15 games in. Where will we finish?

[Fenham Mag]

If we can get back Ben Arfa for the last 6 games or so, i can see us going on a Roeder style run at the end of the season finishing 8th-9th.

[Alberto2005]

If we can get back Ben Arfa for the last 6 games or so, i can see us going on a Roeder style run at the end of the season finishing 8th-9th.

It's going to take him a while to get match fit even when he's back, regardless of whether we sign him or not I hope he's able to play to his potential once he does return.

[JH]

Not wanting to spark up *that* argument again, but I'm amazed at how much positivity there is. How anyone can see us finishing higher than 10th with home form as it currently is.

[Optimistic Nut]

Not wanting to spark up *that* argument again, but I'm amazed at how much positivity there is. How anyone can see us finishing higher than 10th with home form as it currently is.

 

Because we're currently 9th with home form as it currently is, the home form can only get better.

[Guest Roger Kint]

 

12th - 14th IMO, which would be a pretty good return.

 

 

Am split between 14th and 15th so chose the latter, i think we could finish anywhere from 10th to 16th though obviously depending on keeping key men available. Still dont think we will go down though. Somehow bringing in one or two early in Jan could be key to a very good 12th+ place which we clearly arent far off as a team(although not as a squad)

[JH]

Not wanting to spark up *that* argument again, but I'm amazed at how much positivity there is. How anyone can see us finishing higher than 10th with home form as it currently is.

 

Because we're currently 9th with home form as it currently is, the home form can only get better.

 

If the season was meant to last 15 games, then it would. This position means absolutely nothing, as Hull showed in 08/09.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

Well yeah, but if it means absolutely nothing then it doesn't mean we're any more likely to finish lower than higher, surely?

[quayside]

Not wanting to spark up *that* argument again, but I'm amazed at how much positivity there is. How anyone can see us finishing higher than 10th with home form as it currently is.

 

Because we're currently 9th with home form as it currently is, the home form can only get better.

 

On the other hand look at some of the home games that have gone - Wigan, Blackpool, Blackburn, Stoke, Fulham = 2 points. Stating the obvious but we've played games there that we should have got a minimum of 9 points from and we can't play those teams again. West Ham and Wolves are the only obvious home fixtures left that we can look at as "bankers" if anyone dares look at any game in that way.

[JH]

Well yeah, but if it means absolutely nothing then it doesn't mean we're any more likely to finish lower than higher, surely?

 

Whilst you're right in some respects, the evidence points towards us finishing lower than higher (i.e there's no suggestion the home form is going to miraculously improve).

[Optimistic Nut]

And again on the other hand, you can say that away from home we've played Man Utd, Man City, Arsenal & Everton so can look to continue that form against the lesser sides.

[JH]

And again on the other hand, you can say that away from home we've played Man Utd, Man City, Arsenal & Everton so can look to continue that form against the lesser sides.

 

I don't get your point - all those games came before poor performances in the home games, so it's already obvious that we haven't continued that form against the lesser sides.

[quayside]

And again on the other hand, you can say that away from home we've played Man Utd, Man City, Arsenal & Everton so can look to continue that form against the lesser sides.

 

Like Bolton?

[JH]

And again on the other hand, you can say that away from home we've played Man Utd, Man City, Arsenal & Everton so can look to continue that form against the lesser sides.

 

Like Bolton?

 

Bolton aren't a lesser side like - they've played very well at times this season.

[quayside]

And again on the other hand, you can say that away from home we've played Man Utd, Man City, Arsenal & Everton so can look to continue that form against the lesser sides.

 

Like Bolton?

 

Bolton aren't a lesser side like - they've played very well at times this season.

 

They have but my view is that they've over achieved so far and got off to a flyer, but won't sustain it.

[Optimistic Nut]

And again on the other hand, you can say that away from home we've played Man Utd, Man City, Arsenal & Everton so can look to continue that form against the lesser sides.

 

I don't get your point - all those games came before poor performances in the home games, so it's already obvious that we haven't continued that form against the lesser sides.

 

That's what makes you a mid-table side though. Inconsistency. I use the 2000-1 season as an example, we were unbeaten against the top 6 at home, yet still finished 11th.

