Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Heroes Discussion => Topic started by: Greg N'Ash on July 20, 2011, 10:39:34 AM
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Now we know its probably N'zogbia only to come in whats your betting for next season?
Me, 16th after AM gets the boot at Christmas.
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Clark, Delph, Albrighton are quality young players. They will come good.
8th for me
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Basing it on McLeish telling the truth about one more signing only.
Also basing it on McLeish being a sub-standard Manager.
11th - 15th.
I think Mr Lerner Sir will be looking for Premiership survival and little else.
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McLeish has not even managed a match yet ffs
top ten easy
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I'd say anywhere between 1st to 20th, depending on how the rest of the transfer window pans out.
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McLeish has not even managed a match yet ffs
I think much the same after looking at his past record.
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I'd say anywhere between 1st to 20th, depending on how the rest of the transfer window pans out.
heh. that 1 player arriving must be special
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We've lost:
- Friedel
- Young
- Downing
We've gained:
- Given
- with N'Zogbia in the pipe line...
I'm reckon that Albrighton and Clark will really shine this season. I'm also quite happy (don't ask why) that Ireland and Warnock are getting another chance. I'm not a fan of them as players, but at times like this we need numbers and, even if they just play the odd match, I'll be happy so long as they perform.
I also reckon that McLeish will really hit them where they hurt if/when we start ill-performing, he's a pretty motivational manager in my opinion.
Highest 7th for me.
EDIT.
Clark, Hogg and Bannan should come through this season, too.
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Right now we are 2nd.
I will settle for maintaining that.
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Too early to tell, really. The season is still a long way from starting.
However, as things stand, my guess is 14th. It sounds pessimistic, but losing both Young and Downing in the same window is a real hit. I fear that the lack of a viable defensive midfielder will hurt us even more. I predict a lot of uninspiring performances, but that we'll score more and concede less on set-pieces.
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Albrighton to shine in a season that resembles 1990/91 i.e. narrowly avoiding relegation - relying on goals from one man: Bent - a bit like Platty's goals in that season that saved us.
McLeish wont last 12 months at Villa.
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7th, 8th or 9th.
Our players are still better than the majority of other teams.
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Now we know its probably N'zogbia only to come in whats your betting for next season?
Me, 16th after AM gets the boot at Christmas.
You do this every year and you are always wrong.
5th - 10th.
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As it stands, probably about 10th-12th.
With 2-3 good signings then more like 7th-9th.
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I think McLeish will get us more solid defensively. It may well not be pretty but I think he'll make us harder to beat so I've gone 6-10th on the basis I think we'll finish around mid-table.
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6th and a trophy.
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9th.
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12th-16th.
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I'd say anywhere between 1st to 20th, depending on how the rest of the transfer window pans out.
heh. that 1 player arriving must be special
I know this won't sink in, but I'll give it a go anyway; it's not just one player, but one more for now until McLeish gets a better feel for what he has.
And for the record, I've gone for 6th-10th in as serious a guess as you can have this early.
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I'd say anywhere between 1st to 20th, depending on how the rest of the transfer window pans out.
heh. that 1 player arriving must be special
I know this won't sink in, but I'll give it a go anyway; it's not just one player, but one more for now until McLeish gets a better feel for what he has.
yep, but it all depends on when you think this "for now" ends. you seem to think it means any time from tomorrow till the end of the transfer window. A lot of us think he means till January.
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Albrighton to shine in a season that resembles 1990/91 i.e. narrowly avoiding relegation - relying on goals from one man: Bent - a bit like Platty's goals in that season that saved us.
McLeish wont last 12 months at Villa.
I'll go for a season resembling the year before that, when we'd sold our best player and were brilliant.
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I reckon McLeish will make us much more solid at the back and with Bent's goals i can see a top 10 finish for next season.
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I'd say anywhere between 1st to 20th, depending on how the rest of the transfer window pans out.
heh. that 1 player arriving must be special
I know this won't sink in, but I'll give it a go anyway; it's not just one player, but one more for now until McLeish gets a better feel for what he has.
yep, but it all depends on when you think this "for now" ends. you seem to think it means any time from tomorrow till the end of the transfer window. A lot of us think he means till January.
