Apart from the big 4 who will finish above us this season?

[Yorkie]

1. Man United

2. Liverpool

3. Chelsea

4. Arsenal

5. Spurs

6. Everton

7. Newcastle

8. Blackburn

9. Portsmouth

10. Aston Villa

 

Then we'll destroy the world in 08/09.

[Baggio]

If we sign a decent left back, right back and centre back I don't see any reason why we shouldn't be challenging for 5th.

 

Our squad would be as good as any outside of the top 4 and we'd have the added advantage of not having to play in the waffa cup every other thursday.

[EthiGeordie]

Spurs will be above us may be above Arsenal too. I would be happy if we finish top 8 and a good run in the cup compitition. We need a solid left back right back and a center back minimum to acvive these.

[M4]

We could finish anywhere from 5th to 10th tbh.

 

I'd have to agree with that. My minimum expectation is to finish a solid 10th. Anything better will be a bonus.

[Dr Spectrum]

Will be fun seeing City brought back down to Earth; no offense Spec.

 

Back down to Earth? Do you think I'm being overly optomistic? I would hardly say thinking we might get 8th is owt over the top...thats where we finished in 2005.

[WarrenBartonCentrePartin]

If we sign a decent left back, right back and centre back I don't see any reason why we shouldn't be challenging for 5th.

If indeed.

 

and as much as everyone keeps naming those 3 positions, it 'ain't happenin'!

[Guest optimistic nit]

i would say we will finish in between 4th and 12th. can't see us lower or higher than that.

[Guest guyb]

Nobody mentioning the other team that finished above you last season? 

 

I think you'll come 8th to 10th. We'll be 10th to 12th; mackems going back form whence they came.

[Dave]

We could finish anywhere from 5th to 10th tbh.

 

I'd have to agree with that. My minimum expectation is to finish a solid 10th. Anything better will be a bonus.

 

Zis.

[Guest TyneToPlay]

We can put out an excellent first IX as we showed last night. Our problem is squad depth.

 

I still think we can look at fifth. I dunno whether its Arsenal or the Spuds ahead of us though.

[Parky]

We could finish anywhere from 5th to 10th tbh.

 

I'd have to agree with that. My minimum expectation is to finish a solid 10th. Anything better will be a bonus.

 

Zis.

 

 

We finished 7th with Rodent and half the 'B' team out for most of the season not so long ago. You big puff.

[Guest fraser]

I thought that we could finish 7th but with all the squads now being assembled I can see Spurs, Man City and Villa as well as Everton (just because they're so well managed) finishing above us. Overall, top half would be enough, top eight very good and top six brilliant. As it stands personnel wise.

[Dave]

We could finish anywhere from 5th to 10th tbh.

 

I'd have to agree with that. My minimum expectation is to finish a solid 10th. Anything better will be a bonus.

 

Zis.

 

 

We finished 7th with Rodent and half the 'B' team out for most of the season not so long ago. You big puff.

 

Aye, cos that wasn't a one-off or anything.

 

I just want us to build properly, and I can't see it happening overnight.

[Parky]

We could finish anywhere from 5th to 10th tbh.

 

I'd have to agree with that. My minimum expectation is to finish a solid 10th. Anything better will be a bonus.

 

Zis.

 

 

We finished 7th with Rodent and half the 'B' team out for most of the season not so long ago. You big puff.

 

Aye, cos that wasn't a one-off or anything.

 

I just want us to build properly, and I can't see it happening overnight.

 

 

Building properly is somethig that sounds nice and in general terms building there will be....But it shouldn't be at the cost of dynamism and proactivity. The quicker we start finishing higher and  become more competative the more money we'll make and also the ability to attract quality players.

[manorpark]

Only the big 3. We'll be fourth. I think it will be tight with Spurs Arsenal Liverpool and us

 

Could well have agreed with that, shortly ater the Ashley takeover and when Sam had 'started' the player purchases early and quickly with four good squad players (some, perhaps, actually better than 'squad' level).

 

However, since then (for the last three weeks or so) we have STOPPED.  We have just . . . . STOPPED!

 

I do not understand why, but after this longish period of 'nothing' - we still need four or five 'top-quality' defenders, and probably (now) also a replacement for Dyer.

 

We are falling and falling behind - though I appreciate the transfer window is open for another five weeks. The signs though (players wanting to come here? / players running to get here?)  - are not good.

