The Championship 23/24 Thread

[Saintmagic]

Interestingly my mate who supports Forest and has been going to every game home and away for years messaged me to say we will win the Champ by about 30 points next year if we play like we did tonight, he probably has a better idea of the league than any of us do

 

[Saints_Alive]

Even if we fail to bounce straight back up, I think the that the club will gradually get better with a youthful, but exciting team in a couple of years.

 

[Che’s Godlike Thighs]

Interestingly my mate who supports Forest and has been going to every game home and away for years messaged me to say we will win the Champ by about 30 points next year if we play like we did tonight, he probably has a better idea of the league than any of us do

The important thing is not to panic. We have a squad that should be finishing top 6. Get a decent manager and add 3 or 4 in keys areas rather than buying a whole new team, and we should be top 4.

 

[Shandy_top_89]

I know it’s not easy or guaranteed to come straight back up, but I don’t feel as downbeat about this relegation as the two previous I’ve experienced.

We are financially much much stronger bar something unexpected.

The issue is the decision makers.

I am quite happy for the opportunity for a hard reset after the generally miserable viewing over the last five years.

If we don’t come back up, well at least we have a club to support I suppose, that wasn’t so certain last time this happened.

 

[Che’s Godlike Thighs]

Even if we fail to bounce straight back up, I think the that the club will gradually get better with a youthful, but exciting team in a couple of years.

A few months ago I thought we would bounce straight back up. But the Selles appointment makes me think it will take two or three seasons.

 

[Saintmagic]

The important thing is not to panic. We have a squad that should be finishing top 6. Get a decent manager and add 3 or 4 in keys areas rather than buying a whole new team, and we should be top 4.

Yeah there will obviously be departures, and almost certainly that will include our better players. I’d have confidence that even players who have been poor this year should be able to be good Championship players with the right manager and getting some much needed confidence instilled, then it’s a question of who we recruit to hopefully push us into that automatic contention

 

[Saints_Alive]

A progressive manager (Carrick would be my choice) and a couple of older heads/leaders in the spine of the team to guide the younger players and we will improve on the pitch.
The style of football is important and I think we have a good crop of young talent that will hopefully grow together a bit like Fergie's class of '92.
I predict that Smallbone will be a key player for us in the future.

 

[Che’s Godlike Thighs]

Yeah there will obviously be departures, and almost certainly that will include our better players. I’d have confidence that even players who have been poor this year should be able to be good Championship players with the right manager and getting some much needed confidence instilled, then it’s a question of who we recruit to hopefully push us into that automatic contention

Of the players who will leave, I just don't know who we will miss that much.

Salisu and ABK will bring in 40m, and we already have their replacements. Tino we have to replace KWP.

Obviously we need to bring in some decent DMs, but that's it.

Leicester losing Maddison will be a much bigger blow to them than us losing JWP.

 

[tomw24]

Of the players who will leave, I just don't know who we will miss that much.

Salisu and ABK will bring in 40m, and we already have their replacements. Tino we have to replace KWP.

Obviously we need to bring in some decent DMs, but that's it.

Leicester losing Maddison will be a much bigger blow to them than us losing JWP.

Leicester will lose a lot of players and not recoup much money. Tielemans is out of contract along with a few others and I think Maddison only has a year left. That along with their inability to spend much money on players this season means they can't afford to go down.

 

[Saintmagic]

Of the players who will leave, I just don't know who we will miss that much.

Salisu and ABK will bring in 40m, and we already have their replacements. Tino we have to replace KWP.

Obviously we need to bring in some decent DMs, but that's it.

Leicester losing Maddison will be a much bigger blow to them than us losing JWP.

It’s just an unknown atm. We might think that players like Alcaraz/Adams/Bednarek etc will stay and be good players next season but we have no idea really. We all know what professional footballers are like and if anyone comes in for them who they think is a better option then who knows. It seems like a perfect opportunity for a full rebuild so the club might take the opinion that if you don’t want to be here then goodbye

 

[Che’s Godlike Thighs]

It’s just an unknown atm. We might think that players like Alcaraz/Adams/Bednarek etc will stay and be good players next season but we have no idea really. We all know what professional footballers are like and if anyone comes in for them who they think is a better option then who knows. It seems like a perfect opportunity for a full rebuild so the club might take the opinion that if you don’t want to be here then goodbye

Yep. Which is why it is crucial that we get the new manager in asap. One who will hopefully inspire those players who are 50/50 to commit.

