Rival Watch

[From Despair To Where?]

Every game on Sky is the same. Apparently we are in ‘Big trouble’ if we fail to go up. I’ve heard ‘imperative’ used by them too.

I think they’ve got a big hunch like many champ clubs do over our relatively modest spending on Puscas and Joao.

They should be applauding the home grown and academy grads we are producing.

Of the 20 players named in the match squad yesterday, only 3 cost a transfer fee. In fact, our whole squad cost about the same as Dominic Solanke. Am I right in saying the only players we even paid a fee for are:

Moore
Baldock
Ejaria
Araruna
Joao
Aluko
Puscas

[3points]

Every game on Sky is the same. Apparently we are in ‘Big trouble’ if we fail to go up. I’ve heard ‘imperative’ used by them too.

I think they’ve got a big hunch like many champ clubs do over our relatively modest spending on Puscas and Joao.

They should be applauding the home grown and academy grads we are producing.

Having done the review of the accounts for Star last year the reason people pick up our "financial difficulties" is because of our wage to revenue ratio which was around 200%. This is clearly unsustainable without Mr Dai keep pumping money into the club, which he still seems to be happy to do. It is a little bit of lazy journalism and not fully understanding the whole position.

That imbalance between revenue and cost is what causes the FFP issues, plus a bunch of historic losses which are taken into account for a rolling three year period. We don't have a massive fan base nor commercial revenue streams so it is difficult to drive up revenue which means keeping player wages down is vitally important. Not paying transfer fees is also a key contributing factor, as these are amortised over the length of the player's contract and contribute to total player costs (and therefore FFP imbalance)

[Hound]

A huge chunk of wages must have dropped off with Obita, Gunter, McCleary, Mannone and to a lesser extent Adam going at the end of last year as well.

Possibly nearing 5m a year

[Nameless]

We won’t go into administration if we don’t go up. If we do breach FFP I reckon we would not get a points deduction as we’d pointto COVID and the fact that we have done huge amounts to sort out any issues. If Derby can get away with no punishment for their obvious dodgy dealings and Sheffield Wed only get 6 points deducted I reckon we might get a warning as to our future conduct .
And frankly a 6 point deduction is only the difference between autos and the playoffs so we’d still be promotion candidates....

[NewCorkSeth]

A huge chunk of wages must have dropped off with Obita, Gunter, McCleary, Mannone and to a lesser extent Adam going at the end of last year as well.

Possibly nearing 5m a year

Blackett too.

[windermereROYAL]

Without coming over as OMA mark 2, why are we discussing our FFP issues in rival watch?

[Pepe the Horseman]

Bristol City have signed Henri Lansbury from Villa on a deal until the end of the season. Media reporting that Lansbury supposedly turned down offers from Reading and Watford to sign for City.

Find it hard to believe that
A) We'd be interested in Lansbury given his high wages, questionable attitude, injury record, and the fact we're stacked in his position
B) If we were interested he'd choose Bristol City.

[WoodleyRoyal]

Because that’s where the conversation has led.

[Snowflake Royal]

Bristol City have signed Henri Lansbury from Villa on a deal until the end of the season. Media reporting that Lansbury supposedly turned down offers from Reading and Watford to sign for City.

Find it hard to believe that
A) We'd be interested in Lansbury given his high wages, questionable attitude, injury record, and the fact we're stacked in his position
B) If we were interested he'd choose Bristol City.

This. But mainly the former.

[Nameless]

Bristol City have signed Henri Lansbury from Villa on a deal until the end of the season. Media reporting that Lansbury supposedly turned down offers from Reading and Watford to sign for City.

Find it hard to believe that
A) We'd be interested in Lansbury given his high wages, questionable attitude, injury record, and the fact we're stacked in his position
B) If we were interested he'd choose Bristol City.

Suspect he would have looked at the size of the cheque and signed for the one with the biggest number .
Suspect we wouldn’t have offered him a huge sum.
Equally suspect he is exactly the sort of player we have signed many times before and got burned by.

[windermereROYAL]

Norwich look nothing, but expect them to grind out a 1-0 win with a scruffy deflected goal, it`s what they do.

[Pepe the Horseman]

Buendia sent off for Norwich! Second yellow, but will miss their game at Millwall.

[tidus_mi2]

Middlesbrough have been the better side in the second half, making use of my 24hr SkySports pass.

[tidus_mi2]

Max Aarons takes an accidental arm to the face
Commentator: "Yeah it was the clash of heads there"

[WoodleyRoyal]

Nice Norwich v boro finished 0-0 then, can’t complain with that.

[JR]

I’m torn on that Norwich boro game. If boro win then Norwich are only 6 points clear above us - nothing at this stage. But if boro lose then it’s better for our play off bid. The way we are playing at the moment and players coming back to fitness I fear no one in this league now and we should still have our sights set on 1st place.

I would like a draw. After last night, that's two point gained on both.

I'm not fussed if Norwich runaway into the distance; they're a quality team and I don't expect anyone to catch them. 2nd place is well up for grabs though.

I disagree - Norwich are only top because they became very adept at late single goal wins and had a couple of consecutive matches (one being their Oliver Dowden game) where they won but should have lost but for inept refereeing.

Definitely catchable

[Zip]

I would like a draw. After last night, that's two point gained on both.

I'm not fussed if Norwich runaway into the distance; they're a quality team and I don't expect anyone to catch them. 2nd place is well up for grabs though.

I disagree - Norwich are only top because they became very adept at late single goal wins and had a couple of consecutive matches (one being their Oliver Dowden game) where they won but should have lost but for inept refereeing.

Definitely catchable

They beat us thanks to a very dubious penalty when we were trashed by injuries. They will be hard to catch but remain catchable.

[WoodleyRoyal]

Only 5 mins in but both brizzle and Stoke are a goal down.

[tidus_mi2]

Only 5 mins in but both brizzle and Stoke are a goal down.

Great for distancing ourselves from 7th, hopefully we keep up the good form and chase down the top 2 and we don't have to worry about what's happening behind us.

[royalp-we]

Lovely stuff. Just need Wycombe and Rotherham to grind something out against Brentford and Swansea