Where will we finish?

[Chris Smith]

7th.

People keep pointing to all of the "ifs" with the squad and then making their predictions as though none of them will come good. My guess is that we'll rediscover our defensive stability and that Bent's goals will give us a good chance in tight games. As things stand outside of the obvious candidates I don't see much to worry about . That could, of course, all change by the end of the window.

[lovejoy]

Can the person who voted for first lend me some of their medicine please?

[ozzjim]

There is some really, really optimistic views on here. After the fulham defeat a week tomorrow, I wonder how the mood will be.

[Maradona10]

11th or 12th

[Jockey Randall]

There is some really, really optimistic views on here. After the fulham defeat a week tomorrow, I wonder how the mood will be.

I'd say more like realistic. Even the neutral view of the bookmakers says our most likely finish is 8th and we're currently odds on for a top 10 finish. Would anyone seriously hand on heart swap our squad for the likes of Sunderland, Stoke or Fulham?

[darren woolley]

I've gone for 10th place but I reckon anywhere between 10 and 14th place.

[citizenDJ]

I've voted for tenth, too, but similarly anywhere between 8th and 15th seems likely. Going on last season, there really isn't that much quality throughout the league really, so I'd say with a tightened up defense and a Darren Bent, we'll do alright.

[Chris Smith]

There is some really, really optimistic views on here. After the fulham defeat a week tomorrow, I wonder how the mood will be.

That's the problem isn't it, people over react to each result, win one we're brilliant lose one and we're shit.

Fulham is a togh opener because they've been playing competitive games for a few weeks but you'd have to be an idiot to use that one game as a pointer to the whole season.

[QBVILLA]

I've gone for 8th.Seventh isn't out of the question, just depends on how good Everton are.Reckon that points wise we'll be closer to 17th than 4th though.

[PaulWinch again]

If our first 11 stays fit all season, between 7th-11th. If we get some injuries to key players between 13th-16th. That is with the squad as it is now, if the club realises we are short and gets in a couple of players that is subject to change.

[QBVILLA]

If our first 11 stays fit all season, between 7th-11th. If we get some injuries to key players between 13th-16th. That is with the squad as it is now, if the club realises we are short and gets in a couple of players that is subject to change.

I'm basing my prediction on the opinion that we aren't as strong as the top 6 and a fit Everton side is IMO on par with us.The injuries argument applies to every club in the division outside of the top 4.On the positive side I can't see many strikers outside of Manchester who'll out score Bent and in Given, we do have a top goalkeeper.Looking at the sides who'd expect to push us for 7th or 8th, there aren't many players i'd swap from the likes of Sunderland Stoke or Fulham.Personally i feel we're a lot better off than people are giving us credit for.

[Merv]

I've gone for 11th. Our first X1 is pretty decent but we'll be exposed if we have three or four players unavailable at any one time.

Can't see us touching the top six, and then we'll be in that mix of clubs behind: Everton, Sunderland, Stoke, Fulham, Bolton, West Brom.

[monkeyboy]

15th unfortunately for me - long hard season (unless we get in a couple before the end of the window when i reserve the right to change my mind:-)

Too much reliance on Bent - if he breaks down we are screwed as there are no other goals in the squad - there is little or no creativity in midfield and we lack any bite there also - we will be overrun more often than not through the middle this season putting tons of pressure on the back four who will take all of the flack.

Worry for AM if we start poorly and for the general mood around the place - not got a good felling at all re what is happening about our club - get we need to balance wages v revenue, but frankly the squad we now is very ordinary and paper thin, want to believe but struggling!!

[Concrete John]

I think we have as good a first team as any side outside the top 6, so that gets me to 7th.  However, we do compare poorly when the overall squad is taken into account and one or two key injuries would impact us greatly.  As such, I'd drop my prediction to 8th.

If we get top seasons out of Ireland and Albrighton, then I'd go one better and say 6th.

[TimTheVillain]

13th for me, EXTREMELY disappointed by our transfer activity ( or lack of).

If Bent gets injured, where are the goals coming from ?

Midfield, very very weak too and it's been tweeted that we can't afford Joey Barton - we're in the West Brom, Sunderland, Fulham categary.