Page 1 of 1

Predict the Top 6 in League 1

Posted: Fri Aug 02, 2019 9:28 am
by Jack_Tinn
The season is about to start so what are your predictions for the top 6 at the finish line?
Which team do you think will be the surprise package for the 2019/20 season in L1?
Can Lincoln copy Luton and make it two successful promotions?

( please remember that Bury and Bolton start the season on minus 12pts )

I am going to say that the top six when it is all said and done will be:

1. Peterborough
2. Pompey
3. Ipswich
4. Sunderland
5. Rotherham
6. Oxford

I think Lincoln will have a good season but run out of steam in the second half of the season and will finish in the top 10. I just have a sense that Oxford will have a good season, not sure why really, just a hunch.

I think that whilst everyone is talking about Sunderland and Pompey being the teams to watch in L1 that Peterborough are a team to watch out for. They have Toney up front and have Mo Eisa now too and Godden can't even get into the side. They have serious firepower up front and they are going to give a few teams a right tonking on occasions this season. If they can build a solid defence they will be a jugganaut and will be difficult to stop.

Sunderland are another strong outfit with tremendous support. There is real pressure for them to get promoted this year but they have had to cut back on their playing squad because of financial fair play rules and as much as I like the signing of McNulty I don't think they are a stronger squad overall from last year. Pompey and Peterborough have taken a step forward (imho) and they haven't.

I can't see Ipswich being outside of the top 10 even with a lot of changes at Portman Road - and they will be very strong at home this season (tough away game this year for every team!)

Coventry are another team that is projected to have a good season but they have a few off the pitch issues so I am expecting that will have an effect and push them down but not out of the top 10.

What are your thoughts?

Re: Predict the Top 6 in League 1

Posted: Fri Aug 02, 2019 9:41 am
by Pompey Penguin
Jack_Tinn wrote: Fri Aug 02, 2019 9:28 am I just have a sense that Oxford will have a good season, not sure why really, just a hunch.
More than a hunch I think. Take Oxford's second half of last season and extend it for a full 46 games and they would have been in the play-offs. They just got off to an awful start.

Re: Predict the Top 6 in League 1

Posted: Fri Aug 02, 2019 10:33 am
by New Forester
I used to live in Peterborough and watched them in the early 70s. I intend to make them one of my away trips this season. Could be a key match.

Re: Predict the Top 6 in League 1

Posted: Fri Aug 02, 2019 2:13 pm
by Locky_McLockface
I'm not going to argue with your top 6 clubs, just the placement of them.

I genuinely think that the signing of Marquis will allow us to be champions, but like you I think that Peterborough will get the other automatic slot, they have made some good recruitments this season in Eisa and Boyd (not forgetting former resident of this parish, Dan Butler), and they still have Toney.

Sunderland could go either way. We know all about the quality of Marc McNulty, and signing Jordan Willis was a good deal for them. Their financial situation, though, seems to be a bit iffy, they were desperate to offload Oviedo, who by all accounts was on a serious wedge when he shouldn't have been, and I hear that they look to be selling George Honeyman to Hull for only £400K. You have to wonder whether a big offer might tempt them to sell Aidan McGeady too, and if that were to happen, their season is killed.

Ipswich will be there or thereabouts, as is the norm with the relegated sides, James Norwood is a good capture, there's more goals in him than the centre-forward they let go. (I wonder what happened to him........)

Rotherham, likewise.

The 6th team could be a surprise, Oxford sound like a good bet. Coventry I think might struggle, given that they're playing home games at St Andrews, not the Ricoh. Shrewsbury - maybe. Lincoln - not sure.

Re: Predict the Top 6 in League 1

Posted: Fri Aug 02, 2019 6:33 pm
by Fratboy Slim
Also agree with your top 5, maybe not necessarily in that order.

I think if we can gel quickly up front, we could be champs. Marqius is a major coup. We certainly have depth in every dept. now and I believe we could sustain a challenge for the double of Div 1 and back-to-back Checkatrade Trophy winners.

Not so sure about Oxford. They are light up top and won't score too many goals in the early games (doesn't help that they start at the Stadium of Light tomorrow).

I would choose one of three between Burton, Coventry and maybe Shrewsbury. Lets hope we can overcome the hoodoo the Shrews have had over us tomorrow.

Buckle up, it should be some ride. PUP PPU