| Confirmed League 1 team - season 22/23 - scale of difficulty 12:28 - May 4 with 3398 views | unstableblue |
Below are the teams definitely in our fixture list next season
I've placed the teams in an arbitrary level of challenge (and also shown points from last season games if played):
DIFFICULT
Barnsley (N/A)
Bolton (0 points)
Derby (N/A)
Oxford (2)
Peterborough (N/A)
Plymouth (3)
Portsmouth (4)
(also add 3 from Sheff Wed, Sunderland, MK Dons, and Wycombe - all teams who I'd put in the 'Difficult' band)
PROBLEMATIC
Accrington (3)
Cambridge (1)
Charlton (3)
Lincoln (6)
SHOULD BE 6 POINTS
Burton (3)
Cheltenham (1)
Exeter (N/A)
Fleetwood Town (6 )
Forest Green (N/A)
Morecombe (2)
Shrewsbury (4)
What do you think? That difficult band is quite heavy.
Also shines a light on this season when you see the points achieved last terms from the 'SHOULD BE' pile - 16/30!
I'm perhaps with Stuart Watson in his recent rather damning review of the this season - I'll take 6th place now please!!
Spoke to a Bolton fan on Sunday, he's very bullish on next season, the ownership structure has settled, their gates and support are getting momentum, Dion Charles has settled in from Accrington in a Jan move (a successful Piggot). Loved that they finished above us, and well beat us. His only concern was losing Afolayan - may be buy him?!? Still think Bolton need money. [Post edited 4 May 2022 13:48]
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| Confirmed League 1 team - season 22/23 - scale of difficulty on 12:36 - May 4 with 3001 views | J2BLUE |
This is utterly meaningless before any transfers are made. |  |
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| Confirmed League 1 team - season 22/23 - scale of difficulty on 12:37 - May 4 with 3001 views | Parsley |
The better we are the less 'difficult' those games become |  | | |
| Confirmed League 1 team - season 22/23 - scale of difficulty on 12:58 - May 4 with 2947 views | monty_radio |
| Confirmed League 1 team - season 22/23 - scale of difficulty on 12:37 - May 4 by Parsley |
The better we are the less 'difficult' those games become |
The idea that Accrington , Cambridge, Charlton and Lincoln might prove problematic would be torn to shreds by any team that won promotion by taking the division by storm. It's high time we were that club. |  |
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| Confirmed League 1 team - season 22/23 - scale of difficulty on 13:06 - May 4 with 2905 views | usm |
We will be in all of their "difficulty" lists |  |
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| Confirmed League 1 team - season 22/23 - scale of difficulty on 13:16 - May 4 with 2880 views | BasingstokeBlue |
By “Should be 3 points” do you mean we’ll beat them at FPR but lose the away fixture?
Personally, I’d hope for 4 or 6 points from such teams. |  |
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| Confirmed League 1 team - season 22/23 - scale of difficulty on 13:20 - May 4 with 2857 views | STYG |
| Confirmed League 1 team - season 22/23 - scale of difficulty on 13:16 - May 4 by BasingstokeBlue |
By “Should be 3 points” do you mean we’ll beat them at FPR but lose the away fixture?
Personally, I’d hope for 4 or 6 points from such teams. |
I read somewhere that promoted teams in the EFL generally average 2.6pts per game against the bottom eight sides over the course of the season.
So we have to at least beat them all at home and draw with most of them away, beating one or two as well.
The key to promotion for us will be making sure that teams that don't allow us to pass in behind them can be broken down as we will just see more and more of it. That means a massive upgrade on physical and aerial battles up front, set pieces and being able to win free kicks in dangerous areas.
For all the brilliant play from Celina, Aluko, Chaplin et al, we've had two league penalties all season that I can think of (Fraser at Burton and Chaplin at Gillingham). Also can't recall that many free kicks on the egde of the box, whereas three years ago it felt liek Garbutt would get a couple of attempts per game. | | | |
| Apologies updated to 6 points (n/t) on 13:50 - May 4 with 2777 views | unstableblue |
| Confirmed League 1 team - season 22/23 - scale of difficulty on 13:16 - May 4 by BasingstokeBlue |
By “Should be 3 points” do you mean we’ll beat them at FPR but lose the away fixture?
