True, I think with a few well-judged signings they have the best chance of staying up out of the three promoted teams...
I guess the theory is that we could spend a fortune but on the right players this time. Burnley will have more or less the same squad which got them up and, excellent as it was this season, probably won't be good enough. Then again, the same was said for Hull and Palace and I rate this Burnley team above them.
I think they have the least financial backing which is why they are favourites to go down, I don't think they will finish bottom but they probably will go down. I like the 5/2 odds for Palace to go down, they've had a season with the buzz of promotion and I think they will struggle next season.
I like the look of Sunderland at 11/2 and Southampton whose odds will tumble if Lallana, Shaw and Pochettino go.
I think Burnley will do what blackpool did, take the money and accept it, they got 13k average gates in the champ. They will buy the better champ players and be ready when they go back down. Its a good business decision, theyve secured their future for at least a decade.
We thought that when we were promoted 5 years ago - trouble was the parachute money disappeared into a "black hole". Our owners are greedy but not as bad as Blackpool's (Oyston has siphoned off all their money) but they won't be giving Dyche much money for new players - certainly no big names.
On the basis that at least one of the promoted teams usually (yes, there are exceptions) goes down the following season it's little surprise to see those odds. All rather daft before teams begin strengthening squads for the next campaign, though.