As the 2015/16 Premier League season opener draws ever closer, one fan from each club has given their thoughts for the Observer’s fans’ verdict.
As the 2015/16 Premier League season opener draws ever closer, one fan from each club has given their thoughts for the Observer’s fans’ verdict.
It gives an insightful overview of how some fans are feeling about the year ahead. Have the club’s bought the right players in the transfer window? What are their weaknesses and who are their brightest young prospects? And of course, a predicted finish for each.
In a nutshell, both Arsenal and Chelsea’s fan is predicting top spot, while the likes of Aston Villa aren’t quite so optimistic.
Southampton and West Ham ponder about the effects of Europa League involvement, while the promoted clubs are hopeful of just missing out on relegation back to the Championship. Incidentally, but as usual, nobody has resigned their team to relegation before a ball has been kicked.
You can read the full answers from fans of each club at the links below.
Part 1 – Arsenal to Manchester United
Part 2 – Newcastle United to West Ham
My full answers are below too,not too different from the condensed version linked above, in fairness to the Observer/Guardian.
1) Are you happy with how the summer has gone? Any good/bad transfers? What do you think the season has in store?
Garry Monk has again made some solid signings this Summer, so much so that he believes that it’s the strongest squad the club has ever had – big words to live up to ahead of a season where 8th or better is the likely target within the dressing room at least. He’s added some much needed strength in depth in certain positions, held on to our key assets and released some of the deadwood so his bold statement is arguably a fair one. It’s been a good summer, and therefore the expectation and anticipation ahead of another Premier League season is the highest it’s ever been. A top half place would again be an excellent achievement though.
2) Who are your key players? Any emerging youngsters to watch out for?
We’ll all be hoping that striker Bafetimbi Gomis can carry on from where he left off at the end of last season, when he hit good, consistent goalscoring form thanks to scoring what was his second League goal of the season – a winner at Villa. Jay Fulton and Matt Grimes are two youngsters that Monk is keen to bring through into the first team, which is one of the reasons why club legend Leon Britton has considered his future after being told he’s unlikely to be playing much football next year. Big things are also expected from new free signing Andre Ayew.
3) Any weak links that opponents will target?
We’re a strong, well organised unit, as we proved last year, and that shouldn’t change next season, but all too often we dropped points from winning positions, and we weren’t strong enough throughout an entire match. We allowed teams back into games far too easily last year and this ‘game managment’ that Monk talked about will need work, though it did improve towards the end of the campaign.
4) Who will make the most headlines on/off the pitch via controversies, rows, good quotes? Player, manager, owner etc?
Hopefully headlines will be made for all the good reasons again like last season, Gomis won’t demand a move and cause a bit of a stir and Monk and his team can make headlines from the very first game with a shock win at Chelsea on opening day, you just never know!
5) And which well known actor, past or present, would play your manager in a movie? (We asked this question once before – so if you still have the same manager, please try and give us a different answer if possible – thanks. Examples include Brenda Fricker as Steve Bruce / Charles Hawtrey as Arsene Wenger / Robin Williams/Mrs Doubtfire as Neil Warnock / Jon Pertwee as Pellegrini etc etc)
Alan Tudyk
6) And please give us your predicted final finishing position.
8th. Consolidating last season’s finish would be excellent for us.
Do you agree with the above? Is 8th a fair predicted finish for Swansea City or are you expecting an improvement on last season?
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