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.

[Nico the gman]

5 million on downing Nick and he took a hefty pay cut. I get what you mean regards us already having a strong squad however the flip side is that we had a strong squad yet faded badly in stretches hence the playoffs. We don't want that uncertainty this year so for automatic we needed to strengthen the depth and add one player of substantial quality.

It's just frustrating hearing people speak like there's a massive discrepancy in spending, that is the case in a fair few cases but we weren't way out in front like people would have you believe. Plus, if you look at the bigger picture we should be commended for being in a position where we have the ability to spend money given the way Gibson has managed to drop the wage bill and ensure we didn't go the way plenty have after relegation. We spent 3 seasons getting our house in order following the relegation and only these past two years have we been able to mount a team capable of getting back up. We have done it sensibly and within our means, which is no mean feat given places such as Boro and many northern small teams would have struggled most during the financial difficulties the recession brought.

Spot on Owen, Mowbray was wheeling and dealing to get our wage bill cut by millions money that  was wasted by Strachan, having said that we spent very little on Ayala, Adomah, Leadbitter( free transfer) Friend, Gibson(youth player) and the keeper Dimi.

Sean Dyche has had a little moan about Boro and Derby's spending, but spent more on Andre Gray than we spent on Stuani, and Nugent put together, people in glass houses.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

With add ons and quite a reasonable wage sire, he certainly isnt cheap

[TopoftheChops]

Good signing for norwich with the arrival of steven naismith

[NickisBHAFC]

Strange, I thought Norwich were a Premiership club.

[GSC]

Hi guys

[westisbest]

Fkng Ipswich.
If they had scored would have won £530.

So annoying.

[NickisBHAFC]

Fantastic win for the Albion! Bobby and Wilson scoring again. Lovely stuff.

[Nico the gman]

Awful performance again, Forest keeper 1 shot to save, we deserved nothing, Downing is having a very average season and that's being kind to him, £5.5 mill looked good business but having my doubts, subbed today.
Clayton and Ayala  have been quality all season, Leadbitter substituted, passing garbage yet again for the umpteenth game this season.

[NickisBHAFC]

Currently Burnley 3-1 Derby


So do Derby go and splash another 10 million?

[NickisBHAFC]

Make that 4-1

Jason Shackall must of been watching me defend, and has taken some tips!

[Nico the gman]

An own goal and 2 penalties, Burnley's banging them in for fun, and now a fourth from open play.

[GSC]

What are Derby doing

[Nico the gman]

What are Derby doing

We've had a blip our last 2 games, but Derby are having a nightmare time of it, they've hit a rut.

[GSC]

They have 0 bottle

[NickisBHAFC]

Derby have stolen our slide!

Suspect they will give it back to us when they spunk more money on strikers.

[GSC]

Could see Clement under real pressure soon.

[Nico the gman]

Derby and ourselves,the managers have been backed with money by both clubs chairmen, there can be no excuses if either fail to get promotion, none whatsoever.

[NickisBHAFC]

Indeed.

[Fernando]

Gaston Ramirez to join Boro on loan from Southampton

[dyrewolfe]

Awful performance again, Forest keeper 1 shot to save, we deserved nothing, Downing is having a very average season and that's being kind to him, £5.5 mill looked good business but having my doubts, subbed today.
Clayton and Ayala  have been quality all season, Leadbitter substituted, passing garbage yet again for the umpteenth game this season.

Agreed. Thats 2 awful performances in a row now...though maybe a tad harsh singling Downing out for criticism, when most of the team have been just as bad, or worse.

Over 60% possession against Forest but just 2 shots on target is little short of criminal. Similar story against Bristol City. Their deep stoppage-time winner was a real sickener, but we probably deserved it. Both games we really ought to have won if we are serious about automatic promotion.

Are the lads getting stage fright, is the pressure and expectation starting to get to them?

Karanka is taking the blame for these results but reckons he can turn things around. He needs to start with the home game against Blackburn. They've only won 2 of their last 10 games, though they seem to have a knack for getting draws lately. This is our game in hand though, so nothing less than 3 points will do.

Gaston Ramirez to join Boro on loan from Southampton

Strange choice. I've been reading that we are still interested in Ross McCormack. Do we really need another midfielder, when our primary problem is scoring goals?

Ross is one of the Championship's top scorers, despite being in a struggling team and is apparently desperate to leave Fulham. Surely he would make far more sense than an out-of-sorts midfielder, who seems likely to end up warming the bench most of the time.

