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Not a lot apparently - the fans are angry at the owners who have apparently spent serious money at Udinese, while, largely ignoring Watford. They've also put ten per cent of the club on sale to fans - I believe they're saying that any proceeds will go towards transfers which tends to suggest they aren't going to put their hands in their pockets for their British club.Quote:
Originally Posted by Carl Dale's Mole
Attachment 6239Quote:
Originally Posted by Carl Dale's Mole
This may have something to do with it. On the 23rd December last season they were in 7th. Their form over the second half of the season was woeful. Wins apart, the rest of our stats over the same period were dismal. It's maybe no surprise that the teams that fared poorly over the last half of last season are the teams predicted to struggle.
I'm hoping Chambers will be a decent on upgrade on Phillips, who I didn't rate.Quote:
Originally Posted by Des Parrot
Although he could be anything, I'm hoping Kanga will be a significant upgrade on Diedhiou, who was poor.
On paper, Willock and El Ghazi should be an upgrade on Grant and Bowler, but they'll have recapture their form of a few years ago for that to be the case.
Thing is, as I've said earlier in the thread, I reckon the side could improve quite significantly on last season's performances but still finish no higher in the table, as last season's finishing position was a false one in my opinion.
Diediou really had no impact on our season.
We are still likely to go into next season with Miete up front and a very similar midfield.
Ramsey and Robinson being back and staying fit plus a few of our youngsters breaking through and being given game time plus a change in style is what gives me optimism that things could be better this season. When I mean better I mean entertainment wise.
I also think we will struggle to equal last years position.
:hehe::hehe::hehe::hehe::hehe::hehe::hehe::hehe:Quote:
Originally Posted by Eric the Half a Bee
Where did they say we would finish last year ?Quote:
Originally Posted by The Lone Gunman
Yes I think you finish in your true position at the end of the season, once every game has been completed home and away and teams aren't lucky or unlucky, other than terrible injuries or points deductions.Quote:
Originally Posted by The Lone Gunman
The stats may look odd, but we finished twelfth based on great deadball goals and late goals as we played to the end and had lots of attacking players on the bench who came on and made a difference.
I'm still optimistic about this season, but I'm concerned about the strikers especially now Davies is injured.
The start is also a bit of a worry, Let's imagine a bad game at home to Sunderland with a loss, followed by a stuffing at Burnley, we'd feel the pressure against the Jack's third game in, a loss there and a lot of fans would be calling for Bulut's head already.
I don't think it will happen but you can easily see how it could.
Hopefully, it's the other way around and they've lost to Boro and Preston already!
Just had look the new Manager has signed ten players from all over the place, so probably a factor, wholesale changes and the Manager has his own players or at least some input.Quote:
Originally Posted by The Lone Gunman
Since the relegation from the Premier League in 2019 under Warnock, the Racing Post’s pre-season predictions for City’s Championship finishes have been as follows (actual finishing positions in brackets):Quote:
Originally Posted by North Cardiff Blue
2019/20 - 3rd (5th)
2020/21 - 3rd (8th)
2021/22 - 2nd (18th)
2022/23 - 18th (21st)
2023/24 - 22nd (12th)
Ordinarily I'd agree with you, but last season really was extraordinary. The football was generally terrible, but from a stats point of view the campaign was incredible for a top-half Championship team.Quote:
Originally Posted by North Cardiff Blue
Consider these facts for a moment:
City completed the 23/24 season on a dismal run of 32 league games without beating an opponent by two or more goals - the third-longest run of that kind during a single season in the club's entire history and one which stretched back more than six months to the end of October 2023. The heavy defeat at Rotherham on the final day meant no other club in the top five divisions of English football ended the 23/24 campaign on a longer run of this kind.
Bulut's boys also ended the season on a run of 33 league games without scoring three or more goals, which was a new club record for a single season. On the flip side, the Bluebirds were defeated in league games by two or more goals on 14 occasions during the same period, while no less than 9 sides managed to score three or more goals against City between the end of October and the end of the season.
City conceded a total of 70 Championship goals last season, which was the club's worst effort defensively in the second tier since 77/78, when Jimmy Andrews' team conceded 71 goals as they avoided relegation by a point. By way of a direct comparison, the team conceded 58 league goals in 22/23 as they finished 21st in the table, and 68 in 21/22 when they finished 18th.