Personally, I’d hope for 4 or 6 points from such teams. |
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| Confirmed League 1 team - season 22/23 - scale of difficulty on 13:52 - May 4 with 2772 views | BiGDonnie |
Someone wasted their lunch break! |  |
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| Blimey! on 14:03 - May 4 with 2734 views | unstableblue |
| Confirmed League 1 team - season 22/23 - scale of difficulty on 12:36 - May 4 by J2BLUE |
This is utterly meaningless before any transfers are made. |
What?! so you are saying that if we buy another Piggot, Evans and Hayden Coulson equivalent.... we can suddenly/definitely say the below suddenly become easy games! Signings are never a guarantee (Note: all three of the above you could say did not improve us enough or got injured, perhaps a massive factor in our failings)
We've just finished 11th in League One, and massively failed in the main against the top teams, people really do need to stop the hubris... those teams below will be difficult, yes we should have enough to beat most of them, but we haven't to date, and we shouldn't think its a given.
DIFFICULT
Barnsley (N/A)
Bolton (0 points)
Derby (N/A)
Oxford (2)
Peterborough (N/A)
Plymouth (3)
Portsmouth (4)
(also add 3 from Sheff Wed, Sunderland, MK Dons, and Wycombe - all teams who I'd put in the 'Difficult' band) | |
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| YOU LOVE IT! (n/t) on 14:03 - May 4 with 2729 views | unstableblue |
| Confirmed League 1 team - season 22/23 - scale of difficulty on 13:52 - May 4 by BiGDonnie |
Someone wasted their lunch break! |
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| Agreed! but in that lays the problem? on 14:04 - May 4 with 2726 views | unstableblue |
| Confirmed League 1 team - season 22/23 - scale of difficulty on 13:06 - May 4 by usm |
We will be in all of their "difficulty" lists |
Teams will be fired up, and focussed for our game [Post edited 4 May 2022 14:05]
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| Confirmed League 1 team - season 22/23 - scale of difficulty on 14:06 - May 4 with 2707 views | C_HealyIsAPleasure |
So the relegated teams + teams at the top this season will be most difficult, those in mid-table will be in the middle and the promoted/bottom teams will be the easiest
Thanks. For. That. |  |
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| We got 13/24 points from those problematic teams on 14:09 - May 4 with 2694 views | unstableblue |
| Confirmed League 1 team - season 22/23 - scale of difficulty on 12:58 - May 4 by monty_radio |
The idea that Accrington , Cambridge, Charlton and Lincoln might prove problematic would be torn to shreds by any team that won promotion by taking the division by storm. It's high time we were that club. |
No way Cambridge can be seen as an easy game... | |
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| Confirmed League 1 team - season 22/23 - scale of difficulty on 14:12 - May 4 with 2678 views | unstableblue |
| Confirmed League 1 team - season 22/23 - scale of difficulty on 14:06 - May 4 by C_HealyIsAPleasure |
So the relegated teams + teams at the top this season will be most difficult, those in mid-table will be in the middle and the promoted/bottom teams will be the easiest
Thanks. For. That. |
Its a fair cop... If I add the away capacity for each of the teams.. will that give it some value? validate me.
I think what I was trying to portray is how few points we garnered from the middle and bottom segments of the table, that the teams coming down are making it even harder also that Bolton et al are up there. Its going to be an ever more top heavy league in my view. | |
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| Confirmed League 1 team - season 22/23 - scale of difficulty on 14:17 - May 4 with 2657 views | Churchman |
If we recruit wisely and sparingly, have a good pre-season there will be zero in the difficult category and a few more in the whipping boy section.
