I don't say that we, or any club our size can be certain of Premier League survival but my point was that where we are now is virtually debt-free with a decent squad and the funds to add to it supported by a large fan base in a growing region with no PL competition this side of West Ham/Arsenal with a huge pile of Sky cash in the coming seasons for the taking. So whilst I am not head in the sky and dancing with the pixies optimistic I feel we have every right to be confident about the foreseeable future. We are already in possession of a PL place and so have a guaranteed major income stream for the next three seasons regardless of results on the pitch. If we stay up this year then the following season the deal improves and I can only see the gulf between us and the other PL clubs and the up and coming challengers in the Champoinship growing so wide that even if we were relegated we would have the financial muscle to bounce straight back unlike last time when we had ageing players on huge wages and so lost a significant number of our better players in the close season. The future's bright, the future's yellow and green.
most important thing is that we stay up this season. no need for instant improvements this year on last - just get over the line, clear the debt and take advantage of that monstrous tv deal next year. i'd take 17th right now
I'd agree, this season is going to be a lot, lot harder, the teams coming up are better than those who went down. I doubt the essence of the team will be as strong without Lambert. It only takes the strikers to wobble and we will be in big trouble if the GA remains the same. We never went on a losing streak last season so I don't know how we may react to it if it happens. Presently I'm thinking Stoke, Swansea, West Ham, West Brom and ourselves are the ones who will struggle. Stoke in particular
Carrabuh- agree with your list of worried teams, although I think West Brom will be OK. Why do you think either of Southampton and Reading will struggle less? I think QPR, for all the money they have spent, will not be out of the woods until late on as well
I think they have more momentum, more suprise, better backing than the others mentioned and more happiness than at West Ham. I don't rate Allardyce and I can see him getting the boot pretty soon from there. Plus I hate West Ham and so there maybe a bit of wishful thinking. I don't really like Hughes style of football, but he is a determined chap. Their run in was pretty impressive.
I think we've got to be looking to finish ahead of both Reading and Saints, and West Sham were nothing special last year so whilst I don't think they'll necessarily be right down at the bottom we've got to be looking to finish above them as well. I agree that WBA could be in trouble, not sure Steve Clarke was a great appointment, I think they overperformed last year and can see them struggling. I think Swansea might suffer second season syndrome and I think Laudrup might be a gamble, and if Fulham can't keep hold of Clint Dempsey they might also find it tough having already lost Danny Murphy from the heart of their team. And as well as they finished last season, surely Wigan have got to get caught out one of these years. I'm not getting over confident though as I also agree that overall it will be a tougher challenge to face this season and while I'm more of a dreamer than to be completely happy with 17th place I concur with others in saying if that's where we are at the final whistle of the final game it will do
