Anyone Else Convinced....

[Guest guinness_fiend]

I have faith that we'll stay up.  Now that we're got rid of most of the dead wood, I think that that we have a "good bunch of lads" that will fight hammer and nail to keep us up.

 

I am happy that the season has started and Crumpy's threads of positivity have recommenced.  You're our very own footballing Marvin:

 

http://nooneisreadingthis.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/marvin_the_robot.jpg

 

[Liam Liam Liam O]

I am convinced that this is just another thread in Crumpy's long list of well-timed one line wind-up threads.

 

Must be spaces left on the bus for tonight.

[merlin]

As I said before, I will not make a judgment on survival until at least 2 months of the season have passed.

That gives time for burnout to begin on other threatened clubs IF they are going to flop and it also gives us a chance to see how NUFC have performed against a variety of opponents.

 

If we are struggling badly by November, I reckon it will be tough to stay up.If not, we have as good a chance as any of the likely bottom 6. Problem will be scoring goals and creating good chances, none of which will be solved unless decent money is spent - unlikely.

[Guest gggg]

Definitely not a certainty but definitely not certain of staying up either considering we still haven't got a proven manager and the cheap option got us worse results than even JFK and probably the worst record ever in the premier League last time.

[colinmk]

Our squad is much better than when we went down imo. We may not have as good a squad on paper but the difference in morale and confidence should far outweigh that. As long as we don't have a terrible run at the start of the season then I see no reason why we can't stay up.

[Bad Mongo]

We haven't even kicked a ball yet. Way too early to call. Anything can happen at this stage.

 

Anything? I don't think a top 7 is possible, as we don't have a single quality striker, and our midfield is fairly shit.

[David28]

We haven't even kicked a ball yet. Way too early to call. Anything can happen at this stage.

 

Anything? I don't think a top 7 is possible, as we don't have a single quality striker, and our midfield is fairly shit.

 

Our single striker can become quality during the season, though. Carroll is too young to say he's not quality. He might not be a top striker yet, but that can change.

 

And our midfield; Barton might be able to get his form back that kept City up once, Guthrie probably can finally improve while Routledge is fairly good and Jonas is just lacking a bit of end product (but he did improve last season, scoring 4 goals and getting some assists)

 

I agree that Top 7 will be very very difficult to achieve for us this season but, as Keegan once said: "The headlines aren't written yet, we'll write them." 

[Minhosa]

A few things give me enough confidence to think we'll survive:

 

- the squad appears to be as 'united' as it's been in years. If we had this spirit when we went down we would have survived. I'd rather have a lesser squad in terms of big names (Martins, Owen etc) who gave a shit. When the going got tough last time out our lot disappeared, I don't think they'll do that this time. For all we lack in quality, we'll make up in heart and there won't be that vacuum of pressure which seemed to suck us down to the bottom three last time out.

 

- Pressure is off this year - nobody is expecting anything other than a battle - fans expectations are significantly lower than in previous campaigns which will mean less people get on the teams back and win Hughton some time.

 

- I think we'll strengthen in the right areas. CH already has to a point (Campbell, Perch and Gosling are reasonable acquisitions in terms of boosting numbers if not long term quality) and the fact he's identified Ben Arfa should inspire confidence that, come January, if we're struggling he will further plug gaps sufficient for us to have a chance. The Board would be more willing to fund after experiencing the financial impact of relegation previously.

 

- Board Relationship - let's be honest, they chose CH because he was cheap and probably a yes man. Ashley and Co. are capable of anything but I don't foresee a fall out nor do I foresee them telling him he's got to sort out the wage bill or sell too many bodies - in short, they're probably just about singing off the same hymn sheet. That wasn't the case when we went down, nor was it the case at Hull/Pompey last year or Leeds previously or Southampton or Sheff Wed - basically one club a year are pretty much guaranteed to go down because of either a Board's unrealistic expectations or pressure in respect of finances. That could be West Ham this year or Wigan. If we do go down this year, I don't think Ashley will be the cause because CH is probably quite clear on what he can and can't spend and the fact that 4th Bottom is a result.

 

- There are plenty of points to be had when you look around the bottom half of the division and St James' Park is still an intimidating place to come if you're used to playing in front of a handful of people at Wigan, Fulham, Blackpool etc.

 

 

For me, we're one little 'off the shoulder' front man away from me putting my money where my mouth is and having a few quid on Betfair on our survival.

 

 

[Guest neesy111]

we could easily do a birmingham, who didn't have a quality striker as well

[Skirge]

I want to be positive I really do but I am bricking it.. just hope there are three shitter teams.

[Amir_9]

8-9 games into the season, then I'll have an opinion.

[Guest BlacknWhiteArmy]

I want to be positive I really do but I am bricking it.. just hope there are three shitter teams.

 

Pretty much how I'm feeling, despite my attempt at positivity on the last page

[pedro111]

I am more than comfortably convinced that we will stay up to the extent that I am taking bets left right and centre with Mackem twats at work.

 

All you naysayers are just lilly-livered nob gobblers.

[buzza]

We desperately need to sign another striker before the end of August, if we don't i can't see us scoring the goals needed to keep us up... I would love Carrol to push on and proive me wrong tho'.

Ben Arfa looks like our best bet and he does look like (youtubed) the sort of creative player who could change games, just not sure if this guy will come in and affect our "spirit" in some detrimental way.

[Guest Pie]

4 managers and most of the 'talented' players we had crocked last time. More settled this time. Should be fine. 1988-9 was hard work with some shocking players like Pingel, MacDonald etc. The similarity with 2009 was the boardroom shit. Unsettles the whole club. As long as Ashley behaves then even this bunch of players can keep us up.

