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Poll: Now dust has setting, where do you expect us to finish in PL (Minimum?)

Where do you think we should finish in the PL now?

  • 1st (Champions)

    Votes: 2 2.1%
  • 2nd

    Votes: 3 3.1%
  • 3rd

    Votes: 17 17.5%
  • 4th

    Votes: 36 37.1%
  • 5th

    Votes: 30 30.9%
  • 6th

    Votes: 9 9.3%

  • Total voters
    97
  • Poll closed .
^^
Yes we have spent it because we have got it but that is not the point.

If we were happy to just stay as also rans we would have just banked the dough we got from sales.
 
5th is not an option. We have not spent £106 million on new players this summer to finish 5th.

AVB will get the sack and rightly so if we don't get at least 3rd and IMO he gets the bullet if there is any danger of us not getting top 4 with a few games to go.

We will get 3rd minimum.

If we finish 5th in a similar fashion to last season then imo, no way is Villas-Boas getting sacked. Quite obviously if we are 5th by a long margin and well out of the running for a CL place finish then he will be under pressure but this is a long term project. I don't see Levy sacking him unless we have a very average season given the expenditure. To say that if we don't get at least 3rd, AVB will rightly get the sack says to me that you live in cloud cuckoo land.

You really believe that over the course of a 38 game season we have the right to say we should displace both Man Utd and Arsenal whilst holding off Liverpool's challenge to regain CL qualification? We haven't finished 3rd since 1990 and haven't finished above Arsenal since 1995 or Manchester United since 1990 so to think that both should come true in one season is a joke.

You expect Man Utd to suddenly drop 3-4 places because they have changed manager? I agree they will have a season of transition but it is fanciful in the extreme to think they will drop to 4th/5th in the league and we will suddenly gel overnight and become solid challengers to both City and Chelsea, who are widely regarded as the two favourites for the title.

I agree that we should, taking into account what we have done with the squad, look to finish 4th but it is all on paper and in isolation. You can't just look at the finish and completely rule out other factors. Realistically we are talking about 1 space being available, possibly 2 if one of the other three teams have a wobble like Chelsea did last season and 3-4 teams will be going for those 1-2 spots and I am sorry but at least two of those teams have greater experience and know how in getting the job done at this moment in time.

We have a young ssquad now with a number of new additions and those players will need time to adapt to the team, the league and this country. If we keep everybody together and don't lose players then over the next couple of seasons we can be a real force but putting pressure on them and the management by suggesting that 3rd is a minimum target for this season is unreasonable and unrealistic in my own opinion.
 
If we finish 5th in a similar fashion to last season then imo, no way is Villas-Boas getting sacked. Quite obviously if we are 5th by a long margin and well out of the running for a CL place finish then he will be under pressure but this is a long term project. I don't see Levy sacking him unless we have a very average season given the expenditure. To say that if we don't get at least 3rd, AVB will rightly get the sack says to me that you live in cloud cuckoo land.

You really believe that over the course of a 38 game season we have the right to say we should displace both Man Utd and Arsenal whilst holding off Liverpool's challenge to regain CL qualification? We haven't finished 3rd since 1990 and haven't finished above Arsenal since 1995 or Manchester United since 1990 so to think that both should come true in one season is a joke.

You expect Man Utd to suddenly drop 3-4 places because they have changed manager? I agree they will have a season of transition but it is fanciful in the extreme to think they will drop to 4th/5th in the league and we will suddenly gel overnight and become solid challengers to both City and Chelsea, who are widely regarded as the two favourites for the title.

I agree that we should, taking into account what we have done with the squad, look to finish 4th but it is all on paper and in isolation. You can't just look at the finish and completely rule out other factors. Realistically we are talking about 1 space being available, possibly 2 if one of the other three teams have a wobble like Chelsea did last season and 3-4 teams will be going for those 1-2 spots and I am sorry but at least two of those teams have greater experience and know how in getting the job done at this moment in time.

We have a young ssquad now with a number of new additions and those players will need time to adapt to the team, the league and this country. If we keep everybody together and don't lose players then over the next couple of seasons we can be a real force but putting pressure on them and the management by suggesting that 3rd is a minimum target for this season is unreasonable and unrealistic in my own opinion.

=D>
 
^^
If we finish 5th AVB is out of the door. But he will not be sacked because we will finish 3rd minimum.

We are in top 3 form and have been for some time. If we keep that form or improve it then if the other teams do not improve we go above them.
 
