A Great Chance.
Posted: Mon May 25, 2015 7:41 pm
So our worst fears are realised, Norwich City will be back in the Premier League next season while we have yet another crack at getting out of the Championship, but could their success be a big helping hand to our own chances in 2015/16 ? In a nushell yes, I believe it could be a massive boost for us, clearly we have not enjoyed much success agains them in recent seasons and from my point of view I would much rather be playing Boro twice than them.
Losing Norwich, Bournemouth and Watford from this divison gets rid of Three very good teams and Six very tough fixtures, of those coming down I see nothing that look capable of being guaranteed a quick fire return like Norwich have done. Burnley defied all logic by going up in the first place and look certain to lose Danny Ings and two or Three more of their better players, yes they will have these bloody parachute payments but the transition back into the Championship is never easy and they could find it tough at first, a cracxk at top six yes but runaway winners I don't think so. QPR are racked with financial problems and they won't have heard the last of it, I can see a troubled Summer for them and next season could be one of nothing more than average. Hull complete the trio and rightly or wrongly they don't phase me at all, again they will in all probability lose players and much will depend on the managerial situation and how well they spend.
The Three coming up do not look capable of doing a "Brentford", I can see mid table safety for Preston, Bristol City and MK Dons and nothing more. Middlesbrough will be licking their wounds for a few weeks but will most likely be one of the challenges again next time around, although they will lose Patrick Bamford while Leadboots can't possibly score 50 penaties in a season again surely ? Wolves could be up there but much will depend on how many of their stars they can keep hold of, Sako and Dicko may well be off to pastures new. I expect better from Nottingham Forest, Cardiff and possibly Blackburn too but the ones I feel will be the team to beat are Derby, they capitulated this time around but I see them coming back strong next season, probably under a new manager. Nothing else in the division look to have what it takes without massive amounts of signings this Summer.
It is very much going to be what we do that will determine how close we are to our dream, I firmly believe 3 or 4 top signings in the right areas to compliment what we already have will give us as good a chance as anybody. Keeping hold of our better players is a must, add to that a proper number One and RB will firm up the defence just that bit more and give us far better options at CB, for me Bialkowski has disappointed and is not the answer, yes he has moments of brilliance but far too many dodgy moments too, for me Gerks is the better keeper but still not good enough to be our out and out number one next season. With Murphy, Sears and McGoldrick we have good firepower that will score goals, add to that Varney and possibly one other (N.Hunt) ?? and we look fine in attack. This leaves the Midfield and in particular the wide areas, thsi is where we must invest, we are pretty well covered in CM with Skuse, Bru, Bish, add to that Luke Hyam (Remember him) and Tabby and we have plenty of options. I am praying we bring in an attacking wide player and maybe another Jonny Williams type, add to that the expected emergence of Dylan Connolly and hopefully an improved Alex Henshall and again we will have good options.
This is no time for sentiment and I am glad the likes of Ambrose, Chaplow, S,Hunt, Anderson etc are all on their way, we need to move on and improve the squad that bit more, there has been plenty of calls for Ando to be kept on but for me he hasnt done enough, a couple of good performances at the end of the season when he was hoping for a new contract isn't reason to keep hold, where was he the other 8 months ? Hewitt, Marriott and Stewart are clearly not up to it and they too need to be moved on if they havent already.
So for me the early signs are very hopeful, yes there is plenty of signings to come and go at every club but I believe we are not far away from being one of the favourites for a top two spot next season, it is very much up to us and the ambition of ME who I believe will be more flexible with his cheque book in the coming weeks. it's going to be a very interesting couple of months, get it right and we may not need to worry about the bloody play offs !!!
Losing Norwich, Bournemouth and Watford from this divison gets rid of Three very good teams and Six very tough fixtures, of those coming down I see nothing that look capable of being guaranteed a quick fire return like Norwich have done. Burnley defied all logic by going up in the first place and look certain to lose Danny Ings and two or Three more of their better players, yes they will have these bloody parachute payments but the transition back into the Championship is never easy and they could find it tough at first, a cracxk at top six yes but runaway winners I don't think so. QPR are racked with financial problems and they won't have heard the last of it, I can see a troubled Summer for them and next season could be one of nothing more than average. Hull complete the trio and rightly or wrongly they don't phase me at all, again they will in all probability lose players and much will depend on the managerial situation and how well they spend.
