Your club's chances for the 15/16 season

[Panda]

The football season's here again! And that means it's time to assess your team's chances for the season. Will you win anything? Will you go up? Will you stay up? Share your thoughts below.


Team:


Division:


Greatest hope this season:


Biggest fear:


Most likely reason for success:


Most likely reason for failure:


Best summer signing(s):


Most important player:


Most underrated player:


Young player to watch:


Player you'd happily drive to his next club:


One change you'd make at your club:


Have you got the right manager?


What advice would you give him?


Which team do you most want to beat this season?


Best away fans:


Best away ground to visit:


Opposition player you despise:


Opposition player you secretly admire:


Where will you finish?

[Razzle Dazzle]

Team: West Ham


Division: Premiership


Greatest hope this season: Top 10 and some good football


Biggest fear: Relegation


Most likely reason for success: Payet hitting top form


Most likely reason for failure: players being stuck in big Sams way of playing


Best summer signing(s): Dimitri Payet


Most important player: Payet


Most underrated player: Kouyate


Young player to watch: Reece Oxford


Player you'd happily drive to his next club: Nolan, 1 goal in 18 month for a goal hanger


One change you'd make at your club: Buy a top striker that can stay fit


Have you got the right manager? No, but best option that wanted to join and better than Sam


What advice would you give him? Get rid of Nolan, Maiga and Collins asap, followed by Zarate and Jarvis if they don't shape up


Which team do you most want to beat this season? Spurs


Best away fans: Newcastle


Best away ground to visit: Bournmouth or Palace


Opposition player you despise: Smalling, he is awful


Opposition player you secretly admire: Cabaye at Palace


Where will you finish? 12th

[Tom]

Been looking forward to this and have given it plenty of thought since the end of last season (when I wasn't wrapped up in the tennis that is).

Team: Reading

Division: Championship

Greatest hope this season: I think automatic promotion is out of reach so i'll say Wembley in any competition - but winning there for a change.

Biggest fear: Relegation

Most likely reason for success: Team spirit, confidence, players playing at the top of their of their game. Having a couple of strikers scoring regularly would help too.

Most likely reason for failure: Difficult to pinpoint one, but similar to above. Lack of team spirit and confidence and uncommitted players. Even taking into account the FA Cup run we underachieved last season.

Best summer signing(s): Stephen Quinn - been likened to Jay Tabb which is good enough for me. When Tabb was playing regularly I thought he was great in the Championship, and I liked him in the PL too. All in all a great signing.

Most important player: Michael Hector - the only player who I genuinely believe will be a PL player in the near future. Anton Ferdinand could also be key, but that would depend on him staying fit...

Most underrated player: Pavel Pogrebynak

Young player to watch: Tarique Fosu/Jack Stacey
I swear this category gets harder each year, with players coming through every year, some players kicking on more than expected, others regressing, plus injury thrown in too (more on that in a bit). I've said two wingers as i think creativity will be key this season and if either have end product they could end up getting quite a lot of minutes with the wide positions not set in stone. After the FA Youth Cup run in 2013/2014 when Stacey was my favourite player in the team i thought that he'd be starting games for us in two seasons time (i.e. this season), just didn't expect him to have started games for us last season! He also featured more than Fosu did last season, but Fosu made more of an impact and Stacey picked up an injury on the final day which at the time i feared would ruin pre-season for him, and it has as he hasn't played since (assuming he hasn't played an U21 game in the last few days). Overall I can't split them, so i'm afraid I've gone for both of them!

Player you'd happily drive to his next club: Difficult one, would have said Nick Blackman but he has at least been scoring in pre-season. Also Danny Guthrie's gone, there isn't really anyone else I dislike.

One change you'd make at your club: Not an easy one to explain but get our identity back. I think we've lost it in recent years.

Have you got the right manager? I'm not unhappy with him but this really feels like a make or break season. The biggest summer overhaul I can think of, Coppell made wholesale changes in 2005 (and we know what happened at the end of that season...) but he didn't change the coaching staff as well. He's been surprisingly proactive in the transfer market making 5 signings and says he wants 3 more, and there's been talk of the Premier League amongst some of the signings. If he gets those extra 3 then he really hasn't got any excuses if things don't go well. He's been backed probably more than fans expected.

What advice would you give him? Be bolder at home, got a feeling we could be playing a variation of 4-5-1 which i'm not generally a fan of at home (but will accept against the top sides). I'm not sure he's really got a Plan B either.

Which team do you most want to beat this season? QPR

Best away fans: Not one I ever find that easy, but probably Leeds. They always seem to pack out the away end, even if it's a midweek game. Wouldn't say they make a lot of noise, but then in the games against them I've seen they haven't had much to shout about. Hopefully that will continue when I go to the game in a couple of weeks!

Best away ground to visit: Brighton, as it's the only away ground I would consider going to. The interest in going to away games generally isn't really there anymore.

