The Championship Thread 2023/2024

[Simonb]

1 hour ago, Foxin_Mad said:

Team needs a big shake up. There's some players in there who just aren't good enough. Daka, Mavididi were truly awful id chuck em in the youth team theve been that awful today. Also serious questions around KDH and Winks today. I feel Faes is a complete bombscare at the back. I'm really struggling to see where the next win comes from, this looks like a team devoid of confidence, ideas and fight. We need to get back to basics stop getting hit by basic counter attack transitions. 

Not sure on Winks.. wasn't his best today but I wouldn't say serious questions need to be asked. 90% of what he did looked class.. got caught in possession a couple of times because noone gave him the call and the movement in front was so poor he couldn't release the ball.

 

Was the only midfielder that tried to drive forward with the ball

 

Agree on kdh. Tries to be too clever.. needs to get his head out his ass as he's not the best player in the league like he wants to be. Thinks he's a cut above, he got relegated last year so he's not this premier class player he thinks he is.

[Foxin_Mad]

4 minutes ago, moore_94 said:

Don't think Sunderland are at the moment looking at their form

I'm not sure we are great looking at our form. Maybe a 0-0 classic!

[Aus Fox]

3 minutes ago, Foxin_Mad said:

I'm not sure we are great looking at our form. Maybe a 0-0 classic!

Our form I don’t think is a huge problem, yes we’ve lost 3 but two of those we played really well and just couldn’t finish.

Today was absolute crap and easily our worst performance of the season. 

[don_danbury]

1 minute ago, Aus Fox said:

Our form I don’t think is a huge problem, yes we’ve lost 3 but two of those we played really well and just couldn’t finish.

Today was absolute crap and easily our worst performance of the season. 

thought we looked shit second half against watford and wednesday. 

[Aus Fox]

4 minutes ago, don_danbury said:

thought we looked shit second half against watford and wednesday. 

I thought we cruised rather than were shit, and I think that’s part of a bigger problem. So many games this season we’ve had won by 70 minutes and then cruised out to the finish line, we’re just not conditioned to play the 90 so when we need to dig in for the whole 90 like the last 3 we can’t. 

[fuchsntf]

There is nothing has a hard or easy fixture…!!

They are all what they are,each one fighting,playing

for their collective pride & teammates…

We go into these 11 fixtures,no worse or better

than we were before..We face whats in front of us.

 

My club will be asked to finish and complete the season

topping it off with promotion….

[Dan]

12 hours ago, Swarles Barkley said:

They have fight?

 

We keep saying leeds, ipswich and Southampton get lucky with these late goals but reality is they have the mentality to go and do it for the full 90mins

Yep. Compare it to our pathetic efforts. Two injury time winners but a hell of a lot more against us late on despite our superior squad.

[FoxTimmy2]

According to this live score Danny been keeping himself busy as a forward.

 

 

Edited 3 March 2024 by FoxTimmy2

[Dollers]

18 hours ago, LCFCJohn said:

If we had a fraction of the fortuitous breaks Leeds and Ipswich have going for them, we’d be out of sight now.

 

Even if the decision there is correct, it’s still good fortune for Leeds to have an opponent do that. It’s not like it’s a red card born from fantastic play. Have we even had a red card for an opponent against us this season? I can’t think of one. Then disallowed goals given in their favour, penalties not given against them, double deflected goals etc. the list is endless!

In a recent 28 game spell Leicester got 11 penalties. Ipswich got 2 during that time.

 

Ipswich seem to be around the norm for the number of pens we've had, although in reality we will be in the opposition box a lot more than some of the teams in that bracket and thus statistically you'd expect us to have had more pens as there is simply more opportunity for fouls.

That might also explain why Leicester and Leeds have the most (they are often in the opposition box) but given our stats for that are similar, Leicester really shouldn't have had 5 times as many penalties as us.

I can remember at least 3 penalties which were stonewalls on Hirst that weren't given, and that's just one player.

 

Once again, the myth that Ipswich are lucky and Leicester aren't doesn't stand up to scrutiny of the facts.

