Early Season - how do we think it will go ? (1 Viewer)

Sky Blue Harry H · Aug 24, 2020

Have been having a think about this (as will we all!)

I presume we will play our strongest side v MK Dons (niggles aside) as preparation for the Bristol City game and would expect us to beat MK
Assuming we get through, I would then play weakened/second string players for the following rounds of this cup, as they are being crammed into September, and don't want to risk further injuries to our main players with games coming thick and fast.

I expect Bristol City to have a really strong season, so won't be surprised if we get beaten by several goals in the first game (particularly if we try to play our expansive way with a few key players out). Just hope we don't round on the team ('MR has never proved it at this level, etc!) on here if that does happen.

Tricky start to the season, and just hope we don't rush back players before they are ready (Rose/Dabo).

Really want some back up for Kelly, who is bound to pick up niggles - come on Sheaf, sign that bloody contract!

Evo1883 · Aug 24, 2020

Steady start lower mid table after 10 matches(15th /16th)

Sky Blue Harry H · Aug 24, 2020

Cover for Kelly, a fit Dabo and a Godden back up and I think we'll be fine - although I'm still wary of the effects of our time off versus the existing Championship clubs. Could hinder or help us - haven't got a scooby!

Terry_dactyl · Aug 24, 2020

The fixture list terrified me. Given the thoughts about Bristol City it’s possibly a good thing we’re playing them early...who knows!
If we can survive in the championship this year I’ll be delighted!

Gosb · Aug 24, 2020

My main hopes are that no-one says 'could of' and everyone learns how to spell our players' names. I know this is an ambitious target but I am inspired by 2 promotions in 3 seasons.

Sky Blue Harry H · Aug 24, 2020

Terry_dactyl said:
The fixture list terrified me. Given the thoughts about Bristol City it’s possibly a good thing we’re playing them early...who knows!
If we can survive in the championship this year I’ll be delighted!

Terrified me, too. Then i stop and think...Sheff Wed -12, Wycombe. That leaves one other team. Not all are world beaters!

Liquid Gold · Aug 24, 2020

I think we'll struggle early on. We've not played in 6 months and everybody else is fresh, we're adjusting to a new level, new players in and plenty of injuries.

I think we'll improve midseason when other teams are tiring of two games a week and we start to hit our stride.

Terry_dactyl · Aug 24, 2020

Sky Blue Harry H said:
Terrified me, too. Then i stop and think...Sheff Wed -12, Wycombe. That leaves one other team. Not all are world beaters!

They’re really not but with our current squad I think we’d get bullied. Someone on here made a point that’s ringing in my ears...at the moment, with the loss of Walsh/McCallum, we’re possibly worse than last year.
I know we’re still pretty good but it’s a big step up.

Sky Blue Harry H · Aug 24, 2020

Terry_dactyl said:
They’re really not but with our current squad I think we’d get bullied. Someone on here made a point that’s ringing in my ears...at the moment, with the loss of Walsh/McCallum, we’re possibly worse than last year.
I know we’re still pretty good but it’s a big step up.

Agree again, but I think Birmingham will be poor and I don't particularly rate Luton. Rotherham are a big physical side, so may survive. Add a couple of players to our squad (which we are bound to and I would hope we would have enough). What I'd hate to see is player's confidence go, although it won't be away crowds intimidating us, or fans getting on players backs. A mixture of excited and nervous!

gazza · Aug 24, 2020

Sky Blue Harry H said:
Terrified me, too. Then i stop and think...Sheff Wed -12, Wycombe. That leaves one other team. Not all are world beaters!

Wasn’t there a couple of other teams that were supposed to be having points deducted?

Sky Blue Harry H · Aug 24, 2020

gazza said:
Wasn’t there a couple of other teams that were supposed to be having points deducted?

Heard Reading fans mention it on their forum. Not sure which other team (s)

rob9872 · Aug 24, 2020

Need to get off to a flyer as October & November looks very tough. Only February is marginally worse imo.

kg82 · Aug 24, 2020

Sky Blue Harry H said:
Heard Reading fans mention it on their forum. Not sure which other team (s)

Talk of Derby, isn’t there?

rob9872 · Aug 24, 2020

Sky Blue Harry H said:
Terrified me, too. Then i stop and think...Sheff Wed -12, Wycombe. That leaves one other team. Not all are world beaters!

12 points from day 1 is not insurmountable. Wigan only just fell short, finding out much later in the season. Wednesday will be down there for sure, but relegation far from a done deal yet.

Sky Blue Harry H · Aug 24, 2020

rob9872 said:
Need to get off to a flyer as October & November looks very tough. Only February is marginally worse imo.

Tough first game, but could do with some points from QPR or Barnsley, with what is to follow!

Sky Blue Harry H · Aug 24, 2020

rob9872 said:
12 points from day 1 is not insurmountable. Wigan only just fell short, finding out much later in the season. Wednesday will be down there for sure, but relegation far from a done deal yet.

Trouble for Wednesday is that they have a tough start too, so the idea that they may be e.g. 8 games in and still on possibly minus points is likely to sink them imo (I worked it all out on my calculator and the back of a fag packet, Rob!) A lot of their fans think they are doomed too, and it makes it a bit harder for them to recruit.

Greggs · Aug 24, 2020

No doubt momentum has been lost from last season, our starting 11 is weaker, but we have a good management team/coaching staff - i'm sure we'll start slowly first few games and find our groove after 5-6. Fingers crossed.

clint van damme · Aug 24, 2020

In two games against Blues we held our own against players who were clearly stronger and faster and dominated the ball for long spells. However, we had to work incredibly hard to do so, I can't see us keeping that level up 3 games a week.

