Another Hypothetical Ding-Dong

[Lambert09]

If we got promoted and made no signings (just renewed contracts).... would we have a chance in the premier league? 

 

I might be a little bit crazy and just having a love in for the squad but we do genuinely have a lot of quality. 

 

Sure there are a few areas that arent up to that standard but im not talking about winning the league. I think we would be able to compete with most of the bottom 10 sides with this set up, all in all with some quality additions I am so bloody excited!!

[purpleronnie]

The standard in the Premiership has declined pretty dramatically so I would say our squad could survive in the premiership, hopefully with a few good signings we could do more than just survive.

[Dan]

I think we'd JUST stay up, but it's hard to tell how much of our football is down to momentum rather than how good they are and that momentum would no doubt be disrupted when playing top sides.

 

I think we're better as a team than some of the bottom sides who just seem like a collection of individuals with little organisation and no real plan.

 

I really don't fear a lot of the bottom half sides. I know we're playing against weaker opposition but some of them just look awful.

[Babylon]

Even the shittiest of teams are littered with good players in the Prem... Fulham have been shite in that league with a squad containing:

 

Darren Bent, Berbatov, Scott Parker, Sidwell, Rodallega, Richardson, Heitinga, Riise, Holtby... amongst others.

 

Work ethic, squad moral can keep you hanging in there for only so long. We are going to need some quality players adding to the squad make no mistake about that.

 

I think we are quite a light weight team and when we come up against prem teams they all seem huge, we'll need to add a bit of that.

[Fox Ulike]

We probably shouldn’t get too carried away. Here’s a list of where the Championship winners finished in their first season in the prem over the last 10 years:

 

2005 Sunderland: 20^th

2006 Reading: 8^th

2007 Sunderland: 15^th

2008 WBA: 20^th

2009 Wolves: 15^th

2010 Newcastle: 12^th

2011 QPR: 17^th

2012 Reading: 19^th

2013: Cardiff: 19^th currently

 

If you ignore Newcastle as an anomaly due to the huge statue of the club, then it’s only Reading who have bucked the trend and been comfortable in their first season.

 

Not saying that we couldn’t do it, but it would be tough without quality re-inforcements in key areas: (Striker and Centre-back for me)

[Dan]

But I think this side is better than a lot of those sides. We are surely, surely better than the last three league winners. I'm not sure we're at Newcastle's level but we aren't far off.

[Julian Joachim Jr Shabadoo]

I think we'd JUST stay up, but it's hard to tell how much of our football is down to momentum rather than how good they are and that momentum would no doubt be disrupted when playing top sides.

 

I think we're better as a team than some of the bottom sides who just seem like a collection of individuals with little organisation and no real plan.

 

I really don't fear a lot of the bottom half sides. I know we're playing against weaker opposition but some of them just look awful.

 

 

Couldn't agree more. I think we'd manage enough decent results and the odd giant-slaying to survive

 

Make the right signings early in Summer and I think we'd be capable of finishing nearer mid-table - no reason why we can't achieve what Southampton and Swansea managed, and we have the foundations what I think is a capable Premier League team and great management.

 

I'd actually be surprised if we got battered by everyone next season and finished dead bottom. The only way I can see this happening is taking a few games to get acclimatised and being bottom 3 a couple of months in (might happen), the owners panicking and firing Pearson and pulling in one of the joker managers who always manage to get a job, them being given the January window to f*** up our squad by introducing overpaid egos, the team falls apart, we become the new laughing stock, get relegated and spend another 10 years in the Championship with maybe a short foray into League One… holy shît I don't like this 

[RobHawk]

I made a comment last night about Yeovil have a squad light years apart from Wigan, they managed a draw in the end and are still in with a shout with staying up.

 

If we went up we do have a lot of very good players and alot can be said for being well organised and commited, which Nig is very good at. Sure there will be games where it goes horribly wrong and we get turned over, but i think we would be in with a shout.

 

As babs says a few quality players in the right areas can make a big difference. You need to get the right players in though that can make the difference. Looking at all the players Cardiff signed for example, and alot have struggled. Swansea went up and kept the same work ethic and added a few touches of quality too and that made all the difference for them.

 

The gulf isnt as big as it used to be, what is in our favour are the number of players who are still at an age where they improve and grow further into the game and realise they can compete in the Prem!

[blueonyou]

I think we stand a good chance of winning the Prem next year. I've placed my bets already.

[Lambert09]

Im 90% sure we will finish higher then Man U next season, if we can finish above 2 more then we will survive

[Dan]

Couldn't agree more. I think we'd manage enough decent results and the odd giant-slaying to survive

 

Make the right signings early in Summer and I think we'd be capable of finishing nearer mid-table - no reason why we can't achieve what Southampton and Swansea managed, and we have the foundations what I think is a capable Premier League team and great management.

 

I'd actually be surprised if we got battered by everyone next season and finished dead bottom. The only way I can see this happening is taking a few games to get acclimatised and being bottom 3 a couple of months in (might happen), the owners panicking and firing Pearson and pulling in one of the joker managers who always manage to get a job, them being given the January window to f*** up our squad by introducing overpaid egos, the team falls apart, we become the new laughing stock, get relegated and spend another 10 years in the Championship with maybe a short foray into League One… holy shît I don't like this 

 

If we go down the panicky route then I'll be livid. It doesn't work. It's only because so many clubs do it that they're being measured against each other that makes people think it works.

