Target for this season

[Nelly]

I think Stoke, West Brom, Middlesbrough and Derby will be as good if not better than us. Prior to the takeover I would have been happy with midtable so long as the club could continue to exist. Now it has happened and with the Mendes links, who knows. A quality midfielder to release Grealish and just maybe.

That said, what if Bruce doesn't click with the players being acquired for him? Like Lambert at Wolves.

Top 6 and I'd be very happy, all in.

[exiled on the wirral!]

I think the pain of last season's Play Off final defeat will spur us on to go and get automatic promotion. I don't see anyone who are superior to us and if the transfer targets that are mentioned come to fruition plus keeping Chester and Grealish  I think We will get top 2. Can't wait for the season to start and will be at Hull cheering the boys on.

[Risso]

I wonder what Bruce has been told the target for the season is, and what he thinks it is in his head.  I get the feeling that his unconvincing "there or thereabouts" schtick isn't going to go down very well, which is why I was a bit surprised that he apparently did so well in his meeting with them that it convinced them to keep him on.

[Boz]

It should be promotion but I can’t see how achievable that is.  We’ve got over £30m of strikers, but Kodjia doesn’t look the same player since his injury. McCormack is persona non grata and Hogan has been crap.  Unless we get another loan striker like Grabban, I just can’t see where the goals are going to come from.

If we can keep tight at the back with clean sheets, we still need a striker who will play and score regularly. We haven't had anyone able to do this since Kodjia's first season.

Promotion has to be the target but, don't think we will have the best chance with Bruce ball football.

 

[frank]

Very difficult to predict with any confidence. So much depends on the players we bring in now and in January and how long Bruce stays. I can't see us getting promotion with the present squad and the same manager. Even if we keep Jack and Snodgrass comes back we need a goalscorer. But, to answer the question, promotion must be the target. The longer we stay out of the top division, the more difficult it'll be to get back.

[Three Spires Villa]

Personally I do not see us in the automatic promotion spots, hopefully top six. A lot depends on who we bring in, defence looks weak.

[lovejoy]

If we are targetting mid table, say, does that mean if we are top 6 we should lose a few games to align with the stated target?
Crazy.

[UK Redsox]

I think that 'target' should be read as 'realistically achievable aim'

Given the circumstances (especially going into the season with no fit strikers), mid-table seems realistic, with making the play-offs being a bonus

[Gareth]

Target - top 2
Expectation as of 30/7 - play offs should be achievable.

Realistically until 1st September no squad in this league will be complete - Prem teams will be looking to offload excess players that haven’t been sold on loan to Champ teams once the transfer deadline closes on 9th August

[Drummond]

I think that 'target' should be read as 'realistically achievable aim'

Given the circumstances (especially going into the season with no fit strikers), mid-table seems realistic, with making the play-offs being a bonus

Steve Bruce may want you to think that way (though I'd have thought he'll be gunning for auto-promotion) but I don't understand why you would.

Based on last season, we're the best team in the division with the unknown quantity being the relegated and promoted teams.

[lovejoy]

I agree that we need to wait until after the transfer window to make a call on this.

[SoccerHQ]

I think that 'target' should be read as 'realistically achievable aim'

Given the circumstances (especially going into the season with no fit strikers), mid-table seems realistic, with making the play-offs being a bonus

Steve Bruce may want you to think that way (though I'd have thought he'll be gunning for auto-promotion) but I don't understand why you would.

Based on last season, we're the best team in the division with the unknown quantity being the relegated and promoted teams.

We were 3rd best team in league with Johnstone, Terry and Snodgrass. Steer, Elphick and Elmo as it stands as replacements dosen't look quite as convincing while others who just finished below us are strengthening.

Hopefully we can get some decent players in next few weeks but don't see how our squad is top 2 standard currently.

[UK Redsox]

Last season there were really only two relegated teams to worry about because it seemed pretty clear that Sunderland were just passing through.

This season, WBA and Stoke look like promotion candidates and Swansea won't be awful.

Even if Chester and Jack stay, Villa are not as strong as side as last season.

Therefore, top of mid-table and maybe scraping into the playoffs seems a reasonable expectation.

[Drummond]

Ok, but this season we've Grealish (so far) and Kodjia, Green too, all back from injury at the start of the season. Whilst I don't think Elphick and DeLaet are world-beaters, they are certainly good enough for this division.

[hilts_coolerking]

The target is automatic promotion of course but I don't think we'll achieve it.  As things stand, I don't think we're as strong as we were last season - and that was only strong enough for us to get 4th.  So I'll be happy with a playoff place.