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Post by chrisparker on Aug 7, 2016 22:49:41 GMT
Well this premier league is bound to go down as one of the most competitive seasons in recent memory. Between United, Citeh, Chelsea, Liverpool & West Ham adding huge reinforcements and with teams like Southampton, Leicester & a rejuvenated Everton once again pushing for a top 6 spot, I would say that a top 10 finish would be immense. Anything else is a bonus.
These days you need to constantly invest just to retain last season's position & I reckon most fans would be quite satisfied with yet another top 8-9 finish.
An additional cup run would be great.
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Post by Gods on Aug 7, 2016 22:54:42 GMT
Spurs and Arsenal too of course?
Top half, 9th or 10th, would be the equivalent of us winning our league I would say.
I noticed The Sunday Times today in their season preview today don't believe we can pull top half off for a 4th time in a row.
We are at that time of year where all the trees are green and every goose a swan.
For me I am expecting the usual emotional rollercoaster ride!
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Post by Deleted on Aug 7, 2016 22:58:30 GMT
Very optimistic. Somewhere in the top 10 for me.
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Post by generationex on Aug 7, 2016 23:04:49 GMT
No idea. If we don't repeat the last half of the season I'm hoping for 10-12th- if we sign a defensive midfielder and a defender hoping for 9th+
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Post by armitagestokie on Aug 7, 2016 23:08:31 GMT
Need to sign a top class striker to score the goals we lacked last season. Another centre back to support Ryan. If these are not achieved then I predict a fnal position bt 13th--15th....if achieved 7th!!!!
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Post by Deleted on Aug 7, 2016 23:18:08 GMT
That Stoke City team added some talent.
Without the two dips in form, they could finish 6th-7th.
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Post by GoBoks on Aug 7, 2016 23:31:09 GMT
9th. Someone said "..most fans would settle for 9th again..." - Anyone who wouldn't be happy with 9th needs a reality check. Am I hoping for top 6 or better - Of Course! But in this league, (unless you're Manureciteharse) 9th is an excellent achievement.
My hopes - Qualify for Europe through the league and a cup semifinal will be ace
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Post by Deleted on Aug 7, 2016 23:52:20 GMT
I expect a Manchester battle for the title with Liverpool being helped by every ref to steal 3rd. After that the usual crowd of Chelsea, Arsenal, Spurs Oh and the new BIG club West Sham along with Southampton ,Leicester and a resurgent Everton.
Top 10 for us this season is a massive ask especially with no new defender and UN BLOODY BELIEVABLY still no striker or a good back up keeper. Lessons it seems have not been learned from last season and I fear we are going to take a small step backwards.
A striker and a back up keeper along with a replacement for Ryan should his back go again should have been PRIORITY signings before any others were even thought about.
Call me a miserable, pessimistic fat git all you want but you know I'm right.
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Post by ryan4england on Aug 7, 2016 23:57:01 GMT
7th
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Post by Sfance on Aug 8, 2016 0:26:41 GMT
Agreed revival. As far as I can see - from 3,000 miles away - Hughes and co have learned very little from last year. I do think the summer signings have been good, but not enough to stay in contention for a top 10 spot. Signings are fine, but if the tactics are weak, then they don't get you very far. When we won last year, it almost always seemed to be by one goal. That is playing way too close to the line for me. I think we will be struggling big time come January and it'll take some big spending from Coates to pull us out of the fire. Can't see us ending above 14th.
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Post by samba :) on Aug 8, 2016 0:31:31 GMT
Survival and Wembley would be a sexy season
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Post by Deleted on Aug 8, 2016 5:37:36 GMT
Agreed revival. As far as I can see - from 3,000 miles away - Hughes and co have learned very little from last year. I do think the summer signings have been good, but not enough to stay in contention for a top 10 spot. Signings are fine, but if the tactics are weak, then they don't get you very far. When we won last year, it almost always seemed to be by one goal. That is playing way too close to the line for me. I think we will be struggling big time come January and it'll take some big spending from Coates to pull us out of the fire. Can't see us ending above 14th. Unfortunately I agree. 5th lowest scorers last season and for me that's due to tactics\style of play rather than personnel. We could really take some tonkings unless we get in at least one defender. |
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Post by harryburrows on Aug 8, 2016 5:42:36 GMT
Spurs and Arsenal too of course? Top half, 9th or 10th, would be the equivalent of us winning our league I would say. I noticed The Sunday Times today in their season preview today don't believe we can pull top half off for a 4th time in a row. We are at that time of year where all the trees are green and every goose a swan. For me I am expecting the usual emotional rollercoaster ride! Last years 9th was in part due to the very poor performances of the usual top 6 clubs .dont see that happening again |
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Post by rawli on Aug 8, 2016 5:48:39 GMT
Unless we speed up I see lower half of the table. The game is changing and we need to adapt.
Need to:
1. Figure out a way to break down 10 man defences at home. Slow tika taka does not work.
2. Go long when teams are pressing us. Our defenders are incapable of passing their way out of trouble for 90 mins.
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Post by takeshikovacs on Aug 8, 2016 5:57:22 GMT
Survival and see where things go from there. Depends on quality of next couple of signings, and if Hughes feels the need to sort the defence out, either with new personnel or teaching them to defend again.
