The "do they mean us?" thread pt 4

[The Year Of The Fox]

A 4-5 year spell in this division will do us no harm whatsoever. It’ll be a purge of all things wrong with this club. If that means our situation gets worse before it gets better then so be it. 
 

Obviously there’s no guarantee we’d come up 5 years later, but this is what the club needs.

[filbertway]

25 minutes ago, Stadt said:

We’re capable of 90+ and defensively we have a strong squad with some excellent attacking talents so even a fairly stern deduction still puts us in the auto picture. If BEK stays and Fatawu stays fit those too are just too good at this level.
 

I can’t see past Ipswich though, they have a stronger team than the previous promotion side.

I fully expected us to lose BEK and fail to replace him. And based on other players that have been through similar, Fatawu will do well to put 5/6 consecutive games together before picking up other injuries that seem to happen when a player comes back from a ligament injury. 

If they both play the majority of the season though that's going to be huge for us.

Still waiting for the Rudkin masterclass of selling BEK on deadline day and failing to get in a replacement haha.

[Stadt]

39 minutes ago, filbertway said:

I fully expected us to lose BEK and fail to replace him. And based on other players that have been through similar, Fatawu will do well to put 5/6 consecutive games together before picking up other injuries that seem to happen when a player comes back from a ligament injury. 

If they both play the majority of the season though that's going to be huge for us.

Still waiting for the Rudkin masterclass of selling BEK on deadline day and failing to get in a replacement haha.

It’s always on the back of my mind we’ll forget to do the buy part of sell-to-buy. We’ll probably be preoccupied by trying to sort a third choice GK

[Big_Nige]

1 hour ago, The Year Of The Fox said:

A 4-5 year spell in this division will do us no harm whatsoever. It’ll be a purge of all things wrong with this club. If that means our situation gets worse before it gets better then so be it. 
 

Obviously there’s no guarantee we’d come up 5 years later, but this is what the club needs.

Genuinely don’t get this 

You can be frustrated with the way the club is ran and want success in spite of it. I’m as big a critic of Top, Rudkin and the powers that be at Leicester City as anyone  But I don’t wish long term mediocrity just so I can say I told you so. Ask a Stoke fan and I don’t think they’ll agree a 5 years stretch in the championship is what any club needs. The gap becomes a chasm that you can’t bridge

 

As bad as it is now, I guarantee we’d look back on the halcyon days of Ayew and Faes if we’re still stinking this league out in 5 years time 

 

 

[Big_Nige]

1 hour ago, Zear0 said:

They are dreadful, but many betting markets have us a solid 6th so predicting 7th isn't exactly insulting. 

I don’t really care what click bait pundits have to say about our chances, but the fact most have Southampton in the top 2 after almost breaking Derby’s honking record is just plain weird. They’ve lost players and not really strengthened. They’ve got an untried manager in English football and Gavin Bazunu in goal. 
 

It’s clear the potential point deduction is making everyone adjust their predictions, and that’s fine, but 7th below Millwall is dare I say it, slightly insulting 

[Merchant_Banker]

3 hours ago, Staffs Fox said:

Any side in the Championship would take Fatawu, Mavididi, Monga, BEK, Ricardo heck even players like Nelson, Thomas, Winks, McAteer, Justin and Ayew would walk into pretty much every other Championship side such is the level

I was thinking something similar a couple of days ago. Our first choice for the 3 behind the striker is Mavididi, El Khanouss and Fatawu, which is probably the best group of player in those positions in the league. Our second choice is probably Monga, Alves and McAteer and I believe half the clubs in the Championship would be over the moon for those 3 players to be in their starting line up.

[The Year Of The Fox]

3 minutes ago, Big_Nige said:

Genuinely don’t get this 

You can be frustrated with the way the club is ran and want success in spite of it. I’m as big a critic of Top, Rudkin and the powers that be at Leicester City as anyone  But I don’t wish long term mediocrity just so I can say I told you so. Ask a Stoke fan and I don’t think they’ll agree a 5 years stretch in the championship is what any club needs. The gap becomes a chasm that you can’t bridge

 

As bad as it is now, I guarantee we’d look back on the halcyon days of Ayew and Faes if we’re still stinking this league out in 5 years time 

 

 

It’s honestly not got anything to do with saying ‘I told you so’ On here at least, everyone is pretty much now on the same page.