Would probably also help if AK wasn't so stubborn about playing a lone striker...

[Nico the gman]

Awful performance again, Forest keeper 1 shot to save, we deserved nothing, Downing is having a very average season and that's being kind to him, £5.5 mill looked good business but having my doubts, subbed today.
Clayton and Ayala  have been quality all season, Leadbitter substituted, passing garbage yet again for the umpteenth game this season.

Agreed. Thats 2 awful performances in a row now...though maybe a tad harsh singling Downing out for criticism, when most of the team have been just as bad, or worse.

Over 60% possession against Forest but just 2 shots on target is little short of criminal. Similar story against Bristol City. Their deep stoppage-time winner was a real sickener, but we probably deserved it. Both games we really ought to have won if we are serious about automatic promotion.

Are the lads getting stage fright, is the pressure and expectation starting to get to them?

Karanka is taking the blame for these results but reckons he can turn things around. He needs to start with the home game against Blackburn. They've only won 2 of their last 10 games, though they seem to have a knack for getting draws lately. This is our game in hand though, so nothing less than 3 points will do.

Gaston Ramirez to join Boro on loan from Southampton

Strange choice. I've been reading that we are still interested in Ross McCormack. Do we really need another midfielder, when our primary problem is scoring goals?

Ross is one of the Championship's top scorers, despite being in a struggling team and is apparently desperate to leave Fulham. Surely he would make far more sense than an out-of-sorts midfielder, who seems likely to end up warming the bench most of the time.

Would probably also help if AK wasn't so stubborn about playing a lone striker...

Never singled out Downing, I also criticised Leadbitter with regard to his poor passing throughout this season, both are at the centre of our midfield.

We bought Downing for £5.5mill to be the creative spark in our midfield and unfortunately he hasn't been doing the business and its not good enough.

Karanka can only be partly blamed for the 2 defeats, the midfield is creating next to nothing for the strikers, or the lone striker in our case.

Agree we need 2 up front, Stuani wide right is wasted, and the right footed Adomah on the left doesn't help, square pegs round holes.

[GSC]

Derby signing Olsson now. FFP must be being chucked out.

[dyrewolfe]

Okay - you singled out Downing AND Leadbitter - my bad.

Our passing in general seems pretty iffy (and our set-pieces frequently awful) but I can't argue those two should be doing more as the "heart" of the team.

What is it with managers lately (not just AK) playing strikers / forwards out wide? Same old story playing players out of position...can't be helping them give their best (although Adomah can still be fairly effective cutting inside). Combined with the squad rotation, I suppose having "off days" is to be expected. We just can't afford it to turn into a losing streak.

A lone striker is fine if you have an effective midfield that can get the ball to them. If Ramirez can get our midfield firing, I'll be over the moon...but I'm not holding my breath.

[Nico the gman]

Okay - you singled out Downing AND Leadbitter - my bad.

Our passing in general seems pretty iffy (and our set-pieces frequently awful) but I can't argue those two should be doing more as the "heart" of the team.

What is it with managers lately (not just AK) playing strikers / forwards out wide? Same old story playing players out of position...can't be helping them give their best (although Adomah can still be fairly effective cutting inside). Combined with the squad rotation, I suppose having "off days" is to be expected. We just can't afford it to turn into a losing streak.

A lone striker is fine if you have an effective midfield that can get the ball to them. If Ramirez can get our midfield firing, I'll be over the moon...but I'm not holding my breath.

Yep our passing has been awful, against Forest it was announced there was 4 minutes extra time to be played, I made the comment it could be 40 minutes and we still won't score, the alarming thing is Forests defence was very comfortable, plenty of possession but we lose our way when we get to the edge of the box, had this been a harsh winter Forests keeper would have been receiving treatment for frostbite due to inactivity.

Like yourself I'm hoping Ramirez can be the creative midfielder who lights the spark, we'll see?

[GSC]

In fairness we are unbeaten in 12 for a reason

[Nico the gman]

In fairness we are unbeaten in 12 for a reason

Yep your playing well, but 2 shots on target in 90 minutes from us and our crossing into the box was woeful, apart from Leadbitters free kick, we had 1 shot from outside the box, that's poor regardless of who your playing.

[Nico the gman]

McCormack is offered contract to keep him at Fulham till he's 32 and he's turned it down and handed in a transfer request, which has also  been turned down by the Fulham hierarchy.

