The Championship

[ewerk 31207]

I still can't quite get my ahead around the fact that Charnley still has a job you know. As good as this Rafa outcome is, I can't think of any reason he should be retained, aside from one; and that is that he never asked to be MD, and is as much a hostage of Ashley as we are. He's been promoted into a role he doesn't want, and isn't capable of, and Ashley just won't let him quit.

 

That's literally the only circumstance under which his being retained would make sense.

His removal would probably cause too much upheaval at the moment. We've pretty much got a new manager in, Charnley at least knows where the highlighters/posh biscuits are. When it actually comes to negotiating transfer deals I can't see Rafa being happy with Charnley's abilities but that wont really be a factor until next summer when we're looking to sign bigger names.

[Alex 35587]

If he's got a decent relationship with Benitez and the latter has most of the control and he can be a buffer between him and Ashley then I don't have a big problem with it. Going forward in a year's time and, all being well, PL football approaching, we need an upgrade.

[The Fish 10966]

If he's got a decent relationship with Benitez and the latter has most of the control and he can be a buffer between him and Ashley then I don't have a big problem with it. Going forward in a year's time and, all being well, PL football approaching, we need an upgrade.

 

Strikes me that Charnley has finally come up against someone who has the measure of him. Can't see McClaren putting up much of a fight when Charnley said no.

[Gemmill 46032]

No David. The idea that Charnley needs to go looking for someone that has the measure of him is ludicrous. Benitez is the first manager to completely bypass Charnley and get his assurances directly from the owner, that's all.

[The Fish 10966]

No David. The idea that Charnley needs to go looking for someone that has the measure of him is ludicrous. Benitez is the first manager to completely bypass Charnley and get his assurances directly from the owner, that's all.

Think you've misunderstood me sweetcheeks.

 

When I said Rafa has the measure of him, I meant Rafa has him in his fucking pocket, but Schteve was as imposing in the boardroom as your tiny pecker is in the bedroom.

[Gemmill 46032]

You need to work on your phrasing then, David dear.

[The Fish 10966]

You need to work on your phrasing then, David dear.

 

Perhaps.

 

In my defence I just went over on my knackered ankle again and the office pusher dosed me up on military grade experimental pain meds so I'm not really thinking straight.

[Howay 12496]

Easy boys, easy. If I recall correctly, last time around in the championship we didn't win every game by 3 or 4. I'll take automatic qualification any way it comes. No playoffs please.

We didn't but it was a breeze, we ended up with over 100 points. Nothing is guaranteed but as PL says Rafa staying just about guarantees it, we'll have a Premier League level squad in what is a shit league.

[Anorthernsoul 1221]

I've got a feeling next season will be a lot tougher than the last stint in The Championship.

 

 

1 Aston Villa

2 Barnsley
3 Birmingham City
4 Blackburn Rovers
5 Brentford
6 Brighton and Hove Albion
7 Bristol City
8 Burton Albion
9 Cardiff City
10 Derby County
11 Fulham
12 Huddersfield Town
13 Ipswich Town
14 Leeds United
15 Newcastle United
16 Norwich City
17 Nottingham Forest
18 Preston North End
19 Queens Park Rangers
20 Reading
21 Rotherham United
22 Sheffield Wednesday
23 Wigan Athletic
24 Wolverhampton Wanderers

[Andrew 4857]

I've got a feeling next season will be a lot tougher than the last stint in The Championship.

 

 

1 Aston Villa

2 Barnsley

3 Birmingham City

4 Blackburn Rovers

5 Brentford

6 Brighton and Hove Albion

7 Bristol City

8 Burton Albion

9 Cardiff City

10 Derby County

11 Fulham

12 Huddersfield Town

13 Ipswich Town

14 Leeds United

15 Newcastle United

16 Norwich City

17 Nottingham Forest

18 Preston North End

19 Queens Park Rangers

20 Reading

21 Rotherham United

22 Sheffield Wednesday

23 Wigan Athletic

24 Wolverhampton Wanderers

I really don't. Nothing special about the teams that have come up really and if they could do it.

[ewerk 31207]

I've got a feeling next season will be a lot tougher than the last stint in The Championship.

