The pundits generally know fook all about what happens outside the top 6. I wouldn't take what the likes of Lawrenson or Hanson etc think too seriously.Someone like Claridge who has seen what we're about, I'd be inclined to pay closer attention to.
God Lawrenson is clueless. I have no idea how he's such a high-profile pundit, but he proves that having played the game doesn't necessarily mean you know anything about it.
swansea lost there three key players, caulker in defence, allen in midfield, and sinclair (looks like) the best attacker. i think theyre a far worse side then last year. think norwich are being written off to early, they sign good players from lower leagues, much like id like us to do, sign proven quality players from championship clubs. but at the moment id say we're bottom five, we'll see with future signings but think we wont finish above 16th as things stand. my team to have a shocker is Villa, like us they like youth, but frankly theirs just never developed quick enough. I predict Villa, WBA and Wigan to go down. meaning all three promoted teams stay up again! Edit: and swansea lost the best player by a mile of their team! Gylfi sigurdsson, who was immense last season!
i havent been looking into the pundits predictions much this year but just read my first and we are down for surprise package i personally dont think its that big a surprise coyr http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11096/7979803/Premier-predictions
I never did like Phil Thompson. Who will finish in the bottom three? "I think most people would have got it wrong last year and predicted that Norwich, Swansea and QPR would have gone down. For all three of them to survive was astonishing. So it's hard to call but at this moment I would say Southampton would be one of them. I also think Wigan will struggle and QPR - despite surviving last year - could be in the mix as well." http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11700/7980122/Premier-Predictions
BBC Premier League preview, apologies if already posted. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/18857152?
There are teams which are more likely to go down than us. We'll probably be in a relegation scrap - and given our first 5 games I'm sure we'll be at the bottom of the league til the end of Septemeber - but we are not the worst team in the Premiership by a long chalk and we will stay up in about 16th.
I don't know why some of you are offended by what the pundits are saying. It is true that most have no idea about football teams and players outside of the EPL. Added to which, we should recognise that - on paper - we do not have a strong squad. We will struggle this coming season because we lack strength in depth for the 'long haul'. Swansea showed last season that if you play the football on the ground - as we try to do each week - that not only do you create more opportunities over 90 mins - you also deny the opposition possession to hurt you. If we have good teamwork and tactically we are not niave - we have a chance of staying up.
I know i'll get accused of being biased, but I cannot see how we are much worse than Norwich or Swansea last season. They were all right in the end. I also think that neither had brilliant starts. However, still think this season is very hard to call for relegation. Any one of about 12 clubs could go down. Norwich and Swansea will struggle to repeat last season, West Brom have an unknown quantity as manager, Stoke might be getting found out, Wigan's luck has to run out sooner or later, teams like Fulham or even Sunderland could go down if they get an ill wind. Not to mention all three promoted sides, who, on paper, are weak.
So basically you're suggesting that because West Ham finished below us last season, they're worse than us?.....In which case I'm perplexed as to why you say that Reading aren't better than us. (Actually, I'm not perplexed, but I'll keep my reason for that to myself ). Any way, going back to the original point, I really couldn't care what the pundits say. But I'm certainly not offended at them predicting we'll go down. There's logic behind it.
Let's not forget a few of these teams that did well last year have lost their managers. That's why I think it's game over for Swansea and Norwich
Surely "pundits" have to predict what they think will happen based on what they can see from their professional standpoint. Why blame them for giving their opinion in exchange for a bit of cash? I personally think Saints are about to embark on a long and painful Calvary and pray that they can somehow avoid the crucifixion scene next April.
Who was it on BBC606 that used to put up the real premier league table every week, next to the league that was formed by the predictions that Lawrenson made, had they come true? I used to enjoy that. One year, not so long ago Lawro's table had Liverpool top at Christmas, having gone unbeaten all season. Which proved how biased the man really is. 30 years ago yes, but now...
http://www.myfootballfacts.com/Mark_Lawrensons_Predictions_2011-12.html While Liverpool have a modest 69 points (still 15 more than they actually got) he only had them losing once all season, at Stamford Bridge. It actually turns out his predictions for the top of the table weren't bad. Horrendous at predicting the bottom.