 

[SaintsFan86]

The new manager has to be the best we can physically get, if not above our level. Will make the players take notice and get instant respect.
This will be huge for our players whether they stay, or leave.

 

[Che’s Godlike Thighs]

The new manager has to be the best we can physically get, if not above our level. Will make the players take notice and get instant respect.
This will be huge for our players whether they stay, or leave.

Yeah considering we waste so much on players we don't even play, there's no excuse not to pay top bloody dollar for someone who is proven as a successful manager in English football.

 

[Che’s Godlike Thighs]

I'm just going to come out and say it: I'm excited.

Thought I'd be more miserable than this, but nope. Annual relegation fights and getting humiliated most weeks begins to take its toll on you after a while. I'm not going to miss the Prem next season at all. Also our 'brand' of football over the last couple of seasons has been totally crap. Would almost have preferred to watch a long ball up-and-at-them gung-ho type of team. Less predictable at least. And I just don't feel the love for any of the players these days, except Lyanco.

Going down we will score more goals and win more games. Simple as that. Big fish in a small pond. Even if we don't come straight back up, no biggie. We will eventually.

LET'S F*CKING GO!!! COME ON YOU SAINTS!!

 

[Schad]

The important thing is not to panic. We have a squad that should be finishing top 6. Get a decent manager and add 3 or 4 in keys areas rather than buying a whole new team, and we should be top 4.

We shouldn't be aiming to keep this squad, or anything close to it. One, it would be financially disastrous...the FL's FFP rules are far, far more stringent than the PL, and failing to get promoted on the first try (which is always more likely than not) would lead to a transfer ban or worse. Two, a large part of this team simply gave up. Are they really going to be reliable in a promotion campaign, particularly if we deny them moves to higher level teams? Reorient around the younger players (as many of those as we can keep), bring in some experienced Championship sorts, and purge as much of the rest as we can.

 

[Le Tissier's Laces]

Of the players who will leave, I just don't know who we will miss that much.

Salisu and ABK will bring in 40m, and we already have their replacements. Tino we have to replace KWP.

Obviously we need to bring in some decent DMs, but that's it.

Leicester losing Maddison will be a much bigger blow to them than us losing JWP.

I'd miss Lavia, cos I love him and he's incredibly good. I hope to anything we keep Charly too. Still think there's a real player in Sulemana as well, he just needs a season of learning his trade under a proper manager.

Weirdly, I'd miss Lyanco, and these days I'd actually miss Beddy, so I'm hoping they both stay. Lyanco showed today everything we'd been missing.

Even though he's very limited, I do like Che as well.

 

[Che’s Godlike Thighs]

We shouldn't be aiming to keep this squad, or anything close to it. One, it would be financially disastrous...the FL's FFP rules are far, far more stringent than the PL, and failing to get promoted on the first try (which is always more likely than not) would lead to a transfer ban or worse. Two, a large part of this team simply gave up. Are they really going to be reliable in a promotion campaign, particularly if we deny them moves to higher level teams? Reorient around the younger players (as many of those as we can keep), bring in some experienced Championship sorts, and purge as much of the rest as we can.

I fully expect us to sell at least 10 first teamers. Salisu, ABK, JWP, Lavia, KWP, Adams, Perraud, Diallo, Sulemana, Onuachu. That makes us a ton of money, and to be honest apart from Lavia and Prowsie, I don' think we miss the others that much.

The rest of the squad we should look to keep (except those who are out of contract). I'm not having it that the players are quitters. that's a whole squad you're talking about. How can they all be like that? Maybe two or three bad eggs, sure. But the right managerial appointment would change all that.

Last summer we tried to buy a whole new squad and look where that has brought us. An absolute disaster of a season. Doing that again will f*ck us again. No chance of coming back up straight away. It will take until Christmas to even find some consistency.