 

 

1 Aston Villa

2 Barnsley

3 Birmingham City

4 Blackburn Rovers

5 Brentford

6 Brighton and Hove Albion

7 Bristol City

8 Burton Albion

9 Cardiff City

10 Derby County

11 Fulham

12 Huddersfield Town

13 Ipswich Town

14 Leeds United

15 Newcastle United

16 Norwich City

17 Nottingham Forest

18 Preston North End

19 Queens Park Rangers

20 Reading

21 Rotherham United

22 Sheffield Wednesday

23 Wigan Athletic

24 Wolverhampton Wanderers

 

Can't see us finishing as low as 15th tbh.

[Howay 12496]

 

Can't see us finishing as low as 15th tbh.

 

I really don't. Nothing special about the teams that have come up really and if they could do it.

Aye fully agree, people kept saying how tough it would be the last time we went down and I didn't agree then and I don't agree with it now. Our worst players are good Championship level players, the money in the PL has really separated teams more which is why we see so many coming right back up nowadays (like Burnley this season).

A lot of those teams in the league have very recently been in League One and have squads that reflect that. Villa keep being pointed too as a real threat but the fact is we finished with more than double of their points tally in the PL and now their prospective owner is looking a bit ropey, even if he was all they think he is they'd have to improve a hell of a lot to even catch what we currently are coupled with the fact we have the best manager in the league by a fucking massive margin (we're going to see Rafa Benitez going up against Gary Caldwell ffs).

 

I really do think we'll get promoted quite comfortably, I'm confident we'll win the league. We've got a squad of lower PL and upper Championship standard players, were the highest of the 3 relegated teams, have a fair amount of money to spend, and a CL winning manager, I really don't see it being a problem. I understand people look at that league and see some traditionally big name teams but by and large not many of them have been in the PL much in the last 10 year and even if they have most were an utter joke there (like QPR).

Edited June 1, 2016 by Howay

[The Fish 10966]

I've got a feeling next season will be a lot tougher than the last stint in The Championship.

 

 

1 Aston Villa

2 Barnsley

3 Birmingham City

4 Blackburn Rovers

5 Brentford

6 Brighton and Hove Albion

7 Bristol City

8 Burton Albion

9 Cardiff City

10 Derby County

11 Fulham

12 Huddersfield Town

13 Ipswich Town

14 Leeds United

15 Newcastle United

16 Norwich City

17 Nottingham Forest

18 Preston North End

19 Queens Park Rangers

20 Reading

21 Rotherham United

22 Sheffield Wednesday

23 Wigan Athletic

24 Wolverhampton Wanderers

 

Really? When we were last down the league looked like this;

 

1 Newcastle United

2 West Bromwich Albion

3 Nottingham Forest

4 Cardiff City

5 Leicester City

6 Blackpool

7 Swansea City

8 Sheffield United

9 Reading

10 Bristol City

11 Middlesbrough

12 Doncaster Rovers

13 Queens Park Rangers

14 Derby County

15 Ipswich Town

16 Watford

17 Preston North End

18 Barnsley

19 Coventry City

20 Scunthorpe United

21 Crystal Palace

22 Sheffield Wednesday

23 Plymouth Argyle

24 Peterborough United

I'd say the balance of power is pretty much the same...

[tooner 243]

hubris boys, hubris.

 

i'm just too superstitious to say we'll walk the league. i hope we do, but i'm apprehensive about the whole thing.

 

just read that DiMatteo is lined up to take the Villa job as well, he's a good manager.

[Howay 12496]

We'll piss it, don't worry.

Di Matteo is okay but he's no Rafa and has a squad that got less than half the points we did this year.

[gpirlo68 0]

I really don't think we will piss it, we can't go into the season with that attitude.

In my opinion Norwich are favourites to go up, they've got a manager who has already promoted the club with players who have already experienced 2 successful promotion campaigns with Norwich

 

Villa apparently have 40m to spend, it's going be a tough season

Edited June 1, 2016 by gpirlo68

[Alex 35587]

I bet Paul Merson (who reckoned Benitez couldn't manage in the Championship) will now be 'cock-a-hoop' Di Matteo's going to Villa.

[Dr Gloom 22151]

where's accadacca when you need him? we need his judgement on our promotion chances before we place our bets.

