Top 4

[loyalblade95]

Just looking at the current top 4, as that is surely the target for this season.

1st: Middlesbrough - 13 pts, +6 GD
2nd: Stoke - 12 pts, +6 GD
3rd: Bristol City - 11 pts, +8 GD
4th: Leicester - 10 pts, +3 GD

Is that going to be the top 4 come the end of the season?

Even so, 13 points behind Middlesbrough with 41 games left is more than doable, providing we get the right manager in.

Whoever it is, they should be saying to those players.

"Right lads, first we're going to get you playing as a team, then we're going to go and catch that top 4, 1 team at a time"

Maybe it is a bit premature to make a statement like this when we haven't got a manager yet, but it's not over yet.

 

[AnstonBlade1]

Just looking at the current top 4, as that is surely the target for this season.

1st: Middlesbrough - 13 pts, +6 GD
2nd: Stoke - 12 pts, +6 GD
3rd: Bristol City - 11 pts, +8 GD
4th: Leicester - 10 pts, +3 GD

Is that going to be the top 4 come the end of the season?

Even so, 13 points behind Middlesbrough with 41 games left is more than doable, providing we get the right manager in.

Whoever it is, they should be saying to those players.

"Right lads, first we're going to get you playing as a team, then we're going to go and catch that top 4, 1 team at a time"

Maybe it is a bit premature to make a statement like this when we haven't got a manager yet, but it's not over yet.

Mid table will be a good finish this season
We’ve got a very average mid table squad.

 

[loyalblade95]

Mid table will be a good finish this season
We’ve got a very average mid table squad.

Fair enough, personally I think with the right manager and the right style of play, this squad is at the very least a playoff contender.

Souza aside (who is a very big miss), we've probably got a better squad than we had last season (especially 2nd half of the season), most of them need their confidence back and others need to up their game.

While Soumare and Matos probably won't be as good as Souza, but who knows what they'll be like this season.

Everywhere else, I'd say the summer signings are an upgrade on the players we lost.

 

[Berkshire Blade]

Be a very good turn around to get us into the play offs imo. Confidence is rock bottom and character of the squad clearly isn't where it should be

 

[Rodley]

Just looking at the current top 4, as that is surely the target for this season.

1st: Middlesbrough - 13 pts, +6 GD
2nd: Stoke - 12 pts, +6 GD
3rd: Bristol City - 11 pts, +8 GD
4th: Leicester - 10 pts, +3 GD

Is that going to be the top 4 come the end of the season?

Even so, 13 points behind Middlesbrough with 41 games left is more than doable, providing we get the right manager in.

Whoever it is, they should be saying to those players.

"Right lads, first we're going to get you playing as a team, then we're going to go and catch that top 4, 1 team at a time"

Maybe it is a bit premature to make a statement like this when we haven't got a manager yet, but it's not over yet.

-13 points is it? Well now let’s get into them and see where we get. Backs against the wall and we come out fighting, twas ever thus. UTB

 

[AnstonBlade1]

Fair enough, personally I think with the right manager and the right style of play, this squad is at the very least a playoff contender.

Souza aside (who is a very big miss), we've probably got a better squad than we had last season (especially 2nd half of the season), most of them need their confidence back and others need to up their game.

While Soumare and Matos probably won't be as good as Souza, but who knows what they'll be like this season.

Everywhere else, I'd say the summer signings are an upgrade on the players we lost.

Chong, Barry, McGuiness are league 1 level, Godfrey and Brooks look awful.
We’ve only got Campbell and no goals Cannon up front.

 

[71Blade]

Chong, Barry, McGuiness are league 1 level, Godfrey and Brooks look awful.
We’ve only got Campbell and no goals Cannon up front.

We have had 2 shots on target in 3 away games address this and the goals will come

 

[Sky Blues]

-13 points is it? Well now let’s get into them and see where we get. Backs against the wall and we come out fighting, twas ever thus. UTB

Toothless up front and a defence that doesn't know how to defend won't be easy for anyone to turn around easily. Add to this 2 points a game is the target over the season so already 10 points behind target.

We're also a long way from the January transfer window. Is there going to be money available to try and bring in the players for a crack at the playoffs?

 

[MKY]

Come out swinging from day one & we may have an outside chance of the playoffs. Head says mid table at best though.

 

[Rodley]

Toothless up front and a defence that doesn't know how to defend won't be easy for anyone to turn around easily. Add to this 2 points a game is the target over the season so already 10 points behind target.

We're also a long way from the January transfer window. Is there going to be money available to try and bring in the players for a crack at the playoffs?

Think we’ll be fine. Got bags of quality.

 

[Sky Blues]

Think we’ll be fine. Got bags of quality.

I agree. But not all over the pitch. One of if not the best midfields in the Championship for sure. But elsewhere very average at best.

 

[Danetheblade]

I agree. But not all over the pitch. One of if not the best midfields in the Championship for sure. But elsewhere very average at best.

It’s fine mate. We’ve got Chris Wilder back..

 

[Rodley]

I agree. But not all over the pitch. One of if not the best midfields in the Championship for sure. But elsewhere very average at best.