Why would Fulham want to keep a player who clearly doesn't want to be there, didn't play against Hull last week, flu allegedly.

[dyrewolfe]

Agree it doesn't make sense. He may be their star player, but if he's unhappy you have to question whether he will deliver for them. If they end up getting relegated, they would likely lose him anyway...and for a lot less than they could get now.

McCormack's current deal runs to 2019, so they could demand top whack for him...and get it, based on his recent form. Apparently we had 2 bids for him turned down during the last window. According to SSN, Karanka offered £6m then £8m plus Kike!

[Nico the gman]

Agree it doesn't make sense. He may be their star player, but if he's unhappy you have to question whether he will deliver for them. If they end up getting relegated, they would likely lose him anyway...and for a lot less than they could get now.

McCormack's current deal runs to 2019, so they could demand top whack for him...and get it, based on his recent form. Apparently we had 2 bids for him turned down during the last window. According to SSN, Karanka offered £6m then £8m plus Kike!

We had the same problem with Yakubu, you could tell by he's body language on the pitch he didn't want to be here, if McCormack's has the same attitude then Fulham are flogging a dead horse.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

News has it that Boro have a deal sewn up for Rhodes

[GSC]

#ffp

[NickisBHAFC]

It's just impossible to compete with these sides. Absolute joke.

[GSC]

The rules just don't work

[GSC]

9m rising to 13m

#ffp

[James_182]

As disappointing as this is to see him leave, the figures reported are very good for our football club. £9M lump sum, £2-4M with add-on's and his £2.5M PA salary off the wagebill.

Since last summer we have now with this deal brought in about £22M in transfer fee's and reduced our bill down from about £36M PA to about £22-24M PA.

FFP has if anything got our house in order and made us financial compliant. The side effect of this is now our league standing and the fact I would be pleased with Championship survival as we speak...

[Nico the gman]

Rhodes on Teesside having medical, Alex Pritchard to decide between Boro, Burnley and Brighton on loan deal.

Since being relegated from the Premier we've had to wheel and deal to cut our wage bill down by millions, we bought Ayala, Adomah, Friend, Leadbitter(free transfer)and the keeper Dimi for peanuts, Ben Gibson is from our youth academy, Clayton was bought in a swap deal with Butterfield plus a little cash, so we're far from a bought side.

The fact is this season we have a great chairman in Sir Steve Gibson whose prepared to put his own millions into the club, a club he's supported since a 5year old, if other fans aren't happy, then get a chairman or a board of directors who are prepared to invest into the club instead of treating it like a weekend hobby.

[dyrewolfe]

Have to admit I'm shocked we can afford these prices for players...that said, after the financial strife we've been though in the past, I'd trust Gibson to make sure everything's above board. Also, we were getting nowhere with McCormack, who we offered similar money for, so Rhodes seems a decent second choice (another player we had been interested in previously).

Also just read that we let Fabbrini go, so he can make a permanent move to Birmingham. Signing Ramirez makes more sense now - I'm guessing he'll be expected to fill that role.

Bad news is that Friend is out for up to 4 weeks with a fractured shoulder.

Since being relegated from the Premier we've had to wheel and deal to cut our wage bill down by millions, we bought Ayala, Adomah, Friend, Leadbitter(free transfer)and the keeper Dimi for peanuts, Ben Gibson is from our youth academy, Clayton was bought in a swap deal with Butterfield plus a little cash, so we're far from a bought side.

The fact is this season we have a great chairman in Sir Steve Gibson whose prepared to put his own millions into the club, a club he's supported since a 5year old, if other fans aren't happy, then get a chairman or a board of directors who are prepared to invest into the club instead of treating it like a weekend hobby.

Well said - couldn't agree more.

[Nico the gman]

Have to admit I'm shocked we can afford these prices for players...that said, after the financial strife we've been though in the past, I'd trust Gibson to make sure everything's above board. Also, we were getting nowhere with McCormack, who we offered similar money for, so Rhodes seems a decent second choice (another player we had been interested in previously).

Also just read that we let Fabbrini go, so he can make a permanent move to Birmingham. Signing Ramirez makes more sense now - I'm guessing he'll be expected to fill that role.

Bad news is that Friend is out for up to 4 weeks with a fractured shoulder.

