We will p*ss this league...

[Glasgow_Saint]

I would be happy to win the JPT again......

 

League is 2nd priority imo

[saintwarwick]

Honestly speaking, i don't think Pardew did as well as he could have done last year, we could have made the playoffs, it was achievable, but we failed. I was all in all happy however, we kept up with the leaders, had a great season and built a team ready for this year.

 

Now, this year is a different kettle of fish, anyone who says those odds do not reflect our team and position compared to the other teams in the division are clearly mental. We have the best team in the division, period. The bigger teams have been promoted, ok, huddersfield and brighton have started to build for the future but IMO Norwich and Leeds were better. Swindon and Charlton have been weakened. We have money and will probably make more signings, not only this but last year we purchased replacements in January so will arguably do it again if the need arises. The bookies would look at all of this and would have come up with odds, that IMO fairly represent were we should be.

 

As for Pardew, we really should be winning the league but football is a funny old game so IMO anything other that automatic will be a failure.

 

The playoffs would be a failure but a failure to be promoted and honestly AP should be shot on the spot.

 

Also, if we are off the pace by christmas i am afraid it is bye bye Pardew IMO

 

To be fair to Pardew he came in late, we didn't have a pre season like most other teams, we had a squad that was not his squad, he built up a new one over the months before xmas. We didn't actually climb off the bottom of the table till October so we did very well to finish where we did. Yes some will say we didn't do well at Wycombe and Tranmere to name a few but look at our record over the last part of the season. We should be at least top two I agree and will expect nothing else this season but I think Pardew and the team will deliver. We will walk this league

[tartanowl]

Wednesday fan here. A lot can happen in 46 games and IMO your squad at present is no better than ours. You do have a rich chairman and you presumably still have signings to make, but while you have some good young players and a good squad for this league personally I think your odds are terrible value. I think you are a good bet for promotion and I think you probably will end up in the top 2 (along with us) but IMO anyone thinking of betting on your odds to be champions is crazy.

[Saint_clark]

I think you're underestimating this league Tartan. Tudgay and Heffernan up front, or Lambert and Barnard. Hmm.

[Thedelldays]

Wednesday fan here. A lot can happen in 46 games and IMO your squad at present is no better than ours. You do have a rich chairman and you presumably still have signings to make, but while you have some good young players and a good squad for this league personally I think your odds are terrible value. I think you are a good bet for promotion and I think you probably will end up in the top 2 (along with us) but IMO anyone thinking of betting on your odds to be champions is crazy.

 

this is a harder league than you think.......trust us..

[tartanowl]

I think you're underestimating this league Tartan. Tudgay and Heffernan up front, or Lambert and Barnard. Hmm.

 

I know who I would rather have. Both have Championship experience (as does Neil Mellor) and Heffernan has scored a bagful in this league in the past too. You have a strong forward line no doubt but I would rather have our striking options.

[Saint_clark]

I know who I would rather have. Both have Championship experience (as does Neil Mellor) and Heffernan has scored a bagful in this league in the past too. You have a strong forward line no doubt but I would rather have our striking options.

 

Mental. Championship experience yes, but they didn't exactly do anything did they.

[Thedelldays]

I know who I would rather have. Both have Championship experience (as does Neil Mellor) and Heffernan has scored a bagful in this league in the past too. You have a strong forward line no doubt but I would rather have our striking options.

Lambert scored something like 37 goals last season

 

30-odd in the league...

throw in 20 goals for a wide player called lallana...Puncheon will also get a few

Barnard is a 20 goal a season striker in this league (will depend on if he will play enough)

then there is david connolly...who many on here would say is our most skillfull and intelligent forward when fit..

 

I am willing to bet our frontline will score alot more than yours..

[tartanowl]

this is a harder league than you think.......trust us..

 

I know we've been here before.

[tartanowl]

Mental. Championship experience yes, but they didn't exactly do anything did they.

 

10+ goals at least every season in the Championship is good enough for me. It's a far better standard. We'll agree to disagree but personally I think our striking options are better than yours.