 

I understand the ramifications of the gamble I’m saying I’m prepared to take. 
 

The key question is- Do you think the way the club has been run since Vichai died is going to take a sudden U turn if Top continues to own the club for the next 5 years?

 

If so, why do you think that? 
 

If you don’t see him leaving, nor see there being a drastic improvement in the way we’re ran, then how do you think we’re going to get out of this spiral? I don’t see Top selling up if we manage to make it back into the PL next season. I don’t see anything different happening to this time last year. 
 

You can’t make an omelette without breaking a few eggs, is my view on this 

[Big_Nige]

3 minutes ago, The Year Of The Fox said:

It’s honestly not got anything to do with saying ‘I told you so’ On here at least, everyone is pretty much now on the same page.

 

I understand the ramifications of the gamble I’m saying I’m prepared to take. 
 

The key question is- Do you think the way the club has been run since Vichai died is going to take a sudden U turn if Top continues to own the club for the next 5 years?

 

If so, why do you think that? 
 

If you don’t see him leaving, nor see there being a drastic improvement in the way we’re ran, then how do you think we’re going to get out of this spiral? I don’t see Top selling up if we manage to make it back into the PL next season. I don’t see anything different happening to this time last year. 
 

You can’t make an omelette without breaking a few eggs, is my view on this 

No I genuinely don’t, he clearly needs the right people around him and while I can understand the initial reliance on people who’d been at the club with Vichai, he’s demonstratively showed blind trust in a structure and collective that doesn’t work and he hasn’t learnt from his mistakes. Like you said, on here at least, everyone is on the same page and the disillusionment and disconnection with the way the club is stronger than I’ve even known it.

 

I do, probably naively, think he’ll sell though. With all the problems at King Power it might force his hand. Probably from one unethical billionaire to the next, and that’s also a gamble. But that’s one I’m willing to take, and I think we’d be a far more attractive proposition for an unethical billionaire as we are now, than if we were the next Stoke, West Brom or Norwich.
 

Nothing in football is guaranteed, you can have the right intentions but be unequipped  for the job. Top and Rudkin aren’t a Chansiri, Venky or Oyston, but equally I want them gone from my club, it’s not always better the devil you know and I’d happily gamble on a new benefactor.
 

However for 90 minutes I enjoy winning games of football and it helps me forgot how much we’ve let the chance of a lifetime slip through our fingers. 

[Guest worth_the_wait]

2 hours ago, The Year Of The Fox said:

A 4-5 year spell in this division will do us no harm whatsoever. It’ll be a purge of all things wrong with this club. If that means our situation gets worse before it gets better then so be it.     Obviously there’s no guarantee we’d come up 5 years later, but this is what the club needs.

Purely from a fan perspective, it would do us good to be "mediocre" for a few years.

 

At the moment, we have got a fanbase so sterile ... it is almost beyond belief.   

 

For the past couple of seasons, the ground has been half empty by the full time whistle - whether we're winning by a goal, drawing or losing by a goal.    And by "half empty" I'm being generous.   It's normally worse than that  ... and that's when the result of the match is still in doubt!    When we're winning or losing by 2 or more goals,  the place is practically deserted come full time.

 

We've literally got 10,000 to 15,000 regulars who just don't really give a shite, and who just can't be bothered to even watch a whole match, once every week or two.

 

The only thing that's going to fix this,  is a period of sustained mediocrity/rubbish, so we can clear out 10,000 or so so-called fans who just aren't bothered.   I'll play the long game on this.   I want a fanbase, where at least most of us actually care.

 

[The Year Of The Fox]

12 minutes ago, worth_the_wait said:

Purely from a fan perspective, it would do us good to be "mediocre" for a few years.

 

At the moment, we have got a fanbase so sterile ... it is almost beyond belief.   

 

For the past couple of seasons, the ground has been half empty by the full time whistle - whether we're winning by a goal, drawing or losing by a goal.    And by "half empty" I'm being generous.   It's normally worse than that  ... and that's when the result of the match is still in doubt!    When we're winning or losing by 2 or more goals,  the place is practically deserted come full time.

 

We've literally got 10,000 to 15,000 regulars who just don't really give a shite, and who just can't be bothered to even watch a whole match, once every week or two.

