Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Heroes Discussion => Topic started by: SoccerHQ on July 30, 2017, 04:46:03 PM
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Just for a bit of fun, where will the 24 teams finish?
1. Sheff Weds (got a weird feel it will all click for them this season)
2. Aston Villa
3. Boro
4. Fulham (impressed me a lot last season although put them down two places for refusing to attack at VP ;))
5. Wolves
6. Cardiff
7. Derby
8. Forest
9. SHA
10. Brentford (might do better if they keep Jota)
11. Norwich (don't buy the hype, same as last season)
12. Leeds
13. Reading
14. PNE
15. Hull (no idea who actually plays for them)
16. Bristol City (I tipped them to finish top 6 last year.....)
17. Sheffield United
18. Barnsley (lost loads of key players but score goals so should be better than bottom 3).
19. Millwall
20. QPR
21. Sunderland (will just survive)
22. Bolton
23. Ipswich
24. Burton (season too far for the Brewers this time).
Much more difficult to predict than the prem. That would pretty much take a minute to knock up. Will probably get about 3 places right.
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About 8th: Villa.
No idea about the rest. Middlesbrough and Wednesday might be top six. Small Heath will be mid-table.
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How's that possible when we only have the 13th best squad in the league?! *winky/having a stroke thingy*
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I reckon we'll make the playoffs unless we can sort our scoring out
Normally one or two teams run away with it but as things stand I'm not sure who that would be. Maybe Boro. Could be us per the above but at present don't think so
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1st - Villa
Fcuk the rest.
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Villa Fulham Derby up.
Don't care I'm what order.
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1. The Villa
2. Boro
3. Wednesday
4. Wolves
5. Fulham
6. Derby
22. Ipswich
23. Burton
24. Millwall
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1 Villa
2 Villa U 23
3 Villa Ladies
The rest nowhere
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1. The Villa
2. Boro
3. Wednesday
4. Wolves
5. Fulham
6. Derby
22. Ipswich
23. Burton
24. Millwall
Wolves under 14s to do well then. Should be a good team when they grow up.
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1st - Villa
Fcuk the rest.
That's about it for me. I've done the maths.
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1st - Villa
Fcuk the rest.
That's about it for me. I've done the maths.
Can confirm. They even ran the numbers on the Sunway TaihuLight and the answer kept coming back the same. "Fuck the rest, up the Villa."
Science , cant argue with it.
(https://ichef-1.bbci.co.uk/news/660/cpsprodpb/A107/production/_90032214_mediaitem90032213.jpg)
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1. Villa
2. Wolves
3. Birmingham.
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Wash your mouth out.
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1. The Villa
2. Boro
3. Wednesday
4. Wolves
5. Fulham
6. Derby
22. Ipswich
23. Burton
24. Millwall
Wolves under 14s to do well then. Should be a good team when they grow up.
There's a chance their youth could make them brittle, I just cannot see them being as bad as last season.
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Just had a tenner on Sunderland to be relegated at 12/1, I really think they will struggle this season.
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They were battered by St Johnstone and now Celtic. Next Friday is huge for them.
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Aye. Celtic's rotated squad as well.
Apparently they had some goalkeeper Ruiter who tried out for them a few games pre season and looked good. They then ummed and ahhed and now the cheap good keeper is considering an offer from Burnley.
In the meantime they signed the expensive but apparently terrible Steele as number 1.
Pretty important for Sunderland to get a good start I think. They are very much like we were last season, confidence in the club totally shot from top to bottom after years of circling relegation.
I can see them "doing a Wolves" and dropping straight though. It could have happened to us last season and they are in far worse shape squad wise and money wise.
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Grabban is a good signing for Sunderland, the type of player we should have been looking at.
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Hard to look past Middlesbrough, sheff wed, Fulham and Norwich I still think we get right amongst them though as long as we find the all important ingredient goals where from eludes me right now but you have to believe
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Depends how motivated he is given he's had some big moves in the last 3 years. Only 3 goals in 16 games for Reading last season.
Edit: He also thinks he's signed for Newcastle so wouldn't be too long until the Mackems get onto him.
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Boro to win the league, Fulham to chase them home. Derby, Blues, Sheff Wed and us (after dispensing with Bruce around Xmas) for the playoffs.
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I think we'll go up automatic.
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5th-10th unless we find a way to score regularly that doesn't involve Kod doing it on his own. Which remains my big concern.
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Funny how virtually all of us thinking the same thing. We are one player (McCormack replacement) off being a very good squad capable of automatic promotion. Without that likely to draw too many and end up around the playoffs squeaky bum slots.
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5th-10th unless we find a way to score regularly that doesn't involve Kod doing it on his own. Which remains my big concern.
A concern shared, Brother Shin. We need to go up all guns blazing. Right now I see us going through the season unbeaten but without a win.. or a goal to our name.
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Top 6, us, Fulham, Sheffield Wednesday, Reading, Derby.
Wolves could be a surprise as well.
I think Boro are the strongest of the 3 relegated teams and will be in the mix.
Hull nearly but not quite.
Sunderland will struggle like we did.
Norwich need stability, might finish strongly.
Blues will be 11th with Leeds 12th
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We may scrape into the play offs, but I doubt it.
