Anyone starting to get worried?

[Deano's Mullet]

i think we will survive but the old frustrations of the previous 4-5 years in the Premier League have really got to me again after three seasons of enjoyment in admittedly a lower quality division. The plethora of late goals against, the inability to beat the Sky teams, the patronising opposition fans, i haven't missed this at all. And to top it all off its bloody difficult getting a ticket this season. Having said that we have the best set up and management in years and the team is full of decent players who do seem to care (Sunday aside!).  I am sure in January Deano wont be hung out to dry and denied transfer funds like Garde was. In 2016 the white flag was being waved in January (if not earlier than that), this year our backers will do what it takes to strenghen the team. Beat Newcastle and things will look a whole lot better, i just think we need to be more positive in terms of playing two strikers up front because Wesley is extremely isolated in most of the games hes played. He hasnt impressed me bar one or two games but i would be interested to see how he got on with someone playing closer to him.

[tomd2103]

I think people hoping for 3 or 4 signing in January will be dissapointed.  My guess is we'll be looking at one or maybe two at most.  And even for those we'll probably be held to ransom until the end of the window.

A couple of very good additions is all we need. The defence has more than an enough cover, and so has the midfield 3.  It's up front where we're woefully short.  A proper striker and another decent attacking option and we'll be good.

Agree that a striker and another wide option are a must in January.  I would ideally like another central midfielder to go alongside Marvelous, as I think Douglas is struggling a bit to adapt at the moment and I don't think Hourihane and Lansbury are good enough if we want to push on in this league.  Attacking options are the priority though and I would forego strengthening other areas if it meant investing heavily in two players in those positions.

[ChicagoLion]

Difficult to know how good Lansbury is. If we get a decent Centre Forward I will be happy, I think we have options every where else.

[pauliewalnuts]

I think Lansbury is a talented player, the problem is, to really settle and get the best out of him, he needs a run of games, which is never going to happen because after one or two matches, he'll trip over an inconveniently positioned blade of grass, do his hamstring and be out for six weeks.

[Monty]

2 or 3 is really all we need. Many of our problems have, I think, stemmed from the squad still integrating and getting to know each other.  The last thing we need to do is start that process all over again.

[Drummond]

2 or 3 is really all we need. Many of our problems have, I think, stemmed from the squad still integrating and getting to know each other.  The last thing we need to do is start that process all over again.

I agree. I also think that as time goes on, those players who people think maybe aren't ready will keep playing and will be good enough. It takes a bit of time to build that knowledge and way of playing together.

I'd like another striker and an out-and-out pacy winger. Other than that we're ok for now.

[Three Spires Villa]

If we have got 20 points after the Norwich game on Boxing Day and I think we will be ok

[SoccerHQ]

If we have got 20 points after the Norwich game on Boxing Day and I think we will be ok

That has to be the target. Wins v Newcastle, Southampton and Norwich would get us there.

Think we always used to be around that total in Lambert's three seasons and we only just stayed up in all three seasons. Anything less and it will be a major struggle as (on paper) we have a hard home run in the second half of the season.

[Drummond]

If we have got 20 points after the Norwich game on Boxing Day and I think we will be ok

That has to be the target. Wins v Newcastle, Southampton and Norwich would get us there.

Think we always used to be around that total in Lambert's three seasons and we only just stayed up in all three seasons. Anything less and it will be a major struggle as (on paper) we have a hard home run in the second half of the season.

Where we play the same teams we did in the first half... 

[SoccerHQ]

If we have got 20 points after the Norwich game on Boxing Day and I think we will be ok

That has to be the target. Wins v Newcastle, Southampton and Norwich would get us there.

Think we always used to be around that total in Lambert's three seasons and we only just stayed up in all three seasons. Anything less and it will be a major struggle as (on paper) we have a hard home run in the second half of the season.

Where we play the same teams we did in the first half... 

Mainly teams stay up on their home form. If you get 25 points over a season at home then you only then to get 10 points away to stay up.

We have been o.k at home but still let some winnable games like Burnley and West Ham slip through our grasp.

After xmas we have to play Man. City, Spurs, Arsenal, Chelsea and Man. United at VP. Beatable teams but they will still be playing for european places and we have terrible records v them bar Chelsea at Villa Park.

In an ideal fixture list I'd rather play all the top teams at home v xmas (given how poor Man. United and Spurs have been so far this season) and then you have all the relegation six pointers at home in the run in.

[Damo70]

If we bring a proven goalscorer in during January we will get over the line. As for being worried I think it is natural for anyone involved with a newly promoted club to be worried about being in a relegation battle. I think Norwich will struggle due to how many goals they concede and Sheffield United have done well so far but can they do it over a whole season? Add to that Southampton and Watford both seem to be having problems and Newcastle haven't totally convinced me despite doing well recently and I am hopeful of us keeping our heads out of the bottom six as the season goes on.

[JUAN PABLO]

get Jarred Bowen in January .. can play winger/upfront/support the striker . . scores and assists . .

[Marlon From Bearwood]

get Jarred Bowen in January .. can play winger/upfront/support the striker . . scores and assists . .

I agree. I think Bowen will get snapped up by a PL team soon and would love it to be us.

[Legion]

Who?

[Smithy]

We're in a run of very tough games right now (we're three fixtures into a seven-game run where we play 7 of the current top 8 in the league), so I wouldn't expect us to get too many wins in the next four games.

BUT - our run over Xmas is actually quite kind, with our four games seeing us playing the current bottom three and Burnley again. The current tough run, is balanced by that easier Xmas. So I won't start to worry too much unless our position isn't improved after that Xmas run.  In the short run, I certainly don't expect us to be heading too far up the league in the next few weeks, but we should do enough to keep touch with lower mid-table.

Win against Newcastle and one of the others from Chelsea, Leicester, ManU or Sheff Utd, and things will start looking a lot better. Get nothing from those games, and we'd need 9 points over Xmas, definitely.