok at being an attacking threat through long balls up to Madine (not pretty but very effective at times), attacking down the wings with Robinson and Little supplementing Ameobi and the left sided attacking player, and chasing and harrying with Pratley and Vela able to do lots of running albeit largely because they were incapable of keeping the ball. We had a very limited method to win some games. That meant we got a few narrow wins whilst a lot of the time we weren't good enough.

This season Hobbs and Olkowski have improved the defence, and we now have two good Championship keepers, judging from the early signs of Matthews. So we should concede fewer goals than last season. We are much more able to pass the ball through the midfield and have seen much more of it, but we don't really have any intelligent movement to create space in the final third, almost like the concept for us has still very much not bedded in. Magennis is a great signing, and possibly as good as purple patch Madine on a more consistent basis, and he wins a good percentage of balls played up to him, but possibly because we don't see that as our primary mode of attack any more, we don't seem to get the runners around him. Then we are potentially excellent down the right side with Olkowski playing at Prem level, but without Ameobi and with a dodgy left side, we aren't as good at getting down the sides and creating chances.

So the danger is that we look ok and competitive in most if not all the games, and are as technically competent as most of our opponents, but we don't have a go to method of winning a game that we believe in, and are in danger of not winning enough or scoring enough to be out of trouble.

[BWFC_Insane]

..... however the division is much stronger too and even the weaker looking sides have pulled off some notable victories

Like beating Derby and West Brom?

Exactly. Take Ipswich at the weekend. They had to win eventually but doing it at Swansea and scoring 3?

I actually think the division is much weaker this year, but much more even. There are no outstanding teams like Wolves, and Fulham in the 2nd half of the season. Villa are worse, Derby are worse. A lot of experienced managers are no longer in the Championship and a number of inexperienced managers are learning on the job. Literally any team out of the 24 that get it together and hit upon a formula, and are able to avoid key injuries, could win the league this year.

We are much, much better. We could even challenge near the top, or could have had Ameobi not got injured. He is our only attacking player who can make a real difference, turn a 0-0 into a 1-0 out of the blue. Yes, he has been inconsistent, but he has 1 goal, and 2 assists this season in just over three full games worth of football. This is only the second full season of his career where he is a regular starter. This was the season for him to gain consistency and the signs were he was doing that. Hopefully he will be back soon and get a run of games.

Having said all that, my concern is that we are in danger of not having an identity. Last season we were terrible at a lot of things, but ok at being an attacking threat through long balls up to Madine (not pretty but very effective at times), attacking down the wings with Robinson and Little supplementing Ameobi and the left sided attacking player, and chasing and harrying with Pratley and Vela able to do lots of running albeit largely because they were incapable of keeping the ball. We had a very limited method to win some games. That meant we got a few narrow wins whilst a lot of the time we weren't good enough.

This season Hobbs and Olkowski have improved the defence, and we now have two good Championship keepers, judging from the early signs of Matthews. So we should concede fewer goals than last season. We are much more able to pass the ball through the midfield and have seen much more of it, but we don't really have any intelligent movement to create space in the final third, almost like the concept for us has still very much not bedded in. Magennis is a great signing, and possibly as good as purple patch Madine on a more consistent basis, and he wins a good percentage of balls played up to him, but possibly because we don't see that as our primary mode of attack any more, we don't seem to get the runners around him. Then we are potentially excellent down the right side with Olkowski playing at Prem level, but without Ameobi and with a dodgy left side, we aren't as good at getting down the sides and creating chances.

So the danger is that we look ok and competitive in most if not all the games, and are as technically competent as most of our opponents, but we don't have a go to method of winning a game that we believe in, and are in danger of not winning enough or scoring enough to be out of trouble.

Agree with this. We're trying to play too much football when our best bet would be hitting big Josh and playing off him.

Parky should ignore the fans and play a more simple game. Blackburn reminded me of Burton at home last year. Loads of possession, played in front of them, rarely troubled their keeper.

We are better this year but I'd argue the bottom of the table is also better. No basket case Sunderland, no hapless Barnsley and Burton were always struggling and probably the only team really on a par with us.

This year teams are better at the bottom - the top 6 maybe slightly less strong. But for us, its a tougher year.

We've had a good start but since that we've looked vulnerable because we aren't scoring goals regularly enough.

[The_Gun]

Amoebi is absolutely crucial for us and I think people on here are underrating how significant his recent absence has been. Put him back in the side instead of Buckley and I’m confident we would have picked up more points over the last few games.

