Rival Watch

[NewCorkSeth]

On the whole Brentford thing I'm starting to think they'll finish on top.

[Snowflake Royal]

On the whole Brentford thing I'm starting to think they'll finish on top.

Don't they often crumble?

[NewCorkSeth]

On the whole Brentford thing I'm starting to think they'll finish on top.

Don't they often crumble?

I dunno. They seem to improve season after season. Slow start and strong finish. I admire them a fair bit. Nothing club becoming a championship powerhouse. It's nice to see.

[Stranded]

On the whole Brentford thing I'm starting to think they'll finish on top.

Don't they often crumble?

I dunno. They seem to improve season after season. Slow start and strong finish. I admire them a fair bit. Nothing club becoming a championship powerhouse. It's nice to see.

The crumbled at the end last year, only had to win 1 off their last 2 or 3 games to take auto - failed miserably and then lost the PO final.

May well have learnt their lessons of course.

[NewCorkSeth]

Don't they often crumble?

I dunno. They seem to improve season after season. Slow start and strong finish. I admire them a fair bit. Nothing club becoming a championship powerhouse. It's nice to see.

The crumbled at the end last year, only had to win 1 off their last 2 or 3 games to take auto - failed miserably and then lost the PO final.

May well have learnt their lessons of course.

Were they not 1 point behind West Brom? Easy to say they bottled it when West Brom also didn't win their final 2. I get the argument they should have won but equally so should have West Brom.

Anyway they finished 3rd and lost in a play off final. Thats good development considering it was their 6th season back in the champ. Well run club and I like having good teams rather than just historic teams in the division. Makes it exciting and shows how strong a league it really is.

[Hound]

I'm starting to tire of the smoke being blown up their backside mind you. Bored of hearing about the 'Brentford' model, though of course they've done very well

I think they are worse than last year. Watkins and Benrhama were two of the best players in the champ. Toney is good but not Watkins, and Canos isn't Benrhama level imo

Good side of course, but I think Norwich are nailed on for first, and 2nd place is completely open atm

[URZZZZ]

I dunno. They seem to improve season after season. Slow start and strong finish. I admire them a fair bit. Nothing club becoming a championship powerhouse. It's nice to see.

The crumbled at the end last year, only had to win 1 off their last 2 or 3 games to take auto - failed miserably and then lost the PO final.

May well have learnt their lessons of course.

Were they not 1 point behind West Brom? Easy to say they bottled it when West Brom also didn't win their final 2. I get the argument they should have won but equally so should have West Brom.

Anyway they finished 3rd and lost in a play off final. Thats good development considering it was their 6th season back in the champ. Well run club and I like having good teams rather than just historic teams in the division. Makes it exciting and shows how strong a league it really is.

Impression I get is that they struggle with pressure

Can easily go on a winning streak when the heat is off but as soon as it matters, they lose their nerve and crumble. IIRC their playoff record is worse than ours, something like 8 attempts and 8 fails

As soon as they learn to deal with pressure, they’ll go up IMO, whether that’s this season is another question but regardless of their short term success/failures, they should be in a sustainable position in the long term given their transfer strategy

[NewCorkSeth]

I'm starting to tire of the smoke being blown up their backside mind you. Bored of hearing about the 'Brentford' model, though of course they've done very well

I think they are worse than last year. Watkins and Benrhama were two of the best players in the champ. Toney is good but not Watkins, and Canos isn't Benrhama level imo

Good side of course, but I think Norwich are nailed on for first, and 2nd place is completely open atm

I get it. They are doing better than last year though aren't they? Only 3 losses at the halfway point is pretty good.

[Hound]

I'm starting to tire of the smoke being blown up their backside mind you. Bored of hearing about the 'Brentford' model, though of course they've done very well

I think they are worse than last year. Watkins and Benrhama were two of the best players in the champ. Toney is good but not Watkins, and Canos isn't Benrhama level imo

Good side of course, but I think Norwich are nailed on for first, and 2nd place is completely open atm

I get it. They are doing better than last year though aren't they? Only 3 losses at the halfway point is pretty good.

They are. They're definitely a strong contender, but I'd feel more confident against them in the play offs this year for example, than with a side with Watkins and Benrhama in it.

Mind you, I seem to remember Benrhama having an absolute horror show in the PO final last year. Though I might be imagining that

It does slightly annoy me that we are constantly referred to as having spent shit loads of money when our first 11 cost about £10m combined, whilst theyve spent pretty big on Toney, Mbeumo, Canos, Pinnock, Raya and Jansson (and probably some more) but keep being praised for finding gems etc.

