Maybe not but you don’t win anything on new years day. Come may we was down and we had a good enough squad to stay up. Regardless of any other reason terry refused to change anything to halt the slide
I think you’re spot on about momentum and looking at this team, I don’t think many additions are needed at all. I think Doc will love the Championship, presume Slater will go back to Sheffield United so maybe a bit of cover needed there, but outside that, this squad can finish mid table if it plays to its best.
Two or three of our best players will be sold, of course they will. Its all about recruitment now and that isn't something anyone on here can predict.
I for one scoffed at some of the recruitment, but you have to say, they recruited very very well. We will be a far more attractive proposition now. Get Alfie signed ASAP and go form there. I think we might well lose Wilks, maybe someone will come in for Doc, ultimately, if the right money is on the table, you have to consider it...
we need to replace Elder - too often beaten by League 1 defenders - Greaves needs to learn to head the ball and stop the aimless cross field hoof - whilst I like Wilks he messes too much up - Eaves/Magennis not Championship standard, KLP gone off the boil too many times, certainly needs decent cover ofr he is the cover - our midfield have got us out of the league, driving us forward and creating chances which our front three have wasted too many -we need wholesale changes otherwise we can say hello to League 1 again in 12 months
Nearly all the players you’ve described are under 23 and are constantly improving. Wilks can be infuriating but there’s no denying we’ve got the best out of him; he’s very similar to Robert Koren in how he influences games and if he can knock the petulance on the head, there’s a player there. Elder is the least dribbled past defender in the division, he isn’t helped by having a very attacking winger who seldom drops for him so for him to have done as well as he has is impressive. Plenty of assists too. KLP only turned 20 a few months ago, he’s going to have spells where he isn’t as effective. Those spells will get gradually smaller. We’ll be lucky if he stays next season, there’s a lot of interest in him. Ditto Greaves.
Compare our team that beat Sheffield Wednesday on New Years Day 2020 with the team that won today (I've put in Burke for Slater as the latter isn't our player): 1/1/2020: Long; Lichaj, de Wijs, Burke, Pennington; Batty, Honeyman, Irvine; Grosicki, Eaves, Bowen. 24/4/2021: Ingram; Coyle, Greaves, Burke, Elder; Jones, Honeyman, Docherty; Lewis-Potter, Magennis, Wilks. I'd take the seven defenders/midfielders in today's team over the team that got us to eighth in the Championship. I think the goalkeepers are fairly closely balanced. I think today's forward line is weaker, but has much promise. We need a new centre forward. Josh will be 31 once the new season starts and Eaves' body language at full-time was that of someone who knows he isn't going to benefit from this promotion. We need the next Jonson Clarke-Harris (or Jonson Clarke-Harris). Charles at Accrington looks a half decent bet.
I for one will put my hand up and say when we were relegated and only won one game in twenty one of which was an 8 niller I thought get rid start anew but he’s turned us around, great job Grant
Kinell. Just dropping into the second bottle of red ( more than half gone) . I’m ecstatic tonight, so ****ing pleased it’s untrue. All the **** times we had had wiped out today. Didn’t like Grant I admit but I am so ****ing happy tonight I have totally forgiven him for last year. Let’s all move on. Up the tigers and let’s win the bastard.
Yesterday’s culmination of form saw a remarkable upturn in McCann’s popularity. He certainly knows this division.
Strength in depth is hugely important at the next level as Championship teams tend to punish mistakes far easier and the competition overall is far more intense. Rebuilding team spirit has undoubtedly been a major this season as McCann eventually got the best out of what he had and brought in.
I remember the last time we came 16 years ago, saw us lose at Wolves and Palace both recently been in PL. The gulf between teams like these and the ones in League 1 was massive. Strength, speed, gamesmanship ruthlessness etc all up several notches. Teams also better prepared & coached than League 1 Can't see us splashing the cash under current owners, so good loan signings will be crucial, and very important of these will be EXPERIENCE. If we can get a Harry Wilson or Fraise Cambell- great but we need a minder for Honeyman and a wise old head at the back. Apologies for lapsing into armchair manager mode..
Mid season lull was arming when we looked like blowing it. I was wrong to shout for his head after ipswich (but were all allowed a wobble occasionally...) Congratulations Grant for proving us wrong!
I think many of us after Ipswich could see a parallel between the end of last season and what was happening. There was still the issue of how he came over on his press calls and his single mindedness. Fair enough to him, I was another with severe doubts, he has got the job done well and deserves another chance in the league above. It’s an easy game football when you are winning and things are going your way but much harder when things start to slide. I hope he has learned his lessons well because you learn more in adversity than when things are going swimmingly. I wish him the best of luck for next year. We have had the worst and best of Grant. Let’s hope the best continues for a very long time.
I think the wobble we had around Feb was when he was trying to shoehorn Crowley into the starting lineup and it just didn't work. He gave up on that and also started Jones regularly in midfield and the rest is history. Nothing against Crowley btw.