The Three coming up do not look capable of doing a "Brentford", I can see mid table safety for Preston, Bristol City and MK Dons and nothing more. Middlesbrough will be licking their wounds for a few weeks but will most likely be one of the challenges again next time around, although they will lose Patrick Bamford while Leadboots can't possibly score 50 penaties in a season again surely ? Wolves could be up there but much will depend on how many of their stars they can keep hold of, Sako and Dicko may well be off to pastures new. I expect better from Nottingham Forest, Cardiff and possibly Blackburn too but the ones I feel will be the team to beat are Derby, they capitulated this time around but I see them coming back strong next season, probably under a new manager. Nothing else in the division look to have what it takes without massive amounts of signings this Summer.
It is very much going to be what we do that will determine how close we are to our dream, I firmly believe 3 or 4 top signings in the right areas to compliment what we already have will give us as good a chance as anybody. Keeping hold of our better players is a must, add to that a proper number One and RB will firm up the defence just that bit more and give us far better options at CB, for me Bialkowski has disappointed and is not the answer, yes he has moments of brilliance but far too many dodgy moments too, for me Gerks is the better keeper but still not good enough to be our out and out number one next season. With Murphy, Sears and McGoldrick we have good firepower that will score goals, add to that Varney and possibly one other (N.Hunt) ?? and we look fine in attack. This leaves the Midfield and in particular the wide areas, thsi is where we must invest, we are pretty well covered in CM with Skuse, Bru, Bish, add to that Luke Hyam (Remember him) and Tabby and we have plenty of options. I am praying we bring in an attacking wide player and maybe another Jonny Williams type, add to that the expected emergence of Dylan Connolly and hopefully an improved Alex Henshall and again we will have good options.
This is no time for sentiment and I am glad the likes of Ambrose, Chaplow, S,Hunt, Anderson etc are all on their way, we need to move on and improve the squad that bit more, there has been plenty of calls for Ando to be kept on but for me he hasnt done enough, a couple of good performances at the end of the season when he was hoping for a new contract isn't reason to keep hold, where was he the other 8 months ? Hewitt, Marriott and Stewart are clearly not up to it and they too need to be moved on if they havent already.
So for me the early signs are very hopeful, yes there is plenty of signings to come and go at every club but I believe we are not far away from being one of the favourites for a top two spot next season, it is very much up to us and the ambition of ME who I believe will be more flexible with his cheque book in the coming weeks. it's going to be a very interesting couple of months, get it right and we may not need to worry about the bloody play offs !!!
If Mick still plays Smith at right side CB then that says it all, its back to square one, Hoof bloody Hoof ball, the back 4 should read Parr, Chambers, Berra, or Smith Left side, and Mings who really needs to sharpen up his mental side of his game, or another LB, Scuse, Bru & Bishop, yes, but I'm sorry Tabb is just a chaser hacker, not a real stand on the ball passer and thinker, I'm not so sure about Hyam either in this department, does a lot of hard work, but both players can be caught out and wanting, nope we need a classy midfielder, one who can stamp his authority on the game, with split hair passing to the front boys, but I do hope also that the two wingers Hewitt & Connolly can step up to the plate, just to open and stretch the opposition Right and left Flank defences, the next season will be no walk in the park trust me, if ME does not invest we will have a very mediocre season, and certainly don't write off the likes of Preston, Bristol City, & MK Dons, I expect the dons to do a Brentford, they will invest in a few better players, all three teams have very astute managers, and as stated I fully expect if out of the FFP ban Forest & Blackburn, to be there or there about's, plus Wolves & Derby to be in the top mix, and watch out for Sheffield Wednesday my dark horses, Hull will be a force as well, but it depends on whether Bruce is still at the helm as to their possible success, so there you have it, if its back to much of the same type of game as this last season where I feel we were fortunate to be in the top half by Christmas, and punched well above our weight, then struggled a bit after that, so hopefully Mick & Marcus have learnt a lesson on what's needed to get auto promotion, and will invest in two or three quality players, but like always its best to see who buys what in the close season, and no more journey men please Mick.