 

It's a big test for the Thais again, because we'll almost certainly hit a bad run and although I've got nothing but praise for them for sticking with pearson this year, the Premier League is a far more pressurised league. You're never out of the spotlight in the Premier League.

 

If we keep what we've been doing, we'll establish ourselves in the top flight IMO. I never saw this season panning out this way but I guess it just re-affirms my belief that stability with someone who knows what he's doing is the only way forward. I'm really intrigued to see what kind of players he does bring in.

[Alex_LCFC]

We probably shouldn’t get too carried away. Here’s a list of where the Championship winners finished in their first season in the prem over the last 10 years:

2005 Sunderland: 20^th

2006 Reading: 8^th

2007 Sunderland: 15^th

2008 WBA: 20^th

2009 Wolves: 15^th

2010 Newcastle: 12^th

2011 QPR: 17^th

2012 Reading: 19^th

2013: Cardiff: 19^th currently

If you ignore Newcastle as an anomaly due to the huge statue of the club, then it’s only Reading who have bucked the trend and been comfortable in their first season.

Not saying that we couldn’t do it, but it would be tough without quality re-inforcements in key areas: (Striker and Centre-back for me)

I'd take 15th for 1st season

[Alex_LCFC]

Who says we can't achieve what hull have this season

[Callabinho]

Who says we can't achieve what hull have this season

Foundations laid by our very own Nigel.

[Fox92]

Who says we can't achieve what hull have this season

 

I'd be very happy if we replicate what Hull have achieved. Decent first attempt for Bruce, they won't get relegated and they don't concede many goals. They haven't been well beaten by any of the top sides, usually just the odd goal seperating them, and they are in the semi-finals of the FA Cup. 

[Tom17LCFC]

I'm honestly fairly confident we'll stay up pretty comfortably next year if we go up, solid foundations to build on.

[Jace]

I think we could stay up with our current squad wouldn't expect many changes in the summer possibly a good Premiership standard striker would help Nicky Maynard don't apply we are looking for better now

[Bettsj2]

Top 10.

[MPH]

Bit naive to think we could survive with no signings in the prem...

[Bryn]

No, we need to strengthen all over the park. For me the thing that sets us about other teams is our midfield, I think we need reinforcement up front and at the back, and more options in midfield.

[Dan]

I've just read those stats again - so the argument against us staying up after winning this league based on previous years, comes from 5 of the previous 8 actually staying up?

 

Cardiff will probably go but it's not like they've all been going down.

[Xen]

I've just read those stats again - so the argument against us staying up after winning this league based on previous years, comes from 5 of the previous 8 actually staying up?

 

Cardiff will probably go but it's not like they've all been going down.

 

It's even better when you consider how our form matches previous winners. We're on target for about 100 points, only bettered by Reading (who finished 8th) and Newcastle (12th).

[Fox Ulike]

I've just read those stats again - so the argument against us staying up after winning this league based on previous years, comes from 5 of the previous 8 actually staying up?

 

Cardiff will probably go but it's not like they've all been going down.

 

Stats don’t really argue for anything… They’re just numbers which rely on a personal interpretation in order to be meaningful.

 

They indicate that 7 of the last 9 Champions have spent their first Prem season fighting relegation.

 

However, they also indicate that teams that win this division by a long way (Reading 106 pts; Newcastle 102 pts) go on to have comfortable mid-table finishes.

 

So, if we can hit the 100 points mark this season then statistically we’re likely to finish mid-table. Low 90s and it’s a relegation battle.

 

If I had to put money on it now I reckon I’d go 12^th or 13^th next season.

[Dan]

It's even better when you consider how our form matches previous winners. We're on target for about 100 points, only bettered by Reading (who finished 8th) and Newcastle (12th).

 

That's a very good point actually.

Stats don’t really argue for anything… They’re just numbers which rely on a personal interpretation in order to be meaningful.

 

They indicate that 7 of the last 9 Champions have spent their first Prem season fighting relegation.

 

However, they also indicate that teams that win this division by a long way (Reading 106 pts; Newcastle 102 pts) go on to have comfortable mid-table finishes.

 

So, if we can hit the 100 points mark this season then statistically we’re likely to finish mid-table. Low 90s and it’s a relegation battle.

 

If I had to put money on it now I reckon I’d go 12^th or 13^th next season.

 

A fairer reflection. I think the bottom half was tougher back then as well.

 

There's no reason we can't go up and finish about 12th.

[Sharpe's Fox]

I know people don't want certain players dropped from the squad because we love them for what they have done this season but if we go up but we will need better players in each position. The model for staying up this season is Hull but I'll remind you all they have an ENTIRE new spine of their side these days (McGregor, Davies, Huddlestone, Jelavic and Long) and are only 6 points above the drop zone. Granted we have a much better side than they did last year but the reality is that in 2-3 seasons time this squad could have been broken up.