I think we may find we will have to alter our style of play and I wouldn't mind seeing a couple of more experienced players coming in.
Having said all that, next season is a bit of an unknown quantity with the late start, fixture congestion and BCDs games.

In summary, fuck knows what will happen.

wingy · Aug 24, 2020

Sky Blue Harry H said:
Trouble for Wednesday is that they have a tough start too, so the idea that they may be e.g. 8 games in and still on possibly minus points is likely to sink them imo (I worked it all out on my calculator and the back of a fag packet, Rob!) A lot of their fans think they are doomed too, and it makes it a bit harder for them to recruit.

They are appealing this.
What I don't quite get is the penalty and appeal seem to be between different bodies?

Edit:- when the decision was made to apply the penalty this season it was said to be that November was too late to give them time to recover ( not sure that should have been a consideration in a punishment).
So the subsequent appeal may recreate that position

Not necessarily a benefit to them either psychology or it's likely failure.

steve cooper · Aug 24, 2020

Not doing too badly at the moment, currently 8th.

Championship Table and Standings - Football - BBC Sport

Find out which football teams are leading the pack or at the foot of the table in the Championship on BBC Sport

www.bbc.co.uk

Sky Blue Harry H · Aug 24, 2020

wingy said:
They are appealing this.
What I don't quite get is the penalty and appeal seem to be between different bodies?

I saw that they were appealing this, but iirc their fans said the club 'deserved' the penalty.

Liquid Gold · Aug 24, 2020

steve cooper said:
Not doing too badly at the moment, currently 8th.

Championship Table and Standings - Football - BBC Sport

Find out which football teams are leading the pack or at the foot of the table in the Championship on BBC Sport

www.bbc.co.uk

That table really wound up my OCD. Why have Bournemouth got the AFC in their name but nobody else is FC. Also if they have the AFC move them to A don't leave them at B.

Fucking joke.

Evo1883 · Aug 24, 2020

The bookies have 10 clubs for relegation before us in terms of best odds available... I find that quite strange

Earlsdon_Skyblue1 · Aug 24, 2020

We're going to struggle I think.

We haven't really strengthened that much from last season and our biggest problem (scoring goals) is still going to remain.

Teams that don't strengthen on promotion usually struggle, and I stand by that. I hope I am wrong, and I really want us to do well, but I have a horrible feeling unless we sign a couple more decent players, we are going to be in trouble.

shmmeee · Aug 24, 2020

steve cooper said:
Not doing too badly at the moment, currently 8th.

Championship Table and Standings - Football - BBC Sport

Find out which football teams are leading the pack or at the foot of the table in the Championship on BBC Sport

www.bbc.co.uk

Robins finally achieves Micky Adams status

Evo1883 · Aug 24, 2020

luton, Rotherham, Sheffield Wednesday and Wycombe favourites for relegation below this

Evo1883 · Aug 24, 2020

SKYBET relegation, reality is we don't know what's going on at all these clubs to make people place money on their relegation, we see a name and size of club and assume they will be good next season

Legia Sky Blue · Aug 24, 2020

Greggs said:
No doubt momentum has been lost from last season, our starting 11 is weaker, but we have a good management team/coaching staff - i'm sure we'll start slowly first few games and find our groove after 5-6. Fingers crossed.

Our starting XI will not be weaker than the XI that started last season. Of course last season, we brought in Walsh, O'Hare & Godden afterwards. If we can make 3 similar signings before this seasons transfer window closes then we will be fine.

robbiethemole · Aug 24, 2020

after 10 games if we're mid-table that will be a good start, I reckon we can get a few wins at the start as we've had a head-start in preseason on other sides. Some of them have only had a couple of friendlies so far.

CovLis86 · Aug 24, 2020

Closer it gets, the more nervous I am and typically pessimistic. But who knows. I think Bristol will be up there by end of the season, so hope is that playing them early with their change of manager mean they won't be at their best and we can maybe get away with a point if lucky.

Skyblueweeman · Aug 24, 2020

Liquid Gold said:
That table really wound up my OCD. Why have Bournemouth got the AFC in their name but nobody else is FC. Also if they have the AFC move them to A don't leave Tham at B.

Fucking joke.

And do you know what, there's actually more teams with AFC than you might think as well. Not at the start of their names like Bournemouth but Rochdale AFC etc.

You're right though...that table is shocking for OCD...get them to the top!

Skyblueweeman · Aug 24, 2020

15 points after 5 games, top of the table by 2 points.

Bosh.

SAJ · Aug 24, 2020

Earlsdon_Skyblue1 said:
We're going to struggle I think.

We haven't really strengthened that much from last season and our biggest problem (scoring goals) is still going to remain.

Teams that don't strengthen on promotion usually struggle, and I stand by that. I hope I am wrong, and I really want us to do well, but I have a horrible feeling unless we sign a couple more decent players, we are going to be in trouble.

That didn’t happen to either Southampton or Bournemouth when they went through the leagues. They effectively kept the same players as they were all young and added a little experience. Could be what we do I hope.

SlowerThanPlatt · Aug 24, 2020

SAJ said:
That didn’t happen to either Southampton or Bournemouth when they went through the leagues. They effectively kept the same players as they were all young and added a little experience. Could be what we do I hope.

Bournemouth had a £30m wage bill - they also took Callum Wilson from us, would be like us having the budget to sign Ivan Toney now

SBT · Aug 24, 2020

Our first starting XI is going to be exactly the same as last year, except our best player has been replaced by someone we've never seen play before, and three of our starting back 5 won't be playing either. None of our signings improve on what we had last year. I think we'll figure it out this season, but it's going to be a rougher start than most people think.

Early Season - how do we think it will go ? (1 Viewer)

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