Not at all mate, I still read your board but just dont comment as I know some of you would prefer me not too.. Been following it all season just as i read the Gunners, Spuds & various others boards. been some good posts on here, and i just wanted to comment on what i thought was a very good OP. Hence i didnt vote I'll vanish back into the background now Nick, I'm sure yopu'll have some witty reply that'l make you look good again Good Luck
Well, we have had a really good run of form, some good performances and some average ones that we have ground out a result in. We have already matched our averages in most areas and have 4 games to go. I think all of them are winable but if we are realistic and say we get the average points per game we have to present it should put us on 48 points - our best to date and probably enough to secure us 10th place. The maximum points I can see Newcastle getting is 6 putting them on 52 points and maybe just a little out of our reach. That shocking away day at their place could come back to haunt us. [TABLE="class: table-stats"] [TR="class: team"] [TD="class: played"]34[/TD] [TD="class: won"]11[/TD] [TD="class: drawn"]10[/TD] [TD="class: lost"]13[/TD] [TD="class: for"]38[/TD] [TD="class: against"]48[/TD] [TD="class: goal-difference"]-10[/TD] [TD="class: points"][/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE]
Thing is Smithers I used to dread some home games and most of the away games, now that we play football I feel we are more capable of getting results, so how can you measure that on a out of 10 tally. With a few changes in key areas I think we can hold our own against most of the prem and get the odd unexpected result to boot.
Thats a brilliant comment mate and you are 100% right - enjoying the game and having a belief that we can get a result against most if not all teams we play is priceless.
So the season has finished and as Ric said Hughes had done an awesome job and whilst is probably not manager of the year is a ver strong candidate. How do the end results look well lets see? League Position: 9th (Best Prem Result) League Wins: 13 (Joint Best with 2010-2011) League Losses: 14 (1 shy of best in 2009-2010) Goals For: 45 (1 shy of our best in 2010-2011 but sig higher than our year on year average) Goals Diff: (-)7 ( 5 shy of our best but again sig better than our average) Home Points: 36 Points (1 point higher than our best and a record to rival the top 6 ) Away Points: 14 Points (shy of our best and sitting on average but considering the difference in our approach......) Total Points: 50 Points (BEST EVER) It seems this season that we have managed to equal or better most stats and credit should to the manager, board, sqaud & supporters. Its been a fantastic achievment, delivered through transition with a closed a cheque book. A very happy Potter!
Amen to that Smithers. For what its worth, I upgraded my score for MH to 9, that equates to our highest league position...only fair innit. I think that we are near the top end of what we can hope to achieve, perhaps 8th or 7th, which is fine with me. The fact that we are NOW regularly beating or at least drawing (away) with the teams in our own little division plus 'aving a go' at the big boys is super. A good cup run here and there!! What's not to like?
We always want more but I think you are right - we have probably achieved the maximum. I think Hughes/Coates will have to invest a significant amount of money to just stand still due to standard of the competition and the lack of depth in our squad. I remember commenting on here when TP was in charge that the average age of our squad was one of the highest in the league and apart from the retirement of Delap I think we have pretty much retained those players several season on. It will be interesting to see what the transfer policy is moving forward, will it be tinkering and negotiating a player here and a player there or will it be a drastic overhaul with 6 or 7 exiting?
