Could we see a repeat of the 2011/12 season?

Want to bring this thread back and revise my answer to a tentative....maybe.

Tell you for why; in the season we finished 5th, the main reason we did I believe was founded on several clear reasons;

1) Having an asymmetrical, counter-attacking 4-3-3/4-4-2 formation
2) Having players who could surprise teams and more than one game changer, so when all eyes were on Ba, Cisse scored. When all eyes were on Ba, Cabaye was doing the business, and so on.
3) Other teams having problematic seasons.
4) Well organised and confident defending and an overall confidence within the team itself.

All of these factors have come back this season.

1) Remy has given us the 4-3-3/4-4-2 option. Gouffran and Sammy can also function in this.
2) Ben Arfa is on fire. Cabaye will soon be back. Remy's now catching attention and its only a matter of time before the heat's off Cisse and he starts flying again. We have Sissoko, Santon and even Debuchy. This is an attacking side and we are going to get better.
3) Chelsea don't seem to have a solid first XI. They have about 17 excellent attacking midfielders and Frank Lampard. But on the weekend, they had Luiz at left back and Ramires at right back. They made a HUGE mistake in loaning out Lukaku. Liverpool, despite being top, have looked vulnerable in the last 20 mins of games. Man U look distinctly average aside from VP and Rooney. Spurs have talent, but there's a lack of speed about them. Man City have no DM's. I'm not saying we ARE going to finish above any of these, I'm just saying that the gap isn't perhaps as wide as it looked.
4) Colo's giving it the whole season. Santon's excellent. Debuchy's getting it together. MYM looks the real deal. Dummett and Saylor on the bench. Then the rest of the squad isn't short of confidence either.

Mayhap I've had too much coffee. But we've had nowt to smile about for 16 months, maybe time's a-changing.

 

It's not the coffee, it's what you put in it.

 

Eh? But it's the afternoon, I though everyone did?

 

We won't finish 5th, think you can pencil the top 6 in now. Outside that you never know. Will take anything in the top 10 without a seconds thought right now.

 

Think we'll do better than you expect.

 

Was anyone else bored to fcking tears of the football on offer last night? I even sense that the journalists are finding it harder to really milk the situation. Oh, look - the two Manchester clubs, Chelsea and Arsenal are in the Champions League. Again. And they beat some decidedly average teams. Wow, the excitement's really building now. This will be the best CL ever. Because, erm, Bale's in it this year?

Kind of summed it up when Mourinho went on yet another rambling piece of arrogant self-promotion and said "I've played 108 matches in Champions League. I want to play many, many more". I was thinking - fck me, no wonder I'm just not interested. It's like trying to somehow get excited when the World's richest people get a bit richer, because their companies are that bit more successful this year. OMG, hold the back page - Microsoft have bought Nokia! Awesome, I cannot control myself....

No-one likes it in business, why must we suffer it in football? I hate the fact I have to spunk a fortune on a week's shop at Sainsburys purely and simply to keep the shareholders happy. It's fcking ludicrous. So why do we have a football competition that just makes the rich richer?

 

Have to agree.
I had the Man U game on, sound off and wasn't particularly taking notice.
My interest in the CL is virtually non existent.

All it does is serve to make the richer clubs even more richer and having an English club winning, just puts us furher behind again.But, if you're not part of the 'club' it's probably a natural reaction.

Edit : actually do have some interest, gambling and Dream Team, but that's about it.

 

It's naturally relative, but can UEFA afford for a handful of clubs to continue to monopolise the competition? I just wonder if, or rather when, live football becomes instantly accessible to everyone (i.e. Chesterfield v Port Vale is £1 to view on football.net), what happens? I may be in the minority, but I'd sooner tune into a relegation battle match in League Two than suffer more sycophantic cumgasming over Wayne Rooney.

 

I don't think we'll finish 5th, I just mean we could have a similar season. If we beat Hull I'll be very tempted to start hoping for a top 7/8 finish.

 

If we beat Hull.
You will order extra Tissues Tash.
So may I.

 

If we don't beat Hull some of us might be getting a box of tissues too.

 

It's a bit early in the season, but at this moment in time we're level on points with:

Man C
Man U
Chelsea
Stoke.

All on 7.

 

any money on who we'll be closest to come the end of the season?

 

Aye! That'll be Stoke.

 

We have got off to a decent start but we are only one or two injuries away from a crisis.

If HBA gets lumps kicked out of him every week, sooner or later he's gonna get injured. Who do we replace him with? Obertan?
If Collocini gets injured? Saylor? Williamson?

With all due respect, our back up players are nowhere near the level of our first choice.

 

too painfully clearly true

 

I think you can maybe get away with Saylor. I think Mbiwa's form may be a good kick up the arse. HBA is a problem area. The biggest worry for me is when Cisse and Remy are injured at the same time

 

Guess it's worth remembering how threadbare our squad was even after cisse's jan arrival that season, didn't we have simmo at CB for a game?
When i do remember i realise how lucky we got with that 5th really
I think this year we gotta pin hopes on those younger players being counted for when we need em.

 

Yes we did, lost 4-2 at Norwich.

 

I guess no Tissues were needed after all