[Thedelldays]

I know we've been here before.

 

not with saints and the players we have being in it...

 

[Thedelldays]

Lambert scored something like 37 goals last season

 

30-odd in the league...

throw in 20 goals for a wide player called lallana...Puncheon will also get a few

Barnard is a 20 goal a season striker in this league (will depend on if he will play enough)

then there is david connolly...who many on here would say is our most skillfull and intelligent forward when fit..

 

I am willing to bet our frontline will score alot more than yours..

 

oh...will also add, the club have admitted that they are looking to bring another wide player and striker in...(as well as in other positions)

[tartanowl]

Lambert scored something like 37 goals last season

 

30-odd in the league...

throw in 20 goals for a wide player called lallana...Puncheon will also get a few

Barnard is a 20 goal a season striker in this league (will depend on if he will play enough)

then there is david connolly...who many on here would say is our most skillfull and intelligent forward when fit..

 

I am willing to bet our frontline will score alot more than yours..

 

30 goals in 45 games is very impressive I won't deny that. However, I think our boys will score more than yours over the season. Are you up for a charity bet? Tenner to the winner's charity of choice.

[Thedelldays]

30 goals in 45 games is very impressive I won't deny that. However, I think our boys will score more than yours over the season. Are you up for a charity bet? Tenner to the winner's charity of choice.

I probably wont be on here come the end of the season....(in the forces)..however, there are a few on here that will take you up on that offer, no doubt..

 

just depends on who lets in the least now...lol

[stevegrant]

this season is all about automatic promotio for me...not the JPT or doing well in the cups...but automatic promotion...and I guess, after some comments last season, that will probably be the focus on the club as a whole

I'd agree, but let's face it, we'd all fancy a trip to Wembley again as an added bonus. The two don't necessarily have to be mutually exclusive.

[tartanowl]

I probably wont be on here come the end of the season....(in the forces)..however, there are a few on here that will take you up on that offer, no doubt..

 

just depends on who lets in the least now...lol

 

Respect to you sir.

 

I'm happy to take one bet but it's first come first served. I'm not in a position to be making multiple bets!

[stmusicdude]

If bookies are to be believed.

 

11/4 to win the league before a ball has been kicked?

 

10/11 for promotion?

 

Either we are nailed on, or some lumpy bets have been placed. Let's hope it's the former!!

 

I do think some are going to be so so disappointed if they really are stupid enough to think it will be easy.

We MIGHT win it! but it will never be an easy ride.

[fish fingers]

Wednesday fan here. A lot can happen in 46 games and IMO your squad at present is no better than ours. You do have a rich chairman and you presumably still have signings to make, but while you have some good young players and a good squad for this league personally I think your odds are terrible value. I think you are a good bet for promotion and I think you probably will end up in the top 2 (along with us) but IMO anyone thinking of betting on your odds to be champions is crazy.

 

When i was a kid Sheffield Weds were my second team because Lee Chapman sent me a signed picture. His mum used to run a pub in Corfe Castle.

[stevegrant]

Seeing as the comparative striking options between Saints and Wednesday are being discussed, let's have a look at what's on offer:

 

Sheffield Wednesday

Akpo Sodje - 12 games for Wednesday last season, 0 goals. Two spells on loan at Charlton as well, 5 goals in 25 appearances (10 starts). Total: 5 goals in 37 games.

Paul Heffernan - 11 games for Doncaster last season, 0 goals. 4 games on loan at Oldham, 1 goal. 11 games on loan at Bristol Rovers, 4 goals. Total: 5 goals in 26 games.

Marcus Tudgay - 46 games for Wednesday last season, 10 goals.

 

Total: 20 goals between 3 players in 109 games.

 

Saints

Rickie Lambert - 58 games for Saints last season, 36 goals. Also 1 game for Bristol Rovers, 1 goal. Total: 37 goals in 59 games.

Lee Barnard - 22 games for Saints last season, 9 goals. Also 28 games for Southend, 17 goals. Total: 26 goals in 50 games.