[GM]

We'll be top 4 by Christmas.

[afar]

Nope, not at all. Wigan were so bad against Blackpool it was staggering. Blackpool themselve just don't have the quality to stay up, West Brom we saw too, how playing pretty football when you have a shit defence will get you nowhere in this league. West Ham were woeful, Brum and Sunderland are two poor teams. Bolton will be down there struggling too, as may be will be Stoke, Wolves and possibly Fulham and Blackburn.

 

There is a lot a crap and we have the ability to finish at least 4th worst of them, even with the squad the way it is, a couple of good signing and I would be totally confident of a lower mid table finish.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

8-9 games into the season, then I'll have an opinion.

 

Let's hope everyone else takes that approach.

 

[Dokko]

That relegation is almost a certainty this season?

 

We are in my opinion fully reliant on hoping there might be 3 teams who are shiter than us. Wigan v Blackpool looks like we've found 2 of the three.

 

Wigan, Blackpool, WBA and NUFC. Any three of those four for me.

 

Got to throw WHAM in the mix, truely awful at the weekend, they do have strengths but so do we.

 

You are right though, we are relying on 3 teams being shitter than ourselves, if Wigan still had Bramble, Scharner and a committed Zoggy while WHAM pulling off 2 to 3 decent signings we would be in real trouble.

 

 

[Jaehyun]

Still keeping to what I said months ago that we'll finish 15-16th.

[TheGuv]

That relegation is almost a certainty this season?

 

We are in my opinion fully reliant on hoping there might be 3 teams who are shiter than us. Wigan v Blackpool looks like we've found 2 of the three.

 

Wigan, Blackpool, WBA and NUFC. Any three of those four for me.

 

Got to throw WHAM in the mix, truely awful at the weekend, they do have strengths but so do we.

 

You are right though, we are relying on 3 teams being shitter than ourselves, if Wigan still had Bramble, Scharner and a committed Zoggy while WHAM pulling off 2 to 3 decent signings we would be in real trouble.

 

 

 

Thats what we hoped for when we got relegated, that is no way to go about this season. I just hope the players have higher hopes than we do!

[Elbel1]

Nope, not at all. Wigan were so bad against Blackpool it was staggering. Blackpool themselve just don't have the quality to stay up, West Brom we saw too, how playing pretty football when you have a s*** defence will get you nowhere in this league. West Ham were woeful, Brum and Sunderland are two poor teams. Bolton will be down there struggling too, as may be will be Stoke, Wolves and possibly Fulham and Blackburn.

 

There is a lot a crap and we have the ability to finish at least 4th worst of them, even with the squad the way it is, a couple of good signing and I would be totally confident of a lower mid table finish.

 

Can't see Stoke or Bolton being in a dogfight for survival but I certainly agree about the rest of the teams you have mentioned

Blackpool, Wigan, West Brom and Birmingham will make up the bottom 4, just not sur ewhat order yet

[Optimistic Nut]

That relegation is almost a certainty this season?

 

We are in my opinion fully reliant on hoping there might be 3 teams who are shiter than us. Wigan v Blackpool looks like we've found 2 of the three.

 

Wigan, Blackpool, WBA and NUFC. Any three of those four for me.

 

Got to throw WHAM in the mix, truely awful at the weekend, they do have strengths but so do we.

 

You are right though, we are relying on 3 teams being shitter than ourselves, if Wigan still had Bramble, Scharner and a committed Zoggy while WHAM pulling off 2 to 3 decent signings we would be in real trouble.

 

 

 

Agree with that. Avram Grant's stock seems to have risen because of the situation he got given at Pompey, but on the other hand he walked into the perfect job after Mourinho with everything at his disposal. Think he's vastly over-rated, and will struggle to keep them up.

[Dokko]

That relegation is almost a certainty this season?

 

We are in my opinion fully reliant on hoping there might be 3 teams who are shiter than us. Wigan v Blackpool looks like we've found 2 of the three.

 

Wigan, Blackpool, WBA and NUFC. Any three of those four for me.

 

Got to throw WHAM in the mix, truely awful at the weekend, they do have strengths but so do we.

 

You are right though, we are relying on 3 teams being shitter than ourselves, if Wigan still had Bramble, Scharner and a committed Zoggy while WHAM pulling off 2 to 3 decent signings we would be in real trouble.

 

 

 

Agree with that. Avram Grant's stock seems to have risen because of the situation he got given at Pompey, but on the other hand he walked into the perfect job after Mourinho with everything at his disposal. Think he's vastly over-rated, and will struggle to keep them up.

 

Pompy had nothing to lose, and still lost, Wham have everything to lose; siege mentality will be harder to implement with bigger expectations and in this different scenario to what he's just come from.

 

They've got a much better chance to do so, but something just isn't right at Wham and hasn't been for a while.

 

 

[hakka]

That relegation is almost a certainty this season?

 

We are in my opinion fully reliant on hoping there might be 3 teams who are shiter than us. Wigan v Blackpool looks like we've found 2 of the three.

 

Wigan, Blackpool, WBA and NUFC. Any three of those four for me.

 

No sir, it is not. 

 

We got relegated because of many factors, the big ones for me were...

 

Keegan leaving.

The bad feeling and shock it caused to everyone at the club for a long time.

The Joe Kinnear saga.

The shit attempt at selling the club and nobody buying.

Selling some of our better players during this period.

 

Hopefully we will have a season of Hughton at the helm, the club not being for sell and all staff and players minds focussed on staying up.  Believe we will do so.