New Season

Now we have actually made some signings this summer, what is everyone's thoughts of where we will finish. I still think we have to get a centre half before Man City game. If we can get another forward fine, but think the lads we have will be ok.
I think we will be 7th- 9th. Still have no faith in Pardew. I know his supporters will say he took us to 5th, but absolutely everything went his way that season. I have City, Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal, Man U still well above us, so we have Spurs, Everton to overtake for top 6. Can't see it so i say 7th best. As usual hope i am wrong. Would like us to TRY and win a cup at least. We have a squad that should get to the later stages.

 

10 to 17th


We still require 3 players of top class to improve

we've spent nowt


We also need pardew to have a visit somewhat like John Travolta in phenomenon.

 

8 - 11.

I am not confident of any more first team business. As we stand we are a long way from the worst team in the league but a fair way off 6th as well.

 

If we start as we are I will be disappointed if Pardew cannot not get us safely somewhere between 9th-12th (10th would be my expectation based on the squad strength)

If we can add a quality centre back, playmaker and striker then I think we could look up towards 8th, maybe even 7th depending on the quality of those players.

I have to say I think our handicap is left back and centre half. We are extremely poor in both areas for me. Not in terms of numbers but certainly in terms of quality. I don't rate Santon, Haidara or Dummett. I also don't rate Mbiwa or Saylor. I think Willo is decent but not starting xi centre back quality.

I think Krul is decent but overrated by many. His distribution is terrible. Our back up is poor in Elliot.

 

Its irritating I think if we signed Grenier and lacazette we'd have and chance of 5th to tenth


It's just like player osmosis


One day the water coming I will contain ebola and we won't have invested in the medicines required to contain It.

 

About 10th. Happy with most of the players we've signed, but we're still crying out for a top class centre half and striker. We're not investing and not moving forward. About £25m would sort it out but fcb won't spend that much. We could be challenging fore a UEFA place.

 

As has been said by most, we are three players short (proven goal scorer, ball playing midfielder & commanding CB) of having a squad good enough to push the likes of Everton & Tottenham. Even if they did arrive (highly unlikely), the whole team wouldn't have had enough time to settle in and gel enough for the start of the season.

Those three signings would mean we have had an unbeliveably good window, which would give genuine optimism for the new season. It obviously would remain to be seen if they could be managed into a cohesive unit by Pardew - he being the only remaining anomaly. If a concerted shot at the top eight couldn't be made with the above additions, then he could have no excuses for being shown the door.

If we don't get the required three signings, then it has been a quite positive window, but one that leaves us with a top ten objective the only realistic target, again.

 

Very true. All about maintaining the status quo. You could argue we have a bigger squad now, but I think we have a lot of deadwood and have lost our star quality. The shame is that we haven't moved on Obertan, HBA, Jonas, Ferguson, Mbiwa and/or Saylor, Santon, Dummett, Sammy, Vuckic to make room for a few signings. It wouldn't have brought some finance in, but would have offloaded wages etc. You could get rid of 9-10 and bring in 3-4 priorities. I suppose from our owners point of view, why gamble on getting to 5th-6th with no guarantee and the possibility of being lumbered with the Europa, when we can sit happily entrenched in mid table turning a profit.

 

Now is the time for Ashley to actually invest and push us on

I've got a feeling we will sign a striker and a cb but no playmaker , however I'm pretty sure we will have to sell someone.

me thinks Santon and Tiote


If we do keep them get Grenier and a striker ill boil my balls in a saucepan

 

IU'd happily wave goodbye to Santon for a Grenier and a CB. Would be less happy losing Tiote but would probably accept the loss if that was what was required

 

Well I'm actually happy with Santon because people seem to overlook his age it's too easy to say Haidara is any better in my opinion.

also if he's good enough for Milan he's too good for us in all honesty.

We have two players in that position to sell one means one injury and we're all over the place at the back if we aren't already.


Santon gets forward and sometimes loses the ball bug he does keep the ball on the floor and look to pass or dribble . He's also very good at heading to defenders feet in difficult situations

He can be a brilliant lb in years to come.

 

Indeed from a fans point of view. Say you forget selling Santon and hope he improves with beter players around him and age. Sell the rest I mentioned and buy Shawcross, Richards, Grenier and Lacazette.

Your team is then:

Krul

Janmaat
Santon
Shawcross
Colo

Tiote
Grenier

Sissoko
SDJ
Cabella

Lacazette

Your reserve team is:

Elliot

Raylor
Richards
Willo
Haidara

Anita
Colback

Gouffran
Abeid
Aarons

Riviere

Additonals: Ferrarya, Cisse, Satka, Bigi, Good, Streete, Armstrong, Campbell, Kemen, Woodman, Alnwick, Perez

All of a sudden you go from thinking 10th is a possibility to we could possibly challenge for 7th-8th, maybe even 5th or 6th if everything clicked or one or two had a bad season.

Of course we do have Pards to contend with but he has shown himself capable before when given a squad.

 

All of a sudden your thinking yeah we can do really well

Then like I say if pardew is visiting by aliens and given basic football managerial abilities we would get them stringing a few passes together and have smiles on their faces.


We'd have proper options with formation s also

 

8th.

If we got Grenier and a striker then I would honestly say 6th or 7th.

 

Come on 5th to 8th

 

On paper, Stoke and Southampton should not be finishing above us. Everton have question marks over the depth of their squad, perhaps more so than us. 7th is achievable, but that said it's unlikely. A lot of signings always takes time. To be honest, 10th is not a bad finish. It's as low as we should go, but I am almost solely interested in the MANNER by which we achieve it. The capitulations and awful runs/tactics last season have to disappear and there has to be effort as a bare minimum. I cannot abide having to sit through more spineless, pointless matches. At this moment in time, that's all I'm really interested in, seeing the team have a go. And if we go behind, still having a go, not collapsing. The manager's under the spotlight from the first whistle.

 

Man U
Man City
Chelsea
Arsenal
Liverpool
Spurs
Everton

That is the top 7 and nobody is even close to catching them. On last nights showing you are more than a couple of signings away from breaking into the top 7. I just couldn't see what your system or tactics was and I think your defence could be your downfall this season. I was impressed with that lad Aaron's who came on, very direct and pace to burn, I think you have a real talent on your hands with him.

You could well finish 8th with a decent season but so could most of the lower half clubs. You need a manager who can give you an identity and who knows how to take a club forward. Pardew looks like he hasn't got a clue about what style of play or tactics he's trying to implement. I just don't ever see you's going any further forward with him. Not a WUM, just an honest assessment.

 

I agree

We could push for 5th 6th if we signed 3 top players but that's not going to happen and if we did it's still easier said than done.

My assessment has nowt to do with last night's game however we been around the world in 4 days

 

Friendlies mean nowt to me mate. I was judging Pardew from what I've seen over the last couple of years.

There was a small minority singing for Ben Arfa last night, why? I thought you guys were against him now.

 

I've got nothing against Santon. I'd just be more pleased with the arrival of Grenier and a CB than I would be saddened by the loss of Santon.