Thoughts on staying up? Expectations?

[Dare to Dr£am]

I know it's still too soon to make a fair assessment, but I've been asking myself, had another newly promoted team brought in McCleary, Pogrebnyak, Guthrie, Shorey and Mariappa, I'd be expecting them to stay up.

Last season we saw Norwich sign a number of Championship players, and ISTR League 1 player(s). I can't recall the last side I saw promoted to the Premier League that brought in the quality that we have (so far).

It sounds very much like we are indeed speaking to Defoe. We've spoken to unlikely but ambitious targets in Hoilet and Sigurdsson, neither of which we likely to come but the intent we've shown is perhaps even more exciting than getting them.

* So, have your expectations for next season changed?
* Where are you thinking we can finish?
* How does it feel to finally have a club that is ambitious beyond anything we ever expected?

Me?

+ I expect us to stay up now.
+ 12th
+ Still pinching myself to be honest. It'll really hit home when the players run out, and also when we see the stadium being expanded.

[Ups and Downs]

I think we will finish in the top half of the league. I'm planning to put a few quid on it when it gets offered up.

[Cobi]

= expect we'll stay up, add to the side in Jan to push on. next summer will be in comparison to an already summer this summer.
= finish 10th would do but will snap your arm off for 17th right now.
= all a bit unreal at the moment.

[floyd__streete]

Still think we're weak in too many areas. Lack of pace at left back, lack of options at right back, might just about be ok for centre-halves if Mariappa signs, lack of creativity in the middle of the park probably not an issue as our game is direct, hardly thrilled by the striking options.

As it stands, that is a bottom 5 squad. 5 weeks til the start of the season, I expect to be happier with the squad by then.

[AthleticoSpizz]

Pointless talking it up...or doing it down.

After the the last venture, I am expecting nothing...nor expecting to get nothing


anything else is a bonus.


Plenty of Blackburns, Blackpools and Boltons in the past have made similar signings to us and have survived , then died.

What is for sure, is the likes of Talksport and 5 Live will still whittle on endlessly, about the top six (and should we make a foray into their world) we will be seen as the "overachieving" and unwelcome.

However, we will be most englanders second team

[Bristol Paul]

I expect to stay up. My main worry is that even though we won loads the second half of the season, we were actually outplayed and outpassed in the majority of games, and if that happens in the Prem I'd expect us to lose. It'll be intersting whether McDonut tries to change our style of play - either way exciting times ahead!

[Arnie_Pie]

Still think we're weak in too many areas. Lack of pace at left back, lack of options at right back, might just about be ok for centre-halves if Mariappa signs, lack of creativity in the middle of the park probably not an issue as our game is direct, hardly thrilled by the striking options.

You could have said the same in 2007 though?

I have personally have expectations of mid table with a nice FA cup run.

[Cobi]

i read somewhere today that west ham fans are rattled by our spending, and even southampton's, and they think of the three they are the ones in trouble. music to my ears that!

[Libertine]

I can see us finishing in the top 10 or being relegated. Depends a lot on injuries, suspensions, good/bad form at the right/wrong time, etc.

Right now I am leaning toward a better finish, around or just out of the top 10. We still have more signing business to do, especially at CB and FB, so I will withhold my judgement until I see what squad is finally settled upon.

[AthleticoSpizz]

I can see us finishing in the top 10 or being relegated.

There's nothing like hedging your bets is there?

[Ian Royal]

It's always difficult to tell how you'll do because it depends on players stepping up and new players gelling. But here's my assessment for what it's worth.

Goalkeeper: OK.
Fed is a good keeper, but he has his weaknesses. This season will be a big test as to whether he is really as good as he, and many others think, or will the weaknesses (positioning, command of his area) he mostly overcame last season be exposed at a higher level? Hopefully McCarthy / Andersen / Taylor won't be needed, I'm not sure either of the youngsters are ready for the Prem for more than the odd game cover.

Centreback: Passable.
Gorkss and Pearce are a good partnership, but I think they'll be found out at this level if played together. Pearce is very slow and a bit ponderous at times. He's clever enough to make up for that most of the time in the Championship, but he'll be up against some of the best strikers in the world in the Prem. Gorkss is better all round but less commanding IMO. The introduction of Marriapa (assuming he signs) is key here. If he starts alongside one of the others, preferably Gorkss and settles in quickly I think we can upgrade this to OK.

Fullback: Weak
At the moment I'm concerned, only one RB is a massive problem. Especially given Cummings was not an automatic pick last year. Get Simpson in and I feel a lot better. Neither Shorey or Harte have pace, not essential, but unless we add pace to the centrebacks it'll be an issue as our defence will be very immobile, finding it hard to cover for each other well enough. Going forward it's not exactly a frightening set of options either. Harte will barely be able to cross the half way line except for set pieces. We've got little idea whether Shorey can return to his former glory and Cummings has never been especially effective going forward.

