Realistic Expectations

[Bad English]

I expect survival and the FA Cup* in our first season.

*And me to shag Fanny Valette.

[Risso]

On the last two occasions we've been promoted to the top division we've found the first season hard and flirted with relegation, but had a second season that surpassed all expectations.  I'd take the first if we could also be guaranteed the second.

What we need is a relatively benign first half a dozen fixtures and get some points on the board.  There will be an inevitable sticky patch as we adjust and possibly some hammerings at the likes of Man City, so it's important that we take the momentum from this season and get some early wins against the likes of the other promoted teams or the south coast trio.

Bollocks to that!

Consecutive 3-0 away wins against Man City, Liverpool and Spurs to get started please. 

[Risso]

I expect survival and the FA Cup* in our first season.

*And me to shag Fanny Valette.

That's what is known as a BOBFOC round these parts.

[West Derby Villan]

I expect survival and the FA Cup* in our first season.

*And me to shag Fanny Valette.

That's what is known as a BOBFOC round these parts.

Just looked that up, brilliant!

[Ad@m]

Crikey, West Derby Villan - you're either a young nipper or been living in a cave!  The reference to Baywatch tells you how old that saying is!

[supertom]

See no reason why we can't do as well as Watford and Wolves. We've got a couple of standout players who'll already make the step up and impact games. Some shrewd signings in addition to that, and I'd expect us to be pretty solid. They key will be beating the sides around us, particularly being strong at home too. Villa Park has feel good factor again, and we've had to drop down a division to get that. We'd become one of the most piss easy away ties in the division for a couple of years under Lambert etc. People came to VP and waltzed all over us.

Smith will have us working hard and well drilled. We need to be sensible, but still play decent football too. He'll have to develop a little more in the way of tactical flexibility. We'll need a plan B. That's something we've lack for over 20 years. O Neill never had it and we never got beyond 6th. His successors never had it and we almost (then finally did) go down. Smith I think is modern thinking, intelligent. If we hit a rough patch I think he'll get us out of it.

I fancy a mid-table finish. We've got the clout to attract players that a few of our rivals may not. There's a number of fairly solid Premier League outfits, and we're not a million miles from any of them. a few of our loans permanent. 6-7 good signings. Keeping a spine of who got us up. I fancy us to push the likes of Watford, West Ham, Newcastle etc and I would expect us to nudge ahead of the two other clubs who've come up, as well as Brighton and Burnley.

[ktvillan]

Any newly promoted side, including us, will do very well to finish above about 14th and avoid the relegation scrap.   I don't think we'll do as well as Wolves did, they had a better squad when they went up.  I'm open to being pleasantly surprised though.

[Monty]

We'll need to bring in a lot of good players but I'm weirdly optimistic about the season coming up. We just look a bit like the kind of club with the right kind of set up needed to do well.

[sirlordbaltimore]

My realistic expectation is we go into each game trying to win, as the manager says. You can't go into games hoping to contain or draw. Aim to win and see where you end up. The main factor on where we end up will be down to who we sign this summer of course though

[curiousorange]

My biggest wish for next season? Don't lose before we go on the pitch. We've as much right to be in this league as nineteen other clubs and we need to act like it.

[cdward]

10 wins and 10 draws. Aim to get 4 points from every 3 games.
There are plenty of beatable teams, as well as the 2 we just came up with.
however, there are lots of good teams there too.
Thankfully Dean Smith will play the right way, and win, lose or draw at least he will try and win games.`
We need to start well and get some points early, 15th to 17th will do for me.

[wittonwarrior]

Champions nothing less and last day win at spurs- have you won a European cup

[kingus]

I'd be happy if we aren't in the relegation spots at all during the season, and safe with 4 games to go.

[Toronto Villa]

Interesting in the initial polling that a Europa league spot appears out of our reach. Wolves managed it so I do wonder how that perspective will change as the summer progresses and the squad evolves?

[sonyhill]

I will be happy if we stay up and look to build again the following season.  I can't see our owners spunking money on crap (so called) 'premier league players' like Fulham did last year.  If we can get some quality LB & RB / LWB & RWB in and get Mings, AEG and Tammy (can't see it tbh) on permanent deals there is a good group of players that I think will kick on in the prem.   

Excited to see how this summer unfolds!