Opposition player you despise: Not really a fan of ex centre back Matt Mills so i'll say him...

Opposition player you secretly admire: Jordan Rhodes - assuming he's still playing in the Championship this season. Always thought after he got 40 goals for Huddersfield a few years back that he'd be a decent PL player and i haven't changed my mind since he joined Blackburn.

Where will you finish? May change my mind before the season starts when I've properly assessed how Clarke did last season and factored in the players who have left, but for now i'll say bottom half maybe mid-table, possibly top half if McCleary can find his best form more often now that it's been a year since his back surgery and if our strikers can score on a more regular basis. It's certainly better than the League 1 feeling i had at the end of last season...but i don't see us making the playoffs so it'll be somewhere in between.

[Paddy]

Team:
Ipswich Town FC




Division:
Championship 




Greatest hope this season:
Promotion




Biggest fear:
Relegation




Most likely reason for success:
Mick and Terry doing another superb job. 




Most likely reason for failure:
Mick and Terry are poached elsewhere.




Best summer signing(s):
New Danish international. Knunsden




Most important player:
Murphy 




Most underrated player:
Johnny Parr, Norwegian international, plays right back, left back, centre back, left midfield, central midfield but never gets played. 




Young player to watch:
Teddy Bishop. 




Player you'd happily drive to his next club:
Jay Tabb




One change you'd make at your club:
Depth in the squad.




Have you got the right manager?
Yes




What advice would you give him?
Get some loanees in to cover potential issues.




Which team do you most want to beat this season?
Normally it would be Norwich, or Bournemouth but this season now it is... actually who is in our league... there is no one of real interest. 




Best away fans:
pass




Best away ground to visit:
Not been to any who are in the league this season I think. 




Opposition player you despise:
n/a




Opposition player you secretly admire:
n/a




Where will you finish? either; 3rd, 8th or 16th

[Panda]

Team: Marske United


Division: Northern League Division One


Greatest hope this season: Successfully defending our league title, having a good FA Cup run, winning the FA Vase and getting the clubhouse issues resolved.


Biggest fear: Fading back into mid-table obscurity, doing nothing in the cups and not getting the clubhouse issues resolved.


Most likely reason for success: Scoring over 100 league goals again.


Most likely reason for failure: Not addressing defensive frailties.


Best summer signing(s): Chris Emms - classy midfielder from Shildon who has Conference experience with Darlington.


Most important player: Craig Gott - Mr. Dependable, one of the best players in the league, could easily play at a higher level and had opportunities to, but committed himself to Marske, simply because he enjoys his football here so much.


Most underrated player: Glen Butterworth - After spending the first half of last season on the bench, he earned a first team chance and worked very hard to keep his place. Was a key part of our title triumph with his performances during the latter part of the season.


Young player to watch: Connor Hood - Teenager who can play anywhere across midfield, as well as up front. Was a bit-part player last season but will have an increased role this year, with Josh MacDonald leaving for Halifax Town.


Player you'd happily drive to his next club: The bad ones left during the summer.


One change you'd make at your club: Same as previous years - make more use of the PA system and make the ground more yellow and blue.


Have you got the right manager? He took us from 16th to league champions last season, so yes.


What advice would you give him? Keep an eye on the budget!


Which team do you most want to beat this season? Always Guisborough but also Shildon - even though we pipped them to the league title by a point, they did the double over us (and also beat us in the Cleator Cup yesterday) so we have something to prove to their fans.


Best away fans: Whitley Bay's travelling support is always strong and friendly. North Shields have a huge away following, which we'll experience properly this season when he host them on a Saturday, rather than a Tuesday night.


Best away ground to visit: Bishop Auckland and Consett have the best bars, though the grounds themselves are a bit soulless. With Crook relegated, the best actual ground in the division is probably Whitley Bay but generally, the best grounds are all in Division 2 this year.


Opposition player you despise: Harrison Davies - ex-Marske player who took great delight in the club's dip in form after he left. Was booed for every ineffective minute he was on the pitch when he returned with Newton Aycliffe. Now at newly-promoted Norton.


Opposition player you secretly admire: Billy Greulich-Smith. The best player in the league not wearing a Marske shirt.


Where will you finish? We'll give it a good go but repeating the title triumph will be very difficult. If we have a good Vase run, that could be a distraction (as it was for North Shields, when they were well-placed to win the league) so I'll say top 6.

[Earl Purple]

Team:
Charlton Athletic


Division:
Championship

Greatest hope this season:
Remaining a division above Millwall at the end of it.

Biggest fear:
Swapping divisions with them but relegation would be bad even if they stay down.

Most likely reason for success:
The players we brought in do a perfect job, the manager gets the tactics right and oppositions underestimate us all season.

Most likely reason for failure:
The new players we have brought in aren't up to the standard of this division.