^^
If we finish 5th AVB is out of the door. But he will not be sacked because we will finish 3rd minimum.

We are in top 3 form and have been for some time. If we keep that form or improve it then if the other teams do not improve we go above them.

Look at what you are saying and see how many "ifs" are in the sentence. That should tell you all you need to know when looking at the scenario of finishing 5th in isolation.

We were in Top 3 form with a World Class Gareth Bale performing at the top of his game. We do not have that anymore. We have a stronger collective but a collective that in the main have hardly got any experience playing with eachother.

I would be willing to bet you now that AVB would still be here if we finish 5th unless it was by a wide margin, never anywhere near to 4th and we completely underperformed in the cups as well.
 
^^
If we finish 5th AVB is out of the door. But he will not be sacked because we will finish 3rd minimum.

We are in top 3 form and have been for some time. If we keep that form or improve it then if the other teams do not improve we go above them.


Disagree with both those statements.

And I'm not Statto, but I doubt the second one is factually true.
 
I am reluctant to commit myself as to where we will finish as I never seem to get it right.....the end to the last 2 seasons proved that!

However, I did read that Man U got 57 points out of 60 from the bottom 10 teams in the league last year. We now have a much, much stronger squad than last year (jenas played in against WBA in the league in Aug 2012) that we should be able to change things round enough that the WHOLE team are up for a cold November night away at Hull.

A***nal still have a good starting 11 but a weaker squad than ours and weakness in front men and keeper.

Chelscum....just can't bear to talk about them.

Man U if Van Persie gets injured, and he surely must after 2 relatively active seasons, will not get the same number of points as last season. With Fergie gone, and if they had the same bunch of players with Moyes as manager and were called Bolton they wouldn't get anywhere near as many points.

Liverpool....strongish squad with a special player in Suarez and without Europe to think about... If like us they can do well against the lower clubs they will be a major threat.

Emirates Marketing Project.....new manager, good squad but something not right... Lost at Cardiff and Hull deserved a point.

3rd then I suppose......but i'll be wrong as I probably will be about everything I've just written.. I hate bloody football.
 
I think some of you have way too much confidence/faith in our board. They have sacked managers after good seasons or even during the season after great results or early in the season.

I would be delighted with top 4 provided we aren't shafted by another lucky English team that finished below but wins the CL. I guess people are writing United off because of Moyes which I can understand, but I really don't see how we're going to finish above scum.
 
I think some of you have way too much confidence/faith in our board. They have sacked managers after good seasons or even during the season after great results or early in the season.

I would be delighted with top 4 provided we aren't shafted by another lucky English team that finished below but wins the CL. I guess people are writing United off because of Moyes which I can understand, but I really don't see how we're going to finish above scum.

Dear Mr. Charlie Adam,

Ozil said you were a porker and so is your sister.

Rgds,
Your anonymous friend
 
It will be an interesting season for us.

I think people over cook the whole Bale thing, he isnt here any more, the goals will come from elsewhere. We had a mentality of give gaz the ball and he will do something, like a team with any stand out player, but this year will be different.

I think Chelsea will win it, Utd runners up. City will struggle when a team wants it more, Arsenal have bought trophy player to please fans, they have never struggled to score goals, Liverpool will have a bad patch and its how long thats lasts.

If I was AVB, tomorrow I would put my strongest 11 out, go get the win and start building confidence, as when we are in form, we are as good as any team in the division.

Its all about mentality......
 
Look at what you are saying and see how many "ifs" are in the sentence. That should tell you all you need to know when looking at the scenario of finishing 5th in isolation.

We were in Top 3 form with a World Class Gareth Bale performing at the top of his game. We do not have that anymore. We have a stronger collective but a collective that in the main have hardly got any experience playing with eachother.

I would be willing to bet you now that AVB would still be here if we finish 5th unless it was by a wide margin, never anywhere near to 4th and we completely underperformed in the cups as well.

There are 2 ifs. One if is we finish 5th. The other if is we finish higher. They are both possibilities.

Bookies would be pleased to take your bet. Without Bale we have 6 points from 9. After a few more games we will see who is right.
 
Disagree with both those statements.

And I'm not Statto, but I doubt the second one is factually true.

We got 72 points last term-enough for a top 4 finish in every EPL season prior.

We scored 33 points first 19 games and 39 points last 19. If we just kept up that form we will score 78 points which has been enough for a top 3 finish in 11 out of the last 14 seasons.

My assumption is that all top 5 sides will not improve and therefore we will finish top 4. IMO 3 will improve and 2 won't.
 
