The Championship 2020-21

That goes almost as far as one of Gray’s first touches.

 

Yep, although maybe aim a bit higher so he lands on the electrical sub-station

 

Rooney given the Derby job on a permanent basis. Will be interesting to see which of his former United and England teammates he follows- Gerrard and Lampard in not doing too badly (Gerrard on course to win the SPL with Rangers) or Gary Neville in being an absolute shambles

Think he will keep them up, and the takeover will mean some big summer signings, plus Rooney is a household name so may attract bigger marquee players than we might think. Having said that, who knows what state their finances will be in

 

Osayi-Samuel joining Fenerbache on a free transfer in the summer. What an odd move for him, surely would've had half the PL in for him on a free?

 

He's got Hoddle written all over him.

In that he'll never understand why someone at Derby cant do what he did in his pomp and it'll frustrate him so much he'll be out the door within 18 months,.

 

I'd go and live in Istanbul over any place in this country.

 

Karanka gains revenge on Boro, good result for us, chance for us to create a bit of daylight on the play-off chasing pack

 

Indeed good day for us. That 4 point gap is nice.

 

Feels like the worst chasing pack in the history of the Championship

 

A quick look at the next few fixtures for the teams around us, they seem to have a fairly decent run of games, but I certainly wouldn't back any of them to go on a 3/4 match winning run. Very much seems like there are 5 teams (including us) who are by no means great, but have great individuals at this level who can take the game away from you in an instant, then a lot of bang average teams, and then the ***** down the bottom

 

With three red cards each, a spate of season ending injuries and a fondue set!

 

Bollox, 1-0 Swansea

 

It was a costly defeat when we lost at their place. It's becoming clearer (if it wasn't before) we've got to string a series of wins together now. 10 behind Norwich and if Swansea win 6 points behind them. We do have a game in hand, so that has to be a win, followed by a lot more.

Half a season to go, we have hit the accelerator now. No more feeling our way in. Full throttle or else it's just play offs at best.

 

Swansea's next five games look a bit tricky, they have only two home games, both of them against fellow promotion chasers who are top two in the away table, and one of their away games is at Blackburn.

If they continue their good form throughout that then it seems only by winning both our game in hand and the one against them do we stand a good chance of catching them. They're the kind of team that if you don't take your chances against and concede then it's game over.

Bournemouth not that long ago looked much more likely to take that second automatic promotion spot, but they've stuttered since their demolition of Huddersfield - they seemed to have carried on their form from their Premier League years, a team that plays good attacking football and can destroy teams on occasion but often flatters to deceive and is inconsistent at home.

 

Until we start regularly scoring goals there is not much point in ifs and maybes

 

If Deeney tries to hit the accelerator his engine is likely to explode.

 

Has anyone watched much of Swansea this season? Apparently they weren't great tonight and scored from their only two shots on target, the first from a long throw and the other a scrappy one from a defensive mix-up that was possibly offside after Barnsley were the better side at least until half-time. Was this typical of how they've been playing all season (I didn't see our game against them)?

 

They made us look fairly amateur, that's the most relevant result of theirs as it stands.

 

Can't we look at their other games, to get a better picture of where they're likely to be at the end of the season?

You could watch us against Norwich for example and think we'll storm the league, but it's just a one off game.

 

When you're that solid at the back, it gives you such a platform to go forward. I know we are solid, but unfortunately most of our forwards are such donkeys that we can't press home the advantage...

 

Lol

 

I haven’t watched too much of them but I remember their win at QPR a few weeks ago was pretty similar. They’re so good at the back and have been clinical with their chances which is a good blueprint for an away win but can be difficult to sustain.

 

Ridiculous red card stuffed Bournemouth yesterday against the scum. Obviously never want them to win but if they're going to win any game aided by a refereeing howler, might as well make it Bournemouth away...

 

But if we don't beat Barnsley then it doesn't matter how we do at Stoke?

 

I've watched a little and was thinking as I topped up the feeders that they flatter to deceive.
Having said that Lowe and Ayew and Roberts ( ?) look dangerous.
Their manager is a most unsightly man too.
Certainly not one for RC's little black book!

 

looks like he needs a decent meal!

 

Yes when they played us Xisco looked cool and he looked like he'd been sorting the shed out at home and popped out for a pint of milk.