Alex Moss 2,165 Posted January 21, 2021 Which 3 teams do think will be promoted up to the Premier League this season folks? Let’s have some halfway stage predictions! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Alex Moss 2,165 Posted January 21, 2021 I’ve gone for us, and as Champions, because us supporters have all been here before and unless you’re ridiculously pessimistic then you’ll be used to that intuition, that feeling in your bones, when a raging bull just isn’t going to stop. We have the depth and we have the quality, with more having been added this window. I suspect we’re waiting on a work permit for Soto too as curiously I’ve noticed he’s not been involved with Telstar if late which could mean we’re in the process of bringing him back, likely for a lower table Championship loan I would guess. Watford, I think they’re starting to come good now. There’s always one that makes a late run as we know, and I get the feeling they are slowly clicking into gear under their new manager, and they certainly have the squad to do it. Brentford - doing well, but do they genuinely have the squad depth to handle a run of injuries like ourselves and Watford have? I don’t think so, no. But I do think they’ll finally win the Playoffs at the 89th time of asking. Swansea to just miss out in the Playoff final. The team to disappear? Bournemouth. The most overhyped overrated squad in the league by a million miles (name their second 11 folks?!). I don’t see them finishing Top 6 for that very reason. They will be lucky to finish much more than mid table at this rate, though they might surprise everyone, but I think they’re the team you will start to see drop away a bit now (unless Wilshere manages to create a spark, but he’ll be lucky to stay fit for them realistically). Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mark .Y. 352 Posted January 21, 2021 Us, Swansea and Watford for me. We are playing well and have points on the board, Swansea have been hanging on to us and have strengthened in this window, Watford have enough nous and ability to make it too. Brentford, I think, will be caught out by fixture congestion and a smaller squad. Reading could be a dark horse but I feel they will miss out too. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sgncfc 1,227 Posted January 21, 2021 Us, Brentford and Watford. I don't think Swansea have enough about them going forward to stay above Brentford or catch us and will end up in the playoffs again. Brentford will cling to our shirttails all season and we will be the top two - wouldn't like to say yet who will finish top - it might come down to our home game against them. Watford through the playoffs - unless they dramatically improve away from home, in which case it could get a bit squeaky bum for us in the top two. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Canary Wundaboy 1,359 Posted January 21, 2021 2 hours ago, Alex Moss said: I suspect we’re waiting on a work permit for Soto too as curiously I’ve noticed he’s not been involved with Telstar if late which could mean we’re in the process of bringing him back, likely for a lower table Championship loan I would guess. Can I get this week's lottery numbers please @Alex Moss?! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pete 318 Posted January 21, 2021 Watford's achilles heel two away games coming up Stoke and Millwall victories will give an indication if tide has turned, fail to win either will show they are just pretenders. Bournemouth falling away. Swansea very good defensively only need one to win games will be thereabouts. Brentford not impressing against Luton, small squad, and choked seriously but better than Watford and Bo'mth. So Norwich, Swansea and Brentford. With Swansea and Brentford going up as they will be favourites for relegation only need one other to fall to avoid relegation, will not have squads to compete. This is hoping and champions not a done deal yet. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pukki Blinders 96 Posted January 21, 2021 47 out of the 48 members of voted for us, so who wants to own up as the one person who doesn't think we'll go up? 😅 At the moment us, Brentford and Swansea look comfortably the best 3 sides in the league, and in a way I hope it is those two that join us. They both play football in the 'right' way and both clubs recruit smartly too (though I can't stand Brentford's manager Thomas Frank, absolute tool). Watford and potentially a bit of a dark horse and could cause problems in the play-offs, but I think they're a bit too far behind to be part of the top 2 conversation, same applies to Reading now they've got all their best players back from injury. Bournemouth I think could easily fall out of the play-offs. They really remind me of us under Neil Adams a few seasons ago, and you'd think the way we're going it's only a matter of time before Jason Tindall meets the same fate Adams did. