The 2025/26 Relegation Battle Thread

[hallamblue]

West Ham are where this club were three years ago. Lost Kudus who was a Richarlison type for them and their team aside from Bowen looks very average with a lack of pace and goal threat.

Chelsea at home for them next so think Potter isn't going to make it past November as they looked as bad as under Lopetegui.

Maxed out on the credit card last summer mostly signing players who are no better than what they have.

That's a great win for Sunderland though. Promoted teams have barely won a home game between them last two seasons. Already Sunderland have won as many home games as Ipswich did whole of last season so they need another 7-8 and they'll probably stay up.

Not to mention borrowing £290 million from Phillip Green.

 

[ganistuk]

Whoever described the premier league as a ‘transfer arms race’ is spot on.
Sunderland’s new signings, particularly Diarra and Xhaka were dominant.
The right signings can transform teams.

We’ve got a week to sort out our issues with 3 meaningful signings.
Then we have a week of loan ins and outs before the window closes.

No doubting they have recruited well. Shows it can be done. They didn't even know if they would be playing in the Premier League until later than any other team in it and have utilised their budget well. They could easily be lower-mid table or better.

 

[lieneverton]

No doubting they have recruited well. Shows it can be done. They didn't even know if they would be playing in the Premier League until later than any other team in it and have utilised their budget well. They could easily be lower-mid table or better.

I still expect them to struggle. Exceptional result today but lower mid table (who could well be in relegation fight) at home is an ideal opening fixture. They do have a very nice start in the fixture list so they absolutely need to make hay in the first 5 or 6 games and it's an ideal start but I'd be surprised if they weren't in a relegation fight, or go down.

 

[Victus]

Worried.

 

[Exeter_Gently]

Not to mention borrowing £290 million from Phillip Green.

West Ham did?

 

[Infernus]

Worried.

Right now? Yes. It seems clear with the amount of money being spent that ‘the three that came up will go back down’ might not be so cut and dried, and we are woefully short again. 3 or 4 good additions and I think we will be ok. Just mid table though, no push for Europe for us

 

[Exeter_Gently]

Right now? Yes. It seems clear with the amount of money being spent that ‘the three that came up will go back down’ might not be so cut and dried, and we are woefully short again. 3 or 4 good additions and I think we will be ok. Just mid table though, no push for Europe for us

Dunno mate I think 3-4 decent additions and we can have good go this season...There is some absolute pony in this league.

 

[MaximusEvertonius]

I needed cheering up so went in the West Ham fans forum. Bloody hell half of them are predicting relegation already

Honestly, mate, they might be right. They literally started today where they left off. They were so lucky they didn’t go down last year. It’s way too early to say for sure, but if I had to put money on it today I’d say West Ham will be one of the three going down.

 

[knowing your history]

Dunno mate I think 3-4 decent additions and we can have good go this season...There is some absolute pony in this league.

There is finally momentum at this club again. Strong end to last season, Moyes pushed West Ham on quickly after keeping them up in 2020....and Jack flipping Grealish.

The odds are far more in favour than summer 2023 when Ashley Young, Danjuma and Jack Harrison were the big name signings.

 

[Blue peter]

Honestly, mate, they might be right. They literally started today where they left off. They were so lucky they didn’t go down last year. It’s way too early to say for sure, but if I had to put money on it today I’d say West Ham will be one of the three going down.

Possibly, I never thought GP was a good appointment. He just doesn’t have what you’d want in a manager to be successful, but it cheered me up no end. One poster said he’d be out by November while another asked about Dyche

 

[MaximusEvertonius]

Possibly, I never thought GP was a good appointment. He just doesn’t have what you’d want in a manager to be successful, but it cheered me up no end. One poster said he’d be out by November while another asked about Dyche

Yes, tell them they should take Dyche. That oughta be the final nail in the coffin.

 

[formerly manx toffee]

Might be a long old season for Burnley

 

[GrandOldTeam]

Shouldn't close threads because they get on my nerves, but I'm going rogue here and closing this thread.

Last 2 seasons we've earned enough points to finish 12th and 13th.

22 points clear in 2023/24
23 points clear last season.

In the last 2 seasons - closer to Europe than relegation.

Should be looking up under new owners and new stadium, not back.

 

[MaximusEvertonius]

Might be a long old season for Burnley

I was thinking the same thing. I think Burnley might be last year’s Southampton.

 

[GrandOldTeam]

Shouldn't close threads because they get on my nerves, but I'm going rogue here and closing this thread.

Last 2 seasons we've earned enough points to finish 12th and 13th.

22 points clear in 2023/24
23 points clear last season.

In the last 2 seasons - closer to Europe than relegation.

Should be looking up under new owners and new stadium, not back.

I'll reopen in late October...