Your current view of all three premier 'newbies'?

daib0 wrote:Firstly, you know me by now, I'm gonna ask what I'm going to ask below purely for curiosity, no wumming ever on my part!

Turn clock back to end of last season - championship, and Reading, Southampton and West Ham were the obvious three to go up; I think we were all three well above others in the pack. Having said that, if I'm truthful my Reading were probably a tad lucky to just nip the title but well, that's history now.

And turn clock forward to today: and we've got the premier table with only 11 games left - and Hammers at 14th, Southampton at 16th and Reading at 19th. Two questions:

* Was this sort of what you predicted back last summer, or did you have it differently?

I expected West Ham to stay up as we have fairly wealthy owners who would fund transfers such as Carroll which might be the difference maker. I didn't know much about Reading last year and thought Southampton were the best coco pops team so expected them to just about be ok and Reading to struggle (sorry dude). Your squad still looks very coco pops like to me (sorry dude). I think its shit what happened to adkins.

* OK, where will Hammers finish - and who are your current guesses for bottom three?
You haven't got to be polite on Reading either, I'm not expecting much coming back positive!!

Hoping West Ham will finish 15th...close but just out of it. Bottom 3 will be QPR (hopefully), Reading and wigwam. again, sorry dude.

Cheers guys,

daib0 / David

alfiehammer wrote:
Well I think sometimes teams become yoyo teams- WBA being the perfect example- and go up and down a few times but each time they do they improve their squad a bit and bank a bit more money so the second or third promotion "sticks" and the teams then become established. imho.

Suzanne Claret wrote:* Was this sort of what you predicted back last summer, or did you have it differently?

* OK, where will Hammers finish - and who are your current guesses for bottom three? You haven't got to be polite on Reading either, I'm not expecting much coming back positive!!

I always believed right from the start of the season that we would stay up and not be in danger of getting dragged into the relegation zone. Out of the three promoted clubs I thought were better equipped for the premiership.

It looks like QPR & Villa are doomed, so it’s one place left for Reading, Southampton and Wigan to fight over. Wigan can’t keep pulling off an escape and it’s my hope that this will be the season that they don’t. Reading and Southampton better hope that Wigan’s experience of an end of season dog-fight doesn’t give them an advantage.

West Ham should finish the season between 12 & 14 having never once been in a relegation place. That for me is a great first season back up.