Championship dark horse

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Oldsparkey

Oldsparkey

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Jan 27, 2011
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Porthcawl Riviera
We've talked a bit about the contenders for promo next season and it seems to revolve around the three teams coming down as principle candidates along with last season's playoff failures making up the rest.

But what about a surprise package out of the blue - someone you wouldn't consider as being a top 6 possible challenger? Who do you think might spring a surprise and why?

I'll start it off by sticking Huddersfield Town in the frame. Why? Well for a couple of reasons - the manager and one particular player who will be with them for this year on a season long loan.

1) The Manager - David Wagner.
It'll be in his first full season there after joining them mid season last year from Borrussia Dortmund where he worked with Klopp for years. Young and energetic with a good management pedigree, he'll change things and get the side into gear for this division.

2) The Player - Aaron Mooy.
I started a thread and raved about this guy on here last winter after his performances in the Aussie A League for Melbourne City urging Tan to get someone to have a look at him because he wanted to come to the UK. Now look what's happened. Sister club Man City (both clubs are owned by Sheik Mansour) have jumped in and brought him over sticking him on a season long loan with Huddersfield. This guy is worth 20 goals a season at the very least - if not scoring them then in assists. Apart from getting on the end of things, his passing and delivery are as good if not better than Whitts at his best.

I stand to be shot down but there you are - Huddersfield Town my outsiders for a pop at the top 6.
 
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Wigan have not been out of this division long and might do a Norwich / Southampton and go straight through.

Still think Villa might do a leeds.
 
Usually there is a club from div 3 who does well; in recent years eg Brentford, swansea, Bournemouth - but not sure Huddersfield are this seasons surprise. In fact can't see any club other than the usual runners & riders being in the frame. If pushed for an outsider I'll go for Bristol City for top 6.

Top 3 Newcastle, Norwich, Villa
Play off losers Derby, City, Bristol City
Relegated Barnsley, Rotherham, Burton
 
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Good thread.

Nin beat me to it with the wurzels. I can see them being concerned with the other end of the division compared to their struggles last season.
 
im gonna put us down as thy dark horse..........but that's down 2me not taking much interest in what other clubs have done really>>>>>>Newcastle and Norwich will take top two spots I guess.....so its just one place left.......and hopefully that's ours place but my crystal ball bill hasn't been paid lately so im getting a dodgy signal
 
OS,
Holloway has predicted Huddersfield will be relegated.

He predicts City will finish 8th, suggesting our lack of goals will be the reason we won't be higher.

Fair point.

Mind you last season his predictions of City's games were consistently wide of the mark!
 
ninian opinion said:
Mind you last season his predictions of City's games were consistently wide of the mark!
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Get Bluesheep to sign him up for the prediction league. Would make things entertaining. A bit like a poor man's 'Challenge Lorro' with only one game to predict.


Oh and a lesser celebrity taking part.:emoticon-0130-devil
 
Nin - can't dislike Holloway - a real bloke's bloke who's always entertaining on the box and in the press. Being so closely involved with the game, he should have a depth of knowledge that us outsiders lack, but his past game forecasts prove just how wrong anyone can be.

I haven't looked at his predictions for the Championship this season but if he's placed us finishing in 8th then that's a probably a fair observation with our obvious lack of a proven goal scorer. However that's not necessarily an essential for success in this division. We went up to the Prem as Champions a few years back and Helguson was our top scorer with 9 goals (I think). The rest of the goals were spread around the team and mostly came from midfielders.

That's the way I see it this time around. Gounongbe up front will get his share, but with the right system deployed there's potential from all over the park with the likes of Pilks, Immers, Ralls and Noone all capable of adding to the tally. I also expect the back 3 to get on the end of things from set pieces in particular - Morro, Manga and Connolly can all cause problems with the right delivery.

As for Huddersfield, well' I've just looked at their odds for a top 6 finish. Surprisingly their on offer at only 11/2 for that despite Holloway predicting they'll go down. Perhaps the bookies know more than him eh?
 
BluefromBridgend said:
It's a marathon not a sprint but hope we get out of the blocks tomorrow.
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Maybe so Bluey, but it's 6 points from the first two games that no one can take off them, and also 6 points dropped by Newcastle that they can never get back.

I'd have been very pleased to have 6 points under our belt like them. As it is we've got it all to do tomorrow against QPR to get into the top half of the table - albeit very early days.
 
As it is we've got it all to do tomorrow against QPR to get into the top half of the table

Trouble is we will have to stick that bit of leather into their onion bag at least once to achieve that.
 
Oldsparkey said:
.....and another thing.

Rudy Gestede got 2 goals today for Villa - but Stevo doesn't want him........<laugh>
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Now, now Sparks <laugh>

He'd be an improvement on what we have for sure, just not sure he'll be one of the stars of the division. Good start, should have had 3 tbf, as mentioned above its a marathon not a sprint.....

I've just come back from a week away and managed to see our highlights v Brum. In fairness to Trollope we should have been walking in 2 up. That miss from goung must be up there in the all time ever misses in all of football history.

Today will be interesting.....
 
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