The Championship Thread 2023/2024

[Jobyfox]

5 hours ago, CosbehFox said:

On the basis of an average on the last two seasons, we'd need:-

 

To finish 12th - 13 more points out of a possible 78

Playoffs - 24/78 

Promotion - 37/78 

Champions - 42/78 

 

Obviously not going to be the case this year on the latter two - but just proves how far we'd normally be ahead 

I might be going early on this, but I think we're staying up! 

[NasPb]

Hope we get chair in January and someone for that ndidi role at the minimum 

[Chrysalis]

21 hours ago, Koke said:

We dropped points against the worst team in the league (Sheff Weds) so I wouldn't exactly be sure we beat Millwall, Birmingham and Rotherham

To be fair they seem to be improving considerably now.  Their fans also said their game against us was their best performance at that point for the season.

But regardless I do agree, we do seem guilty of approaching games with a lack of respect for the opposition lately, hopefully we can stamp that out.

[Chrysalis]

18 hours ago, Aus Fox said:

A lot of the league title and promotion places could be decided by the business the top 4 teams do in January.

It will be interesting with some quality in all teams if any PL and European clubs come in for top players. All four will have to keep their best players, whilst attempting to add that little bit of quality.

 

The other key time is in January for the Asia Cup and African Cup of nations - we are undoubtedly the hardest hit side at this time losing 5 first team players. 
Leeds won’t lose anyone and I think Southampton and Ipswich have one player each going. 
We could be without our players for upto 6 games including the key game at home to Ipswich on 23rd January. 

Are these competitions every year? we seem to always be losing Ndidia and Nacho every year if I remember right?

[Chrysalis]

11 hours ago, Lcfc-1992 said:

Hopefully Praet can stay fit and replace Ndidi

Ndidi is my biggest concern, I think he is having a great season.

[shailen]

5 hours ago, Foxaholic ME said:

   There is only 1 point between us and Ipswich and they won at Middlesborough  and lost at WBA we did the reverse and both lost to Leeds to date  

Yeah Ipswich have been incredible but my point is I still feel like we're not in top gear. That's not to say Ipswich will drop more points then us or Leeds but I feel like both those teams are close to top gear. Sounds arrogant but I feel like our forward options haven't fired all season which sounds insane (way more to come from Mavididi, Vardy, Nacho, Fatawu, etc..) 

[Rain King]

2 hours ago, Tuna said:

Alex Neil sacked

 

 

Paul Gallagher in caretaker charge.

 

So Paul Gallagher v Alan Sheehan on Tuesday night.

[Leicesterpool]

I wonder Alex Neill return to Sunderland possible. Not sure if Sunderland would be happy considering his exit. 

 

On Stoke.. i think its between John Eustace, Paul Heckinbottom, Steve Bruce and maybe Dean Smith.

[Guest nathan.]

I think Heckinbottom will get the Sunderland job and Smith will go Stoke.

 

 

[Leicesterpool]

I did hear somewhere Sunderland were targeting to get Jesse Marche. 

[Nolucklcfc]

10 minutes ago, Leicesterpool said:

I did hear somewhere Sunderland were targeting to get Jesse Marche. 

Us trying to get him at the back end of last season perfectly summed up that season. 

[Jobyfox]

2 minutes ago, Nolucklcfc said:

Us trying to get him at the back end of last season perfectly summed up that season. 

…. and the fact that we couldn’t get him … perfectly summed up that season 

[Sol thewall Bamba]

FAO @FoxyJim1987

 

 

[fuchsntf]

5 hours ago, NasPb said:

Hope we get chair in January and someone for that ndidi role at the minimum 

We need new player investments..but I won’t single them out to any particular position

 

Enso has rightly used pix n mix & tweeked some positions by using the squad.

I don’t think AFCON,will actually leave us wanting..Enzo with early rotation & not

pushing nor exaggerating need for an individual position,while cleverly wisely tinkering early within the squad…

Unless 3-4 long term injuries come & bite us,interuppting heavily across our interfacing creators..

So far Enzo has tested & tinkered around with the squad,threw down a few gauntlets,and his unexpected even forced prodiigies ,have come up damn well..

So far after 20 games,though some worries and doubts will abound,I see no areas where we will implode,or run us close to catastrophy…

Mind you LCFC DNA will throw its dust somehow over my shoulder..

[UniFox21]

9 hours ago, Sol thewall Bamba said:

FAO @FoxyJim1987

 

 

Quite funny to see given the general consensus is that we haven't been playing too well, and haven't hit that top gear yet 

[FoxyJim1987]

10 hours ago, Sol thewall Bamba said:

FAO @FoxyJim1987

 

 

They've done exceptionally well, and to recover from their mini slump is impressive, I thought Leeds would have overtaken them by now. The thing is you wrote about their extraordinary form when they had drawn with Rotherham and Birmingham and then lost to West brom. I hold my hands up and say that overall their form has been incredible, both in terms of points accumulation and just how amazing it is that they were in league one last season. Fair play to them, and (begrudgingly) you. 😜

[goose2010]

With the fixtures this week they have been a little kind (frustrating for the fans having Brum on Monday night though) with an extra days rest with playing on Wednesday and then not playing again until the Monday. 

 

I then fully expect 7-8 changes for the Rotherham game which gives more rest before Ipswich. 

 

With Ipswich playing Leeds on the 23rd neither will rest anyone. Leeds then play 26th at 12:30 putting more pressure on them to get a result. Then all 3 of us playing again on the 29th. 

 

Squad management should play into our hands over the next 3 / 4 weeks. It is time for those that come in to step up to the plate. 

[Mark 'expert' Lawrenson]

How we get on without the 4 African players will be interesting, does anyone know if Ipswich and Leeds will be losing players to AFCON?

[Deeg67]

15 minutes ago, Mark 'expert' Lawrenson said:

How we get on without the 4 African players will be interesting, does anyone know if Ipswich and Leeds will be losing players to AFCON?

Leeds doesn’t have anybody and Ipswich only has Sam Morsy (Egypt) as far as I remember.

[Nalis]

Absolutely fair play Ipswich, making it interesting for everyone really.

[Ric Flair]

30 minutes ago, Mark 'expert' Lawrenson said:

How we get on without the 4 African players will be interesting, does anyone know if Ipswich and Leeds will be losing players to AFCON?

 

14 minutes ago, Deeg67 said:

Leeds doesn’t have anybody and Ipswich only has Sam Morsy (Egypt) as far as I remember.

Ipswich also lose Burgess and Luongo to the Asian Cup.

[martyn]

Morsy and Luongo both gone is bad news for Ipswich. 

[Sol thewall Bamba]

2 hours ago, FoxyJim1987 said:

They've done exceptionally well, and to recover from their mini slump is impressive, I thought Leeds would have overtaken them by now. The thing is you wrote about their extraordinary form when they had drawn with Rotherham and Birmingham and then lost to West brom. I hold my hands up and say that overall their form has been incredible, both in terms of points accumulation and just how amazing it is that they were in league one last season. Fair play to them, and (begrudgingly) you. 😜

For the record I hope I'm wrong by the end of the season!

[Deeg67]

Amazing stat: Sunderland have 31 goals, 0 from strikers.

[ClaphamFox]

1 hour ago, Mark 'expert' Lawrenson said:

How we get on without the 4 African players will be interesting, does anyone know if Ipswich and Leeds will be losing players to AFCON?

Judging from their forums, the fans of some of our rival clubs clearly believe that we'll implode in January because of AFCON. They've really got their hopes pinned on it. I have a feeling they might be disappointed.

Edited 11 December 2023 by ClaphamFox