Which group

[Grizzly blade]

Sunderland to struggle for me. As will Hull.

I think we will be in the top 10, start quite well but drop away.

 

[IMABLADE]

I think the league will split into 3 groups next season and wondered which group you think we will finish in, I have based the groups on where the teams finished last season and the potential and money the club has at it's disposal.
GROUP1- with a chance of the top 6
Sunderland
Middlesborough
Hull
Wednesday
Fulham
Hudders/ Reading
Leeds
Aston Villa
Norwich
Derby
GROUP2- Mid table
Wolves
Cardiff
Brentford
Birmingham
Preston
QPR
Ipswich
Forest
Barnsley
GROUP3
Burton
Bolton
Millwall/Bradford
IMHO I think we will finish in group 2 but I'm dreaming we could make group 1.

If we got top6 in that season, that would be amazing. Hopefully we can make Bramall lane a fortress. So proud of the club already top 6 would make me... Just wow if we did that

 

[Cerberus Blade]

I think we can finish top 6. We've got some very good footballers in this team and we'll add more. And Wilder plays to win.

I wouldn't assume Wednesday will have another good season. There'll be some turbulence there this summer and i think some of their better players will move on and if Pardew comes in they'll be unrest.

Villa will probably be favourites. Norwich and Derby should be strong. Forest will probably have a revival under a new manager (Clough) and I don't see why Sunderland and Boro will be up there necessarily. I know they've got the parachute payments but it takes more than that and they'll be having a relegation hangover. Same with Hull.

 

[cjx blade]

I'm looking at it from what the rest of the Championship will think, no other club will be shitting themselves after seeing who we have signed, the fact we have done some early business makes no difference.

Hope the rest of the championship do look at it that way. Underestimate us at their peril.

 

[SUFC Guy]

Consolidate this coming season
Obliterate the season after

 

[Jermyn]

There obviously will be Yes Blade but who out of group 2 would you put in there.?

I'd put Ipswich and Qpr in there

 

[Boxer Blade]

Like everybody else I am already looking forward to next season, but when looking at the list of clubs coming to the lane something I am really looking forward to is a return to the atmosphere of old, it is nailed on to be absolutely fucking brilliant, we had our moments last season but it will pale into insignificance compared to next season, great thought, ain't it.

 

[Edinblade]

History tells us Chris Wilder is only interested in being top. Don't believe for a second that's not his intention next season. Obviously he won't come out and say it, but he doesn't do 2nd place (or worse).

 

[bigbirdblade]

I honestly don't think villa will do much next season. Think they have a bad case of championship blues and can't see it, pretty much like QPR have done. Think Bolton will do better than some are suggesting too. Sunderland to struggle and possibly a mediocre season from Hull. Derby, Norwich, Cardiff maybe, possibly Middlesbrough to be top end. Certainly don't think we've anyone to fear. We're all equal on paper now at least.

 

[elgoog44]

Signal of intent? Really?

4 players from League One/Two for peanuts isn't a sign of intent by Championship standards!

I'm looking at it from what the rest of the Championship will think, no other club will be shitting themselves after seeing who we have signed, the fact we have done some early business makes no difference.

And for once Sheffield United wont be shitting it about any teams we play either, the ethos as changed, I would garrentee we will continue to sign players "Better Ones" from League one and two and build a Team like last year and as Wilder as said, no one part is bigger than the team, and we only have to look across the city to see what happens when you have players that are.

 

[Sheffsteel]

Next season will be the most interesting season and eagerly awaited in many many years.

Wilder is an expert in the lower leagues so he's adopted a policy of buying lower division stars with the POTENTIAL to perform at a much higher level.

Normally this policy wouldn't be wise because there's hardly any tried and tested Championship performers.
However the Wilder factor usually results in getting the best out of players helping players fulfil their potential. So anything can happen, we could be a great side again next season.

Teams from other clubs might laugh BUT it wouldn't surprise me at all if we finished in the playoffs.
BUT also it wouldnt surprise me if we finish just below mid table.

Personally I expect a similar season to what Barnsley did, spend most of the season just outside the playoffs and just fade away at the end finishing in the top half, about 10th.

 

[Sheffsteel]

Double post.

 

[Scooter_mcgavin]

Signal of intent? Really?

4 players from League One/Two for peanuts isn't a sign of intent by Championship standards!

Aston Villa threw the cheque book around, serious signs of intent.

Didn't do them any good mind.

 

[elgoog44]

if you look at this using this years table as reference, how would be the points cut off for each group for "Next Year" be ascertained?
If you look at this years table it did not have many large points rifts for each group, the first gap you have is second to third Gap of 8 points, the next one is 6th to 7th which is only 5 points, then you have to go 13th to 14th but a gap of only 4 points, then 22nd to 23rd 9 points the biggest Gap, so how would the proposed teams be split, by 6 points, 4 point gaps or larger gaps, looking at last year it might not be large groups but 1 or 2 breaking away and an almighty scrap from 3rd to around 13th then 14th down would all be fighting to not be in and around the bottom three.

Also any one know why google as removed Bristol City's results?

 

[Scooter_mcgavin]

It's staggering when you see that Huddesfield lost 1 in 3 games, finished on a negative goal difference and have a 50/50 chance of promotion.

The pigs and reading's records weren't that much better.

 

[elgoog44]

It's staggering when you see that Huddesfield lost 1 in 3 games, finished on a negative goal difference and have a 50/50 chance of promotion.

