Your own expectations.

Most of this seems fair.

As for none of our players being experienced at the top of the tree, we have a decnt number of respectable internationals playing with some of the best sides in the world, Cabaye who won the double with Lille last season, Krul is the dutch international keeper etc. I know being an international in itself doesn't underline quality, but with the form they're showing and the calibre of the international sides in question, such as Argentina, France, Itally and the Dutch side people like Jonas, Colo, Krul, Hatem, Santon, Ba etc. are in... I'm pretty sure they aren't going to get dizzy. Injuries will be the key issue for us.

No, I think we have enough High flyers to make that a non-argument. In honesty, if we didn't it still sounds like nonsense to me.

 

Top 10 is the aim but I would love to finish 7th. I can see Sunlun finishing between 10th - 14th. All depends on how things go with MON in the short term. Next season (as I have already said) will be a different kettle of fish. we could both be competing for Europe

 

I'd say 7th should be our target.

 

As I think i also said, of course you could finnish top 4. You have a great platform now but with over half of the season still to go the pressure will mount and with all the factors I mention still to come into play, those players you place much faith in will need to deliver and lets face it Jonas and Colo couldnt handle the pressure the last time it was put on could they? As for Ba (off the the ANC in Jan) how will you replace his goals for almost 8 weeks for instance?


I tip my hat at the season youre having mate and no excuses you deserve to be where you are but I'm merely saying that you wouldnt be the first club/teamt o get off to a flyer only to eat humble pie in May.

After all, we did the exact same thing last season so I know all about it.

 

Jonas and Colo were pants in their first season in the PL, no denying that, but they were getting used to the style of play. They sure took their sweet time, but now they have turned into fantastic players. Colo always looks so calm and composed when playing any game. Pardew is an intelligent man, and he has maintained the fantastic team spirit that Hughton revived when he managed the club. He is keeping the players feet on the ground, and taking it game by game.

We have proven we can still perform without our fully strongest team. We still had to hold off Everton with 3 of our strongest 4 mids off the pitch. We did extremely well vs Man Utd without Tiote, and with a very inexperienced Sammy Ameobi on the pitch.

As for Demba being out for weeks, it's a bit of a worry, but Best is still a great player, and HBA has looked very promising since he came back, but of course we will be looking to sign a new striker in January.

We need a covering CB and also another striker.

We'll just have to wait and see mate. We have a fantastic starting 11 and fantastic work ethic and team spirit, but we lack squad depth.

I was really worried when the injuries started coming up, but what really made me feel good was the fact that we could still perform and even get results without our strongest line up.

 

I apreciate that and did say you made some good points. Just noting that merely being in a decent position will not throw them IMHO - I agree RE the cup of nations and I think, as said previously, that our biggest concern by far will be injuries.

All that taken into account, I think 7th would be a great finish this season and underline good improvement, unless the injuries get ridiclous again.

What date does the ACON start anyway out of interest? Fingers crossed we might get that Maiga who seems desperate for a move here. Looks a good'en that one. May be able to fill the gap while Ba is away.

Can't wait for Sammy to be fully blooded as well, just something about him gets me quite excited! Got told to calm down in the pub when he got that off-side goal from just over half way a few weeks back haha

 

This. Very well said HMT. Although I could see the potential in both and with Colo, the first season was a harsh one to get started with. Seriously, I said it at the time, yes he was making errors, but they seriously overshadowed some of the brilliance he was showing.

Remember Jonas' debut never forget that. Skimmed most of the Man U squad in one mad dash haha. Don't think they were expecting that, should've done their homework. Crying shame he didn't finish it.

 

I would be disappointed if we finished lower than 7th. 7th should be our aim and if we finish higher than that then that would be amazing.

 

I don't get all this nonsense about our players being useless at coping under pressure.

Were they not under pressure from day one this season? We'd lost all of our so-called good players, we had an awful pre-season and we had two incredibly tough opening games at home to Arsenal and away to Sunderland. Add that to the fact that we had new players in starting in integral positions after only a few short months of playing together. I would say Man Utd put them under a fair bit of pressure on Saturday afternoon but they coped remarkably well.

I think people might be getting what they think should be happening confused with what they desperately want to happen.

 

It would be nice to get into the Europa League, more to recruit summer transfer targets than anything else... Whether that's through league position or a good cup run I don't really mind. However I wouldn't be dissapointed with 7th behind City, Man U, Arsenal, Chelsea, Spurs and (begrudgingly) Liverpool as I think all of them have stronger squads than us. But hey top ten wouldn't be the end of the world.

 

Good thread.

The main worry is that Ashley's sitting at home kicking himself for not taking as much cash out of the club as he could've done. We need a few players in January, a left back, another centre back and a striker (not Maiga who hasn't scored for a while by the way). Then maybe we could snatch 6th or maybe 5th. I predicted 16th at the start of the season, so any top half finish would be excellent in my opinion, it would be a shame to spurn such a good start though.

 

This

 

Just winning a few home games would do me and getting the squad in shape to push on for a top 10 finish next season, oh, and winning the FA cup -)

 

He will be away with Mali only Leon and Loverman will be left when Ba, Shola and Maiga (if we sign him) go to the ACON.

 

The difference is at the start of the season there was ZERO pressure and ZERO expectation because of the sales of Nolan, Carol and Enrique. Everyone form the darkside thought survival was the goal but now, after such good start things are very different. There is now quite a bit of expectation and there will be a sense of disappointment should you finish say 10th or 11th.

Its that pressure I refer to now. The whole dynamic of your season has changed and where your players could relax and just enjoy the season, now the manager, players and the fans have a good finish in mind I'm sure. Colo and Jonas were part of a team that totally bottled it 2 years ago and I dont see any big leaders in the team to keep driving it forward if it falters at all.

Of course it may well turn out well and a top 6 or 7 finish achieved. We shall see.

 

Stoney - you dont even know which players you have or are targetting that will be at the ACN in Jan & Feb?

Get a grip lad. Lol

 

I see us finishing 7th/8th and I'd be very happy with that, especially if it came with a decent FA Cup run. Finishing 6th (or higher) would be an incredible achievement.

I can see MON steadying the ship a little, Sunderland finishing lower mid table (11th-14th) then next season being a good tussle between us two, both finishing Top10.

 

20th would do me fine

Typical deluded geordie I am

 

I can see what you mean but I will say even if we did finish 10th, I would be mighty pleased!