Will we ever (2 Viewers)

[fatso]

I think if anything we over achieved this season under Lampard, and Frank will now know where we need to strengthen.

Obviously a new keeper will be needed, as Collins is done and Wilson is a no2 at best.

But for me it's our forward line that's been the most disappointing aspect of this season, particularly Simms who is one of the highest paid in the squad, but has been totally inadequate throughout the campaign, and the fact that he didn't get a look in in either play off games tells me that Frank has seen enough of him, BTA is another that needs off loading as hes simply not good enough, and although Wright is far better than those two, he's way too inconsistent to rely on.

A couple of decent strikers would transform us, and hopefully give us a chance of finally competing for automatic promotion.

 

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[HuckerbyDublinWhelan]

No. We bottle it when it matters. Loser mentality.

Yep. One thing I’ve noticed is that whilst we’ve signed talented players, they tend to be mentally weak in the biggest moments.

I’m hoping Lampard takes this over and gets them over the line. It’s the same when they have scrap and fight, we just don’t seem to have the heart.

proud of the players tonight. Did everything they could but lost that split second of concentration again

 

[Shannerz]

No. We bottle it when it matters. Loser mentality.

That's an idiotic statement.

 

[clint van damme]

Yep. One thing I’ve noticed is that whilst we’ve signed talented players, they tend to be mentally weak in the biggest moments.

I’m hoping Lampard takes this over and gets them over the line. It’s the same when they have scrap and fight, we just don’t seem to have the heart.

proud of the players tonight. Did everything they could but lost that split second of concentration again

I don't think last nights result was down to mentality. We showed mental strength to take the game to extra time.

Lack of concentration and dubious goal keeping from 2 players who I don't think anyone would accuse of being mentally weak.

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

I don't think last nights result was down to mentality. We showed mental strength to take the game to extra time.

Lack of concentration and dubious goal keeping from 2 players who I don't think anyone would accuse of being mentally weak.

I think with our first choice keeper 2 of the 3 goals don’t happen, possibly all of them.

 

[TomRad85]

I think with our first choice keeper 2 of the 3 goals don’t happen, possibly all of them.

Sunderland lose but Tyrese Campbell breaks his legs is probably the best case scenario now.
Honestly I don't see any way Sunderland beat Sheffield United, I thought they were absolutely dire.

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

Sunderland lose but Tyrese Campbell breaks his legs is probably the best case scenario now.
Honestly I don't see any way Sunderland beat Sheffield United, I thought they were absolutely dire.

Sadly it’s a one off game where anything can happen. It wouldn’t surprise me if like Man Utd they suddenly capitalise on a Wembley appearance they don’t deserve.

Activate the cheat code please Wilder

 

[clint van damme]

Sunderland lose but Tyrese Campbell breaks his legs is probably the best case scenario now.
Honestly I don't see any way Sunderland beat Sheffield United, I thought they were absolutely dire.

I can. If they play like they did against us in the first leg.
Sheff have struggled against worse teams than Sunderland who've sat in against them.

 

[Travs]

I think a lot of fans (of all clubs) unconsciously think that getting to the playoffs equals promotion.

Regardless of whether we sneak in in 6th place, or spend half the season guaranteed playoffs (like Sunderland), its still a bit of a lottery.

We've largely dominated both games, and lost to an injury time extra time winner. Its small margins. The error in the first leg clearly was a major factor, but last night's game would have likely been quite different had the first game been a draw.

 

[TomRad85]

I can. If they play like they did against us in the first leg.
Sheff have struggled against worse teams than Sunderland who've sat in against them.

They'd be very lucky to pull it off again. I've actually been surprised how poor they are, we're a better team than Sunderland. Begrudgingly I can't say that about Sheffield United.
We got to a lot of second balls on the edge of their box, as we know, Hamer would punish that a lot better than we unfortunately managed.

 

[clint van damme]

They'd be very lucky to pull it off again. I've actually been surprised how poor they are, we're a better team than Sunderland. Begrudgingly I can't say that about Sheffield United.
We got to a lot of second balls on the edge of their box, as we know, Hamer would punish that a lot better than we unfortunately managed.

If I was given a free bet I'd stick it on Sheff U but they lost their next 3 games after beating us to some poor sides, I'd imagine Le Bris will have been studying those games.

 

[StrettoBoy]

It won’t be easy but then worthwhile things rarely are.

I think it will be tough next year. We will have to contend with the relegated Premiership clubs, Sunderland/Sheffield United, the likes of Middlesbrough, Blackburn and Bristol plus of course Birmingham and possibly Wrexham.

We probably need a good summer of transfers even to be in the mix for the playoffs. I can see us finishing anywhere between fourth and tenth.

In Frank we trust

 

[Earlsdon-Loyal-Blue]

That's an idiotic statement.

Not really, we have bottled the play offs twice now. That was an easily avoidable set piece to avoid conceding from and again, concentration completely went and we concede from a shocking header.

We aren’t ever going to get up through the play offs. We need to get rid of dogshit like Simms and one good game in four - Wright, spend some proper money and go for automatic next season.

 

[Shannerz]

Not really

Yes, really.

If you think coming out on the wrong side of the most fine margins is 'bottling it', then I can't help you.

 

[covcity4life]

It's been a great 8 years

We are missing that final piece to make the rise complete but we are close

There are now fans of different clubs watching on and being jealous of us. Imagine that

 

[Travs]

Not really, we have bottled the play offs twice now. That was an easily avoidable set piece to avoid conceding from and again, concentration completely went and we concede from a shocking header.

We aren’t ever going to get up through the play offs. We need to get rid of dogshit like Simms and one good game in four - Wright, spend some proper money and go for automatic next season.

