That is all. They better be getting those claret and blue ribbons ready for May.

As I said a few games ago UTC

Possibly, but do we really want to be promoted with this side?
Are we ready to come straight back down?
I have no issues with being a yoyo side, but history says SP can get us promoted, but not keep us in the. PL.

If that happens it would mean that we have won the Championship in each of the last 3 seasons we have been in the league and with 3 different managers

brexit wrote: ↑

Thu Dec 26, 2024 5:06 pm

Possibly, but do we really want to be promoted with this side?
Are we ready to come straight back down?
I have no issues with being a yoyo side, but history says SP can get us promoted, but not keep us in the. PL.

That's the spirit.

brexit wrote: ↑

Thu Dec 26, 2024 5:06 pm

Possibly, but do we really want to be promoted with this side?
Are we ready to come straight back down?
I have no issues with being a yoyo side, but history says SP can get us promoted, but not keep us in the. PL.

Course we do. Don't let another easy win ruin your Christmas

brexit wrote: ↑

Thu Dec 26, 2024 5:06 pm

Possibly, but do we really want to be promoted with this side?
Are we ready to come straight back down?
I have no issues with being a yoyo side, but history says SP can get us promoted, but not keep us in the. PL.

Imagine looking for a way to criticise Parker after that result and coming up with that

Brexit means brexit

We look excellent contenders for it again. I mean its a long way to go but you have to be confident and i think this team isnt scared of anyone.

I also think we might compete better in the league above because this year the top of the champ has more competition and therefore a bigger test.

It's easy to forget how young this side is too - its going to get better.

brexit wrote: ↑

Thu Dec 26, 2024 5:06 pm

Possibly, but do we really want to be promoted with this side?
Are we ready to come straight back down?
I have no issues with being a yoyo side, but history says SP can get us promoted, but not keep us in the. PL.

I for one absolutely want us to go back up. It’s essential that we do so, ideally this season.

If Parker achieves promotion again, he’s earned the right to have another go.

I'm certainly not counting my chickens.
Yes, that was a superb win, but this is the run of fixtures inc today

Sheff Utd (a)
Boro (a)
Stoke (h)
Blackburn (a)
Sunderland (h)
Plymouth (a)
Leeds (h)

After that it looks much cosier, but it's a really tough set of 7 games in just 32 days (plus an away FA Cup tie). Until I know where we are at the end of Jan, I'll be keeping my cards very close to my chest

brexit wrote: ↑

Thu Dec 26, 2024 5:06 pm

Possibly, but do we really want to be promoted with this side?
Are we ready to come straight back down?
I have no issues with being a yoyo side, but history says SP can get us promoted, but not keep us in the. PL.

We have to HOPE the owners don't sell the best players again like this season. If instead they build on this team and sell a couple who are not required, then can we aspire to do a Forest or Fulham or Brentford or Bournemouth?

Instead of wasting money on trillions of players we need to spend it on two or three decent Premier League ready players. If you don't do that you haven't a chance. Buying young players with no experience gets you back in the Championship and you can only yoyo so many times.

brexit wrote: ↑

Thu Dec 26, 2024 5:06 pm

Possibly, but do we really want to be promoted with this side?
Are we ready to come straight back down?
I have no issues with being a yoyo side, but history says SP can get us promoted, but not keep us in the. PL.

Good grief man.

All the cards are face up on the table now in this division and guess what..............

I thought watching on TV it was our best all round team performance this season considering it was away against a top 4 club.
We outplayed them in every department from first minute to the last
UTC

One game at a time, but top performance again today.

I'd rather have a day out at Wembley as long as we win .

We are title hopefuls

I was fairly confident today, we are in great form and we perform better against teams who play more open games. That being said, I would have been happy with a draw.

I won't get carried away though, take it one game at a time. That's the pitfall Leeds fans always fall into - celebrating too early.

Conroy92 wrote: ↑

Thu Dec 26, 2024 5:15 pm

Imagine looking for a way to criticise Parker after that result and coming up with that

Not a criticism, just a reality check.
Fans on this board have short memories.

Our last two games have been the best performances this season.

The squad and team appear to be 'clicking' at just the right moment.

To be fair, so do Leeds

Said it a while back we wouldn’t really hit form until after Xmas. I think we we will be unstoppable

It's coming together, but I'm not getting carried away yet. Leeds are looking strong, Sheff Utd have proved they're a good team this season, and Sunderland just refuse to fall away!! There's a lot of football to be played, and January will be key. Not only do we have a tricky run of fixtures, I'm also sure Trafford and Esteve will have their suitors... amongst others (Brownhill's contract situation isn't helpful). Let's see where we are in a month. If we're still only a point from top spot then, I think we will have done very well!!

