THE CHAMPIONSHIP 2018-19

[blahblah]

Leeds' hooligans were bad, and led to the European ban. After Revie left and the team fell apart post Clough less was heard\read about them while MU bounced back from having their relegation derby abandoned with promotion and more headlines etc.

There were a fair few really bad hooligans in the 70's, and all-seaters have certainly helped reduce it, along with the price of tickets I guess. It would be interesting to have the for\against "safe" split by age, as I think us oldies who remember the dark days will be more against it than the SM generation.

[forestfan]

Standing in itself isn’t the problem, it works in other countries. It’s not the crumbling stadia of the 70s and 80s we’re talking about. If you can stand up to watch other sports, stadium gigs etc, why should football be a special case? Same goes for alcohol... happened to get offered a free ticket to Wembley in the “prawn sandwich” tier the other week, and you still can’t take a beer to your seat (complete with drink holder!) whereas in the same seat watching NFL for example, you can. It was maybe necessary at the time, but there was a demonisation of football fans as well, and such individual rules for top level football compared to other forms of sport/entertainment are outdated.

Of course there will always be hooliganism associated with football, but nowadays it’s generally organised “tribal” stuff that happens well away from the grounds, or isolated tw*ts in the vicinity of it. There’s nothing to suggest “safe” standing would bring the trouble back within the turnstiles.

[jimmy ching]

I like standing at football. Sitting in the same place for 90 minutes, depending on weather etc does not appeal to me. I started off in the boys pen, so I suppose I'm old school. It was in the days when we use to get free tickets from school.

[bluenosey]

Bad luck on Saturday, Jimmy, but I'm sure Leeds will bounce back. We've been unlucky three or four times and this time we had a touch of fortune (plus the Leeds keeper looked a bit dodgy to be honest, beaten by two scuffed efforts)

Absolutely nothing in this league, although I expect Leeds, Boro and West Brom to be up there. Stoke having a bit of struggle at the moment and Ipswich the only winless team (sorry Blah)

[blahblah]

[jimmy ching]

Pre-Match thoughts.

Bielsabub Babes 24

TFI Wednesday.

We have a healthy 10 win lead on Wednesday in the head to head. At Hillsborough it’s almost even stevens, with Sheffield just one up. This game has the tendency to leak goals. My most fondly remembered game was the season we won the English title. A 6-1 demolition, that we could well do with a repeat of. We’ve had some poor results since. A 6-2 drubbing in ‘95 and a horrible 6-0 in ‘15. Last season we were whooped 3-0.

I had this game down for draw in my 6 block predictions. After we were Brummed on Saturday, I have my doubts. I’m starting to pray we hit near my 12 point target before the next International break.

This is testing times for Bielsa. Thomas Christiansen, had 20 points at this point last year compared to Marcelo’s 18. The Butcher, Berardi, is back. The Baker is waiting on the bench and the candle stick maker, Hernandez, is out for another month. Friday might be just too early for Roofe.

Edmondson, the 17 year old was broken in by Bielsa on Saturday, coming off the bench at 0-2. Dallas could be ruing the last ditch save by Camp. Personally, I would put Dallas in for Alioski. I would even be tempted to play Blackman in goal and put Clarke on the bench. But this is Bielsa’s bunch. I still have trust in him whilst I was doubting Thomas last season. There is more optimism this time around.

The players didn’t have it last season and this could be the match that shows if they’ve got it this time or not. The Birmingham game was a full house which doesn’t happen very often. The fans are happier with the way they are playing. They are just not happy with the limited squad. Bielsa, at the moment, is getting the benefit of the doubt. Speaking of which, be forewarned of Forshaw cementing his place.

Sheffield have won two of their last five, with Leeds just one. A draw would be considered a good result. A win would up the expectation another notch. My bet would be a 2-1 home win.

[jimmy ching]

Bielsabub Babes 25

Well, how did we not win that?
I did think the writing was on the wall when Bailey Peacock was Reaching for the sky. He gave himself the delusion of being able to stop it. It was one of those ahah moments. A hit and hope from distance. It struck the two uprights before going in. Great goal.
The chances Leeds created were not taken. Bielsa has said before he thought Tyler Roberts was a winger. The last two matches seem to be proving his point. Where are Bambi and Kemar when you need them most? It might be a case of step up Edmondson.
Klich is now starting to pinch the admiration of the fans away from Saiz. Another classic goal from Klich. He is now starting to become a marked man. Saiz already is.
Beradi hasn’t made it back yet, as some reports suggested he was. Yet his absence is proof of no concern.
Jack Clarke made it to the bench but we all await for his debut. It’s another Yorkshire derby on Tuesday as Leeds head across to Hull. Hull managed a draw against Middlesbrough on Saturday. It looks like they’ll be up to it.

[jimmy ching]

Here's another one to bore you.

