Guided Missile Posted 31 May, 2011 Share Posted 31 May, 2011 Just out of interest, here is the composite opinion of all the bookies, on where we will finish in the league, next season. A season of consolidation, then... West Ham Birmingham Leicester Nottingham Forest Reading Middlesbrough Blackpool Cardiff Burnley Ipswich Leeds Southampton Brighton Hull City Millwall Bristol City Portsmouth Derby Peterborough Watford Coventry Barnsley Crystal Palace Doncaster Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sour Mash Posted 31 May, 2011 Share Posted 31 May, 2011 Just out of interest, here is the composite opinion of all the bookies, on where we will finish in the league, next season. A season of consolidation, then... West Ham Birmingham Leicester Nottingham Forest Reading Middlesbrough Blackpool Cardiff Burnley Ipswich Leeds Southampton Brighton Hull City Millwall Bristol City Portsmouth Derby Peterborough Watford Coventry Barnsley Crystal Palace Doncaster With our current squad I think that's quite accurate. It's a much tougher league than a lot on here think. Hope the Skates struggle a lot more than that though! Out of interest, anyone have similar lists from bookies at this time last year? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ludgershallsaint Posted 31 May, 2011 Share Posted 31 May, 2011 Somewhere between 10th and 6th. Depends who comes in; using Millwall as an example I think we should be aiming to at least equal the performance of last year's play off winners. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
View From The Top Posted 31 May, 2011 Share Posted 31 May, 2011 I'll have a few quid on us finishing above the skate bastards and them getting relegated. As to where we will finish, that depends on how and where we strengthen the squad and who with. Until then I can't predict. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickG Posted 31 May, 2011 Share Posted 31 May, 2011 Just out of interest, here is the composite opinion of all the bookies, on where we will finish in the league, next season. A season of consolidation, then... West Ham Birmingham Leicester Nottingham Forest Reading Middlesbrough Blackpool Cardiff Burnley Ipswich Leeds Southampton Brighton Hull City Millwall Bristol City Portsmouth Derby Peterborough Watford Coventry Barnsley Crystal Palace Doncaster a lot still can change in transfer window and depending on manager appointments. West Ham are said to have already made two offers and are still without manager - at the moment can see them being bottom half. Cardiff may have Bellamy as manager??!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glasgow_Saint Posted 31 May, 2011 Share Posted 31 May, 2011 Look at Norwich - this league is not that tough! Blackpool, Norwich and Swansea in the last 2 years.............. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brussels Saint Posted 31 May, 2011 Share Posted 31 May, 2011 Even based on the current squad, I think thats just a touch pessimistic and would guess 8th or 9th. The quality of the 2 or 3 additions hinted at by NA will be the biggest indicator IMO, of the likely finish. Also based on those signings, I think will give us a good idea of the ambition (and possible Liebherr estate willingness to invest) for next season. Even if we don't invest that much, I would not necessarily automatically assume it means there is no money or the family are disinterested in Markus' vision. It's possible from a business perspective they would want to give it a season to see if we have enough already and if this proves not to be the case, heavy team investment next summer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint_clark Posted 31 May, 2011 Share Posted 31 May, 2011 Look at Norwich - this league is not that tough! Blackpool, Norwich and Swansea in the last 2 years.............. Norwich and Swansea had very, very good players for this level though. Blackpool IMO were very lucky to go up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hutch Posted 31 May, 2011 Share Posted 31 May, 2011 The bookies have clearly factored-in anticipated squad changes. If they hadn't, 8-man Pompey would obviously be bottom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperMikey Posted 31 May, 2011 Share Posted 31 May, 2011 Anywhere between 7th and 14th is a good season, anything above is a bonus and anything below is disappointing. It's difficult to predict at the moment though - any one of the teams in the league could improve a lot or sell a few of their key players and get weaker. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glasgow_Saint Posted 31 May, 2011 Share Posted 31 May, 2011 Top 10 needs to be the aim - anything lower and questions should be asked imo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scoobysaint Posted 31 May, 2011 Share Posted 31 May, 2011 I think we will do bloody well this year. Instead of playing on cow fields we will be playing on nice footballing surfaces which is more accommodating to our passing game. I genuinely think that with a couple of top rate signings we can be pushing for automatic at best, with playoffs as fall back. We've got the momentum and with a good NA preseason we will be on fire. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjsaint Posted 31 May, 2011 Share Posted 31 May, 2011 I think we will do bloody well this year. Instead of playing on cow fields we will be playing on nice footballing surfaces which is more accommodating to our passing game. I genuinely think that with a couple of top rate signings we can be pushing for automatic at best, with playoffs as fall back. We've got the momentum and with a good NA preseason we will be on fire. Agree with this. There's no reason why we shouldn't do well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saintsfannick Posted 31 May, 2011 Share Posted 31 May, 2011 we'll finish 15th i think with current squad, if we sign a decent centre back, a CM and another forward, we'll finish 10th Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avenue Saint Posted 31 May, 2011 Share Posted 31 May, 2011 Playoffs- 4th! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasoneuelllfanclub Posted 31 May, 2011 Share Posted 31 May, 2011 Based on current squad I would say 12th is about right however with a few additions notably centre back, centre midfield, left winger and a striker then there is no reason why we cant aim for top six and beyond. going to be tough league for sure. probably about 12 teams with realistic shout of promotion. saints, leicester, forest, west ham, birmingham, hull, middlesborough, leeds, burnley, ipswich, reading and cardiff. derby, blackpool and bristol city could even be up there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cestrian Saint Posted 31 May, 2011 Share Posted 31 May, 2011 I really think it's going to be tougher than everybody thinks. I'd say somewhere between 14th and 20th. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thesaint sfc Posted 31 May, 2011 Share Posted 31 May, 2011 I'd say anywhere between 8th-15th. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supersubpuckett Posted 31 May, 2011 Share Posted 31 May, 2011 Reckon the club would be satisfied with anything between 5th and 14th, based on current squad plus a couple of signings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickG Posted 31 May, 2011 Share Posted 31 May, 2011 its going to be easier than some people think current squad - top ten. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aintforever Posted 31 May, 2011 Share Posted 31 May, 2011 I think it will be... West Ham Birmingham Burnley Blackpool Leicester Nottingham Forest Reading Leeds Southampton Hull City Brighton Ipswich Middlesbrough Cardiff Peterborough Millwall Derby Bristol City Watford Coventry Crystal Palace Barnsley Doncaster Portsmouth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint Billy Posted 31 May, 2011 Share Posted 31 May, 2011 It depends on what players we get in and who goes, but I think it is going to be a tough league and it will be a big test for some of our current squad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickG Posted 31 May, 2011 Share Posted 31 May, 2011 looks like Big Sam to West Ham - and Gold saying they need to make headway into their £110m debt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saints-cris Posted 31 May, 2011 Share Posted 31 May, 2011 With our current squad I would say 12th is about fair. A few decent additions and I would definately say top 10. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bender Posted 31 May, 2011 Share Posted 31 May, 2011 I think we'll be pretty average and the likes of Hammond, Harding and Chaplow will be exposed as not good enough for this league. I reckon we'll then invest in January and push towards the play offs ending up 5th or 6th. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graffito Posted 31 May, 2011 Share Posted 31 May, 2011 I think we'll be pretty average and the likes of Hammond, Harding and Chaplow will be exposed as not good enough for this league. I reckon we'll then invest in January and push towards the play offs ending up 5th or 6th. Haven't Harding and Chaplow played there before? Chaplow played in the PL didn't he? I think the play offs are realistic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom28 Posted 31 May, 2011 Share Posted 31 May, 2011 Top 10 needs to be the aim - anything lower and questions should be asked imo. I'm left with questions every time you post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
holepuncture Posted 31 May, 2011 Share Posted 31 May, 2011 Were gonna win the league... if not we will consolidate and take 2nd or Playoff Champions instead. If am off right now to place a days wages on Saints for promotion. 20/1 outright is the best ive seen so far, and im up for that... need to get some money down before we start signing all the top talent. Each way is pretty reasonable too, so will make a nice insurance policy should another Brighton overachievement happen again. Im not normally a gambler, couple of events a year for me... but some of the better informed posters on here, NA's soundbites, Corteses vision, the Euro scout chief, and some loosely informed gossip away from here has pushed me to take a PUNT! COYR WAGU Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bender Posted 31 May, 2011 Share Posted 31 May, 2011 Haven't Harding and Chaplow played there before? Chaplow played in the PL didn't he? I think the play offs are realistic. Yes Harding has but didnt exactly excel in the teams he played for. Chaplow was good for us in the Championship in 2006 but perhaps isnt as good now (dropped by relegated Preston) I think the important thing is to give players a chance and to keep a winning team, but inevitably there will be weaknesses and we'll address that in January. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint Fan CaM Posted 31 May, 2011 Share Posted 31 May, 2011 It's going to be tough, but I think we'll do OK. We need more pace in central midfield and up front, plus a strong CB to replace Jaidi and form a good solid partnership with Fonte. I think Lallana and Oxo will tear a hole in some oppo teams. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keithd Posted 31 May, 2011 Share Posted 31 May, 2011 reckon we will do alright. Flirt with the play offs from time to time, but i can maybe seeing us to a Leeds and falling away in the last few weeks ending up 8th or 9th. Which to be honest will be a bloody great and a fantastic springboard for the following season and a top 2 finish Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
