Eyes on the Championship

[SwearyCanary 1,179]

I always like to keep an eye on our likely destination and I feel there are reasons to feel optimistic. 
assuming Fulham and probably Bournemouth are up, I look at squads and feel we come out on top in most match ups. 
To see Onel, McCallum, Mumba and even Hugill (and Cantwell yuk) putting in pretty effective performances despite not being starters for us, looking at the top scorers and assist makers in the league and I think we have also seen enough to assume Rashica, Idah, Byram, Sergeant etc will more than compete in the second tier. 
I wouldn’t have been so sure in November and I think a lot on here would’ve been with me, but aside from the two that come down with us (likely to be Burnley and Watford) and maybe one or two stronger current championship sides I feel we have to be confident of walking into playoffs if not automatic promo.

I know it’s too soon to say, but I like a bit of forward planning.

Happy to be corrected and also not completely given up hope of scraping survival. Do feel it’s coming together and if I’m honest, I like the prospect of playing for a promotion rather than battling for survival. Can’t see us being a solid prem team anytime soon so it does feel that the former two options are our most likely season narratives. 
 

sweary

[Branston Pickle 3,638]

We do seem to be on the same cycle as Fulham, if a season behind them - I get the feeling they will be stronger next season and probably stay up.  If it does take one more cycle for us to manage it then so be it -though the sad thing is we’d then just turn into one of those ‘also ran’ sides who sit in lower-mid table for perpetuity or until relegation happens again.

 

[Petriix 2,834]

I'll hold fire on the optimism for now (it's the hope that kills you) but there are some green shoots of a team emerging from the rabble that we were putting on the pitch in the first half of the season. Rashica is starting to look like a player who might be effective in the Championship, although the lack of end product (so far at least) is concerning.

We'll need a decent summer transfer window to patch up the holes in the squad and it will be crucial to see who we move on.

[KiwiScot 1,437]

To many variables to know how it would go especially with a different manager and unknown finances.

[SwearyCanary 1,179]

3 minutes ago, Branston Pickle said:

We do seem to be on the same cycle as Fulham, if a season behind them - I get the feeling they will be stronger next season and probably stay up.  If it does take one more cycle for us to manage it then so be it -though the sad thing is we’d then just turn into one of those ‘also ran’ sides who sit in lower-mid table for perpetuity or until relegation happens again.

 

I am so conflicted about this. Part of me would welcome a bit of mediocrity if it helps the long term prospects of the club, because I feel that every year that passes the gap between the leagues grows wider. I’m torn between not wanting to be in that lower tier class gulf and also not wanting to be just happy to be included, like the stunted quiet one who pokes their head out behind the big boys and says ‘yeah’ to show we exist in their world and are grateful for it. 
 

Be interesting to see the pov of Palace fans, Leeds fans, Southampton fans etc. see if any would like to be in our shoes. I suspect not but think the longer that goes on the more they yearn for a bit of success, even if it means going down to get it. Cup comps used to offer this opportunity as the big boys play the kids, but even mid table sides seem to take it less seriously than league position matters.

[yellowrider120 761]

The way Rashica is improving there is more chance of the sun not rising in the morning than him playing for us in the Championship!

At times he ran Palace ragged and was held and shoulders our best player last night. PL teams will  be noting this improvement and if maintained for rest of the season I'm sure a number of clubs will be after him. This summers 'Buendia sale' coming up unfortunately.   

[SwearyCanary 1,179]

1 minute ago, yellowrider120 said:

The way Rashica is improving there is more chance of the sun not rising in the morning than him playing for us in the Championship!

At times he ran Palace ragged and was held and shoulders our best player last night. PL teams will  be noting this improvement and if maintained for rest of the season I'm sure a number of clubs will be after him. This summers 'Buendia sale' coming up unfortunately.   

I hope you’re wrong. Would love to see us put our parachute payments to good use (assuming we still get some). 

[Beetley Yellow 57]

I was going to post similar. I think everyone knows what’s going to happen if a mid-table PL side bid £25/ 30m for Rashica  (possible if he continues his improvement), or indeed if we receive attractive bids on any of our players. Where does that leave ‘the plan’?  

