Unusual suspects at the top of the table

[Major Isewater]

Luton, Millwall, Blackburn and Preston , just outside of the top six on goal difference, gives me hope for next season. If they can do it then so could we. 
Nigel Pearson correctly pointed out that the margins are very fine and this season with a bit more honesty from the officials and better luck with injuries we could easily be up there ourselves. 
The aforementioned clubs have done it without parachute payments so no excuses. 
This time next year Rodney …

Edited April 15, 2023 by Major Isewater

[Davefevs]

I find it hugely frustrating that we’ve only finished above Preston once since we’ve come up together.  We really did blow the progress / momentum we had going at more than one juncture in the last 7/8 seasons.  Let’s not do it again under Nige.

[spudski]

When you compare the final league table from last year, it's interesting to note the teams who've kicked on with momentum and those who have fallen considerably. 

 

Edited April 15, 2023 by spudski

[Sir Geoff]

Since we beat them to go within a point or two of them, Preston have been on hell of a run and quietly come up on the rails. Some tougher games ahead but am expecting them to sneak a play off place. Tbf I don't care who is in the play offs as long as the parachute clubs miss out.

Ironically we are only 6 points short of having an exciting end to the season ourselves, which hopefully bodes well for next season.

[One Team]

Next season will be much more challenging to get in the top six IMHO.

We will be seeing bigger than usual teams coming down from the Premier League and similarly relatively big clubs coming up. 

Doesn’t mean we can’t compete of course but it’s going to be extremely competitive and arguably the biggest set of Championship clubs for a long time. 

[Sir Geoff]

4 minutes ago, One Team said:

Next season will be much more challenging to get in the top six IMHO.

We will be seeing bigger than usual teams coming down from the Premier League and similarly relatively big clubs coming up. 

Doesn’t mean we can’t compete of course but it’s going to be extremely competitive and arguably the biggest set of Championship clubs for a long time. 

With the exception of Leicester who may well get a lift in the next week or two I can't see any of the 'big' teams coming down.

Southampton have a lot of young players and a manager who doesn't know the Championship.

Forest will be without Cooper, as he will have been sacked and will have players running for the hills.

At this moment I cant see West Ham / Everton / Wolves coming down. Leeds may, although they looked pretty impressive for 30 minutes against Palace and should have been 2 or 3 up at Half time.

Sheffield Wed and Ipswich may push towards the top half and will be difficult opponents, but will be replacing Cardiff or Reading who we only took 4 points from 12 this season.

[Mr Popodopolous]

Leicester could also come down with FFP issues it's worth noting adding to difficulty there. Everton too in theory.

I assume Southampton would appoint someone new and they may well know the League- but who knows- shouldn't have sacked Hassenhuttl in the first place..certainly not given their subsequent 5-6 months.

Edited April 15, 2023 by Mr Popodopolous

[One Team]

20 minutes ago, Sir Geoff said:

With the exception of Leicester who may well get a lift in the next week or two I can't see any of the 'big' teams coming down.

Southampton have a lot of young players and a manager who doesn't know the Championship.

Forest will be without Cooper, as he will have been sacked and will have players running for the hills.

At this moment I cant see West Ham / Everton / Wolves coming down. Leeds may, although they looked pretty impressive for 30 minutes against Palace and should have been 2 or 3 up at Half time.

Sheffield Wed and Ipswich may push towards the top half and will be difficult opponents, but will be replacing Cardiff or Reading who we only took 4 points from 12 this season.

Unlikely to be the usual up and down clubs though is it, although I think you are right about Forest. Could be anyone up to 14th really, makes for an entertaining end of season anyway! 

[GrahamC]

2 minutes ago, One Team said:

Unlikely to be the usual up and down clubs though is it, although I think you are right about Forest. Could be anyone up to 14th really, makes for an entertaining end of season anyway! 

If Forest come down I could see it being far harder for them than it should be for a parachute payment club.

They have massively overspent, brought in more players than you can have in a Prem squad so will need to offload plenty of them & completely rebuild.

Really hope they go down, their owner is a criminal & Cooper is a right whinger.