David Connolly - 23 games for Saints last season, 7 goals.

Adam Lallana - 56 games for Saints last season, 20 goals.

 

Total: 90 goals between 4 players in 188 games

 

Even if you say the Championship is twice as hard to score in than League One (which it isn't, but we'll say that to make the numbers easier), Tudgay's equivalent 20 goals (the other two strikers scored all their goals in League One anyway) still doesn't get the Wednesday strikeforce anywhere near ours.

[Thedelldays]

I understand in a way, but why would you be happy with 2nd? What better chance will this club ever have of winning a league? I don't want to be second best in this league. If someone else wins it, their manager has done a far better job than Pardew. Yeah I'll celebrate if we get second, but I won't be thinking Pardew has done a brilliant job. I know it's a high expectation, but I guarantee you for Cortese and Liebherr, 2nd is the bare minimum. Can't see Pardew getting a chance in the playoffs, as if we're not in the top two, he'll be sacked.

I know what you mean..what I meant was if 2nd finish was on offer right now....I would snap that right up...

if we finisg 2nd..it will be job done as far as I am concerned..

 

of course, we should be aiming for 1st and hopefully get it..

[Clifford Nelson]

There is a desperate mistake to think that there is an enormous difference between CCC and L1. Between the top of CCC and the bottom of L1 there is, admittedly, but for the rest there isn't much in it. Saints wouldn't have needed much in the 2008-09 season to remain in the CCC, but that team stood no chance in L1. Effectively we kept Kelvin, Lallana and Schneiderlin and let the rest go. Only with better players did we become competitive. I think Wednesday will find it much more of a challenge than they think.

[hypochondriac]

30 goals in 45 games is very impressive I won't deny that. However, I think our boys will score more than yours over the season. Are you up for a charity bet? Tenner to the winner's charity of choice.

 

I'll take the bet.

[hypochondriac]

Ah I see adrian was there before me. We will score the most next season, no doubt.

[hypochondriac]

There is a desperate mistake to think that there is an enormous difference between CCC and L1. Between the top of CCC and the bottom of L1 there is, admittedly, but for the rest there isn't much in it. Saints wouldn't have needed much in the 2008-09 season to remain in the CCC, but that team stood no chance in L1. Effectively we kept Kelvin, Lallana and Schneiderlin and let the rest go. Only with better players did we become competitive. I think Wednesday will find it much more of a challenge than they think.

 

Yep. I saw a lot better footie at many games last season than I did the season we got relegated. There are some shocking teams in the CCC.

[tartanowl]

Seeing as the comparative striking options between Saints and Wednesday are being discussed, let's have a look at what's on offer:

 

Sheffield Wednesday

Akpo Sodje - 12 games for Wednesday last season, 0 goals. Two spells on loan at Charlton as well, 5 goals in 25 appearances (10 starts). Total: 5 goals in 37 games.

Paul Heffernan - 11 games for Doncaster last season, 0 goals. 4 games on loan at Oldham, 1 goal. 11 games on loan at Bristol Rovers, 4 goals. Total: 5 goals in 26 games.

Marcus Tudgay - 46 games for Wednesday last season, 10 goals.

 

Total: 20 goals between 3 players in 109 games.

 

Saints

Rickie Lambert - 58 games for Saints last season, 36 goals. Also 1 game for Bristol Rovers, 1 goal. Total: 37 goals in 59 games.

Lee Barnard - 22 games for Saints last season, 9 goals. Also 28 games for Southend, 17 goals. Total: 26 goals in 50 games.

David Connolly - 23 games for Saints last season, 7 goals.

Adam Lallana - 56 games for Saints last season, 20 goals.

 

Total: 90 goals between 4 players in 188 games

 

Even if you say the Championship is twice as hard to score in than League One (which it isn't, but we'll say that to make the numbers easier), Tudgay's equivalent 20 goals (the other two strikers scored all their goals in League One anyway) still doesn't get the Wednesday strikeforce anywhere near ours.

