Expectations

[Zatara]

I feel that a lot of posters are being extremely harsh when we are sitting on 6pts and unbeaten after 4 games. If we beat West Ham we will have 9pts from 5 games which would be a very good beginning of the season + we are through to the next round of a cup.

All of this despite Jagielka, Digne, Mina, Keane, Holgate, Zouma, Gana, Schneiderlin, Gomes, Baningime, Richarlison, Bernard, Walcott, Lookman, McCarthy (and no doubt more) either returning from injuries, injured or simply unavailable in some (or all) of the first four games, For a new manager with several new signings it is very difficult to build any momentum.

What I personally expect for this season;

1 -- Fast attacking football playing to win games.

2 -- Players cementing their positions in the team. This would give us a core of 5 or 6 mainstays which we can build on and gives us consistency.

3 -- I am hopeful that Digne, Mina, Richarlison and Bernard perform to a high standard. Having four permanent signings show a high consistent level over a season would breed optimism for any new incoming players.

4 -- Players need to be weeded out. This includes fan favourites underperforming (Coleman as an example) and shouldn't be limited to seniors but also u21 players. This season must be an evaluation of the retained squad members with a target that there are more outgoings in January and next summer. We've seen the first wave of mercilessness from Brands and Silva with a large amount of players culled...there should be a couple more rounds to go.

Good football on the front foot and an assessment of players over the season is what is needed, along with a top 7 finish.

Pickford
??? -- ??? -- Mina -- Digne
???
??? -- Bernard
??? -- ??? -- Richarlison
​

Pickford, Digne and Richarlison look a different class. Mina and Bernard are new signings and come with high expectations.

Based upon my own expectations there seems to be a lack of 'understanding' or an 'unwillingness' to focus on a rebuilding job as opposed to an 'I want it now' attitude from 'some'..

We've seen the quality of permanent signings Digne and Richarlison, imagine if Mina and Bernard are of equal ability?

Personally, I continue to find this season extremely refreshing and am not only excited but optimistic for the future.

 

[hktoffee]

I feel that a lot of posters are being extremely harsh when we are sitting on 6pts and unbeaten after 4 games. If we beat West Ham we will have 9pts from 5 games which would be a very good beginning of the season + we are through to the next round of a cup.

All of this despite Jagielka, Digne, Mina, Keane, Holgate, Zouma, Gana, Schneiderlin, Gomes, Baningime, Richarlison, Bernard, Walcott, Lookman, McCarthy (and no doubt more) either returning from injuries, injured or simply unavailable in some (or all) of the first four games, For a new manager with several new signings it is very difficult to build any momentum.

What I personally expect for this season;

1 -- Fast attacking football playing to win games.

2 -- Players cementing their positions in the team. This would give us a core of 5 or 6 mainstays which we can build on and gives us consistency.

3 -- I am hopeful that Digne, Mina, Richarlison and Bernard perform to a high standard. Having four permanent signings show a high consistent level over a season would breed optimism for any new incoming players.

4 -- Players need to be weeded out. This includes fan favourites underperforming (Coleman as an example) and shouldn't be limited to seniors but also u21 players. This season must be an evaluation of the retained squad members with a target that there are more outgoings in January and next summer. We've seen the first wave of mercilessness from Brands and Silva with a large amount of players culled...there should be a couple more rounds to go.

Good football on the front foot and an assessment of players over the season is what is needed, along with a top 7 finish.

Pickford
??? -- ??? -- Mina -- Digne
???
??? -- Bernard
??? -- ??? -- Richarlison
​

Pickford, Digne and Richarlison look a different class. Mina and Bernard are new signings and come with high expectations.

Based upon my own expectations there seems to be a lack of 'understanding' or an 'unwillingness' to focus on a rebuilding job as opposed to an 'I want it now' attitude from 'some'..

We've seen the quality of permanent signings Digne and Richarlison, imagine if Mina and Bernard are of equal ability?

Personally, I continue to find this season extremely refreshing and am not only excited but optimistic for the future.

