Championship 2021-2022

I thought Deeney was looking a little bit "larger" again last night.

I did have a modicum of optimism when I saw him in preseason. He was starting to look like a footballer again. But last night he seemed to have resorted back to the immobile lump that lumbers around at the front a few seconds behind the pace of the game.

I really hope he can turn it around again and finish his career on a high at Brum.

 

The players and Rooney are doing so well considering the seemingly hopeless situation points-wise. A run of four or five wins in their next ten games and they’re back in touch with the teams above them.

 

Ruined my accumulator in the process.

I would LOVE IT if Bournemouth did their standard Christmas collapse.

 

I agree that Derby are doing surprisingly well under the circumstances, but I doubt they are good enough to put together the sort of run you suggest. Even if they did - say 4 wins and 4 draws in the next 10 games - that would only take them to 17 points, by which time the teams they are chasing like Reading, Hull and Cardiff will be on 27 or 28. So it's not yet impossible they could escape but it will be very, very difficult.

 

Last season 44 points was enough for safety. They have a points deduction of 21 pts so would need to achieve something like 65 points. From 46 games that would look something like W16 D17 L13. Given their current record of W4 D10 L5 that would leave W12 D7 L8 from the 27 remaining games. Whilst the number of points needed for safety could be lower this season, given last year's form and with no money to strengthen, plus the psychological hit of being 16 points adrift today, not impossible but I think that would be a pretty amazing performance if they did pull it off.

 

Joka sacked

 

Feel like that says more about Sheffield United than Joka. When players do as he asks, they get promoted.

 

I haven’t really kept too much of an eye on Sheffield
Utd and what players they’ve held onto and what players they’ve sold, but they had not far off a league one squad in the first place, hence why they crashed so spectacularly hard last season.

 

Brentford have found their way into my good books - they're keeping this season's shirts next season. Good for the environment and stops fans wasting money.

 

I always thought the two year cycle Watford used to do was fair. They could always alternate with a new away shirt too.

 

Yet again West Brom drop points in a winnable fixture and they're struggling for goals.

I wonder if, while Ismael worked a miracle at Barnsley, his style is suited for West Brom? They might not even make the play-offs at this rate.

 

Preston are a funny team, well down in the table but have got four points from Bournemouth and Fulham whilst matching or outplaying both.

 

Ultimately cost them a two goal lead and thus two points. Not all going the way of the top teams ( or L*t*n!) at the moment.

 

Did he? I had long gone by then. I agree with mot there on that day, one of the coldest I've ever been at football. Scarborough away in the cup comes close to that

 

Leicester is going to be nearly as cold tomorrow - max 3C and snow! Unusual that in November.

 

Andre just scored a ludicrously good goal in the 90th minute to likely win the game for QPR, and then ripped his shirt off to reveal a message: 'I did this purely to take the piss out of all Watford fans'.

 

Outrageous goal from Andre Gray. Absolutely brilliant goal!.

 

"The touch, the control, the composure..." Gray also put away a very nice volley earlier, albeit offside.

 

I will say that even the two kick ups before the strike were so classically Andre - all slightly off-balance and wobbly and spinning and bouncing at a strange, stunted angle, as though the ball was in the midst of growing consciousness and flying off out of the stadium of its own volition, and the strike itself was as far from clean as it could be whilst still arcing majestically into the far corner.

Gray gon' Gray.

 

QPR now 3rd and seven points from the top two, can someone finally put pressure on Bournemouth?

 

The first Derby goal was a blinder also.

 

They’ve been building a bit of momentum for a while now. We laugh at Andre but they have a good set of strikers and a decent midfield. Should make playoffs at least.

 

Great news. Someone might pay a couple of quid extra for him now.

 

Won’t benefit us sadly as he’s in the last year of his contract.

 

Just saw the Willock goal. Probably harder technique than the Gray goal! Blimey.

 

I happened to see the goal and messaged three Watford pals" Gray just scored a good goal".
One asked if I was unwell,one asked if I had been drinking the other said he'd message me when he'd got off the floor!