 

The only thing that's going to fix this,  is a period of sustained mediocrity/rubbish, so we can clear out 10,000 or so so-called fans who just aren't bothered.   I'll play the long game on this.   I want a fanbase, where at least most of us actually care.

 

Yep. I also meant all your above when I made my original comment. It’s a lot of what the ‘purge’ was about. 

[Paninistickers]

32 minutes ago, worth_the_wait said:

We've literally got 10,000 to 15,000 regulars who just don't really give a shite, and who just can't be bothered to even watch a whole match, once every week or two.

 

The only thing that's going to fix this,  is a period of sustained mediocrity/rubbish, so we can clear out 10,000 or so so-called fans who just aren't bothered

I get the logic, but unfortunately those 10k drongos will be the last 10k standing. 

 

I'm out for this season. I've jacked it. And I reckon those others who've jacked it are ones who have something about them, know the game, know the etiquette. 

 

The drongos have a nice day out irrelevant of result, of kit design, of sponsor, of narcissistic Dutch managers, of knife edge games at 85 mins. The even applaud relegation. They simply don't give a shit. They just go. 

 

 

[1972 Fox]

The delusion on here that we'll easily be challenging at the top of the table is incredible.

 

Squad getting weaker as our sellable assets leave and are not adequately replaced/not replaced at all. Meanwhile we're still stuck with most of the deadwood that we should want to leave.

 

Unpopular opinion for most on here but I see us struggling to make the playoffs even without a points deduction.

 

Edited 7 August 2025 by 1972 Fox

[SkidsFox]

3 minutes ago, 1972 Fox said:

The delusion on here that we'll easily be challenging at the top of the table is incredible.

 

Squad getting weaker as our sellable assets leave and are not adequately replaced. Meanwhile we're still stuck with most of the deadwood that we should want to leave.

 

Unpopular opinion for most on here but I see us struggling to make the playoffs even without a points deduction.

I was of a similar mind. But we do have a rich crop of youngsters coming through and many of those we call deadwood can probably do a job at this level.  Will have a better idea 8-10 games in.

[ChrisFilter]

17 minutes ago, 1972 Fox said:

The delusion on here that we'll easily be challenging at the top of the table is incredible.

 

Squad getting weaker as our sellable assets leave and are not adequately replaced/not replaced at all. Meanwhile we're still stuck with most of the deadwood that we should want to leave.

 

Unpopular opinion for most on here but I see us struggling to make the playoffs even without a points deduction.

 

I don’t think we’ll piss the league, but I’m confident we’ll be in the play-offs even if we get as much as a 9-point deduction. 
 

We have plenty of talent albeit with a striker-shaped problem. 
 

We’ll be fine. 

[5waller5]

20 minutes ago, 1972 Fox said:

The delusion on here that we'll easily be challenging at the top of the table is incredible.

 

Squad getting weaker as our sellable assets leave and are not adequately replaced/not replaced at all. Meanwhile we're still stuck with most of the deadwood that we should want to leave.

 

Unpopular opinion for most on here but I see us struggling to make the playoffs even without a points deduction.

 

Like most years I swing between this rather pessimistic view and the “we’re too strong for this league”…. 
 

But we are certainly weaker than two seasons ago …. In fact every year since 2018 we’ve been weaker every year

[1972 Fox]

7 minutes ago, ChrisFilter said:

We’ll be fine.

Hi Madders

[ClaphamFox]

33 minutes ago, 1972 Fox said:

The delusion on here that we'll easily be challenging at the top of the table is incredible.

 

Squad getting weaker as our sellable assets leave and are not adequately replaced/not replaced at all. Meanwhile we're still stuck with most of the deadwood that we should want to leave.

 

Unpopular opinion for most on here but I see us struggling to make the playoffs even without a points deduction.

 

This is a bizarre take. Coady was one of the deadwood and we have enough centre halves anyway, so we don’t need to replace him. Ndidi is past his best and would not have been a regular starter under Cifuentes, and we’ve done very well to get £9m for him (assuming it goes through) given that he could easily have gone for free last summer. Hermansen was always likely to leave and although Stolarczyk isn’t quite as good he’s not far off and will do us perfectly well in the Championship.

 

You make it sound as if the departures have significantly weakened the squad but that is plainly ludicrous: we’re probably slightly weaker in the goalkeeper position but other than that we’re as we were, except with a trimmer squad and a bit of money to spend. The reason your opinion will likely be unpopular is that it’s completely daft and with no basis in reality.

