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Dingo.

So the season is fast approaching and as the title states what are your expectations for your team in the upcoming season.

Do you think they have a chance at promotion or maybe even be relegation candidates?

What players are you expecting to stand out?

Which signings are you most excited about if any?

So basically just state how you think the season will pan out for your team. smile.gif


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Wolves

Well first of all the manager situation needs to be sorted out, there are a few names in the pipeline like Paul Ince, Gary Megson and Stuart Gray but i think it needs to be sorted out pretty sharpish so they can start making signings because we are losing players but not bringing in anyone which is a bit worrying as the season starts in a few weeks. We need to replace Kennedy, Lescott, Miller and Seol which wont be easy but i think we can do it by bringing in some Championship quality and try and get a few Premiership loan deals.

As for the season itself, i think if we bring in some quality then we certainly have a team capable of getting promotion, that has been said over the past few years but we have had bad patches in a season that has cost us dearly but hopfully it will be different this year. Losing the likes of Miller and Lescott are obviously huge blows because they are both quality players but i honestly believe they can be replaced. As for the players im expecting to make a big impression are the young lad Davies, he looked a really good player last season even at his young age and looked a really good player and im sure if he is given the opportunity he can have a really stand out season. Also McNamara will be back hopefully by the start of the season and will add the experience to the back four, he had a great start to last season before injuries took him out for the rest of last season but it will be great to see him back. Hopefully Cort stays because we didnt see the best of him last season because of injuries but i believe he can be the pinnacle of our attack and if we can get a speedy striker next to him like McLeod then im sure he will shine like he has with Miller in the past. As for new signings we havent made any yet sad.gif but lets hope that will change in the next few weeks.

So i think if we can bring in some quality signings then we have then nucleus of a side that will most definately be right up there next season but it wont be easy getting out of the Championship next season because of all the quality sides that there is but im confident of a play off place at least, i dont want another 7th place finish, i think that would push me over the edge. dry.gif

rabbidogg
I fear it'll be a tough year for Wolves, especially with the lack of manager at this point in the season. The appointment needs to be made as quickly as possible so that they can start to dig into what must be a sizeable transfer kitty and replaced the likes of Lescott, Miller and Seol. Danny Shittu would be a quality straight swap for Lescott and there have been many excellent signings from championship clubs, a lead that Wolves need to follow.



Plymouth Argyle

"It is difficult not too look forward to the new season with great optimism and right now, it is great to be Green"

A new manager, a new look squad, a fixture versus Real Madrid tomorrow, superb nearly completed stadium, great fans and better half-time pies. It really is looking good for Argyle this season. Ian Holloway has come in following Tony Pulis' decision to return to Stoke City and done an excellent job getting to know the players and the strengths and weaknesses within the team. Holloway is no doubt and excellent man-manager, his enthusiasm is fantastic and his rapport with the players and the fans makes everyone feel the club is in safe hands. There's no doubt he is definitely off his head, but it's great having him in charge.

Holloway has brought in Sylvan Ebanks-Blake and Barry Hayles in the forward department, following Mickey Evans' departure. Both these players will add much the forward line, along with Nick Chadwick who looks to be hitting fitness and form for the first time in a green shirt, and Reuben Reid who could be surprise package of the season in the whole Championship. He's a great prospect.

Holloway is sticking with a basic 4-4-2 formation, preferring Bojan Djordjic on the left wing, compared to Pulis' choice of Tony Capaldi who slots in at left back, and of course reigning player of the season and jewel in the side David Norris at right wing. His pace, energy and snapshot will cause problems all season long. In the middle I expect Akos Buzsaky and Lilian Nalis to hold the midfield together, although Buzsaky's groin injury is really troubling him and worrying me, as he has not yet taken part in any training since his secret operation in June, that he didn't even tell the physio about. Damn those Hungarian surgeons. My girlfriend's offered to rub it better for him but that's definitely not gonna happen.... she's in Australia tongue.gif Lee Hodges or young Luke Summerfield can sit in for him as he bids for full fitness, or Paul Wotten could play with a re-shuffle in defence.

The back four will feature Capaldi attacking the left full-back position, with Paul Connelly doing much the same on the right. Paul Wotton should start at centre-back with Mattias Kouo-Doumbe, although Mauro Almeida (if offered a contract) and Hasney Aljofree could rotate any of the defensive positions.

Unfortunately our highly-rated 'keeper, Romain Larrieu, has picked up an infection in his brain which is causing difficulties with his eyesight, obviously not great news for a keeper. As yet, no doctor has been able to diagnose him which is worrying, but as with most eyesight problems (take Paul Scholes for instance) he will rest and hope that everything starts to return to normal soon. As a result, Luke McCormick gets another chance to prove he is the best young reserve keeper in the coca-cole leagues and Plymouth University graduate Josh Clapham will sit in as deputy.

There are several excellent youth players coming through too, and a few old heads within the squad to make it a full, balanced team for the first time since promotion to this division. If the new-look forward line start scoring, the defence holds up as usual and Akos returns soon after the season start, it could be a very successful campaign for the Greens. If not, then it could be another mediocre season to build on. I'm hoping for a play-off place come May, but i'd be happy for the top half.

