This season could be the best thing for us + Expectations & players.

I've lowered my expectations totally for this season.

I'm not a guy that makes knee jerk reactions, and this thread isn't a knee jerk reaction to recent games. I personally believe we can still finish in a good position this year if we start getting results and making progress soon.

However, aslong as we finish 15th or higher this season, I'm not too bothered. I'm still ruling out a relegation dog fight, unless we're still in the same position towards the end of Feb. Our great run towards the end of last season was the difference between 5th and 8th, so all we need to do is regain momentum once we get our best players back. We have a favourable tie in the Europa League, and the games won't be coming as thick and fast as they were before. The amount of games wont be a problem, even if we get to the later stages.

In terms of losing players in the summer -

We could lose 2/3, but we will still have a solid platform to move forward, and I don't think the likes of Benny and Cisse will leave.

Cabaye maybe, but I think injuries keep some players humble, and he owes us another season seeing as he's not always been that consistent, same as Tiote. But regardless, we'd not let Cabaye go for less than a small fortune, and clubs could get the same for less.

The good thing about us getting players like Debuchy still coming in, is that it shows us that players still view us as an attractive club, despite our current league position. It's good to see players realising that this season is just a bit of a nightmare, and we have the potential to be a long term top 7/8 club.

I think the majority of our players still see potential in this club, and are willing to give us another season.

As I've said a few times before, this season could be the best thing for the club. It will wake up Cashley and that ***got Llambias, and make them realise we need to spend some cash. I'm not saying we need to spend 30 million a season, but we cannot just spend pennies and achieve things because it's worked in the past. We need to pay the money sometimes. It will bitch slap the club and wake them up.

It will also keep the fans humble, as it almost seemed towards the start of this season that we were just expecting results, and getting a bit too cocky.

 

30 million a season would be really really nice though.

 

Well said Tash.

 

Liking the positivity and 100 percent agree. It'll also teach the owners you cannot rest on you laurels after having a good season !

 

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Also, while Ashley has relied too heavily in the last window on the tactic of buying for the future, it looks like it may well pay diidends soonish. We need some players for now, but we do have a very promising crop of players who are likely to mkae good. One positive side effect of our current crisis is that they are getting blooded early.

Bigi, Sammy, Fergie, Campbell, Abeid - - these are all players who really shouldn't be getting more than an occasional sniff but they're getting very nearly ready for the big show very quickly. Hopefully we will soon be able to add Streete and perhaps some others to that list

 

I agree to an extent...Having said that, we're looking nailed on to get Debuchy for £5.5m and with reports that Douglas will be made available for a lesser fee, if we have a good transfer window and a good 2nd half to the season then they (Ashley/Lamaface) could potentially see that as a sign they were right!

 

Well if we finish in Europe, they were. If not, they weren't. It will be easy enough for everyone to tell come the end of May

 

And I'm peased your main concern is that we're likely to finish the season too strongly