I think some of you have way too much confidence/faith in our board. They have sacked managers after good seasons or even during the season after great results or early in the season.

I would be delighted with top 4 provided we aren't shafted by another lucky English team that finished below but wins the CL. I guess people are writing United off because of Moyes which I can understand, but I really don't see how we're going to finish above scum.

Getting 5th with a team capable of better is not a good season IMO. Your mate 'Arry and Saint Martin did that.

If we finish 5th AVB is out and rightly so.

But, I repeat we will finish higher.
 
There are 2 ifs. One if is we finish 5th. The other if is we finish higher. They are both possibilities.

Bookies would be pleased to take your bet. Without Bale we have 6 points from 9. After a few more games we will see who is right.

No we can see if one of us is right if we finish 5th and in the manner in which we do so should it happen. Im not saying we won't finish 3rd or 4th, i'm just disagreeing with your cavalier attitude that AVB should be sacked if we finish 5th because you are taking the position in isolation when a number of factors could have influenced that finish.

Without wanting to be pedantic, 3 If's. If we finish 5th, If we keep our top 3 form and if other teams don't improve. 3 Big variables there which make If an extremely large word over the course of a month never mind a season.
 
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I think some of you have way too much confidence/faith in our board. They have sacked managers after good seasons or even during the season after great results or early in the season.

I would be delighted with top 4 provided we aren't shafted by another lucky English team that finished below but wins the CL. I guess people are writing United off because of Moyes which I can understand, but I really don't see how we're going to finish above scum.

Who have we sacked with Levy as chairman after a good season? Redknapp? Well we know that was not particularly down to performance although it played a part. The only sacking that is questionable is Jol and that is probably more to the manner and the timing rather than whether he deserved it or not. I think many of us agree he was hard done by but we were hardly having a great season and it was 4th season at the club which maybe gave more weight to the opinion of change being required.
 
No we can see if one of us is right if we finish 5th and in the manner in which we do so should it happen. Im not saying we won't finish 3rd or 4th, i'm just disagreeing with your cavalier attitude that AVB should be sacked if we finish 5th because you are taking the position in isolation when a number of factors could have influenced that finish.

Without wanting to be pedantic, 3 If's. If we finish 5th, If we keep our top 3 form and if other teams don't improve. 3 Big variables there which make If an extremely large word over the course of a month never mind a season.

They are not big variables. There never has been a season when all top 5 teams improved IFIRC.

I just checked and 68-77 points got 3rd spot in 15 out of the 18 seasons since the EPL went to 38 games. When making predictions it is impossible to do so without using that biggest of all words.

The only prediction I can make with assurity is not all my predictions will come true.
 
We've taken 45 points from the last 22 games. That form would give us 77-78 points over a season which would surely be good enough for at least 4th. I don't think we'll keep that form up though.
 
They are not big variables. There never has been a season when all top 5 teams improved IFIRC.

I just checked and 68-77 points got 3rd spot in 15 out of the 18 seasons since the EPL went to 38 games. When making predictions it is impossible to do so without using that biggest of all words.

The only prediction I can make with assurity is not all my predictions will come true.


Of course it is unlikely that all 5 teams will improve but the reason it is such a big variable is that say for instance 2 of the don't improve. If they are City and Utd then we say they stand still, regress slightly even. That still requires us to make a massive improvement and probably reach 80+ points which doesn't take into account how much say Arsenal and Chelsea improve as 2 of the 3 teams who we say for example will improve plus us.

Thats why imo it isn't just about what we do although we can only affect what we do. I thought our run from Everton (a) to the final day was title challenging form really - We lost unfortunately at Liverpool and were **** at home to Fulham and yet it still wasn't enough because Arsenal took 28 points from their final 30 which is title winning form and Chelsea had a strong finish in their final 6 games too despite all the outside distractions.

The last thing I would say on this is that I think too many things have happened for all the 6 challenging sides over the course of the summer that it is really impossible to predict anything with any confidence on how any of them will fare overall until possibly the New Year.
 
We've taken 45 points from the last 22 games. That form would give us 77-78 points over a season which would surely be good enough for at least 4th. I don't think we'll keep that form up though.

Exactly. Thats a big ask for a team that hasn't done that over an entire season before. If we managed to get 76/77 points this season would mean us perhaps losing around 6/7 games overall in the preceeding 60 - 22 from last season with the 2 defeats and 38 of this season with 4/5 defeats.
 
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