What are your expectations for the coming season ?

[withnail71]

It's really not worth going into' date=' but the latest theory is that they don't want the club to succeed. FSG have rigged the managerial race and how it was reported in the press, so we'll accept a manager on the basis he isn't Martinez, who was put in place to undermine the club's ambition, cleverly pushing all the star players on big wages out of the door and leaving Mr Henry cackling and stroking a white cat while we all accept we are now essentially Aston Villa, happy in mid-table.

 

It handily misses out the fact that they've spent large amounts on severance for those who didn't meet their targets, that the price paid for the club would look innordinate if they intended us to reside in mid-table and they could have carried on as is and forced Kenny to get better performance out of his signings from last summer which would have been a safe option with the absolute minimal outlay.

 

Everyone's on edge, and that's usually when the conspiracy theories start to rise.[/quote']

 

What absolute twaddle !

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

It's too early to say. Wait until the transfer business has been done.

 

We're not known to agree, but this is clearly right. Until we know how effective he is in the transfer market, and how well those players (and the ones we've already got) to the football at this club, it's going to be a tough call.

 

We could end up 8th again, all bitterly disappointed, or we could finish top 4 and all go giddy.

[a stoner]

None until at least October when we have 4 weeks or so the other side of the transfer window and everything has had a chance to settle down including the players and manager with the "new style" of football we are apparently going to be playing.

[kalasoma]

It's really not worth going into' date=' but the latest theory is that they don't want the club to succeed.[/b'] FSG have rigged the managerial race and how it was reported in the press, so we'll accept a manager on the basis he isn't Martinez, who was put in place to undermine the club's ambition, cleverly pushing all the star players on big wages out of the door and leaving Mr Henry cackling and stroking a white cat while we all accept we are now essentially Aston Villa, happy in mid-table.

 

It handily misses out the fact that they've spent large amounts on severance for those who didn't meet their targets, that the price paid for the club would look innordinate if they intended us to reside in mid-table and they could have carried on as is and forced Kenny to get better performance out of his signings from last summer which would have been a safe option with the absolute minimal outlay.

 

Everyone's on edge, and that's usually when the conspiracy theories start to rise.

 

No please let's do go into this theory. This is ingenious! It's so utterly mindbogglingly batshit crazy that it might just be true. Who is the mastermind behind this theory? I want to meet them.

[Liquid football]

It's too early to say. Wait until the transfer business has been done.

 

....is a good answer.

 

And even then we might be none the wiser. Look at the kind of players Moyes typically brings in; with those kinds of signings you really just have to wait and see. Having said that, i'm sure we'll bring in the odd well known player though.

 

It definitely needs to be drilled into the fans that he will need time. We may hit the ground running, we may not but we cant let the loons who throw their toys out the pram at the earliest opportunity dictate what happens at our club.

[xerxes]

An improvement on 8th position, and goals scored.

 

A greater level of professionalism in our approach to every game - not just being up for the big games.

[FanchesterCity]

As an outsider, I'm expecting a potentially 'fragile' Liverpool.

 

I'm expecting Mr Rodgers is going to have to show quite serious improvement right from the get go, otherwise fans will become agitated.

 

I suspect if the fans become agitated, the majority of frustration and finger pointing will be towards FSG, and to some players, but Rodgers himself will take an element of flak too.

 

BUT, with a good start to the season and steady 'hovering in the 5-8th zone' will be seen as fairly decent (providing a top 6 finish looks achievable'.

 

If though, come the end of the season, it's another 8th position finish, I think that will be disappointing and people will rightly question the wisdom of sacking Kenny (again).

 

Personally though, I'm envisaging a fairly good start (assuming you're not faced with a horrific fixture list!), and once you're off to a good start, confidence will be restored around the club and a 4-6th finish.

 

Alas, this is football, and it's a mad old game!

 

My prediction:

 

Chelsea

United

City

Arsenal

Liverpool

Spurs

[Guest ShoePiss]

man city need to fire mancini and get a decent manager in.

