| What’s that now, just 2 defeats in 15 league games? 17:47 - Apr 6 with 2303 views | Illinoisblue |
It’s been an odd season in many ways, but my word we won’t have a better chance to get up from this position. And of course Boro score as I type that ffs. |  |
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| What’s that now, just 2 defeats in 15 league games? on 17:55 - Apr 6 with 2224 views | chicoazul |
It has been odd, sort of, but generally our trend has only been in one direction. People just hugely over react to the odd inevitable defeat. It’s now in our hands and we have the knowledge and experience needed to see us over the line. |  |
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| What’s that now, just 2 defeats in 15 league games? on 18:00 - Apr 6 with 2171 views | BouncebackIpswich |
Think its massive we have 2 games in hand on Millwall and have made up the 3 points as it gives some breathing space to drop points in the tough aways. Boro will probably pick up too so it's massive we got the win today by hook or by crook |  |
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| What’s that now, just 2 defeats in 15 league games? on 18:06 - Apr 6 with 2114 views | davblue |
| What’s that now, just 2 defeats in 15 league games? on 17:55 - Apr 6 by chicoazul |
It has been odd, sort of, but generally our trend has only been in one direction. People just hugely over react to the odd inevitable defeat. It’s now in our hands and we have the knowledge and experience needed to see us over the line. |
It’s been so odd. Not many if any big team moments that I will currently take away from the season. We’ve not ever truly been convincing and don’t look like a team yet imo. Bar a few seasons, it feels like we would be preparing for the play offs and the top 2 would have been gone in most of those seasons.
Still not convinced we will get over the line I have to say, too reliant on moments rather than team
Performances and the amount of games and away games with our form being indifferent feels like it’s a step too far for us to do convincingly. |  | | |
| What’s that now, just 2 defeats in 15 league games? on 18:11 - Apr 6 with 2083 views | Chrisd |
No I tend to agree, however our squad would require a complete overhaul. We’ve struggled this season at times, we are way off what’s required for the Premier League. In fact, I think we look an inferior side to the one that went up a couple of seasons ago. |  |
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| What’s that now, just 2 defeats in 15 league games? on 18:12 - Apr 6 with 2057 views | davblue |
| What’s that now, just 2 defeats in 15 league games? on 18:11 - Apr 6 by Chrisd |
No I tend to agree, however our squad would require a complete overhaul. We’ve struggled this season at times, we are way off what’s required for the Premier League. In fact, I think we look an inferior side to the one that went up a couple of seasons ago. |
Side not individuals imo. | | | |
| What’s that now, just 2 defeats in 15 league games? on 18:19 - Apr 6 with 2026 views | Illinoisblue |
| What’s that now, just 2 defeats in 15 league games? on 18:11 - Apr 6 by Chrisd |
No I tend to agree, however our squad would require a complete overhaul. We’ve struggled this season at times, we are way off what’s required for the Premier League. In fact, I think we look an inferior side to the one that went up a couple of seasons ago. |
Of course we’ll need to strengthen but we appear more pragmatic this season. More solid, less spectacular. Which may help us next season if we go up. | |
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| What’s that now, just 2 defeats in 15 league games? on 18:21 - Apr 6 with 1996 views | Chrisd |
| What’s that now, just 2 defeats in 15 league games? on 18:19 - Apr 6 by Illinoisblue |
Of course we’ll need to strengthen but we appear more pragmatic this season. More solid, less spectacular. Which may help us next season if we go up. |
I can’t see it. I watched us today, like many times this season and we’d get a good hiding up there with that type of underwhelming display. I think we’d need to do a Sunderland and completely change the squad. [Post edited 6 Apr 18:22]
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| What’s that now, just 2 defeats in 15 league games? on 18:40 - Apr 6 with 1794 views | Illinoisblue |
| What’s that now, just 2 defeats in 15 league games? on 18:21 - Apr 6 by Chrisd |
I can’t see it. I watched us today, like many times this season and we’d get a good hiding up there with that type of underwhelming display. I think we’d need to do a Sunderland and completely change the squad. [Post edited 6 Apr 18:22]
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I’ll worry about if/when we get there. For now let’s enjoy the torment and stress of these last few fixtures! | |
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| What’s that now, just 2 defeats in 15 league games? on 20:00 - Apr 6 with 1597 views | positivity |
| What’s that now, just 2 defeats in 15 league games? on 18:19 - Apr 6 by Illinoisblue |
Of course we’ll need to strengthen but we appear more pragmatic this season. More solid, less spectacular. Which may help us next season if we go up. |
4 more points and we'll match sunderland's record for the whole of last season and they're making a good go of it!
we'll obviously have to strengthen, but we'll have the benefit of experience this time | |
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| What’s that now, just 2 defeats in 15 league games? on 21:30 - Apr 6 with 1405 views | Chrisd |
| What’s that now, just 2 defeats in 15 league games? on 20:00 - Apr 6 by positivity |
4 more points and we'll match sunderland's record for the whole of last season and they're making a good go of it!
