The Championship Thread 2023/2024

[ClaphamFox]

1 hour ago, Mike Oxlong said:

With our fall off and our rivals for promotion getting all these last gasp goals it feels like some divine creator is having a game of piss off all Leicester fans atm 

He’s been at it most of my life. 

[ronnup]

Norwich need to step up next week. 

[WorcesterBlue]

12 hours ago, RowlattsFox said:

Ipswich got better with the subs, changes all 3 attackers every game I've seen them and nearly always have an impact. Maybe he should.get the team right in the first place 

 

Opposite Southampton got worse with their subs. 

Ipswich supporter here. The reason he changes so many forwards is to get fresh legs out there and blokes who have been bench warming and champing at the bit waiting to get on. These then run like hell at tired defenders who have been out there for an hour or so.  It's not rocket science. It's bringing on the right players at the right time. Great game yesterday. For some reason I seem to have lost my voice. Foxes and Town to go up. F ....... Leeds

[CountesthorpeFox1]

9 hours ago, don_danbury said:

its a shame southampton didnt get anything tonight. that last game could see them having nothing to play for by then. 

I fear quite the opposite. 

 

If they’re mathematically in the playoffs they absolutely will have something to play for, meaning his squad choice could well decide who joins them in the playoffs. If i’m Martin I’d tactically play the kids claiming i’m ‘resting players’ knowing full well we lose because Id much rather play Leicester than Leeds at the minute. 

 

I appreciate it’s a similar outcome as having nothing to play for but it’s actually worse because sometimes teams play better when relaxed. Take any team that’s mathematically relegated, they go and win the next game. Them tactically losing the game will be far more detrimental than having nothing to play for 

[Matt]

17 minutes ago, WorcesterBlue said:

Ipswich supporter here. The reason he changes so many forwards is to get fresh legs out there and blokes who have been bench warming and champing at the bit waiting to get on. These then run like hell at tired defenders who have been out there for an hour or so.  It's not rocket science. It's bringing on the right players at the right time. Great game yesterday. For some reason I seem to have lost my voice. Foxes and Town to go up. F ....... Leeds

Meanwhile our ideology is or certainly was pass it around alot tire the opposition.

 

The word used was our way is "sustainable", your was supposedly wasn't, they said (and still are) you couldn't keep it up, yet we're the ones who have look jaded.

 

Your way appears to have been very sustainable, far more entertaining and exciting with it.

 

I also feel your way would be more suited and successful in the Premier League if either or both go up - I know it's not a huge points difference but look at Luton (Perceived to be doing well and they are) and Burnley (Perceived to be struggling and master of their own downfall due to style of play and awful to watch), I see alot of Luton in you.

 

Edited 2 April by Matt

[Aus Fox]

1 hour ago, smudger63 said:

Ipswich just seem destined to go up.

I almost feel that its just written that way, and nothing will change it.

We can talk about all the luck they have had, and I can't remember a team having more in the course of a season, in 50 odd years of watching football, but if they don't keep going to the end, or if they don't take them shots that take a deflection or two, then they don't get that luck that has come their way.

 

 

At some point it stops becoming luck and we have to take our hats off and say well done. Luck is the odd deflected goal or late winner. When it happens repeatedly, it’s not down to luck.

[Stuntman_Mike]

I can't get over that Ipswich winner 

 

Where did the 7 minutes come from?

 

How did the ball stick to his feet like that??

 

 

[Pub breath]

10 hours ago, Number 6 said:

To be fair Leeds looked unstoppable a few weeks back. They've got results recently but they do look a little more nervous. Felt like they'd win all their games before but there's a bit more fallibility there now.

 

Ipswich riding the crest of a wave still. Probably have the least pressure on them too and did it last season. The way they play always leaves them a little vulnerable though. Norwich game is huge for them.

 

Today was mostly about getting the win ourselves. Would have been nice if results had gone out way but we needed to stop the rot with some more winnable games coming up. Our game against Soton is arguably slightly easier now too.

Yep.  Nerves are evident and what compounded that was playing last after seeing your two rivals for the autos winning - really ramps that pressure up.  Still unbeaten since xmas and only two draws in that run.  We're winning whilst not being at our best, which is encouraging because at some point, i'm sure we'll start clicking properly again.

