Where will we finish then?

[Chico Hamilton III]

you're entitled to your opinion

[placeforparks]

i was expecting 8th - 10th with MON in charge. that hasn't changed.

[manic-road]

I have voted 8th, however my view is likely to change depending on what manager comes in.

[TheSandman]

Exactly the same place I thought before: 7th. Potentially better but deeply unlikely to be below say 8th.

We have a good squad of highly paid, reasonably good players that was assembled by the previous incumbent that should muster that.

[Irish villain]

you're entitled to your opinion

As are you and I respect it and the truth is we just won't know until the season's end!

[Brian Taylor]

Nothing said by Lerner indicates we will be striving for an upper place in PL for many years to come. Back to the tried and tested Doug Ellis vision of mundanity. Four to five years of not a lot with effort expended only to prevent the threat of relegation.
Given the economic scenario there will be little inclination to spend more than the club is earning. There is no surplus abramovich oil wealth here to subsidise losses. It is a strict and ruthless business arrangement for the interim.
So unless something shocking occurs it looks like appointemnt of a yes-man with disposal of the good players and replacement with journeymen to get us over the problem period.
It is after all how much the fans bring in through the turnstiles and general marketing something that is not going to increase soon!
All this stuff about the club is bigger than the man indicates we'll be back up there again in years to come but will just be into survival for the time being.  Anything above a mid-table finish is to be grateful for...then miracles have been known to occur.
Ron Saunders might have something to say on the matter?

[supertom]

I felt this season was gonna be a two way battle with ourselves and Everton for 7th spot. I still think that's the case, though the advantage is firmly with the Toffees now.

I just think our squad is still a lot better than any of those below the top 8. Even losing Milner, we've got plenty of matchwinning quality left, and promising youngsters. I would expect us to get around the 60 point region, though if anything, slightly less. I don't however believe any of the bottom 12 will get close to that mark.

It just depends how the players take to Kevin Mac, or any potential new manager. If someone comes in changing things round completely in terms of playing style, we may initially struggle. So who knows.

With Martin I didn't expect the likes of Fulham, Blackburn or the Sty to be on our heels, but now they'll be closer. But I still think we've more than enough quality to keep them at arms length.

We'll see anyhow. I'm not expecting much to excite us in the league. We're way off pushing for the top 4 because everyone in the top 6 is stronger, or still too strong, while we've taken a kicking in the last couple of days and weren't in great nick anyhow. Hopefully a good Euro run or domestic cup run again can give us something of interest. The league is gonna be fucking dull. Fighting it out with Everton for a best of the rest spot doesn't exactly give me a chubby.

[stevenjos]

8th, which is what i expected with MON. Get this season out of the way and sort out  the mess Martin left us in then we can look at cracking that top 4 or more realistically, go for a cup.

[JUAN PABLO]

I went for 8th  with with MON as manager..   Im going for 6thnow..  A RB at RB , more creativity in midfield and some of the youngsters getting a go instead of the same 11 favourite players , subs being used to change the tatics of the team...     

[Mazrim]

I'm going for a suprisingly entertaining 7th. A season of breath catching and introducing new/younger players and then on to much better things the season after.

[Pete3206]

6th is still a realistic taget.

[villajk]

I think we'll have a good start to the season to be honest.  MacDonald must scare the shite out of the players, he certainly does me.

I think we'll then settle down when the new manager comes in and I'm expecting between 8th and 10th at the end of the season*

*All this does, of course, depend on who the new manager is and what players we lose and gain.

[ozzjim]

7th, we are a very solid side, and a new manager may bring about fresh ideas going forward.

[ktvillan]

Despite his limitations O'Neill did leave us with a fairly solid and reasonably talented squad.  I don't see why people think we might be in relegation trouble just because a good but not brilliant manager has left, and Milner will probably go.  If utilised properly I don't see any reason why we shouldn't do just as well as I expected under O'Neill, around 7th or 8th, or better.  Unless a complete fuckwit of a coach is brought in.

Brian Taylor, do you think this season would have seen us any more likely to push on when O'Neill's idea of taking us to the next level was apparently signing McGeady at whatever cost?  I certainly didn't think so.

[Small Rodent]

An underused squad was good enough for 6th. So a wisely used squad is good enough for that too.