Championship - 2023/24

Are those the same bookmakers who predicted a second place finish for us in 2022/23? (And first place for Norwich?)

 

Think that would be pretty successful given the state of things.

 

11th this year, 8th next, 5th one after that and then promotion in our customary 2nd in 25/26. Progress!

 

Plucky til the end...

 

I have done some further analysis, based on the FiveThirtyEight Soccer Power Index scores (SPI) I plotted for Watford and Burnley over the last 6 seasons (see above).

I have ignored everything apart from the SPI - managers, players, opposition etc. etc.
I have effectively treated the graphed SPI scores as if they represented the height of a volley ball over time. (That's engineers for you.)
The curve for Burnley corresponds to a dropping ball hit upwards in 2017/18, dropping again, then once more hit upwards in 2022/23. Thus it travels down, then up, then down, then up again. Currently, it is on a strong upward trajectory.

The curve for Watford corresponds to a ball hit upwards prior to 2017, reaching its apex in 2019 and falling ever since. Crucially, although the trajectory was upwards in 2017/18 and 18/19, the change in the gradient of the line has been negative over the whole period plotted. So, just as a ball punched upwards goes up after it has been punched, it ceases to be pushed upwards after the punch.

Also, I have looked at the SPI rating associated with promotion and relegation over the last 6 seasons.
The average SPI of the lowest rated promoted side was 56.
The average SPI of the highest rated relegated side was 41.
Currently WFC is about 46 and is declining at a rate of about 8 SPI points per season.

To change a score of 46, falling at this rate, into a score of 56, would require a turnaround of 18 SPI points per season, per season. (From the current -8 SPI points per season to +10 SPI points per season, to take us from 46 to 56). To put this in context, in 2022/23 Burnley achieved a turnaround of plus 12 (from -8 to +4).

A turnaround (punch) of the same magnitude would still only take us to a mid-table score of 50. (Starting at 46, declining at -8 per season, improving to +4 per season = 50)

Lastly, honourable members, I would point out that the one significant thing that has not changed over this six season period is the senior management team of the club. Thus, I do not wish to give Gino a break.

 

Thank you.
Surely Danny Rose's diet isn't as bad as that?

 

Yay, top half and inside the top 30 clubs in the land. HMSPTTH.

 

https://twitter.com/androofrench/status/1665757024678756354?s=20

Top stuff from French today

 

I love that Moog’s Twitter profile pic is Jan, the sexually liberal ‘European’ guy from one episode of Always Sunny.


‘Uh oh uh oh uh oh!’

 

I hear he used to run with a pretty wild crew...

 

Sort of a ‘three’s company’ situation?

 

I’ve heard they support the great Nuremberg FC team of the 1930’s or the Alabama KKK’s who were big in the 1950’s .

 

I think that’s due to the fact that a lot of Londoners from Shepherds Bush were moved out to Oxhey/Carpenders Park in post war rehousing project to new council houses built there. My mum being one of them.

 

I didn’t know that. But no, growing up in Eastcote in the 70s, there were a lot of QPR fans to the south of us in Northolt and South Ruislip due to the proximity of the Western Avenue and therefore access to the White City area.

 

Makes sense , plus they had a good team in the seventies.

 

Quelle surprise!

 

That’s a blow.

 

I am going to put a tenner on us getting promoted. Last year I had a bet preticting the league winners - Arsenal - Watford - Ipswich - Mansfield, I was close and this year i am going Man Utd - Leicester- Reading - Mansfield. With us second n our league six points clear of third. I cant see in any flaws?

 

I’d say Leeds or Southampton are far more likely to finish top of the Champ than Leicester.

 

Lord knows you have your problems at your club, but I bet you Leeds and Southampton are saying the exact opposite! We're a pessimistic bunch, football fans!

 

True. True.



Watch us give the manager’s job to Steven Gerrard of Frank Lampard now…

 

Will be fun watching you and Leeds fight it over those two Proper Football Men

 

Scott Parker in the frame too.

To be fair Lampard isn’t under consideration but Gerrard and Parker are two of the favourites. Pretty sobering when Scott Parker seems like the least **** option.

 

He has a great track record of squeaking over the line with teams much better than the rest of the division...

 

I’d like to see Lampard and Gerrard appointed as joint managers somewhere, Charlton Athletic style, just to see if they can manage together….

 

Didn’t manage that well together in England’s midfield….

 

Fair enough, but I was unaware that you are in fact WWTW’s agent.

 

This is actually very impressive.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/65855048
Even the 4th tier of our football is the 14th best attended league in Europe.

 

The overall EFL attendances might still increase considering the ups and downs, but League 2 now has Forest Green, Accrington and Morecambe who will bring down the attendances even if Wrexham and Notts County will have bigger attendances than Rochdale and Hartlepool