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top ten but no promotion
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With Terry we have a stronger defence. With Whelan we have improved the midfield. With Elmohamady we have added to our attacking options. There is still a month to go of the transfer window. I just do not see the logic behind anyone suggesting little improvement on last season.
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It's because we desperately lack goals and creativity and have added no goalscorers and only one creative player. With one creative player now set for a long time out injured, we have no more attacking threat than last season.
I'm fairly confident our defence will be among the best, if not the best, in the league. I don't think that will be enough to get us up on its own, though.
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I like Whelan and Elmohamady but Hourihane and Lansbury look like more lame ducks. I'd persist with Bjarnasson as at least he realises a midfielder is permitted inside the opposition's 18 yard box. His touch and passing have been appalling but it may be due to injury and he requires game time. Even the play offs are not a foregone conclusion which is ridiculous.
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top 5 if bruce buys a new satnav showing where the goals are
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It's because we desperately lack goals and creativity and have added no goalscorers and only one creative player. With one creative player now set for a long time out injured, we have no more attacking threat than last season.
I'm fairly confident our defence will be among the best, if not the best, in the league. I don't think that will be enough to get us up on its own, though.
Hogan has been completely written off. He has been reduced to a one dimensional player when in reality he would not have got where he is without having more to his game. If (yes I know) Gabby maintains his current level of commitment then he will score goals at this level. That is without taking into account the potential for goals from elsewhere. On top of that with our defence we look perfectly capable of clean sheets meaning a single goal would be enough. To me we appear to be falling into the trap of under estimating our strengths and over inflating our deficiencies. You said yourself you have no idea about the rest but still seem convinced enough of them will be better than us.
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With Terry we have a stronger defence. With Whelan we have improved the midfield. With Elmohamady we have added to our attacking options. There is still a month to go of the transfer window. I just do not see the logic behind anyone suggesting little improvement on last season.
I think Whelan being better on the ball than Jedinak and Terry replacing Baker for improved distribution should mean we are better at getting on the front foot and playing a slightly less compressed midfield line.
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Just seen Villa are 7-1 joint favourites for the league next season. If I was a betting. Man I might have a few bob on Fulham at 8-1
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1 Sheff Wed
2 Villa
3 Boro
4 Reading
5 Sheff U
6 Leeds
7 Derby
8 Cardiff
9 Fulham
10 Wolves
11 Norwich
12 Hull
13 Sunderland
14 QPR
15 Bolton
16 Small Heath
17 Forest
18 Brentford
19 Ipswich
20 Burton
21 Barnsley
22 Preston
23 Bristol City
24 Millwall
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Is that your prediction Damo, or based on bookies odds?
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I can't see Brentford and Barnsley doing that badly. Wouldn't be amazed if Brentford went up.
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Is that your prediction Damo, or based on bookies odds?
My prediction. I haven't checked the odds for a while.
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Boro 1st
Fulham 2nd
Wolves will make the play offs
We'll be 6th-9th. Lack of goals will probably see us miss out on the play offs.
Small Heath mid table.
The rest meh. Crap league.
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It's because we desperately lack goals and creativity and have added no goalscorers and only one creative player. With one creative player now set for a long time out injured, we have no more attacking threat than last season.
I'm fairly confident our defence will be among the best, if not the best, in the league. I don't think that will be enough to get us up on its own, though.
Hogan has been completely written off. He has been reduced to a one dimensional player when in reality he would not have got where he is without having more to his game. If (yes I know) Gabby maintains his current level of commitment then he will score goals at this level. That is without taking into account the potential for goals from elsewhere. On top of that with our defence we look perfectly capable of clean sheets meaning a single goal would be enough. To me we appear to be falling into the trap of under estimating our strengths and over inflating our deficiencies. You said yourself you have no idea about the rest but still seem convinced enough of them will be better than us.
As I've said, lots of teams finished above us last year because we didn't score enough goals. Nothing we've done this Summer has convinced me that we will score enough goals this season. So unless they've all got worse, I don't see much evidence that we will storm the league.
Hogan might come good, who knows? But that seems based more on wishful thinking than anything else. And if we are relying on one goal a season Agbonlahor to suddenly turn into Gerd Muller, then, surely, it doesn't take too much of a leap of the imagination to work out why some of us think we might be less than prolific this season.
I'm more than happy to change my views if we can add a couple of goalscoring options between now and the end of the month.
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Is that your prediction Damo, or based on bookies odds?
The bookies go -
1 Boro
2 Villa
3 Fulham
4 Sheff Wed
5 Wolves
6 Norwich
7 Derby
8 Leeds
9 Hull
10 Brentford
11 Sunderland
12 Cardiff
13 Sheff U
14 Forest
15 Reading
16 Small Heath
17 Preston
18 Bristol City
19 Ipswich
20 QPR
21 Millwall
22 Barnsley
23 Bolton
24 Burton
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It's because we desperately lack goals and creativity and have added no goalscorers and only one creative player. With one creative player now set for a long time out injured, we have no more attacking threat than last season.
I'm fairly confident our defence will be among the best, if not the best, in the league. I don't think that will be enough to get us up on its own, though.
If you keep clean sheets at this level you win games.
Start of last season we could not keep clean sheets. Just three in our first 11 games (Rotherham, Derby and Ipswich where they hit the post about 3 times).