 

You can make stats suit any argument.

 

For starters Sodje is **** and isn't our player. He's a Charlton player now! And although he is a very good player who should be playing at a higher level Lallana isn't a striker is he? I thought he was a midfield player? I think you have two top players BTW in Lallana and Schneiderlin. Far better than anyone else in this league.

 

Tudgay played nearly as many games on the right wing as he did up front for us last season. To have a record better than a goal every 4 games at Championship level despite regularly playing in midfield is very impressive. He could have been playing in the Prem last season with Burnley but he ended up staying with us. I bet he is a bit gutted at that now!

 

Heffernan was largely used as a sub by Doncaster last season. He scored 10 the season before and like your boys up front he has scored 20+ in a season at this level in the past. A solid signing for this level.

 

Mellor scored a few for Liverpool in his brief number of appearances there and in 63 Championship starts (I'm not counting sub appearances) he had a record of 30 goals at Preston.

 

Add the pace and trickery of Jermaine Johnson and we have a potentially very threatening strike force. None of them are past their best, all of them are in their prime, and personally I think nearly every team (bar perhaps yourselves) in this league would happily swap what they have for what we have.

[tartanowl]

I'll take that bet dear owl.

 

No probs.

[Dibden Purlieu Saint]

We finished just 3 points off an auto place last season (if you add the 10 points back) and that was after starting with an incomplete team that had a terrible 10 game start.

 

League 1 has lost Norwich, Leeds and Millwall - the best 3 teams in the league last year - and replaced them with arguably lesser teams.

 

The players have now gelled into a team that knows how to win in this league and which has added some very good signings so far. We also have a chairman who is amenable to investing in the team if we need to strengthen further.

 

We have a decent manager with top flight experience.

 

That's why the bookies are putting us down as nailed on certs - and I agree with them!

 

Putting it like that, you aint wrong.

[Dibden Purlieu Saint]

You can make stats suit any argument.

 

For starters Sodje is **** and isn't our player. He's a Charlton player now! And although he is a very good player who should be playing at a higher level Lallana isn't a striker is he? I thought he was a midfield player? I think you have two top players BTW in Lallana and Schneiderlin. Far better than anyone else in this league.

 

Tudgay played nearly as many games on the right wing as he did up front for us last season. To have a record better than a goal every 4 games at Championship level despite regularly playing in midfield is very impressive. He could have been playing in the Prem last season with Burnley but he ended up staying with us. I bet he is a bit gutted at that now!

 

Heffernan was largely used as a sub by Doncaster last season. He scored 10 the season before and like your boys up front he has scored 20+ in a season at this level in the past. A solid signing for this level.

 

Mellor scored a few for Liverpool in his brief number of appearances there and in 63 Championship starts (I'm not counting sub appearances) he had a record of 30 goals at Preston.

 

Add the pace and trickery of Jermaine Johnson and we have a potentially very threatening strike force. None of them are past their best, all of them are in their prime, and personally I think nearly every team (bar perhaps yourselves) in this league would happily swap what they have for what we have.

 

Lol, even an Owls fan can see how important Schneiderlin is. Why is it some of our own fans don't/didn't recognise this!!

[hypochondriac]

Our top players are: Schneiderlin, Fonte, Lallana and Lambert. Those are our best 4.

[Dibden Purlieu Saint]

Our top players are: Schneiderlin, Fonte, Lallana and Lambert. Those are our best 4.

 

Yes. Although I believe we haven't seen the best of Puncheon yet, and I think after this season he'll be classed up with them.

 

Plus Kelvin as well. Can't forget about him.

[hypochondriac]

Yes. Although I believe we haven't seen the best of Puncheon yet, and I think after this season he'll be classed up with them.

 

Plus Kelvin as well. Can't forget about him.

 

Whoops Kelvin as well. Kelvin, Schneiderlin, Lambert and Fonte are the best in the division in their positions.

[benjii]

Neil Mellor

 

:vuvu:

[benjii]

Lol, even an Owls fan can see how important Schneiderlin is. Why is it some of our own fans don't/didn't recognise this!!

