Championship chat 2017-18

[arbboy]

Just about calmed down after Saturday now!

Really looking forward to the summer, I think we are going to spend about 50m on new players.

Pretty confident that we will be around mid table.

Not sure how the playoffs will go to be honest. Brighton have struggled against the top 6 teams this season, Hulls form is all over the place, Derby have thrown it away so many times over the last few years, and Wednesday probably have the poorest squad out of the lot.

Not of good judges have said this championship is the weakest for years in terms of the quality of teams going up.  Think all three will struggle next season. 

[fatcatstu]

Just about calmed down after Saturday now!

Really looking forward to the summer, I think we are going to spend about 50m on new players.

Pretty confident that we will be around mid table.

Not sure how the playoffs will go to be honest. Brighton have struggled against the top 6 teams this season, Hulls form is all over the place, Derby have thrown it away so many times over the last few years, and Wednesday probably have the poorest squad out of the lot.

Not of good judges have said this championship is the weakest for years in terms of the quality of teams going up.  Think all three will struggle next season. 

I am convinced we will be spending money.

We have Sevilla's head of recruitment now, he signed the players who got them to 3 UEFA cup finals on the bounce! Gibson has said he going to be giving it a go. Peter Kenyon at the club should help too.

I honestly think we will finish about 12th next year if we spend like I think we will.

[RickBFA]

Wednesday at Stoke earlier in the season were shocking beyond belief in front of nearly 10k fans on the road.  I really hope they don't go up as they will get destroyed in the EPL.  They could have played against SToke's reserves that night for ten hours and not scored with those two cart horses up front.  I am amazed they have even made the play offs. 

Look a big lay at under 4/1 to get promoted to me.

I agree that Wednesday are the poorest team out of the four.

Judging us on that Stoke display is slightly harsh.

Wednesday at our best can do it but I expect a Brighton v Derby final.

I wouldn't judge Wednesday's ability to stay up (if we fluke it) on the current squad.

The chairman is super ambitious and you would see him have a right go and sign 8-10 new players.

[DaveShoelace]

Brighton are the best team, I really think there isn't much between Wednesday, Derby and Hull, so my hopes are that we (The Owls) face a dejected demotivated Brighton and get a bit of the run-good along the way. If we somehow luckbox our way to Wembley I think its a coinflip against whoever we face.

Just trying to work out whether going out in the semis or the final would be more heartbreaking for me.

[Ant040689]

Interesting debate about the relegation battle for next season and if the 3 promoted teams will go straight back down.

Has that ever happened before the 3 teams up going back down? Probably has but I am blank.

I think West Brom and Sunderland will be safe with their managers and then a toss up between Watford/Bournemouth/Palace and maybe Swansea at a push. Even then they all looked safe for the majority of the season so it is going to be tough for whoever does get promoted because there weren't that many teams hanging on.

Evident by there being only 4 in the relegation battle and even then two of them, Sunderland/Newcastle, if given a bit more time probably wouldnt have been in the mire as much as they are now with their managers.

Means I think for small edges about who goes down and it will be ruthless. The promoted teams will need to hit the ground running.

[RickBFA]

Brighton are the best team, I really think there isn't much between Wednesday, Derby and Hull, so my hopes are that we (The Owls) face a dejected demotivated Brighton and get a bit of the run-good along the way. If we somehow luckbox our way to Wembley I think its a coinflip against whoever we face.

Just trying to work out whether going out in the semis or the final would be more heartbreaking for me.

Going out in the final is more heartbreaking I think. Its within touching distance in a one off game.

On the plus side, I think I read the losing finalist keeps the final gate receipts, so that would be a few million extra in the kitty (happy to be corrected on that).

[arbboy]

Interesting debate about the relegation battle for next season and if the 3 promoted teams will go straight back down.

Has that ever happened before the 3 teams up going back down? Probably has but I am blank.

