| Looking at the Opposition 12:22 - Oct 7 with 935 views | basilrobbiereborn |
Now we've played half the Division, just about, I wondered what people thought of the sides we have met so far?
For me, the stand out side was Brentford - well organised, very good passers of the ball, didn't get phased when they went behind and probably the only side we've met who worked harder than we did. I didn't expect them to do more than consolidate this season, but having seen them I can see why they are up there.
Norwich are the pick of the rest, so far. I thought they played a bit within themselves against us, or at least had a bit of an off day. But they had some real quality up front and it showed on the day.
No-one else has impressed me all that much. Forest were solid, worked hard and they will be pretty confident by now, I would have thought. But we gave them a good game despite being in disarray, and the big thing they will have to contend with is the weight of expectation from the supporters. It has done for them before, and it will be interesting to see how they cope this time, especially with a manager who has it all to prove.
Wigan are a bit of an enigma so far. I thought they were excellent for 45 minutes against us, but faded very badly and they are struggling for the results they SHOULD be getting. Similarly, Wolves are clearly doing something right, but they were pretty awful at our place - or perhaps we made them look so.
Blackburn looked solid enough to me and I have them as a bit of a dark horse for the top six this year. As long as they have Rhodes, they are a goal threat and they may win more games than most, especially at home.
Middlesbrough are also going well, and have some flair going forward. But without the ball they are nowhere near as good, and I thought we won the midfield battle there for large parts of the game. Millwall also looked a side lacking something, and had we not presented them with the initiative, I think we would have taken something there. I think they'll be nearer the bottom six than the top six.
Three to go - I thought Watford were a bit fortunate to win at our place, and God only knows what is going on behind the scenes there. But it doesn't seem to be affecting the dressing room all that much, and I have a feeling that they will go close this season. They have some very good players.
Brighton and Cardiff come under the heading of serious under-achievers. Brighton were hesitant and struggled to create chances against us, which are not things I have associated with them over the past few years. Cardiff, as we've all just seen, were nondescript in the extreme, and living testimony that merely accumulating players with a name and a reputation doesn't necessarily to translate into form or results. I'd expect both of these clubs to improve, and to rise up the table. But whether they will feature at the sharp end or not - well, I have my doubts.
I think it's a weak Division, on the basis of what I've seen so far, and of the sides we haven't seen I think Derby and Bournemouth will eventually prove to be the pick of them (although I've liked the look of the Massive, on what little I've seen on TV). It will be interesting to see how all three look for real, and also to run the rule over Huddersfield, Bolton, Leeds, Rotherham and Birmingham, all of whom are legitimate targets for us. | |
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| Looking at the Opposition on 12:30 - Oct 7 with 929 views | Wizaard |
I that haven't played most of the sides round us says a lot about the Division. We've obviously been struggling, but we've been playing the form teams more or less week in and week out. Once we've played those also struggling, a clearer picture will emerge. I'd expect us to be out of the bottom three by the end of November if we can build on our recent good performances. Still think some additional quality is needed, with cover in defence and another midfielder the minimum requirement.
You didn't mention Millwall of the sides we've played. After an early season bloom, they seem to have hit a wall and are sinking down to where I'd expect them to be.
I also think Brentford will fall away, but Norwich have sufficient quality to do well. Of the sides we haven't played, I'd add Ipswich to your shortlist. They are bound to be well organised under McCarthy and have some quality.
Given the fine margins we've had to date, even when we were really struggling, I still maintain it's not a good quality of Division. Whoever goes up will struggle to stay up.
As Watford look for their fourth manager this season, I think that might catch up with them.
For that reason, my top two are Norwich and Derby. | | | |
| Looking at the Opposition on 13:09 - Oct 7 with 906 views | basilrobbiereborn |
Wiz
you missed my one sentence about Holloway's Wonders. 
