The Championship Thread 2023/2024

[Blarmy]

1 hour ago, Fear Of The Fox said:

You probably didn't watch the last 2 games of Leeds. It was more than obvious their players were stressed and they were rushing everything. Farke also is now more afraid to use his bench, he's waiting until the 75min to make any changes. Their fans are losing patience, they're obsessed with automatic promotion because for some reason they think the team will collapse in playoffs. 

Ipswich will batter them next week. 1-4 to Ipswich. 

And that was definitely because of Ipswich?  And it definitely wouldn’t be like that if the gap between them and Ipswich was smaller? I mean, you might be right - but we will never know and neither will anyone else. If Leeds were closer to Ipswich they might be dropping points for different reasons. Having the chance to win to go second would also bring pressure and could cause them to slip up. Who knows? 

Us dropping to second might cause Leeds to “smell blood” and go on a run.  Again, who knows?

 

This is all hypothesising, and I prefer to stick to the simple fact that we need top 2, and are sitting first. Therefore, a huge gap to second is always preferable to not, given the fact there are multiple other clubs who also want top 2.

 

I think the whole premise for this wanting Ipswich to do well thing is based on us carrying on as we have been. We might not, and for that reason I want everyone who currently has a chance of top 2 doing as badly as possible, week in, week out, until they are all scrapping about desperately trying to get second in the final few weeks of the season, whilst we’re planning for life in the PL again. 

[Blarmy]

43 minutes ago, Lionator said:

Mostly because it’s funny to watch Leeds and Southampton suffer. 

Well yeah, I get that part 🤣.  And I do want anyone other than them to get promoted with us. 

[Legend_in_blue]

The fact that we could have been 17 ahead of Leeds after our home game earlier this season and, despite their recent impressive run, could still be 16 behind us after Rotherham speaks volumes.

[Jobyfox]

26 minutes ago, Blarmy said:

And that was definitely because of Ipswich?  And it definitely wouldn’t be like that if the gap between them and Ipswich was smaller? I mean, you might be right - but we will never know and neither will anyone else. If Leeds were closer to Ipswich they might be dropping points for different reasons. Having the chance to win to go second would also bring pressure and could cause them to slip up. Who knows? 

Us dropping to second might cause Leeds to “smell blood” and go on a run.  Again, who knows?

 

This is all hypothesising, and I prefer to stick to the simple fact that we need top 2, and are sitting first. Therefore, a huge gap to second is always preferable to not, given the fact there are multiple other clubs who also want top 2.

 

I think the whole premise for this wanting Ipswich to do well thing is based on us carrying on as we have been. We might not, and for that reason I want everyone who currently has a chance of top 2 doing as badly as possible, week in, week out, until they are all scrapping about desperately trying to get second in the final few weeks of the season, whilst we’re planning for life in the PL again. 

Yes exactly this. The capacity for something to go wrong is lessened when you have fewer teams challenging. 
 

The basic premise is that, if you’re in a relegation scrap, you want as many people in the mix as you can. When it’s promotion you want the fewest 

[Cincinnati Fox]

being a Leicester fan I still think we can f it up.

[Ric Flair]

7 minutes ago, Cincinnati Fox said:

being a Leicester fan I still think we can f it up.

We've got another 3 points since then mate

[Guest glasgowfox]

Not always the most positive individual BUT if we win the next 4 games (big if) but i think we are home and hosed 

[Dan LCFC]

3 hours ago, Death by Football said:

I think it does matter. We should live in the now and aim to win the division we’re playing in this season. Yes second place gets you promoted but I want us to win trophies from the level we are currently playing at. 
I would much rather Ipswich get second place than the other relegated teams as they totally deserve it based on performance so far. I would like there to be a six point gap between us though. Enough to keep the pressure on but also a little breathing space. 

It's a slippery slope to think it doesn't matter. Exactly the sort of mentality that we should be shaking. We should be winning this league. Ipswich are going to make this a battle but it's still one we ought to win.

 

It's pretty mental that 100 points might not do it though.

[gurru991]

Obviously my main concern is with Leicester getting promoted but I would rather Ipswich come up with us in the auto position.  I would (will) enjoy the playoffs & the agony that they bring for other clubs & Leeds and Southampton fans deserve some of that agony !!

[Fightforever]

2 hours ago, Cincinnati Fox said:

being a Leicester fan I still think we can f it up.

Us against Ipswich will be the best game the championship in terms of ability the league has ever seen if we both keep this up.

[Finnegan]

18 minutes ago, Fightforever said:

Us against Ipswich will be the best game the championship in terms of ability the league has ever seen if we both keep this up.

