Steve Bruce gone

[Blue Valkyrie]

Good to see so many already writing Burnley off as cannon fodder next season - Dyche and the club thrive as underdogs and like to prove the so-called experts wrong. Maybe they will be relegated next season, but the bookies have been wrong before about us - notably in 2013/14 and again in 2015/16.

I;m more confident we will stay up this time around than I was two seasons ago..........Sunderland have had their plans seriously disrupted and Bruice as just walked out of Hull who only just scraped promotion anyway.

Under the smug and smarmy Howe, Bournemouth have lost some momentum while West Brom, Palace, Swansea and Watford are no world-beaters.

Last but not least......Middlesbrough. We held our nerve to overcome a huge points deficit in the second half to finish comfortably above Karanka's men who nervously stumbled over the finish line after losing to mighty Rotherham and Charlton in the run-in.

Boro may have splashed out on some "big names" like they did with game-changer Downing last season, but our group of journeyman finished ahead of Steve Gibson's troops for the SIXTH time in the last SEVEN seasons. The only time Boro finished above us in this period was in 2011/12.......and it was NO coincidence at all that it was half-hearted Howe's only full season at Turf Moor.

I agree, but just make sure you take all 6 points off Dancin' Al.

Hull, Palace and to go down.

 

[BUTTERBALL]

I think Hull are doomed already. Not a great season in prospect for their fans.

 

[AmexRuislip]

My mate, Brentford Barrie was in the same hotel in Portugal, as the Hull squad a couple of weeks back.
Asked SB about England job, and was told he had heard nothing from them.
Seemed happy enough to answer questions.

 

[daveinprague]

Moyes to Sunderland

 

[joeinbrighton]

Boro may have splashed out on some "big names" like they did with game-changer Downing last season, but our group of journeyman finished ahead of Steve Gibson's troops for the SIXTH time in the last SEVEN seasons. The only time Boro finished above us in this period was in 2011/12.......and it was NO coincidence at all that it was half-hearted Howe's only full season at Turf Moor.

Middlesbrough look like they are making some proper investment in their team now after a few years where Steve Gibson had, perhaps understandably, tightened up the purse strings a little. They have signed Alvaro Negredo who started off really well at Manchester City before he got injured. Keep him fit and they have someone who could get them 15 goals in the top flight. They might also have signed Neven Subotic from Borussia Dortmund had he not picked up another injury which will sideline him for the first half of the season. They should have some more signings to come and their style of football will possibly work better in the Premier League than in the hustle and bustle of the Championship.

 

[joeinbrighton]

I doubt they will go down as they still have enough talent there to be safe, but I do think you will see Southampton regress somewhat this season having made such an uninspiring managerial appointment in Claude Puel to replace Ronald Koeman who continued Mauricio Pochettino's good work, arguably bettered it in fact when you consider some of the players who were sold during his time there and in the summer when he took over. Southampton have had more players leave this summer and at some point they will pay the price for never hanging on to their best players.

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

Burnley, Hull, Watford for me.

Watford went in complete meltdown in the second half of the season and have a manager new to the league.

Burnley and Hull have Championship squads.

 

[Saladpack Seagull]

Hull is still up for sale. I read that he had been told there weren't any funds to strengthen the squad.

Wouldn't give you tuppence ha'penny for the whole place, never mind the football club.

 

[Worried Man Blues]

Doomed to be picking up squillions for the next few years!

I think Hull are doomed already. Not a great season in prospect for their fans.