Teams we'll finish above next season

[villa `cross the mersey]

As things stand, I’d have to agree with the betting companies, most of which have us struggling this year (and most have us odds on for relegation).

Pretty much agree with this ......we "got lucky" at seasons end - we can't afford to rely on this happening again this season - I'm feeling pessimistic right now ......17th again ?

[hilts_coolerking]

Read this and weep: https://www.theguardian.com/football/2020/sep/06/premier-league-2020-21-fans-previews-part-1-arsenal-to-leicester
Jonathan Pilchard says we have no youngsters worth a light ... does the guy know the club at all?

Clueless.

The Leeds contributor is typically over optimistic about their prospects.

It's quite funny reading other clubs' fans predictions of who'll go down.  A few of them say us but it's the likes of Leeds, Newcastle, West Brom and Fulham saying it.

[Londonfranky]

As a Fulham fan it’s nice to see us written off already, by so called experts and fans of other clubs, a bit like Sheffield United were last year, I’m hopping we don’t do a Fulham of the 18/19 ie relegated by just after Xmas of that season, hopping we do a villa of last season, I meant the last month not the previous 10 months, I’ll be quite happy if we’re in with a chance of staying up with 3 or 4 games to play, as to who goes down  anybody from Sheffield United downwards, if any of those clubs lose there star players due to injury or transferred out they will struggle

[dave.woodhall]

Read this and weep: https://www.theguardian.com/football/2020/sep/06/premier-league-2020-21-fans-previews-part-1-arsenal-to-leicester
Jonathan Pilchard says we have no youngsters worth a light ... does the guy know the club at all?

Clueless.

The Leeds contributor is typically over optimistic about their prospects.

It's quite funny reading other clubs' fans predictions of who'll go down.  A few of them say us but it's the likes of Leeds, Newcastle, West Brom and Fulham saying it.

I'll make a wild guess what two of the Ws will say.

[SoccerHQ]

Quite a lot of the rest are fair points. It's the youth aspect I disagree with. There is a lot of potential in Archer, Vassilev and Ramsey. I can't comment on Barry as I have not seen him play.

Any plans to loan Cameron Archer out Lee? Would like to think at some point this season he'll go out and get league experience. We have a nasty habit of holding onto young players until they're past 20 and stagnating before finally giving them a loan spell, O'Hare didn't go to Carlisle United until he was 21.

Vassilev needs a loan but I'd keep Jacob Ramsey around. After his two goals yesterday would much rather have him on the bench v Sheffield United than Lansbury. He's clearly the most advanced youth product so can see him getting a few sub games before January.

[SoccerHQ]

As a Fulham fan it’s nice to see us written off already, by so called experts and fans of other clubs, a bit like Sheffield United were last year, I’m hopping we don’t do a Fulham of the 18/19 ie relegated by just after Xmas of that season, hopping we do a villa of last season, I meant the last month not the previous 10 months, I’ll be quite happy if we’re in with a chance of staying up with 3 or 4 games to play, as to who goes down  anybody from Sheffield United downwards, if any of those clubs lose there star players due to injury or transferred out they will struggle

What's going to be your regular backline Franky? If it's Tim Ream and Odoi again I don't see much hope for you personally but didn't see you enough last year to know if they're regulars anymore or just squad players now. If you can keep things tighter than last time then you've got a chance with Mitrovic to win 8/9 games.

[Legion]

Nothing decided about Cam yet. He has only just signed his first pro contract. Would like to think (this my personal opinion only and not based on anything else) that he will either get a couple of opportunities at the start of the season if Smith resurrects the interest in him that he showed before and after the Crewe game last year (but in all honesty he prefers Vassilev) or a loan spell to get match experience at first team level.

[hilts_coolerking]

I'll make a wild guess what two of the Ws will say.

Olbiyun have us to go down but the Dogheads don't.  However, both have Dean Smith as the first manager to be sacked.  West Ham don't mention us at all.

[SoccerHQ]

If we don't finish above Fulham and WBA we will be getting relegated, I have them down as 19th and 20th.

Not really sure about the 3rd team (I don't think it will be us) but it will probably be some reasonable established team who've gone stale at prem level like Watford and Bournemouth did. Palace probably fits the scenario the most given they ended last season in terrible form and lost to us which took some doing at the time.

West Ham have Newcastle vibes this time last year. They've still got a core of solid players and they'll probably grind out enough 1-0s under Moyes to be o.k just like Newcastle started doing from October onwards. Think this seasons Newcastle will be much closer to bottom 3.

