Watford, Bournemouth and Norwich

[Rampage]

Watford, Bournemouth and Norwich; which of the three teams promoted last year stand the most chance of staying up? What is it about their squads and style of play that gives them the prospects that they have? With the benefit of hindsight, how could they have realistically improved their chances of survival? Is there anything that can be learnt from your insights that could benefit Derby County?

[bigbadbob]

If we get promoted this year we should immediately sack the manager

[WorksopRam]

I thought that Watford would stay up and the other two would come down with Sunderland. Still think Watford will stay up but I'm not sure about much else. 

Watford chanced it with all the players they bought but there was/is quite a bit of quality in there and the big change hasn't seemed to effect/affect them too much. 

I think Bournenouth recruited poorly though. Fair play to them for giving at a go and trying to win every game, but I think it's terribly naive to expect to outscore every team in the Prem and not develop a more defensive style of play (like Watford) to try and stay up. 

[MuespachRam]

Watford could stay up, the other two are rubbish and Bournemouth have an incredible injury crisis.

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[Boycie]

looking at some of the attendances from the week end, there's a few teams that don't deserve to give there fans premier league football.

[Rampage]

Bournemouth look fairly doomed. Injuries were disastrous for them. Probably unwise to try to get expensive players at Xmasd. Bite the bullet and try again next year.Great little Club though. Build yourself a 25,000 seater stadium with the cash.

[ipad1977]

Watford have the best strategy. They changed their approach from last year to put the emphasis on defence, reasoning that they wouldn'tbe so prolific in the top flight.

It's telling that though both Bornmuff and Delia's mob have outscored them they are currently both languishing in the bottom six.

Most Boro fans have hopes that if we go up then AK's methods are more tailor made for the top flight 

[WorksopRam]

4 minutes ago, ipad1977 said:

Watford have the best strategy. They changed their approach from last year to put the emphasis on defence, reasoning that they wouldn'tbe so prolific in the top flight.

It's telling that though both Bornmuff and Delia's mob have outscored them they are currently both languishing in the bottom six.

Most Boro fans have hopes that if we go up then AK's methods are more tailor made for the top flight 

I'm lost. Are you a Boro or Derby fan? 

[Rampage]

There are some very poor teams in the Premier this year, Two of the three could escape, probably Watford and Norwich (last three game surge)? Leicester were clearly gone with nine games to go last year. They won seven and now have two points per game! What does anyone know about football?

[ipad1977]

A Boro fan I'm afraid Worksop. To be fair I think if Derby had gone up last season with SMac I think it more likely you'd have come straight back down than if you go up this. It seems you're more of a balanced side that can shut teams out more proficiently whereas last year you had a wealth in attack compared to most teams but were more vulnerable at the back.

[WorksopRam]

1 minute ago, ipad1977 said:

A Boro fan I'm afraid Worksop. To be fair I think if Derby had gone up last season with SMac I think it more likely you'd have come straight back down than if you go up this. It seems you're more of a balanced side that can shut teams out more proficiently whereas last year you had a wealth in attack compared to most teams but were more vulnerable at the back.

I see! Seems like you're the one who's lost then! haha. 

I agree with what you're saying. 

[Rampage]

11 hours ago, ipad1977 said:

A Boro fan I'm afraid Worksop. To be fair I think if Derby had gone up last season with SMac I think it more likely you'd have come straight back down than if you go up this. It seems you're more of a balanced side that can shut teams out more proficiently whereas last year you had a wealth in attack compared to most teams but were more vulnerable at the back.

Who do you think is the stronger side at the moment iPad, Boro or DCFC?

[ipad1977]

It's honestly hard to say at this stage.

Looking at our respective sides' performance so far,  it seems that both have the ability to shut teams out this year as well as the talent and power to put them to the sword.

Both are also capable of the odd wobble as witnessed by your mediocre start to the season and our dip in form a couple of weeks ago.

I'd say we have slightly more strength in depth and a manager who's more savvy now with what is required to get promoted. We should cope better with injuries, for example we beat Wolves away and Manure whilst either resting several key players in our matchday squad or having them unavailable through injury, eg, Stuani, Adomah, Clayton, Dimi, etc. The same was true against Charlton too, but I don't count them as a valid benchmark as they are quite the worst team seen at the Riverside in a few years.

I think that you have a more attacking style from the outset which may enable you to pick up a few more points when a team decides to park the bus against you which has already been born out on a few occasions, whereas we tend to play more of a patient probing waiting game to get the result which may on occasion result in points dropped if our opponents have the rub of the green or if their keeper has a worldy against us which they sometimes seem to do.

If the bookies are to be believed then the scenario they feel is most likely to happen is for both our sides to be in the Prem next year, which on paper would be the case as we have the strongest squads. I don't think both or either of us will walk away with the league however, with it being close right up till May.

However it's still fairly early days, although the league table proper is now taking shape. If you look at it right now and compare it with what most would think it would pan out like before the season started, the two tables are probably fairly similar. The teams in the top half and those in the bottom are near enough exactly what I would have predicted with the only exceptions being Brighton's rise from nowhere and Ipswich's current huge underachievement.

