WHICH RELEGATED TEAM IS BEST PLACED?

Which relegated Premier League team is best-placed to bounce back?
By Jordan Street


Although there's one game remaining for each Premier League side, three teams already know they'll be playing Championship football next term. For Cardiff City, Fulham and Huddersfield Town, a season in arguably the most competitive league on the planet awaits. They'll all be keen to bounce straight back - that's easier said than done, mind.

The question we'd like to ask is, which one is best placed to come back to the Premier League at the first opportunity?

Seeing as Huddersfield had spent the longest time in English football's top-flight, let's start with them...


Huddersfield Town

The Terriers' second season back in the Premier League has been amongst the worst we've ever seen. Huddersfield mustered just three league wins, scoring a mediocre 21 times in 37 outings. That's just not going to cut it at this level, and although Dean Hoyle sacked David Wagner in an effort to try and change things, it was already too late and the Yorkshire outfit always looked destined for relegation.

In terms of their manager, Jan Siewert certainly has pedigree, although he's going to need time to build a team that fits his style and ideologies. There may be growing pains at first, but Huddersfield isn't exactly a club who can afford to go splashing the cash and sacking a manager every few months. The German will get time to prove his worth so in that regard, they're set for the foreseeable future.

My issue with Huddersfield comes when I look at the playing squad. Their standout performer is Aaron Mooy. Quite frankly, I'd be shocked if the Australian is still at the club next season. Philip Billing is someone Town should be looking to build their team around, but Siewert is going to need money if the Terriers are to pull off another improbable Premier League promotion.


Fulham

At the season's start, I think we all thought Fulham were already safe given the incredible amount of money they spent. It just goes to show that spending big isn't the be-all-end-all. You need to have an actual plan if you're to earn victories at the highest level. Slavisa Jokanovic and Claudio Ranieri failed in that regard. it just seemed as though the former was happy to go out and splash the cash on marquee names without really thinking about how they fit in.

Scott Parker has come in and displayed some early promise, however. The Englishman has committed his future to Fulham and that bodes well going into a huge summer. It's all about that consistency and like Siewert at Huddersfield, the Fulham board need to be patient with Parker, particularly if they start next slowly.

Player retention is my main concern here. I'd be surprised if £27million-man Jean Michael Seri is at Craven Cottage beyond this season, the same goes for Aleksandar Mitrovic - who was their shining light all season long. Just twelve months ago Fulham's star man was Ryan Sessegnon, but his debut Premier League campaign didn't go to plan and who knows where his head is at.
It all depends on how many big names jump ship. If Fulham can keep a solid spine and allow Parker to add a few key pieces then I give the Londoners every chance to be back in the big time for the 2020/21 term, but there are a lot of ifs, buts and maybes...


Cardiff City

I want to preface this by stating that my opinion on Neil Warnock has changed. I never used to like the bloke due to his constant moaning and bickering, but this year I realised that all he's doing is stating the truth. I think his Cardiff City have had their fair share of dodgy calls this year and who knows what might have been if they'd have been given a fair crack at the whip.

To their credit, they kept fighting right until the end and that team spirit will serve them well going forward. Their core group of players have earned Championship promotion before and we all know that Warnock is the absolute master at taking sides to the promised land. If he stays (and it's a big if at this moment), they'd be my early promotion favourites.

Victor Camarasa aside, I'm not sure clubs will be flooding in to sign Cardiff's players. That's no disrespect to the Bluebirds, I just think their squad is stacked with mid-level footballers who work well in a system that is designed for overall team success. In that regard, I liken them to the Championship version of the New England Patriots; a well-oiled machine who can win in varying ways from week-to-week.

Harry Arter is quality, Neil Etheridge is an excellent goalkeeper, while Bobby Reid and Josh Murphy have shown promise. All will be top performers in the Championship but they'll all be praying that Warnock sticks around for another twelve months at least...

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Relly depends on who stays or goes my concetn is we have very good championship squad (players) but nw failed to play them regularly in premier, will they go or will he even play them? If does a few additions and it will look very promising. Huddersfield could be a surprise

We are.

Which team is managed by a promotion expert?

Don’t know who Jordan Street is, but he is sloppy. Jokanavic gave a list of players he wanted to Tony Khan, who ignored it and chose the players that came in. Jokanavic should have walked then.

I think Fulham are the ones who will struggle, surely have to slash the wage bill and need to improve, also tough for a untested Parker. Championship is a very tough league.

Churchill said that a nation that goes down fighting will recover and return, but one which gives in will disappear .

If that applies to football teams then I think what happened today at Manchester United means we'll be back.

Actually I feel remarkably positive about the whole thing and if that's what the owner decides that he wants we can win the Chamionship by a country mile . Just a question of what our priorities are between saving money and continuing the remarkable progress we've already achieved.

We must maintain the improved standards which have come with the premiership scars and learn from that whole thing that we must be ruthless and efficient on every single occasion. No question of being happy with a point or understanding about the odd f**k up here and there.

We need three GOOD midfielders and probably a striker who actually scores goals. We need to keep as many as possible of our players and most of all we need to keep Sir Neil Warnock. The rest is history - albeit next year's history but I want to see us go out from day one and make Wolves championship win look laboured .

I think Fulham are the ones who will struggle, surely have to slash the wage bill and need to improve, also tough for a untested Parker. Championship is a very tough league.

And hudds. Both got huge wage bills from this year. Either straight back up or clear it early?!

We're in the much stronger position!

And for anyone who doubts it click on this

https://youtu.be/Hqtaoz4QFX8

They Guy does realise that Huddersfield are not going to build a team around Phillip Billing considering he wants to leave and has been dropped by Siewert since saying that. And Jokanovic didn't pick or sign the players, Tony Khan did who signs players based off statistics and analytics. Also seem the guy thinks we still have Arter for next season. Do your research

Idiotic question as its obviously us. Manager who has gained promotion numerous times v 2 who have never managed in it before. Squad thats likely to be pretty similar to this year again can't be said of the other two. Wont need to cut the wage bill whereas Fulham most certainly will. Both the other clubs will be midtable at best and we should be making the playoffs at the minimum.