[SwearyCanary 1,179]

1 minute ago, Beetley Yellow said:

I was going to post similar. I think everyone knows what’s going to happen if a mid-table PL side bid £25/ 30m for Rashica  (possible if he continues his improvement), or indeed if we receive attractive bids on any of our players. Where does that leave ‘the plan’?  

Depends how we reinvest I suppose. I think Smith and Shakespeare is enough of a draw to bring in talented hungry players. But I also think we have a good history of keeping assets recently, despite their stock being high. Aarons, Cantwell, Godfrey, Emi all kept on when if we had made it clear they were up for sale they would’ve gone. I’m aware their stock has slumped, but their impact in getting us promoted and the money that delivered more than makes up the fall in their value imo. 

[cambridgeshire canary 6,680]

At least aside from the top three or so the championship does look pretty weak right now.

 

Hopefully we get Onel back have the feeling he will he very important more so if Rashica decides he doesn't want another season..

[Capt. Pants 4,202]

It would be great if Deano could persuade Milo to stay, but we have to accept he's quickly becoming proven EPL quality.

Deano will also want to bring in his choice of player. I think Onel will be in the squad (STC) but not a starter or even an important player for us.

[GJL Mid-Norfolk Canary 1,736]

The championship looks particularly weak this season, when you consider Sheff Utd in mid table and WBA struggling to hold onto a playoff place

To see the likes of Blackburn challenging for top 2 and QPR and Huddersfield in the top 6 should lead us to suspect that we woukd sureky be around the top once again

[Gordon Bennett 780]

2 hours ago, Petriix said:

I'll hold fire on the optimism for now (it's the hope that kills you) but there are some green shoots of a team emerging from the rabble that we were putting on the pitch in the first half of the season. Rashica is starting to look like a player who might be effective in the Championship, although the lack of end product (so far at least) is concerning.

We'll need a decent summer transfer window to patch up the holes in the squad and it will be crucial to see who we move on.

Do his assists against Watford and Palace and his goal against Charlton since returning from injury not count as end product? 

[Badger 2,405]

2 hours ago, SwearyCanary said:

Part of me would welcome a bit of mediocrity if it helps the long term prospects of the club, because I feel that every year that passes the gap between the leagues grows wider

?

If the gap is growing wider every year (I agree) how does a few years of mediocrity help the long-term prospects of the club?

It would mean that rather than the gap being narrowed, it has been widened.

[Monty13 2,229]

1 hour ago, GJL Mid-Norfolk Canary said:

The championship looks particularly weak this season, when you consider Sheff Utd in mid table and WBA struggling to hold onto a playoff place

To see the likes of Blackburn challenging for top 2 and QPR and Huddersfield in the top 6 should lead us to suspect that we woukd sureky be around the top once again

Given our model you’d hope so. Assuming Fulham and Bournemouth go up, two equally strong teams will replace them from relegation.

[sgncfc 1,223]

There is a big difference between Fulham/Bournemouth and us and it's simply the wealth of the owners and their willingness to spend. Our average spend is now up towards the £6-7m mark from where we were on free transfers 5 or so years ago. We are at least one but probably two more cycles away from increasing that to £12-£15m, which is what we need to do to survive.

The EPL is becoming like the Scottish PL more every season, with Man City/Chelsea/Liverpool losing very few games other than to each other. The Championship is also now polarising into those with a valuable squad and those without, given that every time a team gets or develops a decent player they move up. QPR will lose Chair; Forest will lose Johnson; Nora will lose Spence; Blackburn will lose Brereton etc.

Any team relegated from the EPL should finish in the playoffs in season one. The other three will lose their better players if they don't succeed. 

Norwich and Watford don't have enough players of sufficient proven quality to stay up. Burnley have more chance, but Newcastle's ability to spend will probably make it impossible for them to survive too. I can't see any other team being dragged down to be honest, because their players are all better and there are still 15 games for them to pick up 18 points. Even Brentford have a better squad than we do.

We will definitely make the playoffs next season. Whether we have enough for the top two again depends on who stays and who goes, but I would expect to lose Rashica and Aarons and possibly Krul if he fancies a last payday. I can't see too many others being in demand.