Well, as he said 'before the start of the season', I'll take a wild guess at 13th August.
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I think most of us would be happy with a top-ten finish, which is what happens when your expectations are sufficiently downgraded. At the moment, I can't quite see us getting there. And if McLeish's tenure gets ugly, well. I can't bring myself to type the words.
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I'd say anywhere between 1st to 20th, depending on how the rest of the transfer window pans out.
heh. that 1 player arriving must be special
I know this won't sink in, but I'll give it a go anyway; it's not just one player, but one more for now until McLeish gets a better feel for what he has.
yep, but it all depends on when you think this "for now" ends. you seem to think it means any time from tomorrow till the end of the transfer window. A lot of us think he means till January.
Well, as he said 'before the start of the season', I'll take a wild guess at 13th August.
larf! so on the 13th of August AM finally decides "oh i need 3 players". Of course thats going to be easy to arrange in 15 days when everyone's basically got the team they want to keep for the season so we'll be paying top whack if they'll sell and can get a replacement in before the window closes. Top top planning.....
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I don't think we'll be in a relegation battle and expect us to surprise a few in the first half of the season before falling away. Although we finished 9th last year, I actually expect us to have a more relaxed season this year with no real relegation dangers.
7-11th
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Could go one of two ways for me at the moment. I think with the current crop of players we have the ability to finish 7th/8th. Outside of the obvious contenders the league is full of the biggest load of dross I can remember.
However, expectations being what they are here I can easily envisage us struggling to finish in the top half if we lose a few games on the bounce and the negative hordes take hold.
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Guessing 14th
Highest I can see us finishing (assuming only one more signing) is 12th, lowest is 17th. I think 17th is more likely than 12th, as the likelihood of a few injuries and some of the risks (Ireland, Warnock etc) not coming off (17th) is higher than the likelihood of lucky with injuries all the kids coming through well, and Warnock and Ireland coming good (12th).
If Bent was to pick up a bad injury we would get relegated with this squad.
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There are so many 'what if's' but a good guess is 6th to 10th if we can stay injury free and have a bit of luck
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I would say we will finish 12 with us not buying a lot of players 12 is where we will end up.
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I would say we will finish 12 with us not buying a lot of players 12 is where we will end up.
Sorry Darren, could you be more specific?
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larf! so on the 13th of August AM finally decides "oh i need 3 players". Of course thats going to be easy to arrange in 15 days when everyone's basically got the team they want to keep for the season so we'll be paying top whack if they'll sell and can get a replacement in before the window closes. Top top planning.....
Of course you're right - nobody ever gets transfered between the start of the season and 31/8, do they?
He wants to look at what's he's got over the pre-season games and into the competitive stuff. We may not like it, but I at least can step back and see the argument why. That doesn't mean he's doing nothing transfer wise though. Don't you think those constant links to Parker and Hutton have some merit. Maybe he's lining up who he thinks he might need and, if he's proven right, completes the deals. Also, some teams want/need to sell players, such as relegated teams and that covers two of our 'targets' in Parker again and Scott Dann. So I disagree that once the first ball is kicked players become harder to sign, or al least disagree that that's always the case.
We have a wage issue that you've in the past layed at the door of MON. You've also said he should use the squad more. Now here's a manager with the intention/mandate to do just and you're still not happy.
If I didn't know better I'd say you like moaning.
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Too early to say although I did have a wager on seventh with an irritating doom monger in the local.
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4th or 5th
We should all be posative!!!
UTV
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A similar poll was carried out on June 15th, not long after Mcleish's appoinment. The results were:
Top 6: 6 votes
6th to 10th: 34
10th to 17th: 37
Bottom 3: 8
(Yes, I know the first three ranges overlap, bit I didn't start the thread.)
Since June 15th we have sold our Player of the Season and don't appear to be any closer to replacing him. When we do, it may be N'Zogbia, who should prove to be of similar quality, or it may be some others that have been mentioned, who may not.
We have replaced our keeper with a decent keeper who has had a serious injury, which we hope will not reoccur.
We have now been told that Downing's replacement will be the last signing we will make this summer.
