| Expectation thread 10:13 - Aug 15 with 6429 views | Bluefish |
Please can you post your expectation for the season and how long you give as gelling time
Top 2
Needs to be winning football by mid Sept [Post edited 15 Aug 2021 10:29]
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| Expectation thread on 12:03 - Aug 15 with 1598 views | MerseyBlue |
| Expectation thread on 11:38 - Aug 15 by jayessess |
The Championship and the Premier League are a different kettle of fish though, aren't they? Derby and Man U can spend a fortune and still find themselves battling other clubs that have spent similar or more.
In League One, it pretty much does work like that most of the time. Some big clubs get stuck down here for a while because they're overloaded with expensive contracts for the bad players who got them relegated. Some get stuck down here because relegation wrecks their financial stability. But I can't think of too many big clubs that spent big in this league but were still unsuccessful. |
Well the sums of money involved are obviously different, but the principle is pretty much the same. We're being made out to have spent a fortune, but we also binned off the vast majority of the squad. Other teams have spent big or already have big wage budgets so we're still competing with them in much the same way.
I seem to remember that Forest, Leeds and Sheffield Utd were spending reasonably big money but spent around 3 seasons down here, Sunderland have spent big for their whole time down here and have players like McGeady who have been on very high wages for the duration. Money helps but we've seen plenty of clubs like Yeovil, Scunthorpe, Southend, Wycombe, Bournemouth and Burton go up from this league without having spent big.
We're definitely at an advantage but we have so much damage to claw back, so my expectations are cautiously optimistic for this year. [Post edited 15 Aug 2021 12:05]
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| Expectation thread on 12:12 - Aug 15 with 1582 views | HARRY10 |
The expectation at the end of last season has certainly not been matched by events so far. The talk of having money to spend did not mention 5 freebies, nor it being not too much above what we have taken in.
However, what we do spend has to be paid back, and there is little scope for that in the Championship, as we would need to upgrade the squad to avoid the all too familiar pattern of clubs coming up from LI and then dropping straight back down again.
I've always felt it's going to take far longer than some imagined getting the club back on its feet again. Too many have deluded themselves that 'we have the strongest squad in the league' or that the academy is some hotbed of emerging talent. Both have shown to be untrue - in no little fault due to the total mismanagement by Evans. Again, something many were so long in denial about.
What we don't need at this stage is petulance from the same deluded types throwing their toys out of the pram because we have not achieved some miraculous overnight transformation.
From the state of the stadium to the state of the pitch, the squad and the academy, we were (and are in some parts) in a shocking mess. Signing players of a LI standard will not change that. Some will work and some will fail - and some will have to be sold to pay our way.
As much as it grieves me to say we should take a leaf out of the scums book. Apparently not fazed by lack of PL stability, but slowly progressing without ending up like a Wigan, Sunderland Bolton etc
I have no real expectation. Mine is a hope that we can continue the long overdue rebuilding out of our club to something we can be proud of.
Success will follow. |  | | |
| Champions League Final. (n/t) on 12:30 - Aug 15 with 1569 views | Bloots |
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| "The sooner he comes back the better, this place has been a disaster without him" - TWTD User (July 2025) |
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| Expectation thread on 12:33 - Aug 15 with 1562 views | WD19 |
Play Offs. The fact the division is more competitive than In the past will help us make up lost ground as more teams will be taking points off each other.
I think we will then make the final, which becomes a toss of the coin. |  | | |
| Expectation thread on 12:40 - Aug 15 with 1550 views | jayessess |
| Expectation thread on 12:03 - Aug 15 by MerseyBlue |
Well the sums of money involved are obviously different, but the principle is pretty much the same. We're being made out to have spent a fortune, but we also binned off the vast majority of the squad. Other teams have spent big or already have big wage budgets so we're still competing with them in much the same way.
I seem to remember that Forest, Leeds and Sheffield Utd were spending reasonably big money but spent around 3 seasons down here, Sunderland have spent big for their whole time down here and have players like McGeady who have been on very high wages for the duration. Money helps but we've seen plenty of clubs like Yeovil, Scunthorpe, Southend, Wycombe, Bournemouth and Burton go up from this league without having spent big.
We're definitely at an advantage but we have so much damage to claw back, so my expectations are cautiously optimistic for this year. [Post edited 15 Aug 2021 12:05]
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I think there's a distinction here between continuing to spend big money on the same players you were relegated with and spending new money on crafting a new purpose-built squad. The former definitely can be a bit of a quagmire and Forest, Leeds, Sheffield United and Sunderland all illustrate that. The latter? I don't think it is, generally. |  |
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| Champions League Final. (n/t) on 12:43 - Aug 15 with 1547 views | pointofblue |
| Champions League Final. (n/t) on 12:30 - Aug 15 by Bloots |
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Just the final? Not winning it?
Happy with mediocrity... | |
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| Expectation thread on 12:48 - Aug 15 with 1540 views | TractorWood |
Appreciate we have no God given right for anything but I'd say I expect top 6. Top 2 would excellent but not truly expected. |  |
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| Expectation thread on 12:58 - Aug 15 with 1526 views | MerseyBlue |
| Expectation thread on 12:40 - Aug 15 by jayessess |
I think there's a distinction here between continuing to spend big money on the same players you were relegated with and spending new money on crafting a new purpose-built squad. The former definitely can be a bit of a quagmire and Forest, Leeds, Sheffield United and Sunderland all illustrate that. The latter? I don't think it is, generally. |
Yeah that's probably true, and if we're not looking competitive for the title I don't think it will take long for the owners to act. I don't think it will come to that but we need to keep pace with the top of the table. It will be interesting to see if we see a rise or fall in teams taking points off one another at the top of the league. We were dreadful last season but were actually very close to 6th on points, you'd have to expect us to get a lot more points than last season, so even if we're not spectacular, you could see us getting top 4 relatively comfortably. | |
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| Expectation thread on 13:06 - Aug 15 with 1520 views | Ryorry |
I don't "expect" anything, have lived far too long for that!