We started doing it from end of February and went on a good run for two months so with Terry and Whelan in we're going to be even harder to play through with their expert positioning.
Someone will pop up with a goal, we've become a lot better at set pieces so I imagine that will be one route where we'll nick games just like we did against SHA.
We'll be in contention. I'm bemused by people saying we'll be tenth or lower, when did SB last finish that low in the championship when he actually was in charge from August?
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Our defence wasn't really a problem last year... even despite the early season calamities we still had one of the best defences in the league. We struggle to score goals. We've done next to nothing to address this.
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Our defence wasn't really a problem last year... even despite the early season calamities we still had one of the best defences in the league. We struggle to score goals. We've done next to nothing to address this.
The main difference now being that we don't need to have an entire mid-field there to maintain that security at the back! We should now have some spare to get forward.
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Our defence wasn't really a problem last year... even despite the early season calamities we still had one of the best defences in the league. We struggle to score goals. We've done next to nothing to address this.
We still lost many points early on. We scored two v Forest and couldn't win. Late goals v Huddersfield and Brentford. 6 points lost there which would've been useful in keeping our season alive when we got to Mid April and were still nowhere near the top 6 despite winning 8/9 or whatever it was.
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If you extrapolate Bruce's record, in terms of points per game, it works out at 68 points... still nowhere near a playoff place.
If you extend our defensive record under Bruce to cover a full 46 game season, it's the fourth best in the league. The defence wasn't the problem... our lack of goals was the reason we were nowhere near promotion.
Even if improving a defence that was already among the best in the division earns us a few more points, that on its own will still be nowhere near enough to secure promotion.
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If you extrapolate Bruce's record, in terms of points per game, it works out at 68 points... still nowhere near a playoff place.
If you extend our defensive record under Bruce to cover a full 46 game season, it's the fourth best in the league. The defence wasn't the problem... our lack of goals was the reason we were nowhere near promotion.
Even if improving a defence that was already among the best in the division earns us a few more points, that on its own will still be nowhere near enough to secure promotion.
No, it was because our defence took up 9 or 10 of the players on the pitch leaving no support for who-ever was chasing shadows 50 yards away.
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Judging by Saturday, we need another striker. Playing one up front does not work. Gabby and Hogan were both chasing shadows. Unless they can work together which is unlikely, a partner is needed. The ball was fed into the box a fair amount of times, particularly in the first half, but nothing came of the chances.
Kodjia is too selfish and needs to learn to play with a partner and if he can't he has to go.
Maybe McCormack should be given one final chance......
Solve this problem and we'll win the league.
As for the rest of the teams in the league, l don't care.
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Fucking Hell, yeah, let's get rid of Kodjia. 😂
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Just had a tenner on Sunderland to be relegated at 12/1, I really think they will struggle this season.
I think they will either do what many people (more so outside the club) predicted us to do last season and struggle not to be relegated again or do what we eventually did and finish somewhere in the middle. I certainly don't see them going up.
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I think I may have over egged Wednesday in 3rd.
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Apart from 1967-1975, we have always got back within two seasons.
Promotion is a must, anything else is failure.
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1. Middlesbrough
2. Sheffield Wednesday
3. Fulham
4. Aston Villa
5. Norwich City
6. Derby County
7. Wolves
8. Reading
9. Brentford
10. Birmingham City
11. Leeds United
12. Hull City
13. Sunderland
14. Cardiff City
15. Preston
16. QPR
17. Sheffield United
18. Barnsley
19. Bristol City
20. Millwall
21. Bolton
22. Ipswich Town
23. Nottingham Forest
24. Burton Albion
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Think Fulham will be stronger this year and their manager is a good one having got Watford promoted. A contender for the automatic places.
Have Boro got rid of the rubbish they bought from us? Gary Monk did well at Leeds but can he do the same again.
Surprised so many think Wolves will be up there. To me they seem to be making the same mistakes as last season. New foreign manager, bringing in players that Mendes nominates. So would be amazed if they are in the top 10. Hope I am right or I will never hear the end of it from the brother-in-law if they do well !
As for predicting places I will wait until the end of September when things start to settle down. Still this month to go before the transfer window shuts.
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I think we have the squad to get out of this league which I'm hoping we do but I reckon we will at the very least get in the play offs.
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Our defence wasn't really a problem last year... even despite the early season calamities we still had one of the best defences in the league. We struggle to score goals. We've done next to nothing to address this.
Last season's defence always looked capable for concediing goals. 'udders away: we dominated and then conceded. Even in our last away game - at Blackburn - we conceded a horrible goal because of defensive frailties.
As said by others, a stronger defensive line will move the focus of our game 10 metres further up the pitch.
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The defense and defensive midfield looks great, I don't however see enough creativity and prowess to be enough to storm this division.
We prettty much look like we will be dependant again on the flashes of brilliance from Kodija and that is just not enough.
6 the to 8th.
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Our defence wasn't really a problem last year... even despite the early season calamities we still had one of the best defences in the league. We struggle to score goals. We've done next to nothing to address this.
Last season's defence always looked capable for concediing goals. 'udders away: we dominated and then conceded. Even in our last away game - at Blackburn - we conceded a horrible goal because of defensive frailties.
As said by others, a stronger defensive line will move the focus of our game 10 metres further up the pitch.
