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League One 20/21

DB9

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Lincoln lose 2-1 but go through to the play off final with Blackpool after a 3-2 win on agg, Sunderland are now having to spend their 4th season in L1, They just seem to be doomed to stay there, Whether their new owner, Who will have a full season to give the manager the funds to really build a promotion squad is better than the last one time will tell.
 

sign of the chimes

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Lincoln lose 2-1 but go through to the play off final with Blackpool after a 3-2 win on agg, Sunderland are now having to spend their 4th season in L1, They just seem to be doomed to stay there, Whether their new owner, Who will have a full season to give the manager the funds to really build a promotion squad is better than the last one time will tell.
I have to say that I thought their appointment of Little Lee Johnson was surprising. He's a massive self-publicist - if you read the managerial career section of his Wikipedia entry it's fairly obvious he's written it himself. If you read the account of each season in isolation you'd think he was Pep Guardiola, it's only when you take a step back that he's never won anything or achieved a promotion. I think this is the first play-off qualification as a manager, and he's achieved that having taken over an under-achieving Sunderland side mid-season.

It will be interesting to see if the new majority shareholder entrusts Johnson with the rebuild this summer. Sunderland are where they are because they have made continually bad decisions during their time in the third tier - that said, even a very ordinary manager like Johnson should be able to get them to do enough to get out of it.

Today's game was a good watch. Lincoln didn't turn up for 45 minutes and Sunderland could/should have been out of sight by that point. Second half was night and day - Lincoln made changes, Johnson and his players failed to respond and were, in truth, pretty limp in their efforts to get an aggregate equaliser. Pleased for the Imps under Appleton who have played decent football this season and punched above their weight.
 

Red Devon

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I have to say that I thought their appointment of Little Lee Johnson was surprising. He's a massive self-publicist - if you read the managerial career section of his Wikipedia entry it's fairly obvious he's written it himself. If you read the account of each season in isolation you'd think he was Pep Guardiola, it's only when you take a step back that he's never won anything or achieved a promotion. I think this is the first play-off qualification as a manager, and he's achieved that having taken over an under-achieving Sunderland side mid-season.

It will be interesting to see if the new majority shareholder entrusts Johnson with the rebuild this summer. Sunderland are where they are because they have made continually bad decisions during their time in the third tier - that said, even a very ordinary manager like Johnson should be able to get them to do enough to get out of it.

Today's game was a good watch. Lincoln didn't turn up for 45 minutes and Sunderland could/should have been out of sight by that point. Second half was night and day - Lincoln made changes, Johnson and his players failed to respond and were, in truth, pretty limp in their efforts to get an aggregate equaliser. Pleased for the Imps under Appleton who have played decent football this season and punched above their weight.
Very difficult to pick a winner in the final with Lincoln now facing playoff specialists Blackpool...would like to see Lincoln do it though.
 

sign of the chimes

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Very difficult to pick a winner in the final with Lincoln now facing playoff specialists Blackpool...would like to see Lincoln do it though.
They are the two sides I wanted to get through from the semis - both would deserve a crack at the Championship. I fancied Blackpool at the outset of the playoffs, based on their consistent form after what was a pretty slow start to the season. They've got a very potent strikeforce, but look solid throughout. Lincoln were a bit of a surprise package early on in the season, and when they started to fall away I think many, myself included, thought they would drop out of contention completely. I wasn't expecting them to beat Sunderland either. They've clearly got a bit of character about them even if they're quite inexperienced (this afternoon's performance probably reflected that). The semis throughout the EFL have been pretty good so far - I hope the finals follow suit.
 

DB9

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They are the two sides I wanted to get through from the semis - both would deserve a crack at the Championship. I fancied Blackpool at the outset of the playoffs, based on their consistent form after what was a pretty slow start to the season. They've got a very potent strikeforce, but look solid throughout. Lincoln were a bit of a surprise package early on in the season, and when they started to fall away I think many, myself included, thought they would drop out of contention completely. I wasn't expecting them to beat Sunderland either. They've clearly got a bit of character about them even if they're quite inexperienced (this afternoon's performance probably reflected that). The semis throughout the EFL have been pretty good so far - I hope the finals follow suit.
Did hear the commetators saying in the first leg that both Blackpool and Oxford were very near the bottom of L1 around late Autumn/Xmas time, They both must of had one hell of a second half of a season to end up in the Play Offs!
 

Banksy

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Very difficult to pick a winner in the final with Lincoln now facing playoff specialists Blackpool...would like to see Lincoln do it though.
So would I because the nasty side of me wants Blackpool to lose after they beat us in the playoff final all those years ago.Grrrrr.Mind you , I’m not one to hold a grudge.
 

Banksy

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So would I because the nasty side of me wants Blackpool to lose after they beat us in the playoff final all those years ago.Grrrrr.Mind you , I’m not one to hold a grudge.
My nasty side is coming through , Lincoln 1-0 up after 47 seconds.Hope they make it to the Championship at Blackpool’s expense. Doesn’t seem possible we were battling it out with Lincoln very recently.
Still I console myself that we will be homing in on the autos this next season with our strengthened side.🤩
 

DB9

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My nasty side is coming through , Lincoln 1-0 up after 47 seconds.Hope they make it to the Championship at Blackpool’s expense. Doesn’t seem possible we were battling it out with Lincoln very recently.
Still I console myself that we will be homing in on the autos this next season with our strengthened side.🤩
Don't forget it was Blackpool as well we lost out to so recently as well.
 

Banksy

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Don't forget it was Blackpool as well we lost out to so recently as well.
Yes I know , hence my nasty remark above. The commentator mentioned just now that Blackpool’s ‘revival’ started on their Wembley win over us.Glad we were able to help.........
 

Banksy

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Poor defending by Lincoln 1-1
 
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