Post by rickyqpr on Jul 17, 2022 10:15:31 GMT
It is quite hard to predict the Championship this season. The teams with the parachute payments, as ever, have a huge advantage.
Teams like WBA have bought very well and have one of the strongest midfields & squads (I don't rate their manager though) - but they are this season's Forest, because if they miss out, financial meltdown awaits.
Of the three coming down, Norwich and Watford are serial yo-yo clubs and will no doubt expect to bounce straight back.
Burnley has undergone a total rebuild - new manager - some good buys - but they also need to bounce back -
Add in the expectations of Middlesbrough and Sheffield United plus the surprise packets of Luton, Millwall and Huddesfield and it starts to look very competitive.
It is tempting to say that a good start is therefore crucial - but it isn't. Most years, a team builds a run from deep and then storms the play-offs - see Forest last season.
Forest got off to a dreadful start last season - but just look at them now - as they say!
I hope that this season, the top two do not pull away from the pack. I hope for a competitive league with us in the mix.
As for our team...it won't be easy...still a long way to go in the window - a lot could change (for all teams).
We have some good starters, we seemed to have acquired well.
The players we have lost gave the squad some strength that we appear to be lacking at the moment. But it could be that when we needed that strength in depth last season it was where it all went wrong.
But this coming season will be different with 9 subs and 5 able to play. It favours the bigger teams - and the parachute teams.
Beale has said that a couple more may join this week and Prem teams are yet to loan out their youngsters. - why does the Prem have to start a week later than the Championship every season?
A couple of decent signing will certainly give the support a lift (I cannot believe some of the comments after the Germany tour).
However, I suspect that decisions have now been made about who needs to go out on loan or transferred. But for everyone departing, a replacement is required, if only to make up the numbers required for a matchday squad.
The youngsters were not developed last season / introduced to the first team, for whatever reason, so some look a little short. Hamalainen, Thomas and maybe even Kakay have all been given chances on tour. Do they need to be playing regularly or do we need them for squad depth? A tricky call if we cannot afford to acquire better.
Although the mantra is that we want our own and not loans, it is hard to see how we fatten the squad without them.
At the moment, we are only a top half team if our starting eleven remain fit all season. A new right back, a midfielder (in the Amos role) and a goal scorer would improve the situation considerably.
But the prediction competition will be back very soon and it does not get any easier!
Any views?
Teams like WBA have bought very well and have one of the strongest midfields & squads (I don't rate their manager though) - but they are this season's Forest, because if they miss out, financial meltdown awaits.
Of the three coming down, Norwich and Watford are serial yo-yo clubs and will no doubt expect to bounce straight back.
Burnley has undergone a total rebuild - new manager - some good buys - but they also need to bounce back -
Add in the expectations of Middlesbrough and Sheffield United plus the surprise packets of Luton, Millwall and Huddesfield and it starts to look very competitive.
It is tempting to say that a good start is therefore crucial - but it isn't. Most years, a team builds a run from deep and then storms the play-offs - see Forest last season.
Forest got off to a dreadful start last season - but just look at them now - as they say!
I hope that this season, the top two do not pull away from the pack. I hope for a competitive league with us in the mix.
As for our team...it won't be easy...still a long way to go in the window - a lot could change (for all teams).
We have some good starters, we seemed to have acquired well.
The players we have lost gave the squad some strength that we appear to be lacking at the moment. But it could be that when we needed that strength in depth last season it was where it all went wrong.
But this coming season will be different with 9 subs and 5 able to play. It favours the bigger teams - and the parachute teams.
Beale has said that a couple more may join this week and Prem teams are yet to loan out their youngsters. - why does the Prem have to start a week later than the Championship every season?
A couple of decent signing will certainly give the support a lift (I cannot believe some of the comments after the Germany tour).
However, I suspect that decisions have now been made about who needs to go out on loan or transferred. But for everyone departing, a replacement is required, if only to make up the numbers required for a matchday squad.
The youngsters were not developed last season / introduced to the first team, for whatever reason, so some look a little short. Hamalainen, Thomas and maybe even Kakay have all been given chances on tour. Do they need to be playing regularly or do we need them for squad depth? A tricky call if we cannot afford to acquire better.
Although the mantra is that we want our own and not loans, it is hard to see how we fatten the squad without them.
At the moment, we are only a top half team if our starting eleven remain fit all season. A new right back, a midfielder (in the Amos role) and a goal scorer would improve the situation considerably.
But the prediction competition will be back very soon and it does not get any easier!
Any views?