Competition in League 1 Will Be Much Tougher Next Season

AmericanTangerine

AmericanTangerine

Well-known member
An underrated point few are mentioning regarding how big a failure this season was; League 1 was an incredibly weak league this season.

2 of the 3 relegated Championship teams (Reading and Wigan) were non threats with transfer embargoes and points deductions and the Promoted League 2 teams were all average at best. The usual promotion challengers (Barnsley, Oxford, Pompey) were mediocre as well.

Let's assume Bolton will go up via Playoffs and the bottom 3 of the Championship don't change, our competition next season will be;

The Usual Suspects
Peterborough
Oxford
Barnsley
Lincoln

Mismanaged Clubs Who Will Be Stronger
Wigan
Reading
Charlton

Relegated Champ Clubs
Rotherham
Huddersfield
Birmingham

Throw in some other clubs who will fancy themselves like Wrexham, Stockport, and Wycombe and the division really does look like a gauntlet next season.

Really hope Critchley refines that 3-5-2 over the Summer, because we will need it to be fully firing if we have any chance at Promotion next year!
 
AmericanTangerine said:
An underrated point few are mentioning regarding how big a failure this season was; League 1 was an incredibly weak league this season.

2 of the 3 relegated Championship teams (Reading and Wigan) were non threats with transfer embargoes and points deductions and the Promoted League 2 teams were all average at best. The usual promotion challengers (Barnsley, Oxford, Pompey) were mediocre as well.

Let's assume Bolton will go up via Playoffs and the bottom 3 of the Championship don't change, our competition next season will be;

The Usual Suspects
Peterborough
Oxford
Barnsley
Lincoln

Mismanaged Clubs Who Will Be Stronger
Wigan
Reading
Charlton

Relegated Champ Clubs
Rotherham
Huddersfield
Birmingham

Throw in some other clubs who will fancy themselves like Wrexham, Stockport, and Wycombe and the division really does look like a gauntlet next season.

Really hope Critchley refines that 3-5-2 over the Summer, because we will need it to be fully firing if we have any chance at Promotion next year!
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But no Derby or Portsmouth and no dropped points against the cods Cheltenham and Port Vale. It is what it is neither stronger or weaker.
 
Wilburrabbit said:
But no Derby or Portsmouth and no dropped points against the cods Cheltenham and Port Vale. It is what it is neither stronger or weaker.
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Disagree, on paper it’ll be much more difficult.

Not having to worry about the other relegated Champ teams was something a lot of people took for granted.

Had either Wigan or Reading been competent like relegated Champ teams should be we’d have been out of Playoffs weeks ago.

Rotherham, Birmingham, and Udders are bad but won’t be deducted points, it’s going to be a very difficult league next season.
 
it'll be the usual. few stand outs as predicted, and then a couple of teams out of knowhere that do well. Can see us giving it a good go, but we need to make sure we don't fall into mid table or even worse a relegation battle. It can happen quite easily.
 
AmericanTangerine said:
An underrated point few are mentioning regarding how big a failure this season was; League 1 was an incredibly weak league this season.

2 of the 3 relegated Championship teams (Reading and Wigan) were non threats with transfer embargoes and points deductions and the Promoted League 2 teams were all average at best. The usual promotion challengers (Barnsley, Oxford, Pompey) were mediocre as well.

Let's assume Bolton will go up via Playoffs and the bottom 3 of the Championship don't change, our competition next season will be;

The Usual Suspects
Peterborough
Oxford
Barnsley
Lincoln

Mismanaged Clubs Who Will Be Stronger
Wigan
Reading
Charlton

Relegated Champ Clubs
Rotherham
Huddersfield
Birmingham

Throw in some other clubs who will fancy themselves like Wrexham, Stockport, and Wycombe and the division really does look like a gauntlet next season.

Really hope Critchley refines that 3-5-2 over the Summer, because we will need it to be fully firing if we have any chance at Promotion next year!
Click to expand...
Good post, but I wouldn't hold your breath on Critch refining or changing the 3 5 2 at all.

I just hope he can identify and sign the players comfortable playing in that formation (ASAP) during the summer
There is an opportunity for a reset anyway, as several out of contract players could be leaving.

