Championship 2023/24 | Ipswich promoted!

Cascarino

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Why did they sack him? I thought they were doing well this season.
They did something similar with Rowett, who had them in or around the playoffs, but sacked him for Zola because he was a big name, and then ended up in a relegation battle. They like a big name.

Nothing against Rooney because I think he could be a good manager, but it’s typical Birmingham owner shit
 

Chipper

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Leicester pretty much promoted already?

11 wins out of 12, absolutely flying with PL experience throughout the squad.
 

GuybrushThreepwood

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Yesterday's game against Cardiff, was the first time we've won without playing particularly well, and have come out on top in a 'scrappy' contest, probably since we beat Swansea way back in early February.

Our inability to win games without playing overly well, has been big a concern. So far this season, we've been excellent during all the games that we've won (apart from the win against Cardiff yesterday), and we've been absolutely useless during all of the games that we've lost (apart from the home defeat against Hull when we were unlucky). There has been a tendancy for heads to drop and panic to set in after going behind, making a mistake etc.
 

jeff gurr

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Good for them, I still can’t believe they got relegated.
Brendan Rodgers was Poison !!! He orchestrated the whole scenario because he wanted out. Bizarre team selection & equally bizarre substitutions !!!
 

FootballHQ

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Brendan Rodgers was Poison !!! He orchestrated the whole scenario because he wanted out. Bizarre team selection & equally bizarre substitutions !!!
Even if you'd sacked him in the March international break that would've been enough as I think Dean Smith would've got at least two points off Palace away and Bournemouth at home. Just giving those caretakers you had those games was another daft decision.

Still you'll learn from your mistakes and come back up having won 30 odd games so that's the momentum the likes of Everton simply can't generate at this level.
 

jeff gurr

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Even if you'd sacked him in the March international break that would've been enough as I think Dean Smith would've got at least two points off Palace away and Bournemouth at home. Just giving those caretakers you had those games was another daft decision.

Still you'll learn from your mistakes and come back up having won 30 odd games so that's the momentum the likes of Everton simply can't generate at this level.
You are right !!
The club made mistakes and paid the price. Hopefully we can come back up a little smarter !
 

Sleigh

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Leicester now have the joint best start to a Championship season since 1905 with 12 wins from 13 games.

Maresca has transformed us in a short time frame and it really shows how Rodgers poisoned the club and made stupid decisions.
 

PepG

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I really like what Enzo Maresca is doing with Leicester. They play like a Pep team and for the first time i can say i see a former assistant of Guardiola who is going into his steps.. what i mean is the style of play is the closest to the source from all of the so called Pep disciples.. lets see how it goes but Maresca def has the potential to become a very interesting name soon.
 

jeff gurr

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I really like what Enzo Maresca is doing with Leicester. They play like a Pep team and for the first time i can say i see a former assistant of Guardiola who is going into his steps.. what i mean is the style of play is the closest to the source from all of the so called Pep disciples.. lets see how it goes but Maresca def has the potential to become a very interesting name soon.
He has changed how the team play very quickly & with great success. Initially a lot of Leicester fans objected to all of the passing but success has brought acceptance.
Now fans are concerned that Maresca could be tempted by an offer from a Premier league club. Hopefully we can keep him happy !!
 

Sandikan

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Feel for Ainsworth at QPR.
Left a really safe job at Wycombe, where he was a living legend, but everyone knew QPR or Blackburn were the 2 clubs he always dreamed of managing, so understand he had to take the chance.

But it's just such a toxic atmosphere there, terrible owners and fans and simply not enough funds for that level.
 

GuybrushThreepwood

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I was pleasantly surprised with our win away to Millwall, as 1) we normally struggle with Saturday -> Tuesday turnarounds and 2) we’re not very good at coming from behind to win games; typically when we concede the first goal we’re doomed to defeat.

The pass from Hill and then strike from Brittain for the winning goal were exquisite. And back to back ‘gritty’ wins was a very pleasant surprise.

I’m confident that we’ll win enough games to not have to worry about relegation, but we’re still too open and prone to defeat to get into the top 6, especially with the Championship stronger this season than it was last season.
 

Melbourne Red

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Brendan Rodgers was Poison !!! He orchestrated the whole scenario because he wanted out. Bizarre team selection & equally bizarre substitutions !!!
Leicester now have the joint best start to a Championship season since 1905 with 12 wins from 13 games.

Maresca has transformed us in a short time frame and it really shows how Rodgers poisoned the club and made stupid decisions.
Can you guys explain this for those of us who weren't paying attention? How was he poison?
 

Jimmy Skitz

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Can you guys explain this for those of us who weren't paying attention? How was he poison?
he spent the last 6 months of the previous season telling everyone who would listen the squad was shite, spent all summer telling everyone the squad was shite knowing we needed to sell for FFP reasons before we could buy so funnily enough were didn't attract much interest.

Danny Ward missed all of pre season injured Iversen played and impressed yet he gave Ward 26 games despite it being obvious he wasn't up to it after 5 or 10. Froze our Soyuncu who was brilliant when brought back under Smith, froze out Vestergaard, labelling him a back up player despite saying he was vital when signing him 12 months earlier, both of which would be fine if injuries didn't leave us playing Faes and Amartey at the back, neither of whom are a defensive leader with Ndidi are their main back up.

Gave the captaincy to Tielemans who hadn't been interested since full time in the FA Cup final and marginalised Vardy in our attacking play leaving us toothless.