 

If it stays like this (we have such a small paper-thin squad) instead of "4th"  -  I would say "somewhere between 8th and 12th" with the names of the clubs finishing above us being "many". 

 

Poor.

 

(PS - Just feeling a bit 'down' about the whole thing today . . . . hopefully back to optimism tomorrow!!)

[Mr Logic]

I see absolutely no-one is considering Bolton, apparently they're cack now they lost that geezer with the bluetooth.

 

Spurs always seem to have a bad patch that prevents them making it. This might be a pattern now they find hard to break.

 

I don't see City improving as much as Dr. Spectrum does, Sven will make a big difference though.

 

Villa? I'm not sure O'Neil has the passion anymore, and it was that that lifted Leicester so well. One man's passion.

 

Everton, never sure what they're going to do are you. One season up, one season a bit poor. Potentially a dark horse for 5th.

 

Portsmouth. This is the team most likely to get 5th spot imo. And if Campbell left them and came to us I'd have high hopes 5th would be in our reach.

 

If we don't get the defenders in we'll be lucky to make 6th or 7th. But I sincerely believe we are the club that has the potential to have the most startling turn about of fortunes. Results that go our way, hard fought and sometimes even pretty to watch. I keep looking at last seasons results and try to run them through with the 'Sam factor' in mind. It's a completely different picture.

 

 

[Parky]

I see absolutely no-one is considering Bolton, apparently they're cack now they lost that geezer with the bluetooth.

 

Spurs always seem to have a bad patch that prevents them making it. This might be a pattern now they find hard to break.

 

I don't see City improving as much as Dr. Spectrum does, Sven will make a big difference though.

 

Villa? I'm not sure O'Neil has the passion anymore, and it was that that lifted Leicester so well. One man's passion.

 

Everton, never sure what they're going to do are you. One season up, one season a bit poor. Potentially a dark horse for 5th.

 

Portsmouth. This is the team most likely to get 5th spot imo. And if Campbell left them and came to us I'd have high hopes 5th would be in our reach.

 

If we don't get the defenders in we'll be lucky to make 6th or 7th. But I sincerely believe we are the club that has the potential to have the most startling turn about of fortunes. Results that go our way, hard fought and sometimes even pretty to watch. I keep looking at last seasons results and try to run them through with the 'Sam factor' in mind. It's a completely different picture.

 

 

 

 

Cracking post.

 

+Owen and what looks so far like a v solid Roze and Geremi.

[Parky]

The obvious candidate has been Spurs for a while  and apart from the their left side they are looking strong and the addition of Bent (Vastly overpriced he may be) will add some kick to their front line. I'm still not convinced by the goalkeeping of Robinson and King needs to stay fit.

 

Aston Villa

 

The honeymoon period is over and Ashley was a good signing, but I'm not impressed with Reo or Harewood and they struggled immensely at the tail end

of last year. I don't think they will finish above us,  most of the promise lacks experience and it will perhaps take one more season for MON to get closer to where he wants to be.

 

Everton.

No business in the transfer market and a team that is workmanlike but lacks goals. Top 10 at best.

 

Manchester City

 

For me are the dark horses and will surprise many under the astute stewardship of Sven who I would have had here if Allardyce wasn't available.

 

Buys

Ins: Geovanni (Cruzeiro, free), Rolando Bianchi (Reggina, £8.8m), Gelson Fernandes (FC Sion, undisclosed).

 

In a recent interview Sven said that he was still looking to bring in two or three players.

 

IMO Man City will run us close or finish above us. Top 8.

 

 

Portsmouth.

 

'Harry has been buying buying and more buying they did well last year and will be a threat for a top 6-8 place again this year.

 

Ins: David Nugent (Preston, undisclosed), John Utaka (Rennes, undisclosed), Arnold Mvuemba (Rennes, undisclosed), Sulley Muntari (Udinese, £7m), Sylvain Distin (Manchester City, free), Hermann Hreidarsson (Charlton, free), Martin Cranie (Southampton, undisclosed).

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sven must have had some kind of wishlist ready....This is a very astute capture.

