[Albion] A difficult season ahead

[nwgull]

You beat me to it. This rhetoric was posted when we were in the Championship too.

The mongers of doom didn't give us a hope at the start of 16/17 coz Newcastle, Villa and Norwich had come into the Championship and between them were going to have the top 2 wrapped up by early March!

 

[Jim D]

Who would have predicted the 3 teams relegated in our first season? WBA and Stoke were comfortably mid-table the previous season. Swansea perhaps as they struggled. We may well be relegated, but it's nowhere near as clear-cut as it's being suggested.

 

[Tom Bombadil]

Yeah i know this is the perennial favourite thread but I actually think it does look slightly tougher for us this season. This is mainly because we look like the club luckiest to survive the season and there aren't any zombie clubs who've been hanging on for years or second season chumps ( i can't see Wolves doing collapsing). Admittedly Norwich, Sheff Utd And Villa aren't necessarily anything to be scared of, but i bet Stoke West Brom and Swansea were saying the same about us in 2017.
I guess we'll have a clearer idea in August when we know who we've signed, how the potential struggler's have reinforced and even whether the potential Newcastle takeover has fizzled out, turned into their usual saga or ( hopefully not) reached a swift money laden conclusion.

 

[Greavsey]

Surprised it hasn't been mentioned, but I actually expect Palace to struggle next season.

Either Wan-Bissaka or Zaha will leave (maybe both), and I think Woy will struggle to command the dressing room for a third season (we've seen how eventually players just get bored of the same voice), so will probably get the boot before Christmas. They may stay up ultimately, but do think they'll have a poor start yet again.

 

[Weststander]

Just underlines the need to buy 3 or 4 quality first team'ers this summer, all with pace - RB, ACM, Striker and another midfielder (wide or box-to-box).

 

[Blackadder]

Look at the OPs 22 posts (as I often do) almost every one critical, I'm not convinced he/she's Palace, but I have got a burning torch on standby just in case.

You beat me to it PG. Been here 5 minutes and already started 8 threads.

 

[sydney]

Next seasons premier league looks like one of the strongest yet, definitely the strongest we’ve been in. The teams getting promoted are no push overs, villa are a sleeping giant, and if given financial backing this summer will be very strong with players like grealish and mcginn. Sheffield United and Norwich are possibly on paper the weakest teams, but have a strong togetherness and good managers, whilst also having tidy players. The bottom half of the table teams also are all looking strong. Southamptons new manager has them playing again and is said to be given a lot of money this summer. Newcastle with a possible new takeover and an outstanding manager. Burnley are possibly the weakest remaining team, however, this is said about them every year and every year they surprise people. I believe if hughton had stayed then we would’ve sleep walked into relegation, how many of those teams would we realistically finish above with hughton in charge? Potter is a risk, but a risk which needed to be taken.

you're shit for a newbie , suggest pictures of your birds knickers on the line or a sunday morning pluto pup...without paper....this will instantly lift your cred 100%.

 

[Icy Gull]

Difficult, of course it’s going to be difficult, but hopefully ENTERTAINING too, bring it on

The cat is looking forward to less kickings as well.

 

[macbeth]

People say this every year. And you're right, but, for example, who could've predicted Fulham's total collapse last year? Most people I spoke to thought they'd finish close-ish to Wolves. The way these threads often go makes it sound like it will be plain sailing for the other 19 teams in the league and utter oblivion for us and we'll be the only one's relegated due to the sheer gap between us and the rest. I admit our squad is way off the pace in areas, but we have experience now, which none of the three promoted teams do. There will be unexpected surprises, both overachievers and massive underachievers, other teams where were will struggle massively. Once again we are many people's favourites for relegation, as we are every year, but by removing CH, as much as I loved him, we've given the best possible chance of staying up. Think some people on here seriously underestimate us based on a run of about 10 games at the back end of last season. We've shown multiple times over two years we have players who are more than capable.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Someone has to come out with the same old rhetoric every season. This is a tough league every year.

This. Same old, same old.

Lest we forget, in the past couple of seasons Leicester won the thing, Burnley qualified for Europe (OK, Aberdeen) and Wolves just finished seventh. It can be done. Nothing that special about any of those clubs. Why not us next?

