The Premier League Thread

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Saintmagic said:
Chief writer for the BBC, Phil McNulty, has done his season prediction, has Saints 12th

http://m.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/36962933
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I'm quite glad most have us finishing 10-12 or so - means there's no pressure on the squad. Fans expectations are similar, with most of us saying "top half would be great" and similar. Great atmosphere & no pressure, just the right mix to let them surprise us all again if they are capable.
 
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KillerCephalopod said:
I'm quite glad most have us finishing 10-12 or so - means there's no pressure on the squad. Fans expectations are similar, with most of us saying "top half would be great" and similar. Great atmosphere & no pressure, just the right mix to let them surprise us all again if they are capable.
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Whilst I appreciate what you say about most supporters here suggesting a 10-12th place finish, that will hardly mean there is no pressure on the squad. There'll be plenty of pressure. Virgin will appreciate having their name on a shirt much higher up the league than 12th. The quality of incoming players will not be interested in a club which is happy in mid-table, despite being in a European competition. The current players will not like a 12th place. From within the club I would have thought that 10th place would be an absolute bare minimum. In fact, I expect them to be thinking several places higher. So whilst supporters may not be applying pressure, there will be plenty from within.
 
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Just to add, I would even say it was healthy to have a supporter expectation of a good finish position to the season. Whilst undoubtedly, as Saints grow, they will be taking a bit less notice of home fans [it's inevitable], I think it would drive the club on a bit if fans showed a little more expectant ambition.
 
TheSecondStain said:
Whilst I appreciate what you say about most supporters here suggesting a 10-12th place finish, that will hardly mean there is no pressure on the squad. There'll be plenty of pressure. Virgin will appreciate having their name on a shirt much higher up the league than 12th. The quality of incoming players will not be interested in a club which is happy in mid-table, despite being in a European competition. The current players will not like a 12th place. From within the club I would have thought that 10th place would be an absolute bare minimum. In fact, I expect them to be thinking several places higher. So whilst supporters may not be applying pressure, there will be plenty from within.
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Oh, I totally agree - but self-imposed targets are very different beasts than impatient supports and a media expectation to do well. Unlike some clubs we're not about to start booing if they don't get top 4/6. Indeed, even within the club they'll be aware that Europa football correlates with an average drop of two leage places historically (or it did last season, haven't done the maths this season).
The lack of an external burden of expectation can only be a good thing, by contrast, I expect one or two of the 'big' teams to underperform again and boos to ring around Anfield, Old Trafford or Stanford Bridge for 'only' getting top 6.
 
TheSecondStain said:
Just to add, I would even say it was healthy to have a supporter expectation of a good finish position to the season. Whilst undoubtedly, as Saints grow, they will be taking a bit less notice of home fans [it's inevitable], I think it would drive the club on a bit if fans showed a little more expectant ambition.
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Even if we start to expect more, I quite like the media continuing to think of us as 'little old Southampton' - it means opposition fans continue to underestimate us...
 
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Saintmagic said:
Chief writer for the BBC, Phil McNulty, has done his season prediction, has Saints 12th

http://m.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/36962933
Click to expand...

Not much thought went into that.

It will be interesting to see which club does have the meltdown.
North London, Manchester, Liverpool and Chelsea all have expectations of top 4 and they can't all do it.
Spurs might be the only team to be lenient if they have a decent champions league campaign.

It will be tough, but I hope we can remain top 10
 
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If I was an Everton fan, I wouldn't be happy to be compared poorly with the manager's previous club. Also interesting that Puel feels that we need to up our fitness as well....the team looked as fit as butcher's dogs at the Bilbao game. I'm hoping for some late goals as other teams flag towards the end.
 
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