7th in the league is the minimum.

 

[Aberblue]

I feel that a lot of posters are being extremely harsh when we are sitting on 6pts and unbeaten after 4 games. If we beat West Ham we will have 9pts from 5 games which would be a very good beginning of the season + we are through to the next round of a cup.

All of this despite Jagielka, Digne, Mina, Keane, Holgate, Zouma, Gana, Schneiderlin, Gomes, Baningime, Richarlison, Bernard, Walcott, Lookman, McCarthy (and no doubt more) either returning from injuries, injured or simply unavailable in some (or all) of the first four games, For a new manager with several new signings it is very difficult to build any momentum.

What I personally expect for this season;

1 -- Fast attacking football playing to win games.

2 -- Players cementing their positions in the team. This would give us a core of 5 or 6 mainstays which we can build on and gives us consistency.

3 -- I am hopeful that Digne, Mina, Richarlison and Bernard perform to a high standard. Having four permanent signings show a high consistent level over a season would breed optimism for any new incoming players.

4 -- Players need to be weeded out. This includes fan favourites underperforming (Coleman as an example) and shouldn't be limited to seniors but also u21 players. This season must be an evaluation of the retained squad members with a target that there are more outgoings in January and next summer. We've seen the first wave of mercilessness from Brands and Silva with a large amount of players culled...there should be a couple more rounds to go.

Good football on the front foot and an assessment of players over the season is what is needed, along with a top 7 finish.

Pickford
??? -- ??? -- Mina -- Digne
???
??? -- Bernard
??? -- ??? -- Richarlison
​

Pickford, Digne and Richarlison look a different class. Mina and Bernard are new signings and come with high expectations.

Based upon my own expectations there seems to be a lack of 'understanding' or an 'unwillingness' to focus on a rebuilding job as opposed to an 'I want it now' attitude from 'some'..

We've seen the quality of permanent signings Digne and Richarlison, imagine if Mina and Bernard are of equal ability?

Personally, I continue to find this season extremely refreshing and am not only excited but optimistic for the future.

If we had the opponents we had at the start of last season we'd be in serious trouble now.

I grant all the points you made, but we shouldn't lower our expectations to the extent that a draw V Huddersfied is regarded as "acceptable"

 

[KaiserEFC]

I don’t think it’s harsh at all. We’re unbeaten. Great. We haven’t played anyone who should be beating us.

It’s been the same old stuff, dropping points against teams that if we really are trying to progress to this mythical top 6 we need to be beating without excuses.

Passing the ball accross the back line for 30 seconds also doesn’t constitute as playing from the back or good football.

 

[indieman1]

A lot riding on the West Ham game now. Win that and things look fine by any reasonable measure. Lose and things will start to look a bit ropey, particularly with Arsenal next up.

 

[summerisle]

Great.

 

[Zatara]

7th in the league is the minimum.

Disagree. Top 7 is the target, the top 6 teams are still way ahead (though with some luck we may catch 1 of them) and so we need to be 'the best of the rest' to finish 7th with a new manager, system, players and a focus on rebuilding the squad.

I'm focusing more on who cements places in the team. If by season end there are 6 high performing players who are as close to 'un-droppable' as possible and we finish 8th it would be a good season as it shows what and where players are needed to improve.

If we had the opponents we had at the start of last season we'd be in serious trouble now.

I grant all the points you made, but we shouldn't lower our expectations to the extent that a draw V Huddersfied is regarded as "acceptable"

New manager
New players
New style and system
Lots of injuries
4 games into the season.

We don't know what would happen if we had last years fixtures. Richarlison may never have been sent off and may have been lethal on the counter against more attack minded teams...who knows?

I would take draws against West Ham and Arsenal rather than a win and a defeat even for a point less. Simply because this is a work in progress.

I don’t think it’s harsh at all. We’re unbeaten. Great. We haven’t played anyone who should be beating us.

It’s been the same old stuff, dropping points against teams that if we really are trying to progress to this mythical top 6 we need to be beating without excuses.