 

[Weststander]

People say this every year. And you're right, but, for example, who could've predicted Fulham's total collapse last year? Most people I spoke to thought they'd finish close-ish to Wolves. The way these threads often go makes it sound like it will be plain sailing for the other 19 teams in he league and utter oblivion for us and we'll be the only one's relegated due to the sheer gap between us and the rest. I admit or squad is way off the pace in areas, but we have experience now which none of the three promoted teams do. There will be unexpected surprises, both overachievers and massive underachievers, other teams where were will struggle massively. Once again we are many people's favourites for relegation, as we are every year, but by removing CH, as much as I loved him, we've given the best possible chance of staying up. Think some people on here seriously underestimate us based on a run of about 10 games at the back end of last season. We've shown multiple times over tow year we have players who are more than capable.

We need to stay up, not least to quieten the "I told you so" pundits and some NSC'ers, who are ready to smugly criticise Tony Bloom.

 

[dejavuatbtn]

To be fair, most clubs’ fans go into a season with a certain amount of angst and trepidation. The top 6 worry about who will get into the European Cup, and the rest are looking to avoid relegation with varying levels of concern and possibility. It’s life today in the Premier League and why being there isn’t the be all and end all of supporting your local team. Most of my favourite times watching the Albion have had nothing to do with Premier League football - indeed I sometimes think being in a lower division is better for my health!

 

[oldboyroy]

For a club where we are we will have to be on top of our game to have any chance of getting anything out of each and every game

 

[Eeyore]

Next seasons premier league looks like one of the strongest yet, definitely the strongest we’ve been in. The teams getting promoted are no push overs, Villa are a sleeping giant, and if given financial backing this summer will be very strong with players like grealish and mcginn. Sheffield United and Norwich are possibly on paper the weakest teams, but have a strong togetherness and good managers, whilst also having tidy players. The bottom half of the table teams also are all looking strong. Southamptons new manager has them playing again and is said to be given a lot of money this summer. Newcastle with a possible new takeover and an outstanding manager. Burnley are possibly the weakest remaining team, however, this is said about them every year and every year they surprise people. I believe if hughton had stayed then we would’ve sleep walked into relegation, how many of those teams would we realistically finish above with hughton in charge? Potter is a risk, but a risk which needed to be taken.

Aston Villa took a gamble and it paid off. But strong financial backing ? Can't see them investing too heavily.

 

[Lifelong Supporter]

If TB and co get us a decent striker and GP manages well we will stay up. The general view is that GP is a good manager. So it is down to the recruitment team to deliver (Murray is too old and Andone and Locadia not up to it)

 

[Stat Brother]

You're not wrong about the difficult season ahead.

Have you seen the state of the latest rumour threads?

 

[Nixonator]

For a club where we are we will have to be on top of our game to have any chance of getting anything out of each and every game

Agreed. It's all about the levels, a club of our level needs to be at our levels and hope the other clubs such as the level of Burnley are not at their levels else they'll hurt you.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Someone has to come out with the same old rhetoric every season. This is a tough league every year.

These are all good sides

 

[Icy Gull]

If TB and co get us a decent striker and GP manages well we will stay up. The general view is that GP is a good manager. So it is down to the recruitment team to deliver (Murray is too old and Andone and Locadia not up to it)

Are you part of the recruitment team, you are speaking like you know just how good or bad these players are. I really don’t get how people can be SO certain, and there’s plenty of them, that the attacking players we bought and used as defenders primarily are not up to it. I will also be very surprised if GM doesn’t have a big part to play, even if just as a sub.

I look forward to seeing how the “flops” feature next season, pretty sure they’ll all get a run out and then we’ll be able to make a more considered decision on how good or bad they are.

 

[Lifelong Supporter]

Are you part of the recruitment team, you are speaking like you know just how good or bad these players are. I really don’t get how people can be SO certain, and there’s plenty of them, that the attacking players we bought and used as defenders primarily are not up to it. I will also be very surprised if GM doesn’t have a big part to play, even if just as a sub.

I look forward to seeing how the “flops” feature next season, pretty sure they’ll all get a run out and then we’ll be able to make a more considered decision on how good or bad they are.

We badly need a mobile striker who will score goals. They may be ok as squad players but we do not have the luxury of giving them a 'run out' to see if they are ok.