So, who here watched Leicester vs Ipswich (bare with, is Norwich related)?

[TheGoogler 324]

Got to say I caught it - and was quite encouraged by what I saw.Leicester looked like a team without a real game plan. No real idea what to do with the ball in the final third and no real source of creativity. Couldn''t really see where a goal would come from except when they lumped it forward to Steve Howard - who was bizarrely taken off in the second half. Defensively they looked okay, but nothing a hard working side couldn''t undo.Ipswich by comparison looked far more organised and efficient but absolutely no threat to Leicester''s goal whatsoever. It''s clear they lack any sort of striker worth his salt and relying on other areas to chip in with goals.I appreciate one game is not indicative of the standard of the Championship this season. But having said that (here comes the Norwich bit) I think if you take the team that''s been playing week in week out for us and plonked it into the Championship this very minute, I don''t think it''s too much of an exaggeration to say I think we would compete. It''s made me wonder if the line between success and failure in the Championship is far finer than it is in this division.Anyone agree?

[Bethnal Yellow and Green 1,557]

We are giving teams a fair few chances at the moment, which as we are in League One teams like Exeter and Wycombe aren''t finishing off (thinking especially of the Wycombe chance which hit the post just before our goal). Championship teams will finish those off, and not so many teams will give Hoolihan such a free run with the ball.The biggest test for us season will be if Holt can make the step up and keep scoring at the rate he is.

[Power Ranger Canary 0]

How much has roy keane spent on their stike force 3million plus? it didnt look like they would score if the game was 900 minutes mind you leicster wernt exactly threatening.

[bjg123 0]

Holt won''t score at the same rate, that''s for sure, it''s more a question of whether he can score at a good rate, 1 in 2 would be an excellent return from him next season imo, and also, if he''s able to bully defenders and be effective in the channels. I can see him acting more as an attacking outlet than a goal threat next season, holding it up and bringing others into play.

Next season could be Martin''s big one, if he continues to improve, he could be massive for us, if not, somebody like Johnson or a new face will be critical for us.

Hoolahan''s the other player who''ll be interesting to watch next year, as well as the holding midfielder. Russell won''t cut it as a DM imo, the quality of midfields will be miles better than in League 1 so that DM will be the most critical spot on the pitch, and a place where we''d really need our best or 2nd best player.

Hoolahan won''t be able to score as much, but I think he''ll still be our best player, against Millwall they were tripling up on him and he was still getting free. The great thing about having a player who''s doubled up on or even tripled up on is that he doesn''t have to have a good game to be effective, we saw this with Ronaldo at United, the need to put an extra man on him creates space for others to bomb forward from midfield, or for strikers to drop deep, and I think we''ll still be able to exploit that in the Champ, if teams don''t double up on him, he''ll pull their pants down.

[The ghost of Michael Theoklitos 0]

[quote user="bjg123"]Holt won''t score at the same rate, that''s for sure, it''s more a question of whether he can score at a good rate, 1 in 2 would be an excellent return from him next season imo, and also, if he''s able to bully defenders and be effective in the channels. I can see him acting more as an attacking outlet than a goal threat next season, holding it up and bringing others into play. Next season could be Martin''s big one, if he continues to improve, he could be massive for us, if not, somebody like Johnson or a new face will be critical for us. Hoolahan''s the other player who''ll be interesting to watch next year, as well as the holding midfielder. Russell won''t cut it as a DM imo, the quality of midfields will be miles better than in League 1 so that DM will be the most critical spot on the pitch, and a place where we''d really need our best or 2nd best player. Hoolahan won''t be able to score as much, but I think he''ll still be our best player, against Millwall they were tripling up on him and he was still getting free. The great thing about having a player who''s doubled up on or even tripled up on is that he doesn''t have to have a good game to be effective, we saw this with Ronaldo at United, the need to put an extra man on him creates space for others to bomb forward from midfield, or for strikers to drop deep, and I think we''ll still be able to exploit that in the Champ, if teams don''t double up on him, he''ll pull their pants down.[/quote]

I''d just like to point out to anyone who''ll listen that we''re not actually promoted yet, and I wish people would stop talking assuming we are.

We''re going great, but we''re only 1 or 2 injuries to key players away from it going t!ts-up.

[TheGoogler 324]

[quote user="bjg123"]Holt won''t score at the same rate, that''s for sure, it''s more a question of whether he can score at a good rate, 1 in 2 would be an excellent return from him next season imo, and also, if he''s able to bully defenders and be effective in the channels. I can see him acting more as an attacking outlet than a goal threat next season, holding it up and bringing others into play. Next season could be Martin''s big one, if he continues to improve, he could be massive for us, if not, somebody like Johnson or a new face will be critical for us. Hoolahan''s the other player who''ll be interesting to watch next year, as well as the holding midfielder. Russell won''t cut it as a DM imo, the quality of midfields will be miles better than in League 1 so that DM will be the most critical spot on the pitch, and a place where we''d really need our best or 2nd best player. Hoolahan won''t be able to score as much, but I think he''ll still be our best player, against Millwall they were tripling up on him and he was still getting free. The great thing about having a player who''s doubled up on or even tripled up on is that he doesn''t have to have a good game to be effective, we saw this with Ronaldo at United, the need to put an extra man on him creates space for others to bomb forward from midfield, or for strikers to drop deep, and I think we''ll still be able to exploit that in the Champ, if teams don''t double up on him, he''ll pull their pants down.[/quote]

While I echo the sentiments about not counting our chickens about being up, I''ve also got to say that I wonder whether you are overexaggerating the level of football played at Championship level. I just don''t see massive difference between the top four or five in this league and the bottom half of the Championship. No, I''m not talking about competing with the Newcastles, West Broms and Forests of the league, but rather with the Doncasters, Barnsleys, Scunthorpes, Plymouths.

I genuinely believe if you put this team in the Championship we would not be in the relegation zone.

[bjg123 0]

I completely agree, and you''re backed up by how well a lot of teams do when they go up, in their first season. Leicster, Southend, Luton, Colchester etc. The key difference however, is all those teams you mentioned are much, much better than half of League 1, somebody like Russell who can easily break up play against most teams in this league, would be playing at least the equivilent of say Charlton/Huddersfield/Colchester every week in the championship, and I''m not sure he''d be that good at that sort of level, much less against the better 6 or so teams in the league.

Hoolahan''s the same, he''ll definitely still be good, but it''s a lottery as to how good.