On June 15th, I was one of the 8 that voted 'Bottom 3' and I haven't seen anything since then to change my mind; quite the contrary in fact. So it's bottom 5 for me, I'm afraid.
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We'll be Ok. 9th again.
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We have now been told that Downing's replacement will be the last signing we will make this summer.
Sorry to pick out one particular part of your post, but no, we haven't!
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I'm going to say seventh. I reckon we will get N'Zogbia and then a couple more after AM has had a look at everyone in the friendlies.
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Assuming that McLeish tightens the defence (surely his priority) and Bent stays injury-free (as it's hard to see where else many goals will come from), then 7th or 8th. If one of those two things doesn't happen, bottom half. If neither of them happen, I fear it will be another relegation battle.
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We'll win the whole damn thing!! And the FA Cup!!!
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8th if everyone pulls together, all the risks pay off and we only make one more signing.
I'm not absolutely certain that the first two parts of that will come off.
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There's a lot of pessimists around, but I'm saying 7th. Top two Man Ure/ Chelsea. 3rd and 4th Arsenal/Man City. 5th and 6th Spurs/Liverpool. 7th and 8th Villa/Everton.
Have to believe we're better than the rest!!!!!
Come on Villa!!!!!
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If we can avoid serious injury problems, 11th-15th.
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I'd lay a target of 6th for two reasons; it means we've got back on track following the upheaval of the last 12 months and it would mean finishing ahead of one of the current 'glamour clubs', which personally I'd find fucking hilarious.
7th is probably more realistic and would then be a platform to build on and challenge the Euro places in 2012/2013.
8th is probably the minimum we should be after as it reflects improvement on last season.
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I'm sticking my neck out and going for a repeat of last season, 9th
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We have now been told that Downing's replacement will be the last signing we will make this summer.
Sorry to pick out one particular part of your post, but no, we haven't!
Except you're not sorry at all John, as you're usually all over my posts like a rash, often within minutes of me posting.
As for your reply, you can believe what you like. I don't think McLeish could have been any more clear. Again, the level of denial of many H&V posters would be comical, were it not so very sad. It's like Brian's followers in the Monty Python film.
I don't need statements from the Board or the Manager to tell me what direction they are taking the Club in, because actions speak louder than words and their actions this summer tell me everything I need to know. Now McLeish has added words into the equation and many of you still refuse to accept it.
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That's uncalled for. I remember we had a decent debate/argument on the transfer thread last week, but other than that I don't recall ever being overly engaged by most of what you post.
But if you're trying to create a situation where I completely ignore you from now then congratulations - you've succeeded!
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I don't need statements from the Board or the Manager to tell me what direction they are taking the Club in, because actions speak louder than words and their actions this summer tell me everything I need to know.
Indeed.
Only one month ago the General was telling everybody to 'Watch Randy's actions in the next couple of weeks as he'll show that actions speak louder than words.'
Another two weeks after his two week prediction and fuck all has happened.
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That's uncalled for. I remember we had a decent debate/argument on the transfer thread last week, but other than that I don't recall ever being overly engaged by most of what you post.
But if you're trying to create a situation where I completely ignore you from now then congratulations - you've succeeded!
Apologies John.
I was going for sarcasm / irony and obviously failed on both counts!
I wasn't trying to create that situation but if you want to ignore my posts that's fine.
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I don't need statements from the Board or the Manager to tell me what direction they are taking the Club in, because actions speak louder than words and their actions this summer tell me everything I need to know. Now McLeish has added words into the equation and many of you still refuse to accept it.
Good comment. All pre-season hope and optimism is gradually being eroded and I think we're being told to expect very little this coming season. As ever, since May, I await being pleasantly surprised but now I'm thinking my lowest transfer expectations won't be met - that we'll even spend what we've generated from sales/wage savings.
As it stands, defence isn't being improved and midfield looks light, hence my prediction of 12th to 16th.
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Fair enough - irony/sarcasm can be difficult to pick up in the written format. No hard feelings
As for your reply, you can believe what you like. I don't think McLeish could have been any more clear. Again, the level of denial of many H&V posters would be comical, were it not so very sad. It's like Brian's followers in the Monty Python film.
