https://www.telegraph.co.uk/footbal...-predictions-leeds-rooney-sunderland-burnley/ Who is Mike McGrath anyway? Sheff Wed to win the league? Sunderland relegated? https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/m/mf-mj/mike-mcgrath/ Interesting to see how many think Burnley will do well again. I think the bottom 3 will be. Portsmouth Plymouth Oxford
Seems a lazy prediction. "Sunderland have been on a bad run and have an unproven manager. " To be fair, our form is relegation form. And we have an unproven manager. So on the face of it its not actually that much of a stretch.
At this stage,it's only guesswork. Hope they have the guts to acknowledge how wrong they were come next May.
Frankly I'd rather more people were predicting like him. I'd prefer us to be attacking this season as underdogs. We should be underdogs btw. We were on relegation form last season, went into the final day of the season potentially on the same points as Birmingham, a team who got relegated. We were never in danger but it was very close to being so. And we have appointed a manager who's just got relegated. And have spent £0. Any other club and we'd be saying they're not a threat to us. This isn't me moaning btw. This is me saying why from the outside I'd have expected people to be down on us. It's annoyed me greatly to see the likes of Gab Sutton (who I admire) predicting us to finish 1st. FFS Gab
0. Champions -Burnley - 8/1 11. Promoted -Burnley - 9/4- Sunderland - 7/1 12. Top 6 Finish - Burnley - 4/6 -Sunderland- 100/30 13. Top Half Finish - Sunderland - 5/6 Well these odds are wrong then If they now class us as relegation fodder It’s all a load of crap init
McGrath: Oxford, Sunderland, Plymouth Oxford may have come up sooner than expected. Sunderland have been on a bad run and have an unproven manager. Wayne Rooney has it all to do at Plymouth after they just survived last season.
For me it's a case of see how we are after ten games as I always say. After that, you can start to get an idea of style of play, who's working and who isn't. I think it's hard to say up until the Summer transfer window shuts. If we sell etc, for example, with Clarke in the team, anything is possible, without him?
The same people would likely have said Ipswich Town were favourites for relegation last season as well. They’re mouthpieces for hire, paid to talk ****e.
So far we have this fella saying we will be relegated and another saying we will be champions…..I’ve also seen other predictions of play offs, top ten and bottom half. truth is no one knows at this point and it is just guesswork, give it 10/12 games and then we will have a better idea
I really respect the Second Tier Podcast and the Not The Top Twenty Podcast (particularly George Elek) and they have us sixth and eleventh respective. I also hold Gab Sutton in high regard and he has us first (!) but I question his sincerity (perhaps sanity) in that prediction. Does anyone know where the Racing Post has us? I can’t break their payroll and as a non gambler I’ve no intention of subscribing.
Often find it intersting to see what independant folk think. I dont agree we will be relagated, but I can see why someone may think it. Are we that much stronger, on paper, than the squad that fell like a stone last season? They are basing their predictions on paper. In my opinion we a bit better with Browne, but heading into a season with a dubious looking centre back partnership, no recognised centre forward, a coach UK journalists wont know and an expectation our main threat Clarke may still go. We have the benefit of having watched pre season and listened to Le Bris. We have also seen Roberts seem to pick up his form and we all know more about the likes of Rigg than these journos. What I do worry a little about is momentum. Form, or momentum, can carry from one season to the next. We know that well enough. I am hoping for a strong start to put memories to bed. Last thing we need is a dodgy first 3 or 4 games IMO. Why I am a bit disapppinted with our tfr business to date. If we get into a sticky run it may take some turning around. Personally I think everything hinges on Le Bris at this stage. Can he get these players working as one cohesive group. We lost that second half of last season. I have to say he is an unknown quantity but I have high hopes. We will know more after 5 or 6 games this time around I think.
