Championship 2024/25

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slappy
Grumpy old git
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Championship 2024/25

Post by slappy »

It's been a bit quiet here with no posts since June - recovering from the mostly unexpected (by me at least) play-off final win.

Perhaps a bit nervous to say anything for fear of jinxing the season?

I was disappointed that Josh Murphy chose Pompey over us - but so far I think he has only played one league game for them last Sunday.

Some tasty signings in Plancha, Kioso, Vaulks, Dembele, El MIzouni. When you look at Birmingham City apparently paying £15M for Jay Stansfield I think we've done OK.

So here we are in the Championship for the first time in twenty years, and so far putting on a good show with three home wins in the league out of three, and in the top half of the table after five games.

All of the opposition fans to visit like to scorn our three stands (fair enough) and then whinge that they shouldn't be losing to "teams like Oxford" and are expecting us to play a Wimbledon style 1980's hoofball. However as witnessed in the play-off final, Des Buckingham and his team are cleverer than that in adapting formations and moving players around.

Anyone else still going to games?
Dr Bob
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Re: Championship 2024/25

Post by Dr Bob »

Many thanks. I was just about to start a thread about this! Actually I shall be getting to more games this season, because I am about to cease full-time employment via a MARS/sort-of-voluntary-redundancy scheme. This will give me the time and energy to get to midweek home games and more away games. Good timing.

The day after the Wembley win, one of the regular Radio 5 Live hosts whose name escapes me (oh - was it Chappers?) described our performance as a Tactical Masterclass. But not only did Des have the time to work out the tactics, he was able to negate Bolton's play and set out our play. What I was wondering was whether, in the hustle and bustle of a league campaign, he could do that and our players take it on board from match to match. So far so good. Being able to balance laying out how we should play that also accommodates, as far as possible, negating the opposition, says to me that he is possibly the most tactically astute manager we have ever had. Hyperbolic? Maybe, but I am still very impressed. He also appears more willing than most to make in-game adjustments.

But this also requires the players to cope with such demands. Forgetting about the great teams of the 1980s, when football and squads were very different, is this the best squad we have ever had? Again, I think so. Five games in, how many times already have we looked at the subs and said that is such a strong bench. And that when players come on (eg Ruben against Stoke), we are not weakened or hampered. Their football intelligence is very impressive.

I know there continue to be criticisms of poor communication from our owners, but without going bonkers like some owners (looking at you, Tom Wagner), they have not just kept the club going by covering significant losses each year, but also invested in the team whilst battling local councils, FOSB, etc on the new stadium. Are these the best owners ever?

Three home wins with one goal conceded speaks for itself. Looking at the current table, we only lost to Blackburn, one of the form teams, by a late late goal down to an individual error that can happen to anyone. Coventry are, well, Coventry. No idea about the stats, but I always see them as a bit of a bogey side. The next game will show if we can get an away result, then one of the Big Boys at home - these will be fascinating to see just how far we have come.

Talking about Saturday, I shall not be there but can those who go publicly and loudly thank Liam Manning for leaving?
slappy
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Re: Championship 2024/25

Post by slappy »

After eight seasons in League 1, it is quite a surprise getting used to all of the new teams.
Previously you only had to "learn" a handful of new teams each season, and if it was a club coming down, the media all focus on them anyway.
Suddenly we have teams we've not played in the league for many years, and I don't really know much about them or their players.

I did a bit of research about the parachute payments too
Just been wondering which teams are getting the parachute payments. Not sure quite how this works. Is it 55% of the current EPL basic tv money? then 45% and 20%?

Relegated 2023/24. year 1 teams 55%. Luton, Burnley, Sheffield United.
Relegated 2022/23. year 2 teams 45%. Leeds, [Southampton and Leicester back in EPL]
Relegated 2021/22. year 3 teams 20%. Watford, Norwich [Burnley promoted in 2022/23 then relegated]

So those are the teams that I'd expect to be doing best assuming they are paying the highest wages?
So far, Burnley, Watford and Sheffield United are 4th, 5th and 6th, Leeds 9th, and Luton 19th.

Not sure what's going wrong with Luton (early days yet), but did they never splash out in the EPL? Rumoured promotion squad cost was £6M I think?
slappy
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Re: Championship 2024/25

Post by slappy »

Nine games in. Won three, drawn three, lost three.

I can't remember who it was who a few years ago who said our ambition was to be a top 30 team, and we are still there on goal difference. There are however nine clubs just three points behind us, and and only three clubs within three points above us. As the predicted whipping boys of the league, I'll take that as an excellent start, and hope that we pick up more wins at home.

Pompey had a tough first nine games against mostly teams in the play-offs / top half and only have five draws to show for it.

They will feel unlucky to only take a point yesterday after having a penalty saved and a massive second half goal mouth scramble with the ball off the post and along the line.

It's the second time I've been to Fratton Park since their Milton End redevelopment. It's a good mix of rail seats in the back sections and seats in the front, with a decent wheelchair / accessible area at the top too. I think they've extended the concourse area backwards over the Milton Lane and have done a good job with bar and food facilities, and toilets too at the top level.

This season I got to visit the Staggeringly Good Tap bar which is on an industrial estate just minutes walk from the away end. It was good value at under £5 a pint and welcomed home and away fans, had an outside area, trestle table benches inside, and a huge first floor too. They were quick to serve and had pre-poured pints so the queue went down quickly. Makes a change from the Good Companion / the IBK at Portsmouth and Southsea.

As it was an early kick-off, we went to see Moneyfields vs Westfield (Isthmian League South Central Divisiion - step 4) at 3pm about a mile up the road. Do they call if the Field Derby? A good community venue.
Dr Bob
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Re: Championship 2024/25

Post by Dr Bob »

One of the staging posts in judging performance is usually given as 10 games. Looking at your posts, Slappy, I get the distinct feeling that such is the financial gulf between teams in this division, 10 games is too soon. Pompey's opening fixtures have been really difficult. We have had a mixed bag but in hindsight I am glad we played Nardge when we did. We need to see the league positions once more games have been played between the really wealthy and those less so, before we can really start to see where our par position might be this season. In the meantime, So far so good though.
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