I think you are right about Ipswich, where the culture of not sacking managers and giving them time seems to be coming good at last with McCarthy. I find it hard to know where Norwich will eventually be, but suspect you are right that they will be close.
I also agree that whoever makes it up this season will need to bring in lots of quality to have hope next season. QPR and Burnley are already finding the realities of life up there are hard to cope with. | |
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| Looking at the Opposition on 13:27 - Oct 7 with 890 views | Bobtheretiredbroker |
Agree with most of what you say, Robbie.
I see Derby as favourites to go up, with a strong midfield providing chances for a quality striker like Martin. Watford have two of the very best strikers at this level in Vydra and Deeney, though the latter is injured at present. There are clearly problems behind the scenes though.
Agree with you about Forest and the weight of expectations. Stuart Pearce's passion can become a liability when the pressure is really on.
Bournemouth and Brentford play decent football and I see them finishing in the top half, but may lack the depth in their squads to go all the way.
Norwich should be thereabouts if they can start winning at home, and Boro and the Wendies are realistic play-off candidates.
I go along with Wizaard about Ipswich, and Wolves could be in the mix too. It still rankles with me that we didn't sign Dicko !
I expect Brighton, Wigan, Leeds, Reading, Cardiff and Blackburn to settle for mid-table mediocrity, while Charlton and Fulham will get closer together as the former runs out of gas and the Cottagers improve. They have some very promising kids !
I believe that we are better than Rotherham, Bolton, Brum, Millwall and Huddersfield and, with a couple of new signings in January, could even overtake a few more.
In Riga I trust, and Friday's performance was the best I've seen since Ollie left. I know "one swallow etc..." but I now really believe that we are on the road to recovery.
UTP | | | |
| Looking at the Opposition on 14:28 - Oct 7 with 844 views | basilrobbiereborn |
Good post Bob. I picked Wigan and Derby as my top two at the start, and still think the Latics will climb the League.
I think Leeds are an interesting case. More bottom half strugglers for me, but at the moment they are winning enough to keep the wolf at bay. | |
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| Looking at the Opposition on 20:09 - Oct 7 with 749 views | Plumbs |
It's 'PLW' if you don't mind.
I think Brentford will be top half and Sheffield Weds have very little quality although they have a hard work ethic. Middlesborough have quality and strength of squad but for some reason always seem unfancied.
No one has mentioned Ipswich who are playing fluently under Mad Mick. | |
| Real fans go to pubs like the HITW or the Welly |
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| Looking at the Opposition on 11:55 - Oct 8 with 695 views | straightatthewall |
I think the OP says as much about Robbie's view of the football world in general than anything else. Us aside, I can well imagine him being desperate for Brentford to do well so it provides validation for his overall views on the way things are.
Robbie - that may read like a dig, but it's not meant to be (nor is it a compliment.) I just thinks that's how your mind works. | |
| We got Bogdanovic, Oyston got very rich |
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| Looking at the Opposition on 13:01 - Oct 8 with 671 views | basilrobbiereborn |
SATW
would I be right in saying that you didn't see the Brentford match? Because I can't imagine you'd write such utter cobblers if you had. They were very impressive on the day, and have had a number of equally impressive results since. No agenda, full stop.
Good piece of baiting though.  | |
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| Looking at the Opposition on 13:40 - Oct 8 with 664 views | straightatthewall |
Come off it. You'd love Brentford to have a great season, because it would give you validation over everything that you think football should be about and isn't.
Lest we forget that only a few months previous you were waxing lyrical about certain nations in the world cup, who subsequently went out to the bigger nations who you'd been poo-poohing.
