Relegation all but guaranteed?

[Robin101]

Nah, not for us.

Wednesday, Rotherham and QPR look cut off already. Can’t remember the Championship relegation places having such a solidified look at this point in the season before.

Wednesday must surely have the lowest points total for this point of a season for any team in years and years. Even if they got a decent point last night, they’d have to go on a great run of form pretty much to the end of the season to catch 21st.

QPR been consistently one of the worst teams/worst team for 12 months now. 

Rotherham always swimming against the tide somewhat at this level.

Six points clearly not an impossible ask to make up over best part of 30 games, but would anyone be willing to bet it won’t be these three sides relegated?

[Sir Geoff]

How good does that make us look then. Scraped past Rotherham with two late goals. Beat Wednesday by a solitary goal after they were reduced to ten men and looked no better than QPR in a dismal game.

[FNQ]

Not willing to take that bet but, on Friday Rotherham drew with Leeds, on Tuesday QPR put 4 past Stoke and last night Weds drew with Leicester. A week ago Huddersfield would have also likely been a candidate but they drew with Southampton on Sat and won away to Sunderland last night. The Championship is mental and a mini run can make a massive difference for any team.

[Numero Uno]

18 minutes ago, Sir Geoff said:

How good does that make us look then. Scraped past Rotherham with two late goals. Beat Wednesday by a solitary goal after they were reduced to ten men and looked no better than QPR in a dismal game.

True but we are good enough to get results in games that those teams aren’t.

[GrahamC]

15 minutes ago, Sir Geoff said:

How good does that make us look then. Scraped past Rotherham with two late goals. Beat Wednesday by a solitary goal after they were reduced to ten men and looked no better than QPR in a dismal game.

Makes us look exactly what we are.

A mid table team that has been able to get points against the sides below us whether we’ve been the better side in those games or not.

Someone said last night, it makes no difference whether Pearson, Manning or Guardiola is in charge, that’s the squad they are working with, no matter what the chairman & Tinnion claim.

[Sir Geoff]

Just now, Numero Uno said:

True but we are good enough to get results in games that those teams aren’t.

Just being ironic.

[Numero Uno]

2 minutes ago, GrahamC said:

Makes us look exactly what we are.

A mid table team that has been able to get points against the sides below us whether we’ve been the better side in those games or not.

Someone said last night, it makes no difference whether Pearson, Manning or Guardiola is in charge, that’s the squad they are working with, no matter what the chairman & Tinnion claim.

Pearson did a good job getting us from where we were to a seemingly solid mid table level. As you say it doesn’t matter what Lansdown and Tinnion think, making the next step will take time. Due to their daft comments that puts Manning under unnecessary pressure from fans not understanding that.

[GrahamC]

2 minutes ago, Numero Uno said:

Pearson did a good job getting us from where we were to a seemingly solid mid table level. As you say it doesn’t matter what Lansdown and Tinnion think, making the next step will take time. Due to their daft comments that puts Manning under unnecessary pressure from fans not understanding that.

Unless we are incredible in the transfer market or can find another Alex Scott (& good luck with that) it will also require significantly more money than we ever gave to Pearson.

You can only go so far by spending about a quarter of what you generate in sales, as an example I’m a huge fan of Mark Sykes (contrast his VFM compared to Kasey Palmer) but no one can realistically believe you can consistently pick up League One free transfers &/or produce sufficient Academy players each year to genuinely compete for top six.

[phantom]

40 minutes ago, Sir Geoff said:

How good does that make us look then. Scraped past Rotherham with two late goals. Beat Wednesday by a solitary goal after they were reduced to ten men and looked no better than QPR in a dismal game.

So the records show we have maximum points from both those games

Nothing to see here

[Open End Numb Legs]

A team can be adrift at Christmas, sack the manager, get a 'bounce' and some confidence and pick up points relatively quickly.

Adrift at Easter is much harder of course.

[ralphindevon]

Didn't Millwall go from the relegation zone at Xmas to finish in the play offs a few years ago? 

[Bristol Oil Services]

1 hour ago, FNQ said:

Not willing to take that bet but, on Friday Rotherham drew with Leeds, on Tuesday QPR put 4 past Stoke and last night Weds drew with Leicester. A week ago Huddersfield would have also likely been a candidate but they drew with Southampton on Sat and won away to Sunderland last night. The Championship is mental and a mini run can make a massive difference for any team.