we'll obviously have to strengthen, but we'll have the benefit of experience this time |
Sunderland kept one player from the team that won the Play Offs last season, that speaks volumes. | |
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| What’s that now, just 2 defeats in 15 league games? on 21:34 - Apr 6 with 1363 views | BanksterDebtSlave |
Watching that today my overriding thought is how the feck are we second this season. |  |
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| What’s that now, just 2 defeats in 15 league games? on 21:36 - Apr 6 with 1358 views | SomethingBlue |
| What’s that now, just 2 defeats in 15 league games? on 17:55 - Apr 6 by chicoazul |
It has been odd, sort of, but generally our trend has only been in one direction. People just hugely over react to the odd inevitable defeat. It’s now in our hands and we have the knowledge and experience needed to see us over the line. |
Yep. Who would anyone rather have guiding us through the next seven games than McKenna? | |
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| What’s that now, just 2 defeats in 15 league games? on 21:41 - Apr 6 with 1318 views | DarkBrandon |
| What’s that now, just 2 defeats in 15 league games? on 18:12 - Apr 6 by davblue |
Side not individuals imo. |
Hmm. Of our players who you might pencil into a PL squad, comparing now with two years ago …
Matusiwa > Morsy
Philogene < Hutchinson
Furlong < Tuanzebe
O’Shea > Woolfenden
Greaves/Kipre > Burgess
Nunez/Mehmeti > Chaplin
I’ve no doubt forgotten a couple
Plus Davis, Burns and Hirst who are present in both squads. Form/injuries not withstanding |  | | |
| What’s that now, just 2 defeats in 15 league games? on 22:29 - Apr 6 with 1173 views | positivity |
| What’s that now, just 2 defeats in 15 league games? on 21:30 - Apr 6 by Chrisd |
Sunderland kept one player from the team that won the Play Offs last season, that speaks volumes. |
yes, like i said, we'll have to strengthen, but if sunderland can do it then no reason why we can't | |
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| What’s that now, just 2 defeats in 15 league games? on 07:15 - Apr 7 with 815 views | peterleeblue |
| What’s that now, just 2 defeats in 15 league games? on 22:29 - Apr 6 by positivity |
yes, like i said, we'll have to strengthen, but if sunderland can do it then no reason why we can't |
That would depend on how much improved our European scouting network is.
Sunderlands is exceptional driven by and large by the ownership.
Sunderland also managed to convince Granit Xhaka to join which became the catalyst for many of their younger signings.
I don't believe any team currently in the championship could stay up with their existing squads. |  | | |
| What’s that now, just 2 defeats in 15 league games? on 07:43 - Apr 7 with 765 views | surreyblue |
| What’s that now, just 2 defeats in 15 league games? on 22:29 - Apr 6 by positivity |
yes, like i said, we'll have to strengthen, but if sunderland can do it then no reason why we can't |
By my reckoning, somewhere between 13 and 15 of our current perm players would make it into a prem squad if we got promoted.
Gk: Palmer/Walton, Button
Def: Furlong, O'shea, Greaves, Davis
Mid: Matusiwa, Nunez
AM: philogene, Clarke, Mehmet, Burns. Potentially also McAteer and Walle Egeli
ST: Hirst
Of those, only O'shea, Davis and Matusiwa would make the starting XI. Potentially one of Philogene and Clarke, if they can demonstrate an ability to cope with the physicality of the league.
So looking at making 10-12 signings, of which 7 or 8 are new first team players. | | | |
| What’s that now, just 2 defeats in 15 league games? on 08:02 - Apr 7 with 677 views | Steve_M |
| What’s that now, just 2 defeats in 15 league games? on 18:19 - Apr 6 by Illinoisblue |
Of course we’ll need to strengthen but we appear more pragmatic this season. More solid, less spectacular. Which may help us next season if we go up. |
We were so good in that run from February 2023 to May 2024 that I think it's easy to overlook that many of those players were playing at their limit. To manage that over an additional season was a stretch too far I think.
So, yeah, I'm not sure ready predictions that we'll definitely be worse than last season if we go up are quite right either. Of course, we'll have to get our recruitment right which might be a problem given some of the noise out of PR over the last month. |  |
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| What’s that now, just 2 defeats in 15 league games? on 08:05 - Apr 7 with 658 views | Herbivore |
| What’s that now, just 2 defeats in 15 league games? on 18:11 - Apr 6 by Chrisd |
No I tend to agree, however our squad would require a complete overhaul. We’ve struggled this season at times, we are way off what’s required for the Premier League. In fact, I think we look an inferior side to the one that went up a couple of seasons ago. |
We've got more talented individual players now than 2 years ago and much greater squad depth. We've upgraded in most positions and have two quality options all over the pitch, which we didn't really have when we went up last time. The team as a collective did better, many of them had been playing together for a couple of years by that point and the patterns, familiarity, and team spirit made us greater than the sum of our parts.
