What the pundits & media are saying about us

[Trotter]

The odds don’t indicate where we are as a squad though, they indicate where punters are putting their money. I don’t think it’s unrealistic with the players we have and more importantly the manager we have to suggest we can finish in the top4. Last year we were beset with a ridiculous amount of injuries.

I can’t disagree enough with the idea that higher than 5th is wishful hoping.

One follows the other, people put their money based on where we are as a squad compared to other teams (which to be frank, is miles behind Man C, Liverpool, Man U and Chelsea).
I am more than happy to give you even money odds and make this a personal bet if you can't disagree more.

 

[wrd]

One follows the other, people put their money based on where we are as a squad compared to other teams (which to be frank, is miles behind Man C, Liverpool, Man U and Chelsea).
I am more than happy to give you even money odds and make this a personal bet if you can't disagree more.

I'm not betting with somebody I don't know on the internet, if you care so much you can set yourself a cheeky reminder for when I'm right. We have one of the best balanced and deepest squads in the league now. Maybe not to the level of City and Liverpool but Certainly on par with United and whilst Chelsea have bought extremely well, they'll have a lot to bed in. More important our manager compared to those of United, Chelsea and Arsenal is by far the most experienced but also the most pragmatic. He knows how to grind wins out which is important during the league.

 

[degoose]

i listened to football weekly today. I'm not sure why as i have listened to that less and less but good ol Barry has us not in the top 6 and wolves in 4th with no actual reasons why and no examples of how they will improve but we will finish lower even though Jose improved our positions and wolves were over taken by us and we signed their right back. I like the guys comedy but his actual lack of explanations of things or lack of his reasoning is always bizarre.

 

[GMI]

Jack Pitt-Broke has us in the top 4 this season (View from the Lane Podcast). He thinks we’ll have a good season. He said we’ll be the same as last year but better whilst there are too many variables with Chelsea and Man Utd.

 

[Doctor Dinkey]

Craig Burley and Shaka Hislop ripping our chances to bits on ESPN....

 

[spud]

Craig Burley and Shaka Hislop ripping our chances to bits on ESPN....

I'm pretty happy that all of the 'experts' have us outside the top four. It's good to fly under the radar.

 

[leelee]

It's funny that these so called ex-pro's and experts have no clue. The balance we have in the squad now and taking into account last season was a strange one with injuries that shouldn't happen to us again, and the manager we have at the helm and the motivation to prove experts, media and fans wrong, I think we're nailed on for a top 4 finish.

 

[Trees]

Go home Waddle, you're drunk.

Be fair Waddle tipped us for top 2 last year I think. His Brexit voting maybe getting him to do some crazy predictions.

 

[slartibartfast]

I'm not betting with somebody I don't know on the internet, if you care so much you can set yourself a cheeky reminder for when I'm right. We have one of the best balanced and deepest squads in the league now. Maybe not to the level of City and Liverpool but Certainly on par with United and whilst Chelsea have bought extremely well, they'll have a lot to bed in. More important our manager compared to those of United, Chelsea and Arsenal is by far the most experienced but also the most pragmatic. He knows how to grind wins out which is important during the league.

Keep talking, you're starting to convince me lol

 

[wrd]

Keep talking, you're starting to convince me lol

I just don't think the way he was describing it, as if it would be a miracle if we make top4 was accurate, no doubt we are probably 5th/6th favourites, I think we can go beyond that. I don't think United have as good a Keeper/Goalie as us, I don't think their forwards are as good as ours, I don't think their bench is as good as ours. What they have is a strong midfield, we've plugged the biggest issue we had in midfield. If we Lo Celso or Tanguy or even better both kick on then we have one of the strongest teams in the league. Chelsea have made how many signings, They've got a period of integration. This is all before we factor in that Jose is excellent at grinding out results when his teams aren't playing well.

 

[Deleted member 27995]

Craig Burley and Shaka Hislop ripping our chances to bits on ESPN....

I'm really struggling with those two names and them ripping our chances ... I mean ...