Gruev has been an enormous miss in the last two.  If he's back for Coventry, that will make a sizable difference - probably in a similar fashion to how Ndidi does for Leicester.

[Lionator]

Some Ipswich stats.

 

They’ve won 6 home games 3-2 this season and were behind in all of them.

 

They’ve scored over a third of their goals after the 80th minute mark.

 

Only one team in twenty years has been automatically promoted having conceded more goals than they currently have, and that’s with 6 games still to play. 

[WorcesterBlue]

4 minutes ago, Stuntman_Mike said:

I can't get over that Ipswich winner 

 

Where did the 7 minutes come from?

 

How did the ball stick to his feet like that??

 

 

Their right back, I forget his name, fell over and twisted his back and lay as if he had been pole axed for 5 minutes. Then he got up and ran around. Usual thing.

 

[Matt]

1 hour ago, Aus Fox said:

At some point it stops becoming luck and we have to take our hats off and say well done. Luck is the odd deflected goal or late winner. When it happens repeatedly, it’s not down to luck.

But as I was saying Friday(?) they shoot, if it takes a deflection and goes in so be it, meanwhile we are constantly trying to score the perfect goal.

 

You're not going to get deflected goal if you don't shoot in the first place, you have to make your own luck.

 

Equally, similar goes for late goals, Ipswich and Leeds throw everything at it, flood players forward, making attacking changes!

 

Us? Nah, we're to focused on emphasising 'control' and playing 'pretty', 1-0 down on Friday, 90th minute and were still passing on the edge of our own box, you're not getting any luck playing like that.

 

Perhaps Ipswich and Leeds are a little too gung-ho, there's a balance to be had either way but the comparisons are one extreme to the other and I personally would side with their mentality's than ours.

 

Edited 2 April by Matt

[WorcesterBlue]

3 minutes ago, Lionator said:

Some Ipswich stats.

 

They’ve won 6 home games 3-2 this season and were behind in all of them.

 

They’ve scored over a third of their goals after the 80th minute mark.

 

Only one team in twenty years has been automatically promoted having conceded more goals than they currently have, and that’s with 6 games still to play. 

We have had 10 games this season that have either been 3-2 or 4-3.

[FrankieADZ]

5 minutes ago, Lionator said:

Some Ipswich stats.

 

They’ve won 6 home games 3-2 this season and were behind in all of them.

 

They’ve scored over a third of their goals after the 80th minute mark.

 

Only one team in twenty years has been automatically promoted having conceded more goals than they currently have, and that’s with 6 games still to play. 

helps when you get 8mins added on every home game tbf

[smudger63]

8 minutes ago, Pub breath said:

Yep.  Nerves are evident and what compounded that was playing last after seeing your two rivals for the autos winning - really ramps that pressure up.  Still unbeaten since xmas and only two draws in that run.  We're winning whilst not being at our best, which is encouraging because at some point, i'm sure we'll start clicking properly again.

Gruev has been an enormous miss in the last two.  If he's back for Coventry, that will make a sizable difference - probably in a similar fashion to how Ndidi does for Leicester.

Yesterday was the first time since we played Ipswich away on boxing day  that we were able to start both Ndidi and Ricardo together.

We are a far better team with those two in the side, but we should have had more  than enough in the squad to cope with that in this division, so there can be no excuses on our part really.

 

[Mickyblueeyes]

The thing that has me really confused is all three wins yesterday for the three clubs felt like they were “season defining”! Like every one could look back on Easter Monday come the end of the season and say, that was the game. God knows how it will go from here 

 

Looking at the fixtures, if we do not come out with 3 points in the next 3 and Ipswich do some how come out with 3 wins, we certainly don’t deserve to go up auto and they do. 
 

Big 3 games coming up. Our next 2 after those are tough. 

[WorcesterBlue]

6 minutes ago, FrankieADZ said:

helps when you get 8mins added on every home game tbf

Don't forget the 12 minutes that were added at Cardiff that cost is 3 points.

[FrankieADZ]

6 minutes ago, WorcesterBlue said:

Don't forget the 12 minutes that were added at Cardiff that cost is 3 points.

true, think that was another game where Morsy managed to get away with not getting a second yellow, dunno how he does it but its a talent 

[WorcesterBlue]

10 hours ago, Gerard said:

 

You can't keep going to the wire and expect last minute winners. Ipswich have been tremendous at that this season but they're gutsy and most importantly that's good variance more than any other factor.

