Paullow

Leicester reaction: https://www.foxestalk.co.uk/topic/130697-carabao-cup-qf-draw-22122022/page/7/#comments

There were 14 possible ties there, and I'd say there probably would be 8 harder, so can't complain. You could debate any of Forest, Wolves or Southampton away would be easier due to probable lesser opposition, but I'm very happy it's at home. Man City away Man Utd away Man City home Leicester away Man Utd home ---------------------- Nottm Forest away Wolves away Southampton away Leicester home ----------------------- Wolves home Southampton home Nottm Forest home Charlton away Charlton home

What's the general consensus with this Man Utd match? They'll likely go through, but would you want them out to potentially make our path through easier, or would you prefer they advanced so more chance that a 'big' club keeps the Europa / Europa Conference league spots 'in house', should we not win it? It would be pretty gutting if we lost in the QF / SF (or even the final) and a Leicester / Wolves / Brighton ended up winning it, and then we finished 7th (where I still expect we'll finish) and miss out on Europe altogether. I think I'm edging towards hoping they go through.

Gerrin, marra.

Not a bad result for them given they were down to 10 men for the last 30+ minutes, and Stewart is back, and scoring, but that was definitely a big chance for 3 points at the start of the match. The table is so congested - only 5 points separate QPR in 6th and Stoke in 17th.

Today's was just their 2nd 1-1 in their last 22 matches?

Until now!

Hull haven't had a shot on target all match.

I don't know if it's just me, and hopefully not inadvertent casual racism, but I don't really consider Morocco (and Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria etc.) African countries. Obviously they are in continental Africa and associated with that continent, play in the AFCON etc. but I definitely associate Africa more with the likes of Nigeria, Senegal, Cameroon etc.

Yeah, I was thinking that too, around 10th or 11th, a bit of momentum from last season, a bit of a feel good factor, and a few decent players to earn enough points just to kind of tread water. However, even despite Bruce, I didn't think WBA or Boro would have started as poorly as they did - I thought Bruce would have held WBA back but that they would still be in around 7th or 8th, so for them to win only 1 of their 13 matches, and be in the relegation zone before he was sacked is incredible, even by Bruce's standards. These were SkyBet's pre season odds for the title, and you can see there is a big gap between 6 and 7, so if two of the 'big 6' start extremely poorly, then by the midway stage, it could change those possibly expecting to finish somewhere from 9th to 13th's ambitions. Sky Bet Championship 22/23 winner odds (via Sky Bet) 4/1 - Norwich 11/2 - Watford 7/1 - Sheff Utd, Middlesbrough 8/1 - West Brom 9/1 - Burnley 20/1 - Swansea Championship Top 6 odds Norwich City - 5/6 Watford - 10/11 West Brom - 11/10 Sheffield United - 6/5 Middlesbrough - 6/5 Burnley - 6/4 Swansea - 9/4 Stoke - 5/2 Huddersfield - 5/2 Sunderland - 11/4

Not really. In short form, I'm saying had they won last night they would have won 3 in a row, been only 1 point off the playoff place, very winnable games to come, put themselves 10 clear of a genuine contender, and in what's looking like one of the weakest Championships in years - they're expectations might have (somewhat justifiably) changed to a top 6 place is just about feasible despite only just scraping out of the third tier at the 5th attempt.

