2025-26 Relegation thread

[Tom]

Bonkers league, 65 minutes last week the subs come on and we look dead and buried.

A week later and we are 4 points above the drop zone at least for now and suddenly will be full of confidence 

[Waggy76]

3 hours ago, Tom said:

Bonkers league, 65 minutes last week the subs come on and we look dead and buried.

A week later and we are 4 points above the drop zone at least for now and suddenly will be full of confidence 

The league is very poor this year , the 3 relegated teams at present are not up to much .

Birmingham & Wrexham , have not kicked on , like I thought they might.

Early days yet though !

[philipl]

13 hours ago, Waggy76 said:

The league is very poor this year , the 3 relegated teams at present are not up to much .

Birmingham & Wrexham , have not kicked on , like I thought they might.

Early days yet though !

Disagree that the League is very poor this year. 

Far more clubs are competitive this time around including unfashionable ones which probably colours perception seeing Millwall Preston Charlton and Hull where they are with Boro and Coventry topping the pile. This season's Coventry are probably the most entertaining outfit the Championship has seen since the days of Fulham.

What has happened are clubs which self-destruct are being ruthlessly punished whereas there was hiding space in previous seasons.

Not entirely surprising Southampton are where they are given they almost got under Derby's record low points haul last season. 

Last season's Championship relegated sides are hardly setting League 1 alight this time around and the promoted sides recruited well for once.

 

 

[Mattyblue]

All that’s changed (and it is a big one) is that the parachute clubs are struggling, the other 20 sides, well 19 for obvious reasons, are at a very similar level, as always, so it’s fine margins.

Edited November 2 by Mattyblue

[Parsonblue]

It's a very open league this season, with only Sheffield Wednesday really adrift and likely to have a relegation place already pre-booked.  If we can continue to defend like yesterday, and we can start taking the chances we create I believe we will be clear of any threat of relegation come the end of the season.

The real plus point for me yesterday was the way in which Gudjohnsen took his chances.  They were the goals of a proper striker, in and around the six yard box, and snaping up the chances that came his way.  The first goal, in particular, was the sign of a player who was prepared to anticipate a potential chance when most would have been on their heels expecting the defender to clear the ball.

I think we look a team who are, in many ways, probably more suited to playing away from home.  Certainly, apart from Charlton, we have looked pretty decent on our travels, including Coventry, where we bossed the first half but didn't take our chances.

If we can start to grind out results at home, our season may well be better than many expected.  I think that turning our home form around is now the key to what sort of season this will be.

[DE.]

Would have been a great season for us to have not downgraded the entire squad and management team. Based on the team's general performance over the past 7 years we should be talking about finally cracking the top six, but instead the main focus is on not being relegated.  

[StHelensRover]

Thought this thread had disappeared after our plucky three wins. 

But today was back to form, bizarre formation and line-up, permanently clueless manager.

Back to 13/2 to go down now.

We will probably need another ten wins this season to stay up, so roughly one in every three matches remaining with a few draws thrown in. Doesn't sound too bad, but our home form is really worrying and most teams rely on it to keep them up, we're evidently better away from home.

Walking wounded currently with a threadbare weak squad. We have to play so many matches in November and December before the window opens, we need to somehow keep treading water til then. Though we usually botch January windows anyway. I think we're going to be right in this scrap all season. At least one of Norwich and Sheff Utd will improve at some point and skip past us, games against Pompey, Oxford and QPR are going to be six pointers for sure. 

Strap in. Thanks Rudy, Suhail and Venkys, happy 150th 

 

 

 

 

Edited 16 hours ago by StHelensRover

[Waggy76]

16 minutes ago, StHelensRover said:

Thought this thread had disappeared after our plucky three wins. 

But today was back to form, bizarre formation and line-up, permanently clueless manager.

Back to 13/2 to go down now.

We will probably need another ten wins this season to stay up, so roughly one in every three matches remaining with a few draws thrown in. Doesn't sound too bad, but our home form is really worrying and most teams rely on it to keep them up, we're evidently better away from home.

Walking wounded currently with a threadbare weak squad. We have to play so many matches in November and December before the window opens, we need to somehow keep threading water til then. Though we usually botch January windows anyway. I think we're going to be right in this scrap all season. At least one of Norwich and Sheff Utd will improve at some point and skip past us, games against Pompey, Oxford and QPR are going to be six pointers for sure. 

Strap in. Thanks Rudy, Suhail and Venkys, happy 150th 

 

 

 

 

Norwich and Sheffield United, will both improve imo, throw Swansea in the mix too.. 

[roversfan99]

The worry is aswell, after this international break, thats when the games really do start piling up. We have a small squad with a lack of depth and quality and this is when it will be really tested.