We had a strong defensive line last season. Any team is going to make the odd fuck up, but we were fourth best overall. Terry likes to play deep so I see little evidence that we will be moving ten metres further up the pitch. Taking into account Grealish's injury, we haven't improved our creative ability at all.
We need to win at least 26-27 games for automatic promotion. I've no doubt we will be able to grind out the odd win, but you can't win that many games one-nil. We need explosive attacking options and we are desperately lacking.
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It's the Football League's launch day today at Villa Park. Hope we're charging all these clubs admission to come in andwipe their feet on our lovely carpet.
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Our defence wasn't really a problem last year... even despite the early season calamities we still had one of the best defences in the league. We struggle to score goals. We've done next to nothing to address this.
Last season's defence always looked capable for concediing goals. 'udders away: we dominated and then conceded. Even in our last away game - at Blackburn - we conceded a horrible goal because of defensive frailties.
As said by others, a stronger defensive line will move the focus of our game 10 metres further up the pitch.
We had a strong defensive line last season. Any team is going to make the odd fuck up, but we were fourth best overall. Terry likes to play deep so I see little evidence that we will be moving ten metres further up the pitch. Taking into account Grealish's injury, we haven't improved our creative ability at all.
We need to win at least 26-27 games for automatic promotion. I've no doubt we will be able to grind out the odd win, but you can't win that many games one-nil. We need explosive attacking options and we are desperately lacking.
That is too simplistic. We had a good defensive record but much of that was due to setting up the midfield to protect them to the detriment of our attacking options. By improving the back 4 we give ourselves more licence to be push on from midfield. Even without Grealish for a couple of months we have options to be more productive in the final third, It is up to the players now to deliver on their undoubted ability.
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If we'd been banging in the goals pre-season you might have a point.
From what I see the lack of creativity as so many have said is the major issue.
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I don't think it's "simplistic". You think that telling everyone to stand ten yards further forward will suddenly turn a team that scored fewer goals than 90% of the division into a team that scores enough to get automatic promotion. I would call that massively optimistic.
Thing is I do think that we could go up if we add two quality attacking players. Failure to do so would be a dereliction of duty and the worst mistake the club had made since appointing McLeish.
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I don't want Gabby playing so we need a left winger and a lump up front for the ball to stick to. That will allow the midfield to push on, to play with either a 2 or 3 in central midfield. The improvement in distribution from Terry and Whelan will help. And if we can get De Laet fit he has a throw in like a First World War Railway gun.
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I'm not sure it's as simple as that even.
We have no pace to counter attack away from home
We don't have much creativity in midfield
We don't have any midfielders who 'hit the box'
Hopefully I'm wrong, but we need to sort out a forward partnership which may rest on a very brave decision of what to do about Kodija, and we also have to spend again in midfield.
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I don't want Gabby playing so we need a left winger and a lump up front for the ball to stick to. That will allow the midfield to push on, to play with either a 2 or 3 in central midfield. The improvement in distribution from Terry and Whelan will help. And if we can get De Laet fit he has a throw in like a First World War Railway gun.
You'll get shot at for saying things like that round here.
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Just for a bit of fun, where will the 24 teams finish?
- Boro (defensively impressive last season, bought a load of attacking options and Gary Monk is a decent manager for this level)
- Aston Villa (best squad in the league imo, but think Boro will pip you)
- Wolves (should be quality in attack, will falter at the play offs and miss out to Norwich)
- Norwich (expect to see a hard pressing, hard working side)
- Sheff Wed (Good side, and Boyd and Rhodes could be good additions, but promotion is beyond them I reckon)
- Fulham (play some quality stuff, kept Cairney, but ultimately too often lack ruthlessness)
- Reading
- Leeds (Will do well early doors, but then choke and miss out on the Play Offs)
- PNE
- Hull
- Derby
- Sunderland (despite their travails, and my bias, I think they'll be comfortably safe, depends which rats abandon the ship before the window closes)
- Brentford
- Cardiff
- Birmingham ('Arry will make them a better team than last year, but they're still a bit shit.)
- Barnsley (Not replaced Hourihane but should be ok.)
- QPR
- Sheffield United (Momentum is vital for them)
- Ipswich
- Bristol City (haven't replaced Tamm Abraham well and will struggle)
- Burton
- Forest (were honestly terrible and without the three points Steve Martin gifted them against us, would have gone down)
- Bolton
- Millwall
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We've strengthened defence and the ability to play from defence. We've improved midfield and the ability to distribute from midfield.
Now it's up to the forwards to score the bloody goals they're capable of; In Kodija and Hogan we've players with undoubted talent and ability. In McCOrmack we've someone who has scored before. In Agbonlahor we've someone who appears to be trying, perhaps he won't be the busted flush he's evidence for half a decade.
Or we'll just be shit.
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Boro (defensively impressive last season, bought a load of attacking options and Gary Monk is a decent manager for this level)
Don't forget they have Gestede and Adama too
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Boro (defensively impressive last season, bought a load of attacking options and Gary Monk is a decent manager for this level)
Don't forget they have Gestede and Adama too
Not so sure Just Head and the fat lad from Forest are going to be a great combination but we shall see.
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1: Boro
2: Fulham
3-6: Norwich, Wolves, Brentford, Villa (just)
This is me being optimistic. We won't score enough goals.
