Chances?

[ivoralljack]

We've dropped, rightly imo, to mid-table from our previous position of making the playoffs. Seems the bookies have Cardiff well above us come season's end. As I write, I think they have it right. But, depending on how quickly we adapt to Martin's style and what new signings we make, the position could change again.
How the 2021/22 Championship table is expected to finish

Here is how the final standings are expected to look, along with the bookmaker's odds on the team winning the league.

1. Fulham (5/1)
2. West Brom (5/1)
3. Sheffield United (6/1)
4. Bournemouth (8/1)
5. Middlesbrough (14/1)
6. Cardiff City (16/1)
7. QPR (18/1)
8. Barnsley (20/1)
9. Nottingham Forest (20/1)
10. Millwall (25/1)
11. Stoke City (25/1)
12. Swansea City (25/1)
13. Reading (33/1)
14. Blackburn Rovers (40/1)
15. Luton Town (40/1)
16. Birmingham City (50/1)
17. Bristol City (66/1)
18. Huddersfield Town (66/1)
19. Hull City (66/1)
20. Blackpool Town (80/1)
21. Coventry City (80/1)
22. Derby County (80/1)
23. Preston North End (80/1)
24. Peterborough United (100/1)

 

[Yankee_Jack]

The clubs dropping down from the Prem are going to be a handful, but when we were relegated we thought we had a squad to get promoted until management bottled it and our top players were allowed to leave.

With Martin I see a path forward and upward. Without him (or anybody else) I could only see a spiral down. We all know that a squad well schooled in a particular style can punch above its weight and be very successful. I see no reason why this couldn't be the case this season.

History informs us through Martinez, Sousa and Rogers what can be achieved in this league. I see no reason why we can't get promotion this season. 46 games is a long slog and in that many games fortunes can rise and fall. If Martin can find consistency and produce quality we will surprise.

Our acquisitions over the summer have been underwhelming to say the least. We need a replacement for Ayew or Cullen / Whittaker need to step up and find a high gear. We need a #10. We need to avoid hand-me-down loaners from Prem clubs that wish to offload their trash under contracts they can't break (Mr. Invisible). We need to find a footballing CB in place of Bennett - to much hoof not enough brain - can any of our other unders step up I wonder.

 

[CroJack]

@Yankee_Jack , this is not about WHO but about HOW.

On paper the squad and the new signings (WHO) look underwhelming but the brand of football (HOW) is much more important. I think (and hope) you will be surprised positively when it comes to players we have. The new style of football should liberate our players and get the best out of them. Under Potter both our goalkeepers Mulder and Nordfeldt had 100% passing accuracy in some games, a record only Manchester City Ederson could match in Britain, and probably in Europe.

When I was in my twenties I was an excellent short distance swimmer and in a perfect physical shape. During my summer hollidays I used to swim for fun to the islands a couple of miles away from the coast. The problem was that I always had to have some rest after a mile or so, and was totally exhausted when I finally get to the island. One day I asked myself why is this happening. At that time marathon swimming was very popular in Croatia. 20, 30, 40 miles distance. I thought, ok I am in a perfect physical shape, I am an excellent swimmer, how come they can and I can't? Then I figured out that somehow I was losing energy and my conclusion was that my breathing was totally wrong. My breathing was simply not in harmony with the movements of my body. I had to find a proper rhytm. Another thing was the technique. I had to perfect my swimming technique in order to minimise the water's resistance force. After two weeks of training I was ready. A friend of mine followed me in a boat and in this first attempt I swam 20 miles without any problem.

When I look at today's football players who get exhausted after 60 minutes on the pitch my first thought is that they don't breath properly. I bet they stop breathing at every challenge, duel, tackle, shot, header etc. That's something that can and should be adressed in training.

When it comes to style of play I think you will agree that our players have been mis-managed. Monk, Tate, Lita, Agustien etc. all played under Rodgers, and if they were able to play Swanselona style then I am sure Bennett & co. will be able to do that.

 

[Yankee_Jack]

@CroJack That’s a very interesting point about breathing. While training back in the day at Pontardawe I realized that rhythmical breathing in phase with stride made the long runs up and down the hills much easier, not exactly effortless, but permitted pace and endurance. When done in training it became a habit that naturally carried over to playing.

your point about monk et al being able to punch above their level was certainly true. The system focused the players into executing fundamental skills consistently with quality.