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HazzaJet 252 Posted January 21, 2021 As we're only just over halfway through the season I'm not certain about anything yet. Yes of course I always hope for the positive, but I always think the negative in case it does happen. These are my views on the top 6 as it stands: Us - Surely we'll go up? I'm not entirely convinced as champions but I've seen loads of articles with other pundits/managers tipping us for automatic and I think we should at least get that. It's just I can't see us doing "Leeds" (and I think you all know what I mean by that, if you don't look back on the 09-10 and 18-19 seasons!) Swansea - They host Brentford next Wednesday so will be interesting to see how that goes. I think they have done quite well recently Brentford - I believe their other game in hand is away to Reading. If they win both of them they will only be 3pts behind us though. I think they deserve to got up though - very unlucky last season, and I think they were rather unfortunate in our promotion season as well. Watford - They're only 3pts behind Swansea. Have done well recently but I believe they had a drop in form early December. They might go up but I'm not very convinced. Reading - Just like Watford, only 3pts behind the automatics. Got off to a flying start, might go up but again I'm not very convinced Bournemouth - If you ask me, I think they're in serious trouble and need a miracle to happen. Dropped points in their GIH at home to Millwall, lost at home to Luton and got a player sent off, and then lost to Derby the other night. They're only 4pts behind the autos but the other four teams all have GIH on them. I can even see them falling out the playoffs - although Bournemouth have a much superior GD, Middlesbrough are only 3pts behind with a GIH. If they do manage to go up, I can only see it being via the playoffs Voted for us, Swansea, and Brentford but as there's still a long way to go I'm not certain on anything yet Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GenerationA47 751 Posted January 21, 2021 2 hours ago, Pukki Blinders said: 47 out of the 48 members of voted for us, so who wants to own up as the one person who doesn't think we'll go up? 😅 Find out who voted for ‘Other’ and you’ve found your guy!. Farcically tribal, of course since Other have been playing league 1 football for 1.5 years now Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NorthCarolinaYellow 197 Posted January 21, 2021 It's difficult to know, isn't it? Still a lot to play for. We'll know soon though. I think by the end of the day on February 6th we'll have a much better picture. This gives us a 73% chance currently of promotion in some form: https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/soccer-predictions/championship/. It's usually fairly accurate by now. Here are their past predicted probabilities on the date closest to today: 2019-2020, January 22: Leeds = 79%, Brentford = 62%, WBA = 55%, Fulham = 30%. 2018-2019, January 19: Leeds = 68%, Norwich = 60%, Sheffield United = 48%, WBA = 38%, Villa = 8%. 2017-2018, January 20: Wolves = 89%, Derby = 51%, Villa = 38%, Cardiff = 35%, Fulham = 22%. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Norfolk Dan 308 Posted January 21, 2021 Hey Alex, Hope all is good with you. I'm going for Middlesbrough as my dark horse. I think they are the kind of team that can keep getting better and better. We shall just have to see... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Van wink 2,994 Posted January 21, 2021 Norwich Watford and Swansea. Would love to see Brentford make it and they are in a good position atm with games in hand and top recent form, I just don’t see them being able to cope with the inevitable injuries and infections that will continue to affect all sides. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ken Hairy 3,769 Posted January 21, 2021 Norwich, don't care, don't care 😉 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HazzaJet 252 Posted January 21, 2021 3 minutes ago, Van wink said: Norwich Watford and Swansea. Would love to see Brentford make it and they are in a good position atm with games in hand and top recent form, I just don’t see them being able to cope with the inevitable injuries and infections that will continue to affect all sides. I think you've got a very good point there. Have seen loads of posts in the past with people worrying about teams with games in hand but if certain teams around a team do well prior to that team's GIH, effectively that team has to win their GIH in order to catch up. I thought Bournemouth's defeats to Luton and Derby took some pressure off us for our game last night. Had a look for odd midweek fixtures in the Championship and it looks like Brentford's GIH are away to Swansea and Reading, so really Brentford have to beat them. I also think Covid will continue to cause major disruption throughout the season Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Alex Moss 2,165 Posted January 22, 2021 13 hours ago, Norfolk Dan said: Hey Alex, Hope all is good with you. I'm going for Middlesbrough as my dark horse. I think they are the kind of team that can keep getting better and better. We shall just have to see... Hi Dan, All ok here ta buddy, hope you and the family are well? Seems like an age since we could get to game, hopefully that will change for us and everybody on here as soon as possible! Will be in touch mate 👍 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Midlands Yellow 3,970 Posted January 22, 2021 Wycombe, Coventry and Rotherham. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
