Where will we finish in the Premier League table?
Gary Pitty: I’ll be optimistic and take 12th place because I actually think it’ll be a tough season for us. This then provides a stepping stone for the following season to embed the philosophy and new players.
Paul Brand: Realistically, 15th. Much the same as last season but at least one of Man Utd and Spurs can only get better.
Meirion Williams: I’m a pessimist and I think West Ham has taken the optimist out of me. If you thought last season was bad, I can’t see it getting any better this season. It’s 14th for me.
WestHamRambles. 10th if we have a good transfer window.
Dawud Marsh: Between 12th and 16th.
Geoff Hillyer: I’m surprised at the negativity. I think we will have an Alan Curbishley slightly boring season and end up 10th/11th. We are not a great side, but we’re not a bad one either.
Who will be our top goalscorer?
GP: I can’t see beyond Jarrod Bowen to be honest. He’s our talisman, however, with the right service and hopefully staying fit, Fullkrug could be a close second.
PB: Sensible money would be on Bowen but I hope he’s outgunned by a new #9.
MW: Has to be Bowen for me as I can’t see anyone currently getting close unless we pick up someone like Grealish.
WHR: Jarrod Bowen, again.
DM: Bowen.
GH: Bowen because… well, who else?
Who will provide the most assists?
GP: Again Jarrod Bowen. Everything goes through him as it should as he’s our best player with the best returns at that end of the pitch.
PB: In fantasy land, Jack Grealish or Harvey Elliott. More likely, Bowen again.
MW: We might have a surprise winner for this one as I think Wan-Bissaka could be a bit of a talisman and fire in a few crosses into the box. But of course, Jack Grealish could give us that too if we signed him.
WHR: Summerville. This is more in hope, as I think he’s a great player, when fit.
DM: AWB.
GH: Difficult to answer but I think Wan-Bissaka might supply a few. It is difficult to look beyond Bowen again.
Who’ll be our HOTY come the end of the season?
GP: If he stays fit all season, I’d say Jarrod Bowen. He’s our most consistent performer so I expect it to be him if injury free.
PB: The yet-to-be-signed energetic midfielder we’re crying out for.
MW: Bowen was close last year for this honour so I think he should walk this one as I can’t see anyone else currently challenging him.
WHR: Jarrod Bowen, again.
DM: Bowen.
GH: El Hadj Malick Diouf. But only because I don’t want to say Bowen again.
Which current player will surprise everyone with their performance this season?
GP: Crysencio Summerville I believe will be a good player for West Ham. Before his injury last season, I felt there were good signs from him.
PB: I still believe Niclas Füllkrug could do the business.
MW: Crysencio Summerville. He showed flashes of greatness last season and certainly one to watch if he can stay injury free.
WHR: Kyle Walker-Peters, I think he’ll step up when needed, for example during AFCON.
DM: Fullkrug.
GH: I agree re Summerville. I think he could be one to watch so long as he isn’t on the treatment table.
How far will we go in the FA and League cups?
GP: To be honest I’d love a cup run but the League Cup will be tough with clubs in Europe getting an advantage. FA Cup 5th round I think before we get an awful draw as usual.
PB: I’m going say League Cup semis and FA Cup 3rd round, based on nothing but gut feeling.
MW: The League Cup offers us the better chance. Yes I know the European teams have a better chance of progressing, however, I really feel that the timing of the cup this year is important. The FA Cup third round doesn’t kick off until January and by that time, we could be in a relegation battle and the FA cup will become an irrelevance. I can see us at least reaching the quarter final of the League Cup and forgetting about the FA Cup.
WHR: As much as I would love a cup run, I don’t think we’ll go very far, unfortunately.
DM: Fourth round in both.
GH: Probably a couple of rounds into each competition and then knocked out. Standard.
Which team will we beat by the biggest margin?
GP: I think you can’t think beyond the promoted clubs. Burnley 4-0 win for us at home.
PB: Whichever lower-league team set us on our way in the second round of the League Cup.
MW: It has to be one of the relegated sides and I’m plumping for Sunderland. It always worries me when we draw a lower side in a cup game as we always huff and puff with those and sneak away with a one goal margin, so I can’t see us beating a lower side by a big score.
WHR: Spurs, with Kudus scoring an own goal before being carried off with an ACL.
DM: Sunderland.
GH: There are no easy games and I will be surprised if there are any handsome victories. Sunderland would be the obvious candidates but I think there might be a surprise here – maybe Brentford, or someone like that?
Which team will beat us by the biggest margin?
GP: I would say Liverpool. Although I don’t think we’ll be hammered in most games. Under Potter, it’s generally been the odd goal here and there.
PB: Liverpool. Probably in the third round of the FA Cup.
MW: Recent history shows that this is an easy question. Answer will go to Anfield and no doubt get our usual embarrassing scoreline.
WHR: Man City. As long as it’s not Arsenal/Chelsea/Spurs.
DM: Liverpool.
GH: Liverpool.
Who will emerge as the Premier League’s signing of the summer transfer window?