As it goes, Plymouth, Oxford and Portsmouth will be weaker than this year. Evidence? None. Gut instinct. Of the three failed play off teams, at least one will be weaker. I suspect Sunderland might well get by Sheffield Weds and get promoted and if so, SW will definitely be poorer next year. |  | | |
| Confirmed League 1 team - season 22/23 - scale of difficulty on 14:24 - May 4 with 2631 views | BlueBadger |
Now we have a competent manager with a whole summer to implement his ideas and supportive club structure in place I rather suspect that next season will be considerably less 'difficult' than the previous three. |  |
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| Blimey! on 14:26 - May 4 with 2624 views | J2BLUE |
| Blimey! on 14:03 - May 4 by unstableblue |
What?! so you are saying that if we buy another Piggot, Evans and Hayden Coulson equivalent.... we can suddenly/definitely say the below suddenly become easy games! Signings are never a guarantee (Note: all three of the above you could say did not improve us enough or got injured, perhaps a massive factor in our failings)
We've just finished 11th in League One, and massively failed in the main against the top teams, people really do need to stop the hubris... those teams below will be difficult, yes we should have enough to beat most of them, but we haven't to date, and we shouldn't think its a given.
DIFFICULT
Barnsley (N/A)
Bolton (0 points)
Derby (N/A)
Oxford (2)
Peterborough (N/A)
Plymouth (3)
Portsmouth (4)
(also add 3 from Sheff Wed, Sunderland, MK Dons, and Wycombe - all teams who I'd put in the 'Difficult' band) |
I didn't say any such thing.
I find it odd though that you keep bleating about 11th when McKenna was here for 24 games and we would have finished 7th. I know you will say 7th isn't amazing and you're right but he came in mid way through December and didn't have time to see what we needed. We drew 9 of those 24 games. We all know what we need. Then you assume we will sign players who won't perform and that all our rivals will magically be much better. It's very odd.
We might not go up but there's far more to be optimistic about than pessimistic but you can't seem to help worrying about literally everything which might go wrong before we even know the final 24 teams in the division.
What do Bolton have to be optimistic about that we don't? Yet you are a lot more willing to believe they are going to be much better.
I get it, we've been crap for a long time but that's not to say we're going to be crap forever. In a freak season, if you turn two draws into wins for McKenna's 24 games and would have been 5th.
Just chillout and let yourself enjoy some optimism. It won't be easy but we have a good chance of competing right at the top of this division next season.
If you take one thing from this post I think keep banging on about 11th really needs to stop. McKenna had just over half a season with what was effectively someone else's squad and a couple of loans and got us to one point off sixth based on that 24 game league table.
Cook's 22 game league table would have had us in 12th with two teams able to overtake us based on their games in hand. Using Cook's record against McKenna when he had over half the season performing much better just to justify this endless hysteria is a bit wearing. | |
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| Confirmed League 1 team - season 22/23 - scale of difficulty on 14:31 - May 4 with 2594 views | unstableblue |
| Confirmed League 1 team - season 22/23 - scale of difficulty on 14:17 - May 4 by Churchman |
If we recruit wisely and sparingly, have a good pre-season there will be zero in the difficult category and a few more in the whipping boy section.
As it goes, Plymouth, Oxford and Portsmouth will be weaker than this year. Evidence? None. Gut instinct. Of the three failed play off teams, at least one will be weaker. I suspect Sunderland might well get by Sheffield Weds and get promoted and if so, SW will definitely be poorer next year. |
Recruit wisely and SPARINGLY - that's the key... sparingly because we need to settle the team, and be more consistent in selection (defence aside).. wisely because we can't have another Coulson, Evans and Piggot/Bonne scenario... two strong buys at left wing back; one excellent central with a good injury record and consistency and a striker or two with the lowest risk of not delivering. But the first 11 on the first day should be the same bar those 3 signings. Chaplin starts week in week out!
Agree Oxford will be weaker. Think Pompey will be stronger. Plymouth will go again - goos manager, squad. They just lost steam. Sheff Weds could get in a pickle. | |
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| Blimey! on 14:31 - May 4 with 2593 views | BlueBadger |
| Blimey! on 14:26 - May 4 by J2BLUE |
I didn't say any such thing.
I find it odd though that you keep bleating about 11th when McKenna was here for 24 games and we would have finished 7th. I know you will say 7th isn't amazing and you're right but he came in mid way through December and didn't have time to see what we needed. We drew 9 of those 24 games. We all know what we need. Then you assume we will sign players who won't perform and that all our rivals will magically be much better. It's very odd.
