Outside the top 7 thread........

[Liverbirdie]

I'm sure like me that many are sick to the back teeth on threads to do with Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea etc.

I could have worded it as the non top four thread, but that would have caused murder as to who is included in that (or not).I think most would agree that City,Chelsea,Liverpool,Arsenal,Spurs, Everton and United will probably make up the top 7 again, but how do you think the others teams will do.

Will someone break the top 7 hegemony of the above clubs, who'll go down, how will the new guys do. What about the Championship sides, will some ex-prem go even further down, who'll come up...........

It would be nice to talk about others for a change.

Stoke - Mark hughes has got through one season of changing their style, will they improve further?

Pullis - How will he do with another year under his belt at Palace, can he keep the same style, or will he revert back to what served him well at Stoke?

Cardiff - Has Vincent Tan broken the club and the ethos that got them up?

Bolton - now the parachute payments have finished, does div 1 beckon.....

 

[chrisd]

I think this summer has been a difficult one to assess as the world cup seems to have delayed a fair bit of the transfer market. For my clubs chances, Pulis, so far, has only bought in one player (Fraser Campbell) we definitely needed a goal scoring front player as we needed to make 5 chances to score one last year, in fact I think John Terry was our leading scorer at one point. :whoo:

He needs to make 2 or 3 more signings before I can rate our chances. He's sold both our left backs and we definitely need at least another mid fielder but I think Pulis is a shrewd operator and he'll get it right before the first game. Whether the fabulous team spirit remains from when Pulis took charge will be key but I suspect it will and I look forward to them consolidating a top 12 finish

 

[Fromtherough]

I may be biased but I think Middlesbrough have a decent shout of going up this season. In Karanka we have an up and coming manager who appears to play the right way but in a robust fashion so we're not too susceptible at the back. He's made a few decent signings including loans. His ability to attract players (probably due to his relationship with Mourinho) like Omeruo, who is going to be some player in the future, to come for experience only enhances our chances. We were the form team at the back end of last season albeit our push came a little too late.


A few weeks ago I got odds of 7/1 for us to be promoted and 20/1 to win the league. These have been backed in so it appears I'm not the only one who fancies us doing well.

 

[Foxholer]

I think this summer has been a difficult one to assess as the world cup seems to have delayed a fair bit of the transfer market. For my clubs chances, Pulis, so far, has only bought in one player (Fraser Campbell) we definitely needed a goal scoring front player as we needed to make 5 chances to score one last year, in fact I think John Terry was our leading scorer at one point. :whoo:

He needs to make 2 or 3 more signings before I can rate our chances. He's sold both our left backs and we definitely need at least another mid fielder but I think Pulis is a shrewd operator and he'll get it right before the first game. Whether the fabulous team spirit remains from when Pulis took charge will be key but I suspect it will and I look forward to them consolidating a top 12 finish

TP did a fantastic job last year, coming in with hands tied and achieved something pretty unique!

However, that (motivation/playing style) is only a small part of being a Manager and success at that doesn't mean that decisions in other areas will actually be good or help the team 'succeed'. I can see Palace in that bottom half scrap to avoid relegation, along with the 'other usual suspects' and the 'new boys'!

 

[moogie]

Confidently predict Newcastle will be mediocre.........as always :thup:

 

[Birchy]

I'm sure like me that many are sick to the back teeth on threads to do with Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea etc.

I could have worded it as the non top four thread, but that would have caused murder as to who is included in that (or not).I think most would agree that City,Chelsea,Liverpool,Arsenal,Spurs, Everton and United will probably make up the top 7 again, but how do you think the others teams will do.

Will someone break the top 7 hegemony of the above clubs, who'll go down, how will the new guys do. What about the Championship sides, will some ex-prem go even further down, who'll come up...........

It would be nice to talk about others for a change.

Stoke - Mark hughes has got through one season of changing their style, will they improve further?

Pullis - How will he do with another year under his belt at Palace, can he keep the same style, or will he revert back to what served him well at Stoke?

Cardiff - Has Vincent Tan broken the club and the ethos that got them up?

Bolton - now the parachute payments have finished, does div 1 beckon.....

Wonder who that was for?

Anyways you will be in this thread again from next season, you've had your lucky run

 

[louise_a]

Bolton still have 2 years od reduced parachutes payments to go.

The soap opera which is Blackpool FC still rolls on although we do now have 13 players, no goalkeeper as yet though, still favourites for relegation.

 

[Fyldewhite]

Bolton - now the parachute payments have finished, does div 1 beckon.....

Still have a couple of years (£8m per year I think) of parchute money but I can't see very much that being invested in the squad. However I think we will do better this season. Seems the terrible first half of the season last year was more due to unrest in the squad than the quality. However, playing one up front at home can't be good. Freedman seems to be happier that he has a decent set of players and better spirit but doubt if we will be challenging at the top either..... outside chance of play off's at best....which is what most would say (apart from Blackpool ).