Best summer signing(s):
That we kept Gudmunsson is actually the best one. His contract expired but he signed a new one. 

Cristian Ceballos is potentially the best of the new players we have brought in.


Most important player:
 Gudmunsson. 


Most underrated player:
Goalkeeper Henderson when he's fit.

Young player to watch:
We sold Gomez.. so not sure now.

Player you'd happily drive to his next club:
We seem to have got rid of the dead wood but I'm doubtful about the new signing Naby Sarr

One change you'd make at your club:
 We should have brought in Curbishley and director of football when we had the chance.

Have you got the right manager?
Probably not but he did ok for periods last season.


What advice would you give him?
We need more possession. We were out-possessed almost every game last season.


Which team do you most want to beat this season?
Middlesbrough as we still haven't beaten them in 3 seasons and they're still in our division. We've managed 2 draws and 4 losses. We should have beaten them too at the end of the 2013 season. It would be nice to beat Blackburn who have beaten us in the last 3 league games after we beat them in the first 3. And Huddersfield of course who have our ex-manager.


Best away fans:
Brighton.


Best away ground to visit:
Don't know I haven't been to any. And QPR and Brentford are the only other London clubs in our division.

Opposition player you despise:
Charlie Austin on the first game.. Well not really.

Opposition player you secretly admire:
dunno.


Where will you finish? Anywhere from 10th to 23rd you can't tell.

[raliverpool]

Team:
Liverpool FC

Division:
Premiership

Greatest hope this season:
One of the big four has a meltdown, and everything clicks and we finish in the top 4.

Biggest fear:
The dressing room minus Stevie G is in an even worse state than it was at the end of last season, and Brenton wins the PL sack race (currently 5/2 fav); we don't get Klopp in, and things go into meltdown, and I dare not think where we would finish.

Most likely reason for success:
If everything clicks like two seasons ago, Brenda goes back to the genius of two years ago, rather than the long lost brother of David Brent of last season. No playing with 10 men since February (10+ Sterling). Coutinho continues to improve; Milner 2015/6 is better than Stevie G 2015/6. A number of last seasons signings "do a Bergkamp" (click in the second season); Benteke is not the square peg in a round hole I think he is; Firmino is as good as I think he is; Lallana & Sturridge stay fit.

Most likely reason for failure:
Injuries; a manager who has lost the dressing room; too many new players not able to bed in; we don't play to Benteke's strengths.

Best summer signing(s):
James Milner

Most important player:
Philippe Coutinho Correia

Most underrated player:
Jordan Henderson

Young player to watch:
Jordon Ibe

Player you'd happily drive to his next club:
Mario Balotelli & Fabio Borini

One change you'd make at your club:
Sign Jürgen Klopp as manager when his six months sabbatical comes to an end (at the end of September) Scrap the transfer committee which buys players the manager does not appear to want, or be willing to play to their strengths

Have you got the right manager?
Ask me at the end of September


What advice would you give him?
Stop the David Brent impersonations & hyperbole. As you found out last season, if you say Raheem Sterling is the best young player in Europe when he clearly is nowhere near as good as Paul Pogba for starters .... then it is little wonder his so called agent (who did such a great job turning Jack Rodwell into an essential part of the national team ) puts ideas into a young player's head, and demands that he should be paid the wages of the befitting the best young player in Europe, and he promptly behaves like a petulant spoilt sulking 13 year old child, until Man City offered a stupid amount of money for him...


Which team do you most want to beat this season?
Man City

Best away fans:
Crystal Palace (it probably helps them, that they have the Voodoo on us at the moment)

Best away ground to visit:
It's been too long for me to judge

Opposition player you despise:
Raheem Sterling.

Opposition player you secretly admire:
Wayne Rooney

Where will you finish? Realistically 5th to 8th. But it could easily be much worse, or a little better.

[frag]

Team: Arsenal


Division: Premier League


Greatest hope this season: Cech plays like van der Sar did when he signed for Utd, we stitch together the second half of last season with the first half of the previous season, and come away with a record fourth League + FA Cup double.


Biggest fear: Injuries hamper us again and we finish 4th.


Most likely reason for success: Great team spirit, with a group of players who've grown together for a while (Mertesacker, Koscielny, Ramsey, Ox, Walcott, Wilshere), fortified over the past few years with proven quality signings (Ozil, Sanchez, Cech).


Most likely reason for failure: We lack a little bit sharpness.


Best summer signing(s): Among the senior signing we've made, Cech is undoubtedly the best.


Most important player: Alexis Sanchez


Most underrated player: Koscielny


Young player to watch: Hector Bellerin. In the League Cup, look for Jeff Reine Adelaide, who played the role of Wilshere in this season's Emirates Cup (two very strong performances at the age of just 17).


Player you'd happily drive to his next club: None, we've either got rid of or loaned out all the deadwood.


