I will answer your points in reverse order. First of all, I fully expected top 4 AND a title tilt in August. I saw the players coming in, our squad had been kept together, our lynchpin payer wasn't going anywhere and the "gel" factor was high. So my expectations were high. Remember, we blew CL football the previous season thanks to a disastrous league run; it couldn't happen again, no no.
You're asking me to take the disappointment of the last 10 games out of the equation, thus you're asking me to evaluate our season based on 28 games? Sorry mate, can't do it.
You mention City. Bad example. They have always had one player more than everyone else, and I believe it will show in the end. They also did not surrender second place to anyone; us, the goons, anyone.
Would 5th have been a failure in August? Yes. For me. Would 4th and an FA Cup semi-final have been a failure in August? 4th would not have been, an FA Cup semi-final knock-out is a failure, yes, ESPECIALLY when we have the context of knowing it's a team we could've beaten. As for 4th, right now, today, it would be a fudging miracle if we got 4th. But the fact remains that for your 28-odd games, we were one of the very best teams in the country and thus it is not unreasonable to have expected us tp push on ESPECIALLY given what we should've learnt from last season's collapse.
Here's a not-so-hidden secret; had the FA sacked Crapello after Switzerland home last summer, had the score remained 2-0 to the Swiss, there was great GREAT hope that the FA would've gone for Harry then and the board would've been delighted. Oh there's so much more to say, but it will all come out I suspect...in the meantime, if you want to think of it as "total flimflam" then I understand, it's your opinion.
One final nugget of thought; why is it "the pro-Harry" and "the anti-Harry" gang? Everyone appreciates what he did, but equally, many were aware of his shortcomings and failings. If you're not aware of his failings right now mate, if you do not agree that he's illustrated them hugely during, say, the Norwich, QPR and Chelski games, then I would suggest new specs!