The ceiling

[IdLiketoRogerMoore]

I wonder if a tweak could be made where 2 of Duffy, Holmes or Brooks sit in behind a single striker. Up top, nobody's really banging on the door for selection, so with our system still forcing teams to load the flanks, a couple of clever players occupying the central space 30-40 yards from goal, might cause a few more headaches.

This x1000.

Second half against Mittwoch with Duffy & Brooks behind Clarke - we looked irresistible

Really surprised we've not tried it again.

 

[I should coco]

And we've just added four first team players who haven't yet settled in or even played a full ninety minutes.

That's no excuse.

We're doomed and with Wedenesday's fantastic run of 0-0 wins they will just make the play offfs and we will slip down the table faster than you can say 'Weers muneh gone'.

I'm joining the 'Wilder Out' camp. If we act quickly we might still be able to get Gary Monk-on or even 'Arry.

 

[Chali 2na]

Recent results back my theory. We can’t seem to win at home in the league and every team that has stopped us has played the same way.

We don’t seem to be learning from it and I don’t think the level of investment will push us through the barrier. It’s just my opinion. We have assembled a competitive squad with a modest budget and credit to the manager for it but when we are being repeatedly done with one moment of quality again and again it suggests that we lack something only a big budget can afford.

It’s a reasonable theory, I don’t understand why some refute it or think it’s laughable. I suspect it’s probably because people can never deal with the truth.

Youre drawing a lot of conclusions based on 1 month of a 9 month season...

 

[Booker4]

Some good points from the OP and I said very similar a few weeks ago. I think we can all agree that we can always do with more money for players and Wilder did say at the beginning of the season that this season was going to be modest in terms of player expenditure and he and the board knows that in future years we'll need a higher budget.

However, you can also see so many teams spending money and its not come off: Lee Tomlin for Cardiff springs to mind and Warnock spending a potential 8 million and 6 up front on a very average target man in Madine - no better than what we have, tells you where the market is at now. So for now, I'm happy with the budget because we did spend 2million this window and 3 permanent signings. We might not make the play offs but we're still progressing and we're ahead of schedule so rather than seeing that we might not make the play offs as a negative, I'd rather just see it as a positive that we're anywhere near the play offs! Its not like performances have tailed off have they?! We were the better team v Villa and we can't expect a Robert Snodgrass yet but when Brooks comes back I reckon we'll kick on again. I still predict top 6.

 

[Harrisblade]

That's no excuse.

We're doomed and with Wedenesday's fantastic run of 0-0 wins they will just make the play offfs and we will slip down the table faster than you can say 'Weers muneh gone'.

I'm joining the 'Wilder Out' camp. If we act quickly we might still be able to get Gary Monk-on or even 'Arry.

They've done better than us in the transfer window too!
Note how they've managed to hang on to every one of their top-level wage-earners..................sorry, top-level PLAYERS

 

[super_pig]

I personally think we've reached it with the setup and resources we have. That's not a criticism, the manager, players and club have come on a huge amount in the last 18 months. I'm extremely proud but I do think the momentum is slowing, we simply don't have enough to maintain a promotion challenge. One wasn't expected at the start but the team set the bar very high in the early going and it can be difficult to adjust expectations after that.

Too many times recently we have fallen to a late goal or haven't got what we deserved against average teams that simply have an expensive bit of quality to call upon and tip the balance in their favour. We can battle against that forever more but ultimately that financial gap will make the difference when it matters. Wealthier backing is needed to push us on to the next level. Wilder is getting the best out of what he has and now that the opposition has adjusted their approach to deal with our threat we are finding it a lot more difficult.

We'll finish comfortably but I don't think we'll make that top six now. Not being negative, it's just where my expectations are set. I think we have a solid group of players that is coached and prepared well, we're just not savvy enough at the vital moments. If we are to kick on, we need to recruit from higher up the ladder. It's a tough division and it isn't going to get any easier.

this is what i have come to term a ‘thats it naar’ post.. they always appear after we lose what is supposedly a ‘massive’ game.. villa was not a massive game they are all massive games and hence all worth the same number of points

 

[super_pig]

They've done better than us in the transfer window too!
Note how they've managed to hang on to every one of their top-level wage-earners..................sorry, top-level PLAYERS

noone wants them because they’re overpriced crap

 

[A Storm of Blades]

This x1000.

