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.

[GSC]

Good win

[GSC]

Steve Evans

[Nico the gman]

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.

Spot on Owen got in the ground expecting to see Rhodes on from the start, Downing, Leadbitter and Adomah ( who I would have took off at half time) garbage, we have had 2 weeks off and come back worse than Forest game.

[westisbest]

Gardner almost scoring another cracking goal.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Better get myself reacquainted with this thread ahead of next season

[GSC]

Gardner is class

[westisbest]

He is indeed.
Another player who we should be keeping hold of.

[GSC]

https://mobile.twitter.com/LUFCtales/tweets

[NickisBHAFC]

Gardner is awful.

[westisbest]

Another great comment from you nick.

[Fernando]

"This post was made by NickisBHAFC who is currently on your ignore list. Display this post."

If you foe him you will see this lovely message.

[westisbest]

is that for me nando?

if so, bit sad, just cos we dont agree on a few things.

[Fernando]

It's up to you fella. I did it ages ago cos unlike you i suspect he doesn't annoy you in various other sections

[westisbest]

ah no bother.

[GSC]

Nick had cut out making silly comments for attention. Suspect some might be interested if it becomes a trend again

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Lets not. Westi is arguably the most mature person on this forum, he doesn't need either you two or me bringing him down to our level.

[Nico the gman]

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?

I know you thought I was harsh singling out Downing & Leadbitter, this is their stats in 28 games so far, and I will put in Clayton just for good measure.

Downing    goals 3 assists 4
Leadbitter goals 2 (pens) assists 1
Clayton    goals 1 assist 0

This is the reason we struggle to break teams down and rarely hammer anyone, those stats from our midfield are pathetic.

[GSC]

Clement gone

[Guest]

CV already sent for Bayern's assistant managers position for next year

[GSC]

The bib collector to the stars!

I don't get it, but that's modern football

[GSC]

"It means Derby County want to remain a small club. It is childish." - Carlo Ancelotti on Paul Clement sacking

Always knew I loved Carlo for a reason.

[Crimey]

Apparently it was due to the style of football not fitting the 'Derby way'. For God's sake, does every club have a 'way' now?

[GSC]

I've heard that and he didn't bring through enough kids.

In reality, they're absolutely ****ed if FFP stays in place and the new owner got itchy feet.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

We should never have started all this "way" stuff

[NickisBHAFC]

Absolute joke of a club. I really hope they don't go up for several reasons and this is another reason now!

[Nico the gman]

Derby hierarchy are idiots, if we don't go up, anyone but Derby,talk about knee jerk reaction pathetic!

[GSC]

Maybe they can get Paul Ince as manager.

[GSC]

MM: "If I'd been picking the team we probably wouldn't have played some of those players. I don't regret going in the dressing room." #dcfc

LOL

[dyrewolfe]

Derby hierarchy are idiots, if we don't go up, anyone but Derby,talk about knee jerk reaction pathetic!

Hell of it is the Derby board themselves have publicly stated promotion was not a priority this season...what a bunch of clowns!

Okay 7 games without a win isn't great, but they are still 5th and only 5 points off the top.

We should never have started all this "way" stuff

You mean you've never heard of "The Way of the Ram"?

[Nico the gman]

I have decided to apply for the Derby managers job, I fit the profile for the following reasons.

1. I ran a local football team and we finished 3rd and 4th in the league just missing out on promotion which was never ever my priority.

2. More importantly I always emphasised to my players that they must play the Derby way, I can't let anybody know what that style of football is because its a secret.

What more does Mel Morris want I should be nailed on, I 100% FIT THE PROFILE, wish me luck

[dyrewolfe]

Hah!

Just as long as you don't have them finish above Boro!

[GSC]

To be fair, at just 5 points outside the top 2, Clement was dangerously close to failing the objective of not being promoted

[Nico the gman]

Hah!

Just as long as you don't have them finish above Boro!

Mel Morris has stated that promotion was not the main priority, so Derby top 10, and then I'll resign due to my football loyalties lying elsewhere.

[dyrewolfe]

I like your thinking!


While I remember, a quick "c'mon Boro", as they travel to MK Dons tonight. Shame its a midweek, evening kick-off, otherwise I would have gone (being reasonably local).

We often play better away from home and MK's form has been patchy at best all season, so I'm expecting a win...ugly or otherwise...

[Nico the gman]

I like your thinking!


While I remember, a quick "c'mon Boro", as they travel to MK Dons tonight. Shame its a midweek, evening kick-off, otherwise I would have gone (being reasonably local).

We often play better away from home and MK's form has been patchy at best all season, so I'm expecting a win...ugly or otherwise...

Karanka stated there would be changes for the MK Dons game, and blamed Kike Solas poor performance on 5 or 6 of our other players not performing, so that would be the whole of the midfield and one other then.

