The 2017/18 season preview/expectation and build up thread

[Sutekh]

Sheffield Wednesday, Sunderland, Middlesbrough, Hull City, Aston Villa, Fulham, Norwich City and Derby County are likely to be the favourites for promotion next season. Can also see interesting enquiries from Wolves and Cardiff City.

Dark horses, Sheffield United and Preston and it will be interesting to see how 'arry gets Birmingham organised.

Reading will have their work cut out and will quite probably still be off everyone's radar as the pundits put last season's obviously total fluke down to an obvious total fluke somewhat akin to Leicester winning the PL.

And that's just the way we all like it. Thankyou.

[maffff]

My expectation with our current squad now is 4th to 8th.

If we're backed in this window, Jaap stays and Brian helps bring in a few decent signings I'll re-evaluate that to 2nd to 6th.

[bobby1413]

Sheffield United will get promoted... you heard it here first

[bobby1413]

My expectation with our current squad now is 4th to 8th.

Please good god no.

I'd rather finish 7th or 8th than in the play offs again. I can't take another play off semi final experience, let alone the final!

[Top Flight]

My expectation is now top 6. This is based on what I believe will happen over the summer. Stam to stay. Williams 50/50 as to whether he stays or goes. The rest to stay. Stam to continue evolving this side.

If the right decisions are made in the summer with some really good additions then the top 2 is a real possibility. But to make the top 2 I feel we have to be much better at attacking teams. More pace might be needed in the final third. Perhaps a lightning quick striker for when Stam wants to set up in a 5-3-2.

[Hound]

Hopefully we've a good enough squad now that even without significant investment, which might well happen, I think we can be very competitive and top 6

We can clear out the gambles that didn't work, get a few quid for decent but not quite good enough players (Cooper, Samuel, maybe Rakels) and hopefully find a class striker to work with Yann next year.

What we don't need this year is to fill out the squad with cheap punts like Weiser, Danzell and Mendes. That should give us much more stability

There really is a lot to be positive about next season

[CavershamRoyal]

Obviously depends on how well Stam is backed over the Summer, but at this point in time I'd say top 6 would still be a very good achievement. Would be very surprised if we in the top 2 as teams around us aren't exactly going to get worse - but then I would've said that at the beginning of this season and we finished 3rd, so what do I know.

[double d]

There is no point at all doing expectation or prediction threads in this league. This time last year how many villa and Norwich fans thought they would go up?.and reading and Huddersfield fans thought they would go down?

[Top Flight]

There is no point at all doing expectation or prediction threads in this league. This time last year how many villa and Norwich fans thought they would go up?.and reading and Huddersfield fans thought they would go down?

That's why it's fun. To see how badly we all get it wrong. There is usually some clever f*kker who gets most of it right as well.

[Mid Sussex Royal]

I know history is history but we have gained auto promotion following the last 2 play off final defeats (Swansea and Walsall) largely because we kept the squad from the previous season together. Yes we lost Long following Swansea but he was replaced by Alfie and then Roberts in Jan.

Stam seems to have bought a real togtherness to the squad, who enjoy working with him, and apart from maybe Williams, I cannot see anyone else leaving.

I also think the league looks weaker and I can't see anyone doing what Newcastle and Brighton did regardless of what the bookies think.

[Top Flight]

I know history is history but we have gained auto promotion following the last 2 play off final defeats (Swansea and Walsall) largely because we kept the squad from the previous season together. Yes we lost Long following Swansea but he was replaced by Alfie and then Roberts in Jan.

Stam seems to have bought a real togtherness to the squad, who enjoy working with him, and apart from maybe Williams, I cannot see anyone else leaving.

I also think the league looks weaker and I can't see anyone doing what Newcastle and Brighton did regardless of what the bookies think.

I agree. We have a great chance. But to finish top 2 we will need to win a lot of games. To win games we need goals and to score goals we need to attack far better than we have this season. We may end up in the play offs again just because keeping the ball for long periods isn't the same as scoring goals and winning games. But, of course, we may improve in this area and may become a much more offensive team as our side continues to learn and evolve and have quality players added to it.

Fulham may be a team that wins a lot of games next season. But I will wager that we will not be one of the teams that Fulham beat.

[From Despair To Where?]

Far too early to speculate but my expectation at this stage is top half. That may change depending on who comes and goes and how the other 23 clubs shape up.

[Crowbar6753]

Some good posts, i really think we don't have to do to much during the Summer in terms of transfers in, maybe 3 or 4 new recruits (Pacey striker, attacking midfielder, midfield general and a quality left back) and then clear out some of the dead wood. The team are now getting used to Stam's style of play and if they can just up the tempo a wee bit and add that cutting edge then i really can see us challenging for an automatic spot at the end of the season.
I really dont think we need to worry about any of the three coming down, and would be more worried about Norwich, Sheff Weds and maybe a dark horse from out of nowhere (Maybe Harry working his magic at Brum). I really think Fulham will lose a few players and that will be them done. Spurs are already sniffing around their left back with a few more leaving i guess.
Would like to see Hurtado given a run in the team as i really think he could be a great asset if it works out, he can score goals and can pass the ball well, and maybe go the German route like Huddersfield. Their are some great players who wouldnt cost the earth like their English equivalents, and they can take penalties lol.....

[Handsome Man]

There is much to look forward to next season. Sure, there are lots of powerful teams with great reasons to expect success, but I can't see another Newcastle, ie anybody who is bound to get promoted, so the two automatic places are accessible for us this year.

For all teams, a lot will depend on managers: keeping Stam for the next twelve months will be critical. Whether he can improve will be important for us watching. To have a team of crap players who played quite badly a lot of the time and finished third is a tremendous achievement. Now he needs to produce a team who play well more often. I am not assuming he will do it, but am full of anticipation just to see how things turn out. These are good times to be a Reading fan again.

[Pepe the Horseman]

There is no point at all doing expectation or prediction threads in this league. This time last year how many villa and Norwich fans thought they would go up?.and reading and Huddersfield fans thought they would go down?

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=137102#p4480230

[Silver Fox]

With Stam staying and investment in the team we are going to win the championship again

[LWJ]

Norwich to win the league, all 3 relegated teams to be in or around playoffs. Derby, Villa and Fulham to be up there as well.

Reading - 9th

[double d]

There is no point at all doing expectation or prediction threads in this league. This time last year how many villa and Norwich fans thought they would go up?.and reading and Huddersfield fans thought they would go down?

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=137102#p4480230

[Ian Royal]

1st to 9th depending on who stays, goes and arrives, and how quickly we settle into the season.

[CountryRoyal]

We'll win the fcuker.