[Sunbury Fox]

17 minutes ago, 5waller5 said:

Like most years I swing between this rather pessimistic view and the “we’re too strong for this league”…. 
 

But we are certainly weaker than two seasons ago …. In fact every year since 2018 we’ve been weaker every year

Not from 2018. We were brilliant in the first half of the 2019/20 season, winning 12 out of the first 16 games. You could argue that we were never the same after the 17th game that season, when we drew at home to bottom of the table Norwich. 

[5waller5]

Just now, Sunbury Fox said:

Not from 2018. We were brilliant in the first half of the 2019/20 season, winning 12 out of the first 16 games. You could argue that we were never the same after the 17th game that season, when we drew at home to bottom of the table Norwich. 

You’re right, that seems longer ago!!! 

[coolhandfox]

4 hours ago, The Year Of The Fox said:

A 4-5 year spell in this division will do us no harm whatsoever. It’ll be a purge of all things wrong with this club. If that means our situation gets worse before it gets better then so be it. 
 

Obviously there’s no guarantee we’d come up 5 years later, but this is what the club needs.

People said the same thing about being relegated in 22/23.

[Kierzz]

36 minutes ago, ChrisFilter said:

I don’t think we’ll piss the league, but I’m confident we’ll be in the play-offs even if we get as much as a 9-point deduction. 
 

We have plenty of talent albeit with a striker-shaped problem. 
 

We’ll be fine. 

Defence is also looking very good at this level, which is a welcome change and crucial for us to build after how bad it was last season. Gives us something to build off and allows us to stay in matches which we would otherwise lose.

 

Nelson will show his class I think. The Oxford fans rated him so highly. Okoli will also be too good for this level. Faes I think is useless but even he was probably the best defender in the league, the season we went up.

 

And our attack with Mavididi, Fatawu and Ayew cause teams lots of problems at this level. El Khannous is too good so will probs leave.

 

Also I've always thought Cifuentes is a very underrated manager at this level who I think will do very well for us.o

 

I think we will have a very good season

[les-tah]

4 hours ago, The Year Of The Fox said:

A 4-5 year spell in this division will do us no harm whatsoever. It’ll be a purge of all things wrong with this club. If that means our situation gets worse before it gets better then so be it. 
 

Obviously there’s no guarantee we’d come up 5 years later, but this is what the club needs.

that would be a total disaster of a business plan and do more harm than good to our finances, better off being a yoyo club and taking the tv money and parachute payments and just actually spend sensibly.

[Claridge]

2 hours ago, worth_the_wait said:

Purely from a fan perspective, it would do us good to be "mediocre" for a few years.

 

At the moment, we have got a fanbase so sterile ... it is almost beyond belief.   

 

For the past couple of seasons, the ground has been half empty by the full time whistle - whether we're winning by a goal, drawing or losing by a goal.    And by "half empty" I'm being generous.   It's normally worse than that  ... and that's when the result of the match is still in doubt!    When we're winning or losing by 2 or more goals,  the place is practically deserted come full time.

 

We've literally got 10,000 to 15,000 regulars who just don't really give a shite, and who just can't be bothered to even watch a whole match, once every week or two.

 

The only thing that's going to fix this,  is a period of sustained mediocrity/rubbish, so we can clear out 10,000 or so so-called fans who just aren't bothered.   I'll play the long game on this.   I want a fanbase, where at least most of us actually care.

 

So wanting us to lose lots of games otherwise we might go up for at least 5 yrs is caring😳

[Guest worth_the_wait]

8 hours ago, Claridge said:

So wanting us to lose lots of games otherwise we might go up for at least 5 yrs is caring😳

That's not what I said, was it?      I said, a period of mediocrity might do us some good. 

 

[ChrisFilter]

10 hours ago, Paninistickers said:

I get the logic, but unfortunately those 10k drongos will be the last 10k standing. 

 

I'm out for this season. I've jacked it. And I reckon those others who've jacked it are ones who have something about them, know the game, know the etiquette. 

 

The drongos have a nice day out irrelevant of result, of kit design, of sponsor, of narcissistic Dutch managers, of knife edge games at 85 mins. The even applaud relegation. They simply don't give a shit. They just go. 

 

 

What people on here don’t seem to get is that every club of a certain size has this issue.