Expectations for the Coming Season ?

[barneygumble]

Said earlier in the week.

Im meant to be excited. Lampard gets the club, has players running through brick walls for us.

Recruitment and strategy side. Thelwell has been truly excellent addition so far. Finding our weaknesses and finding solution. Not bad for your first 9 months in charge.
The staff he’s brought in, are all new, hungry and different to what we’ve had before.
So yeah, I’m frustrated because had Moshiri not been so naive and reckless when he started, where could we have been?

Lots of positives and yes… I’m sticking with my original answer “the only way is down”.

 

[The binman chronicles]

And when they were up, they were up
And when they were down, they were down
And when they were only half-way up
They were still calling the board clowns

Fixed.

 

[Shibbywiggles]

I think you’re underestimating BHA as they will be in one of those places too and quite possibly higher than us.

I haven’t said this in so long but we have more squad depth than them
Our midfield three picks itself but where an injury used to lead to Gomes or Allan in need of a hernia op it now leads to Doucoure, Garner or a revitalised Davies.
Same with defence too.
Once we have another option up top we’ll have the best depth I think maybe I’ve ever seen at the club.

 

[maccavennie]

Stay hard to beat, get DCL fit and who knows.

The main thing for me is everyone is pulling in the same direction - management, recruitment, players, staff and fans.....that's a combination that if given time will bring us some success.

 

[IwobisBigToe]

Agree. Keeping DCL fit could be the difference in grabbing a few key points in close games and drawing.

 

[Jamalio Danubio DiCanio]

When you've scored 7 goals but only conceded 7 goals in 8 league games then it really is tightrope football when it comes to results.

Keep the defensive solidity and become slightly more clinical (DCL back) or creative and you turn draws into wins.

Lose that defensive solidity and stay goal shy and draws soon turn into defeats.

Reality is that it'll probably be a mixture of those 2 components over the course of the season. I'm not sure there's enough there to go on a long winning run and push for Top 6-8. Equally there's too much promise in the team effort, shape and desire to think Bottom 6- 8 is remotely possible.

Realistically I think 7th to 14th is highly likely but where in that range will probably depend on whether defensive solidity can remain over majority of 38 games. Not expecting goals to flow freely on a regular basis given set up and personnel.

 

[Verbal Kint]

I think you’re underestimating BHA as they will be in one of those places too and quite possibly higher than us.

No good side Brighton, be they always seem to have a really bad spell every year, I think when the winter kicks in the South American lads don't fancy it as much, Potter leaving should also have an effect.

 

[Verbal Kint]

When you've scored 7 goals but only conceded 7 goals in 8 league games then it really is tightrope football when it comes to results.

Keep the defensive solidity and become slightly more clinical (Dominic Calvert-Lewin back) or creative and you turn draws into wins.

Lose that defensive solidity and stay goal shy and draws soon turn into defeats.

Reality is that it'll probably be a mixture of those 2 components over the course of the season. I'm not sure there's enough there to go on a long winning run and push for Top 6-8. Equally there's too much promise in the team effort, shape and desire to think Bottom 6- 8 is remotely possible.

Realistically I think 7th to 14th is highly likely but where in that range will probably depend on whether defensive solidity can remain over majority of 38 games. Not expecting goals to flow freely on a regular basis given set up and personnel.

I think the season we finished 4th or around a similar time we had a negative goal difference over the season. We won so many games 1-0 with Nigel Martyn and Joey Yobo being unbelievable.

 

[Jamalio Danubio DiCanio]

I think the season we finished 4th or around a similar time we had a negative goal difference over the season. We won so many games 1-0 with Nigel Martyn and Joey Yobo being unbelievable.

It's do-able but the margin for error is really small.

The lack of goals really adds pressure on the defence to perform at a high level week in, week out.

The schedule may make that harder this year since rotation will be needed. More so than in 2004/05.

 

[Steve EFC]

If we were to win on sunday and have a lot of luck with injuries, we could be in the conversation for 6th/7th this season - Would be nice for Goodison to see some more european games

Exactly my point about football fans getting carried away, it won’t do us any favours talking like this.??

 

[st.domingo]

DCL back, keep everyone fit and sign some more attacking talent in Jan and who knows? Would be funny AF if we somehow managed to finish above those lovable neighbours.

 

[Jay]

Not worried one bit about relegation, not expecting anything close to European places, a mid-table finish

 

[davek]

The reality is that we're not that good.

We are a bottom half of the table team.

Its a rubbish situation, but it's true.

 

[polish]

Comfortably staying up should be our main target this season.

 

[bicycleheader]

Comfortably staying up should be our main target this season.

Basically yep. With some clear areas of progress when we look back on the season

I’d say we are on track so far