The Kraken

Well of course you were #desperate

Yes, and you weren't wrong petal.

There should be a "like" function on here, just for instances like these.

I don't disagree with the sentiment of setting out to win every game. I certainly ascribe to the notion at all of finishing as high in the table as we possibly can. And I agree that the "well we've got 50 points, we're safe now approach" is far too defeatist. But when a "dream" of winning the league gets turned into a full on plan and those who don't ascribe to it are put down as having no ambition is when it all gets a bit silly.

I'm thoroughly calm thanks. I just picked up on your thoroughly inaccurate generalisation, that's the thing. I'm yet to come across anybody apart from a handful of WUMs or weirdos who don't think we have more potential now that for a very long time, certainly in the more modern cash-rich era of the Premier League. Most people seem to think a bigger stadium is a very realistic possibility. Most people seem to think there's a half decent chance we could push on and even complete for the European spots in the league, and certainly in the cup. Yet those who don't quite agree with the mantra of "we're going to win the league" are consistently shot down as lacking ambition, having a Dell-sized mindset, not seeing the bigger picture etc etc. Its a lazy and throughly inaccurate generalisation.

Of what now?

Its called a Dell-sized mentality. I should know, apparently I have one. Who is saying they have no ambition, by the way? Who is saying the club can't grow, and perhaps be even bigger than its ever been? Point out those posters to me please, would you?

I'm sure you miss the point deliberately just to try and be obtuse and contrary.

Oh God, here we go. Nope, still the same.

Oh, ok then. I took it as a wishy washy statement that kind of suggests we won't spend money we don't have, if anything at all. Its totally non-committal about anything and therefore a bit pointless to base any future plans or intentions upon.

What has he said? If you're referring to this: then I don't think that's proof of anything at all!!

I think Richard Chaplow is a bit balder than CMFG, so that could work in the current squad's favour.

We've got a film star, we've got a film star, you ain't, you ain't. Pretty sure no-one anywhere ever got that one.

Well I agree I'm right, so happy days!

Fire away now then.

Nope, I don't agree. That year's understudies were Paul Jones, Jason Dodd, Paul Williams, Kevin Davies, Marians Pahars, Rory Delap, Danny Higginbotham, David Prutton, Jo Tessem, and as I've said Fabrice Fernandes, who all for the most part appeared in ten games and upwards. As above, Pahars played 9 games and Kevin Davies 9. Agreed. But as functional and fitness-based a team it was, there are only 3 of them that I would have subbed out for our current squad. Which kind of proves a point, doesn't it?

...

Bless. Nice to see they're still including Kanu, even though he's refusing to play and taking them to court.

Baird/Richardson too close to call. Lallana over CMFG. Guly over Telfer, but Telfer only played there cup final, Fabrice Fernandes started 35 of 38 league games, I'd have him over Guly. Svensson over Cork, too close to call Schneiderlin v Oakley but I'd have Oaks experience, Morgan has more potential for the future. And I'd have Beattie and Lambert up front. All else 2003 starters.

Beattie got 23 league goals that year and you'd drop him for someone who has never played Premier League?? You obviously know your stuff. I'd give Lambert over Ormerod, but over Beattie that season?! Yeah ok pal. Similarly Fonte over Claus who had played hundreds of Prem league games, against Fonte who often looked troubled in the championship last season. And Morgan over Anders Svensson, my word. Even if you take Jones his performance top level is infinitely better than Davis. Excuse me if I completely disagree with that load of tripe.

Compare our best team now to the cup final team at that time (i.e. the team that achieved our highest ever PL finish). It doesn't come close, perhaps only 3 players we have now would get in the cup final team.

That's hardly a benchmark to go by, is it? Being better than the team that finished dead last. A better comparison is how we match up against the cup final side. At the moment, not all that well at all.

This I think will be sadly true; the season will be a bit of a reality check for some folk, as we've had 3 years of winning much more than we've lost. It'll be interesting to see the reaction if we're involved around the bottom end of the table (and with our tough start there's every chance).

What about our first season in League 1? Started with minus ten and Cortese said he wanted us to win the league. We finished 7th.