I think West Brom and Sunderland will be safe with their managers and then a toss up between Watford/Bournemouth/Palace and maybe Swansea at a push. Even then they all looked safe for the majority of the season so it is going to be tough for whoever does get promoted because there weren't that many teams hanging on.

Evident by there being only 4 in the relegation battle and even then two of them, Sunderland/Newcastle, if given a bit more time probably wouldnt have been in the mire as much as they are now with their managers.

Means I think for small edges about who goes down and it will be ruthless. The promoted teams will need to hit the ground running.

Sorry to say Ant but i am convinced Palace will be the bet at the prices to go down next season.  Pretty sure they are going to be massively over priced to go down.

[fatcatstu]

Brighton are the best team, I really think there isn't much between Wednesday, Derby and Hull, so my hopes are that we (The Owls) face a dejected demotivated Brighton and get a bit of the run-good along the way. If we somehow luckbox our way to Wembley I think its a coinflip against whoever we face.

Just trying to work out whether going out in the semis or the final would be more heartbreaking for me.

Going out in the final is more heartbreaking I think. Its within touching distance in a one off game.

On the plus side, I think I read the losing finalist keeps the final gate receipts, so that would be a few million extra in the kitty (happy to be corrected on that).

Yep. Winning team usually donates them to the losing team.

Can confirm it is souls destroying losing the final.

[aaron1867]

I didn't say Wednesday was favourites.

You think the draw is favourite now?

What I was trying to say that things haven't gone in Brighton's favour over the last few days. They have one player who will miss both games (also, the final) and one who misses one game. Having played and missed out against M'boro and wednesday having a fully fit squad. I would say in my eyes that this is finely balanced, the previous two games have been draws.

[Ant040689]

Interesting debate about the relegation battle for next season and if the 3 promoted teams will go straight back down.

Has that ever happened before the 3 teams up going back down? Probably has but I am blank.

I think West Brom and Sunderland will be safe with their managers and then a toss up between Watford/Bournemouth/Palace and maybe Swansea at a push. Even then they all looked safe for the majority of the season so it is going to be tough for whoever does get promoted because there weren't that many teams hanging on.

Evident by there being only 4 in the relegation battle and even then two of them, Sunderland/Newcastle, if given a bit more time probably wouldnt have been in the mire as much as they are now with their managers.

Means I think for small edges about who goes down and it will be ruthless. The promoted teams will need to hit the ground running.

Sorry to say Ant but i am convinced Palace will be the bet at the prices to go down next season.  Pretty sure they are going to be massively over priced to go down.

If our starting 11 remained fit i think we are a top 10 team, but that won't happen.

If Pardew doesn't buy an impressive winger in the summer, and at least two more reasonable back up players capable of doing a job at the level in midfield and defence then we could easily be in a relegation battle, I agree. Pardew has been saved by the FA cup run from too much criticism, but without it as a distraction i think there would have been more positive results in the league.

If he doesn't buy impressively in the summer i am going to worry about his credentials and Palace's.

[anthonyl]

I can't really see how Brighton are real favourites. We've played them twice in two borefests and there was nothing in it. The players missing and their recent result won't help.

I do find it astounding they are struggling to sell 2,000 tickets for their biggest game of the season so far.

Just a cursory glance at it - Brighton, one loss in 21. Won 7, drawn 3 of their last ten, Wednesday, Won 5, drawn 3, lost two of their last ten. Over the course of the season Wednesday finished 15 points behind, won 5 fewer, lost 5 more, scored less, conceded more.

Dunk is out for the first leg and is replaced by the club captain who was first choice until January when he got injured. Prior to him being injured they'd set a club record unbeaten run. Stephens likely done for the playoffs unless appeal is successful. You think that one player makes Wednesday favourites? Think you might be getting a bit carried away!

Happy to have an even money bet if you like lol.

Just FYI for a couple of years Aaron was a complete troll acting like some 12 year old chav who just got a laptop for a first time on a different forum which I busted him over. Had some agenda against Brighton, not sure why.

We're going to need Knockaert on fire, the guy is an absolute gem of a player.