I think I'm right in saying that the team's final goal difference of -17 was the worst of any top half side in the entire history of the second tier. Meanwhile, the team finished bottom of the league in terms of goals scored from open play, but top of the league in terms of goals scored from set-pieces.
It was a freak season in many respects. That's why I (and some of the pundits) believe City could improve in terms of performances and key indicators this season and yet still finish in the bottom half.
We’ve still got our loans to come. Think we can knock the playoff door personallyQuote:
Originally Posted by Des Parrot
Bulut was saying this week he didn't expect to sign more than one more loan player after Kanga.Quote:
Originally Posted by EastbourneBlue
I doubt we will use our full 5 loans (in match day squad) allowance this summer.
Yes, absolutely correct. In fact, only 5 top half teams have had a worse goal difference in the history of the football league. Colchester hold the record with a GD of -21 despite a 10th place finish in 1951/52 and hold the worst ever record for a third tier side.Quote:
Originally Posted by The Lone Gunman
We hold the record in the second tier.
Any guesses which team holds the record in the top division?
Another one. This time the supercomputers are coming for us!
After 10,000 simulations, computer says no.
24th :yikes:
������������������������ ����������������������: 2024-25 Opta Projections ��
Attachment 6240
For last season, they had us in 19th. QPR last. Boro top. And Swansea in 4th!
Let's hope they're wrong again! Very wrong.
(goddamnit I still can't get image sizes to work properly on here after over a decade - they have us finishing last)
Image link here (for bigger size): https://theanalyst.com/wp-content/up...2048x1317.jpeg
Interesting fairly accurate indicator except for 21/22 and 23/24.Quote:
Originally Posted by The Lone Gunman
If Bulut can defy the racing post plus 10 again that would be good :thumbup:
Jesus that one is all over the shop.Quote:
Originally Posted by Carl Dale's Mole
Odd stats agreed, let's see what happens with some better players, I'm hoping he's still looking for Strikers, as we are still not sure on Kanga and although Robinson says he's at his best he's not usually that prolific, but a change in midfield and out wide might make a big difference, but not for a while as the new payers aren't match fit and ready.Quote:
Originally Posted by The Lone Gunman
Ramsey and O'Dowda are fit though, I'm a fan of those in case you weren't aware :hehe:
He did, maybe the injured three will allow him one or two more loans that he was expecting to get, or will we rely on youth?Quote:
Originally Posted by jon1959
Perhaps the issues with loans are the fees involved and we've reached our spending limit to stay within financial regulations which I'd be amazed to find we haven't already breached
Injuries are part and parcel of the game. Thats why clubs have 20+ man squads plus younger pros.
Not ideal getting 3 injuries of 2-4 months each before a ball is even kicked this season, but apart from Collins they were not likely to be in Buluts starting XI. Collins, maybe, but after a good start here the jury is out on him and O Dowda may have been preffered at LB anyway.
Championship clubs cant afford to carry massive squads, so its an opportunity for some youngsters to fill the bench and maybe get an opportunity earlier in the season they wouldnt have otherwise got. Could be the making of one or two of them, who knows.
I agree Conte and Ashford looked very good at the end of the season, maybe with plenty of good players around them to help them have their breakthrough season.Quote:
Originally Posted by J R Hartley
Not sure where their confidence in Bristol is coming from ?Quote:
Originally Posted by The Lone Gunman
I think the Championship 11th-18th is much of a muchness so not sure why city fans are getting annoyed by people predicting a lower finish. Unless we get a proven striker we will always struggle to improve on that. Signings from abroad have a rare hit rate so I think we will struggle to come by goals again this season which will be our undoing
Ramsey staying fit and starting 25+ games or Kanga being a gem are the only things I can see that would take us into the top 8
Derby?Quote:
Originally Posted by Eric the Half a Bee
Szmodics was the top scorer in the Championship with 27. I for one would not have wanted to swap places with Blackburn last season.
There are only a couple of ways of finishing mid table. One is lose as many as you win, the other is win less but have a few more draws. We “took” the former option. Teams that do this have a tendency to finish with large negative goal differences. Our final “on the beach” game with Rotherham obviously took us into the stratosphere in some people’s eyes wrt gd but have a look, plenty have finished up with similar numbers. Btw a team could go through a season unbeaten and be relegated. I.e. gd = 0. We almost did this in league 2.
