The Championship 2020-21

Might as well get this started.

Who do you think will be our first game of the season?

I’m going with Preston away.

 

Away at the filth.

 

Whoever it is we'll lose.

 

Bournemouth.

 

Wycombe at Adams Park. Akinfenwa frightening the life out of our doddery group of central defenders

 

We'll be fine. Obviously we'll get what we need.

 

Liked for 'doddery'!

 

Who's in it? (apart from Watford of course)

 

Reading at home. Can't wait.

 

Away at Coventry, in Birmingham

 

Empty stadium. Millwall away. Lose 3 - 1

Culture shock for our Udinese B defenders

 

Championship is a gruelling, physical league. Need to get rid of any sicknotes, the mentally weak and the physically weak.

Unfortunately that doesn't leave us with much! Major, major rebuild needed and not much time to do it.

 

So that's Molly Rush and Tiddles the cat then!

 

I wonder when we will go back to pre-season. Some championship clubs are already playing pre-season friendlies. Coventry City played Rangers yesterday.

 

I'm probably in the minority but I'm actually really looking forward to next season now.

I already accepted we'd be relegated before today so I've already moved on.

It's not going to be easy and we may not even compete for promotion. But it will be different and a new challenge with a new squad will make for an interesting, and hopefully entertaining, season

 

You're certainly not alone. I'm delighted to be back in the best league in the world, rather than the self professed best league in the world.

 

Being back in the Championship really is what dreams are made of. We are so lucky.

 

Oxford United hopefully!

 

First one today at the Emirates

 

They lost to Wycombe in the final. Sorry mate.

 

If we perform well it will be fun and enjoyable, despite the lower standard it will be more enjoyable than a humdrum PL season. If we do badly, or hang around mid table then it will be a lot more depressing than a PL relegation season.

 

No, I am happy enough that we are back in The Championship I would love to try and win the league after we just missed out last time and I think if the owners are serious enough (we will witness how serious they are about getting back to the Premier League in the next few weeks I am sure) we could actually do it. I am looking forward to playing Luton again as well.

Plus I haven't enjoyed football at all this season.

 

I don't think anyone is saying we are "lucky" to be in the Championship.

But that is where we are. You can sit there blubbing about how we should be in the EPL and how sad it is we have been relegated. Or you can look forward to playing in a division again that has given us some of our best memories as Watford fans.

It's up to you but I would suggest it would be easier on your mental health if you try the latter.

 

First game, Watford 2 - 0 Bristol City (Danny Graham and Ikechi Anya)

A solid start for Lee Johnson against his former club.

Finish 14th.

 

I don't think we "should" be in the Premier League at all. We had a horrific season that was negligently managed from the off and we got exactly what we deserved. I just think it's funny watching people try and put a positive spin on it hours later.

Desperately calling the Championship the best league in the world is laughable, and considering the potential implications it could have on the club going forward should we not bounce back quickly, why anyone is "happy" I really do not know. But hey, that's our weird fans.

 

This, we can not have another half baked pre-season, starting the season unfit and uninterested. The squad has to be fit at the start of the season, not struggling for for fitness in November.

We are there to be shot at, relegated premier league sides always are. The opposition will have seen how week we are mentally and how we aren't up for it most of the time and will be licking their lips at the though of ripping into our cowards. It's up to our team, players, coaches and management to prove them wrong on that. They all need to, the new head coach and the players old and new alike need to change the attitude, culture and mentality around the squad, because if we go into next season like we did this one we will struggle again.

 

We will be considered a "scalp", so expect a few to raise their game against us.

Hard to know what will happen as so many clubs could have point deductions before we start. Three relegation places could be all but decided before a ball is kicked.

If they don't go up, would put Brentford as favourites with Norwich. Expect Boro to put up more of a challenge with Warnock.

We desperately need to retain one of Cucho or Suarez, most likely the former, or we're going nowhere fast.

 

Well I prefer to live in reality. We are in the championship. I prefer to be positive about that and I prefer to be "happy" at the prospect of playing different teams with players that want to play for us and perhaps even compete for promotion, and the title, too.

But yes, dwelling on this turgid, disastrous season is much more healthy and normal.

 

"Dwelling" he says, three hours post relegation.

You're talking about players that want to play for us and competing for promotion and a trophy, then insist you're simply living in reality. At the moment there is absolutely no reason or any evidence to believe any of those things will become a "reality".

 

I also hope the gods smile on us and our first game is Luton at home, behind closed doors so our knuckle dragging friends from up the M1 can't go.

 

An optimist might say his/her most enjoyable season under the Pozzo era was 14-15. We won the most matches that season. There were no meaningless games or those we knew we couldn’t win before they started. We played a fairly settled side buzzing with attacking intent. (Once we finally found the right coach and the best starting eleven). That season wasn’t just about staying up, it was about going up, achieving something longer-lasting, playing for a trophy too that we could and should have won. Don’t get me wrong. I’m devastated to be leaving the PL. I’m not at all confident that we will sort our mess out, get it right next time and be among the genuine challengers for a swift return to the promised land. But but but it’s a tantalising thought on this dark day that if we can get it right, next season could be another very exciting one in our history.

I’m not putting a positive spin on today btw. Relegation has been devastating and we’ve got what we deserve for the shambolic way our season has been run. I just need something to cling to, at the end of a terrible season which in turn has coincided with a terrible period in life because of coronavirus and the lockdown etc. This forum exists as a tool for us all to articulate our feelings. I have no desire to have others tell me how I ought to be feeling tonight and wouldn’t tell anybody else how they should be either.

 

Excited for The Championship already. The short gap back to football is kinda making football easier.

New keeper needed, Foster has a losers mentality.

I’m trying to be as realistic as possible with who we keep but I genuinely do think we need a whole new defence. Cathcart might just get away with it but two new full backs needed and sell Kabasele to Turkey just because of his mentality. Masina can probably stay for his attitude tbh. His defensive deficiencies shouldn’t so obvious at that level.

Chalobah, Hughes & Quina is a good start.

Cleverly is a honest pro and probably worth having around at that level.

Doucoure can go, Capoue depends on his mental state but if he’s not up for it he can go to France and retire.

Sarr & Deulofeu obviously anyone would want to keep but anyone’s guess what will happen there. Keeping them to January would be fantastic.

Pereyra obviously gone, hope Puessetto sticks around. Looks like has the right attitude. Sema won’t want to stay he can go.

Deeney can go, Gray can stay purely on the basis he probably won’t take a wage cut. Needs to sort his head out, work hard over summer and hopefully recapture his second tier form. A proven 20 goal a season striker at that level is not to be sniffed at.

Welbeck should stay if he’s honest with himself but his game time will need to be seriously managed.

Pedro will be here, hopefully Cucho & Suarez can join.

Cathcart
Masina
Chalobah
Hughes
Quina
Cleverly
Pusseto
Gray
Welbeck
Pedro

That’s literally the only players I’d say are worth keeping and beginning to build a squad around and even that is stretching it. I’ve got a feeling Dawson & Femenia will still be here too.

A LOT of work needed in a short amount of time, as well as the small matter of recruiting a good Head Coach.

Strap in.


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