How low can we go?

[garyshawsknee]

The league's crap so even though it's a transitional year I don't see us below 8th. I'd be pretty disappointed with anything below that.

I still think we can finish as high as 5th.

 I admire your optimism,but at the minute I can see 6 squads that are better than ours,and two other teams have goalscorers(Bent and Torres)who could score more league goals than our forwards put together. That's the big worry for me at this point is where are the goals gonna come from. Gabby needs to hit the ground running,but it could take him a month or so to find form as he's had injuries since the summer.

 Maybe GH can unearth someone from Europe who can take the league by storm in January,but I think thats more likely to happen in the summer.

[SoccerHQ]

As good as Spurs's squad is, results like losing at home to Wigan and away to West Ham indicate to me as long as they're in the champions league they'll continue to drop plenty of points so I'd expect us to be in touch with them for most of the season.

A lot of these teams like Sunderland, Bolton etc haven't actually won that many games, just so many draws in the league so everyone's bunched together.

I think Everton have a much better chance than Liverpool of being in the top 6.

I think we'll remain inconsistant up to the new year but having seen our run of home games in 2011 I expect a much stronger second half of the season.

[Mister E]

Europe has been a complete waste of time, the only highlight was beating Ajax

Difference is that GH will take it more seriously and has more epxerienc ein Europe than MON. This is the season  to make a Euro slot, precisely because we have a manager who might actualy go for it. And that has to be good from a profile and player-attraction perspective.

[ADVILLAFAN]

I said at the start of the season that I'd be happy with mid-table, so long as we played a few more of the youngsters. I'd be happy with about 13th and a good cup run.

[N'ZMAV]

Top ten.

[Concrete John]

I can see 6 squads that are better than ours

Out of interest, who?

Chelsea, Man U, Arsenal, Spurs and Man City for me do, but after that I think we're pretty much as good as this league has to offer!

[*shellac*]

6th to 8th for me, I'm an optimist.  But then I say we can virtually write off chance of top four.  We have our chances for the last two seasons.

Winning one pot on the way to 6th/8th would be nice though.

[stevenjos]

8th seems realistic for us after selling our best player and still never getting a striker in. Hopefully next summer gerard will be given a wedge of cash ot overhaul the squad and get some quality in.

[sfx412]

Out of interest, who?

Chelsea, Man U, Arsenal, Spurs and Man City for me do, but after that I think we're pretty much as good as this league has to offer!

2 injuries to Gabby and Petrov and none of us let alone GH can find a decent striker to score any goals, or a decent in form midfield player who has more than 5 sub appearances in the last 2 seasons.
That's a good squad ?
Where did O'Neill spend the money, especially as at the moment the first 11 includes Beye, Ireland, Coker, Allbrighton and now Sidwell, players who were rarely allowed to play in these marvellous years under him when we achieved the lauded heady heights of 6th.

[Ads]

I agree with SoccerHQ. The league is poor and there are only a couple of sides capable of finishing above us, i.e. Everton and Liverpool. I think we’ll be in touch come January, where a couple of players will give us a boost in terms of quality and options and we’ll finish top 6 again.

[N'ZMAV]

Teams like Bolton and Sunderland won't stay in the lofty positions they find themselves in.

[N'ZMAV]

And Albion.

[Concrete John]

Out of interest, who?

Chelsea, Man U, Arsenal, Spurs and Man City for me do, but after that I think we're pretty much as good as this league has to offer!

2 injuries to Gabby and Petrov and none of us let alone GH can find a decent striker to score any goals, or a decent in form midfield player who has more than 5 sub appearances in the last 2 seasons.
That's a good squad ?
Where did O'Neill spend the money, especially as at the moment the first 11 includes Beye, Ireland, Coker, Allbrighton and now Sidwell, players who were rarely allowed to play in these marvellous years under him when we achieved the lauded heady heights of 6th.

If you would like to actually move on from our previous manager, the point was who, outisde the 5 sides I mentioned, has a better squad?