Top 3 looks set in stone unless we have a stormer of a January, that being said all 3 of those will spend now too non can afford the lottery of the play offs
Yep top 3 will be tough but we can do it with a good January. All 3 of the teams above us have weaknesses - as we do - so we have a chance I said in October that January is going to be huge in the championship and it's shaping up that way
100% we’ve done incredible to stay within touching distance we aren’t a million miles off just have concerns with our depth, the couple of links reported already look positive (not sold on the striker from Sweden but I also know nothing about him) if there’s any truth to them, loans at the level of a Glen Kamara could be the difference makers
Kamara would be a cracking signing imo and we need some more creativity in the side. I understand we are looking at 2 forwards, so hopefully get a couple who can come in and hit the ground running Barry is growing on me as an option, I'm not as high on him as others but he has x factor and you need loads of thar when pushing for promotion
Once again why are we saying they’re so much further ahead of us? All of them are capable of dropping points and we’re happily keeping pace with them despite a bad run and a fairly concentrated set of injuries. It’s not a top three, it’s a top four IMO.
We definitely need more forward options gutted for mayenda today does so well then just takes one touch too many, I didn’t realise Barry was still so young feels like he’s been around forever
We aren't For me Leeds and Burnley have the best squads in the league, and sheff utd have some of the best players in the league We are more like a sheff utd currently, don't feel we have the depth just yet We are close tho
We’ve got some of the best players in the league too. There’s not a midfielder at either of those three teams that’s better than Bellingham for instance. Just struggle to see why our own are so keen to put those three beyond us. There’s nothing on the pitch that has shown separation from safc. Put it this way, I have no doubt that the fans of those three clubs are FAR less likely to be ruling Sunderland out of the main race than our own fans seem to be. Dunno if it’s self preservation (of the type I do myself tbf) but we’re as good as them on the evidence of the first half of the season. All that being said, if it prevents the mother of all fan tantrums if we do end up missing out then I’m grudgingly all for a bit or performative negativity
That's why I'm saying we are like Sheff Utd, we have some class players - some of the best for their positions in the league Feel we just lack depth compared to Burnley and Leeds and normally over the season that catches up However, Ipswich did it last yr and player for player we are better than they were last season
I tend to think our comparative lack of squad depth is mostly down to injuries that are concentrated in a couple of positions and RLBs desire for control and dislike of subs/rotation. But fair enough. I’m just bristling at the idea that we’re behind these three. We aren’t on the pitch from what we’ve seen so far. It’s a narrative that quickly turns into ‘KLD lacks ambition’ via the usual suspects imo. We see that from the WMS crew any time we don’t pick up points or don’t make subs. However, truth is that football fans can’t get their heads around the counterpoint either. If we’re as good as those three as I claim, who do we ‘blame’ if we do end up missing out? I’m not sure that people are prepared for ‘it was just the luck of the draw’ as an answer. We’ll need to create a scapegoat.
Burnleys defensive record is crazy mind. Just 9 goals conceded in 23 games and they haven't conceded more than 1 goal in a league game this season. I have my doubts over their attacking play but that defence will keep them in every game.
I think some (miniority) will always use the KLD lacks ambition or that KS picks the team no matter what happens on the pitch. Some people will look at other teams 'spending' money and say why aren't we, not realising that those clubs have either been in the PL recently or have sold a play or 2 for a lot of money. I've always maintained that it doesn't matter what you spend, but who you spend it on Some of our most expensive signings as a club have been Some of our worst. Those 3 teams were the 3 stand out teams before a ball was kicked this season - they were the bookies and pundits favourites for promotion. That's why some will also look at those 3 in a different lense than us. Most supporters are normally more critical of their own team as we watch our games more. So we see the good bad and indifferent no matter the result, with other teams we often only see the result At the minute we are the 4th best team in the division, I believe if we have a better window than the 3 above we can finish above 2 of them
It is a remarkable stat. For this league it is unreal. Some are down on Parker, but for me is a good coach. Those stats prove it. If he can now build a bit more into their final 3rd play they may be hard to stop. I still think we will have a better 2nd half of the season. For 30 mins second half today I thought we were better than at any other time. I see real signs we are developing diff styles to attack. The midfield 2 of Jobe and Neil are really dovetailing now tremendously well. I wouldnt swap them two for any. Hume and Cirkin again wouldnt swap. Mepham is a prem level cb, and ONien/Ballard more than good enough. The spine is class. If that lad Samed is top notch we are laughing in cm, Rigg injury dependant. We are probably a CF away from being a massive threat. It isnt even a goalscorer, but a hold up player, that might be the game changer for us.
Yeah I think our chance creation would improve greatly with a striker who can bring players into play. I like Isidor, he's a great finisher and a great personality but his hold up play is poor.
Still shocks me how many underestimate them Won at Leeds. Won at Sheff United. 9 goals conceded in 23 games!
It's really poor. In a system like ours it needs to be canny good otherwise the midfield have no time to get up and support.
Be really disappointed if we don't win at Stoke. They are dreadful, the fans are despondent and we showed we can beat them not long ago. Pelach is probably close to losing his job. Type of game we need to be winning.
