ThreadBumper
Goalkeeper
Our injury list, particularly amongst our midfielders, is crazy. We'd love playoffs but being sensible, there are stronger teams above us such as Hull and WBA. We'll finish 7th or 8th. And that's nothing to cry about, we knew this was a rebuilding year with 11 players out in the summer and 10 in. It took time for them to gel and that pushed us back a lot. Didn't get started until Oct/Nov by which time the top 6 were already away from the pack.Aye, I've felt the same when small clubs have drawn us. We had a few seasons of being the dream tie for the small clubs in rounds 1 and 2 (we normally went out in the first like), but by round 3 you'd totally understand a non league side being disappointed drawing us!
Still fancy you to get close to play offs this season like, really thought you'd do it until hull hit a run of form (as a sunderland fan I reckon they've done some witchcraft by actually strengthening their side in a transfer window mind)
Impressed with the Hull recruitment but I keep looking at their finances. They got a lot of lesser talent out on loan (not sales) and have brought in quality but at what cost ? 9 out (8 loans) and 7 in (4 loans). While their owner also owns a Turkish TV channel, that has to hurt their finances and their FFP. If they don't go up this season, they'll lose the loans and will hurt on wages next season.
Ah. It is what it is. We go into the next round, will probably get picked to play Blackburn away and slink off into the Championship darkness to tend our wounds.