GP: Florian Wirtz for Liverpool. I rated him at Bayer Leverkusen when I saw him play.
PB: Joao Pedro’s impact at the Club World Cup suggests he and Chelsea could go to another level. Or perhaps some cheap Bournemouth signing we’ve never heard of.
MW: I think it will be Liverpool’s season again so I too believe that Florian Wirtz will do the job at Liverpool and be a star in the league.
WHR: So far, I think, Delap is a great pick up for Chelsea. With the supply Chelsea will offer, he could score a hatful this coming season.
DM: Hugo Ekitike.
GH: Wirtz looks like a really good signing but I bet that one club will have a new player on their books that no-one has heard of currently that’ll do the business.
Which summer signing can you see flopping at their new club?
GP: Hopefully Mohammed Kudus. No one wants to see him do well at Spurs now do we?
PB: Mbeumo, following in the grand tradition of Sancho, Antony, Højlund etc.
MW: I think it’s the West Ham striker yet to be signed. We could sign Mbappé and make him look ordinary.
WHR: Florian Wirtz. A huge price for a player who may struggle to adapt to the rigours of the Premier League.
DM: Kudus.
GH: Spurs have signed Kudus expecting him to be a world beater. I don’t think he is, but let’s see.
Who do you think will be in the title race?
GP: Liverpool and Man City. I can’t see Man City flopping again. I think Liverpool will carry on where they left off. Arsenal in my opinion have had their chances (plural).
PB: Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea. I don’t see the green shoots of recovery at Man City but they may yet spend £200m.
MW: I think it has to be Liverpool but I believe that Manchester City will get a little closer this season. I’m hoping Declan Rice realises he made a huge mistake going to Arsenal and that he’s not gonna win anything there and maybe he’ll even do Marcus Rushford and look for glory on the continent.
WHR: Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea. Hopefully not Arsenal.
DM: Liverpool, Arsenal, Man City, Chelsea
GH: Once our title challenge falters after matchweek two, it’s the usual suspects.
Who are your candidates for the European places?
GP: Liverpool, Man City Chelsea, Arsenal, Aston Villa, Brighton, Everton. The Moyes initial effect.
PB: The usual suspects: Newcastle, Spurs, Villa. Hard to see anyone doing a Forest except perhaps Forest again.
MW: I can’t see Manchester United being contenders for European football next year. So it has to be the usual suspects Liverpool, Manchester City, Arsenal and I also think that Everton could make a push for European glory
WHR: Brighton, Newcastle, Spurs, Villa. I would like to say West Ham, but I’m a realist.
DM: Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City, Chelsea, Aston Villa, and Newcastle Utd.
GH: I do think Everton may have a good season under Moyes with their stadium. Otherwise, the usual suspects. Again.
Who do you think will go down this season?
GP: Burnley, Sunderland and Leeds. Wolves will struggle again as well and not be far off.
PB: I fancy at least one of the promoted sides to buck the trend and bridge the divide, just not sure which. Wolves will replace them.
MW: I think we will give the poor sides a run for their money and we will struggle all season but like what happened last season, there will be three teams worse than us. I think it’ll be a return to the Championship for Burnley and Sunderland. I think the Wolverhampton will annoyingly be worse than Leeds this coming season
WHR: Sunderland, Wolves, Burnley. I hope we are not involved in that battle.
DM: Burnley, Sunderland, Wolves.
GH: So I have a feeling that at least one of the sides we have come to be associated with the European mix will struggle. Sunderland very likely of course; but I just look at Brentford, for instance and I think maybe not relegation but certainly poorer.
Who will win each of the European competitions?
GP: Champions League: PSG, Europa League: Aston Villa & Europa Conference League: Fiorentina
PB: Barcelona in the Champions League, Villa as the Europa League looks even weaker than last year, and Fiorentina, finally, in the Conference League
MW: There are big changes at Real Madrid and I think they will give Barcelona a run for their money, but it could be another season where PSG wins again. As for the Europa League, I think Aston Villa have a great chance there and Fiorentina looks like the strongest of a bad bunch in the Conference League. But they could be a surprise there with Villareal pushing them close.
WHR: Barcelona, Roma, Fiorentina
DM: Liverpool v PSG in the Champions League Final. I’ve got no idea how the other European competitions will pan out.
GH: Champions League – PSG as they are frightening; Europa League – Villa; Conference League – it’s surely Fiorentina’s time?
What’s your prediction for the season that most people wouldn’t expect?
GP: Everton to be consistently top half under Moyes. Maybe sneak into Europe. He might well mirror his early West Ham days.
PB: VAR becomes well utilised and well liked. Only kidding, although surely it has to improve sometime soon.
MW: I think that Everton won’t be the surprise package under Moyes and they’ll have that new team in a new stadium effect.
WHR: A nonsense-free season for the mighty West Ham United. Joke – never happening.
DM: Leeds Utd to be challenging for top six place.
GH: One of the established ‘mid to upper table’ teams (Brighton, Brentford et al) to struggle. Also, Nottingham Forest to revert to the mean, especially with European commitments.
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