2015-16 Championship Thread

[Fernando]

First topic message reminder :

With Sky announcing their live games for the start of the Championship season i figured we could use a thread

Who do we think will head up and down this season?

August
Fri 7: Brighton & Hove Albion v Nottingham Forest (7.45pm)
Sat 8: Leeds United v Burnley (12.30pm)
Sun 9: Preston North End v Middlesbrough (12 noon)
Sun 16: Wolverhampton Wanderers v Hull City (12 noon)
Fri 21: Birmingham City v Derby County (7.45pm)
Sat 22: Leeds United v Sheffield Wednesday (12.30pm)
Fri 28: Blackburn Rovers v Bolton Wanderers (7.45pm)
Sat 29: Derby County v Leeds United (12.05pm)

September
Fri 11: Reading v Ipswich Town (8pm)
Sat 19: Nottingham Forest v Middlesbrough (12.30pm)
Fri 25: Fulham v Queen’s Park Rangers (7.45pm)

October
Fri 2 Oct: Rotherham United v Burnley (7.45pm)
Sat 3: Wolverhampton Wanderers v Huddersfield Town (12.30pm)

*Other games may be added.

[dyrewolfe]

You're going to be this season's Bournemouth.

[GSC]

That really is an excellent finish

[NickisBHAFC]

Chris Burke has to be scoring that.

[NickisBHAFC]

What a goal that is.

That miss from Burke was always gonna come back and bite Forest.

[GSC]

Denied by a fairly freak deflection

[GSC]

We don't have a game today because Sky moved a Saturday game to a Thursday evening kickoff.

[NickisBHAFC]

Strange watching soccer Saturday! Rare Saturday off for me!

[NickisBHAFC]

Fantastic start!

[NickisBHAFC]

Yeah we gonna we lose 3-2.

[GSC]

Bolton are fairly limited going forward, should see it out really

[NickisBHAFC]

We should do, but we won't.

[NickisBHAFC]

Down to 10 men. Big 15 minutes for our defence.

[GSC]

Be a blow if Wolves can't grab something against 9 men

[GSC]

You've done what we did.

[NickisBHAFC]

Again before kick off I would of happily of taken a point. Just like last week another big opportunity missed.

[Nico the gman]

Rosler feels circumstances went against them at the Riverside, its about scoring goals Mr Rosler, we didn't nick it 1-0, we put 3 past you without reply and didn't play at our best, Leeds huffed and puffed.

For once not so lucky Leeds against us, very satisfying result almost as good as beating Newcastle or Sunderland.

[Guest]

Steve Morgan has put his 100% shareholding in Wolves up for sale and steps down from the board immediately 

[GSC]

This exists

[NickisBHAFC]

Club is so embarrassing! Never met a side that is so plastic and boring!

[westisbest]

The mad stad is a good stadium.

Been there many times for villa an LI games

[dyrewolfe]

Rosler feels circumstances went against them at the Riverside, its about scoring goals Mr Rosler, we didn't nick it 1-0, we put 3 past you without reply and didn't play at our best, Leeds huffed and puffed.

For once not so lucky Leeds against us, very satisfying result almost as good as beating Newcastle or Sunderland.

Have very mixed feelings at the moment. Performances aren't always entirely convincing, but we're getting the results, scoring plenty of goals and not letting many in (of course, Dimi is being a colossus between the sticks). In fairness to Leeds, they did score - just in the wrong goal!

When was the last time we won 5 in a row (not counting cup games)? Must've been a while.

Catching Brighton and a nice 5-point cushion to the play-off chasers. This has to be too good to be true. Just waiting for the bubble to burst some time around Christmas...miserable pessimist that I am...

[Nico the gman]

Rosler feels circumstances went against them at the Riverside, its about scoring goals Mr Rosler, we didn't nick it 1-0, we put 3 past you without reply and didn't play at our best, Leeds huffed and puffed.

For once not so lucky Leeds against us, very satisfying result almost as good as beating Newcastle or Sunderland.

Have very mixed feelings at the moment. Performances aren't always entirely convincing, but we're getting the results, scoring plenty of goals and not letting many in (of course, Dimi is being a colossus between the sticks). In fairness to Leeds, they did score - just in the wrong goal!