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Just for a bit of fun, where will the 24 teams finish?
- Boro (defensively impressive last season, bought a load of attacking options and Gary Monk is a decent manager for this level)
- Aston Villa (best squad in the league imo, but think Boro will pip you)
- Wolves (should be quality in attack, will falter at the play offs and miss out to Norwich)
- Norwich (expect to see a hard pressing, hard working side)
- Sheff Wed (Good side, and Boyd and Rhodes could be good additions, but promotion is beyond them I reckon)
- Fulham (play some quality stuff, kept Cairney, but ultimately too often lack ruthlessness)
- Reading
- Leeds (Will do well early doors, but then choke and miss out on the Play Offs)
- PNE
- Hull
- Derby
- Sunderland (despite their travails, and my bias, I think they'll be comfortably safe, depends which rats abandon the ship before the window closes)
- Brentford
- Cardiff
- Birmingham ('Arry will make them a better team than last year, but they're still a bit shit.)
- Barnsley (Not replaced Hourihane but should be ok.)
- QPR
- Sheffield United (Momentum is vital for them)
- Ipswich
- Bristol City (haven't replaced Tamm Abraham well and will struggle)
- Burton
- Forest (were honestly terrible and without the three points Steve Martin gifted them against us, would have gone down)
- Bolton
- Millwall
Sheff U and Sheff Wed to do well, not sure about Norwich or Wolves but generally speaking I agree with you.
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- Sunderland (despite their travails, and my bias, I think they'll be comfortably safe, depends which rats abandon the ship before the window closes)
I reckon you maybe too kind there. I think we were in better shape then them last season and we nearly got caught up in a relegation scrap.
The Championship was a massive shock to us. Its not a pub league and you dont just get to show up and win because you are a big club as we learnt the hard way. I think the Sunderland is going to struggle and if they dont get a good start I can see them going in to freefall.
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Add some creativity and I do think two is doable, but probably not without doing so
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We won't score enough goals. But Boro, who had a gap larger than the continental United States between their midfield and forwards last year, will score enough goals to win the league.
But they can change! The Lamp Post, the Fat lad who likes a lie down for a 3rd of a season...
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We won't score enough goals. But Boro, who had a gap larger than the continental United States between their midfield and forwards last year, will score enough goals to win the league.
But they can change! The Lamp Post, the Fat lad who likes a lie down for a 3rd of a season...
I think they were deep and defensive due to the fact they were playing good quality Premier League opposition though, as the year before they had no problems scoring.
Us on the other hand were struggling for most of the season to break down sides like Cardiff, Wolves and Brentford.
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I think it's because they were shit myself. I could give a less glib answer but the conclusion will be the same.
Even workman like Burnley faced the same opposition and were able to play 442 and comfortably stop up.
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I think it's because they were shit myself. I could give a less glib answer but the conclusion will be the same.
Even workman like Burnley faced the same opposition and were able to play 442 and comfortably stop up.
They were pretty poor every time I saw them, I'm just not convinced it means they'll be poor this season in a lower league.
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According to my extensive research (five minutes on Wikipedia), they scored 63 goals last time they were at this level and seem to have strengthened their attack, since. We scored 47 goals last season and haven't strengthened ours.
At least I believe they've strengthened. Assomabalonga, Gestede and Traore in, Rhodes (who did very little for them) out. Unless I've missed somebody crucial?
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According to my extensive research (five minutes on Wikipedia), they scored 63 goals last time they were at this level and seem to have strengthened their attack, since. We scored 47 goals last season and haven't strengthened ours.
At least I believe they've strengthened. Assomabalonga, Gestede and Traore in, Rhodes (who did very little for them) out. Unless I've missed somebody crucial?
They've also got Bamford, who while a bit rubbish at the top level scored plenty in the Championship.
They've also spent £10m on Braithwaite from Toulouse and £6m on Ashley Fletcher from West Ham.
So their problem is more likely to be trying to fit all their attackers in the side.
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Sounds familiar.
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- Sunderland (despite their travails, and my bias, I think they'll be comfortably safe, depends which rats abandon the ship before the window closes)
I reckon you maybe too kind there. I think we were in better shape then them last season and we nearly got caught up in a relegation scrap.
The Championship was a massive shock to us. Its not a pub league and you dont just get to show up and win because you are a big club as we learnt the hard way. I think the Sunderland is going to struggle and if they dont get a good start I can see them going in to freefall.
I think we went into last season with a decent amount of positivity which I'm not sure Sunderland have. They need a change of ownership as badly as we did.
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According to my extensive research (five minutes on Wikipedia), they scored 63 goals last time they were at this level and seem to have strengthened their attack, since. We scored 47 goals last season and haven't strengthened ours.
At least I believe they've strengthened. Assomabalonga, Gestede and Traore in, Rhodes (who did very little for them) out. Unless I've missed somebody crucial?
They've also got Bamford, who while a bit rubbish at the top level scored plenty in the Championship.
They've also spent £10m on Braithwaite from Toulouse and £6m on Ashley Fletcher from West Ham.
So their problem is more likely to be trying to fit all their attackers in the side.