What I'd *like* is steady progress - albeit that might come in the form of '2 steps forward, 1 step back'. This includes in one fundamental behind the scenes way - our fitness coaching & our sports science dept. Players not fading quickly in games, fewer recurring injuries, players not being on our treatment tables for years then suddenly rising like Lazarus to be regular starters at new clubs if they're transferred ... |  |
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| Expectation thread on 13:11 - Aug 15 with 1513 views | BLUEGOLD |
Top 6
Improvement by October
Settled team and winning regularly by Christmas | | | |
| Expectation thread on 13:48 - Aug 15 with 1478 views | Bluesky |
Two seasons to secure promotion. We won't take as long as Brentford to get back in the premier league. Be patient. |  | | |
| Expectation thread on 15:36 - Aug 15 with 1435 views | thegloryyears |
How do people think top 2 when there are sides like Wycombe and Rotherham who have just come down and are better than us (Rotherham streets ahead) and Sunderland/Pompey.....
somewhere around 5-8th....
Hopefully 5th. | | | |
| Expectation thread on 15:39 - Aug 15 with 1432 views | BudapestByBlimp |
Top 4 - start to play better by late October and put a good run together after Christmas. |  | | |
| Expectation thread on 15:39 - Aug 15 with 1431 views | DropCliffsNotBombs |
Top 6, ideally challenging the automatics. Would also like to leave PR at 5pm having tore into teams more than the odd occasion. [Post edited 15 Aug 2021 15:54]
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| Expectation thread on 15:56 - Aug 15 with 1416 views | solomon |
Top 6 |  | | |
| Expectation thread on 16:00 - Aug 15 with 1407 views | Herbivore |
Expectations are top 4 and genuinely challenging for automatic promotion. Need to go up via the play offs if we miss out.
I would expect us to get a first win by this time next week, slightly patchy form until mid to late September without falling too far behind, then looking like a promotion candidate from there on. |  |
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| Expectation thread on 16:05 - Aug 15 with 1394 views | MattinLondon |
Top two.
By the early October I’d expect the team to be winning constantly. |  | | |
| Expectation thread on 16:08 - Aug 15 with 1382 views | chrismakin |
| Expectation thread on 16:05 - Aug 15 by MattinLondon |
Top two.
By the early October I’d expect the team to be winning constantly. |
Based on what you've heard, or what you've seen on I follow? |  |
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| Expectation thread on 16:10 - Aug 15 with 1382 views | Kropotkin123 |
Top 6 by Christmas, top 2 by End of Season.
Start looking better defensively when Edmundson and Burgess play together. If we are still conceding soft goals in 10 games, then I'll be concerned.
We've had a tough three years. I hope the fans can be patient and get behind the team. |  |
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| Expectation thread on 16:40 - Aug 15 with 1361 views | Churchman |
Top six as a minimum.
I expect the team to struggle for the first part of the season but to evolve and start winning consistently by November. And I mean winning - i.e. not pinching a goal and hoping we can hang on. I want to see us have enough to get by the better sides and outplaying the rest.
This is ambitious because the club itself needs so much work in other areas, thanks to Evans, and is as much a priority as the team.
Edit: target top two, play offs as a minimum [Post edited 15 Aug 2021 23:54]
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| Expectation thread on 16:48 - Aug 15 with 1350 views | Herbivore |
| Expectation thread on 16:40 - Aug 15 by Churchman |
Top six as a minimum.
I expect the team to struggle for the first part of the season but to evolve and start winning consistently by November. And I mean winning - i.e. not pinching a goal and hoping we can hang on. I want to see us have enough to get by the better sides and outplaying the rest.
This is ambitious because the club itself needs so much work in other areas, thanks to Evans, and is as much a priority as the team.
Edit: target top two, play offs as a minimum [Post edited 15 Aug 2021 23:54]
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Not sure I'd describe 2-3 months of struggle and a top 6 finish as ambitious, mate. | |
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| Expectation thread on 17:48 - Aug 15 with 1329 views | MattinLondon |
| Expectation thread on 16:08 - Aug 15 by chrismakin |
Based on what you've heard, or what you've seen on I follow? |
Certainly not on what you’ve posted. | | | |
| Expectation thread on 18:28 - Aug 15 with 1310 views | Stadiumofdark |
Needs to be promotion this year, with that squad.
Start slowly, new manager bounce in Oct, scape second on the last day. |  | | |
| Expectation thread on 19:43 - Aug 15 with 1281 views | Durovigutum |
| Expectation thread on 15:36 - Aug 15 by thegloryyears |
How do people think top 2 when there are sides like Wycombe and Rotherham who have just come down and are better than us (Rotherham streets ahead) and Sunderland/Pompey.....
somewhere around 5-8th....
Hopefully 5th. |
Agreed. The bookies odds on Rotherham and Wycombe compared to us, Sunderland and Sheffield Wednesday were very strange. Wycombe were five minutes from staying up! |  | | |
| Expectation thread on 21:20 - Aug 15 with 1248 views | istanblue |
Minimum Expectation: Top 6, attacking football, not being outplayed by anyone in this division
Need to start hitting top gear by the beginning of October. |  | | |
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