Premier League 20/21 - Early Thoughts

[Del Woppio]

If they're playing international football there's no point in starting later

 

[Pablowolf]

Even if the Euro-involved teams start later, they're still going to have to train, so what's the point unless we start a month later? Even then, we're likely playing teams up to match fitness. Horse shit.

 

[PuntsWolf]

A lot less than i thought then, i guess there is the TV money and sponsorship too, but not anywhere near 24 mill.

So with that in mind Arsenal NOT making the EL won't make a huge difference to them financially.

Arsenal make a killing on match day income, expensive tickets, loads of hospitality etc.

So an extra 5+ EL at £2-4m+ per game is a pretty large hole in your turnover. Factor in sponsorship loss (this will be a lot), prize money, TV money and all the small things that add up.

Arsenal make 10x more than us per game so certainly will be something they don’t want to be without.

 

[Boozad]

As for us, I do think that Nuno has recognised that we were maybe a little too cautious in some games which has lead to too many draws. I don't think we'll suddenly go all kamikaze but I think he will unleash our forwards a bit more which will hopefully see us competing for the top 4 with a bit more intent.

I was thinking about this the other day, we're obviously a much better team when we have the ball working it round the pitch and opening up spaces than when we're sitting back and nullifying the opposition (don't get me wrong we're very good at both, but we tend to not really look like scoring when we employ the latter), but to play that way for the full 90 will take a lot more out of the players. I think our fist half approach has played a huge part in keeping the core first team as fit as they are so if that's replaced with a little more intent throughout the whole game we're going to need a bigger squad. Nothing ridiculous but enough to be able to rotate when necessary which we don't really have at the moment. Address that properly and I think we'd genuinely have a real shot at fourth. If we approach next season pretty much the same as this one then I'd say between fourth and seventh again, it would all depend which way all those draws went.

WBA and Playoff winners to go down with one of Villa, Brighton, West Ham or Palace joining them. Villa and West Ham have the biggest opportunities to turn things round but I'd be tempted to bet on both being at the wrong end of the table again next year. No idea about Leeds, can't decide between safe mid table or in with the mix at the bottom, way too tough to call.

 

[Alan]

Bit early to make predictions before the window closes, no? So much can change with every team.

As for Leeds, every team that wins the Champ feels decent about its chances. Imagine how arrogant so many of us must have seemed (and likely still seem) from the outside when we went up.

As for who the best Championship winners ever are, that's easy. Reading of '05-'06. That points haul doesn't lie.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

The division that year was shite, we finished 7th and we were terrible.

Our 2017/18 team was far better than that as were Fulham in 2000/01, just to name two.

 

[Alan]

You can say things like that all day, but the points are the only objective indicator. And it works against Leeds in this case. Everyone wins!

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

I don't need to be objective, I watched them all

Leeds are not in that bracket either.

 

[Tony Towner]

If you base it on performance the following season then it was Forest in 93/4. Went up and finished 3rd.

 

[Alan]

I don't need to be objective, I watched them all

Leeds are not in that bracket either.

I don't doubt for a minute that you did, tbf. :icon_lol:

But you know how much I love a good "hmm, that's not what the scoreboard says" argument.

 

[PuntsWolf]

This debate comes up all the time on twitter. You can’t compare what happened in 93/94 to 2018/19 or whatever. The landscape is just so different. Even Reading in 06, there wasn’t a massive financial gulf in the “big 6”. It was United vs Chelsea. Arsenal never spent anything and Liverpool just continued to be average.

 

[YoungWolf]

You can say things like that all day, but the points are the only objective indicator. And it works against Leeds in this case. Everyone wins!

Except that 46 games isn’t a huge sample, to know how objectively good they actually were. They came back down within two seasons.

 

[YoungWolf]

I don't need to be objective, I watched them all

Leeds are not in that bracket either.

Possibly, arguably one of the best coached I’ve seen at this level though. They’ve been the best team in the championship by a mile for two seasons.

Think our 17/18 side was easily the best championship team in over 20 years.

 

[Deano]

If Leeds defend the way they do in the Championship in the Premier League they will take some absolute batterings. They do this weird thing where they all press the ball and leave huge gaps all over the place

 

[Derby Wolf]

I don't need to be objective, I watched them all

Leeds are not in that bracket either.

When you spoke about Liverpool earlier in the year that's how I remembered Reading. Few games they ran riot but mostly it was just a procession and them finding a way. They beat us 2-0 at Christmas time iirc and I don't remember coming away thinking bloody hell they were outstanding.

I went to England v Slovenia for my sins and the highlight was the Derby fans behind raving about us walking the league and who'd finish second.

 

[PuntsWolf]

I can’t say I’ve watched huge amounts of Championship football but whenever I watched Leeds I can’t say I ever thought “what a team”. Didn’t help that they had Bamford up front, wingers at full back and a clown in goal but still. They looked ok on the ball and going forward but as soon as they lost it they were wide open. They don’t own Ben White or Harrison, although they can probably get the later on loan easy enough again, Pablo Hernandez is ancient, Costa and Alioski aren’t that good.

That style of football won’t be effective with sub par players, see Norwich for details

 

[lemonjelly]

I'm unsure on leeds. Like may, I have watched very little championship football.

Assuming villa survive, it will depend on whether they back smith, or carry on with their pretty mad transfer system. I think they need to give a bit more control to smith myself.
Palace have a large squad overhaul to do. Too many players that are comfortable in/around london there imo.
newcastle. how have they stayed so safe this season?depending on what happens with their takeover, it could become a bit of a mess. If bruce is still in charge next season, they will be in a relegation battle too.
West Ham. Moyes is cack. Another squad needing serious work. can see them having a challenge/further lower half finish.

I think Brighton will improve next season. Think southampton will be an inconsistent mid table team. I get the feeling they're looking at a longer term project.
Everton could also go one way or the other. Unlike newcastle, they have a manager with some astuteness in tactics.
Burnley are in an odd situation now, and think they will be mid table or bottom half, without being in danger of going down.
I'm really not sold on spurs. Mourinho could be quite odd there. Equally, he could fall out with everyone. If any team has benefitted from the season break it is them.They need 3-4 starting defenders, as well as 2 centre mids imo. And that is just to begin with. And we know Levy is unlikely to do all that in one window. Alli has been out of sorts for a while, and they haven't replaced Eriksen in any way. They are playing winks FFS.
Arsenal could be interesting under Arteta. But there is a naivete there that is likely to result in inconsistent results.

I think Leicester will improve.
For us, I expect 2 first team signings, as well as 2-3 Neto style signings (young untried players with high potential). Also interesting to see who leaves. I think next year we will finish 5th.

 

[The Bear]

I think you'll be disappointed if you think we're going to sign that many players.

 

[Derby Wolf]

That Palace squad is ancient too.

Ward - 31
PVA - 30
Dann - 33
Ayew - 28
Guaita - 33
Tompkins - 31
Milivovic - 29
Townsend - 29
Sakho - 30
Hennessey - 33
Benteke - 29
McCarthy - 29
Mccarthur - 32
Kelly - 30
Cahill - 35

Schlupp, Zaha and Wickham add young legs as they don't turn 28 until December, November and March respectively.

 

[Norman Deeley]

Palace have the oldest squad in the league - serious bottom 3 contenders next season