[Londonfranky]

As a Fulham fan it’s nice to see us written off already, by so called experts and fans of other clubs, a bit like Sheffield United were last year, I’m hopping we don’t do a Fulham of the 18/19 ie relegated by just after Xmas of that season, hopping we do a villa of last season, I meant the last month not the previous 10 months, I’ll be quite happy if we’re in with a chance of staying up with 3 or 4 games to play, as to who goes down  anybody from Sheffield United downwards, if any of those clubs lose there star players due to injury or transferred out they will struggle

What's going to be your regular backline Franky? If it's Tim Ream and Odoi again I don't see much hope for you personally but didn't see you enough last year to know if they're regulars anymore or just squad players now. If you can keep things tighter than last time then you've got a chance with Mitrovic to win 8/9 games.

your probably right about Odoi and Ream I think we’ll  struggle with those two in the team we are looking for new defenders but as we’re at the bottom of the premiership food chain we’re struggling,  they were ok in the championship, Scott Parker plays quite a defensive game, some the games last year were dire, but I think we had about a dozen 1-0 wins and if he can somehow make us hard to beat we might be ok obviously easier said than done the other thing with last season we we’re pretty toothless most of the Season, so probably a back up for mitrovic is needed I live in hope!!

[SoccerHQ]

As a Fulham fan it’s nice to see us written off already, by so called experts and fans of other clubs, a bit like Sheffield United were last year, I’m hopping we don’t do a Fulham of the 18/19 ie relegated by just after Xmas of that season, hopping we do a villa of last season, I meant the last month not the previous 10 months, I’ll be quite happy if we’re in with a chance of staying up with 3 or 4 games to play, as to who goes down  anybody from Sheffield United downwards, if any of those clubs lose there star players due to injury or transferred out they will struggle

What's going to be your regular backline Franky? If it's Tim Ream and Odoi again I don't see much hope for you personally but didn't see you enough last year to know if they're regulars anymore or just squad players now. If you can keep things tighter than last time then you've got a chance with Mitrovic to win 8/9 games.

your probably right about Odoi and Ream I think we’ll  struggle with those two in the team we are looking for new defenders but as we’re at the bottom of the premiership food chain we’re struggling,  they were ok in the championship, Scott Parker plays quite a defensive game, some the games last year were dire, but I think we had about a dozen 1-0 wins and if he can somehow make us hard to beat we might be ok obviously easier said than done the other thing with last season we we’re pretty toothless most of the Season, so probably a back up for mitrovic is needed I live in hope!!

Surprised Knockeart didn't do well for you as he was always excellent for Brighton in championship. Another tricky wide man who couldn't step up to premier league for either Leicester or Brighton.

Didn't you sign Cavaleiro from Wolves for 15m aswell?

[Londonfranky]

As a Fulham fan it’s nice to see us written off already, by so called experts and fans of other clubs, a bit like Sheffield United were last year, I’m hopping we don’t do a Fulham of the 18/19 ie relegated by just after Xmas of that season, hopping we do a villa of last season, I meant the last month not the previous 10 months, I’ll be quite happy if we’re in with a chance of staying up with 3 or 4 games to play, as to who goes down  anybody from Sheffield United downwards, if any of those clubs lose there star players due to injury or transferred out they will struggle

Knockaert and Cavaleiro were disappointing most of the season, both scored a few worldly goals but there final cross/pass was poor, I’ll think they will  struggle in the premiership, I think we didn’t have mitrovic we’ll probably end up mid table, even Cairney and decorva-Reid we’re a bit hit and miss,

What's going to be your regular backline Franky? If it's Tim Ream and Odoi again I don't see much hope for you personally but didn't see you enough last year to know if they're regulars anymore or just squad players now. If you can keep things tighter than last time then you've got a chance with Mitrovic to win 8/9 games.

your probably right about Odoi and Ream I think we’ll  struggle with those two in the team we are looking for new defenders but as we’re at the bottom of the premiership food chain we’re struggling,  they were ok in the championship, Scott Parker plays quite a defensive game, some the games last year were dire, but I think we had about a dozen 1-0 wins and if he can somehow make us hard to beat we might be ok obviously easier said than done the other thing with last season we we’re pretty toothless most of the Season, so probably a back up for mitrovic is needed I live in hope!!

Surprised Knockeart didn't do well for you as he was always excellent for Brighton in championship. Another tricky wide man who couldn't step up to premier league for either Leicester or Brighton.

Didn't you sign Cavaleiro from Wolves for 15m aswell?

[robbo1874]

There’s a prediction feature on the BBC website where you can predict 1-20 placings for the upcoming season had us at 13th, just ahead of Newcastle. 1st Chelsea, 2nd City, 3rd Liverpool and West Ham, Baggies and Fulham to go down. I would like Fulham to stay up I should say, but don’t care if West Ham and Baggies go down.

[placeforparks]

i think we got lucky with watford imploding. we stayed up because they fell apart and we ground at some results.

we tightened up defensively after the restart, luiz and konsa really impressed, but we were finding goals really hard to come by and it concerns me that we haven't, as yet, remedied that.

i think the first 2 games - sheffield united and fulham will be a good barometer as to what the season will hold.

[mr underhill]

To stand a real chance of staying up we have to strengthen the squad and keep our key players. Do so and we will be fine. Simple!