I don't need statements from the Board or the Manager to tell me what direction they are taking the Club in, because actions speak louder than words and their actions this summer tell me everything I need to know. Now McLeish has added words into the equation and many of you still refuse to accept it.
Going back to the actual point, I'd be VERY surprised if only one more player were to come in this summer. I think N'Zogbia will go through this week and then we'll see a halt to spending as we enter the pre-season programme and then decide what, if anything, else we need. That's not to say how many or of what quality, but I think it's in three stages; a) immediate requirements, b) squad assessment and then c) further strengthening.
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I think to be fair to AM with the players that have left the club and what money he has available to re-invest along with the kids etc 10th would be a good result but realistically 12th place finish.
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Wasn't the comment from McLeish that we should only expect one more signing "pre-season", and that the players already here will be given their chance.
As the season starts 18 days before the window shuts I expect we'll be doing a bit more business on or around deadline day when you can often get a bit more for the money.
In answer to thread title - I think we'll be one of the clubs in the frame for positions 7th to 12th, and we would have been whether it was Ancelotti, Benitez, Alex Ferguson or McLeish in charge.
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No higher than 12th - Mid table dreamers!
Your supposed to strengthen your squad each year to achieve things in this league, at the moment its pretty weak.
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10th i reckon. No chance of McLeish getting sacked. Humble pie too big.
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Ok, its coming up to March/April time we're 3 points above the drop zone with the bad run of games coming up.
What happens then? sack him or back him if you are Lerner?
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All depends on Bent - if he has a good season we could get 7th or 8th, assuming our defenders are switched on. But if he gets a bad injury early on we could really struggle.
This is my worry about having sold Downing and Young and, as yet, not having replaced them: last season, if Bent didn't score, we could at least look to one of those two to try to do something special. Now if Bent doesn't score I worry where the goals are going to come from. Albrighton maybe, Bannan possibly, but it's asking a lot of those two to replace Young and Downing's goals and assists. I'm assuming the 'one player' McLeish was talking about yesterday will be bought to fill that gap but it remains to be seen who that is and how effective he is.
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We still have a fit and firing Gabby to throw in to the pot this year mind. If he stays fit there are 15 goals right there.
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We still have a fit and firing Gabby to throw in to the pot this year mind. If he stays fit there are 15 goals right there.
Depends if we go 442. He wont get many if he plays on the wing.
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6th. Definitely.
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This season we are going to reclaim our crown and finish 6th.
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6th from bottom you mean?
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No, 6th. Just have this feeling....
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Must be the same feeling RL and PF have...so you must all be on drugs! :)
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Between 9th and 7th. I think we are all going to be pleasantly surprised with how it goes.
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we'll grub along with occasional false dawns before stuttering to the finish avoiding the drop around mid April. FA Cup 4th round exit away against mediocre Premiership opposition and a quarter final exit in the League Cup after we've turfed out Stockport, Burnley and Shrewsbury in earlier rounds. It's gonna be another cracker.
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3rd & we'll win both cups.
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I just think some of the kids we see coming through this year will surprise us all (including the ones we saw in patches last year). They will think they can get 6th and who am I to argue?
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3rd & we'll win both cups.
leave off the meths, plays havoc with your inards
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3rd & we'll win both cups.
I can see that with Arsenal winning the league Spurs second both Manu and Chelsea relegated.
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7th, FA Cup semi, Bent to top the scoring charts, Gardner to have a break through season winning young player of the year.
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7th, FA Cup semi, Bent to top the scoring charts, Gardner to have a break through season winning young player of the year.
Then you woke up to witness McLeish's third relegation and even more players being sold thanks to Randy's inefficient backing.
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7th, FA Cup semi, Bent to top the scoring charts, Gardner to have a break through season winning young player of the year.
Then you woke up to witness McLeish's third relegation and even more players being sold thanks to Randy's inefficient backing.
Your rite, how stupid of me to attempt to be positive, my bad.
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Could someone drag up last year pole and congratulate, name and shame the posters.