I think Ismael (and I have no confidence in him) needs to decide on our main formation, whereby we minimise the need to have to keep changing system or doing weird shit (like Hedges at centre back, one of the strangest decisions I have seen) when someone becomes unavailable. And due to the imbalanced, poor squad, its about picking the one that has the least glaring weaknesses.

I think that has to be 4231. The back 3 has clearly had merit as a short term approach but a bit of unavailability throws it into chaos. If we go to a back 4, I think our best back 4 is Alebiosu, Carter, McLoughlin and Pickering (judgement call at LB) which itself isnt great. It brings the left backs back into the equation and it at least means that we have one player to cover the 2 centre backs and Alebiosu in Miller, especially as Carter is made of glass. If we carry on playing as we are, any minute that any of Carter, McLoughlin, Miller or Alebiosu are unavailable, he will have to come up with strange alternatives to keep a back 3 intact.

It would leave us light out wide, but it also provides us with an alternative up front. I dont like going into games knowing that there isnt a striker on the bench that isnt a total shambles and a laughing stock, its not healthy. Ohashi is better than Gudjohnsen but neither is anything stand out in the division, so it also gives you the possibility of swapping on form and not having to keep flogging both.

[Wheelton Blue]

One thing is for sure, if Ismael continues to put sides out like we did yesterday, then we'll lose far more than we win.

[arbitro]

2 hours ago, Wheelton Blue said:

One thing is for sure, if Ismael continues to put sides out like we did yesterday, then we'll lose far more than we win.

He will be banking on Carter staying fit and Tronstad not going in January. Given Carter's injury record I can't see it which could well put us in a situation where a winger will have to play centre half.

Just on Carter was there any elaboration from Ismael with regard to his cryptic interview recently where he questioned aspects of Carter's lifestyle?

[MarkBRFC]

Football fans are far too reactionary from one result to the next.

Played Southampton and Leicester at perfect times, although Bristol City was a good win. If we had played Southampton yesterday we would have lost.

I predicted bottom 6 or so with a chance of going down at the start of the season, and have seen nothing to change my mind otherwise.

[JHRover]

Occasionally you might get a 'surprise' relegation - if Sheff Utd, Norwich or Southampton stay down there they would be huge surprises based on their squads, investment and expectations. In reality - and it seems Southampton have already turned a corner now that Still has gone - all three are likely to get themselves out of trouble because they shouldn't be going down.

I am still struggling to work out who the minimum two other clubs are going to be that we need to finish above to survive this season. On paper you'd think Oxford and Portsmouth maybe, but both seem to have the ability to pick up results, particularly at home, when they need to. Swansea were my pre-season prediction to struggle and it looks like some rot has set in there, but I don't think they'll just sit back and leave it to chance - they'll sack their inexperienced manager and replace before too long.

I suppose maybe QPR another but they seem to be competitive.

It is going to be a close run thing in my view. You can't lose 5/7 at home and win 1 and expect anything other than a struggle.

One thing is for sure - we aren't going to be anywhere near 7th this season so perhaps the chuckle brothers running the show could explain why we've clearly regressed by 10+ places in the table under their management.

[Exiled_Rover]

15 hours ago, StHelensRover said:

Thought this thread had disappeared after our plucky three wins. 

But today was back to form, bizarre formation and line-up, permanently clueless manager.

Back to 13/2 to go down now.

We will probably need another ten wins this season to stay up, so roughly one in every three matches remaining with a few draws thrown in. Doesn't sound too bad, but our home form is really worrying and most teams rely on it to keep them up, we're evidently better away from home.

Walking wounded currently with a threadbare weak squad. We have to play so many matches in November and December before the window opens, we need to somehow keep treading water til then. Though we usually botch January windows anyway. I think we're going to be right in this scrap all season. At least one of Norwich and Sheff Utd will improve at some point and skip past us, games against Pompey, Oxford and QPR are going to be six pointers for sure. 

Strap in. Thanks Rudy, Suhail and Venkys, happy 150th 

 

 

 

 

No chance of relegation - barring another rash of injuries. 

This is a lower mid-table side on paper - and one that could flirt around the playoffs if things start to click. 

If our spine is out long-term however - Toth / Carter / Wharton / Tronstad / Cantwell - then like pretty much every team in this division we'll struggle. 

Edited 1 hour ago by Exiled_Rover

[Exiled_Rover]

13 hours ago, roversfan99 said:

The worry is aswell, after this international break, thats when the games really do start piling up. We have a small squad with a lack of depth and quality and this is when it will be really tested.

I think Ismael (and I have no confidence in him) needs to decide on our main formation, whereby we minimise the need to have to keep changing system or doing weird shit (like Hedges at centre back, one of the strangest decisions I have seen) when someone becomes unavailable. And due to the imbalanced, poor squad, its about picking the one that has the least glaring weaknesses.