Up the Greens!
Gunning IV Glory
As an Arsenal supporter, I'll be interested to see how Cardiff get on as they have loaned Kerrea Gilbert for the season, our promising right back. Also, they snapped up Mark Howard the goalkeeper from us. I think they've made quite a few decent signings this summer, with Chopra from Newcastle one of them. I think they should do alright.

Stand-out players I think will be Curtis Davies, if he stays with the Baggies. Gera for the Baggies as well. Bradley Wright-Phillips might do well and I think Hartson will do alright.
rabbidogg
If Cardiff get Koumas then they'll have a good season I have no doubts. Stephen McPhail was a fantastic signing, probably in the top few passers i've ever seen in my life. Shame the rest of his game isn't up to much. If he can deliver the final ball from the left to Chopra, and they snatch Koumas from West Brom, then Cardiff are serious prrototion candidates. Gilbert and the French lad Glombard are both quality signings too.
Matty #3
I cant honestly see Cardiff finishing in the playoffs. If they kept hold of Jerome then possibly, but without him i dont think they'll have what it takes. Chopra is decent, but i dont think he's going to score the goals which Jerome did, although i cant say for sure.

I'll do the Sunderland one tomorrow mate. Bed is a calling.
LeedsForever
Leeds

I'm still uncertain what to make of our build up to this new campaign. Last season we were in all honesty quite lucky to get through to the Play Off final and it really was no suprise we were deservedly beating. The big debate for Leeds fans at the moment is whether Blackwell will stick to the 4-5-1 which got us to the playoff final but produced too many negative performances, or will he revert to 4-4-2

Players like Miller and Douglas were wasted last season as Blackwell deployed hoofball up to Hulse, so the quality of these loanees never shone through as they were constantly bypassed as the ball flew over their heads in the centre of the park. Healy and Blake were also wasted stuck out on right wing and switching to 2 up front would allow either of these to play of Cresswell which would be better

However if we look at the signings in and out of the club it seems Blackwell has taken on some of this criticism and looks likely to operate a 4 man midfield. Ricketts and Hulse have or are in the process of departing, whilst we have brought in Carole from Brighton, Livermore from Millwall and are on the verge of signing Nicholls from Luton. My guess at the team for the first game of the season would be

Neil Sullivan
---------------
Gary Kelly
David Livermore
Matthew Kilgallon
Paul Butler
---------------
Eddie Lewis
Shaun Derry
Kevin Nicholls
Steve Stone/Eirik Bakke
---------------
Richard Cresswell
Robbie Blake/David Healy

I think that is a reasonable looking line-up but in this league it is all about making the team greater than the sum of its individual parts, something KB failed to do last term. I'm quite confident we can finish in the top 6 again this season, indeed that is the minimum requirement. And if Blackwell fails to deliver in the first ten games you can guarantee he will be out of a job

Will be interesting to see whether this £2-3m we are receiving for Hulse gets put back into the team. I still think we are in need of another left back/centre back so Robbie Elliott who we have on trial would be a cheap option here. I also think a pacy right winger with experience is also needed as we lacked any kind of cutting edge going forward and you can't have enough of players who can run at the opposition. We will see how Carole fairs but I believe he has been brought in as a squad player

Anyway I go into the season full of optimism as always, you have to really. Our squad looks strong and its just whether the manager and his staff can get the best out of them which will determine whether we get up this season
Peace
Oldham Athletic


I am not really a BIG Oldham Athletic fan, however as I come from there, I do tend to keep tabs on proceedings. In my opinion, OAFC have really underachieved in recent seasons, they always come really close, and collapse in the final couple of games, which a draw or win would have givn them a play-off place.

A lot needs to be done at OAFC to bring back some glory or get to the Championship even. Keeping players like Eyre till their mid thirties in my opinion is one of their downfalls, they are to atatched to players and sometimes are afraid to buy new players, though the managers seem to be coming pretty often.

I think 4th place, and then the play-off final, and will most probably lose out.

The biggest games in Oldham's memory recently as in the FA Cup v Bolton and then v Man City. Can't see them doing anything exciting with either knock out tournaments.
Allan.
QUOTE(LeedsForever @ Jul 25 2006, 10:40 AM) *

[i]Leeds

Neil Sullivan
---------------
Gary Kelly
David Livermore
Matthew Kilgallon
Paul Butler
---------------
Eddie Lewis
Shaun Derry
Kevin Nicholls
Steve Stone/Eirik Bakke
---------------
Richard Cresswell
Robbie Blake/David Healy


Thats not a bad line up at all, but I do agree with you about the center back. Robbie Elliot isn't signing, which i'm suprised at.

I'm fearing the worst this season, relegation battle is at the forefront of my mind.
Peace
I disagree with you Allan, I think Leeds have a good chance of top 10, however the chance to being back in the Prem was thrown away, dont think Leeds will come that close.

Blackwell is a pretty decent coach, and I am sure he will get a lot out of the team
Allan.
We have a very good first eleven, beyond that we're nothing, thats what is worrying me.
     
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