Would you take 17th place right now ?

[Oakie Doke]

I'd still take 17th, not because I don't have confidence in the team to do better but because staying up has to be the main aim for this season.

[Nobody]

Really don't understand how someone can say that there's little or no difference between finishing 17th and 8th.

Finishing 8th (or even 10-12 to be more realistic) would have seen us have a much better season than we could have expected, it will show players that we will not be looking at being involved in another relegation battling season next year, and if we sign the likes of Ben Arfa permanently, that we are looking to improve. Would Birmingham have managed to sign the likes of Zigic and Hleb, two IMO quality players, had they finished 17th? I doubt it tbh, neither of them would have liked the look of coming to a club that would struggle to stay in the division.

 

Oh, and how the fuck have we been lucky with injuries? Our best player by a mile has had his leg broken, our number one goal keeper is out for I don't know how long, our CB who has been a mainstay in the team for the past few years has yet to play a game, our first choice RB has just returned from injury and one of our new signings is still two months away from making his debut (though we knew about that when we signed him).

 

Who's saying you've been lucky with injuries like?

 

And I agree about the 8th/17th issue. It's scandalous to suggest there's no difference, or even to say there's not much difference. There's a huge amount, and your Brum example illustrates it well and I predict will end up with them retaining their top 10 position.

 

 

Prize money aside, there's little difference between finishing 17th and finishing 8th. No European place up for grabs etc. Granted, it looks a little more appealing to prospective new signings to finish just outside the European berths than just avoiding relegation, but if, at the start of the season, you'd hope to avoid relegation then why would you change your hopes and expectations when it's been such an inconsistent opening quarter?

 

Granted, we've had a couple of very good wins away (Everton and West Ham) and two unbelievable results at home (Villa and the mackems)...but let's not forget the Blackpool, Stoke City and Wigan games. It's so far being a massively inconsistent first quarter of the season. So far we've been lucky with injuries too, long may it continue.

 

I'd absolutely take 17th place.

 

[JH]

Just some stuff from the NUFC.com match report:

 

2008/09: NUFC after 10 games: 9 points, 15th position (scored 12, conceded 18)

2010/11: NUFC after 10 games: 14 points, 7th position (scored 19, conceded 14)

 

...

 

Never mind the look on people's faces, the stats are also starting to bring comfort - not least last week's West Ham win that matched our away victory tally in the whole of 2008/09. Similarly, Michael Owen and Obafemi Martins topped United's Premier League scoring charts two seasons ago with a miserable 8 goals apiece. Kevin Nolan has 7 already this time round - four in a week reward for playing in his proper position.

 

We're also nearly halfway to matching our home record (5 wins)

[JH]

And scored 14 goals at home already, compared to the 21 we scored at home in that entire season.

 

Christ, we were bad

[Dave]

21 goals.

 

That's diabolical.

[JH]

I tell a lie. The table I saw was before the Boro game. It's 24 at home.

[Optimistic Nut]

Tiote says top ten. The players wouldn't dare consider 17th now.

[wormy]

I was impressed seeing Tiote's aims. And talking about a trophy, I love this group of players

[joeyt]

Where's the ''Champions League-ometer''?

[David28]

Eh... 17th? Still, no.

[JH]

Suprise suprise.... Yes.

 

A draw win against Arsenal and victory against Blackburn and ask me again - I might just change my mind this time.

[Optimistic Nut]

What a thoroughly shit season it would be if that's where we came now.

[Guest firetotheworks]

We'd have to fuck up massively to finish in 17th now.

[Optimistic Nut]

Time to forget the fact we're "newly-promoted" tbh. This is a comfortable mid-table Premier League side at worst imo.

[JH]

The 17th place that we're only 7 points away from?

 

I'm not trying to be negative here, but two games could swing it - two wins and we're safe, two defeats and we could be right back in the mix.

[Dave]

No.

 

Not that we're not capable of losing games and being dragged into it - we certainly are - we're just not playing like a relegation candidate at present. Even when we've been shit (Wigan, basically) our character has got us something.

 

We're better than 17th, and proving it.

[joeyt]

That Colo goal against Wigan was arguably the most important goal of the season so far

[David28]

That Colo goal against Wigan was arguably the most important goal of the season so far

 

Think Carroll's against West Ham was very important as well. This as well as his against Wolves.

And Joey's against Villa.

 

[JH]

I get what Joeyt is saying like. It was like the Doncaster game last season, it seems to have given us the kick to get things going.

[LiquidAK]

So much credit has to go to Hughton. I know it's been said a lot, but he really has made them into a cracking TEAM rather than just a group of players.

[Nobody]

That Colo goal against Wigan was arguably the most important goal of the season so far

Aye. Looking back at it now, and our results since then, it's hard not to say that that comeback did not re-start our season.

[Cajun]

7th? Go on then.

[geordie_b]

17th, yes I still would

[Ketsbaia]

Finally its a no from me.

 

We're fricking brilliant, actually.

[GM]

So much credit has to go to Hughton. I know it's been said a lot, but he really has made them into a cracking TEAM rather than just a group of players.

 

I think a good deal of that credit needs to go to the captain, tbh. I think he's played a much bigger role in gelling the team together than he's given credit for.