At this very early stage

[norfolkblade88]

Yes this will change due to managerial appointments, signings etc but just wondered who the early favourites are for each position. If you disagree with predicting so early then feel free to ignore the post. Again, this depends on who gets playoffs For me;

Stoke will win the league,

Fulham/Villa for second

West Brom, Boro, Derby, Brentford, Norwich, PNE and maybe Wigan to compete for playoffs.

Us,Piglets,Leeds,Forest will be mid table, never threatening promotion or relegation. (That wouldn’t be that bad a season even if it would be boring)

Bolton, Ipswich and whoever gets playoffs in league 1 to go down.

Just an opinion.

 

[Ricky]

The three losing play off teams will all be near the top again. Fulham or Villa to win the league. West Brom to be the strongest of the relegated teams.

Stoke and Swansea will be nowhere.

Very open play off race.

Bolton, Ipswich and the L1 play off winners to struggle, maybe Bristol City and Reading too.

Weaker division than this season IMO.

 

[Bashar Al Asaba]

I think West Brom will piss the league. I don't understand how they've managed to get relegated, they don't look like a bad side at all.

 

[IdLiketoRogerMoore]

Yes this will change due to managerial appointments, signings etc but just wondered who the early favourites are for each position. If you disagree with predicting so early then feel free to ignore the post. Again, this depends on who gets playoffs For me;

Stoke will win the league,

Fulham/Villa for second

West Brom, Boro, Derby, Brentford, Norwich, PNE and maybe Wigan to compete for playoffs.

Us,Piglets,Leeds,Forest will be mid table, never threatening promotion or relegation. (That wouldn’t be that bad a season even if it would be boring)

Bolton, Ipswich and whoever gets playoffs in league 1 to go down.

Just an opinion.

You negative ninny.

We're on the march with Wilder's Army on the way to the Play Offs!!

Coutts, Freeman and Brooks back - a new LWB and CB and whammo we're bang in amongst it again!

 

[IdLiketoRogerMoore]

I think West Brom will piss the league. I don't understand how they've managed to get relegated, they don't look like a bad side at all.

Having Pulis & Pardew as your manager in the same season will do that to any side. Those two clowns could get this Citeh side relegated!!

 

[grafikhaus]

I think West Brom will piss the league. I don't understand how they've managed to get relegated, they don't look like a bad side at all.

'On paper', neither do Swansea. All this talk about West Brom, Stoke etc. 'pissing the league' is pointless. Teams who go down have to re-adjust dramatically. Often a new manager, high-earners needing to be moved on etc. Yes, they'll have parachute payments, but they still have squads full of players on PL contracts. You need the PL money, fabulously-linked agents and mega-rich owners like Wolves have, whose top summer transfer target is AC Milan's Andre Silva for £33m.

The report says that Wolves have made Silva their top priority this summer as they look for a striker capable of scoring at a reliable rate in the Premier League. Interestingly, Silva is represented by Jorge Mendes, the man who brought the likes of Ruben Neves, Helder Costa and Nuno Espirito Santo to Molineux thanks to his close relations with the club’s Chinese owners. Link.
Wolves are also linked with Ahmed Musa (Leicester), Jack Butland and Yaya Toure...

 

[Bashar Al Asaba]

Having Pulis & Pardew as your manager in the same season will do that to any side. Those two clowns could get this Citeh side relegated!!

That's true.

How Pardew in particular still manages to find work at the highest level is a complete mystery.

 

[Carlton Blade]

West Brom have an old squad. Not sure how much the likes of Brunt are up for a 46 game slog through the Championship

 

[tomtheblade]

I think it will be a stronger league next season. Based on:

No chance that the sides relegated from the Prem will have anywhere near as disastrous a season as Sunderland and Hull did this last one.

Can't see any of the current play off sides dropping off in the way Reading and the pigs did.

The promoted sides won't be as strong as us or Millwall, but will be better equipped and stronger than the sides they replaced in Burton and Barnsley.

Some sides near the bottom picked up towards the end and show signs they will fare better next season- Birmingham, Hull and regrettably Wednesday (though honestly who really knows in their case)

However I doubt any team will storm the league in the way Wolves have this year, so there's that.

 

[grafikhaus]

That's true.

How Pardew in particular still manages to find work at the highest level is a complete mystery.

Steve McClaren? David Moyes?

 

[Carlton Blade]

Also Boro bought 6 players for over £5m and were largely disappointing and got bailed out by bringing in Pulis and boring everyone into submission. WBA, Swansea and Stoke have big decisions to make on managers (I'm not convinced by Lambert). Wouldn't be a massive shock if all 3 have 2 managers each next year - all 3 of them are at risk of dwindling crowds/interest

 

[snootyfenooty]

I think it will be a stronger league next season. Based on:

No chance that the sides relegated from the Prem will have anywhere near as disastrous a season as Sunderland and Hull did this last one.

Can't see any of the current play off sides dropping off in the way Reading and the pigs did.

