Big game Saturday probably bigger for you than us but still a big game for us aswell. From the outside looking in it looks like you may have over achieved so far this season ( just like palace (scum) did last season).Do you see it like that or did you expect to do well this season? I came to portman road earlier in the season & you beat us easily so we definatly want to readdress that score,how do you see it going Saturday.
With the on-paper squad, yes we have over-achieved, but because of the influence of McCarthy and the form during our recovery and at the of last season we are about where most of us expected. Very big game for both teams, if we beat you then we keep ourselves on the very fringes of the play-off pack and bring you to the fringes with us. You beat us then it really is the final death knell for our realistic play-off hopes and you keep yourselves in with a shout. With that in mind I think we'll cancel each other out in a 1 - 1 draw.
I'd be lying if I said I'd take a point. To be where we are given our injury woes plus the disastrous January transfer window when we sold our best midfielder our no 2 striker leaving us with only 1 fit striker & our 3rd choice centre back. If you had offered me 8th & 1 point off the playoffs with 10 games to go I would have snapped your hand off. We have the best defence in the league but struggle to score goals. Our game is based on controlling the game.If we score first then we can play our game but if we conceed then we have no plan B For that reason I think we will come up short at the end of the season.
Agree with Mikes sentiments. Whilst on paper we have a poor/average squad Micks influence and style of grinding/consistent picking up of points I think where we are was expected. Under Mick we're more likely to be more consistent than the majority of teams throughout the course of the season our form doesn't fluctuate too much. I think Mick could get a team of pub footballers to be consistent in this league, problem is he doesn't go beyond the don't get beat mantra so it never really feels like he shows his or his teams full potential or uses players that are likely able to take teams to that next level. I think it'll be a 1-0 to us
I would hate to think mid-table is over achieving An improvement on the last few years but being in this division full stop is an underachievement for our club
Is this really true? I'm not being petty, I'm considering this for both Ipswich and Norwich. Being a sad statto, I checked back on our relative clubs achievements in the Premier league, with a view, I'll be honest, to prove we had the upper hand. Awarding points for positions achieved, you actually won out by a fraction (Feck!). So, assuming then we are similar in aspirations, and forgetting where we are at present, is high end Championship not, indeed, where we belong? Obviously, being in the PL currently is nice, but is this not just a welcome bonus?
I have to disagree with you gandy...you look at the likes of WBA, Stoke, Swansea, to name just a few, who have now spent time in the premiership, and are probably regarded as "Premiership" clubs - but only a few years ago they were also in the lower divisions, like Ipswich and Norwich. Other than 8 or 9 premiership clubs, then the rest really are playing to stay in the division, and are no different in size to the both of us. It's unlikely that either of us will be a powerhouse in the premiership (for a very long time) but that doesn't stop us all aspiring to being in the premiership. As i said, there are probably 10 premier clubs, and probably another 20 or so league clubs that would not look out of place in the premiership. It's all just a merry-go-round. I'm sure we'll eventually make the premier league, as will teams a lot lower than us, and even some in the 3rd division (the likes of Wolves, Sheff Utd and even Preston) So, in answer to your question that is the top end of the Championship where we belong? Then, no, we don't "belong" anywhere...we will always be a team that will flirt with the top division, as well as have some dark times fighting off being relegated to the lower divisions (just like yourselves).
I suppose it depends on how you look at it, Stretchy. Like you said, the lower half of the premiership the championship and some of the very top league 1 clubs are all very similar in size. Does that mean they all should be at the top end end of that grouping or the natural place in the merry-go-round is bang in the centre - the championship. Case in point is Fulham they've spent a good decade (? must be approaching that) in the premier league and were inches from the european cup, but now look, gravity has caught up with them and they're back on the way down. Stoke and Southampton are probably the teams right at the top of the crest, but even with the best of off-field management they will go the same way. Norwich appear to have a very good off-field set up, but its not secured them against relegation at in my (obviously biased) eyes are one of the favourites for the trap door. The problem is what it will always be the good player and good managers will always be pulled away to the bigger clubs - replacing them with the same quality is pretty much impossible. Its a very drastic/extreme example but Manchester United weren't winning trophies with any real consistency before Fergie...