Absolutely. Anyone can draw with anyone in this division 

[Mr Popodopolous]

QPR have 5 pts from 4 games, they could bounce back out of it.

Rotherham on the road are pretty much a guaranteed 3 points for most, puts so much pressure on their home form, which also isn't so good.

Sheffield Wednesday do look doomed but a point vs Leicester will boost morale.

All look in significant trouble though.

We're nowhere near it anyway.

Edited November 30, 2023 by Mr Popodopolous

[Merrick's Marvels]

We're already in a position where the sooner this season is over the better and we're just killing time until May.

January isn't the time to be doing significant transfer business, so we have to wait until the summer to improve our "top 6 squad".

Manning might be able to make incremental adjustments in the meantime but to what effect?

Some lads getting fit and staying fit would help just as much but that seems unlikely. Conway finding his shooting boots would help too. 

In the meantime, we'll win some lose some, treading water in midtable. Unless something goes spectacularly right or spectacularly wrong.    

Top 6 my arse - and these people expect to be taken seriously??

[Robbored]

1 hour ago, GrahamC said:

Makes us look exactly what we are.

A mid table team that has been able to get points against the sides below us whether we’ve been the better side in those games or not.

Someone said last night, it makes no difference whether Pearson, Manning or Guardiola is in charge, that’s the squad they are working with, no matter what the chairman & Tinnion claim.

Spot on Graham. 

I can only assume that the hierarchy at City are overestimating the quality of the current squad. Whether that’s a deliberate policy or they really can’t see the wood for the trees is a moot point.

 

[Mr Popodopolous]

Less injuries would help too.

Agree we are somewhat midtable but it is possible to overperform to an extent if your injuries are minimal, you can get a consistency of selection and therefore partnerships etc.

[George Rs]

We might stay up you never know

[Eddie Hitler]

I wouldn't write QPR off, they persisted longer than they should have done with Gareth Ainsworth because he was a popular player and had done well in League 1 but the performances were terrible, reminiscent of when we had Tins as manager (that isn't a criticism of his ability in his current role).

They have gone for a European manager, the team has noticeably improved and they won their last game, the first win at home for ages.

[Swede]

2 hours ago, GrahamC said:

Unless we are incredible in the transfer market or can find another Alex Scott (& good luck with that) it will also require significantly more money than we ever gave to Pearson.

You can only go so far by spending about a quarter of what you generate in sales, as an example I’m a huge fan of Mark Sykes (contrast his VFM compared to Kasey Palmer) but no one can realistically believe you can consistently pick up League One free transfers &/or produce sufficient Academy players each year to genuinely compete for top six.

Exactly this. Pearson did the leg work and we are now a solid mid table Championship club. Nothing more, nothing less. The only difference now is that with the Scott part payments we should be able to complete our transfer upgrades earlier than most clubs. This is the masterplan from the club's hierarchy. So expect a striker from er, Oxford to be high on the shopping list come January.

[fisherrich]

2 hours ago, GrahamC said:

Makes us look exactly what we are.

A mid table team that has been able to get points against the sides below us whether we’ve been the better side in those games or not.

Someone said last night, it makes no difference whether Pearson, Manning or Guardiola is in charge, that’s the squad they are working with, no matter what the chairman & Tinnion claim.

Most now realise nothing will change until Lansdown sells up. You can’t polish a turd! 

[bcfc01]

3 hours ago, Sir Geoff said:

How good does that make us look then. Scraped past Rotherham with two late goals. Beat Wednesday by a solitary goal after they were reduced to ten men and looked no better than QPR in a dismal game.

7 points out of 9.

All good.

[Super]

QPR are 2 wins away from safety? Not sure how that is cut off from the rest

[Merrick's Marvels]

34 minutes ago, Swede said:

Exactly this. Pearson did the leg work and we are now a solid mid table Championship club. Nothing more, nothing less. The only difference now is that with the Scott part payments we should be able to complete our transfer upgrades earlier than most clubs. This is the masterplan from the club's hierarchy. So expect a striker from er, Oxford to be high on the shopping list come January.