It's potentially a much better set of options than ours, Assombolonga scores at a similar rate to Kodjia, and I'd rather gamble on Fletcher and Braithwaite over Hogan/Gabby/McCormack. As we know Gestede is a very useful option off the bench at this level too and Traore this time 12 months ago we were all saying how we couldn't wait to unleash his pace at this level.
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I suppose the big gamble for them is whether Assomabalonga can stay fit for once. It's a lot of money to pay for half a season.
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I suppose the big gamble for them is whether Assomabalonga can stay fit for once. It's a lot of money to pay for half a season.
Better than a similar amount spent on McCormack for half a dozen matches.
And when he inevitably gets injured, Bamford coming in to replace him isn't bad.
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Boro defiantly have the stronger forward line/options. However if the midfield are allowed some creativity then Hogan will start firing.
Between Kodjia and hogan this season we should expect at least 30-35 between them IMO
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- Sunderland (despite their travails, and my bias, I think they'll be comfortably safe, depends which rats abandon the ship before the window closes)
I reckon you maybe too kind there. I think we were in better shape then them last season and we nearly got caught up in a relegation scrap.
The Championship was a massive shock to us. Its not a pub league and you dont just get to show up and win because you are a big club as we learnt the hard way. I think the Sunderland is going to struggle and if they dont get a good start I can see them going in to freefall.
I think there's too much utter shit in the 2nd flight. Bristol, Burton, Bolton, Forest and so on. You flirted with relegation spots early on, but once you got your ship pointing in the right direction, bar a wobble in Feb, you were fine.
I think Sunderland's season will mirror Preston's, Grayson's teams don't start well, but they're hard working. I'd expect them to sell 2 of Khazri, Kone and Lens and replace them with loan signings. They won't have a great season, but I can't see them being in any real danger of relegation.
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I suppose the big gamble for them is whether Assomabalonga can stay fit for once. It's a lot of money to pay for half a season.
Better than a similar amount spent on McCormack for half a dozen matches.
And when he inevitably gets injured, Bamford coming in to replace him isn't bad.
I'd rather have gambled on Assombolonga's fitness too, as a 24-year-old, rather than what we did paying a similar amount for a bloke in his early 30s with no resale value.
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I'd rather have signed neither. There must be a decent goalscorer under the age of thirty who doesn't have knees made of balsa wood?
Anyway, I want Crouch and some fast bloke who can play as support striker or winger.
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I like Asombalonga, but he's doing well if he plays more than 30 games. I wouldn't take him over Kodjia mind, but then I wouldn't take any player in this league over him.
Gestede is... well we know what he is. Bamford has the goal scoring record of Gabby the past two years, Braithewaite has a 1 in 4 record, but I suspect he's more to replace Downing, Traore etc.
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Bamford has the goal scoring record of Gabby the past two years
Yeah, coming off the bench at Norwich and Palace in the Premier League he's looked pretty ropey.
Any time he's played in the Championship he gets nearly a goal every other game.
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I'd rather have signed neither. There must be a decent goalscorer under the age of thirty who doesn't have knees made of balsa wood?
Anyway, I want Crouch and some fast bloke who can play as support striker or winger.
We could try gambling before they become the next big thing at this level. E.g Kodjia when Bristol signed him in 2015 cost 3m, they've now gone back to the same club they signed Kodjia from and signed a striker called Diedhiou for 5m who has scored 22 in 37 there. I'm not sure if Bruce is willing to take a gamble like that, so we keep overpaying on players like Hogan and McCormack.
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Bamford has the goal scoring record of Gabby the past two years
Yeah, coming off the bench at Norwich and Palace in the Premier League he's looked pretty ropey.
Any time he's played in the Championship he gets nearly a goal every other game.
Its like Gabby though, although Bamford has never been anywhere near as good, when you've not done it in two years you question whether they still have it within them to offer something positive.
In our case, I actually think Gabby will play a fair bit this year, last year of his contract and all that. To be honest if we get the Gabby we saw against the Noses, then he will contribute.
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he only does it against them, that's the problem.
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Bamford has the goal scoring record of Gabby the past two years
Yeah, coming off the bench at Norwich and Palace in the Premier League he's looked pretty ropey.
Any time he's played in the Championship he gets nearly a goal every other game.
Its like Gabby though, although Bamford has never been anywhere near as good, when you've not done it in two years you question whether they still have it within them to offer something positive.
Bamford's 23 though. It's not completely impossible that he was finished by the age of 21, but I think the more likely explanation is nothing more than "it's easier to score for Middleborough against Preston than it is to score as a sub for Norwich in the last ten minutes of a match against Everton".
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I think the big thing with Middlesbrough will be - can a new manager make all those new signings gel quickly? Karanka had them playing well and Monk was doing ok at Leeds, but this is not a given at all. A ropey start and we all know what can happen. Sunderland should finish mid-table for me, they are in a general malaise. That said I think our number of goals will eventually not be enough (for auto promotion) and see us into the play offs.
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Leeds kept it very simple. They tried to run you off the park in midfield, relied heavily on a couple of good, dominating centre halves to make up for midfield short comings and had that ex-Albion lump up top sticking them in with early deliveries into him. It was nothing like Monk's Swansea side.
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Boro have players from other areas who can score a decent amount, Grant Leadbitter scored 11 in 14/15 for them (he does take their penalties though).
Who was the last CM we had who even got close to 10 in a season, Milner?