[Howay 12496]

I really don't think we will piss it, we can't go into the season with that attitude.

In my opinion Norwich are favourites to go up, they've got a manager who has already promoted the club with players who have already experienced 2 successful promotion campaigns with Norwich

 

Villa apparently have 40m to spend, it's going be a tough season

Our attitude towards it makes no difference though, only the players does.

I don't agree about Norwich, we're the favorites. We have the best squad and the best manager, probably the biggest budget as well. I don't see how experience of promotion gives Neill the advantage over Benitez, Benitez is a winner and I've no idea how the task of beating shitter teams with a lower level of manager is going to suddenly become more difficult than what he has done in the past.

 

Villa don't even have a steady owner yet ffs, the bloke who owns them wants fuck all to do with them and the buyer looks set to fair the fit person test. They also have a squad that amassed less than half the points ours did, 40m might not even be good enough to get them level with our current lot.

[gpirlo68 0]

The likes of Cisse, Janmaat, Wijnaldum, Sissoko and possibly Krul will leave and I think Norwich will keep the majority if not all their players.

 

You make valid points and I agree with a lot you say but I just dont think we'll piss it. Maybe I'm just being pessimistic

[Howay 12496]

The likes of Cisse, Janmaat, Wijnaldum, Sissoko and possibly Krul will leave and I think Norwich will keep the majority if not all their players.

 

You make valid points and I agree with a lot you say but I just dont think we'll piss it. Maybe I'm just being pessimistic

They were all among our weakest performers though, we'll also have a big budget which is written into Benitez's contract. I'm not saying Norwich wont be there or thereabouts but there are 2 automatic promotion spots and we'll be one of them, Villa wont be anywhere near. I think we'll get around 100 points, we did last time and have a better manager, more money and a squad with arguably more talent.

 

I think if Rafa had been given the full season, even with the same squad, we'd have been pretty safe from the drop. Neill had a full season and took his lot down, if that's our main competition I'm very confident. I'm normally quite pessimistic when it comes to NUFC but I just think this will be a comfortable season.

[gpirlo68 0]

They were all among our weakest performers though, we'll also have a big budget which is written into Benitez's contract. I'm not saying Norwich wont be there or thereabouts but there are 2 automatic promotion spots and we'll be one of them, Villa wont be anywhere near. I think we'll get around 100 points, we did last time and have a better manager, more money and a squad with arguably more talent.

 

I think if Rafa had been given the full season, even with the same squad, we'd have been pretty safe from the drop. Neill had a full season and took his lot down, if that's our main competition I'm very confident. I'm normally quite pessimistic when it comes to NUFC but I just think this will be a comfortable season.

Definitely agree with if Rafa had been here all season we would have stayed up, no way would he had let pre season be such a farce last year.

By the sounds of things pre season will be a lot better this season.

We've got a lot of players that lack confidence and a good pre- season and a promising start to the campaign is important, after picking up 2 points from the first 9 games it was always going to be difficult

[Rayvin 5297]

Aye, to be fair - judging by that other thread, if a few refereeing decisions had gone our way that didn't we'd have been midtable. Our squad is not that shit.

[Howay 12496]

Aye pre-season was a farce, that coupled with McClaren giving the players 3 days off a week throughout the season meant we were fucked.

I think Rafa will use the pre-season to drill the team defensively, our defence will be immense next season imo (which will make a welcome change) and although our attack struggled in the PL they'll be a lot better in the championship (plus we'll buy some attacking players).

[Howay 12496]

Aye, to be fair - judging by that other thread, if a few refereeing decisions had gone our way that didn't we'd have been midtable. Our squad is not that shit.

I think even our worst squad players are upper Championship players, people like Dummett will look very comfortable down there despite being nightmarish at times in the PL. We also saw them after 5 years of coaching from Pardew, Carver, and McClaren, they were greatly improved after just 10 games under Benitez so after 2 months training and bringing in who he wants I think we'll have a very well rounded squad for the division.

 

We also have a very young squad by and large, Mitrovic and Mbemba will be a lot more settled now and have learnt a great deal over the season. Once the confidence is flowing after a few wins we'll be very strong.