We might not go up but there's far more to be optimistic about than pessimistic but you can't seem to help worrying about literally everything which might go wrong before we even know the final 24 teams in the division.
What do Bolton have to be optimistic about that we don't? Yet you are a lot more willing to believe they are going to be much better.
I get it, we've been crap for a long time but that's not to say we're going to be crap forever. In a freak season, if you turn two draws into wins for McKenna's 24 games and would have been 5th.
Just chillout and let yourself enjoy some optimism. It won't be easy but we have a good chance of competing right at the top of this division next season.
If you take one thing from this post I think keep banging on about 11th really needs to stop. McKenna had just over half a season with what was effectively someone else's squad and a couple of loans and got us to one point off sixth based on that 24 game league table.
Cook's 22 game league table would have had us in 12th with two teams able to overtake us based on their games in hand. Using Cook's record against McKenna when he had over half the season performing much better just to justify this endless hysteria is a bit wearing. |
It's an utterly bizarre take from the OP. Frimmers-esque. | |
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| Blimey! on 14:36 - May 4 with 2571 views | Churchman |
| Blimey! on 14:03 - May 4 by unstableblue |
What?! so you are saying that if we buy another Piggot, Evans and Hayden Coulson equivalent.... we can suddenly/definitely say the below suddenly become easy games! Signings are never a guarantee (Note: all three of the above you could say did not improve us enough or got injured, perhaps a massive factor in our failings)
We've just finished 11th in League One, and massively failed in the main against the top teams, people really do need to stop the hubris... those teams below will be difficult, yes we should have enough to beat most of them, but we haven't to date, and we shouldn't think its a given.
DIFFICULT
Barnsley (N/A)
Bolton (0 points)
Derby (N/A)
Oxford (2)
Peterborough (N/A)
Plymouth (3)
Portsmouth (4)
(also add 3 from Sheff Wed, Sunderland, MK Dons, and Wycombe - all teams who I'd put in the 'Difficult' band) |
We didn’t massively fail against the top teams. That was last season when we were beaten with ease home and away by all bar Hull away, who had an off night.
This season we more than matched Wigan, Oxford, we’re better than Sunderland and MKD, thumped Wycombe, outplayed Plymouth at home and should have got something away, matched SW at home, thrashed Portsmouth away and didn’t give them a kick at home. Yes, we deservedly lost to Rotherham, Bolton and SW away. It happens. Even Fulham lost 9 games with their 100 + goals promotion. But we are close.
No, nothing is a given, but things are heading in the right direction on and off the field so it’s a time to look forward. Season ticket holders clearly think that’s the case too. | | | |
| We got 13/24 points from those problematic teams on 14:49 - May 4 with 2527 views | monty_radio |
| We got 13/24 points from those problematic teams on 14:09 - May 4 by unstableblue |
No way Cambridge can be seen as an easy game... |
That would be precisely because Town have heretofore NOT been that team who have taken the division by storm, nor ever threatened it. Whoever became that 100 point team should not find themselves greatly troubled by Cambridge. | |
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| Ahem... on 16:27 - May 4 with 2341 views | unstableblue |
| Blimey! on 14:26 - May 4 by J2BLUE |
I didn't say any such thing.
I find it odd though that you keep bleating about 11th when McKenna was here for 24 games and we would have finished 7th. I know you will say 7th isn't amazing and you're right but he came in mid way through December and didn't have time to see what we needed. We drew 9 of those 24 games. We all know what we need. Then you assume we will sign players who won't perform and that all our rivals will magically be much better. It's very odd.
We might not go up but there's far more to be optimistic about than pessimistic but you can't seem to help worrying about literally everything which might go wrong before we even know the final 24 teams in the division.
What do Bolton have to be optimistic about that we don't? Yet you are a lot more willing to believe they are going to be much better.
I get it, we've been crap for a long time but that's not to say we're going to be crap forever. In a freak season, if you turn two draws into wins for McKenna's 24 games and would have been 5th.
Just chillout and let yourself enjoy some optimism. It won't be easy but we have a good chance of competing right at the top of this division next season.
