Championship Season Topic

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Opening Day (+ Friday)
Leeds United 1 - 0 Wolves
Barnsley 1 - 0 Middlesbrough
Birmingham 1 - 1 Charlton
Burnley 2 - 0 Bolton
Crystal Palace 2 - 3 Watford
Derby 2 - 2 Sheff Wed
Hull 1 - 0 Brighton
Ipswich 1 - 1 Blackburn
Leicester 2 - 0 Peterborough
Millwall 0 - 2 Blackpool
Nottm Forest 1 - 0 Bristol City
Cardiff 1 - 0 Huddersfield

Pleased with the Forest win, 1st opening day win in 6 years and I expected us to start slow. Negotiating for 2 right wingers too

Leeds are a terrible team atm. Leeds fans know it themselves, i know half a dozen Leeds fan and all 6 of them give me the same response. Something on the lines of "were simply crap under Warnock"

Fantastic football club though, the new manager does need to make changes to the team. I just hope the new manager isn't Gus.

The new manager needs funds. Warnock was given next to nothing to work with, hence all the good players havent to be sold and replaced by old Championship warhorses on frees

BBC Sport ‏@BBCSport 3m
Leeds boss Neil Warnock tells @BBCLeeds' @apopey he is not sure if he will be in charge for the game against Charlton http://bbc.in/YNoZXo

Dunno whod they get for 6 games. Wanted Adkins

Warnock has now left

Que Gus being linked with the job.

Not a goal fest tonight but here are the results:

Brighton 0 - 0 Charlton
Hull 0 - 1 Watford
Middlesbrough 0 - 0 Peterborough
Bolton 1 - 0 Huddersfield

Good point for Peterborough who are now 7 unbeaten, Huddersfield slip into the relegation zone. 2 points dropped for Brighton as Charlton keep only there 2nd clean sheet in 21 games, and Watford keep the race for the autos alive

Watford have a huge chance of getting promoted now and tbf i would rather they got 2nd place than Hull. Big fan of Zola and the style in which Watford play football.

Bolton still in with a great chance of the play offs. Another few wins and there screaming down everyone's throats.

Huddersfield could be in real danger, judging by some of there defending i have seen, i think they could be in real danger. Peterborough fantastic point for them and they can stay up, which i hope they do, London Road is my Favorite stadium in the football league.

Not sure if there are any other Leicester fans on this board but how depressing to be a Foxes fan right now!!! At the end of January I was thinking to myself that it would be a disappointment if we didnt finish in the automatic promotion spots. After an absolutely abysmal run of form since then it looks like we will be lucky to finish in the top half!

Time like this I wish I was a rugby fan. Even basketball would suffice! Up the Riders!!

Dont worry mate. Its pretty bad as a palace fan.. 8 goals to nil in 3 games!!!


There is something seriously wrong with all the Championship teams .. We are all a bunch of flakes.


BTW I cant respect watford at all at the moment- they are only playing the way there are due to this loop hole they are exploting that no other club can!

mystiroakey wrote:Dont worry mate. Its pretty bad as a palace fan.. 8 goals to nil in 3 games!!!


There is something seriously wrong with all the Championship teams .. We are all a bunch of flakes.


BTW I cant respect watford at all at the moment- they are only playing the way there are due to this loop hole they are exploting that no other club can!

I just don't understand this. People like you and Ian Holloway need to shut up. There not breaking any rules, if they were then it wouldn't be allowed, so why can't we respect it! People are jealous of Watford because they are easily playing the best football in the league and Zola is doing a superb job, getting a lot of his known players on board. Yes if they go up, there will be a lot of hard work to do over the summer for sure, but if Zola can continue to get the right players in and keep the style of football he is playing, that will be a joy to watch in the Premiership, won't it. Or would we rather see Palace's ugly direct football approach

Blackpool could be slashing a 25 million price tag on Tom Ince.

Now i know the lad clearly has talent and is a lot better than Zaha, who was sold for a lot of cash. He is probably the best player in the Championship. But still 25 million is just beyond ridiculous.

Spanish Dave wrote:

mystiroakey wrote:Dont worry mate. Its pretty bad as a palace fan.. 8 goals to nil in 3 games!!!


There is something seriously wrong with all the Championship teams .. We are all a bunch of flakes.


BTW I cant respect watford at all at the moment- they are only playing the way there are due to this loop hole they are exploting that no other club can!