It would make a huge difference if Hourihane or Lansbury could be given more freedom in the team and they could chip in with 6-7 before xmas.
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Mark Saggers on Talksport is about to discuss Villa, Small Heath and Wolves on Talksport.
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BBC predicted: (apologies if already here)
BBC Sport's predicted final table
Pos Team Average
1 Middlesbrough 2.68
2 Fulham 3.36
3 Aston Villa 3.96
4 Sheffield Wednesday 5.12
5 Derby County 5.68
6 Wolves 6.92
7 Reading 8.24
8 Norwich City 9.08
9 Hull City 9.12
10 Leeds United 9.56
11 Sunderland 11.16
12 Birmingham City 11.60
13 Cardiff City 12.56
14 Brentford 13.20
15 Nottingham Forest 15.56
16 Sheffield United 15.80
17 Preston North End 16.96
18 Queens Park Rangers 17.52
19 Bristol City 17.84
20 Ipswich Town 18.44
21 Barnsley 20.12
22 Bolton Wanderers 20.36
23 Millwall 22.28
24 Burton Albion
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My prediction;
http://bbc.in/2u5lYFu
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Mark Saggers on Talksport is about to discuss Villa, Small Heath and Wolves on Talksport.
Which radio station mate?
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Haha very good Luke.
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- Sunderland (despite their travails, and my bias, I think they'll be comfortably safe, depends which rats abandon the ship before the window closes)
I reckon you maybe too kind there. I think we were in better shape then them last season and we nearly got caught up in a relegation scrap.
The Championship was a massive shock to us. Its not a pub league and you dont just get to show up and win because you are a big club as we learnt the hard way. I think the Sunderland is going to struggle and if they dont get a good start I can see them going in to freefall.
I think there's too much utter shit in the 2nd flight. Bristol, Burton, Bolton, Forest and so on. You flirted with relegation spots early on, but once you got your ship pointing in the right direction, bar a wobble in Feb, you were fine.
I think Sunderland's season will mirror Preston's, Grayson's teams don't start well, but they're hard working. I'd expect them to sell 2 of Khazri, Kone and Lens and replace them with loan signings. They won't have a great season, but I can't see them being in any real danger of relegation.
Fair. I would take Lens off their hands. Decent player there.
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1. Middlesborough (retained most of last season's squad, great appointment in Monk, should be strong at home)
2. Sheffield Wednesday (been knocking on the door for awhile)
3. Fulham (expect them carry on the momentum from last season)
4. Derby (Well balanced squad, Rowett should be a solid hand there, just need to be a bit more consistent at home)
5. Bristol City (My surrpise package of the season, bet you'd get good odds on them going on up)
6. The Villa! (Tis the least we can expect we our squad and with the manager having had time to settle in, would be nice to have day out at Wembly too, though of course I want top two! :-X)
7. Reading (should be there or there abouts)
8. Norwich City (could go either way with a gamble in the hot seat, but think a bit of their spark has been lost)
9. Leeds Utd (see Norwich, but last season's late fade does seem a missed opportunity)
10. Hull City (another strange manageral appointment, the squad need a bit of freshening up, think they will need a season to adjust back at this level)
11. Preston (a very solid Championship, losing Grayson will be a blow though)
12. Cardiff City (Warnock will make them hard to beat again, should have one of the best home records in the division, outside bet for the P/O)
13. Sheffield (With the manager, a decent board and strong support I don't see many first season back issues)
14. Birmingham (Hate it as we might Arry can only steady the ship from last term's trainwreck)
15. Sunderland (too many on and off field issues. Grayson's a good appointment but he'll need time to turn things around)
16. QPR (Still a powdercake ready to explode any minute)
17. Bolton (They will be happy with this their first season back)
18. Ipswich Town (still say Mick has done solid job on his budget, but they show little signs of progress and I expect them to struggle)
19. Brentford (Should have just enough to stay up)
20. Burton (see Brentford, though I'm less sure in this case)
21. Wolves (total mess of a club, no direction, very avenge squad, fan unrest etc..)
22. Nottingham Forest (just have a feeling about this one, have been sliding for awhile, and have a feeling Warburton won't see out the season)
23. Millwall (think the step up will prove a bit too much)
24. Barnsley (very thin on the ground, another one I just have a feeling about)
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that's the dysfunctional Wolves who beat the champions elect yesterday missing relegation by a whisker? Bull shit. And ninth might be as good as it gets for us under antidiluvian Steve
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Wolves have a manager with tactical nous, who tries to play good football. When did we last have one of those?
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Fan unrest at Wolves? One of my drivers is a huge Wolves fan and he is happier than a pig in shit with what is currently happening with them.
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Wolves have plenty of good players in their team and options in their squad. Helder Costa will be back in October, he could easily be one of the stand out players at this level.
I think they'll make the top 6.
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that's the dysfunctional Wolves who beat the champions elect yesterday missing relegation by a whisker? Bull shit. And ninth might be as good as it gets for us under antidiluvian Steve
Yeah but you get odd results on the opening day. Don't get me wrong, Wolves might do well. But I don't think you can right their success story on the back of one impressive win, just like you can't write Middlesbrough off after one game.
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You can't, but it's easy to point out that things like "no direction, very avenge squad, fan unrest etc" are absolute nonsense.