 

[Che’s Godlike Thighs]

I'd miss Lavia, cos I love him and he's incredibly good. I hope to anything we keep Charly too. Still think there's a real player in Sulemana as well, he just needs a season of learning his trade under a proper manager.

Weirdly, I'd miss Lyanco, and these days I'd actually miss Beddy, so I'm hoping they both stay. Lyanco showed today everything we'd been missing.

Even though he's very limited, I do like Che as well.

Yeah, I'm with you on Charly. I'm assuming he's staying now though because of his words this week (foolish of me, I know). I think Lyanco staying would be huge. Bednarek too. If we can get both of those to stay, I'll be over the moon and full of confidence. They're a formidable CB pairing in the Championship.

Sulemana definitely needs a season at a lower level. Once he has a manager that knows how to use him, he will be an absolute weapon. Che would be excellent in the Champ too. Stuie Armstrong as well.

 

[Schad]

I fully expect us to sell at least 10 first teamers. Salisu, ABK, JWP, Lavia, KWP, Adams, Perraud, Diallo, Sulemana, Onuachu. That makes us a ton of money, and to be honest apart from Lavia and Prowsie, I don' think we miss the others that much.

The rest of the squad we should look to keep (except those who are out of contract). I'm not having it that the players are quitters. that's a whole squad you're talking about. How can they all be like that? Maybe two or three bad eggs, sure. But the right managerial appointment would change all that.

Last summer we tried to buy a whole new squad and look where that has brought us. An absolute disaster of a season. Doing that again will f*ck us again. No chance of coming back up straight away. It will take until Christmas to even find some consistency.

I mean, looking to sell 10 players looks a bit different than looking to keep the squad together.

My list would be a bit different, but broadly similar. I wouldn't be in a rush to sell Sulemana and Onuachu, both of whom should be capable in the Championship (and Onuachu would likely be difficult to shift anyway). But I'd happily move/expect we'd be unable to keep:

Salisu, ABK, JWP, Lavia, KWP, Adams and Bednarek (among players likely to have some significant market in the PL), and
As many of both Armstrongs, Djenepo, Diallo, Orsic, Lyanco, Stephens and Aribo as we can. Probably fewer than half will find takers, though.

We won't succeed in moving all of them, obviously, but I'd excise as much as possible from the latter, while the former will probably go as a matter of course. Alcaraz might also be difficult to keep.

I still don't think that the problem this year was trying to change too much. It's that there was too much that needed changing. The 2021-22 team was atrocious for the last several months of the season, ending the year with 5 points in their final 11 matches and a -20 GD in that span. We needed drastic change, but it was always going to be a gamble.

 

[Che’s Godlike Thighs]

I mean, looking to sell 10 players looks a bit different than looking to keep the squad together.

My list would be a bit different, but broadly similar. I wouldn't be in a rush to sell Sulemana and Onuachu, both of whom should be capable in the Championship (and Onuachu would likely be difficult to shift anyway). But I'd happily move/expect we'd be unable to keep:

Salisu, ABK, JWP, Lavia, KWP, Adams and Bednarek (among players likely to have some significant market in the PL), and
As many of both Armstrongs, Djenepo, Diallo, Orsic, Lyanco, Stephens and Aribo as we can. Probably fewer than half will find takers, though.

We won't succeed in moving all of them, obviously, but I'd excise as much as possible from the latter, while the former will probably go as a matter of course. Alcaraz might also be difficult to keep.

I still don't think that the problem this year was trying to change too much. It's that there was too much that needed changing. The 2021-22 team was atrocious for the last several months of the season, ending the year with 5 points in their final 11 matches and a -20 GD in that span. We needed drastic change, but it was always going to be a gamble.

It's a given that we will sell our Prem-quality players. That's not at all what I mean when I refer to 'the squad', haha. My bad.

Yeah for clarity, I mean the players we can assume are likely to stay. Of those I still think we have a top 6 Championship squad (with a few additions in midfield).

Of the others you mention, I'd keep Bednarek, Lyanco, Stuie, Aribo, Stephens.

Orsic, Djenepo, Diallo, Elyounoussi, AMN, Walcott can all leave.