I just don't understand this. People like you and Ian Holloway need to shut up. There not breaking any rules, if they were then it wouldn't be allowed, so why can't we respect it! People are jealous of Watford because they are easily playing the best football in the league and Zola is doing a superb job, getting a lot of his known players on board. Yes if they go up, there will be a lot of hard work to do over the summer for sure, but if Zola can continue to get the right players in and keep the style of football he is playing, that will be a joy to watch in the Premiership, won't it. Or would we rather see Palace's ugly direct football approach

You see this is the problem. Palace do not play ugly direct football at all. And infact almost every pundit agrees with me in the fact that we play the best football. The passing, the intricities. We play the most spainish style in the league and that is very much noted and known. And its either your issue with plalace or your lack of knowledge that draws you to such a ridiculas conclusion!

And palaces academy is quality. We are doing the most for football by the looks of it in the country. We are prodicing players.. Watford are just using the udinese team because of the loop hole..The fact that they have a better away record than home tells us all we need to know..

You wanna watch good football- watch how palace played against watford in the 2-2 after 20 or so minutes. We made them look like brigthon and we looked like barca

We completly out classed them in quality and passing and possesion!

Palace play the most Spanish style football in the league?

Either you're the most deluded fan in the world, or you're going for some very ambitious fishing there my friend.

Seen Palace play twice this year and a couple of times on the box. Direct football may of been a bold statement by me, however it is nothing like Spanish football in the slightest.

Well you truely havent seen enough of palace then.. We are playing nice footy(well should i say did!)

This is backed up with many pundits impressions..

Did you not see the palace watford game?

The one where Speroni gave Watford the win

Or the one where Watford were 2-0 up at half time and playing cracking football. I then switched off at half time, i couldn't bare to see the 2nd half. It was cruelty.

you should have seen us play second half- Unbelivable stuff!

probally the best championship game all season! both teams playing well

Palace have played better stuff both times we've played

Obviously i have been going abit hyperboyle and all that.

But Nicks comments that we play dierct stuff isnt the truth.

We have played exeptionally shocking and very well at other times this season.. We alongside other teams have been playing much more expanisvie stuff. And yes i will agree that watford do look decent as well..

You gotta laugh

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/22038525

I get what he means, if Zaha is worth £15 million, which he obviously isn't, then if you go by that valuation Ince should be worth £20 million. Flawed logic obviously, but it's just trying to make sure they get as much as they can for him in the summer.

I actually hope we don't go up, we're not ready would have to spend alot to give the team a chance of staying up, and I not sure of the finances, plus the ongoing stadium row would open up again. Plus apart from the odd games our football is sufficient not exciting.
Do hope we sign Boyd permanently though, the guy is class.

Nick,
I don't have anything against Watford, and do think Zola's doing very well. But I can understand where Mystiroakley is coming from. I know they not breaking any rules, any rules, but being able to get a lot of players from a parent club does give them an advantage. Though if they signed them permanently it's a different matter.

The difference is, Ince is very close to his ceiling as a player, whereas Zaha has a lower floor, but his ceiling is miles higher than Ince.

And yeah, I don't like this loan system of Watford. Fairplay for finding a loophole, but the fact that the loophole will be closed shortly says a lot

GSC wrote:The difference is, Ince is very close to his ceiling as a player, whereas Zaha has a lower floor, but his ceiling is miles higher than Ince.

I really think that Zaha isn't going to succeed at United and would definitely rate Ince as higher. I do agree that Ince is close to his peak, but I think Zaha is too.

Zaha has a lot of room for growth. Ince might be a better player right now, but hes likely to top out as a very good Championship player.

Zaha's a gamble but theres potential for a top PL player there. He needs nuturing, but for a winger, theres few better places to develop than at OT under SAF.

And yeah Zaha really isn't close to his peak right now.

Zaha admittedly has talent, but for him to join the best club in the country is laughable. 20 years of age is very young and will probably improve, however it is going to be very interesting to see how he does.

Nick, you've demonstrated your extreme bias against Zaha on several occasions, so I really can't take you very seriously on this.

I can at least admit that Will Hughes is a great prospect

I don't think i am being bias because he plays for Palace. I have admitted that Murray is the best striker in the league, until Ulloa burst into the Championship.

Bolasie is also a class player, and i think Johnny Williams can become one of the best players in the Championship next season.

Speroni is probably the best keeper in the league.

yep williams does look really class. A bit lightweight thoiugh. Just needs to bulk up abit.

