Given how poorly this campaign has gone so far, it’s understandable why there is quite a bit of discontent on this board, and I’m in agreement that quality signings are required this month in order for us to avoid relegation. However, I do also think that some of the criticism is a bit excessive – everyone’s entitled to their opinion and yes, we’re underperforming, but the Championship is highly competitive and there’re only a handful of teams that one could reasonably expect us to better, in terms of resources, stature or recent history. The issue I sometimes have is that if it’s said that we should be higher up the table, then it also means that someone else should be lower down. With that in mind, I thought I’d go through each team and judge how they’re performing against how they should be and whether we ought to be doing better than them: Middlesbrough: Currently one of the best sides in the division, good fan-base, recent-ish Premier League side. Should finish near top Derby: As above Hull: Premiership side last season that kept many of their players. Should finish near top Brighton: Comparable resources to City, enjoying the fruits of their new stadium – a shining example. Over performing, can achieve playoffs Burnley: Premiership side last season that kept many of their players (and bought the very good Andre Gray). Should finish near top Ipswich: Perennial upper/mid table side always looking to reach the playoffs. Slightly over performing, can achieve playoffs Sheffield Wednesday: Good history and large stadium, currently possessing a talented squad. Slightly over performing, can achieve playoffs Birmingham City: In terms of stature and recent-ish history, one of the biggest clubs in the Division, recovered from last seasons’ wobble – will be interesting to see how Demarai Gray leaving will affect them, but should cope fine. Achieving expectation, possible playoffs Cardiff City: Hard to gauge – the intervention of Vincent Tan has died down and their resources mean that they should be considered one of the better equipped sides in the Division. Achieving expectation, possible playoffs Brentford: Comparatively small stature historically and stadium, off-set slightly by attraction to footballers being in London. Coped well with the sale of Andre Gray. Over performing, playoffs would be massive success Wolves: Though in League One not long ago, one of the bigger sides in the Division that would hope/expect to be in the playoffs come the end of the season. Slightly under performing, but can still reach playoffs Reading: Nice stadium, not long been out of the Premiership, attractive location for footballers – should be looking at playoffs. Slightly under performing, but can still reach playoffs Leeds: Suffering from an eccentric and obstructive, intervening owner, but comparatively massive fan base/long term reputation. Under performing Nottingham Forest: Large fan base, big stadium and good resources. Slightly under performing Preston: Promoted side – historically back to whereabouts they would expect to be, but possibly the first side on this list that City should realistically be aiming to surpass, based on last season. Over performing QPR: Premiership side last season and held onto highly regarded players, including Charlie Austin and Rob Green. Not as wild with their cash as they were, but still massive resources. Significantly under performing Blackburn: Suffered at the hands of Venkys, but are at least stable and an established Championship side that should threaten to achieve promotion in the next few years. Under performing Huddersfield: Comparative resources (probably less due to SL) and stature to City – about par for where they ought to be – second example of side City might possibly expect to surpass. Achieving expectation Fulham: Recent Premiership side, attractive location with large resources. Significantly under performing MK Dons: Promoted side – large, modern stadium appeals, but really a side that City should be aiming to surpass. Slightly over performing Rotherham: Comparatively meagre resources, operating towards the top end of the capability for a club of their size. Third side that City should aim to surpass. Over performing Charlton: Historically sound 2nd tier side, however currently in something of disarray, and thus the fourth side City should aim to surpass. Under performing Bolton: Somewhat surprisingly in real trouble – as above. Under performing So having gone through them, I’d suggest that there are just five teams that City should realistically be expecting to finish higher than, meaning that 19th would be par. Thoughts?
Would agree with that and hopefully come May that will even out to what you expected apart from Bolton. They are underperforming and news on the grapevine is they could be holding a fire sale so possibly doomed already.
Agree nick,however BCFC with the fantasic season last should have moved on this year. However as we now see, we are very likely to return to league one. The whole pre season and start to season has been one big joke. BCFC should comfortably be able to hold their own in this division in my opinion. We have two big issues, a manager who is stubborn and will not change his formation,his tactics ,and subs. We have a board that is completly disconnected from the fan base. We have a owner that says one thing,yet we are told the opposite by SC. Something is drastically wrong at AG.
Aside from the duffer teams at the very bottom like us, Bolton, and Rotherham, the rest of the teams in this league consistently beat each other with the possible exception of Middlesbrough and Derby who are probably the favourites for auto promotion now. Teams that beat us at a canter like Birmingham and Fulham are now struggling with form themselves. What does that tell you about us ? As has been regurgitated many times, we have failed to take key points from teams around us, and also at the likes of Cardiff where we should have won by a couple of goals on the day, yet we didn't. Our two major issues are still conceding late goals and not being able to score or finish games off when we're level. But until we get a better standard of player at the club, nothing is going to change anytime soon. What's the most disappointing is that everyone could see that the likes of Wilbs, Agard, Flint, and Fielding (just for starters) were never going to be Championship material, a blind man could have seen it, and yet here we are approaching mid January and there's still no end in sight, or seemingly much urgency to try and rectify things.
You mention Burnley as a Prem team last season as though that means they are a "big" club. The population of Burnley is approx 75,000. That is less than Exeter with 115,000 and identical to Shrewsbury. A stadium capacity of 21,000. So how come they are considered bigger than City? Simply because they now have two, one season, trips to the Prem and have the benefit of all the parachute money. How do they manage to achieve but we don't? Sensible club and financial management. Or perhaps because all this has happened since they dispensed with the services of one Steve Cotterill?
You could compare Burnley to any of that sort of sized of club that have recently been in the Premiership such as Blackburn, Wigan, Bolton, Fulham, QPR, Ipswich etc. They are all much of a much-ness in terms of attendances, but some are certainly better run clubs than others here, especially Bolton.
Blackburn is definitely not a bigger football club than city,what put them on the map was shearer and jack walker fair play to him he went for it and got the rewards back then. well done to them.
I hope you were using Bolton as a bad example and not a good one! Sorry mate but there is no way Blackburn is a smaller club than City! Maybe if we got promoted...
I think you need to do a bit of research before making comments like that, Blackburn are:- FA Cup Winners 6 times and runners up twice Division One/Premier league winners 3 times and runners up once Oh, and founder members of the football league to boot.... I think this beats our record just a tiny little bit....
Boys boys boys i'm not talking about trophys,i'm talking about size of clubs.The potential is massive here it just needs uncorking.
There is no substitute for history and pedigree and it is this which is generally being mooted as being our problem in not being able to persuade players to sign for us....
