I know there's a few transfer threads but maybe we should be concentrating on the teams expected to be in our "mini-league"... Cardiff, Palace, Sunderland, Villa, Stoke, Southampton etc. Bruce seems to be gradually strengthening our squad so how are the others doing?
I like this, but don't think Southampton will be in our Mini league. I think Newcastle and Fulham will be though.
Well Palace have brought a striker - but is Peterborough really where they should be recruiting from if they want to stay up. Think Aston Villa could well struggle again, Stoke could go one of two ways - either do far better than people are expecting or struggle, and Newcastle are looking like a car crash waiting to happen (could history repeat itself like when last time we got promotion), Cardiff have been linked with so many players but I personally think that we have improved more in the strength of our team than they have so I would be expecting us to finish above Cardiff. When we sign McGregor and 2 strikers I will be happier, but I can see us aiming for and achieving a finish of 14th (which would bode well for attracting players next summer - as does any player want to join a club who finished 1 place above the relegation zone)
I'm not sure about Newcastle, they've gone from one extreme to the other since going back to the EPL, but a bad start would probably see Pardew out and someone better in (not Kinnear).