 

There will be Leeds and Ipswich fans looking at their fixtures and our fixtures thinking it's a two horse race between them two as we'll be first. The truth is that it's all to play for and all three of us are likely to drop a good few points between now and the end.

I agree that there are still a lot of football to play yet. But for this coming week nobody in East Anglia is considering the league position. It's all about the game with the Budgies at Carrion Road on Saturday. For that we turn our backs to the world and watch the game through our fingers.

[weller54]

30 minutes ago, Stuntman_Mike said:

I can't get over that Ipswich winner 

 

Where did the 7 minutes come from?

 

How did the ball stick to his feet like that??

 

 

Cow dung 

[grobyfox1990]

Surprised at the positivity around Ipswich. They are different to Liverpool, Man City and Fergie's Man U, they aren't playing teams off the park and forcing in last min winners. Soton had huge chances at 2-1 up and did not take them, like many other matches Ipswich got away with it. They won't keep getting away with it. 

Leeds will be under huge pressure from their fanbase, can be a blessing and a curse.

Overall surprised at why everyone isn't mega pumped at this forthcoming month, it's what having a hobby is all about!! A distraction from the more important things in real life, it's going to be brilliant. 

[WorcesterBlue]

1 minute ago, FrankieADZ said:

true, think that was another game where Morsy managed to get away with not getting a second yellow, dunno how he does it but its a talent 

Morsy is a destroyer. If he loses the ball to you don't expect him to stand back and admire your skill. He is immediately going to do everything he can to get it back. Yes he is tough but over the course of a match he is much more fouled than fouling. It is just that he rides the fouls and presses on forwards. Relentless. He will be our Player of the Season by a mile. 

[KFS]

2 minutes ago, grobyfox1990 said:

Surprised at the positivity around Ipswich. They are different to Liverpool, Man City and Fergie's Man U, they aren't playing teams off the park and forcing in last min winners. Soton had huge chances at 2-1 up and did not take them, like many other matches Ipswich got away with it. They won't keep getting away with it. 

Leeds will be under huge pressure from their fanbase, can be a blessing and a curse.

Overall surprised at why everyone isn't mega pumped at this forthcoming month, it's what having a hobby is all about!! A distraction from the more important things in real life, it's going to be brilliant. 

What’s wild is this coming week (Sat-Fri) and then 20-27 will define the season. Two very intense mini tournaments where LCFC play first virtually every game. We have an opportunity to be in the driver’s seat here massively if Maresca can keep them focused across those two weeks.

 

Expect to be willing Cov to win on the 30th of April. Could well be another Chelsea and Eden Hazard moment. 

[KFS]

4 minutes ago, WorcesterBlue said:

Morsy is a destroyer. If he loses the ball to you don't expect him to stand back and admire your skill. He is immediately going to do everything he can to get it back. Yes he is tough but over the course of a match he is much more fouled than fouling. It is just that he rides the fouls and presses on forwards. Relentless. He will be our Player of the Season by a mile. 

And no offence, but that says absolutely everything…

[smudger63]

20 minutes ago, Mickyblueeyes said:

The thing that has me really confused is all three wins yesterday for the three clubs felt like they were “season defining”! Like every one could look back on Easter Monday come the end of the season and say, that was the game. God knows how it will go from here 

 

Looking at the fixtures, if we do not come out with 3 points in the next 3 and Ipswich do some how come out with 3 wins, we certainly don’t deserve to go up auto and they do. 
 

Big 3 games coming up. Our next 2 after those are tough. 

Yesterday was certainly season defining for Southampton, because it realistically killed off any hopes they may have had of going up automatically.

On the flip side  it will give them a few weeks to mentally prepare for the play offs, which is unlikely to be the case for whichever club misses out from ourselves, Ipswich and Leeds. 

Although of the three, i think Ipswich would be the most likely to go up if they did drop into the play offs, because of their undoubted belief and resilience.

I really worry for us, if we don't get in the top two, I just don't see us doing it in a play off scenario.

[Lionator]

40 minutes ago, WorcesterBlue said:

We have had 10 games this season that have either been 3-2 or 4-3.

You will get absolutely obliterated in the premier league if you don’t address that. The only team to concede more were Norwich in 2018/19 and the season after, they conceded 75 goals in the Prem and were relegated by 15 points.