Ok lads we all know that the last Prem was the poorest in yrs (experts not me) but now with W/Ham.S/ton and Reading there the Prem will be much stronger as we all agree and the small teams will suffer............but then again look at the Championship and out of the 3 the teams that went down there is nothing to worry us is there? Its our time and in MM we trust ............;o)
Of the teams coming down I don't think we need to worry to much about Blackburn although you can never tell on the day. Under Steve Kean I think they will struggle. Bolton will be hard to beat and I think they have the man in charge to get them back up. Wolves seem to be totally lost under Terry Connor, it remains to be seen what Ståle Solbakken will do with the team he inherited but I think they may struggle.
John, we do seem to have a little bit of history of nerves,at the business end of the season. Hopefully,MM will add some experience to the guys we have on board.(if one of them is not called Craig Bellamy,I will in future be known by a new name,Blue Mud!).
Depends on your perception of "poorest". From my point of view it was quite an exciting season in the top flight especially with some of the "big" clubs being given a lesson in passing by the likes of our neighbours. With the possible exception of West Ham, I honestly don't think the teams that went up this year are any better suited to the prem than those that went up last year. I also think that once a team has reached the top flight it depends on their football rather than the size of the club. While I agree that those who can't afford a huge wage bill are at a distinct disadvantage, there is at least one that did very well on a very strictly controlled budget. In any case, and to prove the point, West Ham, Newcastle and Blackburn have suffered relegation in the past few seasons - hardly little clubs. The competition in the Championship is not just about the three coming down. Leicester are bound to be a force at some stage, and with Leeds on the verge of new investment, they too could be in the frame. Then you have the likes of Blackpool and Hull both eager and capable of getting up there. On top of that, we have the new arrivals from Division 1 and I think anyone who underestimates Huddersfield do so at their own peril. The Owls could also be a force and Charlton showed some real class last term. I still maintain the gap between Championship and Premiership is the biggest gap and that there isn't a great deal of difference between the clubs at the top of Div 1 to those in the Championship. Traditionally, the Championship is a highly contested league and I think the coming season will be no different. I do however have a good feeling about the season ahead, though it is just a feeling and I'm probably getting carried away with all the positives and momentum at the club right now. To fulfil our ambitions (and expectations it seems), there is still a fair amount of work to be done with the squad - work that we've talked about on other threads. It's going to be a proving season for Malky too. He did exceptionally well to keep us in the top six given the threadbare squad he was given and the fact it was his first season here. This season he has to show signs of taking the club forward as this is what he was employed for. Of course, much will depend on his budget but I would also like to see the club looking abroad for some talent that could influence the playing style. As manager of my beloved team, Malky has my trust and support, but he has to earn my blind faith. He's made a good start.
good post clingo. in my opinion last seasons PL was the worst in years. the worst united team in years almost won it - and chelsea apart the performance of PL teams in europe was franly awful. and though chelsea won it they were comprehensively outplayed by bayern and barcelona, but scored with each attack they had. teams coming down this year - wolves will go back up imo, and bolton and blackburn will struggle. teams going up this year - west ham will survive with ease, and reading and southampton have significant investment behind them, i cant see both of them going down by any means..... the technical quality of the PL lags behind other european leagues, the exitiment and box office appeal is light years ahead of any other league in the world arguably....
Cling, I believe VT has gone on record as saying promotion is a must this season. Puts more pressure on the manager and the players. To achieve this Malky has to get more quality players in and they have to gel very quickly. I may post a new thread on this topic.
Good honest post Clingo, I think the secret to success is to support the team even if you have a reversal , time and time again teams buckle easiest and quickest when they feel that the fans aren't supporting them any more and sometimes too great an expectation can also be a killer as well. You can but do your best.
We might as well have that bit in bold as our signatures! Save everyone writing it all the bloody time.
yep apart from a tight finish 2 the season the standard was shocking,the only bright spark was the big scalps swansea took from some of the bigheads that turned up expecting 2 win without trying .......other than that,nothing stood out as great 2me
