I see another pundit doesn't rate us

[Andy]

Manish Bhasin's prediction:

1.Wigan

2. Derby

3 Boro

4 Blackburn

5 Forest

6 Cardiff

Dark horses: Wolves

We don't seem to be getting much love from the media. Happy with that or do you think they are seeing a poor team with an inexperienced manager and calling it about right?

 

[BarclayBoy88]

I'm relatively happy we're not getting a lot of media coverage, personally just think it adds pressure. They can't look at our squad and think it's an average one for this level, so really not sure what they are seeing. Doesn't bother me though, it's up to us to prove them wrong. Just over 24 hours to go.

 

[Andy]

Yep, I agree. Last time we were ignored by the media who were obsessed with QPR and convinced that Cardiff would cruise to second. Not sure why so many are being so dismissive this time though.

 

[Yellow Fever]

How much can these 'pundits' know about 24 different teams. Just hunches really, and therefore meaningless.

 

[Highland Canary]

Perhaps, the pundits are using last year's performances and managerial experience/track record in arriving at their judgements.

 

[bloodwagon]

Do we really care if people dont rate us ?

Its a good thing, as people dont see us climbing and we slip under the radar

 

[wcorkcanary]

One of the most level headed and , in my opinion ''proper'' Newspapers, The Guardian has us to finish 2nd...i'd take that.

 

[Danhammond1612]

Don't care what the pundits say. All we've gotta do is concentrate on ourselves and not worry about anything else. We don't want the extra attention as it puts more pressure on us.

 

[bloodwagon]

Been watching Cardiff and now Fulham, and to be honest, we SHOULD end up above them, come to that everyone should end up above them !!

 

[Danhammond1612]

Fulham have been awful. If we don't finish above them I'll be surprised!

 

[Andy]

Well, Joey Barton has us finishing top 6 if that's any consolation.

 

[Fenway Frank]

The fact that he has Middlesbough finishing third tells you everything you need to know

 

[KeiranShikari]

 Boro look to have made some very nice signings over the summer. Would probably be my 'dark horses'. His selections don't seem too bad really.

 

[Branston Pickle]

You could probably make a fair case for any number of sides, but it is all guesswork, nothing more: no one had Burnley last year but they were promoted at a canter.

It can be interesting to see the reasoning - on Friday I saw that Claridge had gone for Cardiff as 'all their players have been in the Champs before and know what it's about'.....that would be the 4-5 foreigners they signed + a slew of players who have recently left. I imagine there are few regulars from their promotion season left.

 

[Willmeister]

All the pundits have jumped on the stats that relegated clubs find it hard to bounce back. They have also finally realised after ours and Southampton's successes and to a lesser extent Bournemouth in coming up from League 1 and doing well, that one club from League 1 will do ok. Wolves being a big club it just smacks of lazy journalism.

Considering that we have only lost two players, one who scored one goal in 27 matches and one who we got a bloody good deal considering he had one year left on his contract. I do think we are in the strongest position of the three relegated clubs, but it is going to be a slog no doubt about it.

 

[ZLF]

Boro are an interesting one;   unlike many they are a stable club (already friction between pearce and owners at forest for example which does cause ripples)   and they have made some nice signings - hit the season running and they could be this seasons burnley.      

But you can say that about 15 sides...