Mid-table mediocrity

[Ballinpigpubs13]

With my un-rose tinted sunglasses on I cannot see us finish any higher than mid-table, unless we have a major influx of class players.
Unfortunately there are numerous teams such as us with equally average squads. I can even (parden my mouth, I'm disgusted to say it) see the pigs being a dark/pig horse this year.
There will always be a long-shot coming in late or a Burnley, but with teams such as Ipswich, coventry, Leicester, west-brom, newcastle, preston, derby, reading Etc Etc for me it don't look good.
So for me it's mid-table or slightly higher, I hope I'm terribly wrong but automatic seems way out of reach.
Jamie ward for me is the player we need to build around. He is the new keith Edwards.

 

[mattbianco1]

We all said that last year. Everybody thought it was the toughest Championship ever. Birmingham, Reading, Derby, Wolves, Ipswich etc. We finished 3rd!

I think we expect a difficult season every year because it is a difficult league. I'm remarkably upbeat considering the sale of players and lack of signings. I think its another Play Off spot at least. I also agree with your comment regarding the pigs! Watch out Blades! We can't let them finish above us.

 

[SotonBlade]

I do think the quality of teams in this league will be much better than last year. Can see the likes of Ipswich and Derby being much better than last year. Forest will probably be the dark horses.

Unless we deliver the quality signings we were promised can't see us finishing higher than about 10th.

 

[Thelooneytuner]

Personally i think definite playoffs, push for champs depending on signings. Although there are better sides that have come into the league and ones that have improved there are also ones that have been weakend. Look at Reading and Watford, they were in the premier the same season as us (with reading even staying up) and they seem a lot worse for wear than us!

 

[SheepdipBlade]

This time last season most of us were saying fifth or sixth would be a good season (building on the mess Robson left us with) - so to come third, and still be in with a shout of automatic on the last weekend was a real performance.

Thing is - I'm not sure how we did it!! On paper, I'm sure we weren't the third best side - so that leaves me confused (as ever) about what this season will be like.

If Kyel Reid can be as good as Halford on the wing, if Killa signs his contract extension, if Williamson can add to the midfield and if Ched Evans signs (and is any good) - Oh, and if Paddy is found innocent of playing under the influence of Benylyn - then we should have as good a chance as before!

One thing I am convinved of is that the division won't be a lot harder than last year. Newcastle, Boro, (Leicester) may be big names but I can't see them being there come May.

 

[SwissBlade]

I thought we had a much better and settled side last summer. Yes we made a few moves in the transfer market but it was all dictated by us. Like it or not the sale of Stead and Hulse were Blackies decision. This summer has been different as we haven't been strong enough when bids have been received. Its been over a week since the bid from Everton was accepted for Naughton and we were also led to believe that there had been negotiations ongoing before this.

Preparations have been disrupted. I also don't believe that all the time travelling to Malta-Sheffield-Hungary-Sheffield will have been greatly beneficial as travelling loses at least a day of rest or training.

Unless things click into place quickly I can see us starting slowly. I agree that the division won't be much stronger (if at all) but I think we will be weaker through lack of preparation.

I'll be happy with anything above 6th this year, but i'm thinking it'll be more like 8th

 

[Ballinpigpubs13]

I thought we had a much better and settled side last summer. Yes we made a few moves in the transfer market but it was all dictated by us. Like it or not the sale of Stead and Hulse were Blackies decision. This summer has been different as we haven't been strong enough when bids have been received. Its been over a week since the bid from Everton was accepted for Naughton and we were also led to believe that there had been negotiations ongoing before this.

Preparations have been disrupted. I also don't believe that all the time travelling to Malta-Sheffield-Hungary-Sheffield will have been greatly beneficial as travelling loses at least a day of rest or training.

Unless things click into place quickly I can see us starting slowly. I agree that the division won't be much stronger (if at all) but I think we will be weaker through lack of preparation.

I'll be happy with anything above 6th this year, but i'm thinking it'll be more like 8th

8th may be pushing it at this rate....

 

[oldblade]

The way things are going at the moment I would take 8th if offered.

We are conceding goals at an alarming rate. In our last six matches we have conceded 3 against Coventry, Ipswich and Scunthorpe, two against Wednesday and Swansea and one against Doncaster. None of those sides are particularly good and currently not one of them is in the top half of the table.

We have taken 5 points from those games. That is far below midtable form.

 

[grafikhaus]

Beware Forest and...Blackpool!

 

[oldblade]

It's easy to over react to bad results, but we have been concedeing a lot of goals to very mediocre sides., and of late we've only played well against Doncaster, and in parts against Wednesday.

Hope I'm wrong, but I wouldn't be at all surprised to see another defeat against Blackpool with 2 or 3 more goals conceded.

 

[SwissBlade]

Were 11th, but we're 3 points off 3rd!

And considering we've been so terrible this season and if the people that claim its such a disaster are right, then I think it shows that so far the league is Tighter than a ducks....

 

[oldblade]

And we're also only 3 points ahead of Barnsley in 19th.

 

[beightonblade]

If only .........................

 

[Ballinpigpubs13]

The writing has been on the wall for ages. Gutted to say my prediction about mid-table was right. That's unless we go unbeaten till the end of the season? :thumbdown:

 

[BornOnShorehamStreet]

The writing as been on the wall for ages. Gutted to say my prediction about mid-table was right. That's unless we go unbeaten till the end of the season? :thumbdown:

Don't you just hate "I told you so"s