Who and when?Quote:
Originally Posted by PaulWent76
I would. In a heartbeat. Seeing a player score 27 league goals would have been brilliant and it's the sort of thing that happens very rarely.Quote:
Originally Posted by PaulWent76
Their write-up on Bristol City is as follows:Quote:
Originally Posted by TheBirchgrovePub
Bristol City finished 11th last season despite conceding only 51 goals - the fourth-lowest total in the division. The Robins were lacking in offensive areas, but they have added to their options with the off-season signings of Sinclair Armstrong (QPR) and Fally Mayulu (Rapid Vienna).
This will be City's first full season under highly-rated head coach Liam Manning and they have scope for improvement. If Bristol can add a few more goals to their game it will make a big difference as they are a difficult side to play against.
And their top scorer from last season (Tommy Conway) is heading out of the door!Quote:
Originally Posted by The Lone Gunman
Ok. You got me. The other minus gds over -10 over the past 5 years are not similar (Preston seem to be the masters) to our horrendous -17. And before you point out that Eric stated top half teams, I was pointing to characteristics of mid table teams which we clearly were last season. We had a small flirtation with the playoffs and a small flirtation with relegation.Quote:
Originally Posted by The Lone Gunman
Blackburn with their goal machine finished 19th, 3 points off the relegation spots, we finished twelfth. My blood pressure situation means I couldn’t join you in wishing for such excitement but everyone has their own tastes.
For what it’s worth I really enjoyed the Rotherham game. It was quite enjoyable up until their 3, 4, 5th goals. At least we scored 2.
Not sure, like most clubs we've shipped out a lot more than we have brought in, and even assuming they're on decent wages our wage bill may well be the same - possibly lower. I also think it makes sense to leave some loan spaces ready for the January window..Quote:
Originally Posted by PontBlue
No. It's us. 1953/54, albeit goal average was the thing back then, we finished 10th having scored 51 and conceded 71. It's the second worst goal difference for any top half time in the football league of all time.Quote:
Originally Posted by BlueArmy 86
We have the worst goal difference of all top half teams in both of the top two divisions. It's an unusual and somewhat freak record to hold. I can't recall it being on the club's honours board....
Sadly the club didn't keep up with the spirit of things in the third and fourth tier, where we've never had a negative goal difference after 13 top half finishes. A GD of +2 in 1996/97 was the lowest and the only one under two figures.
We've finished in the top half of the second tier on 28 occasions, having a negative goal difference 6 times. 4 of those have been since 2005/6. In fact, in our last 4 top half finishes in this division, we've created the records for the best and worst goal differences of all our top half finishes combined at this level.
Latest odds - Sky Bet
We are now 80/1 to win the Championship and shortened to 3/1 for relegation. Unchanged at 18/1 for promotion.
I really enjoyed Sheff Wed in the cup. We played with an approach which was pleasing to see. We should have won that match, ridiculous as that sounds.Quote:
Originally Posted by PaulWent76
Im really optimistic. A lot of the predictions are based on last seasons goal difference / xg balance but for me the squad is hugely different to last season.
Weve brought in Willock, Chambers, El Ghazi, Robertson and Kanga; Kangas a bit of an unknown quantity but the other 4 are excellent signings.
Weve got Ashford, Conte and Giles, who all look capable of stepping up, weve got Ramsey and ODowda who both played very little last year and will both make a big difference if they stay fit plus theres Eli King and Isaak Davies returning from successful loan spells. We still look light up front (unless Kanga does the business or Robinson carries on his pre season form) but lets be honest, our main problem in the last few years hasnt been our strikers missing chances, its that weve created sweet FA.
Defence looks solid plus Horvath was excellent after we signed him. Also the divisions a lot weaker than last year. I reckon we're going to finish between 6 and 10.
I also feel confident we are going to improve in very important areas , from what I have seen so far the signings look very positive. one or two of the youngsters look like they may have something to offer . I really like the look of Conte.Quote:
Originally Posted by Cardiff Ultra
So I have been looking for at the odds for a top half finish or even top six.
For a team that the bookies reckon will finish 20th there is very little value . 7/4 ish for top half and 5/1 for top 6 , better odds if you go to the spread markets . Nothing for me at the moment.
13/2 for the top six with SkyBet. 2/1 for a top half finish.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimmy the Jock
I can only see one of our players in the Top Championship goalscorer market which is Ramsey at 150/1
My mistake Robinson 66/1 Miete 80/1.
You could put Meite in at 800/1 and he still wouldn’t appeal.Quote:
Originally Posted by Hilts