stu0x Posted 5 May, 2011 Share Posted 5 May, 2011 Well somebody had to In all seriousness, I read this post in another thread and it chimed with what I had been thinking since the final whistle went at Plymouth... On a serious note, the reason why some may have been critical throughout the season is the level of expectations, partly based on the resources available. We should be comfortably beating Dagenham/Walsall/Tranmere/Hartlepool etc, same way Man Utd should hammer Wigan, it's not unusal for football fans to get frustrated when that doesn't happen. We all have degrees in hindsight, and it's very easy to selectively dig up threads that are months old and 'prove' them wrong. And it's interesting to see how much our expectations change as the season goes on and the concept of what is realistic or rational seems to alter with every match played (or in some cases every goal scored). So I was just wondering... Before the hysteria of the transfer window, before a ball has been kicked... - What are you expecting next season (in terms of final league position)? - What are you hoping for (realistically)? - What would you consider failure? And let's see who has the stones to stick with it until this time next year For the record, I: - expect a comfortable but ultimately undistinguished season of consolidation in mid table (9th-16th) - realistically hope to be in or around playoff contention (8th or above) - would consider relegation or just avoiding it to be failure (20th or below) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doddisalegend Posted 5 May, 2011 Share Posted 5 May, 2011 Well somebody had to In all seriousness, I read this post in another thread and it chimed with what I had been thinking since the final whistle went at Plymouth... We all have degrees in hindsight, and it's very easy to selectively dig up threads that are months old and 'prove' them wrong. And it's interesting to see how much our expectations change as the season goes on and the concept of what is realistic or rational seems to alter with every match played (or in some cases every goal scored). So I was just wondering... Before the hysteria of the transfer window, before a ball has been kicked... - What are you expecting next season (in terms of final league position)? - What are you hoping for (realistically)? - What would you consider failure? And let's see who has the stones to stick with it until this time next year For the record, I: - expect a comfortable but ultimately undistinguished season of consolidation in mid table (9th-16th) - realistically hope to be in or around playoff contention (8th or above) - would consider relegation or just avoiding it to be failure (20th or below) This Will I stick with it ...erm no I'll change my mind like the wind depending on the results of the last match,just like most football fans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1976_Child Posted 5 May, 2011 Share Posted 5 May, 2011 Hope for play-offs Realistic: mid table Unhappy: back down and if we don't end above BH Albion Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itchen_dan Posted 5 May, 2011 Share Posted 5 May, 2011 Try and win the league? http://www.skybet.com/betting/football/npower-championship/npower-championship-winner-11-12/e12932908.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jones91 Posted 5 May, 2011 Share Posted 5 May, 2011 Nige is going to aim for automatic, so I will settle for the playoffs. Mid table? you lot are on the wrong bus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1976_Child Posted 5 May, 2011 Share Posted 5 May, 2011 Nige is going to aim for automatic, so I will settle for the playoffs. Mid table? you lot are on the wrong bus Assuming Nige is still with us next season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Window Cleaner Posted 5 May, 2011 Share Posted 5 May, 2011 Mid table? you lot are on the wrong bus We can always change at Portswood junction when we notice that the crumpet on the bus behind is better looking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saints-cris Posted 5 May, 2011 Share Posted 5 May, 2011 We wont aim for midtable. If we aim for midtable and get that, most will probably complain that we didnt aim for the playoffs. Why aim low? No reason why we cant get playoffs or more with a good pre-season and money spent in the right areas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusaldo Posted 5 May, 2011 Share Posted 5 May, 2011 Hope For - Automatic Promotion Realistic - Upper Mid Table (10th Upwards) Failure - Religation Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Junior Mullet Posted 5 May, 2011 Share Posted 5 May, 2011 Play-offs is surely well within our grasp. I don't think there is a huge difference between L1 and Champ. We have a much better squad and spirit at the club now compared to our last two seasons in the Champ. We are arguably better equipped than Notts Forest, Leicester, Leeds and Norwich all of whom went up from L1 and did well this year. I hope we do the double over Pompey. I would like to see Bournemouth come up too, just so we can guanratee another six points before a ball has been kicked. I would like us to sign a top quality CM player - preferably Neil Danns and a quality CB who can play alongside Fonte. It will be a bright season for us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
