Nobody Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 Can anyone actually envision a summer in which we sign the 7 players (or so) needed to make us a PL side? Aye. I think you're having a laugh. So you're saying we'll get relegated should we go up? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 Last time did we not just sign Tiote, and Ben Arfa on loan (who got injured all season), hughton and Pardew as managers yet finish comfortably 11th Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nobody Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 Last time did we not just sign Tiote, and Ben Arfa on loan (who got injured all season), hughton and Pardew as managers yet finish comfortably 11th We had a better team that time, mind. We'll be going up with half a championship team and half a premier league team this time. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cp40 Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 Can anyone actually envision a summer in which we sign the 7 players (or so) needed to make us a PL side? A Rafa side, or a Pardew in waiting side? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The College Dropout Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 We won't need 7 signings to stay up. 2 or 3 good signings and we'all be fine under Rafa. 4/5 tops. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kanji Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 I don't disagree, but Rafa doesn't want to simply stay up, he's going to want to compete at the top end of the PL as soon as he's back there. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cp40 Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 I don't disagree, but Rafa doesn't want to simply stay up, he's going to want to compete at the top end of the PL as soon as he's back there. this is how it will play out now- how long they can pretend to Rafa they are trying to match his ambitions, and how long he puts up with it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronaldo Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 Can anyone actually envision a summer in which we sign the 7 players (or so) needed to make us a PL side? Aye. I think you're having a laugh. So you're saying we'll get relegated should we go up? See Kanji's post. It should be pretty obvious, like. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRon Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 I don't disagree, but Rafa doesn't want to simply stay up, he's going to want to compete at the top end of the PL as soon as he's back there. He will, but whether he'll expect us to be ready to do that in our first season back is debatable. It might take us a season to get mid-table, then make a real assault for the top end the season after. He's ambitious, not delusional. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronaldo Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 Rafa Benitez doesn't have it in to him to spend a full season trying to avoid a relegation fight. He's far better than that. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr.Spaceman Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 Can anyone actually envision a summer in which we sign the 7 players (or so) needed to make us a PL side? Aye. I think you're having a laugh. So you're saying we'll get relegated should we go up? See Kanji's post. It should be pretty obvious, like. What's that theory based on though? Just because you have a gut feeling about something doesn't make it 100% set in stone. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr.Spaceman Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 Rafa Benitez doesn't have it in to him to spend a full season trying to avoid a relegation fight. He's far better than that. So it's either challenge at the top or be in a relegation battle? Is it beyond us to finish comfortably mid table like? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest firetotheworks Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 That's the mark of a mid-placed team though usually isn't it? A signing or two from pushing on or struggling. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronaldo Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 Rafa Benitez doesn't have it in to him to spend a full season trying to avoid a relegation fight. He's far better than that. So it's either challenge at the top or be in a relegation battle? Is it beyond us to finish comfortably mid table like? Absolutely not. Setting mediocrity as the season's target is quite another concept, though. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRon Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 Rafa Benitez doesn't have it in to him to spend a full season trying to avoid a relegation fight. He's far better than that. He won't be expected to be in a relegation fight, no one said that. I would have thought he'll be given enough funds to start building a team to challenge for the top positions, but that's not likely to happen in our first season back unless we spend £100m. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parsley Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 Rafa Benitez doesn't have it in to him to spend a full season trying to avoid a relegation fight. He's far better than that. So it's either challenge at the top or be in a relegation battle? Is it beyond us to finish comfortably mid table like? Absolutely not. Setting mediocrity as the season's target is quite another concept, though. A mid-table finish for a promoted team is hardly mediocre. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRon Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 Actually to challenge for the top positions, forget £100m, it would probably be closer to double that. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronaldo Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 I've seen nothing to suggest that we won't back him this summer like. We bought loads of players in the summer, and the previous 2 windows You might want to look back over the last decade, then. Even in the 2 previous windows you mention, one of them was shit and contributed to our relegation and the other saw a huge net profit achieved. Hardly evidence that the penny has dropped. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
joeyt Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 I've seen nothing to suggest that we won't back him this summer like. We bought loads of players in the summer, and the previous 2 windows You might want to look back over the last decade, then. Even in the 2 previous windows you mention, one of them which s*** and contributed to our relegation and the other saw a huge net profit achieved. Hardly evidence that the penny has dropped. Regardless of profit margins (which are largely completely irrelevant), did the club back the managers in the last 3 windows or not? You could argue that last January we weren't sufficiently backed enough, when we were desperate for a striker and a defender and ended up with Doumbia (s*** and unfit) and no defender. Obviously Townsend and Shelvey came in but we weren't backed enough to cover all of the positions that would have ensured survival unlike Sunderland who needed a defender and got a defender Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronaldo Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 Hindu, ask your mate's dad. He seems to think he should've been tougher about what he wanted. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The College Dropout Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 Attack the top of the league? At best we'll aim for a comfortable mid table position. expectimg anything more in the league is delusional. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronaldo Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 Attack the top of the league? At best we'll aim for a comfortable mid table position. expectimg anything more in the league is delusional. You're responding the something nobody said. If Rafa's in charge next season and we're in the PL there's no way he'll aim just to the avoid the relegation fight. He's a winner, you won't find him targeting 12th like Pardew. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nobody Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 Attack the top of the league? At best we'll aim for a comfortable mid table position. expectimg anything more in the league is delusional. You're responding the something nobody said. If Rafa's in charge next season and we're in the PL there's no way he'll aim just to the avoid the relegation fight. He's a winner, you won't find him targeting 12th like Pardew. Where do you think he'll aim for in the first season back up, where would you say is a realistic, decent finish and where would you expect us to finish considering Ashley etc al. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karjala Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 Would imagine the summer would be a matter of 3 or 4 quality signings, and seeing if the top half is possible. Season after that we might see Rafa going for more (as long as we back him properly) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronaldo Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 Attack the top of the league? At best we'll aim for a comfortable mid table position. expectimg anything more in the league is delusional. You're responding the something nobody said. If Rafa's in charge next season and we're in the PL there's no way he'll aim just to the avoid the relegation fight. He's a winner, you won't find him targeting 12th like Pardew. Where do you think he'll aim for in the first season back up, where would you say is a realistic, decent finish and where would you expect us to finish considering Ashley etc al. I think his aim will be around 8th. I don't think, considering our finances and management, that is unrealistic given that West Brom are there now. Unfortunately this lot's modus operandi is trying to provide the minimum outlay required to keep the club ticking order, so to expect anything like that is unrealistic. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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