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Post by foxysgloves on Aug 3, 2015 22:23:36 GMT
Top ten and a proper stab at the cups (learn from fookin Blackburn) would be excellent.
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Post by StokieNath on Aug 3, 2015 22:29:50 GMT
Finish above 10th. Maybe a place in the quarter final. Fa cup or league cup
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Post by rennes on Aug 3, 2015 22:44:50 GMT
To be realistic, we will probably have to accept a disappointing outcome to this season.
Key injuries,the excellence in recruitment of our rivals, and the difficulty to attract anything more than the very average, witnessed so far, alongside a bitch of a run of fixtures to open the season doesn't bode very well in terms of getting anywhere near the brilliant achievements of the last two seasons.
We all love this club, but the facts against us are stark. Make no mistake, survival this time around will be a fair achievement.
So......staying up would make this a most acceptable season Trousers.
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Post by ayem on Aug 3, 2015 22:56:05 GMT
What do you mean by "acceptable"? If to "accept" is the opposite of "rejection", then any season is acceptable because I wouldn't reject the club. If you mean it as being satisfactory, then reaching 40 points before anyone realistically talks of relegation is satisfactory. But, it can still be that and disappointing. I wouldn't be disappointed with 11th, at least quarters in a cup and continuing to play well. I'd be delighted with 9th again and a further cup run. Good point here. Acceptable for me would be not relegation. Whatever keeps me from not watching the team I love (all premiere games are aired in the US via NBC). What is acceptable with what I think the team can accomplish? FA Cup win. Better than 12th. If our going problem is not being able to sign playersbased on European play not being present, than getting to Europa is key. At that point we could build on our signings at the front with better defensive options. (Rb starter, back up of Shawcross, find a new Whelan). That's given we get a rw before September.
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Post by mozzermozzer on Aug 3, 2015 23:11:40 GMT
I think it's fair to say that everybody would be delighted with another top 10 finish given the players we've lost and the concerns over the defence. Anything above 9th would have me jizzing my pants. IMO even if we don't quite repeat the success of the last two years, finishing somewhere around 11th-13th would still be acceptable. Once we get lower than that though, I'd probably feel quite disappointed. What does everyone else think? keeping the stoke dna,and improving a bit.
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Post by foster on Aug 4, 2015 6:55:00 GMT
Top half will do me.
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Post by scfcno1fan on Aug 4, 2015 7:01:20 GMT
Survival.
We have to make sure we are around to take advantage of the huge increase in TV money next year.
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Post by cousindupree on Aug 4, 2015 7:39:13 GMT
It doesn't matter what is acceptable we just have to take what is given and of course the majority of us will be back again next season whatever happens this. I have a hunch this is the season where we will see us make a step backwards after a number of years of progression. It's disappointing that we don't seem to have maximised the value of the huge influx of money this season from sales of our best assets and increased TV money. Financially we have never been stronger and we should have utilised that better. In my view our new signings have been rather underwhelming leaving us with a weaker first XI. Our peers such as West Ham Palace Southampton Swansea Everton look to have stronger starting XIs than us. Downward spirals have a habit of becoming unstoppable and it will be interesting to see the character of the players when we hit a losing streak. As it stands now anything above 12th would be a major surprise to me as it seems it would be to many media pundits.If we do fall back this season I hope the board have a very close look at the reasons why and decide whether self sufficiency, paying down the debt while moving to the 'next level' is achievable. I don't think so and maybe we might be looking at last season as a bit of a modern day watershed for us.
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Post by thepremierbanksy on Aug 4, 2015 7:48:39 GMT
The window thus far has left us weaker than last season, that said I think we should have the relegation spots at arm's length for most of the season. 12th place would be my prediction. Much below that means that you've probably been a genuine relegation contender as late as mid-March, and I think that would constitute a pretty big regression.
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Post by vahl on Aug 4, 2015 8:07:54 GMT
We would have to run in to some major bad luck to be anywhere near the relegation places - you can never say never in regards to relegation but, our squad is too good to go down.
On paper we are weaker than last season for me and, whilst I don't think we will be as poor as others seem to believe, I do think we've dropped a bollock and progressing further could be a touch too far now.
Mid-table calls.
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Post by Pugsley on Aug 4, 2015 8:15:01 GMT
To be realistic, we will probably have to accept a disappointing outcome to this season. Key injuries,the excellence in recruitment of our rivals, and the difficulty to attract anything more than the very average, witnessed so far, alongside a bitch of a run of fixtures to open the season doesn't bode very well in terms of getting anywhere near the brilliant achievements of the last two seasons. We all love this club, but the facts against us are stark. Make no mistake, survival this time around will be a fair achievement. So......staying up would make this a most acceptable season Trousers. Why? We had spent 6 million quid in the 4 transfer windows before this one and last season we had crippling injuries yet we progressed both times. We've already signed some good footballers to build on what we had and the window is still open and I expect more arrivals.Why are people so intent on doing us down? It's a mindset I can't get my head around.
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Post by dan55 on Aug 4, 2015 8:20:10 GMT
10th or anything above would be a bonus.
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Post by baltipiesmuggler on Aug 4, 2015 8:21:41 GMT
We would have to run in to some major bad luck to be anywhere near the relegation places - you can never say never in regards to relegation but, our squad is too good to go down. On paper we are weaker than last season for me and, whilst I don't think we will be as poor as others seem to believe, I do think we've dropped a bollock and progressing further could be a touch too far now. Mid-table calls. Not sure I'm buying that we're weaker overall. Perhaps in central midfield, and yes there are issues with our defence, but if we pull off signing another quality winger I think we could have a much more potent attack come mid season. That being said, mid table will do us fine this season. As long as we beat Arsenal at home all is well. Sent from my HTC One_M8 using proboards
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Post by slother on Aug 4, 2015 8:22:24 GMT
Excellent - Top half Acceptable - Never worrying about relegation Unacceptable - Worrying about relegation
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Post by Mr_DaftBurger on Aug 4, 2015 8:35:21 GMT
our squad is too good to go down. We're fucked! Personally I'd be happy if this team can do it, at Stoke, on a cold wet Tuesday in February!
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Post by discokaraoke on Aug 4, 2015 9:03:27 GMT
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Post by Kjones9 on Aug 4, 2015 9:05:11 GMT
Plenty of bookmarked thread bumps.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 4, 2015 9:05:51 GMT
Plenty of bookmarked thread bumps. "I hope he proves me wrong"
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Post by estrangedsonoffaye on Aug 4, 2015 11:31:01 GMT
Would take a mid-table (lower or higher) finish and a cup run.
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Post by enuntio on Aug 4, 2015 11:57:29 GMT
49 points with at least quarter final appearances in both cup games
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