Who’s Making Top 6

[Midlands Yellow 4,083]

First 4 look in the table look home and hosed. I’m going for West Brom and Coventry. The latter could have a major cash boost if Gyökeres leaves Sporting in January. Release clause of €100m and teams are sniffing around already. 

Edited December 27, 2023 by Midlands Yellow

[Well b back 3,281]

I think you can add WBA to make it 5 certs, then after that it’s one from about 6.

With players coming back don’t rule us out completely, but it will be whoever can hit the consistency button. 

[Creedence Clearwater Couto 1,297]

Yep, would go for those two. Watford too inconsistent, as are Boro. None of the rest are better than WBA or Cov on form.

[Midlands Yellow 4,083]

1 minute ago, Creedence Clearwater Couto said:

Yep, would go for those two. Watford too inconsistent, as are Boro. None of the rest are better than WBA or Cov on form.

Agreed, Coventry can keep clean sheets. If the two new forwards get their act together they’ll be hard to stop. 

[GJL Mid-Norfolk Canary 1,800]

Coventry??

If we think wba will hold onto a spot, 6th could be between about 8 clubs.

Nobody will 'sign' a striker of the quality of Sargent in January of that group

Could well be like last sesaon, when sunderland sneaked in, where there are still about 5 clubs with a chance on the last day

[Canary Wundaboy 1,360]

Our chances will depend pretty much on how our performances/setup improves when Sargent is back. If his return brings a renaissance of the high-pressing fast-paced football we played at the start of the season and it achieve a similar level of success we may be able to sneak in there. 

[Six Pack 94]

I think its going to be:

Leicester

Ipswich

Leeds

Watford

Southampton

and one other - could be us - but need a lot of luck  & things to our way to squeak in

 

[S_81 872]

1 hour ago, Canary Wundaboy said:

Our chances will depend pretty much on how our performances/setup improves when Sargent is back. If his return brings a renaissance of the high-pressing fast-paced football we played at the start of the season and it achieve a similar level of success we may be able to sneak in there. 

With David Wagner in charge there is ZERO chance we make the top six. Your optimism is not realistic. 

[Cantiaci Canary 558]

With Sargent back and a genius signing or two in January I wouldn't write us off but I think Watford, Boro and Coventry are in the same boat.

 

Leicester 

Southampton

................................

Ipswich

Leeds

WBA 

???

................................

[crab man 164]

Still chance for injuries and nose dives to other teams. Ridiculous to call it with half a season to go. String a few wins together and it suddenly looks v different

[Graham Paddons Beard 2,450]

We won’t finish top six until we win the 6 pointers. 
 

Not going to happen this year unless we beat 6 of the top 8 in second half of the season. 

[Monty13 2,252]

Not sure why a few see WBA as certs, looked pretty ordinary to me and they’ve had some up and down results.

[Capt. Pants 4,284]

Still very much all to play for with only 8 pts separating 5th and 15th, however I would say the top 4 look pretty nailed on - just the order to sort out. We 'just' need to make sure we don't concede too many points to the teams above us.

Unless we bring in a bit of quality in January and strengthen the midfield and wide positions I fear we will fall just short. Even then a lot depends on whether Sargent finds his scoring boots quickly. There seems to be a huge assumption he will but I'm not so sure.

[First Wazzock 904]

Ipswich drop out of the top two, we make the top six, and put them out in the play offs.

Then I woke up

Edited December 27, 2023 by First Wazzock

[Jimmy Raggatip 61]

Coventry are in decent form

 

Hull or Boro for me, we aren't good enough

[BroadstairsR 2,209]

12 minutes ago, First Wazzock said:

Ipswich drop out of the top two, we make the top six, and put them out in the play offs.

Then I woke up

Let's hope that they have an injury crisis, as it's about time they took their turn and fold like a McDonald’s napkin and end up in the play-offs where they meet, a Sargent inspired NCFC who have their usual curse on them and romp to probable final disappointment against Danny boy's Leeds.

I'm still awake ... just!

Hic!

[lake district canary 4,547]

Looking at West Brom yesterday, I thought their finishing was poor and decision making a bit questionable at times. They have the potential, but to me, 5th and 6th place are still up to grabs for anyone - including us. I don't think P*sswich will sustain their challenge for top two  so it could well get very interesting by the end if the season. Could even be our two clubs battling for 5th and 6th. 