We didn't bottle anything you fool.

Against Luton we lost on pens against an arguably better side, having came through against Middlesborough going into the 2nd leg as clear underdogs.

This year there was very little to separate us and Sunderland (in fact a 123rd minute goal was all it was)

It amazes me the amount of times words like bottle/spineless/cowards gets used on here, by people who have never done anything themselves.

 

[Ccfcisparks]

We remind me of Brentford before they went up, always close but not quite.

They got their moment, I'm sure we will.

Looking forward to seeing what transfer activity there is.

 

[chiefdave]

Can see where Saddles is coming from. When people were talking about having no chance against Sheff Utd in the final it made me wonder how many trips to Wembley that end in disappointment can we make before the novelty wears off and it starts being a struggle to sell tickets.

My concern is our plan does not seem to be to build on our successes. I've heard nothing to suggest we will get the level of investment needed to make a genuine challenge for autos or to go into play offs as the favourite.

Kings business plan seems to rely on being in or around the play offs every season. That's a tough ask year after year and even if we do achieve it getting there and not going up every time is going to be tough to take.

My concern would be that if people get fed up of that and season ticket sales start to tail off in a few years how do you avoid ever decreasing circles - cutting the budget because you've sold less season tickets leading to a worse performance leading to lower sales and so on.

But hopefully its all a moot point and we have a active summer bringing in players and are champions by Easter!

 

[alexccfc99]

Yes we will, and it will be worth every minute and penny you’ve ever spent on it

 

[Ccfcisparks]

Another thing. Whilst these are dissapointing results. The more we play in these high profile games watched by millions, and if we keep Lampard, the more the wider footballing world will be aware of us.

It wouldn't surprise me to see rich ownership becoming more interested in us as the seasons progress.

 

[Ashdown]

Almost all the sides in the Championship have to face financial reality. Without a sugar Daddy , books have to be balanced. I fully expect us to cash in on at least one of our best players. I just hope its not MVE, Rudi or Grimes and some mugs are convinced to drop us £12 million for Wright.

 

[Skyblue Bangkok]

Almost all the sides in the Championship have to face financial reality. Without a sugar Daddy , books have to be balanced. I fully expect us to cash in on at least one of our best players. I just hope its not MVE, Rudi or Grimes and some mugs are convinced to drop us £12 million for Wright.

Grimes not sure we'd get more than we paid for him, he's 30 years of age now.

 

[skybluecam]

We need to take the next step.

All the games you mention we have largely been underdogs in (can argue about the Sunderland one, but even if we’d won we would have then been up against SU).

Both playoff runs we have squeaked in off the back of good late season form, it’s time for us to put a truly solid season together, finish top 4, and really be the favourites in the playoffs.

 

[Flying Fokker]

Get our moment in the sun?


The play off final
The United Semi
Tonight


Seems the footballing gods don't want to see it, and its getting ever harder every year with parachute sides

Mardy bugger. 34 years in the top league. Many weeks in the bottom half and struggling to put results together. The same happens to clubs in the Championship, year upon year of mediocrity.

At the moment we have a team that takes us to the play-offs or is able to progress in the cups. I’ll take the Prem when it comes but ATM it’s pretty gripping being on the journey.

We need a rock solid start next season. Who knows, we may get in the play-offs again.

 

[Earlsdon-Loyal-Blue]

Yes, really.

If you think coming out on the wrong side of the most fine margins is 'bottling it', then I can't help you.

We didn’t have enough cut through in the final third and couldn’t see out an extra two minutes (caused by the Eccles injury) defending a corner, despite the header being made with horrendous technique.

Putting down losing continually in the big occasions, as ‘fine margins’ is an apologist losing mentality. The fine margins, concentration and bravery are what gets you over the line when neck and neck.

 

[Shannerz]

Putting down losing continually in the big occasions, as ‘fine margins’

Literally fine margins in the case of the cup semi.

Teams with 'loser mentalities' don't get to play in these kind of games.

Calling it that is idiotic hyperbole. The verbal equivalent of a toddler having a tantrum because it hasn't got exactly what it wants.

 

[Shannerz]

My concern is our plan does not seem to be to build on our successes. I've heard nothing to suggest we will get the level of investment needed to make a genuine challenge for autos or to go into play offs as the favourite.

Well, that's the issue for clubs like us, or Middlesbrough, or Sunderland and the like. None of us can compete financially with the parachute payment teams, so it's always going to be a battle for the playoffs, then hope that you get that little bit of luck you need to get through them.

 

[HuckerbyDublinWhelan]

Well, that's the issue for clubs like us, or Middlesbrough, or Sunderland and the like. None of us can compete financially with the parachute payment teams, so it's always going to be a battle for the playoffs, then hope that you get that little bit of luck you need to get through them.

This is why we need Sheff Utd to go up. At least with the 3 coming down, it’ll only be them with the parachute payments

 

[mmttww]

we have bottled the play offs twice.

Not every loss of a knock out game in a low scoring sport is because a team 'bottled it' FFS!

 

[Ashdown]

We didn’t bottle anything, both games we dominated but apart from the glaring MVE error aside our failing was the awful performance from our so called forwards.
Our manager inherited these guys and will know by now that to improve on this season we have to have more threat up front. FL blatantly doesn’t really rate Simms or BTA and his patience will be running thin with Haji.
Its the same for everyone I guess but we have had a pretty nightmarish season for injuries.

 

[skybluecam]

Not every loss of a knock out game in a low scoring sport is because a team 'bottled it' FFS!

Last night was the opposite of a bottle, we started very nervously but turned it around mentally and were dominant by the end of the 90. That took character, it would’ve been easy to let heads drop and decide it wasn’t our day.

Never get why people are so reactionary.