2014-15 Predictions

[brontebilly]

my worry is that we might be getting very nostalgic for 15th come Christmas

We could be as good as gone by then, without Benteke I cant see us scoring many

There will be a mini league at the bottom. We will be down in it along with West Brom, Palace, Burnley and QPR. Leicester will be reasonably comfortable I think. We look very vulnerable along with West Brom.

Top of the league should be very exciting this year. Sanchez is an unreal signing for Arsenal but Mascherano or De Jong in midfield is what they need more than another attacking player. Spurs should be very good this year with the likes of Eriksen more settled. Chelsea have made some big signings. Couldnt pick a winner of it.

[Ads]

You can't see us scoring many and being down by Christmas, but you can see Dave Nugent scoring enough to make Leicester comfortable?

[Pete3206]

I would have laughed if Albion had signed the players we've brought in so far.

[Dave Cooper please]

my worry is that we might be getting very nostalgic for 15th come Christmas

We could be as good as gone by then,

Fuck me, definitely a candidate for the most pessimistic post of pre-season. Gone by Christmas, wow.

[ciggiesnbeer]

I have gone from despondent to puzzled. I mean, our team actually has got some good players in it, right? I don't think I am delusional thinking that. We were comfortable, very comfortable, for much of last season even with injuries. And yet then I remember our free fall after Stoke last season and wonder if it will continue. A nice meaty midfield signing and I would feel a world better.

[robbo1874]

With current squad- 14th. Lose Vlaar and we could be fucked. Bring a few more in where we are weakest and if a few of the youngsters with promise get promoted then with okore and benteke back, maybe we will surprise a few people and climb to the heady heights of 10th.

I'm optimistic that  keane will make a significant difference. Could go the other way though obviously, which is what I first thought when it was rumoured he was coming. I prefer to look on the bright side though.

Obviously the takeover saga will have a bearing. I find it mildly depressing that at this stage I'm not expecting anything Better than 14th.

Come in villa - surprise us all.

[peter w]

I have not suggested that we were better than 15th, merely that we should have done a lot better.

It's that bit which worries me.  I said last season that most of our players are mentally weak: when the pressure's off them - when they're expected to lose - they play well and get results against all expectation.  But when the pressure is on them to beat sides, particularly poor opposition, they seem to go to pieces.

Just a theory but it might explain our dismal home form.

Except the same players two seasons ago beat every team around us when the pressure really was on. West Ham, Reading, Stoke, QPR, Sunderland, Norwich. We were in the bottom 3 and looking like goners for all money. 18 points against those around us shows the players are quite the opposite of what you'd label as being mentally weak.

The problem for me, and I said it last season, that this young and inexperienced side turned up when there was a Cup final to play. Home or away. The big crowd, the noise, the pressure motivated them and that's why we won well when not expected to. It was the mentality of lower league players and youngsters. That has not changed in two seasons and the addition of experience could be as important as the actual player brought in. We struggled to dominate games in front of 30 000 or so when sitting in mid-table. We couldn't lift our tempo if they crowd didn't do it first. With a touch of experience that should be addressed.

[Gregorys Boy]

Am still going to wait another week or so before making my final prediction, but as things stand right now I think we might just survie for another season.   This is based on the fact that I think our key players (Vlaar, Benteke,Delph) will stay for another season, and that   we may get a decent winger in before the close of the window, and that once again there should be at least three shiter teams than us, but I expect it to be evener closer than last year.

Of course things could all change depending on the take-over, direction of the club etc..

At the moment I can see the likes of West Ham, Southampton, Swansea, Sunderland, maybe West Brom, and the newly promoted clubs being the mix. 

I think Burnly may go just because they have done so well even to get up and may not really be ready yet.   If Redknapp stays at QPR the whole season then I see them staying up, like or hate him, he has tones of PL experience, has a decent squad, and will be able to get some new players in in January to strenghter if need be.  Lesicter could go either way.  I like the manager, they have strong support, and have spent a fair bit of money.  Some of their buys are gambles who may not make the step up, also they do have a tough start which could put them on the back foot early, home form may well decide if they go down or stay up.  After that I can see West Ham or Swansea being danger, and if they don't start signing players Sunderland still look a Championship side to me.

[Matt Collins]

I looked at leicester's squad. It's absolutely nowhere near ours. Nowhere near.

[Gregorys Boy]

I looked at leicester's squad. It's absolutely nowhere near ours. Nowhere near.

Okay, you may have to claify here, are you saying its much better or weaker?

[mr underhill]

I'd love it if we smash them, absolutely love it.

[Dr Butler]

If Redknapp stays at QPR the whole season then I see them staying up, like or hate him, he has tones of PL experience, has a decent squad, and will be able to get some new players in in January to strenghter if need be.

is this the same Redknapp that took over from M.Hughes (who spent a fortune too) and with all his PL experience and the £21.5m 'onest 'arry  is reported to have spent, (not including undisclosed fees) on transfers in the 2013 January window.......still took QPR down ?

that Harry Redknapp ?   

[cdbearsfan]

Redknapp is an awful manager. He did well at Portsmouth by having a jammy cup run and buggering off before having to reap all the shit that he'd sowed by spending a fortune that they didn't have. He got QPR relegated despite spending shitloads then only just managed to get them up, via an undeserved play-off win against the run of play, having had a budget which would have bankrupted any of their competitors.

They'll start badly, he'll get sacked, deservedly, and they'll appoint someone better than him and stay up.

[richard moore]

my worry is that we might be getting very nostalgic for 15th come Christmas

We could be as good as gone by then, without Benteke I cant see us scoring many

There will be a mini league at the bottom. We will be down in it along with West Brom, Palace, Burnley and QPR. Leicester will be reasonably comfortable I think. We look very vulnerable along with West Brom.

Top of the league should be very exciting this year. Sanchez is an unreal signing for Arsenal but Mascherano or De Jong in midfield is what they need more than another attacking player. Spurs should be very good this year with the likes of Eriksen more settled. Chelsea have made some big signings. Couldnt pick a winner of it.

As I think I said to you last season, I can think of a lot of words to describe the classless chavs and Spurs being near the top of the league but 'very exciting' would be somewhere off the bottom of the list

[Matt Collins]

Redknapp is an awful manager. He did well at Portsmouth by having a jammy cup run and buggering off before having to reap all the shit that he'd sowed by spending a fortune that they didn't have. He got QPR relegated despite spending shitloads then only just managed to get them up, via an undeserved play-off win against the run of play, having had a budget which would have bankrupted any of their competitors.

They'll start badly, he'll get sacked, deservedly, and they'll appoint someone better than him and stay up.

He's a funny one. But you can't deny he did a great job with spurs