[JH]

And again on the other hand, you can say that away from home we've played Man Utd, Man City, Arsenal & Everton so can look to continue that form against the lesser sides.

 

I don't get your point - all those games came before poor performances in the home games, so it's already obvious that we haven't continued that form against the lesser sides.

 

That's what makes you a mid-table side though. Inconsistency. I use the 2000-1 season as an example, we were unbeaten against the top 6 at home, yet still finished 11th.

 

Not wanting to spark up *that* argument again, but I'm amazed at how much positivity there is. How anyone can see us finishing higher than 10th with home form as it currently is.

 

I'm on about those talking 7th/8th place - that's not midtable.

[Optimistic Nut]

Fair enough but then you look at the teams in the top 7-8 and still think why not.

[UV]

So far we've had a typical newly promoted side start to the season - play better than expected, pull off a few shock results against the top teams, feature briefly at the top end of the table. Most players are fit, fresh and confident from their promotion at the start of the season, and the team can compete above it's level. As the season goes on though the teams with the smaller squads (ie newly or recently promoted teams) will be much harder hit by injuries, suspensions and fatigue and will suffer against the established teams with stronger squads.

 

We do however start from a base of having a stronger squad than the typical newly promoted team, so I think we should have enough to stay up unless we get unlucky with injuries (we're currently faring about average). It will come down to luck though which personally I'm not happy about as I think more could have been done to lower the risk.

 

Lucky with injuries - 11-13

Average with injuries - 14-17

Unlucky with injuries - relegated

 

the home form can only get better.

 

Unfortunately that isn't the only option.

[Stifler]

I've said 15-17, however at the moment I believe we could do better then that. I'd love to see where we would be now if we had Ben Arfa nevermind at the end of the season.

[Guest firetotheworks]

As long as Carroll stays fit I think we'll finish between 10th and 14th.

[Dr Venkman]

Not wanting to spark up *that* argument again, but I'm amazed at how much positivity there is. How anyone can see us finishing higher than 10th with home form as it currently is.

 

Because we're currently 9th with home form as it currently is, the home form can only get better.

 

On the other hand look at some of the home games that have gone - Wigan, Blackpool, Blackburn, Stoke, Fulham = 2 points. Stating the obvious but we've played games there that we should have got a minimum of 9 points from and we can't play those teams again. West Ham and Wolves are the only obvious home fixtures left that we can look at as "bankers" if anyone dares look at any game in that way.

 

be realistic though, we play better against teams with more quality

[Dave]

Bit worried about where the goals are coming from without Carroll like. Nobody else has scored in the last five games - eight if you omit the now injured Nolan (ignoring Shola vs the mackems which doesn't count).

 

It's certainly not a bad thing that Carroll is scoring a lot, but you have to wonder if the rest of the team will begin to rely on him too much.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

At this point I think we could finish literally anywhere from around 8th to bottom. The league is bizarre.

 

If we lose Carroll then we could be looking at relegation or very close to it, but then to lose Carroll and Ben Arfa would have to go down as 'massively unlucky with injures'.

 

Then again, if Carroll keeps us around 10-12th and Ben Arfa comes back firing, we could be looking at 8th.

 

Hopefully we'll manage to add a forward in January who will lessen this terrifying prospect, at least take some of the pressure off the A-Train.

 

[Optimistic Nut]

I think we'll get another striker in January on loan mind.

[quayside]

Not wanting to spark up *that* argument again, but I'm amazed at how much positivity there is. How anyone can see us finishing higher than 10th with home form as it currently is.

 

Because we're currently 9th with home form as it currently is, the home form can only get better.

 

On the other hand look at some of the home games that have gone - Wigan, Blackpool, Blackburn, Stoke, Fulham = 2 points. Stating the obvious but we've played games there that we should have got a minimum of 9 points from and we can't play those teams again. West Ham and Wolves are the only obvious home fixtures left that we can look at as "bankers" if anyone dares look at any game in that way.

 

be realistic though, we play better against teams with more quality

 

We have done thus far, but how confident are you that trend will continue? I don't think we can rely on that to keep us in the top half, I think we'll be ok, but not better than 15th.