Championship chat 2017-18

[RickBFA]

http://m.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/38251262?ns_mchannel=social&ns_campaign=bbc_match_of_the_day&ns_source=facebook&ns_linkname=sport

Big loss

[TightEnd]

http://m.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/38251262?ns_mchannel=social&ns_campaign=bbc_match_of_the_day&ns_source=facebook&ns_linkname=sport

Big loss

Bloom kept it together for another season rather than sell players

1 point off the top the financial "gamble" has a fair chance of coming off for him

[RickBFA]

http://m.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/38251262?ns_mchannel=social&ns_campaign=bbc_match_of_the_day&ns_source=facebook&ns_linkname=sport

Big loss

Bloom kept it together for another season rather than sell players

1 point off the top the financial "gamble" has a fair chance of coming off for him

I think you can accumulate up to £39m in losses over 3 years from 15/16 under rules?

[TightEnd]

http://m.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/38251262?ns_mchannel=social&ns_campaign=bbc_match_of_the_day&ns_source=facebook&ns_linkname=sport

Big loss

Bloom kept it together for another season rather than sell players

1 point off the top the financial "gamble" has a fair chance of coming off for him

I think you can accumulate up to £39m in losses over 3 years from 15/16 under rules?

sounds familiar. so logically its promotion this year or sell next year

[RickBFA]

http://m.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/38251262?ns_mchannel=social&ns_campaign=bbc_match_of_the_day&ns_source=facebook&ns_linkname=sport

Big loss

Bloom kept it together for another season rather than sell players

1 point off the top the financial "gamble" has a fair chance of coming off for him

I think you can accumulate up to £39m in losses over 3 years from 15/16 under rules?

sounds familiar. so logically its promotion this year or sell next year

Looks that way. All works fine when you go up.

I guess if 5/6/7 other ambitious clubs play the same game (the ones that don't have parachute payments) then some blood going to get spilt, if penalties are actually going to be applied.

[anthonyl]

We complied with FFP. Rejected bids for around £25 total for dunk, knockaert and Stephens.

They will be gone in the summer if we don't make it this season.

we have a very good chance of promotion this year, a lot of games to go though but for me it's only between Newcastle, Brighton, Leeds, Norwich, shef wed, Derby, Fulham, villa for the top 2. Reading and Birmingham not good enough and if Fulham or villa make it the points total will be far lower than last season.

We are not playing well these last three games though, but couple more players now back from injury (Lua Lua, Towell) and kayal and rosenoir back by end of December too.

[vegaslover]

Probs gonna have to spend money in January. Brighton gone soft every season when the pressure is on.

[rinswun]

Probs gonna have to spend money in January. Brighton gone soft every season when the pressure is on.

I'm not sure that is true. Last season they were unbeaten in their last 20 and won 8 of 10 in run in. Would have been promoted with their points total in 19 of the last 20 seasons. Not exactly soft.

[anthonyl]

Probs gonna have to spend money in January. Brighton gone soft every season when the pressure is on.

13 clean sheets in 20. What's the all time record ? Soft.

[aaron1867]

I'm not sure that Brighton have any competition for the top two. You'll finish behind Newcastle, but all the teams behind really don't look capable. I thought we might have a squeak, but our manager seems to make a clueless clanger too often! Reading won't get too two, lucky to be top 6 and Leeds will be nowhere near. They'll drop away.

Newcastle
Brighton

Wednesday, Villa, Derby & Norwich in any order for play offs

[exstream]

No way do Brighton not get promoted this season

[anthonyl]

7 defeats in the last 68 league games. Some record considering everyone beats each other in this league.

[Horneris]

Went to Leeds v Reading last night. What a pathetic side Reading are. How are they 3rd in the division.

I'd be astounded if Newcastle/Brighton don't finish top 2 from what I've seen in the last few weeks. It should be a 1/5 shot for the dual forecast, the 1/2 with Skybet is probably a bet. Such a gulf in quality between the top 2 and the rest. Brighton have gambled and its paid off and having 2 of the very best centre backs in the league helps.

But back to Reading last night, I don't get it? They played like I play on fifa vs my mates to wind them up when i'm winning. But they were losing!. Passing it round the back for minutes on end, taking 2 minutes to take a corner when 1-0 down, if this is Jaap Stam's total football then he can take it back to Holland for me, I didn't get it. They had 76% posession but wouldn't have scored if they were still playing now.

I like Leeds this season, I'm happy with the team for probably the first time since 2009. We have some top quality championship players (Jansson, Bartley, Pablo Hernandez, Chris Wood) and Haidi Sacko is the only really good black winger we've had in about 10 years and lord knows we've given enough of them a chance. Hes rapid but does have end product. The problem, as it often it for us, 4 of the 5 players I've named there are on loan!

We're so solid at the back now aswell, I can't believe Kyle Bartley doesn't get a game at Swansea ahead of Jordi Amat, hes been faultless all season.

So its Brighton and Newcastle up for me then any of Leeds, Sheff Wed, Norwich, Derby, Aston Villa for the 4 playoff spots. I suspect when all is said and done Norwich and Derby will defo be in there.

I'm reserving judgement for now on Reading (after last night), Huddersfield, Birmingham and Fulham for now. I have some doubts about them lasting the course.

[Horneris]

This night belong to Jaap Stam’s Travelling Circus of Hypnosis and Mystery, eleven men’s attempt to lift the famous gypsy curse from Elland Road will their bedevilling voodoo football. From the ten minute mark, when Reading settled into the game, to the last minute, the awed crowds cried the same question aloud, over and over: What the hell are they doing?

‘Get a tackle in Leeds!’ yelled a frustrated voice in the Kop as Reading stroked the ball back and forth; but there was really no point, and the crowd soon cracked on to the game. Even before Chris Wood gave United the lead — he wellied a loose ball into the roof of the net, if you’re interested — Reading’s passes were already inspiring half-hearted olés from the South Stand. By the midway point of the second half, it was full on raucous laughter.

Even if Reading play like this every week, they won’t have had a more appreciative audience for their efforts. Every pass of every aimless, impotent, thirty-pass move, that took Reading ten yards forwards and back again, was oléd as if it was Revie’s Leeds themselves playing cruel keepball. A typical Reading ploy, moving the ball from inside Leeds’ half, via a dozen or so passes, back to their keeper, was cheered upon successful completion like a goal for United.

When Al Habsi, his options disappearing rapidly as Leeds marked his back four, eventually, after much indecisive to-ing and fro-ing, shanked the ball virtually onto Jaap Stam’s head, it felt like the roof was coming off. My personal highlight was when the left-back received the ball in Leeds’ half, deftly turned past Charlie Taylor and Stuart Dallas, then raced twenty-five yards along the wing back towards his own goal and passed to Al-Habsi. It was probably Reading’s best attack of the night.

[Horneris]

Gary Rowett has been relived of his duties as manager of Birmingham