This post probably won't go down well, but trying to be objective. First season back after 4 years in the 3rd tier, anywhere from 16th to 21st should have been considered more than fine at the start of the season, and then build from there, however, the Championship (outside of a select few) is so poor this season that more than that will now be achievable. You look at the league table - Blackburn in 3rd place, lost 10 of their 22 matches and a negative goal difference, and there's only 7 points separating 3rd and 15th (who have 2 games in hand). https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/championship/table Start of the season you would have probably thought most, if not all, of the 3 relegated sides, Sheff U, WBA (although Bruce obviously didn't help) and Middlesbrough would occupy in the top 6, in whatever order, and despite WBA and Middlesbrough's terrible starts to the season, and both still have a lot to do, and ground to make up, those 6 are still the leading pack in terms of promotion odds: https://www.oddschecker.com/football/english/championship/promotion Sunderland have now played every side apart from Hull, and their record against those 'better' six clubs is very poor - 1 draw and 5 defeats, whereas against the other pack, it's P16 W8 D5 L3, and that's a big difference, they've also got the 5th best GD in the league at +5, and the best outside (4 of) those 6 clubs, so they know they can compete against most of the (dross in the) division, and with Boro and WBA both giving teams massive head starts, and a lot of catching up to do, they probably did think there was an outside chance of sneaking a top 6 place - if WBA or Boro didn't / don't make the playoffs, who would you think would be the next most likely? I'm not saying Sunderland are, or alluding that way, just a genuine question, because I don't think there's an obvious candidate. Blackburn are odds-wise, but they have looked largely poor whenever I have seen them, their XG is supposedly one of the lowest in the league, and I don't think they'll last. That's why last night was important - if Palmer doesn't pull off that cracking save at 1-0, Sunderland may well have gone on to win, that would then have been 4 wins in 5, and with struggling Hull, Wigan, and Blackpool to play in their next 4 games (3 of the bottom 4), a chance for real momentum - plus they would have put themselves 10 points clear of a WBA side that is expected to make the top 6, whereas now it is just 4 (so possible a '6 pointer'). Hopefully WBA and (yes, even) Boro continue to improve and push on, and finish in the top 6, because if one or both of them don't, then seeing how the league is unfolding, and some of the sides currently in the top half, I'm not too confident of two other obvious playoff candidates, and Sunderland sneaking into 6th isn't totally beyond the realms of possibility.

1 win in 13 under Bruce, relegation zone, sacked. They've now won 4 on the spin (or 5 since he left), and not a million miles away from the playoffs as Jack says. They'll have wish they make the decision earlier, but at least not too late to completely ruin their season. Would still be a hell of an achievement if CC can get them into the playoffs.

Huge save by Alex Palmer just after Sunderland scored mind. Did really well, and great reflexes, if that goes 2-0 then it would have been a long way back.

They'd won 3 on the spin and crazily were still among the top 6 or 7 favourites to make the playoffs before the match started, so now they have a proper manager, not realistic contenders to go down, but the big man didn't half try his best. 1 win in 13 for that team FFS

Gerrin, marra. 1-2

Big Rogic. 1-1.

1-0 pen. Diallo. If they win tonight they're just a point off the playoffs.

Didn't realise that Diallo cost 25m Euro's rising to 40m when he joined MU less than 2 years ago.

'Anarrr video' instead of 'another video' always cracks me up . Never heard anyone say it like that before.

It's not ideal. The Watford match is a full minute behind live play, one commentator, one camera angle, and no replays, proper budget stuff. It's likely to do with their women's push, and wanting to prioritise that, and any goodwill that follows, but you'd think if they were worried about taking viewers away from the WSL, they would just not show the Championship match at all.

There will be people much more clued up than me, but just looking at recent statistics, it doesn't really seem that way. Wolves were just promoted into the third tier 18 months ago, and they topped the league in their first season last season winning 18 and drawing 5 of their 24 league games, before losing in the playoff to remain in the same league this year. They could have obviously thrown relatively obscene amounts of money at it, but it does show you can make the step up, considering they are currently top this season. Brighouse Town were also promoted that season and had a record of 11 wins and 7 draws from their 24 matches, and a GD of +20, so again, made a fair fist of it. Liverpool Feds just pipped Newcastle to promotion last season by 3 points and they are currently sitting in midtable having won 3 and drawn 3 of their 10 matches, including a draw against Wolves, and follow promoted side Boldmere have 10 points from 10 games and outside the relegation zone. Newcastle just don't seem to be doing as well this season for whatever reason, which is quite surprising considering they are getting a lot more coverage this year. Last year they won 18 and drew 2 of their 22 league games, 56 points, and a +69 GD which was by far the best GD in the league. Whereas this season, it is currently W6 D1 L2 from their 9 games, and just +7 GD, so mainly winning matches by 1 or 2 goals, and a few last minute winners, rather than an average of 3 and 4 last year, and they'd have to win 12 and draw 1 of their remaining 13 matches just to match the record of last season. Not sure if other teams are just stronger this year and there's more competition, but it does seem far more of a struggle this year at this stage.

Watford vs Hull just about to start on the Sky Sports red button. Proper budget coverage.

Anyone else constantly getting the sides mixed up?