[canarybubbles 1,915]

4 hours ago, GJL Mid-Norfolk Canary said:

The championship looks particularly weak this season, when you consider Sheff Utd in mid table and WBA struggling to hold onto a playoff place

To see the likes of Blackburn challenging for top 2 and QPR and Huddersfield in the top 6 should lead us to suspect that we woukd sureky be around the top once again

Agreed, but this may not be to our advantage if we go down. A lot of those improving teams (Blackburn, QPR, Forest) may have developed into still better outfits next year and make it tougher for the relegated teams. In contrast, at least two of those going up are likely to struggle badly (not Fulham), so it may be a good year to be a club who are trying to consolidate their position in the Prem.

[NorthCarolinaYellow 197]

Who really would we lose if we got relegated? Cantwell sure but ... Rashica? Will PL or equivalent teams drop ~£10m on him with, maybe 1-2 goals and 4-5 assists? Sargent? I don't see it. Let's even say that Aarons goes somewhere and we'd be looking at this with NO incomings:

 

GK: Krul, Gunn

RB: Byram, Mumba

LB: Giannoulis, McCallum

CB: Hanley, Gibson, Omobamidele, Zimmermann, Tomkinson

CM: Lees-Melou, McLean, Rupp, Sorensen, Dowell, Rowe

WM: Rashica, Sargent,Placheta, Tzolis, Hernandez, Martin, Sinani

CF: Pukki, Idah, Hugill, Dickson-Peters

 

That's ... more than enough to mount a real promotion campaign??

[NorthCarolinaYellow 197]

I feel as though if Burnley make the drop they'll get mired in 5+ years of the Championship? There's not much there.

[Danke bitte 965]

I wonder whether we’ll also lose Shakey. He’s not likely to want to be an assistant in the Champ given his level and I’m sure another Prem side will snap him up.

There needs to be a proper clear out of players and revision of transfer policy should we go down though. It’s shocking we went into this season with no recognised CDM when it’s been painfully obvious for seasons now it’s a position we’ve badly needed to fill. 

[NorthCarolinaYellow 197]

3 minutes ago, Danke bitte said:

There needs to be a proper clear out of players and revision of transfer policy should we go down though. It’s shocking we went into this season with no recognised CDM when it’s been painfully obvious for seasons now it’s a position we’ve badly needed to fill. 

 

Not only did we only go in with about half a CDM (Normann) ... we (a) had no backup, (b) wasted a loan spot on a luxury player in Gilmour, (c) wasted £10M on Tzolis when we could have kept Hernandez and gotten the same output, and (d) chopped and change tactics and lineups so often we didn't even know what was up or down at times!

[Danke bitte 965]

2 minutes ago, NorthCarolinaYellow said:

 

Not only did we only go in with about half a CDM (Normann) ... we (a) had no backup, (b) wasted a loan spot on a luxury player in Gilmour, (c) wasted £10M on Tzolis when we could have kept Hernandez and gotten the same output, and (d) chopped and change tactics and lineups so often we didn't even know what was up or down at times!

Exactly. Again, should we go down there needs to be some kind of inquest. I don’t understand how badly wrong we got it. At least SaS have started to turn the ship around but too late now I fear. Oh well, another Championship season to look forward to 🙄

[Move Klose 303]

7 hours ago, SwearyCanary said:

I always like to keep an eye on our likely destination and I feel there are reasons to feel optimistic. 
assuming Fulham and probably Bournemouth are up, I look at squads and feel we come out on top in most match ups. 
To see Onel, McCallum, Mumba and even Hugill (and Cantwell yuk) putting in pretty effective performances despite not being starters for us, looking at the top scorers and assist makers in the league and I think we have also seen enough to assume Rashica, Idah, Byram, Sergeant etc will more than compete in the second tier. 
I wouldn’t have been so sure in November and I think a lot on here would’ve been with me, but aside from the two that come down with us (likely to be Burnley and Watford) and maybe one or two stronger current championship sides I feel we have to be confident of walking into playoffs if not automatic promo.

I know it’s too soon to say, but I like a bit of forward planning.