holepuncture Posted 31 May, 2011 Share Posted 31 May, 2011 Were gonna win the league... if not we will consolidate and take 2nd or Playoff Champions instead. If am off right now to place a days wages on Saints for promotion. 20/1 outright is the best ive seen so far, and im up for that... need to get some money down before we start signing all the top talent. Each way is pretty reasonable too, so will make a nice insurance policy should another Brighton overachievement happen again. Im not normally a gambler, couple of events a year for me... but some of the better informed posters on here, NA's soundbites, Corteses vision, the Euro scout chief, and some loosely informed gossip away from here has pushed me to take a PUNT! COYR WAGU Online bookies wont take more than a score, theyre ****teing themselves! Thats the first and last time I (try) and gamble digitally, its ****ing ****e.... after work, im gonna lay down my cash on the counter, with my punt on scribbled on a little bit of paper! WAGU Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dune Posted 31 May, 2011 Share Posted 31 May, 2011 I'd go along with somewhere around 10th to 14th with our current squad. With 6 or 7 good additions (which is what we need imho) then we could be challenging for the top 2. Cortese talks the talk, let's see if he delivers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djharvey Posted 31 May, 2011 Share Posted 31 May, 2011 With the momentum we have at the club i think we will make the top 6, as long as we get 2 or 3 good additions to the squad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperMikey Posted 31 May, 2011 Share Posted 31 May, 2011 I can't think of many who'd say 'well done, good season' after finishing 14th. I think it depends on the goals of the management. If we keep the squad that we have at the moment and bring 1 or 2 players in that aren't much better than what we have, 14th wouldn't be a bad finish. We might just be looking to consolidate this season and build a team over time that's capable of playing comfortably in the Prem - that could mean bringing in a few younger players that don't yet have the quality to be playing week-in, week-out in a top 6 club in the NPC. There's no rush to get back up to the Prem, we have to make sure that we're fully equipped to survive up there and not just become another yo-yo club. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dune Posted 31 May, 2011 Share Posted 31 May, 2011 There's no rush to get back up to the Prem, we have to make sure that we're fully equipped to survive up there and not just become another yo-yo club. With the money we suposedly have at our disposal there is no need to consolidate and build slowly. Whenever a team goes into the premiership they have to make big signings to survive (in the main). Therefore you can't equip yourself in the CCC for the Premiership and therefore we might as well go for it next season as oposed to wasting 12 months. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glasgow_Saint Posted 31 May, 2011 Share Posted 31 May, 2011 Need to aim for top 5 imo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickG Posted 31 May, 2011 Share Posted 31 May, 2011 the club will aim for top two. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew Le God Posted 31 May, 2011 Share Posted 31 May, 2011 (edited) There's no rush to get back up to the Prem. Why do you think that? The longer it takes, the harder it will get. - Next season will see 3 clubs with £32m worth of parachute payments left (maybe less with Pompey) and 3 clubs with £48m worth of parachute payments left. The season after another 3 clubs with £48m of parachute payments will join the league and so on. Yes, some of them may go straight up, but the recent increase in these payments and extension over 4 years instead of 2 means it will get harder and harder as the years go on for clubs without the payments to compete with those that do. - If Saints get again promoted next season there is a reasonable chance players like Chamberlain could stay to play for the team in the Premier League. If Saints don't get promoted quickly the squad may be broken up and the club having to rebuild. Saints will want to use the momentum they have to get up as quick as possible and that means a push for promotion in 2011/12. Cortese doesn't strike me as a man to be consolidating in the Championship when he doesn't need to. Edited 31 May, 2011 by Matthew Le God Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tamesaint Posted 31 May, 2011 Share Posted 31 May, 2011 West Ham will attract loads of money for the bookies as they are the "big" team. They will be expected to bounce back but I cannot see them hanging onto many of their current squad. Large debts and Big Sam do not go hand in hand very easily and I can see their season ending in tears. A lot of Cardiff's team last season were loans who have now returned to their parent clubs. They have released Boothroyd so their squad at the moment is not much bigger than Pompey's . I can see them having a disappointing year. Hopefully the momentum with which we ended last season will carry over to the new season. If that does happen, I feel very confident about next season . A couple of decent signings and I see us finishing second to Brum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sadoldgit Posted 31 May, 2011 Share Posted 31 May, 2011 the club will aim for top two. With the current squad Nick or