 

 

Probably because he has as many bad games as good games and is a petulant so and so.

[Saint_clark]

Probably because he has as many bad games as good games and is a petulant so and so.

 

Wrong.

[Dibden Purlieu Saint]

Probably because he has as many bad games as good games and is a petulant so and so.

 

Wrong.

[Dibden Purlieu Saint]

Wrong.

 

Snap. High five.

[hypochondriac]

Probably because he has as many bad games as good games and is a petulant so and so.

 

Wrong.

[Ludwig]

I seem to recall seeing Sheffield Wednesday play last season, and thinking they were the worst team I'd seen (in the Championship) bar possibly Plymouth (though this was back in October or so, though the fact they ultimately went down does little to dissuade my view). The point is, we had a 'poor' team in the Championship, we all saw what happened when the squad that finished on 46 points came through before significant strengthening - we weren't up to much. For the same reason, and the fact that other than Beevers and Tudgay, there's really no one in the Wednesday team who I'd think could displace any members of our side, unless they strengthen significantly (having been relegated, I doubt they will), they won't do better than possibly sneaking into the play-offs.

[benjii]

Why wrong? You must agree he's a petulant so and so?

 

Presumably therefore you think he has more good games than bad? I'd say it's around 50/50. Anyway, probably not a discussion for this thread.

[tartanowl]

I seem to recall seeing Sheffield Wednesday play last season, and thinking they were the worst team I'd seen (in the Championship) bar possibly Plymouth (though this was back in October or so, though the fact they ultimately went down does little to dissuade my view). The point is, we had a 'poor' team in the Championship, we all saw what happened when the squad that finished on 46 points came through before significant strengthening - we weren't up to much. For the same reason, and the fact that other than Beevers and Tudgay, there's really no one in the Wednesday team who I'd think could displace any members of our side, unless they strengthen significantly (having been relegated, I doubt they will), they won't do better than possibly sneaking into the play-offs.

 

Our squad is stronger. We've addressed the lack of balance, freed the garbage, and signed some good players. Brian Laws relegated us. If Irvine had been in charge the duration of the season with our points per game ratio we would have been comfortably mid-table and just missed out on the playoffs. We are a different side to the confidence wrecked, in-fighting shambles we were under Laws.

 

Grant is comfortably a better keeper than yours (we've turned down £2m this pre-season from Wigan for him) and as well as the others you mention I would definitely take Spurr, Sedgewick and Miller over your players. It's all opinions though and yours clearly differ from mine.

[hypochondriac]

Our squad is stronger. We've addressed the lack of balance, freed the garbage, and signed some good players. Brian Laws relegated us. If Irvine had been in charge the duration of the season with our points per game ratio we would have been comfortably mid-table and just missed out on the playoffs. We are a different side to the confidence wrecked, in-fighting shambles we were under Laws.

 

Grant is comfortably a better keeper than yours (we've turned down £2m this pre-season from Wigan for him) and as well as the others you mention I would definitely take Spurr, Sedgewick and Miller over your players. It's all opinions though and yours clearly differ from mine.

 

Nah.

[Saint_clark]

Our squad is stronger. We've addressed the lack of balance, freed the garbage, and signed some good players. Brian Laws relegated us. If Irvine had been in charge the duration of the season with our points per game ratio we would have been comfortably mid-table and just missed out on the playoffs. We are a different side to the confidence wrecked, in-fighting shambles we were under Laws.

 

Grant is comfortably a better keeper than yours (we've turned down £2m this pre-season from Wigan for him) and as well as the others you mention I would definitely take Spurr, Sedgewick and Miller over your players. It's all opinions though and yours clearly differ from mine.

 

So you'd take Spurr over Harding, Sedgewick over Lallana or Puncheon and....who's Miller?

[Ponty]

Sheffield Wednesday will remain (in my head) as the team who would always seem to beat us in the Prem, during the 90s, and David Hurst would always score. Then we bought Hurst and apparently he was broken.

