Championship Season 25-26

[arbitro]

The Birmingham v Ipswich game contained one real ingredient that can make for a successful Championship season - the intensity you play at. I thought it was relentless and significantly several players from Birmingham were suffering from cramp from 75 minutes. 

Two big decisions went against Birmingham too. It's difficult to categorically way they were wrong but both, I thought were extremely harsh. Kyogo looks a real player.

I really thought Ipswich were favourites in paper but I saw a few chinks in their armour last night and this season could be a really open one in the Championship.

[chaddyrovers]

Ipswich wasn't at their best and they need some quality signings but Szmodics should have scored with that chance first half. 

Birmingham were expected what I expect given we witness this last season

But its great that proper football is back now. 

[chaddyrovers]

Wrexham should been ahead at St's Mary Stadium

[davulsukur]

Southampton have a literal giant at centre half. That Quarshie bloke is a monster!

Also, Wrexham hit the bar!

[sharpysharps86]

Southampton look quite nervy. I suppose its unsurprising given how their confidence will have been shot to pieces after last season.

[davulsukur]

Penalty Wrexham!

[1874]

Same as last night player feels a hand on his back and dives. Technically a foul.

I just don't like seeing it

 

[davulsukur]

15 minutes ago, sharpysharps86 said:

Southampton look quite nervy. I suppose its unsurprising given how their confidence will have been shot to pieces after last season.

Definitely the case.

Wrexham a team thats been on the up, Southampton a team that's been in the down and it shows in both performances.

Southampton started brightly but faded very quickly. Wrexham really got into the game and have had much of thr better of it.

Side note, gutted we never landed O'brien. Looks a player.

[rock steady]

Ref has stopped play in Wrexham game for player getting hit by ball in the groin. 

This a new rule?

 

[wilsdenrover]

Just now, rock steady said:

Ref has stopped play in Wrexham game for player getting hit by ball in the groin. 

This a new rule?

 

Sounds like bollocks to me.

Edited 11 hours ago by wilsdenrover

[Exiled_Rover]

5 hours ago, arbitro said:

The Birmingham v Ipswich game contained one real ingredient that can make for a successful Championship season - the intensity you play at. I thought it was relentless and significantly several players from Birmingham were suffering from cramp from 75 minutes. 

Two big decisions went against Birmingham too. It's difficult to categorically way they were wrong but both, I thought were extremely harsh. Kyogo looks a real player.

I really thought Ipswich were favourites in paper but I saw a few chinks in their armour last night and this season could be a really open one in the Championship.

Ipswich made a mistake last year and bought a really good Championship team rather than PL players.

They'll be there for the taking some weeks as although they're very good and have depth, they're still Championship players and prone to the same mistakes as the rest in this division.

[Waggy76]

49 minutes ago, davulsukur said:

Definitely the case.

Wrexham a team thats been on the up, Southampton a team that's been in the down and it shows in both performances.

Southampton started brightly but faded very quickly. Wrexham really got into the game and have had much of thr better of it.

Side note, gutted we never landed O'brien. Looks a player.

That's why we didn't get him! 

 

[DE.]

Welcome to the Championship, Wrexham. Interesting that both they and Birmingham threw away their leads at the death, although at least Birmingham got a point out of their match. 

[roverandout]

So happy to see Southampton beat that plastic foreign club

[davulsukur]

41 minutes ago, Waggy76 said:

That's why we didn't get him! 

 

Missed it! What happened. Just seen the result, oooffftt unlucky Wrexham. Deffo a welcome to the championship!

[moerpho]

And Charlton beat Watford at home and are top of the league!

Good to have this batshit league back. I think this season will be another weird one for all teams included. Guessing we’ll have another season where a team is in playoff around christmas and down by the end of the season. Manager change galore across the league. More financial shenanigans from who knows where, what or who. It’s bound to be entertaining, enthralling, infuriating, rage-inducing, heartbraking stupid fun. Or at least better than tik-tok. Bring it on!

[philipl]

BBD and JRC unused subs

[DeeCee]

1 hour ago, wilsdenrover said:

Sounds like bollocks to me.

It's nuts!

[jim mk2]

West Brom 1-0

Relegation thread activated

[DE.]

I finally got around to watching the Birmingham promotional series on Prime. It was a decent fluff piece, but not much more than that. The Sunderland doc was much better and more detailed. I thought the emphasis on Birmingham being a 'cursed' club was a bit exaggerated. I'm sure there are a lot of uncursed clubs who wouldn't have minded spending most of the 2000s in the PL. I get it makes for a better story to make out Brum are this massive club who had been under a brutal curse before Brady and Wagner came along, though.

They zoomed through the first season in a single episode. In a serious documentary that would have spanned two, if not three episodes. I get why they did it - the aim was to promote Brady and Wagner in a good light, so they wanted to get the rocky start out of the way quickly. Still, I thought it was lacking. Little insight from either of them on why they sacked Eustace nor any real contrition beyond Brady admitting they made too many changes too soon. No real insight as to why they chose Rooney. No real insight into what it was specifically that caused Birmingham to struggle under Rooney, beyond Brady briefly mentioning he didn't like Rooney's work ethic. Thought Rooney came across as really awkward when in Brady and Wagner's presence. 

They completely ignored Mowbray's hiring, as far as I recall it wasn't even mentioned. If you didn't know any better you'd assume they just didn't have a manager after Rooney was sacked. I know Mowbray wasn't there long due to his unexpected health issue, and maybe they glossed over the entire thing out of respect for that, but I was still surprised it wasn't brought up that he was there at all.

The League 1 part wasn't hugely interesting due to Brum's eventual domination of the league. They made a big deal of the brief wobble they had, but then just skipped ahead because, well, there wasn't much to say. They tried to spin it as a monumental achievement, but with the amount they spent it would have been one of the biggest sporting failures of all time not to go up. Their spend was 30x the next closest team - and whilst they did mention the spending, I don't think it highlighted just how egregious it was in comparison to the other teams in the division or indeed in comparison to any historical spending in that division. 

Regardless, you can't doubt Wagner and Brady's commitment to the club. They're all in, at the moment at least, and that was obvious. It remains to be seen for how long they retain their interest if further success doesn't follow quickly. Will they be so passionate if in two or three seasons Birmingham are still a Championship club? We'll see.

[sharpysharps86]

Impressive result for Bristol City at Sheffield United. Wonder if canning a proven promotion challenger / winner in Wilder and going for Ruben Selles was a good idea. Early days yet I suppose. Could just have been one of those opening day freak results.

[KentExile]

41 minutes ago, sharpysharps86 said:

Impressive result for Bristol City at Sheffield United. Wonder if canning a proven promotion challenger / winner in Wilder and going for Ruben Selles was a good idea. Early days yet I suppose. Could just have been one of those opening day freak results.

might also have something to do with them losing 3 out of their starting back 4 from a large portion of of last season

Ahmedhodzic, Soutter & Gilchrist  were all in Sheff Utds top 10 most used players in the Championship last season

Edited 3 hours ago by KentExile