The pigs and reading's records weren't that much better.

Only the top two ran away from the rest, the others are tightly packed together, until the bottom two who basically look like they were the whipping boys of the league. even then the points difference between Rotherham and Wigan is massive compared to the rest of the table.

 

[ShockingBadBuy]

i must say has their ever been a stronger looking championship line up???

bloody hell that's a strong group of clubs!

I heard it, on very good authority, that this year's Champ was the strongest it has ever been--tougher than the Prem, harder than La Liga, miles better than the Bosch, and infinitely more difficult than in Italy. Fact ! Oh, and we will struggle like hell next year because we don't know what's about to hit us*
* Source: PorkNews.

The aim should be..............

View attachment 27097

I would expect nothing less that our management team puts this as the end of season target. If they don't, what it the point?

UTB

I really hope not. Jaw-dropping stadium, but a shit football ground. 80 quid a pint. Really long way back after we lose.

 

[JohnDenver]

Aston Villa threw the cheque book around, serious signs of intent.

Didn't do them any good mind.

Kodja is a real player, but a lot of the others were disastrous. Ross McCormack - 12m and binned off instantly. Yikes.

 

[McGrath]

I don't think any team will run away with promotion next season, but it'll probably be a tougher division. Lots of teams chucking cash around.

Let's hope some of these new foreign owners don't have a clue and keep firing their perfectly good manager ala Birmingham

 

[sufcboy95]

Reckon Barnsley will go down this season. Along with burton and either Bolton or millwall

 

[ChipButtyBlade]

98 pts in group one.I am confident.

 

[Pinchy]

I came on just to write some bravado about being in group 1, but bloody hell that's a strong group of clubs!

Perhaps in name only?

 

[Pinchy]

There are some big clubs in there but apart from Sunderland (if doing well) and Villa none will be much ahead of us in terms of attendance if at all.
Obviously parachute payments and rich owners prepared to throw money at it will be an advantage but on the flip side so many of those teams at the top with the exception of Villa could have major instability in terms of players leaving to trim the wage bill and managers being sacked.
Sunderland have a manager who seems to have been cursed and will lose Defoe and more and have huge debts, Middlesborough despite a good Chairman will lose players and need a new manager, Hull could be a basket case and are as likely to go down as get promoted with the Allams in charge, Wednesday will no doubt be looking for a new manager and could be hamstrung by financial fair play in re-shaping their squad. So you are potentially down to Fulham already until there is a side with a solid base on which to build upon from last season.
It may not turn out like this for all those clubs but it surely gives us a chance if we hit the ground running?

I don't think we need to be afraid, look at Barnsley this season and I'm confident we will have a better squad and the ability to refuse offers in January.

All in all a lot to look forward to and the best feeling I've had as a Blade, we usually talk about players when we have good side but I think (as we all do) the best 'asset' is the manager, great things ahead for Tufty - hopefully with us. TBH I might look at the odds on him managing England and lump-on, his record so far is second to none.


UTB from an empty hotel bar in Shantou China P.S save me some real ale as Tsing Tao isn't hitting the spot

Well said. The cap-doffers will be outraged.

 

[Pinchy]

Like everybody else I am already looking forward to next season, but when looking at the list of clubs coming to the lane something I am really looking forward to is a return to the atmosphere of old, it is nailed on to be absolutely fucking brilliant, we had our moments last season but it will pale into insignificance compared to next season, great thought, ain't it.

We're massive.

 

[Top Cat]

We're massive.

You don't half spout more crap than anyone "Seen it all an done it all"

Leicester "hoofed" the ball to Vardy last season. Result, Leicester were the champions. Although it could be said that they played a long ball into a channel for Vardy to run on to and use his pace.

Did you see the "hoof" that Dier played for Kane to run onto and score yesterday? It was awful.

You know nothing pal. Tuffttyballloveydovey is the way

Sorry, I called you pal. I meant pompous jeb-end

 

[RammyBlade]

Fulham look the outstanding team for next year if this season is a guide - they lost as many as Newcastle and scored as many as them. They drew a lot of games so if they manage to shore up defensively and turn a few of their draws into wins they could be going up. They are a fast athletic side which is made for the Championship but I guess they might lose a player or 2 .
I really believe we can make a minimim of group 2 but if our new signings fire like Ched and the ones we know are good enough like Fleck, Basham, Coutts and possibly Duffy/Carruthers then we really could get into group 1 and be a play off contender.
I will of course dream that we finish in the top 2 and the pigs finish 6th but lose in the play offs again!!

 

[John Street West Terrace]

It's a strong division with a lot of big budgets in there , but we'll shock a few next season purely on the grounds that on paper we don't have a team of Bertie big bollocks on the team sheet . Using the Dingles as a measure who finished mid table who went up with a team that couldn't wipe the arse of ours this season I think we'll be ok , the rational side of me thinks mid table but then again look at Udders this season or how many of us saw doing back to backs last time we came out of the the 3rd ?

 

[metalblade]

The Dingles were only a few points behind the pigs right up to January when they sold there best players after that they were pretty shit. No reason if we do similar that we couldn't be pushing for a top six finish as I think we will keep our best players again next season, that really is the key to success. I can see the dingles struggling next season if you keep selling it ends in tears as we know only too well. I think it is a league of two groups 10 decent teams but the rest is fairly average. There might be one or two surprise teams, I think we could be one of them.