St Marco Posted 5 May, 2011 Share Posted 5 May, 2011 Looking at teams that have gone up from League one in previous seasons they have gone on to do well in the NPC. Leeds and Millwall just missed out on playoffs this year while Norwich could yet be champions. Leicester went from champions to finish 5th in Championship the year before. I think that is where we need to be aiming. Momentum is very important. That said it really depends on what happens in the summer. If we lose players then obviously you can't expect much. If we get in some good players then expectation rises. The squad we have now in my opinion is top 10 standard in the championship. A few good signings and we could go on to be contenders like Norwich this season. Anything below top 10 with the current squad and i'd see it as a bad season. We are not there to make up the numbers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thedelldays Posted 5 May, 2011 Share Posted 5 May, 2011 realistically, playoffs would be a cracking season top half finish would be good progress flipping with relegation anytime after jan/feb time would be not so good staying up is an absolute minimum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CWD Posted 5 May, 2011 Share Posted 5 May, 2011 If we get in a couple of quality players (we don't need many), have a good preseason, don't suffer too many injuries and don't lose AOC... play-offs will be the minimum expectation in my opinion. Both for fans as well as Cortese and Adkins I'd be contented with anything above 12th however Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1976_Child Posted 5 May, 2011 Share Posted 5 May, 2011 doing the double over them down the road at the mouth of the port will be something to look forward to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thedelldays Posted 5 May, 2011 Share Posted 5 May, 2011 If we get in a couple of quality players (we don't need many), have a good preseason, don't suffer too many injuries and don't lose AOC... play-offs will be the minimum expectation in my opinion. Both for fans as well as Cortese and Adkins I'd be contented with anything above 12th however playoffs being a minimum is a huge ask IMO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CWD Posted 5 May, 2011 Share Posted 5 May, 2011 playoffs being a minimum is a huge ask IMO I agree, but if Cortese were to fork out, say, 5 million squid over the summer, don't you think he'd at least expect us to be pushing top 6? I certainly can't imagine NC and NA sitting down in their preseason meeting and deciding that we should just aim for a top half finish! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thedelldays Posted 5 May, 2011 Share Posted 5 May, 2011 I agree, but if Cortese were to fork out, say, 5 million squid over the summer, don't you think he'd at least expect us to be pushing top 6? I certainly can't imagine NC and NA sitting down in their preseason meeting and deciding that we should just aim for a top half finish! maybe, as that is a hefty sum that would add 2-3 quality players to any NPC team, let alone the odd good loan... but I think people are getting a tad carried away...nice top half finish with a flirt with the playoffs would be great.. norwich was a one off...they had a season where everything came together..form, injuries and luck....add to the fact they signed a feck load of players Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
St Marco Posted 5 May, 2011 Share Posted 5 May, 2011 playoffs being a minimum is a huge ask IMO If you look at say Millwall would you not say we currently have a better squad then them? They only just missed out. Teams actually in the playoffs such as Swansea and maybe even Forest i think have equal squads to us. With a couple of good signings we could be better then them. If we got in say another CB of Fonte's calibre, a strong experienced central midfielder proven at this level and a fast clever quality striker then our squad would be very strong. Without those signings we shouldn't expect playoffs. But if we get them then we should be expecting it. I think Cortese will know we are actually in a good position. Not too far from a promotion chasing team in NPC. It would not surprise me to see him put maybe £4m-£5m in Adkins hands to go buy those players and go for promotion in the 1st season. If QPR,Norwich and Cardiff go up i think the potential 3 coming down from the pl will be a lot weaker. West Ham,Wolves and Blackpool are my picks to come down. I can see Wolves being favourites because they have done it before so many times. But West Ham could become one of those teams to free-fall. Blackpool you would expect to lose a few of their players, possibly even the manager so hard to tell how they could do. If we keep our current squad and don't add quality then i think expecting playoffs is a bit much. But getting to the playoffs would not be beyond us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thedelldays Posted 5 May, 2011 Share Posted 5 May, 2011 If you look at say Millwall would you not say we currently have a better squad then them? They only just missed out. Teams actually in the playoffs such as Swansea and maybe even Forest i think have equal squads to us. With a couple of good signings we could be better then them. If we got in say another CB of Fonte's calibre, a strong experienced central midfielder proven at this level and a fast clever quality striker then our squad would be very strong. Without those signings we shouldn't expect playoffs. But if we get them then we should be expecting it. I think Cortese will know we are actually in a good position. Not too far from a promotion chasing team in NPC. It would not surprise me to see him put maybe £4m-£5m in Adkins hands to go buy those players and go for promotion in the 1st season. If QPR,Norwich and Cardiff go up i think the potential 3 coming down from the pl will be a lot weaker. West Ham,Wolves and Blackpool are my picks to come down. I can see Wolves being favourites because they have done it before so many times. But West Ham could become one of those teams to free-fall. Blackpool you would expect to lose a few of their players, possibly even the manager so hard to tell how they could do. If we keep our current squad and don't add quality then i think expecting playoffs is a bit much. But getting to the playoffs would not be beyond us. agree...I guess we have to see what the squad looks like come kick off... I can see connolly being let go IF we sign a quality striker... we sure need a quality CB and we deffo need another CM...and a back up winger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liquidshokk Posted 5 May, 2011 Share Posted 5 May, 2011 I reckon next season our players will actually look like our players in FIFA for once. (prob come back to bite me in the ass when FIFA 12 is released)... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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