Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Into the Lion's Den D2 2017-18

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

    Here is my 2017-18 Championship prediction from before the start of the season with the current positions added in. I've made the teams where I underestimated them by at least 5 places blue, and the teams I overestimated by at least 5 places red. The teams in black are in approximately the part of the table I thought they would be in.

    Although it feels somewhat generous calling Ipswich overachieving, a fair number of their points can be put down to outrageously clinical finishing at the start of the season (which is less the case now) and a solid goalkeeper. Whereas Reading, Wednesday and Norwich have been similarly, perhaps surprisingly, limp all season.

    (me : current)
    01 : 04 Fulham
    02 : 03 Villa
    03 : 06 Boro
    04 : 19 Reading
    05 : 18 Sheff Wed
    06 : 14 Norwich
    07 : 01 Wolves
    08 : 02 'Cardiff'

    09 : 05 Derby
    10 : 13 Leeds
    11 : 11 Brentford
    12 : 24 Sunderland
    13 : 16 Forest
    14 : 15 QPR
    15 : 09 Preston
    16 : 17 Hull
    17 : 22 Birmingham
    18 : 12 Ipswich
    19 : 07 Sheff Utd
    20 : 10 Millwall
    21 : 08 Bristol C

    22 : 23 Burton
    23 : 21 Barnsley
    24 : 20 Bolton

    Comment


      I've always struggled to take Bristol City seriously, and I don't really know why. It might be because they've not been in the top flight in my lifetime, I suppose.

      I also notice that if I'd called the two Sheffield clubs the other way around...

      Comment


        A win! And at Leeds!

        Don't worry be Atdhe

        The beast from the East
        Last edited by ad hoc; 17-03-2018, 17:12.

        Comment


          Comment


            Excellent fight-back to get a draw at division form team Fulham today. Unbeaten in March so far. Not bad at all

            Comment


              Barnsley back in the shit.

              Comment


                Norwich, amazingly, found scoring three goals before half-time can sometimes be just about enough to win you a game.

                I only discovered this afternoon that James Maddison's hat-trick last week, in a losing effort against Hull, was both the first of his career and the first away from home by a Norwich player since Efan Ekoku's in a memorable 5-1 win at Everton in 1993.

                As I recall, Norwich eventually sold Ekoku to Everton. If Maddison goes to Hull I'll be pretty annoyed now.


                Last weekend's game was also the first in the top four divisions to see 4 penalties in approximately four years. Slightly amazed it's that recent.

                Comment


                  Heh, nothing really should surprise me any more, but it seems that there was very much an element of 'feet up, job done' about us yesterday. Unforgivable stuff.

                  Comment


                    In our last 28 home games we have won three and scored a grand total of 22 goals.

                    Comment


                      Of the group at the bottom, I would like Barnsley to survive (and Burton but that seems a faint hope now.) They seem better run than most clubs down thee, and don't deserve it — especially if Birmingham survive. Plus, I'll feel forever guilty that we nicked Josh Scowen.

                      Comment


                        Thanks Amor. I've actually reached the point where I would prefer to go down. It was a lot more fun and cheaper in the third tier, and my kids might start wanting to go again.

                        Comment


                          So Mick McCarthy won't be Ipswich manager next season. Of the crop of currently available managers, I'd say that Steve Cotterill and Mark Warburton are the ones most likely to be able to pick up the reins quickly and get on with things. Though Graham Alexander and Stuart McCall could be worth a punt I reckon.

                          Comment


                            Also more interesting things going off at Derby, will not post a link as it's from The Mail but amongst the highlights are:

                            Paid £1m for a scouting report that suggested Derby sign Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele (combined value £265m)
                            Paying Claire Ince (Pauls wife and Toms mum) £700k for scouting services, that transpires recommended that we sign Nick Blackman for around about £3m
                            Academy Director, Darren Wassall, son being employed as a coach by DCFC and also Wasserman Media Group (Sam Rushs' old company)
                            Excessive agents fees, FIFA guidelines say 3% in some cases we paid 15%
                            Reliance on Wasserman Media Group players for signings.

                            Personally I'm rather pleased as I despise Sam Rush for how he went about sacking the best GK coach that this country has ever produced at Derby and then also terminated his wife's separate contract with the club.

                            Comment


                              Originally posted by The-Reverend View Post
                              Even by Derby standards, this seasons fall off is shaping up to be something special.

                              Credit to the board though for actually weakening the side in January when sitting second, definite commitment to not making the Play Offs (FFP reasons obviously)
                              They were spectacularly bad tonight. I mean...conceding four at home to Sunderland for christ sake!!!

                              Comment


                                I do recommend people searching out Wednesday's third goal yesterday. Hero/lummox* (delete as per preference) Atdhe "Dave" Nuhiu finds himself stuck in the corner with no options in the late one-goal lead time wasting period. Rather than lump it against a defender to attempt to win a throw in he suddenly turns into Messi, nutmegs one possibly two players beats another couple and curls a perfect shot into the top corner. It is, quite frankly, one of the most surprising and most wonderful things I've ever seen in a football match

                                Edit:here you are
                                https://twitter.com/kosovanfooty/status/979752598419931137?s=19
                                Last edited by ad hoc; 31-03-2018, 07:38.

                                Comment


                                  And I am starting to believe we'll just about stay up (though I'm not sure we deserve to)

                                  Comment


                                    Cardiff have now won 8 in a row.

                                    Comment


                                      Nuhiu is an absolute total complete and utter hero and anyone who thinks otherwise is just plain wrong.

                                      Comment


                                        Originally posted by longeared View Post
                                        Nuhiu is an absolute total complete and utter hero and anyone who thinks otherwise is just plain wrong.
                                        +1

                                        Comment


                                          Originally posted by Billy Casper View Post
                                          Thanks Amor. I've actually reached the point where I would prefer to go down. It was a lot more fun and cheaper in the third tier, and my kids might start wanting to go again.
                                          Totally agree. Scraping around the bottom six of the second tier eternally is no fun at all, and until we grow a bigger fan base and stop being a selling club, that's all we can do.

                                          Comment


                                            Originally posted by longeared View Post
                                            Nuhiu is an absolute total complete and utter hero and anyone who thinks otherwise is just plain wrong.
                                            Poundshop Zlatan

                                            Comment


                                              Originally posted by Satchmo Distel View Post
                                              Totally agree. Scraping around the bottom six of the second tier eternally is no fun at all, and until we grow a bigger fan base and stop being a selling club, that's all we can do.
                                              I don't think it's all you can do though. Look at Brentford. Look even higher up - at Bournemouth.

                                              I mean I understand the sentiment absolutely but it is possible to have success* as a selling club with a limited fanbase

                                              (*assuming success to be "punching above ones weight" rather that actually winning anything)

                                              Comment


                                                Originally posted by Snake Plissken View Post
                                                Poundshop Zlatan
                                                I'll take that

                                                Comment


                                                  Originally posted by ad hoc View Post
                                                  I don't think it's all you can do though. Look at Brentford. Look even higher up - at Bournemouth.

                                                  I mean I understand the sentiment absolutely but it is possible to have success* as a selling club with a limited fanbase

                                                  (*assuming success to be "punching above ones weight" rather that actually winning anything)
                                                  Bournemouth have been financially doped by their Russian petrochemical tycoon owner who has put at least £60m in and broke FFP rules in their PL promotion season. Hardly an example of a club genuinely “punching above their weight”.
                                                  Last edited by Ray de Galles; 31-03-2018, 09:55.

                                                  Comment


                                                    Ah. Didn't know that

                                                    Comment

                                                    Working...
                                                    X