But we're maxed out on the wage budget. Isn't that what Pearson was told (bar a little room for a short term, out of contract signing to cover for injuries) ?

He wasn't told porkies, was he? 

Were we told porkies, too?

Or has the budget been magically re-adjusted in the last couple of weeks? 

[Mr Popodopolous]

1 minute ago, Merrick's Marvels said:

But we're maxed out on the wage budget. Isn't that what Pearson was told (bar a little room for a short term, out of contract signing to cover for injuries) ?

He wasn't told porkies, was he? 

Were we told porkies, too?

Or has the budget been magically re-adjusted in the last couple of weeks? 

Yep exactly.

Unless there was a sale or some windfall, look at the number of clubs who got insurance related to Covid you never know, then we are all out of cash.

[Grey Fox]

3 hours ago, GrahamC said:

Makes us look exactly what we are.

A mid table team that has been able to get points against the sides below us whether we’ve been the better side in those games or not.

Someone said last night, it makes no difference whether Pearson, Manning or Guardiola is in charge, that’s the squad they are working with, no matter what the chairman & Tinnion claim.

So you agree we are a mid table , mediocre , average Championship side ? Nice to see tunes changing

 

COYRs

[Davefevs]

3 hours ago, GrahamC said:

Unless we are incredible in the transfer market or can find another Alex Scott (& good luck with that) it will also require significantly more money than we ever gave to Pearson.

You can only go so far by spending about a quarter of what you generate in sales, as an example I’m a huge fan of Mark Sykes (contrast his VFM compared to Kasey Palmer) but no one can realistically believe you can consistently pick up League One free transfers &/or produce sufficient Academy players each year to genuinely compete for top six.

I don’t believe there is anyone in the current Academy that is likely to breakthrough in the next 12 months (2 windows) like Alex did for us.  Alex instantly made an impact and was influencing games pretty much from the start of his first team career.

Therefore we will have to buy in players.

[cidered abroad]

4 hours ago, Robin101 said:

Nah, not for us.

Wednesday, Rotherham and QPR look cut off already. Can’t remember the Championship relegation places having such a solidified look at this point in the season before.

Wednesday must surely have the lowest points total for this point of a season for any team in years and years. Even if they got a decent point last night, they’d have to go on a great run of form pretty much to the end of the season to catch 21st.

QPR been consistently one of the worst teams/worst team for 12 months now. 

Rotherham always swimming against the tide somewhat at this level.

Six points clearly not an impossible ask to make up over best part of 30 games, but would anyone be willing to bet it won’t be these three sides relegated?

Don't kid yourself. Just remember that City were 8th in the First Division in October 1979 and still got relegated at end of April.

Once a team starts sliding down it's more difficult to escape than an Olympic ice run.

[Clevedon Red]

3 hours ago, GrahamC said:

Makes us look exactly what we are.

A mid table team that has been able to get points against the sides below us whether we’ve been the better side in those games or not.

Someone said last night, it makes no difference whether Pearson, Manning or Guardiola is in charge, that’s the squad they are working with, no matter what the chairman & Tinnion claim.

But but it’s a top 6 team we’ve got…..yeah Jon whatever.

[PHILINFRANCE]

1 hour ago, Swede said:

Exactly this. Pearson did the leg work and we are now a solid mid table Championship club. Nothing more, nothing less. The only difference now is that with the Scott part payments we should be able to complete our transfer upgrades earlier than most clubs. This is the masterplan from the club's hierarchy. So expect a striker from er, Oxford to be high on the shopping list come January.

Hmmm.

I wouldn't be surprised if a certain midfielder from Oxford was on our shopping list.

[Mr Popodopolous]

33 minutes ago, cidered abroad said:

Don't kid yourself. Just remember that City were 8th in the First Division in October 1979 and still got relegated at end of April.

Once a team starts sliding down it's more difficult to escape than an Olympic ice run.

Under Holden was not a bad example. We survived but not by much, freefalling, numerous injuries, confidence on the floor etc. NP said had it gone on a month or 2 longer we would've been relegated or words to that effect.

We had 24 points by end of October albeit clearly outperforming our levels..24 from 15, yet by February, March we were deep in a relegation scrap.

I think this side isn't like those but when it turns it can really turn.

Edited November 30, 2023 by Mr Popodopolous