I would love top half, but wouldn't regard 11th as disappointing. I would like us to be conistent, so that we never sink anywhere near the bottom next season (not even for one day).
Disappointing was probably the wrong word... Obviously anything above 17th will keep me happy. Like you just said, we hopefully won't flirt with relegation next season! I should have phrased it: " I believe our team is good enough to finish in the top half and this should be our aim."
I think we can safely say that Man U, Man C, Chelski, Arsenal (if they spend their millions), Spurs and Liverpool will take up the top six places so the rest of us will be scrapping for seventh at best Therefore I would suggest that Saints coming in seventh will be like us winning the league of second string prem teams and I would be delighted with that finish and consider it a major triumph
Some of the players have mentioned top 10 as the target. That's a realistic ambition. West Brom & Newcastle have shown what a good start can do to a season. The difference for us with Cortese at the Helm is that if we are in a competitive position come January, we will strengthen again.
I feel 7th or 8th is realistic based on the following ... Last season we had a terrible start to the campaign. Don't expect a repeat given our preparation, confidence levels and opening games. Under Pochettino we have improved a great deal. The OPTA article just the other day echoed that. Although we didn't convert our superiority in the 16 games under MP ( something that can be achieved with the new signings, I feel ), I am encouraged by the wins against Liverpool, Chelsea and Man City; the way we dominated at Old Trafford in the second half against United; Pochettino's first match against Everton and the draw against Arsenal. West Brom ( finished 8th ) topped us by 9 points and I simply cannot see that margin not being bridged next season considering all factors. Last season alone ( even given the really poor start ) we were quite possibly just a tweak away in quite a few games from a much improved points haul. Without doubt, we are going to be much stronger this season. The question is, are the teams that finished above us going to be stronger too? As for the so called big four, or six, I don't think any of them were particularly strong last season, and perhaps their performance in the Champions League was a measure of their quality. I recall ... Hansen ... "Southampton were sensational today" Lawrenson ... "Southampton are a very well drilled team" Neville ... "Southampton are my dark horses for next season" Ferguson ... "That's the best team to play at Old Trafford this season" In England we have a tendency to shy away from being confident, often confusing it with being arrogant or cocky. There is nothing wrong with being confident or optimistic if it's founded on something concrete. And from a Sports Psychologists point of view ( and to quote Henry Ford ) ... "If you think you can, or you think you can't - you're right" If you can't win in your mind before a ball is kicked, you've little or no chance when the game actually starts. So I say, search for all the evidence you need to satisfy your belief, and believe! I see the players / team evolving under Cortese and Pochettino - raising their games, and expectations. If they're binning previously held limitations, then so should we?
Personally I'd be happy with 17th and above, but I have to say this thread has made me feel a lot better about our fans. A while ago I had a rant about how silly it was that MP and Boruc had claimed Champions League footie was doable by 2015. I kind of got the impression that a lot of fans felt the same way, and that this would fuel the whole 'arrogant Saints' ammunition we have had fired at us the past 3 years. But 8-11th is realistic, like I said I would just be happy with 17th, but mid-table is not insane for me, and I'm glad the rest of you aren't looking for at least Europa league. Personally I dream of the FA cup, and seeing Wigan get it last season has rekindled that dream, so I'm really looking forward to a possible cup run next season, but mid-table would be just perfect, nice and cosy with a few stress free weeks before the end of the season... and perhaps a nice cold beer to top it all off.
1st-4th: not happening. 5th-6th: only if absolutely everything goes right for us...and goes wrong for one or two of the big six, and Everton/the other upstarts don't make good. One for the ages, both in result and the luck likely necessary. 7th-9th: realistic possibility, and a dream season. 10th-12th: probably our most likely landing spot; things went fairly well, but we didn't quite hit our marks. 13th-14th: slightly underwhelming given the money committed, but not the worst result. 15th-17th: serious mistakes would appear to have been made, but at least we're still in the Prem, right? 18th-20th: oopsie.
Rogers is building a seriously good team, esp with the forwards. I would say they will be top 3 scorers next season- defence is a different matter though
The really interesting team will be Everton, new manager (unproven), likely to lose there top players and replacements likely to be ex Wigsn or unknown foreigners. If Moyes had still been there we may have had a problem beating them but now we have a chance
Fran, true but Martinez is still unproven at a club with a positive ambition with bigger ego players. Time will tell but see Everton as the top of the second string of prem teams that we have to beat in order to achieve success this season
MP said the target set for him was European football, but suspect that is Europa rather than Champions League. He joked about it when it was put to him, so I don't think he believes CL in a few years. Boruc was probably quoting the plan as outlined to a player you are trying to entice to sign, so would take that with a pinch of salt. I see a Cup as our best chance of Europa football in the near future, so hope we take them seriously.
I get bored agreeing with you, Fran but ... Yes I really want to see us having a go at one of the Cups. The big boys take neither competition seriously until they can start to sniff the final, so if we get Chelsea or the like in the 3rd round of the FA Cup next year, let's put out a team to beat them. The League Cup might provide a route for us and we should give this a go too. Of course I want us to avoid relegation flirtations next season, but finishing 14th with a Cup would make me a happier bunny than finishing 8th with bugger all else.
Hmmm not sure I'm with you there Channon - despite the fun of winning a cup, I'd be disappointed with 14th as it would indicate that, over the course of a season, we'd not made progress. I'd prefer 8th and no cup.
I thought Laudrup said breaking into the top six was impossible without major investment, not that it was impossible full stop. This guy has twisted the quote as Laudrup was saying that Swansea will probably not break the top six as they don't have the investment. Us however...
We've spent about the same as Swansea so far this window, so our investment certainly isn't a long way ahead.
I think this is better considered at the end of the window. I don't think Swansea will spend a lot more unless someone leaves whereas it looks as if we're going to spend at least another £20m, which would mean we'd spent almost double them.
We're around 6/4 on Betfair for a top 10 finish. And I was staggered to note we're only around 8/1 for a top six spot, putting us ahead of West Brom, Swansea and West Ham. Not tempted by either of those prices, but it shows our aspirations have not gone unnoticed in the betting market.