Bolaise and zaha have been clearly practsing a lot toghether,. Sometimes they are tough to tell apart. But zaha on form never ever losses posseion(he will garantee you a free kick even if he cant get the final ball away!). and his trickery is very raw but at the same time very promising..


Speroni is a legend to us palace - great shot stopper and i have no idea why other teams havent gone for him in the past!

by the way. Zaha looks like 30% of his potential.. I have seen all the under 21's and many games for palace and when that guy has space and a ref that isnt so 'championship' orientated he looks aweome.

yep i know he has been a palace player and you may think this is all bias- but trust me. I cant see him not succeding. He is a prospect

Zaha has got the potential to be one of the best wingers around, hence why Utd have signed him for so much money. SAF aint no fool.

Ince while a good player doesnt have that potential. There's a reason why he didnt end up at Liverpool in January when the figures being quoted were 6m (before the Zaha deal which has inflated his market massively, Oyston will be laughing all the way to the bank)

mystiroakey wrote:by the way. Zaha looks like 30% of his potential.. I have seen all the under 21's and many games for palace and when that guy has space and a ref that isnt so 'championship' orientated he looks aweome.

yep i know he has been a palace player and you may think this is all bias- but trust me. I cant see him not succeding. He is a prospect

I agree. Hes raw, but he has all the attributes to be top class. Now he has a manager who can get it all out of him.

yeah i have a soft spot for united(probally the only palace fan that does mind) so i am kind of happy to see him go there.

It really does worry me how we are going to play without him though.

I just hope that 10-15 m will get spent on more quality once the season is finalised!

There is clearly no point buying untill we know were we are.

Last time i saw Zaha was in Wayne Bridge back pocket, anyone seen him since?

But i agree Mysti 10 - 15 million, if spent correctly on transfer and wages can probably win you promotion next season, if you fail this season of course!

Surely this Palace-Barnsley debacle should have ended up with Palace wearing there away kit, and not Barnsley?

Common sense?

I'm guessing they grabbed kits from the club shop or something

Suddenly Blackburn are in serious danger. Harsh on Blackburn fans, but relegation the least the owners deserve

Olly wrote:Surely this Palace-Barnsley debacle should have ended up with Palace wearing there away kit, and not Barnsley?

Common sense?

I see Holloway got involved which explains why no common sense was used.

Proper #headsgone

If Blackburn do go down then I can see a long, hard, slow slog in getting back...just to the Championship.

Agree with G regarding the owners. What a monumental mess they have made of a football club. What? 2 and a half years ago they were a more-than-safe PL side.

How the mighty have fallen.

Olly wrote:

Olly wrote:Surely this Palace-Barnsley debacle should have ended up with Palace wearing there away kit, and not Barnsley?

Common sense?

I see Holloway got involved which explains why no common sense was used.

Proper #headsgone

What did he say?

FreekShow wrote:

Olly wrote:

Olly wrote:Surely this Palace-Barnsley debacle should have ended up with Palace wearing there away kit, and not Barnsley?

Common sense?

I see Holloway got involved which explains why no common sense was used.

Proper #headsgone

What did he say?

He didnt want to play in there away kit at home. You'd think common sense would prevail but no both teams end up playing in Palace kits. What a farce

They give Steve Kean over a year despite it being clear he wasnt cut out to be a manager.

Then sack everybody else before they get their feet in the door.

They sacked Appleton because they felt they could still get playoffs, utter stupidity.

Olly wrote:

FreekShow wrote:

Olly wrote:

Olly wrote:Surely this Palace-Barnsley debacle should have ended up with Palace wearing there away kit, and not Barnsley?

Common sense?

I see Holloway got involved which explains why no common sense was used.

Proper #headsgone

What did he say?

He didnt want to play in there away kit at home. You'd think common sense would prevail but no both teams end up playing in Palace kits. What a farce

That is petty on Holloway's part. Like it even makes a difference.

Apparently Ince lobbed a water bottle into the crowd when the pen was given

Ian Holloway is a complete idiot. What on earth was he going on about in his post match interview.

I want Blackburn to go down, feel sorry for Kean and Appleton. The way they were treated at the club. As well as the way the owners are making this football club.

Holloway is awesome. But I think he is crazy.

Don't feel sorry for Appleton, he quit his job at Blackpool to take a job at Blackburn.

A similiar thing happened a few years back when we played Brighton at home. They had a yellow and blue striped away kit despite their home kit being blue and white stripes. They had to play in our away kit. Funnily enough that too finished 0-0. Almost as if they literally cancel each other out cux they have the same crest on!!!