do you have insider knowledge about some new signing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickG Posted 31 May, 2011 Share Posted 31 May, 2011 current squad is interesting, as think if Ox-C signs th contract he is considering then we are already competitive. we also shouldn't underestimate the part confidence will play - Adkins has built a good team spirit - winning 13 out of last 15 shows that. When we had the dutch duo we played some excellent football, were well on top in many games, but players expected to lose. I think we have totally the opposite mentality now. We are coming up stronger than Norwich, Leeds and Millwall. If they can finish 2nd, 7th and 9th why on earth would we be aiming, or even expecting to finisg lower? Can you imagine Cortese saying he will be aiming for anything less than top 2? I can't. I expect he will talk to Adkins as ask where this club is short of being top 2 side and set tranfer targets accordingly. I suspect that Adkins will see this season's squad as the basis for next with 3 or 4 signings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1976_Child Posted 31 May, 2011 Share Posted 31 May, 2011 Above Pompey and Brighton and I will be happy. But I don't see a sardine's chance in a tapas bar that Bubble-blowing-Ham will end up top. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicken With A Banjo Posted 31 May, 2011 Share Posted 31 May, 2011 I expect top 6 finish. The club have already said on numerous occasions that they are aiming for top 6 finish. The gulf is not massive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SOTONS EAST SIDE Posted 31 May, 2011 Share Posted 31 May, 2011 That's where we completely disagree, and the management would disagree with you. You and some others seem to think we need an overhaul. IMO, if we keep this squad then we'll do well. If we make a few decent signings, we'll do very well. I think a lot are underestimating how much quality we have, and how much the expectation took its toll, and the off the field changes last season. If ever a club was in a good position to keep the momentum going, it's us next season. Lots of signings would be counterproductive. Personally I see Fonte, Schneiderlin, Chamberlain and Lallana playing in the top flight in the near future, and I'd like to see Lambert, Guly, Barnard, Hammond given a chance to shine at this level. They're unproven, but surely they've earned the chance? Beyond that, Butterfield, Davis, Jaidi and Harding have done it before at this level. So I don't see where an overhaul comes in. Good new centre back, new central midfielder, more competition out wide, a new striker, great. But much more than that could be counter productive. 4 good signings IMO, not vital by any means, but they'd give us a great chance. I'm looking forward to seeing a league where more teams attack us, less sitting back behind the ball and fewer dodgy grounds/pitches to deal with. I bet the players are too. Adkins didn't come here to sit in the bottom half of the Championship. As for 'no rush' - this is our best chance. Yes, we need patience, but let's be honest, we now have momentum, we'll improve our squad, we'll have bigger attendences and more optimism. Next season, if not already gone, we lose Chamberlain. We probably lose Lallana, I can't imagine Fonte sticking it out, Jaidi will retire, Connolly probably too. It will get more difficult.+1 Agree with what you said.We were playing a class above football at times last season, and i think we will get more time/space and not 11 men behind the ball mentality of most league 1 teams. We should aim for the title, i know NA will be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benjii Posted 31 May, 2011 Share Posted 31 May, 2011 The fact that Gillet, Mills, Thomas etc.. have all done ok in the Championship since leaving us just reinforces the point that others have made; much of the Championship is ****e and there are very few players as good as KD, Fonte, Schneiderlin (potentially), Lallana, Chamberlain, Guly... Remember when our team included Perry, Lancashire, Surman at LB, James at RB, Thomson, McGoldrick, Gillet, Holmes... even that lot didn't get relegated until near the end of the season and they weren't exactly given the best environment to play in. Predicting bottom half is just silly. We will want to do better than that, we have a settled and happy team, we will probably invest, we will have some of the most talented players in the division. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highfield Saint Posted 31 May, 2011 Share Posted 31 May, 2011 Deserves a poll. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Posted 31 May, 2011 Share Posted 31 May, 2011 I reckon it will be easier than some people think and harder than some people think. Sadly I reckon we will end up 9th. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dubai_phil Posted 31 May, 2011 Share Posted 31 May, 2011 NC wants the PL He won't faff around We'll build for that Personally? I'd be happy for another "Winning Season" as the Yanks put it so if we do that - who knows? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian the Red Posted 2 June, 2011 Share Posted 2 June, 2011 Agree with benjii and adriansfc, we have a decent squad now more than able of holding its own in the CCC. With 3 or 4 additions we will be in the top 2 at the end of the season. As said, we have the momentum, the winning mentality and a decent squad; get off to a good start and we'll be rolling towards the prem for the 12/13 season!! Can't see Cortesse and NA setting their sights any lower than 2nd!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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