 

1 Leicester City - 11
2 Leeds United - 7
3 Sunderland AFC - 5
4 Middlesbrough FC - 4
5 Hull City - 4
6 Southampton FC - 4
7 Stoke City - 3
8 Birmingham City - 3
9 Norwich City - 3
10 Swansea City - 3
11 Bristol City - 3
12 Coventry City - 2
13 Millwall FC - 2
14 West Bromwich Albion - 2
15 Preston North End - 2
16 Cardiff City - 2
17 Ipswich Town - 2
18 Blackburn Rovers - 1
19 Huddersfield Town - 1
20 Rotherham United - 1
21 Plymouth Argyle - 1
22 Queens Park Rangers - 1
23 Watford FC - 1

Edited 3 March 2024 by Dollers
typo

[Beachyboy]

6 hours ago, Aus Fox said:

I thought we cruised rather than were shit, and I think that’s part of a bigger problem. So many games this season we’ve had won by 70 minutes and then cruised out to the finish line, we’re just not conditioned to play the 90 so when we need to dig in for the whole 90 like the last 3 we can’t. 

Yet players that haven't featured much the whole season played 120 minutes 4 days before, they can’t have been in as physically good match condition as the regulars, its a mental thing rather than a physical one.

[Beachyboy]

6 minutes ago, Dollers said:

In a recent 28 game spell Leicester got 11 penalties. Ipswich got 2 during that time.

 

Ipswich seem to be around the norm for the number of pens we've had, although in reality we will be in the opposition box a lot more than some of the teams in that bracket and thus statistically you'd expect us to have had more pens as there is simply more opportunity for fouls.

That might also explain why Leicester and Leeds have the most (they are often in the opposition box) but given our stats for that our similar, Leicester really shouldn't have had 5 times as many penalties as us.

I can remember at least 3 penalties which were stonewalls on Hirst that weren't given, and that's just one player.

 

Once again, the myth that Ipswich are lucky and Leicester aren't doesn't stand up to scrutiny of the facts.

 

1 Leicester City - 11
2 Leeds United - 7
3 Sunderland AFC - 5
4 Middlesbrough FC - 4
5 Hull City - 4
6 Southampton FC - 4
7 Stoke City - 3
8 Birmingham City - 3
9 Norwich City - 3
10 Swansea City - 3
11 Bristol City - 3
12 Coventry City - 2
13 Millwall FC - 2
14 West Bromwich Albion - 2
15 Preston North End - 2
16 Cardiff City - 2
17 Ipswich Town - 2
18 Blackburn Rovers - 1
19 Huddersfield Town - 1
20 Rotherham United - 1
21 Plymouth Argyle - 1
22 Queens Park Rangers - 1
23 Watford FC - 1

Ipswich are definitely not lucky, I seen a podcast before the season predicting they would finish 4th. I think Ipswich performances despite having way less resources than Leicester, rubs some Leicester fans up the wrong way. Even in the two games we played against each other, Leicester had spells of dominance bit not more than 55-60% over the whole match. Its hard for some fans to accept a team that were two divisons apart from us just over a year ago, are now our equals. I say fair play to them, of the 4 teams that have threatened automatics, they are also best equipped to take the setback if they were to miss out, and achieve promotion through the play offs.

[Dollers]

14 hours ago, EastAnglianFox said:

We always seem to have players missing due to long or short term injury’s compared to the others at the top.

 

 

We had 3 starters out today (not including long-term Hirst).

You surely aren't bemoaning injuries with Leicester's incredible squad?!

[LCFCJohn]

14 minutes ago, Dollers said:

In a recent 28 game spell Leicester got 11 penalties. Ipswich got 2 during that time.

 

Ipswich seem to be around the norm for the number of pens we've had, although in reality we will be in the opposition box a lot more than some of the teams in that bracket and thus statistically you'd expect us to have had more pens as there is simply more opportunity for fouls.

That might also explain why Leicester and Leeds have the most (they are often in the opposition box) but given our stats for that our similar, Leicester really shouldn't have had 5 times as many penalties as us.

I can remember at least 3 penalties which were stonewalls on Hirst that weren't given, and that's just one player.

 

Once again, the myth that Ipswich are lucky and Leicester aren't doesn't stand up to scrutiny of the facts.