The promoted sides won't be as strong as us or Millwall, but will be better equipped and stronger than the sides they replaced in Burton and Barnsley.

Some sides near the bottom picked up towards the end and show signs they will fare better next season- Birmingham, Hull and regrettably Wednesday (though honestly who really knows in their case)

However I doubt any team will storm the league in the way Wolves have this year, so there's that.

I had a hunch United would do OK last season but I wouldn't have labelled Millwall as strong, probably the opposite. However, the coming season will see a clutch of unfancied clubs, including a newly promoted side or two, in and around the playoffs next season. There will also be one or two fancied clubs twatting around at the bottom. It has always been this way with the championship.

Instead of going for the obvious, my early dark horses for promotion and relegation are Birmingham City and Ipswich Town respectively.

 

[Broomhall Blade]

Yes this will change due to managerial appointments, signings etc but just wondered who the early favourites are for each position. If you disagree with predicting so early then feel free to ignore the post. Again, this depends on who gets playoffs For me;

Stoke will win the league,

Fulham/Villa for second

West Brom, Boro, Derby, Brentford, Norwich, PNE and maybe Wigan to compete for playoffs.

Us,Piglets,Leeds,Forest will be mid table, never threatening promotion or relegation. (That wouldn’t be that bad a season even if it would be boring)

Bolton, Ipswich and whoever gets playoffs in league 1 to go down.

Just an opinion.

You are wrong mate, should have checked Porktalk before making your predictions.

HMS Piss the League has already set sail and will dock in Premiership bay round about January.

https://www.owlstalk.co.uk/forums/topic/272291-we-are-going-up/

 

[robbiez666]

I think West Brom will piss the league. I don't understand how they've managed to get relegated, they don't look like a bad side at all.

They've struggled to score. They're very solid at the back but not had a spark like last season going forward. They will probably walk this league by keeping a lot of clean sheets and scoring 1 or 2 per game.

 

[norfolkblade88]

The three losing play off teams will all be near the top again. Fulham or Villa to win the league. West Brom to be the strongest of the relegated teams.

Stoke and Swansea will be nowhere.

Very open play off race.

Bolton, Ipswich and the L1 play off winners to struggle, maybe Bristol City and Reading too.

Weaker division than this season IMO.

Swansea will be lower mid table imo, won’t see the prem for a long time.

I’d agree that the league is weaker this season, but much more competitive, there is little between many of the squads. Could be one of those seasons where you only need 70 points for playoffs and 50 sends you down!

 

[norfolkblade88]

You are wrong mate, should have checked Porktalk before making your predictions.

HMS Piss the League has already set sail and will dock in Premiership bay round about January.

https://www.owlstalk.co.uk/forums/topic/272291-we-are-going-up/

They honestly never learn. Some of them forget that they had this fully fit squad for the first few months of the season and they were bottom half!

 

[robbiez666]

I think the league will be harder next year. It will be an epic achievement to get in the top 10.

I think West Brom will be at the top.
Swansea around the play-offs
Stoke will struggle

Boro, Fulham, Villa, Derby (- whoever goes up) will be all in the top 6.

QPR, Forest, Wednesday, Norwich, Hull, Leeds will be stronger

Preston and Brentford will be strong again

Blackburn and Wigan will both likely finish in the top 10. One will be in the play-offs

So, the only poor/struggling teams will be Ipswich, Bolton, Play-off winners, Stoke, Reading, Ipswich, Millwall.

If we don't invest well then we'll possibly be just above these.

 

[bladesince64]

If Wilder is still here next season, I genuinely believe that he will have us competing in and around the top four. Here’s why

He’s not the type to settle for mid table mediocrity it’s not in his mindset

Even with a modest budget he’ll bring in hungry, ambitious players who want to make a step up.

He has a good track record of improving average players.

Coaching and motivation win over expensive highly paid mercenary’s.

He’s already filtering out the underperformers from this season ready for squad improvement.

I think if we can retain the core of the squad we already have and if Coutts is able to run the midfield again as he did last season we’re not far off becoming the team we were in the early part of the 17/18 season.

Four additions and we can be up there. For me it’s a keeper a box to box midfielder, a centre back and a striker.

 

[Bladezz]

I think the division gets harder.

The teams coming down are all backed massively financially.

The teams coming up in Blackburn and Wigan have decent squads and will spend probably more than us.

 

[zablade]

The three losing play off teams will all be near the top again. Fulham or Villa to win the league. West Brom to be the strongest of the relegated teams.

Stoke and Swansea will be nowhere.

Very open play off race.

Bolton, Ipswich and the L1 play off winners to struggle, maybe Bristol City and Reading too.

Weaker division than this season IMO.

All pretty good predictions although I think Stoke will put in a decent shift. Blackburn may be next season’s SUFC.

 

[Stretch]

If Wilder is still here next season, I genuinely believe that he will have us competing in and around the top four. Here’s why

He’s not the type to settle for mid table mediocrity it’s not in his mindset

Even with a modest budget he’ll bring in hungry, ambitious players who want to make a step up.

