Realistic Expectations

[SoccerHQ]

Vital we get a good start at home. When was the last time we actually had a good home season in premier league, 07-08?

VP will be rocking in August and would imagine our first 4-5 games will be near sell outs regardless of who we play. Getting a couple of early wins will be great and if we can win 8-9 games that's near enough safety.

[Gregorys Boy]

The squad as it is plus hopefully a few strong signings I think has me thinking 13-17. But until I see what we have going into the season its hard to say.  Around about 15th or 14th for our first season back would do me and we can try and build from there. 

[darren woolley]

I would take mid table in our first season back and build on it then make progress year on year.

[GordonCowansisthegreatest]

I'd love to finish above Man U!! Even if they're only mid table or lower.

[Hairbandinho]

Finish 17th. Stay up whatever it takes and progress next season

[Toronto Villa]

If we finish 17th I’ll be very disappointed. Wolves showed an ability to compete against pretty much every team in the division. We won’t be the nightmare Villa teams of Lambert, Garde, Black etc. We will be so much better prepared and confidence will be sky high.

[wittonwarrior]

Between 10th and 15th - don't expect anything in the cups

[Hairbandinho]

If we finish 17th I’ll be very disappointed. Wolves showed an ability to compete against pretty much every team in the division. We won’t be the nightmare Villa teams of Lambert, Garde, Black etc. We will be so much better prepared and confidence will be sky high.

We do not have the team wolves come up with. It will not happen. We will.not do what Wolves did. All we need to do is stay up. The year after expectations can rise a little and again year on year.

[hilts_coolerking]

If we finish 17th I’ll be very disappointed. Wolves showed an ability to compete against pretty much every team in the division. We won’t be the nightmare Villa teams of Lambert, Garde, Black etc. We will be so much better prepared and confidence will be sky high.

We do not have the team wolves come up with. It will not happen. We will.not do what Wolves did. All we need to do is stay up. The year after expectations can rise a little and again year on year.

I agree.  We've still got a massive amount of work to do on the squad and then integrating those players.  Even our current players will need to acclimatise to the Premier League because they don't much experience of it.  That goes for Dean too - a novice at that level; he didn't even play in the top flight.  Comparing ourselves to Wolves is setting us up for disappointment I think.

[Toronto Villa]

We’re not going up to make up the numbers. Yes we have work to do. But our ability to compete starts with a willingness to do so. We’re not going to just lie down in games like those fucking cowards did the last time we were up. If our objective is just to stay up and finish 17th we may as well have stayed down. I don’t expect miracles, but I certainly don’t see why 8th to 13th wouldn’t be realistically attainable in our first season.

[Risso]

If we keep Mings and get a decent 15+ goals striker is, top half will be achievable.  A new left back, and some real pace in the team is also a must though.

[hilts_coolerking]

We’re not going up to make up the numbers. Yes we have work to do. But our ability to compete starts with a willingness to do so. We’re not going to just lie down in games like those fucking cowards did the last time we were up. If our objective is just to stay up and finish 17th we may as well have stayed down. I don’t expect miracles, but I certainly don’t see why 8th to 13th wouldn’t be realistically attainable in our first season.

You don't expect miracles but don't see why we can't finish 8th?  I just don't see how that is possible based on our current squad and presumably players we haven't even bought yet.

I admire your optimism TV, as ever, but I'm sorry I cannot see that a case can reasonably be made for that.

[Lastfootstamper]

I agree, TV. I'm certain we'll go into the season living up to our club motto for a bastard change.

[gpbarr]

We’re not going up to make up the numbers. Yes we have work to do. But our ability to compete starts with a willingness to do so. We’re not going to just lie down in games like those fucking cowards did the last time we were up. If our objective is just to stay up and finish 17th we may as well have stayed down. I don’t expect miracles, but I certainly don’t see why 8th to 13th wouldn’t be realistically attainable in our first season.

8th - I mean come on get serious. Even in the few years we have been out the massive gulf between the haves and have nots has widened. And Wolves were a PL side in the Championship so were much better prepared - we have a thread bare squad and will need to integrate new players fast and hope we don’t stumble like Fulham did.

I think we can achieve relative safety (10th-14th) so long we make the right signings but if we squeak by 17th, I’ll be happy because it means we can continue to build in 20/21.

[Lastfootstamper]

So 10th, but not 8th? Two points?