And given the amount of Adrian Durham-esque posts you've been making in recent weeks, I put it to you that it is you, not I, who is the real baiter here. You're a master of the art so to speak......  (that's a 'wink' by the way....) | |
| We got Bogdanovic, Oyston got very rich |
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| Looking at the Opposition on 13:42 - Oct 8 with 660 views | basilrobbiereborn |
You can be so vulgar sometimes. I scarcely know where to look.  | |
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| Looking at the Opposition on 13:52 - Oct 8 with 645 views | straightatthewall |
True, but that was perfectly executed you have to admit. | |
| We got Bogdanovic, Oyston got very rich |
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| Looking at the Opposition on 14:12 - Oct 8 with 635 views | basilrobbiereborn |
Oh, I knew you'd pull it off alright. You've made a posting career out of it. [Post edited 8 Oct 2014 14:12]
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| Looking at the Opposition on 20:57 - Oct 8 with 555 views | 20togo |
Of the teams I've seen [home games] Brentford surprised and impressed me the most. Extremely hard working and played some decent football. But that was against us. Could they do it on a regular basis against teams of a better quality? Not so sure.
Derby will be good and Norwich have a lot of quality which showed against us when they got over their complacency and realised they still had to put the effort in. And I certainly expect Cardiff to come good again. | | | |
| Looking at the Opposition on 21:14 - Oct 8 with 547 views | basilrobbiereborn |
I agree that Brentford do have to do it over a longer period. But they've made a very impressive start.
I'm interested in your view on Cardiff 20s ; do you rate the players they have all the way through? The back four didn't look all that clever to me.
Looking forward to seeing Bournemouth, they really are a club on the up and up. | |
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| Looking at the Opposition on 22:01 - Oct 8 with 534 views | Wizaard |
Bournemouth are the interesting one for me. If what they say about FFP is true, they'll be seeing out the season with what they have, less a whacking great fine. Is that enough to get through?
I'm not so sure. Ultimately, teams with gates around what they're getting won't be able to compete. IMO | | | |
| Looking at the Opposition on 22:03 - Oct 8 with 528 views | basilrobbiereborn |
Tell us more Wiz, I must confess I'm not on top of this. | |
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| Looking at the Opposition on 08:48 - Oct 9 with 488 views | Wizaard |
They're falling foul of the FFP provisions which will mean a transfer embargo in January until they pay a pound for pound fine for every one that they're over £8 million in debt. | | | |
| Looking at the Opposition on 09:01 - Oct 9 with 484 views | 20togo |
Robbie
I think once Slade gets them organised they have enough quality to turn their poor performances and results around. Wheter that's enough to get them promoted I'm not so sure but they could certainly make the play offs.
Also I don't know if their is any negative Tan effect on the players. | | | |
| Looking at the Opposition on 11:24 - Oct 9 with 475 views | Plumbs |
Thats a bit random 20's but I guess Slade will make them get down and get with it.
*They'll need platform shoes for those train journeys north  | |
| Real fans go to pubs like the HITW or the Welly |
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| Looking at the Opposition on 12:16 - Oct 9 with 465 views | Hannibal_de_Seaside |
Don't know if Slade will get them doing it everyday, but he'll make them all join hands in the effort, and he may bring in his friend Stan to help. The Tan distraction may be having some effect, especially with the ruby red shirts, but If they do improve under the new manager they'll feel the noize when they get bak 'ome. | | | |
| Looking at the Opposition on 12:58 - Oct 9 with 454 views | Wizaard |
If their fans get right behind them, they'll be feeling the noise.
Slade will have the midfield playing a pressing game. The mantra will be to feel me, squeeze me.
If it all comes off it'll be a Merry Christmas for everybody.
Well, that's what my friend Stan says, anyway.
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| Looking at the Opposition on 13:39 - Oct 9 with 444 views | 20togo |
Plumbs
Look wot u dun, now. | | | |
| Looking at the Opposition on 16:29 - Oct 9 with 430 views | Wizaard |
Were all crazee now | | | |
| Looking at the Opposition on 16:40 - Oct 9 with 427 views | 20togo |
think the reality is that we're far far away the worst team in the division. | | | |
| Looking at the Opposition on 17:47 - Oct 9 with 419 views | Plumbs |
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| Real fans go to pubs like the HITW or the Welly |
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