 

1 Leicester City - 11
2 Leeds United - 7
3 Sunderland AFC - 5
4 Middlesbrough FC - 4
5 Hull City - 4
6 Southampton FC - 4
7 Stoke City - 3
8 Birmingham City - 3
9 Norwich City - 3
10 Swansea City - 3
11 Bristol City - 3
12 Coventry City - 2
13 Millwall FC - 2
14 West Bromwich Albion - 2
15 Preston North End - 2
16 Cardiff City - 2
17 Ipswich Town - 2
18 Blackburn Rovers - 1
19 Huddersfield Town - 1
20 Rotherham United - 1
21 Plymouth Argyle - 1
22 Queens Park Rangers - 1
23 Watford FC - 1

Penalties are not fortunate if as a result of good play and stretching your opponent. We had a really cheap one that shouldn’t have been against Swansea but apart from that, there’s been no complaints. Penalties given that are soft and shouldn’t have been are fortunate of course.

 

Same with red cards for opponents. I put that post during the Leeds a game yesterday. A red card for an opponent where they fling an unnecessary elbow I class as a fortunate break playing against someone who’s going to be idiotic. A red card for an opponent where you’ve broken the defensive line, got through on goal for example and your forward is cleaned out by a chasing defender or goalkeeper is not a fortunate break as you’ve created that with your play. That was the point I was making and the differentiation.

[Winchesterfox]

8 hours ago, FOXSE said:

Seriously, if some of our fans had been arsenal fans during their invisible season, they would have said 'yes, but we drew too many, didn't we'....

Arsenal were amazing that season.  I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.  They really should have won every match. 

[Guest Chocolate Teapot]

On 24/02/2024 at 19:57, Blarmy said:

Question for you - if we perform as well as we did last night for every remaining game, and don’t get any perfectly good goals ruled out, do you think we go up automatically?

Question for you - if we perform as well as we did yesterday for every remaining game and don't create any chances, do you think we'll go up automatically?

[lcfcell]

If that was Ipswich playing QPR and pulled it back to 2-1 like we did they 100% go on to at least draw that game. Not once did I think we’ve got a chance here.

Just a pathetic mentality about the club for years now. I suppose at least the beauty of it is it’s in our hands. 

Edited 3 March 2024 by lcfcell

[Guest Chocolate Teapot]

On 24/02/2024 at 19:01, Chocolate Teapot said:

This were top of the league stuff is delusional. All that separates us is a better start. We're not top 2 in the last 20. Unfortunately the players seem to be drinking this koolaid too.

Wish I'd phrased this better.

 

We'll be fine though obviously. Superior players, style, manager and fans. Up 🫡

[Dollers]

7 minutes ago, LCFCJohn said:

Penalties are not fortunate if as a result of good play and stretching your opponent. We had a really cheap one that shouldn’t have been against Swansea but apart from that, there’s been no complaints. Penalties given that are soft and shouldn’t have been are fortunate of course.

 

Same with red cards for opponents. I put that post during the Leeds a game yesterday. A red card for an opponent where they fling an unnecessary elbow I class as a fortunate break playing against someone who’s going to be idiotic. A red card for an opponent where you’ve broken the defensive line, got through on goal for example and your forward is cleaned out by a chasing defender or goalkeeper is not a fortunate break as you’ve created that with your play. That was the point I was making and the differentiation.

Yeah fair enough on the reds point, but that was just one point in a post that was overall bemoaning Ipswich and Leeds' luck.  "If we had a fraction of the fortuitous breaks Leeds and Ipswich have going for them, we’d be out of sight now... the list is endless!"

 

I'm not saying your pens have been undeserved, but when you get 11 and we get 2, despite similar 'attacking in the box' stats, then the idea that Ipswich are lucky (on that metric at least) falls down. Either you've been lucky and got good refs who spot correct pens, or we've been unlucky with the amount we've been given (or a bit of both).

There are probably plenty of other stats that break the myth that Ipswich are particularly lucky, the pens one was just one I had to hand.

[Guest Chocolate Teapot]

36 minutes ago, Dollers said:

In a recent 28 game spell Leicester got 11 penalties. Ipswich got 2 during that time.

 

Ipswich seem to be around the norm for the number of pens we've had, although in reality we will be in the opposition box a lot more than some of the teams in that bracket and thus statistically you'd expect us to have had more pens as there is simply more opportunity for fouls.

That might also explain why Leicester and Leeds have the most (they are often in the opposition box) but given our stats for that our similar, Leicester really shouldn't have had 5 times as many penalties as us.