Roosterbooster wrote: ↑

Fri Dec 27, 2024 2:07 pm

To be fair, so do Leeds

Both teams certainly look the best two sides in the division at the moment.

brexit wrote: ↑

Thu Dec 26, 2024 5:06 pm

Possibly, but do we really want to be promoted with this side?
Are we ready to come straight back down?
I have no issues with being a yoyo side, but history says SP can get us promoted, but not keep us in the. PL.

Well SP can’t possibly do worse than the Prima Donna we had last season.

If we go up, and hopefully as champions, I think SP will keep us up.

Roosterbooster wrote: ↑

Thu Dec 26, 2024 5:43 pm

I'm certainly not counting my chickens.
Yes, that was a superb win, but this is the run of fixtures inc today

Sheff Utd (a)
Boro (a)
Stoke (h)
Blackburn (a)
Sunderland (h)
Plymouth (a)
Leeds (h)

After that it looks much cosier, but it's a really tough set of 7 games in just 32 days (plus an away FA Cup tie). Until I know where we are at the end of Jan, I'll be keeping my cards very close to my chest

I think if we come through those having beaten Sunderland and Leeds then we’ll be on course to win the league.

brexit wrote: ↑

Thu Dec 26, 2024 5:06 pm

Possibly, but do we really want to be promoted with this side?
Are we ready to come straight back down?
I have no issues with being a yoyo side, but history says SP can get us promoted, but not keep us in the. PL.

Yes, what’s the alternative? Be a mid table Championship side forever? The reality is it’ll always be hard to stay up.

Quicknick wrote: ↑

Sat Dec 28, 2024 10:40 am

If we go up, and hopefully as champions, I think SP will keep us up.

It’ll be a tough ask given the gulf between leagues. Some things will hopefully be different this time though:

1. Board and fan expectations. Pace said on MtB2 that he thought mid table would be a good result for us at the start of the last premier league season. I admit to thinking that was achievable myself. This time I think we’d all be happy with 17th! That’s got to help.

2. Recruitment. You have to hope that we’d learn our lesson and take a different approach, from my perspective prioritising physicality and athleticism in the team as I think that’s the main (I remember Brighton at the Turf last time and being surprised at just how much bigger and stronger they were). Get that right, and a bit of experience, and we’d be a different prospect.

I think Parker will be desperate to prove himself and if Pace backs him properly with the right kind of players for staying up, he’d find a pragmatic way to get the job done. After that you can build.

Lot of work for Parker, the Board and boys to do before then though!

expoultryboy wrote: ↑

Thu Dec 26, 2024 7:42 pm

I'd rather have a day out at Wembley as long as we win .

Hell no.

expoultryboy wrote: ↑

Thu Dec 26, 2024 7:42 pm

I'd rather have a day out at Wembley as long as we win .

I'll take a wembley win on 17th May

There's a lot of football to be played yet and the last two games have been big steps in the right direction.

Worth remembering though that the Derby horror show was only three games ago. Failing to break down the next team who's only ambition is a 0-0 draw might reset some expectations.

TheFamilyCat wrote: ↑

Sat Dec 28, 2024 11:55 am

There's a lot of football to be played yet and the last two games have been big steps in the right direction.

Worth remembering though that the Derby horror show was only three games ago. Failing to break down the next team who's only ambition is a 0-0 draw might reset some expectations.

Yes exactly. Very easy to get carried away with the recent results of Norwich (a) Watford (h) Sheff United (a) however Rams was in that run, which was just such an ugly performance. From Feb onwards nearly every team to come to the Turf will be like that.... sitting back, low bloc etc.... We need to master a way of breaking those sides down. That's how we will win this league.

NewClaret wrote: ↑

Sat Dec 28, 2024 10:58 am

It’ll be a tough ask given the gulf between leagues. Some things will hopefully be different this time though:

1. Board and fan expectations. Pace said on MtB2 that he thought mid table would be a good result for us at the start of the last premier league season. I admit to thinking that was achievable myself. This time I think we’d all be happy with 17th! That’s got to help.

2. Recruitment. You have to hope that we’d learn our lesson and take a different approach, from my perspective prioritising physicality and athleticism in the team as I think that’s the main (I remember Brighton at the Turf last time and being surprised at just how much bigger and stronger they were). Get that right, and a bit of experience, and we’d be a different prospect.

I think Parker will be desperate to prove himself and if Pace backs him properly with the right kind of players for staying up, he’d find a pragmatic way to get the job done. After that you can build.