Wings: Good.
I'm actually very confident with our wingers. Kebe is a mercurial genius well capable of worrying Premier League defences. McAnuff is a solid and reliable player who'll provide creativity going forward intelligently, and also support his full back and midfielders well when needed. McCleary seems a good back up, and I don't think HRK will be particularly affected by the step up as a cameo sub. I think he'll still cause problems with pace, and pop up with the odd goal and assist, while still not quite having the decision making to be a contender to start. Obita and the young crew are good emergency back up here IMO. ot expecting Antonio to be here.

Midfield: OK - this ones hard to call.
Hopefully the addition of Guthrie will help us keep the ball better and play decent football through the middle to add more of a central threat. (preferably) Ledge or Karacan next to Guthrie seems fine to me. If Guthrie is out much I start to worry as we'll be down to a very huff and puff midfield.

Striker: OK
We needed to strengthern here and we have done. But there are question marks about how effective Roberts can be and whether Pog can come close to replicating his sensational start to the PL. Upfront it's all about partnerships and we don't know a lot about any of the possible combinations except Roberts and Hunt. It's a lot to ask ALF to step up, Church as well. Hunt's always been a bit of an effective workhorse a little lacking in quality. Can he make his energy and dertermination count in the Prem? As a sub or back up? I think he can, but no more than that.

Bench: Weak.
If you look at a first team of Fed, Cummings, Harte, Gorkss, Marriapa, McAnuff, Kebe, Guthrie, Ledge, Roberts, Pog. That doesn't leave a lot for subs. Taylor, Pearce, Karacan, McCleary, ALF, Hunt, Shorey. Wouldn't strike fear into me if I was Stoke, let alone Arsenal.

It's looking increasingly likely we'll go 4-4-2 with the lack of a goalscoring attacking midfielder arriving. Which could be a worry if we struggle to keep the ball as badly as we could.

McDermott doesn't have a great record of starting the season well and I think that is likely to be important. But he is a terrific manager and he has a good record at identifying problem areas and fixing them.

My head says this is going to be a bit of a slog this season and we'll be around the relegation fight most of the season. But I am very encouraged by our signings. I think they've all been very good. I was expecting relegation before we started making them. Now realistically I think we're just about going to survive.

Head says: 16th
Heart says: 14th with much less worry about relegation throughout the season.

But then I thought we'd finish 12th first time around.

[NR_Royal]

Realistically, we are going to be in a relegation battle. I think we can stay up but I think any of the following 3 teams could go down:

Reading
West Ham
Southampton
Norwich
Swansea
Villa
Wigan
QPR
West Brom
Sunderland
Stoke

All I can say is that I hope it will be an interesting season and that we at least make a good go of it.

[AthleticoSpizz]

^ sorry, its all subjective and (pretty much) pointless until the teams are decided and the season has started

Nice synopsis tho Ian

[Libertine]

I can see us finishing in the top 10 or being relegated.

There's nothing like hedging your bets is there?

I did say which way I was leaning tho...the problem I am up against right now is still incomplete data.

[Ian Royal]

^ sorry, its all subjective and (pretty much) pointless until the teams are decided and the season has started

Nice synopsis tho Ian

Thanks

It's pretty pointless even once the teams are decided and the season has started. I like doing lots of pointless things, like existing for one, so I'm not fussed.

[AthleticoSpizz]

etc

[Gandalf Presley]

To stay up, you have to average five points a month. I think that's possible. I do expect a few more pastings than happened last time we were in the prem.

[Ian Royal]

To stay up, you have to average five points a month. I think that's possible. I do expect a few more pastings than happened last time we were in the prem.

More than 4-7, 4-6, 2-4, 0-3, 0-3, 0-3? Eeek!

[SydenhamRoyal]

I think we'll stay up. Given how poorly we started last season, I think we were better than an 89 point Championship side; McD has provided strength in depth, as we had problems when we didnt have our first 11.

I think Ian's analysis of each part of the pitch is right, but I dont think we were outplayed. We let the opposition have more of the ball than us, but usually where it didnt hurt us. But to get the best out of wingers (which is where we are strongest) we do need more pace in our full backs to allow the wingers to get forward.

I think 12th-14th

[JR]

I said back at Christmas that we were in the running to win the league and everything that has happened since has only strengthened my optimism.

Excellent signings to date that shouldn't ruin the balance of the side.

Am very confident of a top 10 finish and have lumped on at 50/1 for a top 6 finish. Reckon most likely to finish 9th.