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Think Cardiff may struggle this year big time and would be one of my picks to go down. I think Palace may have over achieved last season but I like the honest way Pullis goes about things and I thik they'll be safe. Newcastle will have another season where they dabble with the palette without painting the full picture and have mid-table anonimity

Getting use to life in the championship as a Fulham fan and looking forward to the battle for promotion or the play offs which if Fulham are true to form will keep my interest until about Christmas and the rest of the year will be looking over the shoulder at the drop. At least we'll get six points from Reading which will be nice and give me muchos bragging rights around the hospital

 

[Piece]

Outside the top division for me - hopefully not counting chickens too soon, but good anticipation for this season as we've made some good signings and Vydra is back. Hoping that Deeney stays to play with Vydra, and with Adbi fit, very much looking forward to seeing football we saw under Zola but with better defending! Now if Chalobah comes back, then I'm sorted.

 

[User62651]

With a decent Brazilian goalie between the sticks and a reinvigorated Rio Ferdinand with Dunne pairing, things should be tight for QPR at the back allowing Zamora and Remy to get them some wins, I expect decent things from QPR this season, well 9th or 10th maybe.

 

[guest100718]

last season the clubs outside the top half or the top 12 even, were the most awaful to have ever graced the top flite i'd say. It's difficult to say anything good about them.

 

[bladeplayer]

Im just glad of your thoughts for Everton Pete , thanks ha , musta hurt , I sense stirring in the Bolton mention tho ..

Hard to see anyone breaking into that top group you mention , need more FFP for that to ever happen imo ,
i fear Southampton have sold their crown jewels at a time the looked to be building something good or i would have said them ,

No i think its the group you mention , 4 or 5 fighting to stay up and the rest looking for 40pts ASAP ..

Have West Brom done any business , havent heard a peep from them at all

If i had to pick someone to break thru , id go with Hull , Long and Jelavic will be strong together as season goes on ,

 

[Birchy]

Think Cardiff may struggle this year big time and would be one of my picks to go down. I think Palace may have over achieved last season but I like the honest way Pullis goes about things and I thik they'll be safe. Newcastle will have another season where they dabble with the palette without painting the full picture and have mid-table anonimity

Getting use to life in the championship as a Fulham fan and looking forward to the battle for promotion or the play offs which if Fulham are true to form will keep my interest until about Christmas and the rest of the year will be looking over the shoulder at the drop. At least we'll get six points from Reading which will be nice and give me muchos bragging rights around the hospital

Cardiff to go down again? To league 1? No chance imo, theres too much crap in the champo for that to happen.

 

[Foxholer]

Cardiff to go down again? To league 1? No chance imo, theres too much crap in the champo for that to happen.

I'd put my money on Homer forgetting that they went down last year!

Though the owner does seem to be doing some strange things! Maybe it's a Malaysian trait!?

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Cardiff to go down again? To league 1? No chance imo, theres too much crap in the champo for that to happen.

There is a lot of dross in there but I do think they'll struggle. No cohesion off the pitch and I'm not convinced they have good enough players to do well this season. I knew they'd gone down as they were one of the only rays of hope Fulham had hoping two others would join them before our time ran out and we'd fluke a PL recovery

 

[Doon frae Troon]

last season the clubs outside the top half or the top 12 even, were the most awaful to have ever graced the top flite i'd say. It's difficult to say anything good about them.

Quite agree.......most would struggle in the SPL and yet they are still paying zillions for rubbish overseas players.

Money talks.......... seemingly.

 

[NWJocko]

Outside the top 7 (maybe, at a push, 9 or 10) the PL is rank average.

All the teams are depserate to avoid relegation and thats it, each year one of them will have a decent run (Villa, Newcastle, Southampton etc in recent years) but they really are much of a muchness and any one of them could have a slightly less bad year and push on to a higher placing behind the Euro spots.

 

[One Planer]

I'm sure like me that many are sick to the back teeth on threads to do with Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea etc.

I could have worded it as the non top four thread, but that would have caused murder as to who is included in that (or not).I think most would agree that City,Chelsea,Liverpool,Arsenal,Spurs, Everton and United will probably make up the top 7 again, but how do you think the others teams will do.

Will someone break the top 7 hegemony of the above clubs, who'll go down, how will the new guys do. What about the Championship sides, will some ex-prem go even further down, who'll come up...........

It would be nice to talk about others for a change.

Stoke - Mark hughes has got through one season of changing their style, will they improve further?

Pullis - How will he do with another year under his belt at Palace, can he keep the same style, or will he revert back to what served him well at Stoke?

Cardiff - Has Vincent Tan broken the club and the ethos that got them up?

Bolton - now the parachute payments have finished, does div 1 beckon.....

I think/hope Stoke continue to improve.

The core of the squad is still the same, plus we've just landed that Bojan lad from Barcelona who looks useful up front.

I think Hughes has done a great job since coming in and actually got the team playing football and attacking rather than the "try not to lose" mentality we had under Pulis (Who worked wonders at Palace last season :thup

We've made a few good signings and hopefully thing can progress further before the transfer window closes.

 

[Liverbirdie]

Though the owner does seem to be doing some strange things! Maybe it's a Malaysian trait!?

You cant say that, expect a firm rebuke from Fish.