I'd anticipate there being 9 possible teams who could challenge for the top six; those curently there, along with Sheff Wed, Reading and Fulham, if the last manage to shore up their generous defence.

Whatever the case we'll know a lot more at christmas at the 23 game mark when all the sides have played each other. Most Boro fans are optimistic of our chances of the autos if we go into christmas day still in the mix, even say 4th or 5th, owing to our strength in depth for when sides begin to accumulate injuries around February (only Bournemouth were really lucky in avoiding this regard last year and it certainly boosted them, though strangely their luck with injuries has balanced out this season) and more importantly the fact that out of the current top ten of stronger sides we'll have got the away games against six of them out of the way, with our inclusion meaning we only have three potentially tougher away ties to face in the second half of the season.

It's a long hard slog mate!

 

[StaffsRam]

Watford will stay up.

Norwich might stay up.

Bournemouth won't stay up.

[Rampage]

Leicester have 44 points from their last 20 Premier League games. Only Man City have more points - 46. Unbelievable.

How did they do it? I do not know, but there are lessons to be learnt from them.

[Wolfie]

I suspect Watford and Norwich might both stay up - mainly because Villa and Sunderland are so awful.

I'd actually prefer it if Bournemouth satyed up but think their injuries are going to kill them.

[ramsbottom]

I've been very impressed with Watford, very hard working, sound defensively and in Deeney & Igadho(sp) they have two very good forwards.  Their form may dip but they'll be OK - Verdict Staying up

The best thing in Norwich's favour if their experience, Ruddy, Martin, Hoolahan, Bassong, Olsson, Jerome, Dorrans, Howson all have been there and done it and Nathan Redmond is a match winner on his day.  The only question mark is the manager, seems to be getting his tactics in certain games wrong so Neil needs to up his game and get points of the bottom clubs. - Verdict 50/50

Bournemouth's injuries aren't helping them, neither is the lack of depth in their squad, especially at the back.  At the moment though their biggest problem appears to be their 'Miny Mouriniho' and his insistence of going gung-ho against everyone, even the big sides.  They're playing like we were the last two months of last season, and we all know how that ended - Verdict Going down.

[StaffsRam]

It's fairly simple, they recognised what their strengths are and set themselves up to fully exploit them. Pace up front. Plenty of width, and strong at the back. Hard to knock them really.

[Rampage]

4 hours ago, ipad1977 said:

It's honestly hard to say at this stage.

Looking at our respective sides' performance so far,  it seems that both have the ability to shut teams out this year as well as the talent and power to put them to the sword.

Both are also capable of the odd wobble as witnessed by your mediocre start to the season and our dip in form a couple of weeks ago.

I'd say we have slightly more strength in depth and a manager who's more savvy now with what is required to get promoted. We should cope better with injuries, for example we beat Wolves away and Manure whilst either resting several key players in our matchday squad or having them unavailable through injury, eg, Stuani, Adomah, Clayton, Dimi, etc. The same was true against Charlton too, but I don't count them as a valid benchmark as they are quite the worst team seen at the Riverside in a few years.

I think that you have a more attacking style from the outset which may enable you to pick up a few more points when a team decides to park the bus against you which has already been born out on a few occasions, whereas we tend to play more of a patient probing waiting game to get the result which may on occasion result in points dropped if our opponents have the rub of the green or if their keeper has a worldy against us which they sometimes seem to do.

If the bookies are to be believed then the scenario they feel is most likely to happen is for both our sides to be in the Prem next year, which on paper would be the case as we have the strongest squads. I don't think both or either of us will walk away with the league however, with it being close right up till May.

However it's still fairly early days, although the league table proper is now taking shape. If you look at it right now and compare it with what most would think it would pan out like before the season started, the two tables are probably fairly similar. The teams in the top half and those in the bottom are near enough exactly what I would have predicted with the only exceptions being Brighton's rise from nowhere and Ipswich's current huge underachievement.

I'd anticipate there being 9 possible teams who could challenge for the top six; those curently there, along with Sheff Wed, Reading and Fulham, if the last manage to shore up their generous defence.

Whatever the case we'll know a lot more at christmas at the 23 game mark when all the sides have played each other. Most Boro fans are optimistic of our chances of the autos if we go into christmas day still in the mix, even say 4th or 5th, owing to our strength in depth for when sides begin to accumulate injuries around February (only Bournemouth were really lucky in avoiding this regard last year and it certainly boosted them, though strangely their luck with injuries has balanced out this season) and more importantly the fact that out of the current top ten of stronger sides we'll have got the away games against six of them out of the way, with our inclusion meaning we only have three potentially tougher away ties to face in the second half of the season.

It's a long hard slog mate!

 

First class summary iPad. We have more away than home games against our rivals after Xmas. We are still getting stronger. Boro seem to be about the same strength but have a better squad. Big games against rivals will decide it. If you cannot beat the weaker teams then you do not get promoted. You did not get the credit that you deserved against Man U. Please keep posting, we need insight like yours. We would both settle for a first or second place finish now, I think. Karanka is a clever guy..

[Day]

The way Villa, Sunderland and Newcastle are playing all 3 have a decent chance of staying up