Lot of work for Parker, the Board and boys to do before then though!

That's a really thoughtful post. One thing is for certain. I'd much rather have Parker in charge than the Belgian chancer.

The majority of supporters will take a balanced, rather than fickle, view. Not getting overly excited saying that we'll definitely win a tough league, or at the opposite end of the scale calling for Parker to be sacked when things aren't going as well.

I note the OP is confident at this relatively early stage that we'll definitely be champions, which feels very premature, but only last month he felt it necessary to start a Parker In/Out thread, and also said he was at breaking point and we will slide down the league.

I still don’t think we’ll get automatic, although I usually sit on the pessimistic side of the fence. We’ve shown we’re as good as anyone in the division on our day, though, even though I still don’t think we’ve totally clicked.

Play offs should be a formality from here, but everyone knows they’re a complete lottery.

Quicknick wrote: ↑

Sat Dec 28, 2024 2:20 pm

That's a really thoughtful post. One thing is for certain. I'd much rather have Parker in charge than the Belgian chancer.

To be fair, the Belgian chancer is bossing the Bundesliga at the moment. He was fantastic for a season, not the right guy for the slog of premier league survival. In that respect, I 110% agree that I’d much rather have Parker that because he has the experience of two previous attempts at survival and that’s where he has an advantage on a very young manager in Kompany.

But equally he still has a long way to go to emulate Kompany’s success in the championship which is his main priority and test right now.

NewClaret wrote: ↑

Sat Dec 28, 2024 7:07 pm

To be fair, the Belgian chancer is bossing the Bundesliga at the moment. He was fantastic for a season, not the right guy for the slog of premier league survival. In that respect, I 110% agree that I’d much rather have Parker that because he has the experience of two previous attempts at survival and that’s where he has an advantage on a very young manager in Kompany.

But equally he still has a long way to go to emulate Kompany’s success in the championship which is his main priority and test right now.

But winning in Germany is like Celtic or Rangers winning the SPL. Aside from a very few sides the rest of the league in Germany is far weaker than the Prem.

NewClaret wrote: ↑

Sat Dec 28, 2024 7:07 pm

But equally he still has a long way to go to emulate Kompany’s success in the championship which is his main priority and test right now.

Not sure we'll ever be able to test and compare this season with Kompany. I think it's always going to be a completely different method, different mentality, better defence... it's a massive change with so many variables.

If we go up, the comparison will be more about next season in the Premier League. Will our strong defensive structure do it at a higher level.

It’s way to early to be talking being champions or automatic promotion.

How many points do we need to stay up this year?

California Colner wrote: ↑

Sat Dec 28, 2024 7:24 pm

It’s way to early to be talking being champions or automatic promotion.

I now see it as a top 3. But you're right. Can't be too cocky. Football has a habit of biting you on the arse.

Huge debate in the pub. "Do we really want to get promoted"? Well imo, yes. But only because of the money! Without it in 3 years we'll be the next Stoke. Also, I believe (hope!) Pace has learnt from a couple of seasons ago and would know far more about recruiting a team which might just Keep it's head above water. Parker also has been there before and should have learnt it too. (However, it's irrelevant, because we won't go up).

Dark Cloud wrote: ↑

Sat Dec 28, 2024 8:29 pm

Huge debate in the pub. "Do we really want to get promoted"? Well imo, yes. But only because of the money! Without it in 3 years we'll be the next Stoke.

You're repeating what I've said time and time again. Whether they see/read this board, no idea.

This flies over A LOT of people's heads.

hoosier-daddy wrote: ↑

Sat Dec 28, 2024 8:32 pm

You're repeating what I've said time and time again. Whether they see/read this board, no idea.

This flies over A LOT of people's heads.

It been discussed at length, time and time again by loads of people on here, on social media and at Turf Moor about the club's need for PL revenue.

Until recently I thought we could do with a few seasons in the Championship to get us in a better place before promotion.

Now I would be interested to see what SP could do in the PL with some smart additions. I think we could have a good go at it.

Guppyspotter wrote: ↑

Sat Dec 28, 2024 7:49 pm

How many points do we need to stay up this year?

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=76881

brexit wrote: ↑

Thu Dec 26, 2024 5:06 pm

Possibly, but do we really want to be promoted with this side?
Are we ready to come straight back down?
I have no issues with being a yoyo side, but history says SP can get us promoted, but not keep us in the. PL.

I personally prefer the Championship, but, I also acknowledge that the club needs to be in the Premier League.

The next few years are going to potentially pivotal for football in the UK and we need to be in the best negotiating position to ensure our club benefits.