When was the last time we won 5 in a row (not counting cup games)? Must've been a while.

Catching Brighton and a nice 5-point cushion to the play-off chasers. This has to be too good to be true. Just waiting for the bubble to burst some time around Christmas...miserable pessimist that I am...

The Leeds own goal was a cracking header, we should try and sign Bellusci on in January and play him up front, Downing can bang the crosses in, what with Bellusci's heading ability

[NickisBHAFC]

WHAT A GOAL!!!

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Bloody hell

[NickisBHAFC]

And Burnley wreck all the fun

Hope Sunderland go for Sean Dyche when they sack that stupid old man.

[Nico the gman]

Nugent dropped after scoring 3 goals in 4 games, Adomah dropped, Reading keeper not a shot to save says it all.

Why does Karanka keep dropping players in form, and Leadbitter against Leeds and Forest despite us winning has been awful and should be taking a seat on the bench.
We're not going to win every game but no shots on target in 90 that's shocking.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

We are top of the league say we are top of the league. This is town's year!

Bump

[NickisBHAFC]

We're Brighton & Hove Albion were top of the league!

Still the only team out of the 92 to remain unbeaten

[Dolphin Ziggler]

My fault you didnt win. Seemed the easiest in my treble, but the only one that let me down!

[NickisBHAFC]

FFS Chris!

Tbf I literally have no idea how we didn't ball. The ball just wouldn't go in the bluddy net! Unlucky not to have a penalty as well Tbf.

[GSC]

No idea how we didn't score today

[NickisBHAFC]

You have Chris O'Grady upfront. That's probably the reason

[GSC]

You have Chris O'Grady upfront. That's probably the reason

True enough, had enough chances outside of him mind, and a far better penalty appeal than theirs waved away a minute after their penalty. Be nice if Fryatt or Britt got fit.

[GSC]

This does not surprise me. Law of averages has to equal out at some point though.

[dyrewolfe]

Nugent dropped after scoring 3 goals in 4 games, Adomah dropped, Reading keeper not a shot to save says it all.

Why does Karanka keep dropping players in form, and Leadbitter against Leeds and Forest despite us winning has been awful and should be taking a seat on the bench.
We're not going to win every game but no shots on target in 90 that's shocking.

I think we did manage just the 1 shot on target...but thats still inexcusable. We had over 60% possession and largely wasted it.

One of those games that makes you want to tear your hair out in frustration. Reading caught us cold in the first minute and from then on weren't a huge threat. We had the entire game to get back in it but never looked like doing so. Some poor defending to concede the late penalty.

Ali & Maddo on BBC Tees were asking why rest Nugent and Adomah with an international break coming up?

[Nico the gman]

Nugent dropped after scoring 3 goals in 4 games, Adomah dropped, Reading keeper not a shot to save says it all.

Why does Karanka keep dropping players in form, and Leadbitter against Leeds and Forest despite us winning has been awful and should be taking a seat on the bench.
We're not going to win every game but no shots on target in 90 that's shocking.

I think we did manage just the 1 shot on target...but thats still inexcusable. We had over 60% possession and largely wasted it.

One of those games that makes you want to tear your hair out in frustration. Reading caught us cold in the first minute and from then on weren't a huge threat. We had the entire game to get back in it but never looked like doing so. Some poor defending to concede the late penalty.

Ali & Maddo on BBC Tees were asking why rest Nugent and Adomah with an international break coming up?

Listened to the game, we were awful, virtually a full game to get back into it, how do you get round the back of a defence without any wingers, Adomah has been in great form.

Some of Karanka's selections are baffling at times, Kike as a lone striker doesn't work, not sure he's good enough to be honest, Stuani should have been up front with him instead of wide right, poor tactics.

Big admirer of  Leadbitter but  he's not playing well, passing is poor and is giving the ball away a lot, Forshaw should be given a chance, rarely gives the ball away and is attack minded, don't know what the lad has to do to get a chance.

You can't keep playing the same two midfielders Clayton and Leadbitter and change everything else around them, you need creativity at times something we lacked on Saturday, and in the 2nd half against Leeds.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

WILBS!!!!!!