I think Cooper is probably one of the best keepers in the division.

Tanganga is in the top 2-3 centre halves. McGuinness we’ll see but Ben Mee should assist. Burrows is a top young LB.

Ogbene is a good addition as is Matos. And I rate Campbell on form as a very good striker at this level.

 

[BrayfordsBushyBeard]

IMO we have a squad capable of top six . We should be aiming for the play offs even with -9 start . Will it happen? I don’t know but momentum is massive and if we can pull off a victory Saturday……
At least our best player won’t be warming the bench !
As ever UTB !

 

[DeanLearner'sCat]

Let's just try winning a game first, shall we?

 

[1973Blade]

Chong, Barry, McGuiness are league 1 level, Godfrey and Brooks look awful.
We’ve only got Campbell and no goals Cannon up front.

We've Ings as well up front.

 

[Sky Blues]

I think Cooper is probably one of the best keepers in the division.

Tanganga is in the top 2-3 centre halves. McGuinness we’ll see but Ben Mee should assist. Burrows is a top young LB.

Ogbene is a good addition as is Matos. And I rate Campbell on form as a very good striker at this level.

Maybe Cooper just had a bad game yesterday. His positioning was poor and 2 goals straight through his legs. He shouldn't have let the shot in front the tight angle.

Tanganga I agree. He was your best player against Ipswich and was a beast the game before. Only Tanganga and Hamer would get into our side. Your summer transfer window was poor.

 

[Loco Blade]

We need to plug the holes below the water line before HMS piss the league sets sail on another fantastic voyage

 

[MayorOJC]

Consolidation season. It's a strong league this year, lot of smart transfer activity in summer (from most other teams).

 

[Loco Blade]

 

[Loco Blade]

Here we go matey’s all aboard HMS Piss the League

 

[Slug]

Consolidation season. It's a strong league this year, lot of smart transfer activity in summer (from most other teams).

Disagree. I think this is the weakest league for a good few years in terms of teams at the top.

 

[s20Blade]

Think we'll get 5th spot with a few games to go and rest some players. Abit like Sunderland just waiting for the play-offs from March onwards.

 

[Revolution]

Not a chance of top 4. One of the many idiotic things that has been done is to fail to sign anyone who has a good goalscoring record. We won’t score anywhere near enough for a playoff spot.

Well, there’s ings, but he’s likely to be a crock.

 

[Sizablade]

Maybe Cooper just had a bad game yesterday. His positioning was poor and 2 goals straight through his legs. He shouldn't have let the shot in front the tight angle.

Tanganga I agree. He was your best player against Ipswich and was a beast the game before. Only Tanganga and Hamer would get into our side. Your summer transfer window was poor.

Cooper, Hamer, Burrows Tanganga and a fit Campbell get in Cov team and a few 50/50 calls but Frank has certainly got you going this season.

Yet to be seen if our window was poor. If Mee still has it Matos had a promising debut, Ings can still score at this level if he can stay fit. It may be poor but let's judge after 15 games see where we're at.

 

[steve26272]

Got to aim for top 4 - been done before, can be done again -

In the 2021-2022 season, Nottingham Forest finished in 4th place in the EFL Championship with a total of 80 points.


This was a remarkable achievement considering they were at the bottom of the table when Steve Cooper took over as manager in September 2021.

 

[Eddiecolquhounsleg]

I think the optimism on here is admirable, but the facts are that there is only one team that has escaped relegation from the Championship after losing their first five matches since it was rebranded 20 years ago, and that is Sheffield Wednesday a couple of seasons ago. They escaped relegation on the last day of the season.

If anybody thinks we are going to go on a winning streak just because we have sacked Selles needs to think again. At this point I would be happy with mid table obscurity and a double over Wednesday. Beyond that is pure wishful thinking.

 

[Frank the tank]

Toothless up front and a defence that doesn't know how to defend won't be easy for anyone to turn around easily. Add to this 2 points a game is the target over the season so already 10 points behind target.

We're also a long way from the January transfer window. Is there going to be money available to try and bring in the players for a crack at the playoffs?

I don't know the standard looks pretty average this year
I think two points a game is easily achievable

 

[Sky Blues]

Cooper, Hamer, Burrows Tanganga and a fit Campbell get in Cov team and a few 50/50 calls but Frank has certainly got you going this season.

Yet to be seen if our window was poor. If Mee still has it Matos had a promising debut, Ings can still score at this level if he can stay fit. It may be poor but let's judge after 15 games see where we're at.

Cooper looks poor. A fit Campbell wouldn't get in front of Wright. 6 goals so far this season with a goal for every 80 minutes. Burrows wouldn't get into our defence.

Whichever way you put it you've lost quality players and replaced them with players that are hopefully as good. That's not a good window.

 

[Sky Blues]

I don't know the standard looks pretty average this year
I think two points a game is easily achievable

Normally it would be. But you're already 10 points behind, managerless and wondering where the next goal is going to come from. Averaging 2 points a game now is the same as finishing on 102 points for the season with it starting now. That's form needed to go up as Championship winners.