I think that has to be 4231. The back 3 has clearly had merit as a short term approach but a bit of unavailability throws it into chaos. If we go to a back 4, I think our best back 4 is Alebiosu, Carter, McLoughlin and Pickering (judgement call at LB) which itself isnt great. It brings the left backs back into the equation and it at least means that we have one player to cover the 2 centre backs and Alebiosu in Miller, especially as Carter is made of glass. If we carry on playing as we are, any minute that any of Carter, McLoughlin, Miller or Alebiosu are unavailable, he will have to come up with strange alternatives to keep a back 3 intact.

It would leave us light out wide, but it also provides us with an alternative up front. I dont like going into games knowing that there isnt a striker on the bench that isnt a total shambles and a laughing stock, its not healthy. Ohashi is better than Gudjohnsen but neither is anything stand out in the division, so it also gives you the possibility of swapping on form and not having to keep flogging both.

Our best formation is clearly 3 at the back with 3 in midfield and 2 upfront.

For all of the criticism Ismael has received for playing Hedges at CB yesterday, he didn't let us down - and you just have to look at my post history to know that I'm one of the biggest Hedges haters on the planet.

We don't have any good wingers, nor do we have a striker good enough to play in a lone role - so 4-2-3-1 / 4-3-3 just simply doesn't work for this squad.

[Exiled_Rover]

6 minutes ago, JHRover said:

Occasionally you might get a 'surprise' relegation - if Sheff Utd, Norwich or Southampton stay down there they would be huge surprises based on their squads, investment and expectations. In reality - and it seems Southampton have already turned a corner now that Still has gone - all three are likely to get themselves out of trouble because they shouldn't be going down.

I am still struggling to work out who the minimum two other clubs are going to be that we need to finish above to survive this season. On paper you'd think Oxford and Portsmouth maybe, but both seem to have the ability to pick up results, particularly at home, when they need to. Swansea were my pre-season prediction to struggle and it looks like some rot has set in there, but I don't think they'll just sit back and leave it to chance - they'll sack their inexperienced manager and replace before too long.

I suppose maybe QPR another but they seem to be competitive.

It is going to be a close run thing in my view. You can't lose 5/7 at home and win 1 and expect anything other than a struggle.

One thing is for sure - we aren't going to be anywhere near 7th this season so perhaps the chuckle brothers running the show could explain why we've clearly regressed by 10+ places in the table under their management.

Let's wait until the end of the season until we start writing our obituary, eh?

[Mattyblue]

‘No chance’ with this set of players? We certainly do have a chance as it is a finely balanced league, it comes down to small margins.

What makes the difference? How about, say, poor managers or small squads that have an increased number of inexperienced Championship players.

Edited 1 hour ago by Mattyblue

[arbitro]

7 minutes ago, Exiled_Rover said:

Our best formation is clearly 3 at the back with 3 in midfield and 2 upfront.

For all of the criticism Ismael has received for playing Hedges at CB yesterday, he didn't let us down - and you just have to look at my post history to know that I'm one of the biggest Hedges haters on the planet.

We don't have any good wingers, nor do we have a striker good enough to play in a lone role - so 4-2-3-1 / 4-3-3 just simply doesn't work for this squad.

One of my gripes about playing Hedges at centre half was that we lost his experience playing out wide and De Neve defensively isn't diligent enough to play that role. He didn't let us down as you say but Ismael weakened us by playing him there.

[StHelensRover]

14 minutes ago, Exiled_Rover said:

No chance of relegation - barring another rash of injuries. 

This is a lower mid-table side on paper - and one that could flirt around the playoffs if things start to click. 

If our spine is out long-term however - Toth / Carter / Wharton / Tronstad / Cantwell - then like pretty much every team in this division we'll struggle. 

No chance of relegation? 🤔

We already have a rash of injuries and almost every club gets them as well as suspensions throughout the season, the clubs with the weakest, thinnest squads don't deal with it.

I would take 21st place if it's offered now.

We may end up finishing a bit higher, maybe 17th or 18th but I would still take 21st now.

We are average at best, squad much weaker than last season, much thinner, the manager is out of his depth, Rudy Gestede is out of his depth and I don't trust them to bring in reinforcements in January (based on the last few Januarys).

This team is nowhere near 'flirting with the playoffs', I think we'll finish about 20 points behind the playoffs if we manage to stay up.

[Waggy76]

Considering Norwich and Sheffield United are in the bottom 3 , relegation is more than a possibility !

[RTM08]

I don't see how anyone can look at a team that has lost ~60% of their games in all competitions and think they could flirt with the play-offs and aren't in danger of the drop, especially when that squad is now ravaged by injuries and suspensions.

Those three wins are a godsend, but it will take a miracle to stay clear during the Christmas period.