It was summed up on our opening day we were 2-0 up Vs Brentford on a hot day, they changed 5 of their front 6, we made 1 sub, Dewsbury-Hall being replaced by Daka so had tired players including an immobile Tielemans up against fresh players and outnumbered, obviously they swamped us and levelled things up.

Oh and nothing was ever his fault, it was the fault of the board (even though we were in the position we were in as they gave him our biggest net spend ever and he wasted it), the players (even though he was playing a system that clearly didn't suit our best players) and the fans, somehow it was our fault
 

Jimmy Skitz

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Oh and he's so deluded he'd tell you last season he had us playing the same way we are this season
 

Idxomer

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It would be a good achievement if McKenna achieved back-to-back promotions, has it ever been done before at this level?
 

Santos J

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It would be a good achievement if McKenna achieved back-to-back promotions, has it ever been done before at this level?
Norwich was quite recent. Think Hull, Southampton and Brighton are the others of recent history.
Southampton, Norwich & Watford are the only ones who have done it from League 1 to the Prem. Rotherham, Bury, Hull, Luton & Brighton from L2 to Championship.
 

Plastic Evra

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Can you guys explain this for those of us who weren't paying attention? How was he poison?
Remembering some talk from last year : Bad expensive signings he wanted then demanded replaced mid-year (denied) and a general sense the squad was probably numb to whatever motivation he was trying to instill. Last season they were a negative, sterile side for most of it. Can't speak for all their core but Tielemans obviously couldn't be arsed so maybe the forced change of guard was also needed to refresh the mentality.

Also had to do with ownership being tight with money (COVID has not been kind to duty free shops) and not just Rodgers.
 

Melbourne Red

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he spent the last 6 months of the previous season telling everyone who would listen the squad was shite, spent all summer telling everyone the squad was shite knowing we needed to sell for FFP reasons before we could buy so funnily enough were didn't attract much interest.

Danny Ward missed all of pre season injured Iversen played and impressed yet he gave Ward 26 games despite it being obvious he wasn't up to it after 5 or 10. Froze our Soyuncu who was brilliant when brought back under Smith, froze out Vestergaard, labelling him a back up player despite saying he was vital when signing him 12 months earlier, both of which would be fine if injuries didn't leave us playing Faes and Amartey at the back, neither of whom are a defensive leader with Ndidi are their main back up.

Gave the captaincy to Tielemans who hadn't been interested since full time in the FA Cup final and marginalised Vardy in our attacking play leaving us toothless.

It was summed up on our opening day we were 2-0 up Vs Brentford on a hot day, they changed 5 of their front 6, we made 1 sub, Dewsbury-Hall being replaced by Daka so had tired players including an immobile Tielemans up against fresh players and outnumbered, obviously they swamped us and levelled things up.

Oh and nothing was ever his fault, it was the fault of the board (even though we were in the position we were in as they gave him our biggest net spend ever and he wasted it), the players (even though he was playing a system that clearly didn't suit our best players) and the fans, somehow it was our fault

Fair enough, thanks for this. He's got a way of winning friends and influencing people

So you don't think your squad was that bad ?
 

Sleigh

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Fair enough, thanks for this. He's got a way of winning friends and influencing people

So you don't think your squad was that bad ?
No, I think with the squad we have now, we’re better than some team in the lower half of the Premier League.

When you consider we had Maddison, Tielemans and Barnes as well, to the team that has now won 13 from 14 in the Championship, it bonkers we were relegated.

Our average current points per game gets us to 128 points. I think Reading have the highest total with 107 points. We obviously won’t get 128 points, however I’d like to think we’ll surpass Readings total.

Winks is a great player though. I’ve been surprised at just how good he is.
 

jeff gurr

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Fair enough, thanks for this. He's got a way of winning friends and influencing people

So you don't think your squad was that bad ?
The squad wasn't bad at all but the team were awful.We were conceding set piece goals every game & the team never looked like they knew what they were doing.
 

jeff gurr

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The Leeds V Leicester game should be a cracker. Too close to call for my money !!
 

Lay

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Didn’t realise how ahead Leicester and Ipswich are. Would like to see Ipswich back up for sure.
 

Champ

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What a game this is tonight, some great attacking football on display....

...oh and Dan James....
 

Jimmy Skitz

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Enzo got out coached tonight, we’d run out of ideas and he left 3 attacking players on the bench
 

Ekkie Thump

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Was a really enjoyable game. Think we deserved it. Pereira's a hell of a player though.

Can't believe Meslier made that save at the end. Nor can I believe that despite now beating both Leicester and Ipswich away we remain 11 points off the top (12 if Ipswich win their games in hand).
 

Champ

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You joke, but Dan James is incredibly effective in the Championship.
I like Dan James to be fair, was a big fan of his when at United, albeit he wasn't quite good enough.
He is a good, direct player and I think Farke is using him in his best position on the wing.

That was an excellent game last night, the Championship this season is ridiculously good.
 

jeff gurr

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The upcoming game this weekend between Middlesbrough and Ipswich has the potential to be a cracker !!
Two young British managers with Manchester United connections meeting up should add a bit of interest.
 

jeff gurr

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Birmingham lost to Coventry today 2-0 ...Five points from nine Games for Rooney !! I wonder how bullet proof he really is !!
 

Santos J

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Leicester 2-1 up at Birmingham after 20 minutes. End to end stuff, been a great game so far but Birmingham look awful defensively.
 

Jimmy Skitz

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Leicester 2-1 up at Birmingham after 20 minutes. End to end stuff, been a great game so far but Birmingham look awful defensively.
Vestergaard has had a renaissance for us this season but he's still a slow lumbering oaf at the back I wonder when we will finally plug Coady in full time