Surprise teams 17/18

[HertsWolf]

So who's going to be the surprise package this coming season (other than your club, of course, who have the best goalkeeper not called Keiren, the best defence, manager, striker, fans, pies, programmes, car park, yawn)?

And the surprisingly shit team?

Despite having tipped Bolton to go back down, I think they might be the good surprise this season.

On the bad side, Villa and Fulham. Can see both of them in the basement and managerless by October.

 

[KevinMcallister]

we will surprise you all and finish bottom of the Away league table

 

[markwwfc1992]

I think Birmingham and Notts Forest will have good seasons, but not sure if they would be classed as surprise packages as they're both investing a lot.

 

[JaseTheVillain]

Derby to be shite, lower mid-table.

Sheff Utd to surprise everyone and push for play-offs but fall short.

we will surprise you all and finish bottom of the Away league table

When's the last time you lot went 2 seasons in a row without winning it?

 

[El Guapo]

Derby to be shite, lower mid-table.

Rowett loves a boring mid-table finish.

 

[JJH]

Birmingham should have a decent season but I don't think they'd really be a surprise package. Cardiff possibly under Warnock.

 

[Luke_1884]

Derby to be shite, lower mid-table.

A team who finished mid table selling their two best players to finish lower mid table wouldn't be very shocking as it stands IMO.

Of course there's plenty of time before KO for squads/ambitions to change.

 

[JaseTheVillain]

A team who finished mid table selling their two best players to finish lower mid table wouldn't be very shocking as it stands IMO.

Of course there's plenty of time before KO for squads/ambitions to change.

If there's one thing I've learned about the Championship it's that very little is actually surprising in this division, I would have said Reading to struggle, and even though they finished 3rd last season would that really surprise anyone?

I think the only team that would surprise anyone would be Burton winning the bloody league.

 

[blademan89]

Cardiff for top 6. Preston to get relegated are my tips for the main 2 shocks.

 

[Nuttall]

I can see Preston really struggling without Grayson and I can't see villa been as good as everyone thinks they'll be.

A surprise at the top? Think there's very few that would be a shock. Birmingham's recruitment has been good but as they've got investment it wouldn't really be a shock

 

[SF_]

Best squad we've had in about 12 years, would take something catastrophic for us to go down. We'll finish above the three sides coming up.

 

[Bobbin']

Neil Harris and Millwall are developing a tidy little side, don't think they'll be struggling at the bottom like some people are suggesting.

Sheffield United, I wouldn't be surprised to see make a challenge for the top 6. Remind me a little of us when we came up and finished 9th. Popular manager, tight knit group, good momentum after romping the league below etc.

 

[blademan89]

Best squad we've had in about 12 years, would take something catastrophic for us to go down. We'll finish above the three sides coming up.

£20 bet we finish above you pal?

 

[SF_]

£20 bet we finish above you pal?

Nah, gambling on footy forums doesn't do it for me. Confident though, think we've a lot more quality than you as it stands, I don't think Sharp/ Evans will cut it but you could be solid, bit like us the season before last.

 

[SirTomFinney]

Can see why people think we will struggle as Grayson was a huge part of our success. Wouldn't surprise me to see us in the play offs or in a relegation dog fight I really don't know!

I think Cardiff Sheffield Utd will have good seasons and challenge for play offs. Think Leeds might struggle

 

[City169]

Sunderland to be shit, but would that really be a surprise?

 

[JaseTheVillain]

Sunderland to be shit, but would that really be a surprise?

Nope. They'll have a similar season to us last season but flirt with the bottom a little more.

 

[City169]

Nope. They'll have a similar season to us last season but flirt with the bottom a little more.

Without wanting to derail the thread massively?
What's Villas situation with money this year? Obviously you have parachute payments which help, but from my (admittedly very ill informed) view, you must be cutting things close on FFP after the money spent last year.

Seem to recall reading this years budget for transfers is just £1m plus money made from sales, but may have imagined it.

If as I thought (and I am probably wrong) and you are close to the limit on FFP, then promotion before parachute payments stop is a must surely?
Bruce is a good manager, last years performance from Villa was about as expected from me, and I expect you'll be around the playoffs this time.

 

[JaseTheVillain]

Without wanting to derail the thread massively?
What's Villas situation with money this year? Obviously you have parachute payments which help, but from my (admittedly very ill informed) view, you must be cutting things close on FFP after the money spent last year.

Seem to recall reading this years budget for transfers is just £1m plus money made from sales, but may have imagined it.

If as I thought (and I am probably wrong) and you are close to the limit on FFP, then promotion before parachute payments stop is a must surely?
Bruce is a good manager, last years performance from Villa was about as expected from me, and I expect you'll be around the playoffs this time.

We've cut back this year certainly, as we are on the edge regarding FFP, so far we've made around £10million (when Amavi's move is confirmed, which it more or less is) and spent bugger all. We can't keep just throwing money at it and hoping it sticks, we built the squad last season, will add a little this, and hope to go up.

The £1million was a paper figure and was rubbished by Xia on Twitter and he's not lied yet so there's reason to disbelieve him.

Promotion is a must within the next two seasons, certainly, as we're still running on a more or less (though with big cuts to previously) Premier League budget. It's do or die this season really, as our parachute payment next season is only £14million. Not a great help compared to the £40million we received last season, and £33million this.

 

[Veggie Legs]

Promotion is a must within the next two seasons, certainly, as we're still running on a more or less (though with big cuts to previously) Premier League budget. It's do or die this season really, as our parachute payment next season is only £14million. Not a great help compared to the £40million we received last season, and £33million this.

I know that not all teams are operating in the same world financially, but that 'only' £14m is bigger than the entire revenue of some clubs in this league.

 

[JaseTheVillain]

I know that not all teams are operating in the same world financially, but that 'only' £14m is bigger than the entire revenue of some clubs in this league.

I never said it wasn't, and specifically stated we're still running on a Premier League budget, rightly or wrongly, £14million is sod all to us.

 

[HertsWolf]

I know that not all teams are operating in the same world financially, but that 'only' £14m is bigger than the entire revenue of some clubs in this league.

£14m doesn't get you a lot these days, tbh. Not even a complete Portuguese defensive midfielder!

 

[markwwfc1992]

£14m doesn't get you a lot these days, tbh. Not even a complete Portuguese defensive midfielder!

It could buy you 9.3 George Savilles to be fair.

 

[JoshBCFC]

It pains me to say it but I wouldn't bet against Cardiff fighting for the play-offs this season, Neil Warnock knows how to get scrappy wins. I reckon Florist will finish in the top-half, mainly due to Fawaz finally selling up along with Birmingham, Sheffield United and Sunderland.

 

[City169]

It could buy you 9.3 George Savilles to be fair.

46.66 Matty Taylors in real terms, or 1.4 Mattt Taylors according to the Bristol Rovers methods of valuation.

 

[Aber gas]

46.66 Matty Taylors in real terms, or 1.4 Mattt Taylors according to the Bristol Rovers methods of valuation.

Lol.

 

[lee Stand]

Steve Bruce to be a Sky Pundit by Jan 18

Forest,much as it pains to say this, will do well..

 

[Jed Maxwell]

Leeds are going up as champions

 

[Tom_ITFC]

It could buy you 9.3 George Savilles to be fair.

Or our whole squad.