 

I hope they do well. They've always struck me as an honest team and an honest club. They're welcome to any promotion spot we're not using, as far as I'm concerned. Tartanowl is a nutter for forking out a fiver to join a Saints website though! I just hope his subjective viewpoint, about SFC, gives us some good debating material through the season.

[benjii]

I cannot comment on the relative merits of those Sheffield Wednesday players as I cannot recall having ever heard of them before.

 

I do expect we will finish above them this season though. Probably because I'm a Saints fan, but also for all the reasons that the bookies think we will finish above them too.

[Saint_clark]

I cannot comment on the relative merits of those Sheffield Wednesday players as I cannot recall having ever heard of them before.

 

I do expect we will finish above them this season though. Probably because I'm a Saints fan, but also for all the reasons that the bookies think we will finish above them too.

 

And the majority of other fans, don't forget.

[100%Red&White]

As we found out last season everyone was 'up for it' playing us, Sheff Wed (I know they've been here before) will experience exactly the same thing. How many unpredictable 'local derbies' will they have?

 

We have to be targeting top 2, I think Wednesday will be doing the same - at least they wont be starting -10.

[Ludwig]

Our squad is stronger. We've addressed the lack of balance, freed the garbage, and signed some good players. Brian Laws relegated us. If Irvine had been in charge the duration of the season with our points per game ratio we would have been comfortably mid-table and just missed out on the playoffs. We are a different side to the confidence wrecked, in-fighting shambles we were under Laws.

 

Grant is comfortably a better keeper than yours (we've turned down £2m this pre-season from Wigan for him) and as well as the others you mention I would definitely take Spurr, Sedgewick and Miller over your players. It's all opinions though and yours clearly differ from mine.

 

Fair enough, the last time I saw you play in the flesh was the 4-1 defeat at Watford. Though Watford were very good that night, you were awful.

[SaintNeil90]

Our squad is stronger. We've addressed the lack of balance, freed the garbage, and signed some good players. Brian Laws relegated us. If Irvine had been in charge the duration of the season with our points per game ratio we would have been comfortably mid-table and just missed out on the playoffs. We are a different side to the confidence wrecked, in-fighting shambles we were under Laws.

 

Grant is comfortably a better keeper than yours (we've turned down £2m this pre-season from Wigan for him) and as well as the others you mention I would definitely take Spurr, Sedgewick and Miller over your players. It's all opinions though and yours clearly differ from mine.

 

Comfortably? Have you regularly watched both players? Davis was given a trial and offered a deal at West Ham last season! You would take Mellor over Lambert? Sedgewick over Lallana?

[Smirking_Saint]

Our squad is stronger. We've addressed the lack of balance, freed the garbage, and signed some good players. Brian Laws relegated us. If Irvine had been in charge the duration of the season with our points per game ratio we would have been comfortably mid-table and just missed out on the playoffs. We are a different side to the confidence wrecked, in-fighting shambles we were under Laws.

 

Grant is comfortably a better keeper than yours (we've turned down £2m this pre-season from Wigan for him) and as well as the others you mention I would definitely take Spurr, Sedgewick and Miller over your players. It's all opinions though and yours clearly differ from mine.

 

We shall compare again at the start of the season, grant is an OK keeper, younger than Davis, i would argue that he could be better but not a great deal if he was, as far as shot stopping i honestly believe that Davis is the best in the league.

 

Spurr over harding or dickson ?? Ummm, no, sorry.

 

Sedgewick over lallana or Puncheon ?? No again i am afraid

 

Miller ? Tommy ? I would probably take him over Hammond, and perhaps over wotton....perhaps

 

I think you are underestimating the league, the fact that the players will be demoralised through relegation and our team IMO, but i think you will probably be there or there abouts.

 

Nice to have a different view point on the forum anyways.

[dune]

We're Saints and therefore we will have a crap start to the season and therefore we won't **** the league. Also we still have the same players that never got to grips with pitches that weren't bowling greens so it'll be tougher than many think.