Bielsabub Babes 26

I’ve never actually thought of the Leeds Hull game as a Yorkshire derby. Just thinking about it, it’s well down in the rankings. The big four are against Middlesbrough, Huddersfield, Sheff Weds and Sheff United, followed closely by Rotherham and Barnsley. I’m afraid Hull are down there with Bradford, York and Doncaster, just above Guiseley and the new kids on the block, Harrogate Town. I’ve always seen Hull’s derby as Scunthorpe.
Maybe it’s down to the amount of times they’ve played each other. It is just 14 times. Leeds have 5 wins to Hull’s 3. Leeds have won this fixture just once and that was the season Leeds got relegated to the now called League One which is the third division. Funnily enough the biggest match Leeds have played there was against Sunderland in the FA Cup where they left with a 2-1 victory.
Bielsa arrives with an unbeaten away record yet has the form of just one win in the last six. Other results have conspired to keep Leeds in the top two. Hull are just above the relegation zone. Still carrying four injuries with Roofe, Bamford, Hernandez and Berardi, the team should be unchanged. Marcelo mentioned four young un’s to be integrated in to the first team squad, Shackleton, Pearce, Clarke and Edmondson.
I’m on the optimistic side for tonight. With the amount of chances they’ve created in the last two matches, surely somethings going to Klich.
I’m going 3-1 Leeds.

[jimmy ching]

Is anybody on here watching their teams with this new live TV format?
Are you happy with it?
Personally, I like the freedom to choose which match. I do live abroad though, which drastically reduces my real attendances.

[morganb]

Is anybody on here watching their teams with this new live TV format?
Are you happy with it?
Personally, I like the freedom to choose which match. I do live abroad though, which drastically reduces my real attendances.

Yes, we've watched Reading a few times in televised midweek matches. As a tinpot Championship side they don't get on TV as much as the 'big boys' and we live far enough away to make a trip to the Madejski in midweek not particularly easy.

[forestfan]

Yeah, tough choice tomorrow... Spurs v Barca, Napoli v Liverpool, Forest v Millwall... only three of those teams have won the big one (and all more than once)

[TheTon]

Steve Bruce should be fired in the tunnel and taken out with the garbage tonight

[forestfan]

Steve Bruce should be fired in the tunnel and taken out with the garbage tonight

Fat Sam and Moyes are still available...

[TheTon]

Steve Bruce should be fired in the tunnel and taken out with the garbage tonight

Fat Sam and Moyes are still available...

Anyone. Literally anyone.

[forestfan]

Steve Bruce should be fired in the tunnel and taken out with the garbage tonight

Fat Sam and Moyes are still available...

Anyone. Literally anyone.

Chocolate Fire-Garde?

[blahblah]

Steve Bruce should be fired in the tunnel and taken out with the garbage tonight

Fat Sam and Moyes are still available...

Anyone. Literally anyone.

Chocolate Fire-Garde?

I'm free in best John Inman style. Fook nose why he got the job.... On the plus side Grealish has a sell on clause more than most in the Div have spent?

Btw are the highlights on normal tv here?

[jimmy ching]

Steve Bruce should be fired in the tunnel and taken out with the garbage tonight

Fat Sam and Moyes are still available...

Anyone. Literally anyone.

Who took over the Generation Game from Brucie?

[blahblah]

Larry Grayson "shut that door" then Jim Davison the racist homophobe?

[jimmy ching]

Larry Grayson "shut that door" then Jim Davison the racist homophobe?

They'll do.

[jimmy ching]

Larry Grayson "shut that door" then Jim Davison the racist homophobe?

They'll do.

but it's not Davison it's the Blackpool Board.

[blahblah]

Larry Grayson "shut that door" then Jim Davison the racist homophobe?

They'll do.

but it's not Davison it's the Blackpool Board.

The peado's?

[jimmy ching]

Larry Grayson "shut that door" then Jim Davison the racist homophobe?

They'll do.

but it's not Davison it's the Blackpool Board.

The peado's?

Well, will they let go of Simon?

[TheTon]

He was the right man for the job at the time, and got us out of the shit, he’s just not the man for us now

[blahblah]

Oh your old one?

[jimmy ching]

Another report.

Bielsabub Babes 27

We’ve got the Tyler to fix the Roofe. That is 3 league goals and one assist in 424 minutes compared to 4 league goals, 2 assists for Roofe in 487 minutes. A goal and an assist within an hour of his next game is plausible.
It was another display of domination in the possession stakes. As we all know that means nothing in the Championship. You only need to get it right once if your defence is hardly troubled.
Not a riveting game but a professional one.
The bad news is Douglas went off injured. Step up Mr Shackleton.
Saiz got himself booked again for attempted deceit. Step up Mr Forshaw.
It’s the system not the players.
Bielsa doesn’t like changing his team. It seems you will lose your first team spot if you get injured. The thing is, it is very difficult to get back in. Look at it this way, if Tyler scores in the next game, why should Roofe replace him?
Squandered chances maybe but he’s hitting the bottom line.
Next up are the Beast’s of the Bollo Bridge Banlieue, Brentford.
Being a JR, this is a match made for Dallas.

[bluenosey]

Who threw the cabbage ?

https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/ ... e-15230885

Looking bleak now for Brucie.

[morganb]

Who threw the cabbage ?

https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/ ... e-15230885

Looking bleak now for Brucie.

Sacked: https://www.skysports.com/football/news ... ston-villa

[blahblah]

Who next?

[forestfan]

Who next?

Well, there’s the “safe” options like Allardyce and Moyes, or the big name rookies like Henry or Terry... or maybe someone random from abroad?

[El Tel of Ealing]

This will be difficult for Villa.
They have to get promotion this season since they are almost certain to fail the new rolling 3year FFP rules and suffer a significant points penalty next season.Unless they can get £100m for Grealish.
Bruce blew the new money on 3 expensive forward loans,when they have defensive problems.
Surely no ambitious manager would be daft enough to take this poisoned chalice.A short term fix for a McCarthy or Moyes looks the most likely to me.