[FanchesterCity]

man city need to fire mancini and get a decent manager in.

 

We tried, but Mr Whelan said "you can't have my Roberto".

 

And what Mr Whelan says goes.

[jamespp]

My prediction:

 

Chelsea

United

City

Arsenal

Liverpool

Spurs

 

??? You finished 25 points ahead of Chelsea who were 6th, are you losing your best players or something?

[G Richards]

I expect a stronger showing in the league. Given the squads that Man City and Chelsea have, they should be top two. After that I think a lot depends on who Man Utd buy and whether Arsenal hold on to Van Persie. If Van Persie leaves and Man Utd don't strengthen all that much then I can see both of these teams getting dragged into a four way shoot out with ourselves and Tottenham for 3rd to 6th. A lot will have to fall into place for us to be top four, so I'm unwilling to say we will do it, but if we have a good summer in the market and start off well, who knows what might happen?

 

I'm looking forward to it all kicking off again and seeing how our new man puts his stamp on things.

[Hades]

Unless we get 4 new first teamers I can't see us making the top 4, let alone top 5. It's hard to know if Dalglish failed to get the best out of his signings, or if that is their true level, either way the smart money is on another mid-table finish.

 

B-Rod won't get 90M to improve on 7th the way Dalglish and Comolli did. With Arse and Chelsea improving, I don't see us linked to the quality of players to overtake them.

[Melchett]

Anything less than Eurovision, and I'll be frigging livid as a cut snake.

[Jhinge Machha]

if we get our transfers absolutely right i feel like we will be lurking around fourth-sixth..not only because of the transfers but also because we surely cant have such shit luck/shit finishing two seasons in a row.

also, regarding the domestic cup competitions, i dont think we'll ever take them as seriously as we did with kenny. i think kenny's sacking made it pretty clear that cup wins alone wont be enough to keep rodgers in the job. the owners want a strong showing in the league so expecting much earlier exits with some key players rested for the league games

[Ne Moe Imya]

I'm a bit surprised to see people thinking we'll be in the top 4, to be honest. Maybe I'm a pessimist, but unless we spend serious money in the transfer market I think we'll end up somewhere around 6th - 8th. Rodgers may be a very good manager, but he's implementing a completely different style of play and I think it will take a year or two before it clicks. Look what happened when he went to Reading. I'm a bit concerned that if we did finish, say 7th, that the fans will start to turn against Rodgers - I didn't think high expectations would be a problem until I started reading this thread.

 

Of course, if we go out and get Muniain, Soldado and Javi Martinez or something like that then I suppose my expectations will rise, but I don't see that as likely.

 

As for the rest of the league, I think this will be the year when the money gap between United's spending and Chelsea/City finally starts to show; I think it will be between Chelsea and City for the league title, with United 8-10 points behind by March.

[KopOut]

The big man is going to have to do some exceptional wheeling and dealing this summer.

 

Or get that extra something out of the existing squad, that Kenny couldn't find.

[KopOut]

Unless we get 4 new first teamers I can't see us making the top 4, let alone top 5. It's hard to know if Dalglish failed to get the best out of his signings, or if that is their true level, either way the smart money is on another mid-table finish.

 

B-Rod won't get 90M to improve on 7th the way Dalglish and Comolli did. With Arse and Chelsea improving, I don't see us linked to the quality of players to overtake them.

 

Chelsea improving??? No way. Terry and Lampard are over the hill, and Drogba and Anelka are gone, leaving the pretty boy all alone.

 

The serious improvement this coming season needs to be motivation: 'hunger' - with largely, the existing squad, plus the addition of a much needed defensive bolstering.

 

Unless Suarez leaves we've no need to be buying strikers (top draw strikers wont bench warm).

Edited June 3, 2012 by KopOut

[withnail71]

Chelsea improving??? No way. Terry and Lampard are over the hill, and Drogba and Anelka are gone, leaving the pretty boy all alone.