I hope we go to MK Dons with a more positive attacking approach, and not safety first tactics, Rhodes and Ramirez have got to play from the off, anything other than 3 points is a bad result.

One positive note from Saturday, De Laet played well, and has a lot of pace bombing down the wing, looked comfortable on the ball.

[NickisBHAFC]

Another great comment from you nick.

We had him on loan last season and he was terrible. Admittedly he was played under the worst manager in football league history, Sami Hyypia. However he isn't a good player though, not for championship standard anyway.

[GSC]

I do love that they sacked a manager for short termism after he guided the team to 5 points off top in 6 months.

[GSC]

I mean, I really don't get any of that.

Promotion isn't the aim after you spend nearly 30m?

Hes supposed to bring through kids yet you sanction 12 signings for the first team squad?

You want to take a long term view to running the club, yet sack a manager in 6 months?

Add to the fact he seemingly thinks he could do a better job picking the XI than a guy whos won the CL as a #2 to the best manager in the world, and it all gets a bit silly.

As I say though, the reality is if they don't go up, FFP is gonna crush them (or should, I have no real confidence in it) and he got itchy feet with the team in freefall after last years choke.

[westisbest]

Another great comment from you nick.

We had him on loan last season and he was terrible. Admittedly he was played under the worst manager in football league history, Sami Hyypia. However he isn't a good player though, not for championship standard anyway.

So he was terrible for Brighton, doesnt mean he is terrible overall.

Has done well at Forest as far as im aware, am sure GSC will know best.

Doing well for Villa till he had those injuries.

Definaltly good enough for the championship.

I guess we will have to agree to disagree.

[GSC]

Theres a reason Gardner is a massive fan favorite here after about half a season.

[GSC]

Paul's horizon was shorter term than ours. With all good intent I think Paul had a slightly different view.

"He was the one who wanted promotion this season

Jesus I didn't even read that part

[Nico the gman]

1-0 down 71% possession 1st half and 1 shot on target, booed off at half time by over 2000 Boro fans, and our £9 mill striker Rhodes on the bench again, Karanka is losing the plot I'm afraid.

[GSC]

Replace him with someone who wants to be promoted

[owen10ozzy]

Unbelievable stuff!! Agreed Karanka has lost it.....we knew he was stubborn but this takes the absolute biscuit!! This will be no win in 6 with 5 defeats I believe. Our huge lack of creativity is killing us and it's even worse because he will not budge from this 4-5-1!! So so frustrated right now...if he doesn't change it soon (I mean within 1 game) then I'm afraid it won't matter as our confidence will be shot to pieces! I remember last time we were top at Xmas....Mowbray was in charge and we finished 16th!

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

The Middlesbrough choke much like the derby one, always amusing

[owen10ozzy]

Weren't Norwich flying high and full of praise till a month ago...not so rosy now...

Our choke is frustrating as we have the squad to win this league but a manager whose stubbornness, nay arrogance actually is costing us

[Nico the gman]

Rhodes 1-1 93rd minute

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Weren't Norwich flying high and full of praise till a month ago...not so rosy now...

Our choke is frustrating as we have the squad to win this league but a manager whose stubbornness, nay arrogance actually is costing us

I'm not sure you can call 17th flying high tbf

[Nico the gman]

Weren't Norwich flying high and full of praise till a month ago...not so rosy now...

Our choke is frustrating as we have the squad to win this league but a manager whose stubbornness, nay arrogance actually is costing us

Manager is going to blow it for us, despite this point tonight, and your totally right about the managers arrogance it beggars belief.

No disrespect to fans on here,but with this squad, we should be walking this league.

[dyrewolfe]

Unbelievable stuff!! Agreed Karanka has lost it.....we knew he was stubborn but this takes the absolute biscuit!! This will be no win in 6 with 5 defeats I believe. Our huge lack of creativity is killing us and it's even worse because he will not budge from this 4-5-1!! So so frustrated right now...if he doesn't change it soon (I mean within 1 game) then I'm afraid it won't matter as our confidence will be shot to pieces! I remember last time we were top at Xmas....Mowbray was in charge and we finished 16th!

Maybe in all competitions but league-wise its no win in 4. 2 draws and 2 defeats, which isn't quite so bad in the context of our overall season. Its also enough to put us top, though we now have the same number of games played as Hull, so no cushion.

Thats the positives. On the flip side, another game where we dominated possession and actually created enough chances to score 3-4 goals...yet it was down to another last-gasp equaliser to secure a point. Probably our best overall performance of the last 4 games...only the small but important matter of being able to stick the ball in the net was missing. Still not good enough if Boro are serious about getting promoted.

I'm also concerned at how easily we seem to be conceding goals too. Time was when our defence - and Dimi in particular - were a virtually impenetrable wall. Is it because of AKs revolving door policy with our starting line-ups? You would think, having been a world-class defender himself, Karanka would be able to sort that one out...then again a lot of us thought the same about Mowbray.

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