We need a very good summer transfer window, so we can let these other clubs worry about us, more than Critch apparently worries about them
Byers would be an excellent start (yes I know he was on a higher salary at The Massive but he's out of contract iirc), plus Rhodes and another forward, then to a defence who can play as a back 3. It would be a good start
 
I think we will be the usual 25/1 suspects . Every single season we are always written off before a pie has been ordered. it will be my 55 season following the mighty . I have NO expectation . Just stay in the top half as much as possible. THERE are some intereresting games thats for sure. good post my American friend.
 
You can say the same thing every season. It’s never any easier or harder in reality. Teams are in the league they’re in based on merit.

Even without points deductions neither Wigan nor Reading were really challenging. You could argue that Portsmouth and Derby moving on up weakens the division massively as they’re financially very strong and have massive fan bases etc.

That being said those same things that make relegated teams or wealthy teams so much better positioned than the X,Y or Z they replaced rarely actually comes to be.

Sunderland, Leeds, Forest, Wednesday etc…

Next seasons no more difficult than any other season imo.
 
It'll be harder in some ways, but also if more beat each other it'll need less points to get up.

We also do better against better sides usually...
 
LA1 Seasider said:
You can say the same thing every season. It’s never any easier or harder in reality. Teams are in the league they’re in based on merit.

Even without points deductions neither Wigan nor Reading were really challenging. You could argue that Portsmouth and Derby moving on up weakens the division massively as they’re financially very strong and have massive fan bases etc.

That being said those same things that make relegated teams or wealthy teams so much better positioned than the X,Y or Z they replaced rarely actually comes to be.

Sunderland, Leeds, Forest, Wednesday etc…

Next seasons no more difficult than any other season imo.
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But Wigan and Reading were never challenging because they were deducted points and were unable to sign players clubs of their size should have been signing.

That’s the point, there won’t be any problem clubs coming down next season hence a stronger league.
 
Depends what kind of quality we bring in.the squad itself now without Dembele and co would struggle to break the top 10 imo.
 
stockport and wrexham have great momentum. imo if we don't twist on our managerial team then we will quickly find ourselves in mid/low table fight next season with dwindling crowds. We need to do something to get everybody excited about next season, and that's not lily livered critchley.
 
Tanger said:
stockport and wrexham have great momentum. imo if we don't twist on our managerial team then we will quickly find ourselves in mid/low table fight next season with dwindling crowds. We need to do something to get everybody excited about next season, and that's not lily livered critchley.
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Think the same here, Wrexham will fancy themselves as dark horses with their documentary money and they’re already above the average wage bill for League 1 clubs.

Nightmarish division.
 
Remember when Wrexham didnt hace a pot to piss in. BUT its gonna be my number one away day. My son gets his new Audi electric job in J Juky . . THINK we will take a Tangerine Army in force to the principality.
 
Whilst I agree that it might be tougher next season, some clubs will underperform and a number will be punching above their weight like Stevenage did this year. Rotherham have had a horrible season and could go into freefall. Also I'm not convinced about the Wrexham/Stockport argument either. At some point their momentum will level out and that could be next season if L1 is going to be tougher. Also other clubs' fans will be looking at this in the same way we are, and may well be looking at Blackpool as a team that under-achieved this year and will probably improve next year and be up there. If Critchley is prepared to come out of his comfort zone at times and be more flexible, then we'll do fine next year. If he can't or won't, Sadler will lose patience and he'll be gone probably by Christmas. In short, we will still be a biggish fish in L1 next season and we need to live up to that tag.
 
FFS it’s hardly “nightmarish”, it’s a competitive league with some interesting fixtures and we’ll be part of the conversation for other clubs.

Every team is there for a reason and it’s League One football, the teams aren’t suddenly going to be playing like Real Madrid.

Teams will lose players and will have to recruit well to replace them. Teams will have new managers who will want to implement new systems, some will work and some won’t. Teams will get injuries to key players. There’ll be managerial changes, problems with ownership, fan discontent (and that’s just us 😉)

We’ll need to recruit well which has been a problem in recent seasons but we weren’t miles off this season when it seems to be one of the worst in living memory for some people.
 
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JOHNMAJORTOM said:
I think we will be the usual 25/1 suspects . Every single season we are always written off before a pie has been ordered. it will be my 55 season following the mighty . I have NO expectation . Just stay in the top half as much as possible. THERE are some intereresting games thats for sure. good post my American friend.
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We were 14/1 coz I backed us 🤦‍♂️
 
LA1 Seasider said:
You can say the same thing every season. It’s never any easier or harder in reality. Teams are in the league they’re in based on merit.

