Realistic expectations

All "Ifs and buts " but we could face 50 odd games or so, depending on Euro and domestic cup runs. Antonio's tissue hamstrings won't last that long and there'll be other injuries along the way. There will hopefully be re-enforcements but what is a realistic season? I can't see top 6 again. Top 8 perhaps and a cup run? I would love us to lift some type of silverware

Comments

  • Top Ten, Europa League last 16, Close but no cigar in the FA Cup, Early exit in Carabao Cup. This depends on a few additions coming in of course.
  • Top ten would be good given our number of games. Can see a good European run, ending in quarter finals. Don't think we will do anything in the Carabo Cup, but may do better in the FA Cup if we're out of Europe.
    All dependant on the squad growing with the right signings!
  • Hard to predict, the first XI is really strong with quality throughout...but obviously light in numbers

    Will obviously be influenced by injuries and any additions from now to the end of the window (plus Jan)

    I'd say top 10 in the table out of the groups of the Europa Would be good and realistic, a cup run is easy to say on paper but reality is quite difficult to do so don't think it's realistic to assume we can get to a final (luck is often requried)

    I'd like to see some youth players stake a claim, hopefully Johnson can step up as can Coventry. Also wouldn't mind seeing more of Alese, Oxo-Flex and Ekwah around the first team throughout
  • stay up beat spuds twice, same as every year for me :) no faith in GSB to do anything more than that as that's the level of their investment
  • Top 8 finish realistically 6-8

    The cups are so hard to predict due to the luck of the draw.

    I do think the big four of City, Chelsea, United and Liverpool are going to look streets ahead of the rest this season. I think City will be the best team but may drop silly points and Chelsea or United may be the more ruthless.

    Spurs could be the real story and drop down the table out of the top 10 and Palace could struggle with the change from Hodgson to Vieara

  • For me, a good season would be either: get through the Europa league group stage AND finish comfortably clear of relegation, OR finish top half.
  • Recently the club has seemed to find an extra gear when some form of sentiment has come into play. Our recent best ever PL seasons were the final one at the Boleyn & last season, the 125th anniversary. This year it’s Noble’s final year & I think a lot of the players will find that extra 5% when needed to ensure he gets the send off he deserves.

    I think a good season for me, albeit it may not help us longer term in terms of keeping players like Rice, is a season where we seem capable of pushing towards the top 8. I wouldn’t call top 10 a success if we spend all season near the bottom & then have a 5 game blast where we shoot up the table last minute. I think we need to be showing consistent performance levels & pushing towards that top 8 group all season.

    That doesn’t mean that should we finish bottom half or fight relegation, Moyes should go. Other factors need to be considered like Cup games. I am not fussed about finishing 16th if we win the FA Cup. But I want the club to be ambitious & not settle for mid table. I think we need to get to a stage soon where 10th is a disappointing season, but clearly it’s actually a very solid one. Do I expect 6th again? No. I think unless we play the U23s in Europe, 6th is going to be very hard to emulate, but we do need to aim for that & not be thinking ‘no chance because of the squad size’.
  • It's really hard to say atm, imo, as so much depends on who we bring in before the end of the window. Beyond the starting 11, the cupboard is extremely bare, and unless we're extremely fortunate with injuries again (can't see that happening 2 seasons running) I can't see us making top half, getting out of the group stages in the Europa or putting together any sort of cup run.

    We need 5 quality additions imo (CB, CF, AM/RW, DM and LB/LWB), and we'll be lucky to get 2 of those with maybe a bit of a punt on a 3rd, otherwise we'll struggle to compete on any front. I've got very low expectations of this season unless we strengthen before the end of the window, although hopefully we'll have just enough to stay up.
  • edited August 2021
    See I don’t currently have any worries about relegation (this could change after 10 games), because I just don’t see the personnel we have, attitude wise, not having enough about them. We don’t have a ‘down tools’ side. Players like Ogbonna, Cresswell, Coufal, Soućek, Rice, Fornals, Bowen - these are not the sort of players who will ever risk receiving the ‘you’re not fit to wear the shirt’ chants. I think if at any point Moyes feels we are at risk of relegation, the U23s will come out in Europe, plus the domestic cups, & we will have enough to get clear but questions will be asked about Moyes/Sully as the season goes on & why we didn’t bring in the 5/6 bodies to compete.
  • I don't think it's misguided but I could be wrong, I have not at any point thought we will be even remotely close to being relegated. Last season was outstanding, and I don't see a team that will buckle. Obviously a big injury crisis would damage us because of the depth, but that aside, I don't see anything to worry about.
  • edited August 2021
    I do hope the crowd gives Moyes & the players a chance (like people tend to on here). When we have been, say 0-3 down at Spurs ⚒, our fans seem to show their discontent, and we would struggle to get back in the game. Discontent can be helpful if demonstrated correctly, but a lot of people work better without hearing people on their backs.

    ……. in saying that I’ll be very unhappy if we don’t sign a couple of quality pkayers this month!🤪
  • I don't see the point of being realistic tbh. If I were to look at everything from that perspective I wouldn't have watched the Euros, as realistically England would have gone out against Germany.
    I prefer to watch my football from an optimistic point of view. We're going to do well, no relegation again and exciting games to come. There will be duds but overall i expect a good season with European football.
  • Not been on here in an age, but want to get more involved this year again!

    Thoroughly enjoyed last season, almost reaching top 4, but ultimately securing Europa qualification and finishing 6th was an outstanding acheivement. (Although a real shame not to be able to see any of it live :( ).

    Really hoping this year to consolidate as a proper upper half side that competes and tries to push on.

    With the extra games due to Europa - with a squad which we havent been able to increase as much as we'd like, I'd be happy with a top half league finish, with a real effort in the Europa and in at least one of the domestic cups.

    Would accept 14th upwards if we really had success in Europa and a domestic cup (ie reaching finals or winning something).

    Really don't want to be anywhere near relegation worries.

    Would be great to be competing for top 6 again.

    COYI!!
  • Welcome! It’s nice to have a new poster! Just in case you haven’t worked it out from reading, Jorderz is the worst.
  • Was quite active for about a season or so a coupla years back alderz... nice to be remembered!! Haha.

    Memory suggests Jorderz is not the worst. Not the best, obviously. But not the worst :p
  • edited August 2021

    Jorderz is ... Not the best, obviously

    That’s what I’ve heard
  • I think Jorderz will struggle to maintain his form this season, but I'm confident he'll be safe from relegation. A good run in Europe would be popular with many. =)
  • I think the season will depend on injuries if we stay clear of any major ones can see us top 8 play the kids the carabo cup , think we have a decent chance of getting out the group in Europe, and need a nice fa cup draw .
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