Jump to content

Would it be wrong to expect more than just survival next season?


Guest Howaythetoon

Recommended Posts

Guest Howaythetoon

When a club wins promotion to the top-flight survival is usually the be all and end all. Would it be wrong to expect more than just survival next season?

Link to post
Share on other sites

There's an awful lot of shite in the Premiership, but it's best we don't run before we can walk. There'll be the other 2 promoted teams, Wigan, Wolves, West Ham or Hull, Bolton, Blackburn and maybe even Birmingham down there next season, if we get off to a decent start then maybe set the bar a little higher, but our number 1 priority is survival.

 

However, some smart arse once said: "Reach for the sky and you might at least reach the ceiling, reach for the ceiling and you'll barely get off the ground."

Link to post
Share on other sites

Guest Roger Kint

Aims and expectations are different things. Aim for anything as high as 10th. Realistically, as fans we should be happy if we stay up, hopefully with a couple of games to spare.

 

 

You go into each game trying to get a positive result, concentrate on acheiving survival and then move forward. There is a lot of rubbish in the PL however theres quite a lot in our squad too, like you say do it with a few games left then think about moving up the table by all means. It doesnt mean that if you set out to stay up that is all you want out of the season like some will suggest.

Link to post
Share on other sites

It's already a pretty unknown territory to know what to expect for teams coming back up. Multiply that by the NUFC factor... I'm not even going to bother getting expectations.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I'll be dissapointed if we don't finish as high as 12th to be honest.

 

Outside of the top 6 the premier league holds nothing to fear and also a lot of dross.

 

Yes but how many of our players who have been fantastic this season were dross in the premiership? This season's success has been built on our solid defence- however Coloccini was woeful last season. It is difficult to see how players like Simpson, Enrique and Williamson will fare. Depending on the transfer window, we might be without Coloccini, Enrique and Jonas. I'd hope for new signings, but people need to bear in mind that looking at our current squad, we will be amongst the dross. The likes of Lovenkrands and Carroll are unproven, and Barton's and Routledge's record is questionable because of injuries and Nolan's due to fitness.

 

Hopefully our defence will be better due to stability and being settled. The likes of Carroll, Williamson, Lovenkrands and Routledge will have had a successful season in the championship which means they should be improved.

 

I dont want to sound negative. I believe that our current squad should have enough to be near the top of the dross. But, to be disappointed with 13th would be setting ourselves up for a massive fall in my opinion.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I'm pretty sure that if we are languising around 15th or below there will be a large portion of people, including our own fans, claiming we are too good to go down and a bottom half finish would be a disgrace and an embarrassment for our massive club. Personally I'd take us doing a hull (last season not this one) and scraping it survival on the last day of the season. Obviously if we are safely sat in 11th come Feb with no hope of getting europe or relegation then I'll be delighted, but given the last 18 months I'd be happy just to stay up. In the longer term after a couple of seasons I'd hope we start challenging the likes of Villa and Everton but let's not get too far ahead.

Link to post
Share on other sites

On the other hand barnes, look at Birmingham (I know I keep going on). A centre-back pairing who'd never played above the Championship, a right-back and midfielder who weren't good enough here, another midfielder none of our fans would touch when he was linked last winter window, and Jerome's hardly what you'd call a Premier League striker.

Link to post
Share on other sites

On the other hand barnes, look at Birmingham (I know I keep going on). A centre-back pairing who'd never played above the Championship, a right-back and midfielder who weren't good enough here, another midfielder none of our fans would touch when he was linked last winter window, and Jerome's hardly what you'd call a Premier League striker.

 

I've been very impressed with Birmingham this season. Alex McLeish has done a fantastic job turning them into battlers, again it is possible that we could do similar. However, in my opinion this is a freak season for Birmingham, and I don't believe they will bat similarly above their average next season without decent investment (which they could well end up getting). Yes, maybe we will do a Birmingham, but that there would lead to high expectations and disappointment when it is realised that our squad isnt capable of consistently finishing in the top 10.

 

For what its worth, I don't think a midtable finish is impossible. But if you told me we will finish 15th or 16th next season I think I would be reasonably happy but not ecstatic.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I expect comfortable survival(10-14) and not a to-the-last-game-scrape for survival(15-17).  So I don't expect more than survival but a good kind of survival ... if that makes sense.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I expect comfortable survival(10-14) and not a to-the-last-game-scrape for survival(15-17).  So I don't expect more than survival but a good kind of survival ... if that makes sense.

 

I consider Sunderland to have survived comfortably this season. Would that be acceptable?

Link to post
Share on other sites

Guest elbee909

It would be wrong to expect less than 4th place, for such a massive club.

 

Someday i hope we can be as big as Watford.

 

Well, that's why we're all on a Watford forum, after all.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...