 

[SCUMmucs]

The thing is, with no fans to get on the back of the team for playing negative football I think we will do well. I just think we won’t enjoy watching it.
interestingly whenever we are under the radar we do well. It’s expectation that crushes us. It’s vital Jose deals with that more than anything.

 

[teok]

The thing is, with no fans to get on the back of the team for playing negative football I think we will do well. I just think we won’t enjoy watching it.
interestingly whenever we are under the radar we do well. It’s expectation that crushes us. It’s vital Jose deals with that more than anything.

It's interesting which teams benefit/lose out from the lock down. Liverpool/leeds definitely will lose that edge. Teams like arsenal seem to benefit. Some teams like us I think it can either way.

 

[Timberwolf]

Jack Pitt-Broke has us in the top 4 this season (View from the Lane Podcast). He thinks we’ll have a good season. He said we’ll be the same as last year but better whilst there are too many variables with Chelsea and Man Utd.

He's made so many terrible predictions about us on that podcast, saying he felt really confident we'd win both Chelsea games, among countless others. If anything, him backing us for 4th just fills me with dread.

 

[Timberwolf]

We're in a weird spot, prediction wise.

On the one hand, we still have 2/3rds of the squad that repeatedly finished in the top 4, we have a manager with an incredible track record of getting the most out of teams in his 2nd season in charge, and we've made some smart signings in key positions. Towards the end of the season our team shape looked solid and we were keeping clean sheets and grinding out good results. Also, Lo Celso and Ndombele should both have better seasons and that's 100m worth of talent right there. Add in a striker and (whispers it) ...a certain Welshman?...the potential is very high.

However, the league is looking extremely strong, we're playing quite negative football, Jose might be past it, we have a horrendous fixture pile up and our direct competitors Chelsea and United both look like teams very much on the up.

I honestly think we have about as good a chance of coming 3rd as we do of coming 7th. I could see us having a great season and really flying under the radar, but I could also see us losing plenty of games against inferior teams and having a bit of an average season. It's really really hard to say.

I think a lot of the pundits are being a bit lazy by just saying we won't do well, though. If anything we're a serious dark horse this season if it all clicks together.

 

[SCUMmucs]

We have less to click than people seem to think. Most of the clicking happened post lockdown. We haven’t exactly signed a new team or changed the core either. It’s two new starters and their predecessors are still here so if it doesn’t work out they can still come in. We should be the hardest team to beat in the league, won’t necessarily win the most but should not lose many. That’s a strong base.

 

[Wadec]

Its all about perception, the vast majority of pundits buy into new signings regardless of if they address the main issues in the team they are joining.

Key examples are Arsenal and Chelsea, have they signed good players? I'd say yes. Have they addressed their biggest issues Centre mid and Goalkeeper respectively and I'd say no.

I can guarantee that if Bale joined us some pundits would have us winning the league.

Personally I am more than happy to fly under the radar and prove people wrong, we are best when written off and Jose loves playing on not being the favourite and having everything against him.

 

[Marty]

I'm pretty happy that all of the 'experts' have us outside the top four. It's good to fly under the radar.

The last time nobody had us top four was probably when Leicester won and we finished third.

In any case I think it's really weird to put the pundits on the spot like that before the window has closed. What if we sign Bale, a cracking young striker and Reguilon, what will they say then? So much can happen still.

 

[worcestersauce]

All the pundits agreed in the top four and we're not in any of them with Arsenal only once.
I'm not going overboard on this but I think Arsenal will challenge them harder than they think and we will give them a run for their money too. The pundits may well be right, probably are but I don't see the difference being as great as the predictions would make you believe.

 

[Trotter]

Odds have us with the following chances

2% Win league
3% Runners-up
7% Third
13% Fourth
26% Fifth or Sixth
49% Below Sixth

so basically 1 in 4 chance of Champions League finish , 1 in 4 of Europa League finish and 1 in 2 chance of neither, and with us basically spending season battling Arsenal, Wolves, Everton and Leicester for minor spots.
I think currently that is realistic.
The fixtures are going to come around so fast this season, rotation will be essential and we have more than enough evidence that our second choice players are really not of the required calibre.