Cheers for the comments from the Liverpool, Saints and Mackem fans - hope you're right guys! All good points there DJ. Can't disagree with any of that. I wouldn't be surprised if there were to be a big casualty this season. Along with Hull and Stoke for me, a previously unthinkable "top 10" club could fail to make the cut come May.
It's all way too early to make any sort of predictions. But in my mind Cardiff I think are more likely to stay up than Hull and Palace, no reasons behind it, just a feeling which of course can be totally wrong. As a NCFC supporter obviously I'm going to say we won't go down, but anything can happen in football. But we've made some excellent signings so far with more to come, so I say we are looking much stronger this season coming up than last season. But best of luck to Cardiff, hope you'll enjoy your stay in the premier league
In principle yes, but the obvious half dozen are excluded then your looking at Everton down with the new manager and you never know. every team wants to improve year on year but I won't befar wrong in saying we would all take 17th before a ball is kicked and then hope for the best.
Defence keeps a team up, how Cardiff's will perform is conjecture. Its the high pressure week in week out that sorts teams out, what the response is in a wobble. Any team outside the top 6 could go down, poor form, a few crucial injuries, bit of conflict in the dressing room can happen anywhere. I think Cardiff will have a little surge at the start as players up their game, they then need to build on that. Its the not knowing that makes the game fantastic.
In my (biased) opinion I think we can stay up with the current squad (Cornileus incl) but will have a rollercoaster season where we will win some, draw some and lose some along with the majority of the teams in the league Although we were promoted as champions with the 2nd lowest points tally I think the lower end of the premiership is not too far from the upper half of the championship. What must happen is we need to reduce the amount of off days and continue to close games out.
Taff, sorry to say, I think your defence will struggle. Loads of time for a few signings though. Swans were super lucky when Ben Davies stepped up to the plate and performed brilliantly last year. For me a good back four is essential, alongside a strong keeper.
Gendros - as ably demonstrated by Stoke in the positive, and Wigan in the negative last season. A sound defence and pinching goals is the route to survival, not necessarily success unless you regard survival as a form of success. I like goals but I'll take points instead any time. We start the season with 38, so it's all about how many we give away. If we can pinch a few as well when someone isn't expecting it, I think we'll do OK. Champions League can wait for a season or two...............
It's always a matter of comparing yourself to the teams around you. Cardiff are the strongest of the teams going up and, so far, appear to have made the best signing. You never can tell, but I certainly wouldn't see you coming bottom. Or even below either of those teams. So that means, if I am right, teams fighting over the remaining place. Villa might be in trouble if they lose Benteke - he really gave the goals to stay up last year. Sunderland have bought in a lot of players - I suspect that they will either get in the top 10 or implode. But that might be biased by the idea of them being managed by Di Canio. Stoke might be in trouble. I'm basing that on the fact they were in a nose dive and now they have Mark Hughes. Fulham will be unpredictable with the change of ownership - he might do nothing, he might change too much... they were in trouble at the end of last year. Norwich has strengthened, I think they'll go higher than before rather than lower. I'm afraid they will end up above you. Cardiff won the Championship - have brought in a goal-scorer. In general, they'll probably want one or two more creators (maybe an experienced midfielder to dictate the play) and a defender. Hudson is their leader, so maybe a technically gifted big lad like we (Swans) had with Caulker to go alongside. The tough-tackling players will probably be able to get by on determination - where you might wobble is with players who could unlock defences at champ level but find it more difficult at Prem standard. At the same time the unit got you up and disrupting it too much will ruin your biggest asset. Strikes me MM recognises this and is being very careful who he introduces. For a promoted team, 17th is a triumph and MM will recognise that. When you look at the other teams, between 14th and 17th seems like the most realistic placing. But you do need to build on that striker purchase and get more goalscorers/creative players in. Anyhoo, best wishes for the season. (That is my honest opinion - always respected what Bellamy did for you, and the way he talked sensibly about the Swans, so I hope for him he does the job, keeps you up and takes over managing from MM a few years down the line).
last year had 7 teams with 60 points or more then 10 points covering 8th to 17th. Not sure anyone from 8th down will break into the top 7 so will all be 'in the mix'. Newcastle should fare better with the return of a number of injured players. Quite a few teams, including last year's top 3, have new managers (wonder if that has ever happened before?) and may take a while to hit their straps so playing them early may be a good thing. There has also been a change of ownership which may be unsettling. One more striker and 3 defenders (LB, CB, RB) pushing for a starting spot should be our focus with anything else a bonus. Too many changes are not necessarily a good thing and those changes should be introduced slowly. I think we will be good enough to finish above 3 other teams which will be good enough. I hope I'm right.
All teams promoted will be favorites to go back down thats normal practice, its whether the manager has the capabilities to manage at a higher level and brings in the right players. he must not play the same formation for every game or he will struggle to put together a string of wins, Nobody knows yet what mm's capabilities are so he should use that advantage to get as many points in the first half of the season as the second half is always harder. I wish him the best of luck and hope he can get the right players to do the job..
I find hindsight the best way to solve these conundrums, I'm still waiting to find out who else we will sign. Obviously we are favoured to go down, but I think we stand a fair chance of staying up, it all depends how smart MM can get with player signings and getting the play right. We will take a thrashing or 3(more?) but those games don't matter, it's any game we could win/draw that will count, I believe we have the hunger in the camp, enough to stay away from the drop zone. I also expect more money available for players during the next window to stem any leaks or weakness we might have encountered during the first few months. So it's stay up for me.
Guys it is not just about signing players beacause we think they are good, ask QPR, they signed masses of PL quality players. but not one of them fitted into what plan or style of play hughes had, If he actually had one. It was if he threw darts at pictures on a wall with his eyes closed and signed who he hits. The signings have to be the right ones and fit the way you play. They may not be the best players available, but if the fit seamlessly inot your or anyones sqaud for that matter, It will benefit individual squads. get that right and you will survive. Sign for sign sake and it could be a long season.
I agree with that and much more importantly MM talks constantly about the right players with the right character. I really dont think we'll sign a load of PL mercenaries just to fill up the 25 with 'PL' players.
Not interested in the QPR analogy. Time and time again, that's stuffed down our throats. The only common factor is the Malaysian ownership of both clubs. Managership and vision backed by the correct backroom staff is the key - not who owns the club. Fernades put his faith in Hughes with his henchmen Bowen and Nidswicki (spelling) - he got what he deserved from that lot. I think Hughes has appointed the same mob to assist now he's at Stoke - that's why I think they'll go down. Redknapp was brought in and Fernandes threw his cheque book at it. Both he and Redknapp were the architects of their demise. I've always liked 'arry, but he hasn't come out of this latest episode with any credit. Tan is a far more subtle and calculating individual and has got a team at the helm running the club on whom he can rely. That's the massive difference, and projecting QPR comparisons are way wide of the mark. We will only buy players who Malky thinks will take us forward. At the same time, I also believe if Malky went to Vince and said we needed a double figure million pound player (or maybe even a couple), VT would have the confidence to back him. As it happens, I doubt we'll go down that route - the Wanyama thing was a stretching it a bit, though I don't doubt he's a good player.
in my humble opinion the obvious fav to go down is Palace. I am also tipping Stoke (dunno why) then as previously mentioned Norwich, Cardiff, Villa, Fulham, Hull etc. Will obviously become clearer after the first few matches. Good luck for the season.
To me the start will be all important. I am feeling very 50/50 as to how we will do. I think we need a lot more than we have right now to be assured of safety. I really want to see a bit more depth in our defense and a player with some creative flair in the heart of midfield who also has some heart to go with it.