 

 

 

.

 

Marin,Hazard, Hulk ?

All seriously good players. That is some serious guns. Chelsea will have spent £100m on players by the time the season kicks off. I would call that strengthening.

[jackofdk]

I expect us to be in the mix for fourth, maybe even third. And a good run in the Europa League too, actually.

[Baz1969]

The minimum requirement is that we regain some consistency and become competitive. We must be seriously challenging for a top 5 spot. Even if we dont finish in the top 5 I wont be too disappointed so long as we've been serious challengers - this would be a huge improvement. Get the winning mentality back and stop losing to no mark teams.

[Durango]

We took 27 points out of a possible 57 points at home,

 

That as to be improved,

 

regardless of a new manager coming in,

 

the players we have (hopefully strenghtend) I'll be disappointed if we don't get 65 points

[Vivaldo]

My expectations would be to challenge for a champions league spot, so a 4th place finish would for me be seen as progress to give us a platform to challenging for the league.

 

I would also like to see more of Kelly, Shelvey, Coates, Flanagan, Robinson, Coady, Suso and Sterling in the Carling Cup. But there is a case for Kelly and Shelvey in the league too. Gulacsi promoted to 3rd choice keeper used in the Carling, Doni used in the Fa Cup giving him a platform to challenge Reina for a 1st team shot.

 

I feel Carra should become a part time player / coach. I think he could be really useful playing along side the younger players in the domestic cups giving Coady the opportunity to break into the 1st team within the cup squads.

 

I would like for the following players to be sold / released:

Jones, Kuyt, Maxi, Spearing, Downing, Cole, Pacheco, Aquilani, Adam, Darby, Wilson. I would also contemplate selling Johnson dependent on Flanagan's progress as Kelly and Flanno may be more than enough at right back.

 

I would like a Pacey Striker, all round midfielder, two wide forward players and a left back to be bought.

 

I would like to see more of Suarez in a wide position similar to how he is utilised for Uruguay.

 

But most importantly I would like to see our possession converted to goals. I am looking forward to our team pressing a lot more to regain possession and keeping the ball through the reputed way that BR will set the team up.

[Vivaldo]

Marin,Hazard, Hulk ?

All seriously good players. That is some serious guns. Chelsea will have spent £100m on players by the time the season kicks off. I would call that strengthening.

 

You would be mad to ignore that intent. But for me they need to strengthen their defence. Terry is a ghost of his former self and he will get found out even more. They never truly replaced Carvalho and Cahill still needs to prove himself. I'm not hanging on to this but nevertheless it remains to be seen whether they can work well as a cohesive unit. So rather than just call for individual improvement, if we can become greater than the sum of all parts then we will be heading in the right direction and is something we so badly need. We have a real opportunity this season to bed in youngsters, clear out the dead wood and buy players to fit 'our' system.

 

I can't wait!

[Kevin D]

It's really not worth going into' date=' but the latest theory is that they don't want the club to succeed. FSG have rigged the managerial race and how it was reported in the press, so we'll accept a manager on the basis he isn't Martinez, who was put in place to undermine the club's ambition, cleverly pushing all the star players on big wages out of the door and leaving Mr Henry cackling and stroking a white cat while we all accept we are now essentially Aston Villa, happy in mid-table.

 

It handily misses out the fact that they've spent large amounts on severance for those who didn't meet their targets, that the price paid for the club would look innordinate if they intended us to reside in mid-table and they could have carried on as is and forced Kenny to get better performance out of his signings from last summer which would have been a safe option with the absolute minimal outlay.

 

Everyone's on edge, and that's usually when the conspiracy theories start to rise.[/quote']

 

When you phrase it like that, I sound a little crazy.

[Babb'sBurstNad]

When you phrase it like that, I sound a little crazy.

 

Ha, don't worry, it's a common side-effect of supporting this club, we all do.