***Official*** English Football Season 2019-20

[marc71178]

Fixtures for the money-driven top league are out so tradition dictates it's time for a new thread.

Personally I think it's Liverpool's year this year (although it's getting more worryingly close to happening).

Other predictions:

GIMH to find a new hero to replace Norwood.
Furball to continue to rival ***** in the number of teams supported category.
Coventry to have at least 3 major protests against SISU in the year (even though they're not solely at fault for playing in Birmingham and won't just walk away as some fans seem to think)
Arsenal will get their fans excited then crash away again.
Manchester United to give their manager funds to spend that he'll waste (and then get the sack midseason to be replaced from someone who will initially flatter to deceive then get given funds to spend in summer 2020 that he'll waste...

Anyone else got any predictions?

 

[Furball]

Your Arsenal prediction is wrong. There's nothing to get excited about.

 

[Lillian Thomson]

I don't think I've ever looked forward to a season less from my own team's (Plymouth Argyle) point of view. Somehow contrived to get relegated from a diabolical standard League One, and now have the prospect of a day out in Salford knowing that some of Fergie's underlings might turn up. With a new manager only just appointed and the only half a dozen half decent players leaving. The only tiny shred to hang on to is that he (Ryan Lowe) worked miracles to get Bury promoted from League Two last season.

 

[sledger]

Tbh the expectations for Arsenal are about as low as they have been for the best part of 25 years, meaning the chance of some surprise excitement is not totally out of the question imo

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Ajax to fail to qualify for the CL (despite last season they've got to go through two qualifying rounds)

 

[andmark]

It's not our year. There I said it. I can rest easy now and hope we fluke a Champions League.

 

[andruid]

This time Leeds will top the Championship table all the way to the end of the season.

 

[GIMH]

I don't think I've ever looked forward to a season less from my own team's (Plymouth Argyle) point of view. Somehow contrived to get relegated from a diabolical standard League One, and now have the prospect of a day out in Salford knowing that some of Fergie's underlings might turn up. With a new manager only just appointed and the only half a dozen half decent players leaving. The only tiny shred to hang on to is that he (Ryan Lowe) worked miracles to get Bury promoted from League Two last season.

I don’t want to dampen your already dreary spirits mate but...I wouldn’t say Lowe worked miracles. He appears to be a decent young manager but their promotion and financial problems are not independent of each other. Signing the best players available on the highest wages in L2 is a great strategy if you have the money, and apparently if you don’t then the PFA will just step in and fund your promotion.

Given the players weren’t paid late in the season he does deserve credit for keeping them going, and they were certainly decent to watch when they turned it on. But for me he still has a lot to prove.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Least he'll get paid this season though.

What has happened with Bury for the umpteenth time is a disgrace, we probably need a club to go to the wall for others to sort it out and I know that Hereford, Chester, Telford and Rushden and Diamonds and just this week Gateshead did but they weren't in the league at the time. Bury aren't called the Bucket Shakers for nothing. Sadly it seems them and Bolton may be in a race to go bust.

 

[marc71178]

Sadly it seems them and Bolton may be in a race to go bust.

On the flip side, that's 2 of the 4 relegation spots!

 

[flibbertyjibber]

On the flip side, that's 2 of the 4 relegation spots!

Very true if a bit cruel. Even if they stay in business they are both as good as down what with the points deduction for Notlob and Bury just having to ship everyone out.

 

[GIMH]

Couldn’t happen to two nicer clubs

 

[cpr]

Sarri to Juve all but done now. They surely must be going for Lampard, as anyone decent won't touch a club who've just sold their star player and have a 2 window transfer ban, not to mention the absolute disarray the power balance is within the club - an owner expecting the moon and a dressing room expecting control.

Part of me wants them to completely explode, but I kind of like Lampard so rather it wasn't on him. Mind you, Jose's free.....

 

[Lillian Thomson]

I don’t want to dampen your already dreary spirits mate but...I wouldn’t say Lowe worked miracles. He appears to be a decent young manager but their promotion and financial problems are not independent of each other. Signing the best players available on the highest wages in L2 is a great strategy if you have the money, and apparently if you don’t then the PFA will just step in and fund your promotion.

Given the players weren’t paid late in the season he does deserve credit for keeping them going, and they were certainly decent to watch when they turned it on. But for me he still has a lot to prove.

Okay. I'll seek out another straw to grasp at before August. After fifty years of support recycling the 2nd, 3rd and 4th tiers without seriously challenging for the 1st you get used to it. I know lots of teams don't make the top division, but since Hull have made it in recent years Plymouth is now the biggest city in England to never have been in the top division - and it all seems like a conspiracy.

 

[Furball]

Sarri to Juve all but done now. They surely must be going for Lampard, as anyone decent won't touch a club who've just sold their star player and have a 2 window transfer ban, not to mention the absolute disarray the power balance is within the club - an owner expecting the moon and a dressing room expecting control.

Part of me wants them to completely explode, but I kind of like Lampard so rather it wasn't on him. Mind you, Jose's free.....

They'll probably still inexplicably win the League Cup next season despite starting Tammy Abraham in goals.

 

[Cabinet96]

The top three and its order already looks set in the PL. We'll see if the cluster ****s at Chelsea, Arsenal and United are able to hold off the more competent mid-table teams. While I think the big six will be a pretty closed group long term, I wouldn't be that shocked if one of them finishes 7th this season.

 

[andmark]

The top three and its order already looks set in the PL. We'll see if the cluster ****s at Chelsea, Arsenal and United are able to hold off the more competent mid-table teams. While I think the big six will be a pretty closed group long term, I wouldn't be that shocked if one of them finishes 7th this season.

I was tempted to ask actually, which of the top six will be the first to finish a season outside the top six? Unless they do well in the transfer window and Ole turns out to be a much better manager than he appears, I can see United doing it. Chelsea risk doing it with their transfer ban but I can't see it happening. With Arsenal, as long as they strengthen their defence, I can't see them finishing a season outside the top six anytime soon.

 

[Cabinet96]

I think Chelsea are a significant chance tbh. Serious lack of goals in their team and, unless Pulisic has breakthrough season, all their attackers are either old or just not good enough. It looks like they're bringing in a manager who has one year of experience in the Championship, where according to the stats his team were extremely lucky to make the playoffs. If Chelsea or United fall out of the top six it's more likely to be this season than any future season though. Money matters and it's only thanks to gross incompetence that we're even debating the possibility a team like United will fall that low. Arsenal might be another matter. Money seems to be literally draining out of that club (whether it's wages or ownership I don't know) based on rumours about what their summer budget is.

 

[Lillian Thomson]

Manure and the puddle are entering the EFL Trophy for the first time next season. Klopp will presumably use his Under 12’s.

 

[Uppercut]

United and Arsenal are both bad enough to drop below 6th. United are better placed to pull off a decent transfer window and get up to standard, but probably won’t because they’re run so badly.

Chelsea I would have as less likely as those two, but definitely possible. It’s really hard to predict how hard a team will be hit when they lose their one-man attack.