He has a good track record of improving average players.

Coaching and motivation win over expensive highly paid mercenary’s.

He’s already filtering out the underperformers from this season ready for squad improvement.

I think if we can retain the core of the squad we already have and if Coutts is able to run the midfield again as he did last season we’re not far off becoming the team we were in the early part of the 17/18 season.

Four additions and we can be up there. For me it’s a keeper a box to box midfielder, a centre back and a striker.

Agree with most of that, would just add another striker at the expense of the midfielder. I actually think our midfield has good strength in depth but a lot will depend on keeping Fleck, Leonard improving and as you say Coutts coming back strong.

 

[Pinchy]

Let the cap-doffing begin...

 

[PeterNdlovu081]

There are certain patterns that always occur in football.

No team ever gets in the play offs three seasons in a row, that's why I was so confident Wednesday would struggle this season.

If Fulham don't go up this time I can confidently predict a mid table finish for them next season. They'll lose Sessegnon and Mitrovic and Jokanovic will be sacked before Christmas.

 

[Pollingtonblade]

If Wilder is still here next season, I genuinely believe that he will have us competing in and around the top four. Here’s why

He’s not the type to settle for mid table mediocrity it’s not in his mindset

Even with a modest budget he’ll bring in hungry, ambitious players who want to make a step up.

He has a good track record of improving average players.

Coaching and motivation win over expensive highly paid mercenary’s.

He’s already filtering out the underperformers from this season ready for squad improvement.

I think if we can retain the core of the squad we already have and if Coutts is able to run the midfield again as he did last season we’re not far off becoming the team we were in the early part of the 17/18 season.

Four additions and we can be up there. For me it’s a keeper a box to box midfielder, a centre back and a striker.

Ah but he signed the ‘under’ performers.

 

[Pollingtonblade]

There are certain patterns that always occur in football.

No team ever gets in the play offs three seasons in a row, that's why I was so confident Wednesday would struggle this season.

If Fulham don't go up this time I can confidently predict a mid table finish for them next season. They'll lose Sessegnon and Mitrovic and Jokanovic will be sacked before Christmas.

Didn’t Ipswich get in play offs for about 20 years running.

 

[GRUMPY BLADE]

All pretty good predictions although I think Stoke will put in a decent shift. Blackburn may be next season’s SUFC.

If either club fail in the playoffs both Villa and Boro will spend big and give it a reight go.

 

[Keen Blade]

If Wilder is still here next season, I genuinely believe that he will have us competing in and around the top four. Here’s why

He’s not the type to settle for mid table mediocrity it’s not in his mindset

Even with a modest budget he’ll bring in hungry, ambitious players who want to make a step up.

He has a good track record of improving average players.

Coaching and motivation win over expensive highly paid mercenary’s.

He’s already filtering out the underperformers from this season ready for squad improvement.

I think if we can retain the core of the squad we already have and if Coutts is able to run the midfield again as he did last season we’re not far off becoming the team we were in the early part of the 17/18 season.

Four additions and we can be up there. For me it’s a keeper a box to box midfielder, a centre back and a striker.

How many midfielders do you want ?
CW signed 3 in January for Gods sake !
And he's already stuck with LungsTum.
That's 4 on the bench already !

We need 2 strikers and a LB.
Or he might swap Jack the Hat to LB + buy a CB.

 

[Iceybabey]

Why are people expecting Wigan to do well?

 

[Caveblade]

The 3 clubs coming down will be there or there abouts. They have stable board rooms where as Hull and Sunderland have board room chairs and disinterested owners.

Not sure about the pigs. This is the test of Jos. Can he wheel and deal around ffp restrictions and will they keep the likes of forestry?

As for the assumption that Leeds, Hull, Birmingham will suddenly challenge, I don't see it. Leeds have a bang average manager who will be gone before Christmas, Hull have Adkins and Brum have just escaped relegation by the skin of Thier teeth.

Sadly I think we will be pretty similar to this season. The board room problems are not a good starting point and CW will have to pull some rabbits out if ifts as his budget won't be drastically different to this season.

 

[norfolkblade88]

The 3 clubs coming down will be there or there abouts. They have stable board rooms where as Hull and Sunderland have board room chairs and disinterested owners.

Not sure about the pigs. This is the test of Jos. Can he wheel and deal around ffp restrictions and will they keep the likes of forestry?

As for the assumption that Leeds, Hull, Birmingham will suddenly challenge, I don't see it. Leeds have a bang average manager who will be gone before Christmas, Hull have Adkins and Brum have just escaped relegation by the skin of Thier teeth.

Sadly I think we will be pretty similar to this season. The board room problems are not a good starting point and CW will have to pull some rabbits out if ifts as his budget won't be drastically different to this season.

Imo Swansea won’t be. They have issues at boardroom too and just don’t rate their squad.