Will Grigg

[beyondthefourth]

Sunderland are now in a real quandary. Their "extra investor" was sat next to SD yesterday. What he saw would not have been encouraging as OU would have given Charlton a harder game IMHO. The manager may well be a casualty over the next 24hours.

I think Ross will get a further grace period, of a few months into next season. He was talked about as a longer term appointment, and there's still plenty of squad upheaval to go through this summer.

 

[Foley]

I think Rotherham and Lincoln will both challenge next season. Would argue the league is weaker though than this season.

My top six, not in any particular order would be Sunderland, Portsmouth, Rotherham, Peterborough, Ipswich and Lincoln.

Lincoln will probably be half way.
Even MAPP said that he was surprised at the gap between L1 and L2 and clubs rarely make the play offs having been promoted from L2

 

[Peterdev]

I can’t see beyond Portsmouth Sunderland and Ipswich for top three.Sunderland will be really going for it after missing out. Pompey will be strong andIpswich have a great under 23 side.
Bolton won’t be near, however, I do think Oxford will challenge for the play offs this time.
I can’t see Lincoln challenging for the top but expect a good season from them.
Surprise package and there is usually one, Bristol Rovers

 

[Foley]

I can’t see beyond Portsmouth Sunderland and Ipswich for top three.Sunderland will be really going for it after missing out. Pompey will be strong andIpswich have a great under 23 side.
Bolton won’t be near, however, I do think Oxford will challenge for the play offs this time.
I can’t see Lincoln challenging for the top but expect a good season from them.
Surprise package and there is usually one, Bristol Rovers

Mmm, football never quite works like that (not many would have predicted Luton).
Ipswich have a very young side and who knows how they will do?
Sunderland will need to rebuild I assume and may have to reduce their budget (although they will rightly be favourites)

 

[greatunclekip]

Mmm, football never quite works like that (not many would have predicted Luton).
Ipswich have a very young side and who knows how they will do?
Sunderland will need to rebuild I assume and may have to reduce their budget (although they will rightly be favourites)

Luton will finish in the top 3. Kills me but they will. They were superb last season attacking wise, have a midfield with goals in them plus added Grant, & have bought a standout L1 defender from last season.

 

[Foley]

Well done Kip. Put anh money on it?

 

[ZeroTheHero]

Not quite sure how anybody can confidently predict the relative strengths of sides before the summer transfers have taken place, especially a side like Ipswich that has just been relegated with all that entails. We don't know which of the better L1 players will be moving upwards yet, which clubs will have to try to offload expensive players, who will find a couple of gems in non-league (or their own youngsters!). I don't think many would have predicted Bradford being relegated this time out...

 

[Berliner]

Not quite sure how anybody can confidently predict the relative strengths of sides before the summer transfers have taken place, especially a side like Ipswich that has just been relegated with all that entails. We don't know which of the better L1 players will be moving upwards yet, which clubs will have to try to offload expensive players, who will find a couple of gems in non-league (or their own youngsters!). I don't think many would have predicted Bradford being relegated this time out...

Agree on that. If (for example) we lose Brannagan, Whyte and Eastwood in the close season we will be looking down and not up. Keep them, strengthen elsewhere and persuade Nelson to stay and we would be looking at playoffs minimum.

And I'm sure the same goes for other clubs as well, Sunderland included.

 

[Marked Ox]

Mmm, football never quite works like that (not many would have predicted Luton).
Ipswich have a very young side and who knows how they will do?
Sunderland will need to rebuild I assume and may have to reduce their budget (although they will rightly be favourites)

Ipswich are a funny one for me. If they sign well and click as a team then could be very comfortable at the top, but have a bad start and they could spiral downwards (don't mean relegation though). Iirc, they have signed Gillingham's keeper Holy.

 

[Gary Baldi]

Ipswich fans are assuming the raft of young players they have will all bloom next season and allow them to walk the league. The reality of going to Accrington hasn't really got into their psyche yet

 

[Discoland]

Ipswich fans are assuming the raft of young players they have will all bloom next season and allow them to walk the league. The reality of going to Accrington hasn't really got into their psyche yet

I'm sure they're revelling at the prospect of Fleetwood on a Tuesday night in December, although knowing our luck...

 

[Foley]

Ipswich fans are assuming the raft of young players they have will all bloom next season and allow them to walk the league. The reality of going to Accrington hasn't really got into their psyche yet

Maybe they will and maybe they wont.
I must admit that the Wigan and Blackburn way of doing it (championship players plus some of the best League 1 players) is a safer bet.
Who knows with young players how they will adapt to League 1?

 

[Oufcrealist]

The season has only just finished, too many assumptions being made. There usually are one or two surprises top and bottom. We'll all have a better idea of what may happen about 10 games into the new season!!

 

[Scotchegg]

The season has only just finished, too many assumptions being made. There usually are one or two surprises top and bottom. We'll all have a better idea of what may happen about 10 games into the new season!!

Can we wait 20 or 30 games? Our first 10 were ficking awful!!!!!

 

[Oufcrealist]

Can we wait 20 or 30 games? Our first 10 were ficking awful!!!!!

True!! I think you get my drift though!??

 

[Gary Baldi]

Maybe they will and maybe they wont.
I must admit that the Wigan and Blackburn way of doing it (championship players plus some of the best League 1 players) is a safer bet.
Who knows with young players how they will adapt to League 1?

That's what they seem to be thinking, and TBF, the club are hardly rolling in it,