Second half against Mittwoch with Duffy & Brooks behind Clarke - we looked irresistible

Really surprised we've not tried it again.

Good point. Almost a 3-4-2-1 formation

 

[Patrick Suffaux]

this is what i have come to term a ‘thats it naar’ post.. they always appear after we lose what is supposedly a ‘massive’ game.. villa was not a massive game they are all massive games and hence all worth the same number of points

Wrong. This is a 'we will probably finish around where we are' post because we can't seem to string a run of wins together now. It's not a case of one result mate, we've dropped a lot of points recently. Overall I'm satisfied with the season though and the playoffs would be a bonus in my eyes. I think my expectations are realistic.

 

[super_pig]

Wrong. This is a 'we will probably finish around where we are' post because we can't seem to string a run of wins together now. It's not a case of one result mate, we've dropped a lot of points recently. Overall I'm satisfied with the season though and the playoffs would be a bonus in my eyes. I think my expectations are realistic.

we’ve dropped a lot of points but we’ve been playing pretty well so i’m not worried

 

[grafikhaus]

Whilst most would have accepted our current position before the season started, it is disappointing to have gone from top of the league to a side struggling to win games in such a short period of time. Injuries haven’t helped but we look slow and predictable at times.

There is absolutely no doubt that financial backing is key though - and just about every team that has been promoted out of this division in recent years has spent far more than we have.

So Rafa Benitez chucked his toys out because he 'only' wanted £100m transfer budget. I'll bet Newcastle, Brighton and Huddersfield fans enjoyed last season far more than this. It's not about lacking ambition, the Championship is the natural home for most United-sized teams (and most in the PL). A division where anybody can beat anybody else, big clubs, (certainly bigger than Watford, Palace, Burnley, Stoke, Swansea, West Brom etc.) good way followings. The PL is becoming a busted flush and if Bournemouth getting a shock win at Chelsea is the highlight of their season, what's the point?

Wednesday have tried spending money they didn't have and (hopefully) the shit will soon hit the fan. Expensive business this (trying to) keep up with the Joneses.

 

[Ldn_Rd_Blades]

We've just out played one of the top teams in then league.

Just need a bit of luck and our momentum back and we'll be fine.

Nothing to fear in this league, we are one of the better teams.

Not saying we will go up, it could go either way but if we put a bit of a run together anything could happen.

 

[super_pig]

We've just out played one of the top teams in then league.

Just need a bit of luck and our momentum back and we'll be fine.

Nothing to fear in this league, we are one of the better teams.

Not saying we will go up, it could go either way but if we put a bit of a run together anything could happen.

well we’re not going down that’s for sure

 

[Ldn_Rd_Blades]

well we’re not going down that’s for sure

You've done it now

 

[PokerBlade]

we’ve dropped a lot of points but we’ve been playing pretty well so i’m not worried

I felt like we got lucky in a fair few games early on (the opening game where Brentford missed two of the easiest chances you've ever seen in the space of five seconds, for instance), and I feel like we've been a bit unlucky of late (every team seems to score a screamer against us). Overall we're about where we deserve to be, and we'll finish about where we deserve too.

 

[Patrick Suffaux]

we’ve dropped a lot of points but we’ve been playing pretty well so i’m not worried

We have played very well tonight and have been soundly beaten. Admittedly it’s against the very best side in the division and their quality is apparent. It’s only a greater example of what we have experienced several times though.

 

[The Vicar]

Won 2 in 13, nothing but relegation form. They have not all been in the top 6!

This is the ceiling!!!!!!!!!!!!!! - ending at around 65 points, first time I have felt disappointed all season as the reality is setting in.

I cannot see us getting more than 5 wins in the league to be honest - we just aint the same team, for whatever reason.