 

0-0 bore draw then eh 

[BenTheFox]

Just seen Southampton's next few fixtures. Difficult to see them dropping many points. 

[FOXSE]

5 minutes ago, BenTheFox said:

Just seen Southampton's next few fixtures. Difficult to see them dropping many points. 

Prediction: 7 points from 4 games.... 

[Leicester_Loyal]

9 minutes ago, BenTheFox said:

Just seen Southampton's next few fixtures. Difficult to see them dropping many points. 

If we win tomorrow they've got 13 points and 20ish GD to make up in 24 games.

 

If Southampton get more than 9 points from their next 4 games I'll be very surprised.

[Tommy Fresh]

8 hours ago, BenTheFox said:

Just seen Southampton's next few fixtures. Difficult to see them dropping many points. 

Could easily go either way, look at their last 5 results before the weekend, some poor draws in there

Edited 18 December 2023 by Tommy Fresh

[Lionator]

8 hours ago, BenTheFox said:

Just seen Southampton's next few fixtures. Difficult to see them dropping many points. 

QPR and Norwich away are tricky games, they’ve both hit some form. 

[Sol thewall Bamba]

17 hours ago, steveherbe said:

Saw the Southampton highlights last night, more empty seats at the end than we get - well, probably the same. Mind you, St Marys is a nightmare to get away from.

It wasn't long back they were on the verge of expanding, they delayed for too long and now they're struggling to fill what they have.

 

Hope that doesn't happen to us!

[Bert]

On 17/12/2023 at 06:41, filbertway said:

The wet bags on this forum desperate to be the victim and offended are so weird. Acting like we're some mad royalty doing the division a favour by visiting

Most people would be surprised you actually support us 😂😝

[ithuriel]

If Leeds are a threat, which they are so is Southampton and teams will be adding to their squads come January.

The automatic spots currently are 2 from 4, so long as we do not crumble we will be fine, cross fingers

Edited 18 December 2023 by ithuriel

[Chelmofox]

1 hour ago, Bert said:

Most people would be surprised you actually support us 😂😝

Sometimes i feel like there are more Leeds fans than Leicester fans on here....

[filbertway]

1 hour ago, Bert said:

Most people would be surprised you actually support us 😂😝

That's weird because the lads on tractor boys and WACCOE have been saying the exact same thing to me

 

[Jobyfox]

8 minutes ago, Chelmofox said:

Sometimes i feel like there are more Leeds fans than Leicester fans on here....

Let’s just stop bickering and all march on together…

 

…. oh, hang on … 

[Fox92]

5 hours ago, Lionator said:

QPR and Norwich away are tricky games, they’ve both hit some form. 

Norwich haven't beaten any decent opposition in that time though. Draw at Ipswich was good but it was a derby and those results are hard to judge.

[hackneyfox]

22 hours ago, Chelmofox said:

It doesn't matter if we come first or second. Automatic promotion is key. As long as we keep winning, then as far as i am concerned Ipswich continuing to win simply piles the pressure on Leeds. If Leeds target looks achievable, they will push hard and do their best to make it a 3 horse race. If 3rd place 15 points behind 2nd, that will mentally take its toll. If you watched Leeds yesterday, the players looked stressed and frustrated. I think things would be very different if they were only a few points off Ipswich.

 

I know lots (such as my son), thinks that winning the championship is a necessity, but i really don't care. If it becomes just a 2 horse race we can have the champions battle at the end of the season.

 

I know i will get pelters about winning the league, but noone gives a toss that Brighton / Brentford / Bournemouth didn't win the championship. What matters is what you do when you get there.

Surely there's more chance of attracting quality players in the next two transfer windows, if we've destroyed Ipseich on Boxing Day and gone on to win the leafgue at a canter.

[Les-TA-Jon]

Increasingly looking like Leeds/Southampton need close to perfect 2nd halves of the season and us to fall off a fair bit, for them to overcome us. 

 

 

You can see above:

• Each team's Points Targets (107 for the record, 90 for likely autos, 100 and 95 for added scenarios) with their Current Points Per Game, compared to Required Points Per Game
• The same data expressed as Current Dropped Points Per Game and Droppable Points Per Game 
• Leicester can drop points at a rate 3 times higher than we are currently and still get 90 points (0.52 CD PPG vs 1.48 D PPG) 

Obviously a ton of football still to play, so this sort of analysis struggles to be predictive but it at least shows how difficult each team's respective tasks are, in relation to one another. 

 

Looking like 90-95 points will be enough for Autos.