Everyone says we'd need an overhaul if we go up as though that's some sort of massive failing rather than the nature of the beast. Leeds made 11 signings to add to a squad that already had some decent Prem experience in it. Burnley made 15 signings having been in the Prem very recently too. Sunderland signed 18 players. You can't create a Prem ready team in the Championship these days. You can build good foundations, have a few potentially Prem ready players and others who will be good squad options, but no Championship side has been equipped to step up and stay up with minimal turnover of players for donkey's years. It'll be no different for us. |  |
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| What’s that now, just 2 defeats in 15 league games? on 08:09 - Apr 7 with 617 views | OldFart71 |
It truly is in our hands now. Games in hand and a far superior goal difference to Millwall and an 8 goal lead on Boro.
Unless we collapse I cannot see we would lose that 8 goal difference and it would take an almighty collapse to have a worse gd than Millwall.
That just could be the difference in the end.
I think Philogene will start against Norwich and Memeti with Clarke and Nunez on as subs.
I hope Azon is fit and of course Matisuwa.
But if he's not it will be Neal and Taylor that start with maybe Cipre in for Greaves and Davis in for Johnson ?
As for if we did get promoted we would need half a dozen to come in. I'd like us to keep Azon, but not or Cajuste.
Sadly I think it might be Burns last season with us and we still have players like Chaplin ,Szmodics,Ali and Muric on the books. | | | |
| What’s that now, just 2 defeats in 15 league games? on 08:32 - Apr 7 with 513 views | Kieran_Knows |
| What’s that now, just 2 defeats in 15 league games? on 18:21 - Apr 6 by Chrisd |
I can’t see it. I watched us today, like many times this season and we’d get a good hiding up there with that type of underwhelming display. I think we’d need to do a Sunderland and completely change the squad. [Post edited 6 Apr 18:22]
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We’d need at last 8 new ‘starters’ IMO. Only Davis, O’Shea and Philogene good enough for the Prem. |  |
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| What’s that now, just 2 defeats in 15 league games? on 08:34 - Apr 7 with 502 views | surreyblue |
| What’s that now, just 2 defeats in 15 league games? on 08:32 - Apr 7 by Kieran_Knows |
We’d need at last 8 new ‘starters’ IMO. Only Davis, O’Shea and Philogene good enough for the Prem. |
Matusiwa? | | | |
| What’s that now, just 2 defeats in 15 league games? on 08:34 - Apr 7 with 499 views | DarkBrandon |
| What’s that now, just 2 defeats in 15 league games? on 08:32 - Apr 7 by Kieran_Knows |
We’d need at last 8 new ‘starters’ IMO. Only Davis, O’Shea and Philogene good enough for the Prem. |
Matusiwa? | | | |
| What’s that now, just 2 defeats in 15 league games? on 08:46 - Apr 7 with 369 views | Kieran_Knows |
| What’s that now, just 2 defeats in 15 league games? on 08:34 - Apr 7 by surreyblue |
Matusiwa? |
I think he’d be okay as an ‘option’. I absolutely love him, clearly our best player this season, but I think physically it might be a step up for him, ala Morsy.
Just IMHO of course. | |
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| What’s that now, just 2 defeats in 15 league games? on 08:58 - Apr 7 with 301 views | ElderGrizzly |
| What’s that now, just 2 defeats in 15 league games? on 08:05 - Apr 7 by Herbivore |
We've got more talented individual players now than 2 years ago and much greater squad depth. We've upgraded in most positions and have two quality options all over the pitch, which we didn't really have when we went up last time. The team as a collective did better, many of them had been playing together for a couple of years by that point and the patterns, familiarity, and team spirit made us greater than the sum of our parts.
Everyone says we'd need an overhaul if we go up as though that's some sort of massive failing rather than the nature of the beast. Leeds made 11 signings to add to a squad that already had some decent Prem experience in it. Burnley made 15 signings having been in the Prem very recently too. Sunderland signed 18 players. You can't create a Prem ready team in the Championship these days. You can build good foundations, have a few potentially Prem ready players and others who will be good squad options, but no Championship side has been equipped to step up and stay up with minimal turnover of players for donkey's years. It'll be no different for us. |
And people seem to forget we are now a Championship/PL squad coming back up, not a L1 squad punching above its weight into the PL.
Of course we'd sign and upgrade further, but the majority of that squad now has more experience in the PL than 2 years ago.
And importantly our manager does too. [Post edited 7 Apr 8:59]
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| What’s that now, just 2 defeats in 15 league games? on 09:21 - Apr 7 with 193 views | TRUE_BLUE123 |
| What’s that now, just 2 defeats in 15 league games? on 08:32 - Apr 7 by Kieran_Knows |
We’d need at last 8 new ‘starters’ IMO. Only Davis, O’Shea and Philogene good enough for the Prem. |
I agree but I would also question Philogene as well tbh. He has been essentially anonymous away from home all season to the point where he barely features in those games. He has the pressing and off the ball ability but he is still really slight and lacks a bit of pace. I just think he would get bullied by premier league full backs again.
This squad would need some serious work. We are lacking in pace and physicality hugely imo. It is only Leif and DOS who I would say are quick for their position. [Post edited 7 Apr 9:23]
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