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You can't, but it's easy to point out that things like "no direction, very avenge squad, fan unrest etc" are absolute nonsense.
Is it? Based on one result gifted to them by comedy defending.
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I'm certainly struggling to see any evidence of "fan unrest".
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They weren't a fan of Lambert but then I don't blame them.
I wasn't all that surprised they beat Boro. I think they may be a bit up and down with results for a little bit. I was shocked at how hilarious their defending was though.
Did anybody see former Villa centre half Ilori get sent off for Reading? More comedy defending.
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Did that fella ever even play for us?
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Nope.
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I was thinking i'd seen him play for us then realised I was thinking of the legend that is Crespo.
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You can't, but it's easy to point out that things like "no direction, very avenge squad, fan unrest etc" are absolute nonsense.
Is it? Based on one result gifted to them by comedy defending.
No, based on the extremely clear direction they're taking, the players they are buying being some of the most highly-rated in Europe and the fans being absolutely delighted by the whole thing.
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You can't, but it's easy to point out that things like "no direction, very avenge squad, fan unrest etc" are absolute nonsense.
Is it? Based on one result gifted to them by comedy defending.
No, based on the extremely clear direction they're taking, the players they are buying being some of the most highly-rated in Europe and the fans being absolutely delighted by the whole thing.
Most highly rated in Europe, has anyone told Pep or Jose? How many of their fans have you canvassed to form this conclusion? Why the need to over egg it just to make a point?
It might all turn out well but I think most sensible football fans knows not to count their chickens.
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We have been able to count a fair few chickens at our place. With and without heads.
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and an even bigger flock of turkeys
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I can only speak for the small number of their fans I know, but there is a lot of optimism amongst Wolves fans at the moment.
Neves and Costa are also considered to be two of the brightest young talents in Europe, both I believe have Champions League experience.
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Wolves fan in my office is very upbeat about the season.
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You can't, but it's easy to point out that things like "no direction, very avenge squad, fan unrest etc" are absolute nonsense.
Is it? Based on one result gifted to them by comedy defending.
No, based on the extremely clear direction they're taking, the players they are buying being some of the most highly-rated in Europe and the fans being absolutely delighted by the whole thing.
Most highly rated in Europe, has anyone told Pep or Jose? How many of their fans have you canvassed to form this conclusion? Why the need to over egg it just to make a point?
It might all turn out well but I think most sensible football fans knows not to count their chickens.
Enough of their fans to know that "fan unrest" isn't going to be an issue this season.
I've not spoken to every Huddersfield supporter either, but I can say with some confidence that they're pretty happy with their footballing lot in life.
The Wolves project may end in tears (actually, it definitely will, it's just a case of how long it takes), but pointing out the the reasons originally given are detached from reality isn't over-egging anything.
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Wolves fans happy? Bloody hell its like Halley's comet.
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Of course they're happy, money has been spent, there is optimism in place. Look at us lot when Lerner came on board......
As for predictions, Sheffield United went up last year with 100 points. They lost three of their first four and drew the other.
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Think Norwich Boro Fulham Sheffield Wednesday
Derby Hull and Wolves are the main contenders against villa for top 6 and top 2.
Depends on finally signings but would obviously love promotion and championship title. Like to think top 2 rather than lottery against these lot on play off be too much to bare !
Weaker teams look like plucky Burton and Barnsley .
Sheffield Utd Millwall and Bolton who came up all lack quality to challenge for play offs .
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Wolves might do well but we are an example of 'plundering the foreign market' unsuccessfully.
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Wolves might do well but we are an example of 'plundering the foreign market' unsuccessfully.
Don't forget QPR were worst or best example !
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Wolves might do well but we are an example of 'plundering the foreign market' unsuccessfully.
Don't forget QPR were worst or best example !
Were they?
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If Fulham get the centre forward they are after I can see them finishing in at least a play off place. Met up with a Leeds United season ticket holder last night and after years of negativity he is absolutely convinced they will go up this season. Other than that I reckon Villa will finish in the play offs.
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Play offs? Not for me.
Slow midfield, no goal threat apart from Kodja when he gets back. Mid table with Bruce in charge.
Expect many 1-1 draws.
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8th and I think I'm being optimistic.
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we'll be in the top seven. there'll be a bunch of teams above us but more below us, I think that will be the end of King Steve.
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If we don't go up this season I can see us spending a few seasons in the Championship. I'm not confident we will go up but surely it's scripted for 'JT' (vomit) to be lifting the play-off trophy at Wembley in his role as player manager and in his final match as a player? He'll be given special dispensation to wear a half and half Villa/Chelsea kit for the presentation.
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I said a while ago that I thought we would be marooned in the Chumps for a long time - and absolutely nothing has happened since to make me change my mind. Bruce will be gone by the international break unless we are in contention
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I said a while ago that I thought we would be marooned in the Chumps for a long time - and absolutely nothing has happened since to make me change my mind. Bruce will be gone by the international break unless we are in contention
What, the one in October?
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I'd like to think the Dr had the balls to do it now but he won't.
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I'd like to think the Dr had the balls to do it now but he won't.
I can't argue with that to be honest.
Why wait 'til October?
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If Boro keep getting luck like that they will do alright. Not very impressive though, I must say.