Can't get excited at all over this play offs and expecting both games to be 0-0 and then to lose on penalties.

[RickBFA]

I can't really see how Brighton are real favourites. We've played them twice in two borefests and there was nothing in it. The players missing and their recent result won't help.

I do find it astounding they are struggling to sell 2,000 tickets for their biggest game of the season so far.

Just a cursory glance at it - Brighton, one loss in 21. Won 7, drawn 3 of their last ten, Wednesday, Won 5, drawn 3, lost two of their last ten. Over the course of the season Wednesday finished 15 points behind, won 5 fewer, lost 5 more, scored less, conceded more.

Dunk is out for the first leg and is replaced by the club captain who was first choice until January when he got injured. Prior to him being injured they'd set a club record unbeaten run. Stephens likely done for the playoffs unless appeal is successful. You think that one player makes Wednesday favourites? Think you might be getting a bit carried away!

Happy to have an even money bet if you like lol.

Just FYI for a couple of years Aaron was a complete troll acting like some 12 year old chav who just got a laptop for a first time on a different forum which I busted him over. Had some agenda against Brighton, not sure why.

We're going to need Knockaert on fire, the guy is an absolute gem of a player.

Can't get excited at all over this play offs and expecting both games to be 0-0 and then to lose on penalties.

Not sure what Aaron said on a different forum two years ago has got to do with this thread. He's not said anything like that on here.

I know Aaron, and he is a bit of a WUM which people seem to fall for. I remember he reeled in Alex Goulder a couple of times in the past.

Anyway, really looking forward to Friday night, got my ticket. Just hope we give a good account of ourselves and go into the second leg still in it.

[fatcatstu]

Brighton tend to draw a lot v the teams in the top 6. I honestly wasn't impressed with them over the 2 games we played them.

[Longines]

We're going to need Knockaert on fire, the guy is an absolute gem of a player.

Can't get excited at all over this play offs and expecting both games to be 0-0 and then to lose on penalties.

He has form....

[anthonyl]

I can't really see how Brighton are real favourites. We've played them twice in two borefests and there was nothing in it. The players missing and their recent result won't help.

I do find it astounding they are struggling to sell 2,000 tickets for their biggest game of the season so far.

Just a cursory glance at it - Brighton, one loss in 21. Won 7, drawn 3 of their last ten, Wednesday, Won 5, drawn 3, lost two of their last ten. Over the course of the season Wednesday finished 15 points behind, won 5 fewer, lost 5 more, scored less, conceded more.

Dunk is out for the first leg and is replaced by the club captain who was first choice until January when he got injured. Prior to him being injured they'd set a club record unbeaten run. Stephens likely done for the playoffs unless appeal is successful. You think that one player makes Wednesday favourites? Think you might be getting a bit carried away!

Happy to have an even money bet if you like lol.

Just FYI for a couple of years Aaron was a complete troll acting like some 12 year old chav who just got a laptop for a first time on a different forum which I busted him over. Had some agenda against Brighton, not sure why.

We're going to need Knockaert on fire, the guy is an absolute gem of a player.

Can't get excited at all over this play offs and expecting both games to be 0-0 and then to lose on penalties.

Not sure what Aaron said on a different forum two years ago has got to do with this thread. He's not said anything like that on here.

I know Aaron, and he is a bit of a WUM which people seem to fall for. I remember he reeled in Alex Goulder a couple of times in the past.

Anyway, really looking forward to Friday night, got my ticket. Just hope we give a good account of ourselves and go into the second leg still in it.

'I find it outstanding Brighton haven't sold out their 2000 away tickets for their biggest game of season so far'. Just continuing what he did on a daily basis on football forums.net.

This is probably our fifth biggest game of the season (boro, Derby home, burnley home, playoff second leg). Also commenting on the support is ironic given we probably have 50% higher than your average home attendance over the last five years.

You will be in it after one leg we only draw against the top 6 teams (1 win, 1 defeat, rest draws versus top 6).