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Post by Waggy on Aug 8, 2016 6:11:55 GMT
9-12th
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Post by lawrieleslie on Aug 8, 2016 6:47:59 GMT
I expect a Manchester battle for the title with Liverpool being helped by every ref to steal 3rd. After that the usual crowd of Chelsea, Arsenal, Spurs Oh and the new BIG club West Sham along with Southampton ,Leicester and a resurgent Everton. Top 10 for us this season is a massive ask especially with no new defender and UN BLOODY BELIEVABLY still no striker or a good back up keeper. Lessons it seems have not been learned from last season and I fear we are going to take a small step backwards. A striker and a back up keeper along with a replacement for Ryan should his back go again should have been PRIORITY signings before any others were even thought about.
Call me a miserable, pessimistic fat git all you want but you know I'm right. I'm sure that these have been top priorities mate. But wanting is a million miles away from procuring in this this league, even if you have a player in your sights. Just look at the Berahino soap opera and how long that has dragged on and on. Plus in this era of £13m on the table before negotiations even start, Hughes will want to make sure players he's bidding for as back ups are better than he already has in the squad. |
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Post by adamsson on Aug 8, 2016 6:50:14 GMT
Ninth
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Post by lordb on Aug 8, 2016 6:54:22 GMT
Depends on injuries
If we have an average season for injuries we should be fine
One expectation I do have is that we won't require a third choice keeper to play.
Very rare for that to occur in the league.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 8, 2016 6:58:10 GMT
Top 10 and a appearance at Wembley would be nice.
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Post by arniepieinthesky on Aug 8, 2016 7:01:26 GMT
Teams that finished below us last year that will finish above us this year - Chelsea
So that puts us 10th - so we need to be looking at West Ham, Leicester & Southampton - if we can pip one of those, puts us 9th. Provided of course Everton dont leap frog us also.
I think that puts it into perspective - like many have said 10th or above would be a great achievement again. But with a CB and Striker....who knows, top 7 could be within reach.
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Post by j3st3r on Aug 8, 2016 7:18:59 GMT
Same as every season... 40 pts as soon as possible.. then see what we can do.
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Post by LL Cool Dave on Aug 8, 2016 7:29:46 GMT
Huge inconsistency and a mid table finish.
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Post by Northy on Aug 8, 2016 7:37:05 GMT
Huge inconsistency and a mid table finish. Same here, I think it will be very tough to get to 9th again without a new top class centre half and a clinical striker |
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Post by sportsman on Aug 8, 2016 7:55:50 GMT
When I rattle a lot of our players names off in my head I think wow we'll do well. But something is just lacking at the moment that stops it all coming together on the pitch.
Be it a forward, another strong centre back to give the attacking players the confidence to go forward, the formation? I don't know what it is but I have every confidence hughesy will tie it all together by the end of August.
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Post by Gods on Aug 8, 2016 8:26:24 GMT
Unless we speed up I see lower half of the table. The game is changing and we need to adapt. Need to: 1. Figure out a way to break down 10 man defences at home. Slow tika taka does not work.
2. Go long when teams are pressing us. Our defenders are incapable of passing their way out of trouble for 90 mins. I suspect in part at least that is why Sparky is so keen to hold out for Berahino rather than go after more of a blunderbuss type of striker from the Benteke/Bony school of goal scoring. Berahino may be unproven and a massive dick head to boot but he does have that elusive ability to dump a stubborn defender flat on his backside with just a deceptive feint of his body to left or right which you simply cant teach. |
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Post by davejohnno1 on Aug 8, 2016 8:31:28 GMT
We have this every season. Hope and expectation are two totally different things.
I expect a comfortable season (whatever position that brings us) with some exciting football and I expect us to field strong teams so as to have a real go at the cup competitions. I also expect us to fear no-one and set up with the ambition of winning every game we play at home or away.
I hope we can achieve a Europa league spot courtesy of either our league position or winning one of the two major cup competitions.
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Post by roostershair on Aug 8, 2016 8:32:04 GMT
Would love another top half finish. I can see us getting a good cup run plus would love a double over Wenger! To be honest though I'm just really happy how we have progressed. Go on Stoke!
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Post by FullerMagic on Aug 8, 2016 8:33:19 GMT
www.oddschecker.com/football/english/premier-league/top-10-finishMan City 1/500
Man Utd 1/250
Arsenal 1/200
Chelsea 1/150
Spurs 1/100
Liverpool 1/100
West Ham 2/7
Everton 3/10
Leics C 1/3
Soton 4/7
Stoke 2
Palace 11/4
Swans 5Bookies have us pretty firmly as the 11th best team - and I kind of agree with that and think that's our par position. If we improve the defence and actually bring in an above-average Prem striker, then it'll be time to re-assess.
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Post by Gods on Aug 8, 2016 8:40:27 GMT
www.oddschecker.com/football/english/premier-league/top-10-finishMan City 1/500
Man Utd 1/250
Arsenal 1/200
Chelsea 1/150
Spurs 1/100
Liverpool 1/100
West Ham 2/7
Everton 3/10
Leics C 1/3
Soton 4/7
Stoke 2
Palace 11/4
Swans 5Bookies have us pretty firmly as the 11th best team - and I kind of agree with that and think that's our par position. If we improve the defence and actually bring in an above-average Prem striker, then it'll be time to re-assess. Interesting that, definitely a very FIRM 11th best. They reckon clear blue water between us and Southampton above us and Palace heading up the also ran's below. You don't normally see such a gap in the middle of the table. I agree 11th is par. |
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