[URZZZZ]

I'm starting to tire of the smoke being blown up their backside mind you. Bored of hearing about the 'Brentford' model, though of course they've done very well

I think they are worse than last year. Watkins and Benrhama were two of the best players in the champ. Toney is good but not Watkins, and Canos isn't Benrhama level imo

Good side of course, but I think Norwich are nailed on for first, and 2nd place is completely open atm

Norwich are a good team but too many teams try and show them too much respect. They have the quality to break sides down who sit back as they play between the lines very well and create chances

Whereas if you press up on them, I don’t think their defence (CB’s really) are particularly strong on the ball, IIRC we pressed up on them a few times when we lost to them and pressurised them into making mistakes but we didn’t do it enough

Still wouldn’t be sure they’re guaranteed for first place, especially if someone takes Aarons/Buendia off them

[NewCorkSeth]

I'm starting to tire of the smoke being blown up their backside mind you. Bored of hearing about the 'Brentford' model, though of course they've done very well

I think they are worse than last year. Watkins and Benrhama were two of the best players in the champ. Toney is good but not Watkins, and Canos isn't Benrhama level imo

Good side of course, but I think Norwich are nailed on for first, and 2nd place is completely open atm

Norwich are a good team but too many teams try and show them too much respect. They have the quality to break sides down who sit back as they play between the lines very well and create chances

Whereas if you press up on them, I don’t think their defence (CB’s really) are particularly strong on the ball, IIRC we pressed up on them a few times when we lost to them and pressurised them into making mistakes but we didn’t do it enough

Still wouldn’t be sure they’re guaranteed for first place, especially if someone takes Aarons/Buendia off them

Real question is: Is Aarons actually any better than Richards?

Obviously both are good, great at this level, but Aarons got a lot of hype. I reckon Richards is just as good albeit on the other flank.

[URZZZZ]

I'm starting to tire of the smoke being blown up their backside mind you. Bored of hearing about the 'Brentford' model, though of course they've done very well

I think they are worse than last year. Watkins and Benrhama were two of the best players in the champ. Toney is good but not Watkins, and Canos isn't Benrhama level imo

Good side of course, but I think Norwich are nailed on for first, and 2nd place is completely open atm

Norwich are a good team but too many teams try and show them too much respect. They have the quality to break sides down who sit back as they play between the lines very well and create chances

Whereas if you press up on them, I don’t think their defence (CB’s really) are particularly strong on the ball, IIRC we pressed up on them a few times when we lost to them and pressurised them into making mistakes but we didn’t do it enough

Still wouldn’t be sure they’re guaranteed for first place, especially if someone takes Aarons/Buendia off them

Real question is: Is Aarons actually any better than Richards?

Obviously both are good, great at this level, but Aarons got a lot of hype. I reckon Richards is just as good albeit on the other flank.

I think Aarons is better at the moment, but the gap has certainly reduced in the past year or so. Just think he’s got a bit more about him in an attacking sense, although defensively I would rate them similar enough

Always thought Aarons was better than Lewis though so surprised Lewis got the Prem move first

[Hound]

yep and Norwich will prob get 20m for him whilst we get FA for Richards and lose him in the summer sadly

[NewCorkSeth]

Norwich are a good team but too many teams try and show them too much respect. They have the quality to break sides down who sit back as they play between the lines very well and create chances

Whereas if you press up on them, I don’t think their defence (CB’s really) are particularly strong on the ball, IIRC we pressed up on them a few times when we lost to them and pressurised them into making mistakes but we didn’t do it enough

Still wouldn’t be sure they’re guaranteed for first place, especially if someone takes Aarons/Buendia off them

Real question is: Is Aarons actually any better than Richards?

Obviously both are good, great at this level, but Aarons got a lot of hype. I reckon Richards is just as good albeit on the other flank.

I think Aarons is better at the moment, but the gap has certainly reduced in the past year or so. Just think he’s got a bit more about him in an attacking sense, although defensively I would rate them similar enough

Always thought Aarons was better than Lewis though so surprised Lewis got the Prem move first

Probably too expensive?

[NewCorkSeth]

yep and Norwich will prob get 20m for him whilst we get FA for Richards and lose him in the summer sadly

Keep the faith. He might stay.

[leon]

Christ, who is Stokes keeper?

He looks like a Tennessee teenage pet rapist.

[muirinho]

Norwich are a good team but too many teams try and show them too much respect. They have the quality to break sides down who sit back as they play between the lines very well and create chances

Whereas if you press up on them, I don’t think their defence (CB’s really) are particularly strong on the ball, IIRC we pressed up on them a few times when we lost to them and pressurised them into making mistakes but we didn’t do it enough

Still wouldn’t be sure they’re guaranteed for first place, especially if someone takes Aarons/Buendia off them

Real question is: Is Aarons actually any better than Richards?

Obviously both are good, great at this level, but Aarons got a lot of hype. I reckon Richards is just as good albeit on the other flank.

I think Aarons is better at the moment, but the gap has certainly reduced in the past year or so. Just think he’s got a bit more about him in an attacking sense, although defensively I would rate them similar enough

Always thought Aarons was better than Lewis though so surprised Lewis got the Prem move first

Aarons is 2 years younger than Richards, you'd think he'd be more likely to get better still? I went to check when his contract ends, and it's summer 2023 - he was given a 5 year contract when he was 18.

[royalp-we]

Stoke are pressing Watford here.

There’s a disgusting amount of money on the pitch yet the game is bereft of skill and quality. I know it only takes one chance to change that - but watching this so far it does make you realise how lucky we are

[royalp-we]

1-0 to Watford

[royalp-we]

2-0 Watford and a goal of real quality