So who are we competing with...

In the race to avoid relegation....

Looking at last season's runners and riders

Man City, Man Utd, Tottenham, Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal - 0 Chance they will be anywhere near relegation.

Everton, Leicester, Burnley I can't see them being in trouble next season either.


Then we have:
West Ham, Newcastle, Palace and Southampton, who could get dragged in, but I would expect all three to be stronger next season, and not really expecting them to be involved for too long in the relegation battle.

that leaves
Bournemouth, Watford, Brighton and Huddersfield and the 3 promoted teams

Wolves will probably spend big again and pull themselves clear, and either us, fulham or villa will be competing with a handful of teams at the bottom of the league to avoid the drop.

To me that seems a much more daunting prospect than in recent seasons, as a few of the teams who were perennial strugglers seem to have been cleared out over the last few years, and some of the others haven't been there long enough to have become overly burdened with dross.
I'm kind of expecting to go down this time round, but I'm fine with that, anything else is a bonus.

Of course, the one thing thats certain is the league will not pan out the way I've predicted above, some teams will be surprisingly good and others get on a bad run and never recover. But it'll be fun finding out.

Think if you'd have asked Huddersfield fans this time last year about their chances, they would have been pretty negative. Last time we beat Man City and drew with Man U and Everton, and even beat Southampton away. With a couple of decent additions we're more than capable of matching Watford, Brighton and Bournemouth. Still have to pinch myself that we've actually made it.:ayatollah:

We will surprise a lot of cynics, 15th at worst . If the jacks can beat top 6 sides , our warriors also can do the same

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Originally Posted by Rocco Siffredi

We will surprise a lot of cynics, 15th at worst . If the jacks can beat top 6 sides , our warriors also can do the same

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I think we could surprise a lot of teams:thumbup:

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Originally Posted by jeepster

I think we could surprise a lot of teams:thumbup:

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I suspect our direct style will unsettle a few teams early on so I am hoping for a decent start to the season. Things will get more difficult as time goes on.

I just hope we get stuck in for all the games. Against Man City we looked a bit star-struck and overawed. This is why I think we need to try to sign a few names who have PL experience. Allen, Shawcross, HRK? Even Collins....shame there aren’t more strikers or midfielders on this list 😕 though.

Thought the standard at the bottom of the Premier League was really poor in the season just ended - poorer than in 13/14.

I expect Burnley to be right in the relegation mix.

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Originally Posted by Pontprennau Bluebird

I just hope we get stuck in for all the games. Against Man City we looked a bit star-struck and overawed. This is why I think we need to try to sign a few names who have PL experience. Allen, Shawcross, HRK? Even Collins....shame there aren’t more strikers or midfielders on this list �� though.

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I don't think shawcross, help and Collins is the recipe for survival

The Premier League is obviously a lot more predictable than the Championship. However, this time last season I don't think many people would have predicted West Brom and certainly not Stoke to get relegated. So many things to factor in over a course of the season. Stoke had a load of off field issues to contend with, no dressing room harmony whatsoever and that can destroy a teams spirit and can happen to anyone if management are not on top of things throughout the course of a season. Teams like West Ham and Watford always appear to have continuous issues in this respect.

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Originally Posted by jeremy corbyn

I suspect our direct style will unsettle a few teams early on so I am hoping for a decent start to the season. Things will get more difficult as time goes on.

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I think West Ham will struggle - Im expecting them to go with a big name boss, but team spirit is zero there.

Huddersfield are on Part 2 of their Bradford journey, and will go down. Brighton and Bournemouth are not going down, and I think the same goes for Watford.

I think of the 3 promoted teams, Cardiff will fare the worst. Palace may stutter.

At current state of play my 3 for the drop are

18 West Ham
19 Huddersfield
20 Cardiff

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Originally Posted by Badly Ironed Shirt

I think West Ham will struggle - Im expecting them to go with a big name boss, but team spirit is zero there.

Huddersfield are on Part 2 of their Bradford journey, and will go down. Brighton and Bournemouth are not going down, and I think the same goes for Watford.

I think of the 3 promoted teams, Cardiff will fare the worst. Palace may stutter.

At current state of play my 3 for the drop are

18 West Ham
19 Huddersfield
20 Cardiff

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West ham have Manuel pellegrini as manager, and have said they will spend 75 million

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Originally Posted by Rjk

West ham have Manuel pellegrini as manager, and have said they will spend 75 million

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Until I see how they spend the money, I will keep them in the bottom 3.

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Originally Posted by Hilts

I expect Burnley to be right in the relegation mix.

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I agree, I think their European campaign will be a huge distraction from the league.

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Originally Posted by Badly Ironed Shirt

I think West Ham will struggle - Im expecting them to go with a big name boss, but team spirit is zero there.

Huddersfield are on Part 2 of their Bradford journey, and will go down. Brighton and Bournemouth are not going down, and I think the same goes for Watford.

I think of the 3 promoted teams, Cardiff will fare the worst. Palace may stutter.

At current state of play my 3 for the drop are

18 West Ham
19 Huddersfield
20 Cardiff

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I'd swap West Ham for Watford. I think West Ham will be around the top half same as Palace.
If the Watford manager ends up at Everton he'll take a couple of their better players.

As long as we spend sensibly and put enough clauses in contacts so we are in a good position if we do go down.

13 point gap from 20th to 10th, I'd say half the division are beatable.

17 Cardiff
18 Villa
19 Watford
20 Huddersfield

And I would take that all day long.

i would like us to try and compete with that middle group, any of them ( if not all of them ) could start badly and be in the mix

Bottom three for me will be Us, Huddersfield and whoever else comes up.

Unfortunately I think we'll be bottom by a long way.

People are massively overrating the standard of the Premier League here, especially the bottom half

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Originally Posted by ken smith

I'd swap West Ham for Watford. I think West Ham will be around the top half same as Palace.
If the Watford manager ends up at Everton he'll take a couple of their better players.

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Which Watford manager (there's been so many)?

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Originally Posted by Badly Ironed Shirt

Which Watford manager (there's been so many)?

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Just looked and didn't even know Silva had been replaced!