[Nuff Said 5,178]

4 hours ago, Canary Wundaboy said:

Our chances will depend pretty much on how our performances/setup improves when Sargent is back. If his return brings a renaissance of the high-pressing fast-paced football we played at the start of the season and it achieve a similar level of success we may be able to sneak in there. 

The difference could be that as well as Sargent helping us score like we did at the start of the season, we seem to have tightened up at the back. Add Hanley’s return to this and it *could* come good.

[OnDaBall 137]

Sargent seems to have turned into this mythical footballing superstar, who singlehandedly will transform us into a dead cert top six side in some people's minds. Do we miss him/are we a better side with him fit? Yes of course, but I can't see him making that much difference, and of course it'll probably take him some time to get back up to speed. More depends on what business we can do in January.

[Keith Scott 245]

If Mark Robins was in charge of this squad we would be comfortably in the top 6.

But instead we employed the Sunday League version of Jurgen Klopp.

Although in fairness a lot of Sunday League managers could probably have this team in the top 6.

All the best.

Big Keith Scott.

[BigEars 12]

Well, here is what the supercomputer has after 24 games.  In fact its pretty tight for sixth place but also quite a low total needed for the play offs compared to some other years.  Ive said elsewhere that i think we are top half but not play offs, so I can’t really argue with this, despite its obvious shortcomings.

1st: Leicester City – 101.7 average points
2nd: Ipswich Town – 89.4
3rd: Southampton – 84.0
4th: Leeds United – 83.9
5th: West Brom – 73.8
6th: Sunderland – 68.4
7th: Coventry City – 67.9
8th: Middlesbrough – 67.6
9th: Hull City – 67.6
10th: Watford – 66.0
11th: Norwich City – 64.8
12th: Bristol City – 64.6

[shefcanary 2,466]

6 hours ago, OnDaBall said:

Sargent seems to have turned into this mythical footballing superstar, who singlehandedly will transform us into a dead cert top six side in some people's minds. Do we miss him/are we a better side with him fit? Yes of course, but I can't see him making that much difference, and of course it'll probably take him some time to get back up to speed. More depends on what business we can do in January.

I've similar feelings about Hanley! I mean, he came on yesterday and within 5 minutes we'd let a goal in! But Sarge will provide another dimension we gave been missing, without necessarily scoring every game.

[yellowrider120 790]

6 hours ago, OnDaBall said:

Sargent seems to have turned into this mythical footballing superstar, who singlehandedly will transform us into a dead cert top six side in some people's minds. Do we miss him/are we a better side with him fit? Yes of course, but I can't see him making that much difference, and of course it'll probably take him some time to get back up to speed. More depends on what business we can do in January.

Agreed. Last season he missed far too many chances for my liking. Cant believe the hype about him. Perhaps I'll be proved wrong and his goals could fire us to the play offs but they didn't last season so why now??  

[BroadstairsR 2,209]

12 minutes ago, yellowrider120 said:

Agreed. Last season he missed far too many chances for my liking. Cant believe the hype about him. Perhaps I'll be proved wrong and his goals could fire us to the play offs but they didn't last season so why now??  

I've no intention of putting a dampener on Sargenr's return. I prefer to be more positive..He was a youngster who came to City having to face Premier League defences. His al-round game has improved markedly with acclimatisation and age.

Nobody is expecting miracle man, but his return will certainly improve us.

The (universally) accepted reason for his average goal tally last season was because he was played as a wide man in order to accommodate Pukki as the main striker. The player said as much in an interview. Have you forgotten that significant factor?

 

Edited December 27, 2023 by BroadstairsR

[Indy 3,322]

My prediction was Leicester, Southampton & Leeds from the playoffs and I’m sticking to it.

The Binners will finish third Southampton will overtake them.

City will finish 10th I reckon.

[EastMidsCanary 6]

Leicester, Southampton, Ipswich, Leeds, and West Brom seem a good bet for the top 5. I think there are another 10 clubs, from Sunderland down to Blackburn who think they could get into the play offs come the end of the season. Blackburn are only 6 points from being in the top 6. I would say Coventry or Sunderland could be most likely based on seeing them earlier in the season, but there’s still a lot to happen yet.

Our record against the top 6 currently stands at 2 draws and 4 losses (with 2 home games and 4 away played). Even if we do manage to miraculously sneak into the top 6, we’d have to really step up to stand any chance. I think we’ll end up around 10th.