I actually thought the performance against Blackburn was relatively encouraging and think with Ameobi in that team we would at least have drawn that game.

Sammy’s presence should really open things up for the rest of the front four, especially Oztumer, and I think if we can keep him fit for the bulk of the season we stay up with a bit of room to spare.

[Lost Leopard Spot]

8 off playoffs. 4 off relegation... and the slide continues its inexorable descent.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Ipswich have sacked the guy they got rid of Pragmatic Mick to hire. The second tier's second managerial turfing, after Bruce at Villa. Speaking of whom, Ipswich have apparently already lined up Paul Lambert.

[Lost Leopard Spot]

Ipswich have sacked the guy they got rid of Pragmatic Mick to hire. The second tier's second managerial turfing, after Bruce at Villa. Speaking of whom, Ipswich have apparently already lined up Paul Lambert.

Rowett can't last much longer. Maybe Parkinson will be number four. Should be, but won't be because Ken has fxcked our finances up so much that he can't afford to get rid of even such a lightweight.

[bristol_Wanderer3]

Ipswich have sacked the guy they got rid of Pragmatic Mick to hire. The second tier's second managerial turfing, after Bruce at Villa. Speaking of whom, Ipswich have apparently already lined up Paul Lambert.

I am really surprised to see how badly Hurst has done. It is like he wasn't aware what any fan who supports a club that has recently played in L1 and the Championship could've told him, the gulf is huge. You can't replace the top 7/8 players at a Championship club with 7/8 players from L1 and L2 and expect not to suffer a drop in standard.

It was inevitable he was going to be sacked, but the new guy has been left with a really poor squad with which to work with. Obviously good for us if he doesn't turn out to be a miracle worker..

[BWFC_Insane]

Ipswich have sacked the guy they got rid of Pragmatic Mick to hire. The second tier's second managerial turfing, after Bruce at Villa. Speaking of whom, Ipswich have apparently already lined up Paul Lambert.

I am really surprised to see how badly Hurst has done. It is like he wasn't aware what any fan who supports a club that has recently played in L1 and the Championship could've told him, the gulf is huge. You can't replace the top 7/8 players at a Championship club with 7/8 players from L1 and L2 and expect not to suffer a drop in standard.

It was inevitable he was going to be sacked, but the new guy has been left with a really poor squad with which to work with. Obviously good for us if he doesn't turn out to be a miracle worker..

Lambert will keep them up.

Beware ditching an experienced results based manager for a project. We certainly can’t afford to do that.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Lambert will keep them up.

Somewhat surprising confidence in a bloke who hasn't been a success since 2012. Replaced Villa's most hated manager, won fewer games, finished 15th. Sacked with them in the relegation zone; they improved under, and were saved by, Tim bloody Sherwood. Lasted six months at Blackburn, rocketing up from 16th to 15th. Lasted six months at Wolves, replacing hapless Zenga; took them up on 19th to 15th, lower than they'd finished under Jackett the previous year before the owners got Big Ideas. Lasted four months at Stoke, winning twice in 15 (his first game and dead-rubber last), with a lower PPG than Hughes, finishing in a lower position than he'd taken over in.

I mean, you might be right. But if so it'd be a turn-up. Especially if the squad has been severely weakened - because Marcus Evans sure ain't writing a blank chequered.

[BWFC_Insane]

Lambert will keep them up.

Somewhat surprising confidence in a bloke who hasn't been a success since 2012. Replaced Villa's most hated manager, won fewer games, finished 15th. Sacked with them in the relegation zone; they improved under, and were saved by, Tim bloody Sherwood. Lasted six months at Blackburn, rocketing up from 16th to 15th. Lasted six months at Wolves, replacing hapless Zenga; took them up on 19th to 15th, lower than they'd finished under Jackett the previous year before the owners got Big Ideas. Lasted four months at Stoke, winning twice in 15 (his first game and dead-rubber last), with a lower PPG than Hughes, finishing in a lower position than he'd taken over in.

I mean, you might be right. But if so it'd be a turn-up. Especially if the squad has been severely weakened - because Marcus Evans sure ain't writing a blank chequered.

Perhaps. But they need organising and I think he might do it.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

I don't know what a blank chequered is - it's a logical paradox - but I do know my iPad's rubbish

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Reading have sacked Paul Clement.

If I were Parky...

[Jim_McDonuts]

LOL & hmmmm ^^
I mean that'd be the final ignomy - no one's really reckoned on him up and offing for finer pasture