Passing the ball accross the back line for 30 seconds also doesn’t constitute as playing from the back or good football.

Why should we be beating teams? What's the reason we should be beating Huddersfield, Southampton, Wolves and Bournemouth?

Wolves -- had a season where they smashed the championship, have a settled team and manager. We had 10 men.
Huddersfield -- Settled team and manager for a season + we cant counter attack them, timewasting grocks
Bournemouth -- Well drilled mid table side and a manager whose been there long term. We had 10 men.
Southampton -- We beat them.

Games at this level can go either way. It wont happen overnight...lets enjoy the season and see what changes occur.

 

[KaiserEFC]

Disagree. Top 7 is the target, the top 6 teams are still way ahead (though with some luck we may catch 1 of them) and so we need to be 'the best of the rest' to finish 7th with a new manager, system, players and a focus on rebuilding the squad.

I'm focusing more on who cements places in the team. If by season end there are 6 high performing players who are as close to 'un-droppable' as possible and we finish 8th it would be a good season as it shows what and where players are needed to improve.



New manager
New players
New style and system
Lots of injuries
4 games into the season.

We don't know what would happen if we had last years fixtures. Richarlison may never have been sent off and may have been lethal on the counter against more attack minded teams...who knows?

I would take draws against West Ham and Arsenal rather than a win and a defeat even for a point less. Simply because this is a work in progress.



Why should we be beating teams? What's the reason we should be beating Huddersfield, Southampton, Wolves and Bournemouth?

Wolves -- had a season where they smashed the championship, have a settled team and manager. We had 10 men.
Huddersfield -- Settled team and manager for a season + we cant counter attack them, timewasting grocks
Bournemouth -- Well drilled mid table side and a manager whose been there long term. We had 10 men.
Southampton -- We beat them.

Games at this level can go either way. It wont happen overnight...lets enjoy the season and see what changes occur.

Oh my bad with that logic we shouldn’t be beating anyone then.

 

[Carl O'Ancelotti]

We have been going backwards since the summer of 2014 and it ain't gonna be turned around spectacularly in a few short months.

This season is needed for a wholesale changing of the guard and for a new approach to bed in, then we kick on next season.

Patience is a virtue and it is needed right now, not people throwing their toys out of their prams when there are below par performances like today.

 

[Zatara]

We have been going backwards since the summer of 2014 and it ain't gonna be turned around spectacularly in a few short months.

This season is needed for a wholesale changing of the guard and for a new approach to bed in, then we kick on next season.

Patience is a virtue and it is needed right now, not people throwing their toys out of their prams when there are below par performances like today.

Precisely.

In those 'short months', how many players have we expected to be pushing for and cementing first 11 places who have been and/or currently are unavailable?

Honestly cant see how consistency can be expected when there is no consistency on player availability.

 

[coltefc]

I feel that a lot of posters are being extremely harsh when we are sitting on 6pts and unbeaten after 4 games. If we beat West Ham we will have 9pts from 5 games which would be a very good beginning of the season + we are through to the next round of a cup.

All of this despite Jagielka, Digne, Mina, Keane, Holgate, Zouma, Gana, Schneiderlin, Gomes, Baningime, Richarlison, Bernard, Walcott, Lookman, McCarthy (and no doubt more) either returning from injuries, injured or simply unavailable in some (or all) of the first four games, For a new manager with several new signings it is very difficult to build any momentum.

What I personally expect for this season;

1 -- Fast attacking football playing to win games.

2 -- Players cementing their positions in the team. This would give us a core of 5 or 6 mainstays which we can build on and gives us consistency.

3 -- I am hopeful that Digne, Mina, Richarlison and Bernard perform to a high standard. Having four permanent signings show a high consistent level over a season would breed optimism for any new incoming players.

4 -- Players need to be weeded out. This includes fan favourites underperforming (Coleman as an example) and shouldn't be limited to seniors but also u21 players. This season must be an evaluation of the retained squad members with a target that there are more outgoings in January and next summer. We've seen the first wave of mercilessness from Brands and Silva with a large amount of players culled...there should be a couple more rounds to go.