I can remember at least 3 penalties which were stonewalls on Hirst that weren't given, and that's just one player.

 

Once again, the myth that Ipswich are lucky and Leicester aren't doesn't stand up to scrutiny of the facts.

 

1 Leicester City - 11
2 Leeds United - 7
3 Sunderland AFC - 5
4 Middlesbrough FC - 4
5 Hull City - 4
6 Southampton FC - 4
7 Stoke City - 3
8 Birmingham City - 3
9 Norwich City - 3
10 Swansea City - 3
11 Bristol City - 3
12 Coventry City - 2
13 Millwall FC - 2
14 West Bromwich Albion - 2
15 Preston North End - 2
16 Cardiff City - 2
17 Ipswich Town - 2
18 Blackburn Rovers - 1
19 Huddersfield Town - 1
20 Rotherham United - 1
21 Plymouth Argyle - 1
22 Queens Park Rangers - 1
23 Watford FC - 1

Unfortunately the manager seems to think the refs have it in for us too. Spot on with this post. Lots of 'we're unlucky' koolaid going around in the last week.

[alanf0x]

Who do we want in playoffs? 
 

I’m thinking Ipswich over 2 legs in Semi and West Brom in the Final as the easiest route 

[LCFCJohn]

Just now, Dollers said:

Yeah fair enough on the reds point, but that was just one point in a post that was overall bemoaning Ipswich and Leeds' luck.  "If we had a fraction of the fortuitous breaks Leeds and Ipswich have going for them, we’d be out of sight now... the list is endless!"

 

I'm not saying your pens have been undeserved, but when you get 11 and we get 2, despite similar 'attacking in the box' stats, then the idea that Ipswich are lucky (on that metric at least) falls down. Either you've been lucky and got good refs who spot correct pens, or we've been unlucky with the amount we've been given (or a bit of both).

There are probably plenty of other stats that break the myth that Ipswich are particularly lucky, the pens one was just one I had to hand.

I wasn’t talking about ref decisions as much as just breaks going for you. In the context of that post, it was more aimed at Leeds to be fair.

 

Look, ultimately you’re getting your points because you’re fighting to the end and working hard. That’s why you and Leeds will be top 2 come the end of the season. 
 

Do you have as much attacking in the box though? When I see Ipswich there is a lot of shooting from range, probably the reason for a lot of deflected goals because you’re actually taking shots rather than being afraid to like our lot.

[LCFCJohn]

1 minute ago, alanf0x said:

Who do we want in playoffs? 
 

I’m thinking Ipswich over 2 legs in Semi and West Brom in the Final as the easiest route 

Especially if we are going to drop out the top 2, Ipswich will be up automatically. We won’t have to worry about them in the playoffs!

[Happy Fox]

5 minutes ago, alanf0x said:

Who do we want in playoffs? 
 

I’m thinking Ipswich over 2 legs in Semi and West Brom in the Final as the easiest route 

Do you think Leeds /Southampton will finish in the top 2? 

[Dollers]

1 minute ago, Chocolate Teapot said:

Unfortunately the manager seems to think the refs have it in for us too. Spot on with this post. Lots of 'we're unlucky' koolaid going around in the last week.

I think every manager and every supporter thinks that!

Before our game yesterday Plymouth supporters on their forum were bemoaning us bringing "our ref" with us. They said "our ref" based on us not having lost with him in charge, so therefore he must be biased. I pointed out that we've only lost 4 games all season, so there will be plenty of refs we have a decent record with, and in that there will always be one with a better record than the rest. That's not necessarily bias, just a logical inevitability!

[jayfox26]

9 hours ago, Chrysalis said:

I think they have quality in the team, was impressed both times they played us.  Just because a team is happy to let us have the ball after they have taken the lead, it doesnt mean they are crap, next season I expect them to be fighting for playoffs.

 

We have become a bit snobbish, thinking possession represents class of team, when it doesnt, its just an optional way to play the game, and perhaps a reminder we won the biggest league in the world with low possession.

Its not about possession. First game they beat us through a last minute free kick and 2nd game they beat us despite barely even threatening us. Their defensive work can be praised in both games but overall I've seen very little from them that suggests they are a decent side. I've seen many saying how good the football is that Carrick plays. Maybe they did last season but I haven't seen a great deal of it this season.