 

 

 

Gelson Fernandes (born September 2, 1986 in Praia[citation needed]) is a Swiss football player of Cape Verde descent. He is a midfielder, currently playing for Manchester City in the English Premier League, and captain of the Swiss U21 national team. He signed for Manchester City, from FC Sion on 14 July 2007. He signed for an undisclosed fee, believed to be around 6 million euros (£ 4.2m), making him the highest transfer paid in the Swiss League. Manchester City manager Sven Goran Eriksson believes that Fernandes is the best young talent in Swiss football.

[Guest Gemmill]

We could finish anywhere from 5th to 10th tbh.

 

I'd have to agree with that. My minimum expectation is to finish a solid 10th. Anything better will be a bonus.

 

Zis.

 

 

We finished 7th with Rodent and half the 'B' team out for most of the season not so long ago. You big puff.

 

Aye, cos that wasn't a one-off or anything.

 

I just want us to build properly, and I can't see it happening overnight.

 

 

Building properly is somethig that sounds nice and in general terms building there will be....But it shouldn't be at the cost of dynamism and proactivity. The quicker we start finishing higher and  become more competative the more money we'll make and also the ability to attract quality players.

 

Er yeah, no shit.  But that doesn't mean that because it would be nice to finish higher as soon as possible, that we're going to.

[Mr Logic]

I see absolutely no-one is considering Bolton, apparently they're cack now they lost that geezer with the bluetooth.

 

Spurs always seem to have a bad patch that prevents them making it. This might be a pattern now they find hard to break.

 

I don't see City improving as much as Dr. Spectrum does, Sven will make a big difference though.

 

Villa? I'm not sure O'Neil has the passion anymore, and it was that that lifted Leicester so well. One man's passion.

 

Everton, never sure what they're going to do are you. One season up, one season a bit poor. Potentially a dark horse for 5th.

 

Portsmouth. This is the team most likely to get 5th spot imo. And if Campbell left them and came to us I'd have high hopes 5th would be in our reach.

 

If we don't get the defenders in we'll be lucky to make 6th or 7th. But I sincerely believe we are the club that has the potential to have the most startling turn about of fortunes. Results that go our way, hard fought and sometimes even pretty to watch. I keep looking at last seasons results and try to run them through with the 'Sam factor' in mind. It's a completely different picture.

 

 

 

 

Cracking post Grommit

 

+Owen and what looks so far like a v solid Roze and Geremi.

 

Thanks.

[Kev]

I think Spurs will finish above us and we will finish 6th with Everton and West Ham not far behind us on points

[OzzieMandias]

Everton, Man City, Tottenham, Portsmouth, Villa, West Ham -- they'll all be our competition for a UEFA place next season and any of them could finish above us. Could possibly add Bolton to the list.

[1878]

I heard all this last year about how Everton are average crap that weren't going to do anything because we never made a trophy signing.

 

We've signed Jagielka and Pienaar who will improve our first eleven so I don't see why we're going to be worse than last year. We've also got Cahill back after he missed 2/3 of last season. The extra games in Europe might mean we drop a couple of places but on the other hand it might not make any difference.

[brummie]

Oh, Parky!!! 

 

The honeymoon period is over and Ashley was a good signing, but I'm not impressed with Reo or Harewood and they struggled immensely at the tail end  of last year.

 

 

Yes, we struggled immensely at the end of last season, that is if you call a nine match unbeaten run including three away wins "struggling immensely".

 

Joking apart, I think we'll finish more or less in the same area of the table as you will (although, obv, for the purposes of our wager, I mean above you), but I don't see how MON needs another year to get it right, but SA is going to get it right in his first year - that's a massive ask of any manager.

 

I think you could probably take Newcastle, Villa, Portsmouth, West Ham, Everton and possibly Citeh, pick a random order and stand a very good chance of getting it right.

[Parky]

Oh, Parky!!! 

 

The honeymoon period is over and Ashley was a good signing, but I'm not impressed with Reo or Harewood and they struggled immensely at the tail end  of last year.

 

 

Yes, we struggled immensely at the end of last season, that is if you call a nine match unbeaten run including three away wins "struggling immensely".

 

Joking apart, I think we'll finish more or less in the same area of the table as you will (although, obv, for the purposes of our wager, I mean above you), but I don't see how MON needs another year to get it right, but SA is going to get it right in his first year - that's a massive ask of any manager.

 

I think you could probably take Newcastle, Villa, Portsmouth, West Ham, Everton and possibly Citeh, pick a random order and stand a very good chance of getting it right.

 

 

 

Should have gone in the Man City bit.