If you take one thing from this post I think keep banging on about 11th really needs to stop. McKenna had just over half a season with what was effectively someone else's squad and a couple of loans and got us to one point off sixth based on that 24 game league table.
Cook's 22 game league table would have had us in 12th with two teams able to overtake us based on their games in hand. Using Cook's record against McKenna when he had over half the season performing much better just to justify this endless hysteria is a bit wearing. |
Firstly, I am very optimistic about McKenna, and I enjoyed last season more than any other since Jim Magilton, because we have a style of football that entertains, and players growing into the project nicely, characters we can connect to, and who play football on the floor. A style that I hope can get us promotion, but should also thrive into he championship. Our group just bought season tickets for the first time since the Mick anti-football days.
BUT, I am trying to be realistic, as Stuart Watson's article clearly states, we have a long way to go. "We can’t keep living in a land of fluffy clouds and unicorns, constantly declaring ‘we’ve got our club back’ at various intervals and that next year ‘will be the one"
"Don't get me wrong, there's no divine right to success. It certainly won't get any easier next season. 'Big' clubs are coming down and 'big' clubs are staying down. Others will look to park the bus and frustrate. The standard of refereeing will still be the same."
https://www.eadt.co.uk/sport/ipswich-town/itfc-finish-11th-in-league-one-stuart-
We as a set of fans need to stop with the wild hubris that we are better than we are, and have some god given right to be better than the likes of Bolton. Bolton beat us easily this season, easily. Have two top attackers who are blended and effective already, we don't. They've also got some momentum in their fan base, with growing attendances. This is a football forum, what else do we talk about?!?! And as fans we need to stop bragging, get realistic, and back the teams with real vocal support (something that we proved we could provide this season, but didn't happen way too many times this season, in two sections of the North).
Finally you kind of agree with me anyway - "I find it odd though that you keep bleating about 11th when McKenna was here for 24 games and we would have finished 7th. I know you will say 7th isn't amazing and you're right but he came in mid way through December and didn't have time to see what we needed." Yes we had no form striker - but those morecombe and cheltenham games were criminal at the crucial time.... our squad was miles stronger than them, miles.
McKenna joined on the 20th December, the transfer window closed 31st January. We signed Bakinson and Thompson. Bakinson on the 20th Jan, Thompson 27th Jan. Where I think Town went wrong, and I can see why McKenna did it... was that the Gillingham game gave a false impression of our attacking potency and the form of Norwood and Bonne. Gillingham were pants that day. I don't think McKenna is going to make that mistake again. | |
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| Blimey! on 16:27 - May 4 with 2339 views | unstableblue |
| Blimey! on 14:31 - May 4 by BlueBadger |
It's an utterly bizarre take from the OP. Frimmers-esque. |
Here he is! | |
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| Confirmed League 1 team - season 22/23 - scale of difficulty on 18:25 - May 4 with 2187 views | unstableblue |
| Confirmed League 1 team - season 22/23 - scale of difficulty on 14:24 - May 4 by BlueBadger |
Now we have a competent manager with a whole summer to implement his ideas and supportive club structure in place I rather suspect that next season will be considerably less 'difficult' than the previous three. |
This is our going to be our season BB - and with three additions, we should be able to get those 2 first half goals per game more often than the last campaign, where we went in to the second half 0-0 to be frustrated too many times, as our 11th place finish reflects.
As per my note below to J2... do you think if we hadn't tonked a (very poor) Gillingham, then McKenna would have gone for it on a striker in the January window.... I think we may have sneaked play-offs if we had. Think he thought Bonne and Norwood were returning to form. Sighs
Bolton got 8 goals out of Dion Charles after a January move (£320k only!) | |
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| Confirmed League 1 team - season 22/23 - scale of difficulty on 18:59 - May 4 with 2103 views | cbower |
Where would you have ranked Wigan this time last year based on the fact they had narrowly avoided relegation? Maybe Plymouth too. Didn't Lincoln do well last season but bombed this season. It's all conjecture at this stage. Sometimes promoted clubs have momentum, relegated clubs a hangover (see Town for instance!). You just never know, especially in this league. |  |
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