[One Team]

49 minutes ago, GrahamC said:

If Forest come down I could see it being far harder for them than it should be for a parachute payment club.

They have massively overspent, brought in more players than you can have in a Prem squad so will need to offload plenty of them & completely rebuild.

Really hope they go down, their owner is a criminal & Cooper is a right whinger.

Agreed. They struck me as completely going the wrong way about establishing oneself in the Premier League after getting promoted, bloating the side with expensive ‘talent’; and in doing so removing the team spirit that got them there in the first place. 

[Major Isewater]

17 minutes ago, One Team said:

Agreed. They struck me as completely going the wrong way about establishing oneself in the Premier League after getting promoted, bloating the side with expensive ‘talent’; and in doing so removing the team spirit that got them there in the first place. 

Like Fulham did and now the Cottagers  seem to be reaping the rewards. 
Great when it goes chest up though. 

[formerly known as ivan]

As I write this they occupy three of the four play off places… so what’s the secret?

We hear a lot about budgets but arguably these clubs must have some of the lowest budgets in the league. Logic would suggest they shouldn’t be where they are. Quite often you get a surprise package each season but not three. What are they doing so right that clubs like ourselves and many others aren’t???

[Lanterne Rouge]

1 minute ago, formerly known as ivan said:

As I write this they occupy three of the four play off places… so what’s the secret?

We hear a lot about budgets but arguably these clubs must have some of the lowest budgets in the league. Logic would suggest they shouldn’t be where they are. Quite often you get a surprise package each season but not three. What are they doing so right that clubs like ourselves and many others aren’t???

I find it refreshing TBH and shows there is hope for clubs like us. This time next year Rodney.................................................

[Mihai]

This is exactly what I wanted to write. Let's hire their whole staff, directors and everything ! If we sell Scoot for 25£ and we can spend some money due to the sale of Semenyo also (more wage budget) some players will leave also in the summer (our loss will be less because one of the last financial years will be gone also and we had not so much expenses in the last two years for transfers).

I mean, Luton has again a good season, we look like we are the bigger club (better stadium, better players during the years, better salaries, established for years in Championship) what is the recipe ?

Bristol is the biggest City to miss Premiere League... We need to learn from others, let's stop this ups and downs that are so frustrating for everyone of us. I am not talking about changing Nigel Pearson but something needs to get better, to hire staff that made good things (proven), not the manager two times per season with no benefits, the problem is much more deep.

[AshtonRobin21]

To be fair to Nige, he praised the sides mentioned in his weekly press conference. He also hinted that we will be operating in a similar fashion to them in the future. 

Really good to see sides that don’t have parachute payments doing so well. 

[GrahamC]

It’s called having a plan & sticking to it.

We have veered all over the road over the years, 5 pillars, spend money like it was going out of fashion, be sustainable..

Copy Reading, Swansea, Bournemouth, Brighton.

For once we have got a manager with credibility & have stuck to a plan.

Next season won’t be easy but if we keep progressing at a time when we’ve cut costs that will do me.

[Fordy62]

I’ve always been a supporter of Mark Robbins. He’s who I’d have had for the last 3 appointments. But Nige will do me for now - he’s done a stellar job on the budget side of things while being solid on the playing front. 

[formerly known as ivan]

21 minutes ago, Fordy62 said:

I’ve always been a supporter of Mark Robbins. He’s who I’d have had for the last 3 appointments. But Nige will do me for now - he’s done a stellar job on the budget side of things while being solid on the playing front. 

I won’t lie, I was very much against Robins every time he has been linked with us. He has gone a very good job though and makes you wonder what might have been.

That’s no disrespect to Nige. We are were we are and he has had to tidy up a lot of mess.

[1960maaan]

3 hours ago, Major Isewater said:

Like Fulham did and now the Cottagers  seem to be reaping the rewards. 
Great when it goes chest up though. 

When Fulham went up around 18/19, they were one of the best footballing sides I'd seen for ages. They then dismantled the squad completely and spent nearly £120million to get relegated. This year it was a less eye watering £70m (£48M net) .
This year, according to Transfermarkt , Forest have spent £184M !!!  Pick the FFP bones out of that . 
I think @Mr Popodopolous could be busy if they come down . 