Even without points deductions neither Wigan nor Reading were really challenging. You could argue that Portsmouth and Derby moving on up weakens the division massively as they’re financially very strong and have massive fan bases etc.

That being said those same things that make relegated teams or wealthy teams so much better positioned than the X,Y or Z they replaced rarely actually comes to be.

Sunderland, Leeds, Forest, Wednesday etc…

Next seasons no more difficult than any other season imo.
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Why do you think Wigan and Reading had a points deduction? Was it anything to do with finance perhaps? Do you not think those restrictions had anything to do with their ability to compete in the transfer market and ability to pay players. Pretty obvious why they weren't challenging when you'd perhaps expect them to. Yet you seem to want to ignore that!
 
WELCOME to Wrexham is being trailed on my Spotify account . A good look at one of rivals and what many will consider on of the fancied riders. from May 3 . on Disney plus.'
 
Tanger said:
stockport and wrexham have great momentum. imo if we don't twist on our managerial team then we will quickly find ourselves in mid/low table fight next season with dwindling crowds. We need to do something to get everybody excited about next season, and that's not lily livered critchley.
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It will quickly turn flat if we are not careful.
Don’t need to have a crystal ball to predict that.
 
Must admit I do not think the league will be stronger next year, I would much rather have Rotherham and Huddersfield than Derby and Pompey. Also if Bolton get promoted and say Plymouth come down the league will be considerably weaker. Wrexham will discover there is a big leap from league 2 to 1 and they won’t be able to buy this division, and why oh why should we worry about Stockport getting promoted. Don’t worry about who had points deducted (like Wigan and Reading) they will still be under huge financial pressure and won’t be able to start splashing the cash. Next season could be one of the weakest Div 1s for some time.
 
League One is always a tough division to get out of.

I’m actually sort of relieved that the football is still not incredibly predictable. Money, history and clairvoyant octopuses don’t guarantee success before a ball is kicked.
 
As I mentioned, we always come out with the assumption that it will be a tougher season.
Maybe it will,maybe it won’t who knows.
As the season progresses we will have the usual comments like “ We are playing in a poor league”
 
Sven said:
FFS it’s hardly “nightmarish”, it’s a competitive league with some interesting fixtures and we’ll be part of the conversation for other clubs.

Every team is there for a reason and it’s League One football, the teams aren’t suddenly going to be playing like Real Madrid.

Teams will lose players and will have to recruit well to replace them. Teams will have new managers who will want to implement new systems, some will work and some won’t. Teams will get injuries to key players. There’ll be managerial changes, problems with ownership, fan discontent (and that’s just us 😉)

We’ll need to recruit well which has been a problem in recent seasons but we weren’t miles off this season when it seems to be one of the worst in living memory for some people.
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Fair point, being in this division does de facto make you not great and we should fear no one, but on paper the league will be much much tougher IMO.

Yes no Derby and Pompey, but there will be many more teams who in theory should be better on paper. Obviously they won’t all be decent since it’s called “on paper” for a reason, but last year it was obvious before a ball had been kicked that Reading and Wigan wouldn’t be threatening.
 
Hadn't seen this thread when I posted on another in a similar vein.

@AmericanTangerine is of course 100% spot on. The fact you haven't got teams withy deductions makes it stronger and I probably think we are starting from a lower base than last season. The loans have been very good, but we all know teams up the pecking order wait until they know where they stand before making decisions. Can we afford to wait 10% of the season (assuming there are 4 league games before Sept 1, might be 3)?
 
fcblackpool said:
Hadn't seen this thread when I posted on another in a similar vein.

@AmericanTangerine is of course 100% spot on. The fact you haven't got teams withy deductions makes it stronger and I probably think we are starting from a lower base than last season. The loans have been very good, but we all know teams up the pecking order wait until they know where they stand before making decisions. Can we afford to wait 10% of the season (assuming there are 4 league games before Sept 1, might be 3)?
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Exactly, im hoping that perhaps the fact that it’ll be Critch’s 2nd full season in the league and with the squad that we’ll be able to have a strong start? Not holding my breath though.
 
If people are apprehensive about league 1 then think how they wouldve been feeling if we'd been promoted!!
 
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