Realistic Expectations

[hilts_coolerking]

We have always been top 6 and I expect nothing less.

We really haven't.

[Risso]

No chance of finishing above 8th. Even if we get our target incomings, the squad as a whole is lacking.   An injury to Mings or jack will set us back

You can say that about most clubs if they lost their best two players.

[Sexual Ealing]

FFS chaps this is Aston Villa not some second rate promotion/relegation team. We have always been top 6 and I expect nothing less. Sure it’s going to cost us this year but we have minted owners. Citeh bucked the trend and you just never know

Exactly. We're not fucking Huddersfield (no disrespect etc etc).

[robbo1874]

Expectations just went up a fair bit after signing Ming’s on a permanent deal

[rob_bridge]

Ok so depending on waht happens with the Arse and Man U one or even 2 of Everton, Leicester and Wolves could break into top 6. I'd expect West Ham and Burnley this year to be comfortable mid table.

That leaves us and 8 others in the mix for relegation

Palace - Lose Saha and either others will step up or they will start to sink. Woy's hardest season since his Liverpool sojourn.
Newcastle - they look doomed short of a quick sale and quick purchases.
Watford - I think that this is the season they struggle and it will be interesting to see how they cope with a dogfight.
Southampton - they have been flirting and exepct them to be back in the mix.
Bournemouth - probably enough to be at the upper end of this 9
Brighton - see Soton
Us - well depends on how quick the newbies hit the ground and frankly whether they are good enough at this level.
Sheff U / Naarwich - more continuity than Villa but do either have the quality?

So I am picking Newcastle, Watford and Soton with us, the Blades and Canaries to stay up

[Drummond]

Sheffield United will go down. They've a team of League One players and they won't have enough in the big league.

Norwich will make a good fist of it.

Southampton and Newcastle will struggle.

Bournemouth will be in the mix as will Brighton.

We could end up anywhere. Could do a Wolves, could do a Derby/Sunderland/Huddersfield/Us...

[paul_e]

If I'm honest I'm not sure why you'd put Burnley into midtable, I'd have them in the bottom half and if Leicester do lose McGuire then I doubt they'll be getting anywhere near the top 6. I'd have the top 6 stay as it has for a few years, everton and wolves playing for 7th and 8th and then West Ham and Leicester slightly ahead of the bottom half pack along with 1-2 that do better than expected. I also think 1-2 sides will be cast adrift at the bottom (I suspect Sheef Utd could really struggle if they don't get a strong start).

[Risso]

If I'm honest I'm not sure why you'd put Burnley into midtable, I'd have them in the bottom half and if Leicester do lose McGuire then I doubt they'll be getting anywhere near the top 6. I'd have the top 6 stay as it has for a few years, everton and wolves playing for 7th and 8th and then West Ham and Leicester slightly ahead of the bottom half pack along with 1-2 that do better than expected. I also think 1-2 sides will be cast adrift at the bottom (I suspect Sheef Utd could really struggle if they don't get a strong start).

Not so sure about that top 6.  Man Utd have all sorts of problems including a crap manager who'll be gone by Christmas.  Chelsea have a transfer ban and a manager they've given the job to at least two years too early.  Man City and Liverpool will be top two again, with Spurs third.  I can well see Man U having a Moyes type stinker.

[rob_bridge]

If I'm honest I'm not sure why you'd put Burnley into midtable, I'd have them in the bottom half and if Leicester do lose McGuire then I doubt they'll be getting anywhere near the top 6. I'd have the top 6 stay as it has for a few years, everton and wolves playing for 7th and 8th and then West Ham and Leicester slightly ahead of the bottom half pack along with 1-2 that do better than expected. I also think 1-2 sides will be cast adrift at the bottom (I suspect Sheef Utd could really struggle if they don't get a strong start).

Leicester will have 80m to spend if they lose MaGuire and recently they have done rather well at continuity planning. Tielemans looks like he is on way there.

Burnley have an excellent manager struggled last year due to Europa League messing their pre season up. No way do they have a squad good enough to do both.

Well yes my thinking is both Sheff Utd and Norwich will take momentum into this season and het a good start.

[ChicagoLion]

We are in this mini league
Newcastle Southampton Norwich Sheffield Utd Watford Bournemouth Brighton Villa

Any of these could have a dodgy spell and end up in our league.

Wolves Burnley Everton Palace west Ham Leicester

The top spots not in this order,
Spurs Chelsea Arse Citeh Manure  Lpool

[LowerNorthStand]

Survival. Anything else is a bonus.

Winning at Wolves would make me unusually elated as they seem to see us a rival these days.

[mallo]

Survival too - Sheffield, Brighton, Newcastle, Norwich and Southampton will be in the mix. Beat 3 of them and it's all good. Avoiding any high defeats as well - I don't want to see us let 4 in against the big boys.

[not3bad]

I had voted 13th - 17th but I'm feeling more 8th - 12th now.

[Toronto Villa]

I might be reading too much into this, probably am, but when I see this pic, especially of the usually very stoic/grumpy BB showing this much enthusiasm/joy at practice it gives me a lot of hope for the season because of how together this squad is right now. It’s all part of business that some of these players maybe elsewhere come August but it is a very unified group. Something we just didn’t have last time around in the PL.

[Pete3206]

17th and win the FA cup.

We can dream cant we?