One change you'd make at your club:


Have you got the right manager? Yes. My opinion has wavered over the past few years, but I'm pretty confident in him now.


What advice would you give him? Our current squad is good enough to challenge for the title and may even win it, but with one or two more in the right places, we can challenge for the Champions League, too.


Which team do you most want to beat this season? Spurs


Best away fans: Given how positive Blackpool's fans were despite being thrashed 6-0 (may have been because it was their first PL away game; how distant must those times seem to Blackpool fans!), I'd expect Bournemouth's fans to be the best this season.


Best away ground to visit: Brentford, if we get them in the cup this season. A pub in each corner of the ground!


Opposition player you despise: John Terry


Opposition player you secretly admire: Yaya Toure


Where will you finish?

Despite not making many signings, Gooners' confidence is pretty high at the moment. We've beaten Chelsea, Man City, Man Utd and Liverpool since the turn of the year, and are unbeaten in six games against them. The squad's coming together, and rather than "maybe next year", people are starting to seriously say "maybe this year". So let's be optimistic: 1st.

[Shireblogger]

Team: SOUTHAMPTON

Division: Premier

Greatest hope this season: To emulate 2013/14 and 2014/15.

Biggest fear: Over-confidence based on the past 2 seasons results in stuttering form and a relegation battle.

Most likely reason for success: Can't put my finger on a single reason for the outstanding performances from the past 2 years. Must be a combination of a well-run club, top notch back room staff (including a really high calibre manager), and a robust team ethic.

Most likely reason for failure: The losses of Morgan Schneiderlin and Toby Alderweireld make us far too flimsy in defence.

Best summer signing(s): Goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg on the basis that we'd be completely stuffed in that position until Fraser Forster is fit again, sometime in November.

Most important player: Victor Wanyama, now filling Schneiderlin's slot.

Most underrated player: Steven Davis. High workrate and versatile, nothing too fancy.

Young player to watch: Left back Matt Targett.

Player you'd happily drive to his next club: None, squad is too small.

One change you'd make at your club: A few more reserve team players / substitutes who've been signed from lower league clubs.

Have you got the right manager?: Without doubt.

What advice would you give him?: Don't leave us.

Which team do you most want to beat this season?: Spurs

Best away fans: Sunderland

Best away ground to visit: Any European grounds. Yes, Southampton are back in Europe again after an 11 year gap.

Opposition player you despise: I'll vent my fury at any who intimidate referees, dive, or generally try to cheat their way to success.

Opposition player you secretly admire: Jordan Henderson (Liverpool) - England should be building their team around him.

Where will you finish?: 12th

[Earl Purple]

Aug 3, 2015 16:46:14 GMT 1 Earl Purple said:

Team:
Charlton Athletic


Division:
Championship

Greatest hope this season:
Remaining a division above Millwall at the end of it.

Biggest fear:
Swapping divisions with them but relegation would be bad even if they stay down.

Most likely reason for success:
The players we brought in do a perfect job, the manager gets the tactics right and oppositions underestimate us all season.

Most likely reason for failure:
The new players we have brought in aren't up to the standard of this division.

Best summer signing(s):
That we kept Gudmunsson is actually the best one. His contract expired but he signed a new one. 

Cristian Ceballos is potentially the best of the new players we have brought in.


Most important player:
 Gudmunsson. 


Most underrated player:
Goalkeeper Henderson when he's fit.

Young player to watch:
We sold Gomez.. so not sure now.

Player you'd happily drive to his next club:
We seem to have got rid of the dead wood but I'm doubtful about the new signing Naby Sarr

One change you'd make at your club:
 We should have brought in Curbishley and director of football when we had the chance.

Have you got the right manager?
Probably not but he did ok for periods last season.


What advice would you give him?
We need more possession. We were out-possessed almost every game last season.


Which team do you most want to beat this season?
Middlesbrough as we still haven't beaten them in 3 seasons and they're still in our division. We've managed 2 draws and 4 losses. We should have beaten them too at the end of the 2013 season. It would be nice to beat Blackburn who have beaten us in the last 3 league games after we beat them in the first 3. And Huddersfield of course who have our ex-manager.


Best away fans:
Brighton.


Best away ground to visit:
Don't know I haven't been to any. And QPR and Brentford are the only other London clubs in our division.

Opposition player you despise:
Charlie Austin on the first game.. Well not really.

Opposition player you secretly admire:
dunno.


Where will you finish? Anywhere from 10th to 23rd you can't tell.

well at least we got to beat Middlesbrough, but aside from that, disastrous as it could have been. I said anywhere from 10th to 23rd and we finished 22nd but there's no real difference between 22nd and 24th, you get relegated regardless.

And now relying on my "other" club Bradford City to beat Millwall in the playoff semi-final. And hopefully get promoted. And they deserve to be a division above us.