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I went for seventh: http://www.heroesandvillains.info/forumv3/index.php?topic=39693.msg1550870#msg1550870
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All depends on Bent - if he has a good season we could get 7th or 8th, assuming our defenders are switched on. But if he gets a bad injury early on we could really struggle.
This is my worry about having sold Downing and Young and, as yet, not having replaced them: last season, if Bent didn't score, we could at least look to one of those two to try to do something special. Now if Bent doesn't score I worry where the goals are going to come from. Albrighton maybe, Bannan possibly, but it's asking a lot of those two to replace Young and Downing's goals and assists. I'm assuming the 'one player' McLeish was talking about yesterday will be bought to fill that gap but it remains to be seen who that is and how effective he is.
Step forward (and take off the straitjacket) Stephen Eire.
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last season i said 8th - 10th. we finished 9th.
this season 10th - 12th. so 11th.
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Im gonna go for 8th and still get into Uefa cup somehow. You all owe me a pint if im right, agreed?
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Always hard to predict when there is so long until the transfer window closes, but i'll go for 7th and a cup run. And a couple of 5 or 6 goals defeats.
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I said 8th or 9th last season. This season i reckon - with the squad as it is now - anywhere between 8th and 13th
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Im gonna go for 8th and still get into Uefa cup somehow. You all owe me a pint if im right, agreed?
And you owe us all a pint if you're wrong. Agreed? ;)
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9th.
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7th or 8th. Can't say I'm overly excited about such a modest prediction but I think it'll be very tight again from 10th to 6th. Top 3 are certainties and I think it'll be between Spurs, Liverpool and Arsenal for 4th with Arsenal my prediction. Maybe we'll win a cup this year.
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11th -16th i predict with the squad we have at the moment. Just hope we do not have the amount of injuries we had last season,if we do we will be in serious trouble as our squad looks a bit light to say the least.
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of the options given id say 6th to 10th - i think we will battle with everton for 7th place personally.
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Our side is technically 'worse' than last years, at the moment anyway, so I can't see any improvement on what happened last year.
No disrespect to the the young ones (Bannan, Albrighton etc, not Neil or Vivian) but to rely on them is very risky. It may be what they need to really get going but over the whole season, relying on players who have yet to prove themselves over that period before could be too much to ask of them.
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10th
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15th - Touch wood it doesn't happen where the hell will our goals come from if Bent is out for any length of time? Heskey and Delfouneso don't inspire a lot of confidence in scoring enough goals, it also worries me that we don't have a great deal of goals in us from midfield either especially with no Ash or Stewart 'hamster balls' Downing?
Makoun/Petrov/Delph will maybe get what 10 goals between them maybe? Albrighton may get half a dozen or so but I can't see goals in this team. Relying on Stephen Ireland is a massive massive gamble.
10th will be optimistic I feel at this rate.
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Guessing 14th
Highest I can see us finishing (assuming only one more signing) is 12th, lowest is 17th. I think 17th is more likely than 12th, as the likelihood of a few injuries and some of the risks (Ireland, Warnock etc) not coming off (17th) is higher than the likelihood of lucky with injuries all the kids coming through well, and Warnock and Ireland coming good (12th).
If Bent was to pick up a bad injury we would get relegated with this squad.
Having now had chance to witness the first few games, and knowing what players we have brought in, I am revising my prediction.
Positives
Warnock, Collins and Dunne are all performing better.
Gabby looks better than last season.
Heskey has done well.
Bannan and Herd look good in the limited chances they have had.
Negatives
N'Zogbia doesn't look great. Hoping that is a blip, as I thought he would be a good signing.
Hutton for Young - not impressed
Makoun leaving is disappointing
Ireland - carried on where he left off
Albrighton and Delfouneso are struggling to find form
Even Bent isn't scoring with the McLeish system
Terrible tactics, awful football.
No Clark
Would rather we had kept Hogg
I now think the highest we can finish is 15th, and that we could actually get relegated. Prediction is now 17th.
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Final league position next season? 2nd and promotion to the premier league!
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I had us around 8th to 10th as I thought we would be hard to beat , have a good team spirit , not score many but good enough to be a little better than mid table .
after last night ( I know its only one game ) but I have seen enough to know , Its going to be alot worse than even I thought ..