16 Feb 2019 08:50:21
Are we Believers, Realists or Fatalists?

The season starts now so it's Make Your Mind Up Time. No distraction of style of play, manager and squad quality, results, player preference and what might have been!

Martin and Roy have added a different dimension, and promotion is in our hands,
So here is my take on the Championship competition.

Leeds - Good coach over performing on a limited squad. Less points than before. No automatic, play off failure.

Norwich- Good coach a team he has moulded over 2 seasons. Learnt how to win and look nailed on.

Sheff Utd - Local hero good coach. Following in Warnock's recipe to do a Cardiff unless they lose key players.

WBA - Local rookie manager. Best squad on paper . Last season failing evident playing good teams. 50:50 promotion when under pressure.

Bristol City - Local owner backed the club and good manager. Depth of average squad could fall short.

Middlesbrough - Smoke and Mirrors. Local owner . Limited funds fails to land summer targets. Struggling to score due to Pulis tactics. Strong defence now ravaged by injuries. Pulis strategy in tatters .

Derby County - The media luvvies. Rookie manager young loanee's papering over the cracks of a failed squad. Mixed results against top teams. History says no promotion over 46 games.

Birmingham- Running on a shoestring. Team and manager punching above their weight. Dependent on their front line. Likely to fall away.

Aston Villa - On paper automatic promotion except individuals not playing as a team and cannot defend, plus change with new manager. Still on the blocks with Forest to see if they can kick on

Hull City - Asset stripped and running on adrenalin. Average manager punching above weight.

Swansea - Ownership and ethos model that got them promotion has been broken. In transition

Preston - Great community club with realistic expectations but will fall short.
Blackburn - Promotion adrenalin on the wane, carried by Dack and Mogger has builtM his team around him.

The Rest - Out of it

So, guys by my reckoning 5 places up for grabs and only a couple of teams that look like staying the course.

We have a strong owner backing a local manager and a squad that wins big games and spirit to go on a good run to the end of the season.

Are the fans going to really get behind the team and believe or are the "nay sayers" going to transmit their negativity and give the team an excuse?

So where do you all stand?

COYR#s.

1.) 16 Feb 2019
16 Feb 2019 09:10:26
Good post red , but I think we will just miss out. The games games I listed before :
Preston H
QPR H
Bristol City H
Reading A
Norwich A
Milwall A
WBA A
All should have yielded a further 10 points . Think we will just miss out to be honest . Big ask for us to string several b2b wins together - not impossible but a big task .

2.) 16 Feb 2019
16 Feb 2019 09:14:18
Won't be pretty football but I think we can sneak 6th.

Hopefully West Brom finish 3rd there by giving us a chance to repay them for their cheating by beating them.

Utopia Boro in the final as we have their measure already.

I honestly believe we can do it

3.) 16 Feb 2019
16 Feb 2019 09:17:39
Our away form needs to pick up to get in the playoffs.when you look at it,it is one reason why we aren't there.
Norwich H63% A47%
Leeds H60% A50%
Sheff u H60% A 44%
WBA H47% A53%
Boro H40% A47%
Bristol H40% A53%
Derby H53% A40%
Brum H40% A31%
Forest H50% A20%
While our home win rate is as good or better than some,we have by far the worst win rate away.
How the villa,WBA,Leeds and Norwich games have cost us.
Start winning a few away and keep up the home form and who knows in this league.
Let's start today against one of the form sides.🍻🍻🍷

4.) 16 Feb 2019
16 Feb 2019 09:52:10
FF79, those games have cost us but surely not as winnable as Preston H, QPR H, Bristol City H, Reading A . We’ve surely dropped 10 points there alone.

5.) 16 Feb 2019
16 Feb 2019 09:53:23
Munmad, too right mate, I thought the same - how sweet that revenge would be .

6.) 16 Feb 2019
16 Feb 2019 11:23:26
Excellent post Red In Exile,I have been thinking along the same lines.Very likely one of current top 6 will drop out,Bristol or Boro for reasons you gave.Making sure draws are turned into victories,nicking a few more away points will see us there or thereabouts.