Good football on the front foot and an assessment of players over the season is what is needed, along with a top 7 finish.

Pickford
??? -- ??? -- Mina -- Digne
???
??? -- Bernard
??? -- ??? -- Richarlison
​

Pickford, Digne and Richarlison look a different class. Mina and Bernard are new signings and come with high expectations.

Based upon my own expectations there seems to be a lack of 'understanding' or an 'unwillingness' to focus on a rebuilding job as opposed to an 'I want it now' attitude from 'some'..

We've seen the quality of permanent signings Digne and Richarlison, imagine if Mina and Bernard are of equal ability?

Personally, I continue to find this season extremely refreshing and am not only excited but optimistic for the future.

I agree with a lot of what you say mate, but I always expect the best from us.6pts should have been 10 or maybe 12,but if you take it on last seasons points were a point better off from the same games(if we say Brighton away counts as wolves,newly promoted side)what was obvious today was the lack of strength we have with a few players injured or banned. They made it hard for us with 11 men behind the ball at times and we couldn't break them down which was really frustrating, but the approach by the lads is refreshing to see after last years awful football and it's nice to enjoy going the game again.I think we have a good side when all fit but would have liked us to sign another forward and cant wait until Mina,Bernard and Gomes are fit,overall i reckon well

 

[ilikecheese]

I am viewing the West Ham game as a 'must win', it really shouldn't be, but because we thrown away points it now is in my eyes.

 

[Goat]

Black Saturday 2!!

 

[wba83]

I feel that a lot of posters are being extremely harsh when we are sitting on 6pts and unbeaten after 4 games. If we beat West Ham we will have 9pts from 5 games which would be a very good beginning of the season + we are through to the next round of a cup.

All of this despite Jagielka, Digne, Mina, Keane, Holgate, Zouma, Gana, Schneiderlin, Gomes, Baningime, Richarlison, Bernard, Walcott, Lookman, McCarthy (and no doubt more) either returning from injuries, injured or simply unavailable in some (or all) of the first four games, For a new manager with several new signings it is very difficult to build any momentum.

What I personally expect for this season;

1 -- Fast attacking football playing to win games.

2 -- Players cementing their positions in the team. This would give us a core of 5 or 6 mainstays which we can build on and gives us consistency.

3 -- I am hopeful that Digne, Mina, Richarlison and Bernard perform to a high standard. Having four permanent signings show a high consistent level over a season would breed optimism for any new incoming players.

4 -- Players need to be weeded out. This includes fan favourites underperforming (Coleman as an example) and shouldn't be limited to seniors but also u21 players. This season must be an evaluation of the retained squad members with a target that there are more outgoings in January and next summer. We've seen the first wave of mercilessness from Brands and Silva with a large amount of players culled...there should be a couple more rounds to go.

Good football on the front foot and an assessment of players over the season is what is needed, along with a top 7 finish.

Pickford
??? -- ??? -- Mina -- Digne
???
??? -- Bernard
??? -- ??? -- Richarlison
​

Pickford, Digne and Richarlison look a different class. Mina and Bernard are new signings and come with high expectations.

Based upon my own expectations there seems to be a lack of 'understanding' or an 'unwillingness' to focus on a rebuilding job as opposed to an 'I want it now' attitude from 'some'..

We've seen the quality of permanent signings Digne and Richarlison, imagine if Mina and Bernard are of equal ability?

Personally, I continue to find this season extremely refreshing and am not only excited but optimistic for the future.

Good positive realistic post .silva needs time to get his ideas and plans to work .only downside for me in opening games is how we set up on set pieces needs sorting quickly but like zat says a lot of positives .This season is going to have some good games for us

 

[Slippin Jimmy]

Why should we be beating teams? What's the reason we should be beating Huddersfield, Southampton, Wolves and Bournemouth.[/QUOTE]
Coz if we can't I'm taking the 5 bottles of Vodka and 25 packets of sleeping tablets way out, think that would be the most painless.