Dont agree with all the stuff about not wanting to go top because it'l put the spotlight on our better players, what a load of tosh, im pretty sure with the scouting systems and tv coverage people are already well aware of the talent we have. Top all season, 3 points every game, nice cash windfall at the end of it, then we can finally improve the clubs infrastructure (training facilities) (youth academy) (own our stadium) Be mad not to want the best
Of course it would. There's nothing better than seeing your team ahead of the rest! It must be good for the dressing room as well.
I agree, I love watching our best players get sold on deadline day for peanuts and be replaced by panic donkeys!
Even if we were top, the media will ignore us outside of Hull. Most of the other teams in the division know who we've got and what we're capable of anyhow, being top or 3rd or 7th wouldn't change that. I don't recally Southampton or Reading losing any of their decent players by virtue of being at the top of the league for most of the season. I'd see this working the other way too, if we had a great run and were top or 2nd, we'd be more attractive to other teams better players. I'd also rather we just romped away with the league and didnt have to endure worrying if we'll make the playoffs or if we'll get through the playoffs too. For me, if we're serious about promotion, and are ready for it, it would be best to get to 1st and stay there. Would make attracting Premier League players once we're up easier too.
I we are at the top with a chance of promotion, then our better plays will want to stay. If we are mid-table than I think there is a bigger chance of them leaving.
Correct John. It wont have gone un-Noticed either by the rest of the championship what we did to Bolton. Even Bolton fans must have been impressed with how City destroyed there team last saturday. Quality football. Top in January and Steve Bruce wont have a care in the world. Bolton was not a fluke. We are playing well full stop.
We have been playing decent stuff for a year now, the problem has lied with us not being able to score. I still think we need a quality striker in on loan and we will be serious contenders for promotion.
I agree. It's possible to compete and even do well in the Championship with four main strikers, but usually the teams with more ambition have five, six or more. This requires good man-management to keep so many strikers up for it even if they aren't playing regularly. Goals are vital for promotion and a manager doesn't have the luxury to persevere with an out of form striker these days. He must be able to alternate immediately and have someone hungry and sharp available at all times.
The only question is whether The Allams will sanction any cash on another striker so soon after spending £2.6million on one?
If you have enough strikers, it is important to have a good bench as then with 30 minutes to go, you can bring on fresh legs, which can often get a goal or two when defenders are slowing down and getting tied. As JS did against Brighton.
Exactly, look at the teams who got promoted last year, they all had goalscoring quality to come off the bench
Not at all J-D. If you want to make a comment that is a completely different issue to what is being discussed you fill your boots
I just don't see how it's unrelated. Even a team who is top for most of the season will go through a bad patch. My point is that players belief in themselves can only last so long - if the media always rule out the possibility of our promotion regardless of whether we're top, 6th or bottom, it's going to get the players down eventually.
I agree we need a 5th striker at least and maybe a 6th IF FRYATT is going to have a long lay off. I know its been said that Matty will be back for Millwall but until i see his name on the team sheet i have my suspicions about how long he will be out for. The Allams will do what they have to do to get us back in the PL. The new richies that await make it all worthwhile. Agreed John. Thats why talk of binning Mclean is madness. Any tiring defender will hate having to cope with Mclean coming off the bench fresh and ready to go. It would be nice to get the Millwall game won early so that SB can get Prossy on and maybe bag a goal or 2.
You're right, it isn't unrelated but, unless I am mis-interpreting it, it is different. ISTPLT questioned whether us being un-fancied by neutrals would have an effect on our players' belief that they are good enough to get promotion. I would hope that it wouldn't. You are right that players' may lose confidence if they suffer a loss of form but I just think that's different. Any lack of belief would then be down to their form, not what the neutrals think. Unless I've got completely the wrong end of the stick?
Would be great to see us go top. The last couple of seasons most of the teams who have been in the top 3 or 4 places most of the season have stayed and hopefully we will follow suit should it happen.