Since being relegated from the Premier we've had to wheel and deal to cut our wage bill down by millions, we bought Ayala, Adomah, Friend, Leadbitter(free transfer)and the keeper Dimi for peanuts, Ben Gibson is from our youth academy, Clayton was bought in a swap deal with Butterfield plus a little cash, so we're far from a bought side.

The fact is this season we have a great chairman in Sir Steve Gibson whose prepared to put his own millions into the club, a club he's supported since a 5year old, if other fans aren't happy, then get a chairman or a board of directors who are prepared to invest into the club instead of treating it like a weekend hobby.

Well said - couldn't agree more.

I definitely think someone is leaving the club permanently on or before Monday, my guess would be Kike or Forshaw or both.

[Nico the gman]

Done and dusted Rhodes signs for Boro !

[James_182]

A shame to see him leave, but far to good an offer to turn down.

Thanks for the goals and memories and I wish him all the best in a club that will be sooner rather than later in the PL.

Rumored to be signing Jordi Gomez who will do a job and add much needed creativity to the center midfield, and Tony Watt who signed Friday looks a decent deal and player also.

[GSC]

Home game against Preston, 0 shots on target.

the choke is on.

[NickisBHAFC]

Derby, Wednesday and Burnley all not winning. Delightful evening.

[Nico the gman]

Have to admit I'm shocked we can afford these prices for players...that said, after the financial strife we've been though in the past, I'd trust Gibson to make sure everything's above board. Also, we were getting nowhere with McCormack, who we offered similar money for, so Rhodes seems a decent second choice (another player we had been interested in previously).

Also just read that we let Fabbrini go, so he can make a permanent move to Birmingham. Signing Ramirez makes more sense now - I'm guessing he'll be expected to fill that role.

Bad news is that Friend is out for up to 4 weeks with a fractured shoulder.

Since being relegated from the Premier we've had to wheel and deal to cut our wage bill down by millions, we bought Ayala, Adomah, Friend, Leadbitter(free transfer)and the keeper Dimi for peanuts, Ben Gibson is from our youth academy, Clayton was bought in a swap deal with Butterfield plus a little cash, so we're far from a bought side.

The fact is this season we have a great chairman in Sir Steve Gibson whose prepared to put his own millions into the club, a club he's supported since a 5year old, if other fans aren't happy, then get a chairman or a board of directors who are prepared to invest into the club instead of treating it like a weekend hobby.

Well said - couldn't agree more.

I definitely think someone is leaving the club permanently on or before Monday, my guess would be Kike or Forshaw or both.

Kike was transferred, signed by Spanish La Liga side Eibar, but papers weren't registered in time, so he's ineligible to play for them till July, which he is naturally upset about.

[dyrewolfe]

Thats a shame - I always liked the little fella (not to be confused with TLF ).

I thought he had a lot of potential but was always going to struggle to get games regularly, competing with our other strikers for a single spot up front. And a lot of the games he did play, he received virtually no service from the midfield.

Hope he fares better with Eibar...once he's eligible...

[Nico the gman]

Thats a shame - I always liked the little fella (not to be confused with TLF ).

I thought he had a lot of potential but was always going to struggle to get games regularly, competing with our other strikers for a single spot up front. And a lot of the games he did play, he received virtually no service from the midfield.

Hope he fares better with Eibar...once he's eligible...

I hope Kike does great, gave his best, wrote a great letter to the Gazette, saying he always felt loved by the fans and felt goosebumps whenever his name was chanted, and wished the club all the best in the future, Good Luck Kike.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Where are all the Brighton fans?

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Sitting 3rd in the table

[NickisBHAFC]

Outstanding win, absolutely battered Brentford in all areas of the park. Anthony Knockheart looks an absolute beast of a signing.

Goldson solid at the back, goes to show having a fantastic attitude and waiting for your turn does work. Him or Knockheart for MOTM.

O and Jamie Murphy, hope you're having a party. Goodnight and good weekend to all!

[dyrewolfe]

Wow this is grim. Over an hour played and still not a single shot on target. Also committing too many fouls for my liking.

Do we actually want to get promoted?

[owen10ozzy]

Throwing it away dyre; just spent better part of 14 million on a striker...play him on the bench! ...amazing how we go 1 down...bring on a 2nd striker and immediately look more dangerous!

We will not go up if he keeps playing the 1 up top...teams are now realising we pose little threat from midfield and are finding the right balance to ensure the quick direct counter attacks that brought us success in the first third of the season are not available.

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