Happy to be corrected and also not completely given up hope of scraping survival. Do feel it’s coming together and if I’m honest, I like the prospect of playing for a promotion rather than battling for survival. Can’t see us being a solid prem team anytime soon so it does feel that the former two options are our most likely season narratives. 
 

sweary

There will be a very big turn around of players this summer. 4 loan players to go back. Cantwell and Aarons will move on. 

Anyone realistically think Rashica will still be here I don't.

Appears Giannoulis had interest from some big sides previously.

Wouldn't shock me if Pukki wanted to move on, not convinced he even fits into how Smith wants to play anyway.

Then there's players like Hernandez and Hugill to come back who aren't Good enough to push for a start in a side at the top end of the table.

Hopefully the likes of Mcallum & Mumba come back ready and the likes of Omobamidele and Idah are ready to push on even further.

[Uncle Fred 526]

Already looking forward to our season in the championship next season

a weekend in Blackpool being a highlight 

[BroadstairsR 2,138]

"Ambition should be made of sterner stuff."  

Our Assistant Head Coach in his previous occupation.

Edited February 13, 2022 by BroadstairsR

[cambridgeshire canary 6,680]

26 minutes ago, Uncle Fred said:

Already looking forward to our season in the championship next season

a weekend in Blackpool being a highlight 

Fancy some rock do you? They love that in Blackpool.

 

And I'm not on about the seaside rock..

[Capt. Pants 4,202]

1 hour ago, Move Klose said:

There will be a very big turn around of players this summer. 4 loan players to go back. Cantwell and Aarons will move on. 

Anyone realistically think Rashica will still be here I don't.

Appears Giannoulis had interest from some big sides previously.

Wouldn't shock me if Pukki wanted to move on, not convinced he even fits into how Smith wants to play anyway.

Then there's players like Hernandez and Hugill to come back who aren't Good enough to push for a start in a side at the top end of the table.

Hopefully the likes of Mcallum & Mumba come back ready and the likes of Omobamidele and Idah are ready to push on even further.

Agree with this, Smith will want to make his mark on the squad and get players in to play the way he wants to play. I can see there being a few shock exits to reduce an already bloated squad. You've already listed about 10 players who realistically won't be here at the start of next season.

[SwearyCanary 1,179]

5 hours ago, Badger said:

?

If the gap is growing wider every year (I agree) how does a few years of mediocrity help the long-term prospects of the club?

It would mean that rather than the gap being narrowed, it has been widened.

I mean mediocrity in the EPL if we could become a mid table side 

[cambridgeshire canary 6,680]

6 minutes ago, Capt. Pants said:

Agree with this, Smith will want to make his mark on the squad and get players in to play the way he wants to play. I can see there being a few shock exits to reduce an already bloated squad. You've already listed about 10 players who realistically won't be here at the start of next season.

On the plus side we have parachute payments coming in and the 10 million sale of Cantwell to Bournmouth, plus whatever we make from these 'shock sales' you predict.

 

If Smith want's a rebuild to make the squad his own we should have some money to do so

Edited February 13, 2022 by cambridgeshire canary

[Heading South 24]

9 hours ago, SwearyCanary said:

I always like to keep an eye on our likely destination and I feel there are reasons to feel optimistic. 
assuming Fulham and probably Bournemouth are up, I look at squads and feel we come out on top in most match ups. 
To see Onel, McCallum, Mumba and even Hugill (and Cantwell yuk) putting in pretty effective performances despite not being starters for us, looking at the top scorers and assist makers in the league and I think we have also seen enough to assume Rashica, Idah, Byram, Sergeant etc will more than compete in the second tier. 
I wouldn’t have been so sure in November and I think a lot on here would’ve been with me, but aside from the two that come down with us (likely to be Burnley and Watford) and maybe one or two stronger current championship sides I feel we have to be confident of walking into playoffs if not automatic promo.

I know it’s too soon to say, but I like a bit of forward planning.

Happy to be corrected and also not completely given up hope of scraping survival. Do feel it’s coming together and if I’m honest, I like the prospect of playing for a promotion rather than battling for survival. Can’t see us being a solid prem team anytime soon so it does feel that the former two options are our most likely season narratives. 
 

sweary

We will not have the same squad next season , so don’t assume too much .