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

THEY DON'T CALL HIM WILBRAHAMOVIC FOR NO REASON FOLKS!!

[Nico the gman]

We were poor,Fulham totally deserved a point against us yesterday, they were the better side 1st half and their keeper never had a worthwhile shot to save in the full 90 minutes, much the same as the Reading game were we registered 1 shot on target in the full game.

Our defence is solid, our midfield are creating virtually nothing, Leadbitter should be dropped, Fabrini is a luxury player who gives the ball away far too often and the manager has gone back to playing 1 striker up front again, despite the fact that with 2 strikers we were scoring goals, the mind boggles.

Karanka seems to have to tinker time and time again, if we don't go up it will be down to him,in the last 4 games we've looked anything but a promotion team.

[NickisBHAFC]

Gutted to miss the Leeds game yesterday, however watching soccer Saturday drinking in the sun in Portugal was very nice indeed!

Bobby Zamora will easily be my favourite ever player of all time.

[Marky]

[NickisBHAFC]

Leeds United fans really must be falling out of love with the game when that monster takes over.

[Marky]

Why is he a monster?

He might be not good enough for Leeds, with a less than attractive style of play, but monster?

[Dolphin Ziggler]

He's a proper Kumquat

[dyrewolfe]

He's a proper Kumquat

You're not referring to Cellino, by any chance? The guy is a proper clown IMO. What is it now? 6 managers in the last 18 months?

How the hell does he expect anyone to build any kind of team in just a few months?


Think Leeds need to get rid of him, as much as anything. The sooner, the better...

We were poor,Fulham totally deserved a point against us yesterday, they were the better side 1st half and their keeper never had a worthwhile shot to save in the full 90 minutes, much the same as the Reading game were we registered 1 shot on target in the full game.

Our defence is solid, our midfield are creating virtually nothing, Leadbitter should be dropped, Fabrini is a luxury player who gives the ball away far too often and the manager has gone back to playing 1 striker up front again, despite the fact that with 2 strikers we were scoring goals, the mind boggles.

Karanka seems to have to tinker time and time again, if we don't go up it will be down to him,in the last 4 games we've looked anything but a promotion team..

It was a very flat game...neither side really got going. Didn't help that Fulham did their best to waste time whenever possible. Shots on goal at a premium again...at least ones with a genuine chance of going in. Think Dimi only had one good save to make. Overall have to agree that neither side deserved to win.

AK seems to have become the new Claudio Ranieri (although to be fair Claudio's tinkering seems to be working at Leicester). I'm sure the players must be frustrated at not having a consistent starting lineup, meaning they're never quite sure how their team mates are going to respond to what they do.

Thought Nugent did well and gave their defence a torrid time, but he didn't get enough support to really threaten to score. As usual we looked fine playing it around, but lost the ball far too easily when trying to push forward.

Annoying really, because if we'd played to our best we could have easily picked up 3 points.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Cellino and Evans. Both of them are cretins

[NickisBHAFC]

Why is he a monster?

He might be not good enough for Leeds, with a less than attractive style of play, but monster?

You seen the size of the bloke? Looks like he's gonna burst at any second!

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Actually think he's quite a decent manager, once you get past all the soundbites.

[Marky]

Actually think he's quite a decent manager, once you get past all the soundbites.

Exactly. He took Crawley Town from Conference to (the edge of) League One, and Rotherham United from League Two to the Championship. Both back to back. Then kept Rotherham up in the Championship.

He might not be good enough for Leeds but people talk as if he'd never managed before.

[dyrewolfe]

Actually think he's quite a decent manager, once you get past all the soundbites.

Exactly. He took Crawley Town from Conference to (the edge of) League One, and Rotherham United from League Two to the Championship. Both back to back. Then kept Rotherham up in the Championship.

He might not be good enough for Leeds but people talk as if he'd never managed before.

If thats the case, I wouldn't expect him to last any longer than the previous encumbents. The Leeds board seem to think they can sign a Pep Guardiola clone on a Championship salary.

If all he's going to do is keep Leeds out of a relegation scrap, I would start looking for potential replacements right now.

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