2014/15 Championship Thread

[Dolphin Ziggler]

First topic message reminder :

Read an awful article on top 50 managers under 50. Katanga higher than Howe and Dyche, to name just two.

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Reading finally providing some value

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Barring a major shift in the last 15 we're looking at some combination of Norwich, Middlesborough, Brentford and Ipswich. As it stands, the 12 finger derby is set up.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Well, Derby have only proved Olly right...

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Gareth McCleary ends Derby's season 

Always loved him

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Richard Keogh made Team of the Season somehow

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Sign of the future as Reading will do this to EVERY team next year

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Bournemouth will win the league after Wednesday equalise.

Doubt either side will care frankly.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

BOURNEMOUTH!

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You would suspect McClaren will be off to Newcastle in the summer then

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Like I said on the Prem thread, hes now free tomorrow. And they might need him

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Well, Derby have only proved Olly right...

I'm always right aren't I?

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Like I said on the Prem thread, hes now free tomorrow. And they might need him

Considering Derby were top in February, he might not make much difference

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Dunno, you said Nodge never beat Fulham!

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Love this league - I'm actually at the point where I'd rather we didn't go up

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Dunno, you said Nodge never beat Fulham!

Tbf nodge under 16's would've beat Fulham today

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Give me Norwich from that quartet.

Ipswich and Brentford are fairly average, Boro may bottle it.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Nodge-Ipswich playoffs

Tasty

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Collymores on the wind up.

[Derbymanc]

We were absolutely woeful today and it would have been a bit of a travesty to the playoff lot if we'd somehow fluked it.

Season fell apart after Fulham and we couldn't get it back

Didn't look up for it at all.

Forgot to say, congrats to Norwich, Ipswich, Brentford and Middlesbrough.

Hope Brentford do it.

[Fernando]

Blackpool game has finally been abandoned

[Fernando]

Play Offs
Brentford vs Boro - 8th May - 2nd leg 15th May
Ipswich vs Nodge - 9th May - 2nd leg 16th May

Final 25th May

[Fernando]

[NickisBHAFC]

Whilst I think brentford football club have been an absolute delight this year, massivly overachieved, played some cracking football etc. I don't want to see them go up for the selfish reason, if there ground! I love terrace away games! Wish there was more! 

Haven't been to Boro, so need to get that ticked of the list. Ipswich in the perm would be depressing, so yeah I'll go for Norwich.

[Nico the gman]

Well done to Bournemouth richly deserved, won it in style, and Ritchie should have been Championship Player of the Year IMO.

Thanks to the Boro players today ( with the exception of Adomah) for the, total non effort in front of 33300 fans, at least Norwich fans can't say the same about their last League game.

Pity the ref couldn't stop the game at half time due to lack of effort, and we could have all gone to the pub.

Brentford for us and they're playing well, no easy games in the playoffs,anyone's game.
At least Bamford and Friend will be back for us.

[Nico the gman]

Whilst I think brentford football club have been an absolute delight this year, massivly overachieved, played some cracking football etc. I don't want to see them go up for the selfish reason, if there ground! I love terrace away games! Wish there was more! 

Haven't been to Boro, so need to get that ticked of the list. Ipswich in the perm would be depressing, so yeah I'll go for Norwich.

You'll be happy you never went today Nick, awful game.

[NickisBHAFC]

Sounds like the rest of our 45 games this season!

[westisbest]

Hopefully Ipswich Brentford final.

Probably would want Brentford then as another new team to the prem.

Also a decent away day.

[westisbest]

Those Blackpool fans are a bunch of clowns coming on the pitch and getting the game abandoned.

Understand their frustrations, but wait till the end of the game.

If they were playing Brighton Bournemouth, then its a long way home to not even see the whole game.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Kinda the point of it weren't it west? They've been protesting for ages now, today actually did something that might change the state the club is in

[westisbest]

Id of been a bit p'd off.if I was a Huddersfield fan.

Pretty stupid fk em.

[Fernando]

You're doomed Olly, Nick has given you the seal of approval

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Definitely a good idea by Blackpool. Oyston deserves it. I bet the Hudds fans probably supported it to some extent.

[FootballLight]

Hmm, how well did our world class midfield do today against some PL-bound midfielders? Yep, not bad at all.

McClearly is hit and miss. Good when he is good, but poor when anything else and ineffectual.

[FootballLight]

Should Ipswich lose at Blackburn and that's a possibility, and Brentford hammer Wigan and that's a strong possibility, Brentford would be in playoffs, Derby should put paid to Reading.

How wrong are you then. Its that bad, Kwesi Appiah scored and he was marked out of the game by Blackpool's defence away. Even Michael Hector got on the act after some even worse defending and even worse defending leading to the 3rd goal. Congrats to Middlesborough, Norwich, Ipswich and Brentford though.

[NickisBHAFC]

Blackpool fans are a credit to the football league. #OystonOut

[FootballLight]

Its fair to say they have added the entertainment value to the league this season. I remember I went to go watch Blackpool vs Reading a couple of weeks ago on a Tuesday night, it was class after the game seeing the Blackpool fans screaming as both Oyston brothers looked down out of the top window at them before quickly shutting their blinds as Blackpool fans through eggs everywhere. It was a funny scene, but poor from the Championship's point of view. Good luck to Blackpool in League One.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Yeah it's proper funny seeing owners tear the club apart.....