[Lanterne Rouge]

4 minutes ago, 1960maaan said:

When Fulham went up around 18/19, they were one of the best footballing sides I'd seen for ages. They then dismantled the squad completely and spent nearly £120million to get relegated. This year it was a less eye watering £70m (£48M net) .
This year, according to Transfermarkt , Forest have spent £184M !!!  Pick the FFP bones out of that . 
I think @Mr Popodopolous could be busy if they come down . 

They`re probably preparing to ban him from their forum as we speak!

What would be amusing is the grief they will get given all the fun they had at Derby`s expense.

[Numero Uno]

44 minutes ago, formerly known as ivan said:

I won’t lie, I was very much against Robins every time he has been linked with us. He has gone a very good job though and makes you wonder what might have been.

That’s no disrespect to Nige. We are were we are and he has had to tidy up a lot of mess.

Agreed. I would argue the mess has been tidied up by and large and now we are at the “how do we push on?” stage.

[1960maaan]

3 minutes ago, Numero Uno said:

Agreed. I would argue the mess has been tidied up by and large and now we are at the “how do we push on?” stage.

I hope and expect, that given all the prep work done for recruitment, Nige gets a go and a new deal if he wants it. Then maybe have a look for the next guy to take us forward.

[Lanterne Rouge]

19 minutes ago, Numero Uno said:

Agreed. I would argue the mess has been tidied up by and large and now we are at the “how do we push on?” stage.

This. to quote, `It`s not the beginning of the end buy may be the end of the beginning`

[1960maaan]

37 minutes ago, Lanterne Rouge said:

This. to quote, `It`s not the beginning of the end buy may be the end of the beginning`

I said on another thread, January felt like his first proper Window. Most of the housekeeping had been done and he made signings looking forward. Next season will feel properly like his squad, we shall see how that goes, but I'm quietly optimistic.

[pogue malone]

17 hours ago, formerly known as ivan said:

As I write this they occupy three of the four play off places… so what’s the secret?

We hear a lot about budgets but arguably these clubs must have some of the lowest budgets in the league. Logic would suggest they shouldn’t be where they are. Quite often you get a surprise package each season but not three. What are they doing so right that clubs like ourselves and many others aren’t???

Not dropping 25/30 pts at home every season

[Mr Popodopolous]

Preston are several points better off on the road and while Luton and Millwall are better off at go me than away they aren't that many points better off than home this year.

In answer to the OP, targeted recruitment, maximising every pound perhaps penny, probably less injuries than us although I've not looked into it, tight knit- can take a club a long way.

How many games did Naismith miss last vs this season injury wise? My best guess is a lot more here than at Luton last year.

Edited April 16, 2023 by Mr Popodopolous

[Mr Popodopolous]

[Port Said Red]

17 hours ago, 1960maaan said:

When Fulham went up around 18/19, they were one of the best footballing sides I'd seen for ages. They then dismantled the squad completely and spent nearly £120million to get relegated. This year it was a less eye watering £70m (£48M net) .
This year, according to Transfermarkt , Forest have spent £184M !!!  Pick the FFP bones out of that . 
I think @Mr Popodopolous could be busy if they come down . 

What has surprised me, and probably others, is how they have gone on getting good results without the suspended Mitrovic. It shows what a good squad they have assembled.

[RedorDead BCFC]

Possibly all had a more stable defensive unit, all three of those are hard to break down. Didn’t PNE go until they played us at AG hardly conceding a goal. Equally at that time hardly scoring but that improved. 

Edited April 16, 2023 by RedorDead BCFC

[Lanterne Rouge]

10 minutes ago, RedorDead BCFC said:

Possibly all had a more stable defensive unit, all three of those are hard to break down. Didn’t PNE go until they played us at AG hardly conceding a goal. Equally at that time hardly scoring but that improved. 

They were certainly on that run when we were due to play them before it was postponed for the Queen`s death.