[Nico the gman]

Big mistake if McClaren leaves Derby for the poisoned chalice that is Newcastle United, shouldn't touch it with a barge pole, many have tried and failed.

[FootballLight]

Big mistake if McClaren leaves Derby for the poisoned chalice that is Newcastle United, shouldn't touch it with a barge pole, many have tried and failed.

He should leave anyway, regardless of going anywhere else. They've fallen backwards on several occasions this season and I strongly believe any other decent manager out there in the Championship would be comfortable of doing a better job at Derby. McDermott is a good example. Got us promoted, I'm sure he can do the same with Derby. McClaren did decent at first, but the players Derby have are always going to be up their challenging anyway so he's just done an average job that's got a lot worse this season. Especially considering they have been top once/twice this season and they have failed to reach the Play-Offs.

[Derbymanc]

I'd like to see him stay, he's done a great job with us and got us fighting at the top of the championship, we had a complete collapse the last 2 months that can be blamed on numerous things
1. Team disharmony due to loan players
2. A shedload of injuries in key position (DM and CF)
3. Players running out of steam
4. Speculation surrounding manager (although it started 6 months ago)

If he does go, wouldn't mind seeing us get Mcdermott but we'll see. Depending on pre season i'd still put us to be up there next season with a fully fit squad we have now (although i'd prioritise getting some new defenders in)

[Nico the gman]

I feel if McClaren is asked to stay at Derby and has the backing of the fans, he will stay and try and see the job through, but its alarming the way Derby went back over the last few months, the defence was shocking.

[dyrewolfe]

A real shame, as I was fairly confident of Boro beating Derby in the play-offs. Couldn't have picked a worse time to go on a bad run...they really did fall away quite spectacularly.

Now we have to deal with an in-form Brentford.

If we can field our 1st choice defence, we have a chance of keeping a clean sheet...even if its a 0-0 borefest like the Brighton match. Would back us (just about) to win the home leg. While we've conceded the fewest goals of any team in the Championship, we've also scored less than any other top 6 side. Bit of a worry, but I'd back us to squeak through.

Think thats as far as we'll go though. Okay we managed to beat Norwich at their place, but thats the only game they've lost recently and I reckon it was just a blip on their part.

As for Ipswich, they've repeatedly proven to be one of our bogey teams.

If we get to the final, I think either of them would beat us, sadly.

[westisbest]

I hope it's a Brentford Ipswich final.

Brentford, like Bournemouth a new team to the prem, also hear its a good away day.
Ipswich, am a fan of MM.

I actually think it will be a Boro Norwich final, with Norwich going up.

[Nico the gman]

Keeping my cards close to my chest, making no predictions, whatever's meant to be will be.

The playoffs are effectively just another 3 cup ties, form goes out the window for me, its who holds their nerve on the day and also an element of luck involved, Derby dominated the final last year and lost.

[Nico the gman]

Mick McCarthy was astounded Bamford  got PFA Championship player of the year, and thought Murphy should have got it, after pulling Ipswich through by their laces with 27 goals.

Ritchie would have been my choice,but who honestly would have been your choice and why?

[dyrewolfe]

Mick McCarthy was astounded Bamford  got PFA Championship player of the year, and thought Murphy should have got it, after pulling Ipswich through by their laces with 27 goals.

Ritchie would have been my choice,but who honestly would have been your choice and why?

I was quite shocked by Bamford's nomination too...yes he's been great for us, but there have been plenty better. If any of our lot should have got in, it should have been Dimi or Ayala as the lynchpins of our (usually) excellent defence.

Can't argue with McCarthy about Murphy...anyone who scores that many goals has to be worthy. Other than that someone like Gestede, Deeney, Martin or Wilson.

[Nico the gman]

With regards to Eddie Howe being backed with money, Howe states that 75% of the Championship teams have spent more money and that Calum Wilson's transfer was funded by the sale of top scorer Grabban to Norwich, he also points out that that he has made only 2 additions to the squad since August, and both are loanees.

So Howe himself has blown out of the water the theory that he has been backed by pot loads of money in the transfer market.

[westisbest]

Has a point about the Bournemouth signings.

CPOTY, Harry Arter has had a decent season.
Rithchie maybe shoud have got it.

Murphy prehaps with the amount of goals he got.

[FootballLight]

I can't look beyond Middlesbrough. Brentford have been a good side this season, but I think Middlesbrough have a better balanced side in terms of quality, probably better man for man as well and I think are far more equipped for the Premier League. The Norwich v Ipswich tie is a tough one to call. Both good sides, Norwich probably better in quality and are more equipped for the Premier League but Ipswich are not a poor side and Murphy can easily see them into the Premier League if given the chances.

Middlesbrough v Norwich final - Middeslbrough to go up - that's what I predict.

[Fernando]

Brentford 0-1 Boro - Jelle Vossen

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