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Realistic target placing next season - current squad?

NickG

By NickG,
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NickG

NickG

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Posted

What is your personal view on a fair target league placing for this current squad next season?

 

As we sit 12th after the start we had, not having Yoshida, Ramirez and Boruc at start of season, rapid development of Clyne, Shaw, Rodriguez, plus players like Cork, Morgan, Puncheon, Ramirez, Lallana still under peak ages...

 

I would look at target of 6-9th with likely finish above 13th.

 

Turkish describes this as 'seriously deluded'. Maybe, but my opinion.

 

What are other's views?

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S-Clarke

S-Clarke

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Let's just calm these threads until we're actually safe. As good as our last 2 performances have been, we're still only 4 points from safety (could be 1 if Wigan win their game in hand, although unlikely)

 

Long way to go until I can feel conformable talking about next seasons chances!

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The Kraken

The Kraken

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Posted

Let's concentrate on staying up this season, shall we?

 

4 points off the relegation zone, we have yet to play some of the relegation threatened teams and some of those teams have a game in hand on us. And our uberfans are predicting we'll finish 6th next season.

 

:facepalm::lol::lol:

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Saint Garrett

Saint Garrett

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Posted
Let's just calm these threads until we're actually safe. As good as our last 2 performances have been, we're still only 4 points from safety (could be 1 if Wigan win their game in hand, although unlikely)

 

Long way to go until I can feel conformable talking about next seasons chances!

 

This.

 

However I'll be disappointed if we don't get in the Champs League ;)

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NickG

NickG

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Let's concentrate on staying up this season, shall we?

 

4 points off the relegation zone, we have yet to play some of the relegation threatened teams and some of those teams have a game in hand on us. And our uberfans are predicting we'll finish 6th next season.

 

:facepalm::lol::lol:

 

Why?

 

If I was a player fair enough. I have never thought we will be relegated, certainly don't now.

 

My prediction was top 12 BTW.

 

Discuss or ignore and let others discuss maybe?

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dubai_phil

dubai_phil

Posted
Posted

IF we stay up

 

THEN we have an EXTRA 30million quid than this year to spend. While everyone else also has the same amount, many other clubs (Sunderland, QPR etc) have shown that they have no idea or continuity in the type of players they want to bring in.

 

A better way to look at next season is to ask what teams actually seem to have some brains in their recruitment policies and so will improve?

 

Swansea, Wigan, Spuds, Mancs spring to mind.

 

For all we know Mayuka may come out of his enforced hibernation/secret growth hormone treatment and become a monster of a player for us next year. Or of course we could be starting the season with one of Richardson or Fox at FB...

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The Kraken

The Kraken

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LOL. Because if us fans lose concentration for one moment we could easily go down.

 

Keep concentrating everyone and we will be fine.

 

I'll re-word it for the hard of thinking, shall I?

 

Perhaps we should see if we can stay up this season, and where we actually finish in the league before giving any credence to finishing in 6th place next season.

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aintforever

aintforever

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I'll re-word it for the hard of thinking, shall I?

 

Perhaps we should see if we can stay up this season, and where we actually finish in the league before giving any credence to finishing in 6th place next season.

 

Or we could just use our brain and assume that a discussion about where we could finish in the Prem next season is based on if we stay up this season.

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The Kraken

The Kraken

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Or we could just use our brain and assume that a discussion about where we could finish in the Prem next season is based on if we stay up this season.

 

Sure. There's obviously no other variables to consider I suppose.

 

12th. Or 7th. Maybe 18th though.

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aintforever

aintforever

Posted
Posted
Sure. There's obviously no other variables to consider I suppose.

 

12th. Or 7th. Maybe 18th though.

 

There you go, well done. still kept your concentration.

 

I would say anywhere from 7th down is achievable, below Liverpool and Everton there's not alot between the sides at all.

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Barry Sanchez

Barry Sanchez

Posted
Posted (edited)

The current top sides will strengthen so we will have to spend an awful lot more than them or do very well in the transfer window, lets just see who we sell as well, thats the real statement of intent, refusing to sell players when big offers come in.

 

And lets just concentrate on this season.

Edited by Barry Sanchez
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ericb

ericb

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Fu.ck me, we are 4pts off the drop zone and the happy clappy brigade start wittering on about top 6.

 

Our club seems infested with utterly deluded mongs.

 

But it's how it works on a computer game so it must be right

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Barry Sanchez

Barry Sanchez

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No reason why we could not repeat what Swansea and West Brom have done this season. Current squad with a years PL experience under their belts + further investment in the summer = exciting future ahead.

 

Still, need to focus on the task at hand of staying up this season.

So mid table then, yes about right.

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itchen_dan

itchen_dan

Posted
Posted

Why could we not be top 6? Look at what Newcastle did last season? Virtually in top 4 for entire season and then fell away due to injuries and suspensions. West Brom this year, had an absolute blinding start, fell away, built it up again and slipping away from top 6 again. Swansea, solid, effective, attractive, cup win under their belts and plodding away in top 8-10 without spending much. Even Everton are up there who don't have a pot to **** in when it comes to transfer windows.

 

There is absolutely NOTHING to say that without some big spending, that we cannot easily challenge the top 6 of the Premier League. Even Villa did it a few years back under Martin O'Neill who isnt exactly the best manager.

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dubai_phil

dubai_phil

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Just like QPR this season?

 

Meh, that budget was purely to try and prove that they did not have a small penis.

 

IF they had used some brains while spending that money then they'd have been dangerous, but nah it all went on Bling.

 

What other club do we know that did that?

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The Kraken

The Kraken

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Posted
But that won't stop the relentless boneheads learning nothing from the season and demanding 10 new signings with top flight experience by June 1st. You know, the sort of players QPR have done so well with.

The only boneheads are those insisting that this happened in the first place.

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KelvinsRightGlove

KelvinsRightGlove

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Posted (edited)
So mid table then, yes about right.

 

In fairness mate, I'd be quite happy if we were upper-mid-table, if that makes sense.

 

Agree safety needs to be secured first. However I have always believed we would stay up, and our last two games have only strengthened that.

 

I think two wins and a draw or two is what we need to stay up. Looking at our remaining fixtures, I think that is realistically achievable. I only really view Spurs away as our only "no-hoper", though I still wouldn't be surprised given City, Liverpool & Chelsea performances.

 

That said, with the right additions, and a bit of luck along the way, why not aim higher? Hey, maybe I'm just a silly pessimist.

Edited by KelvinsRightGlove
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KelvinsRightGlove

KelvinsRightGlove

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The only boneheads are those insisting that this happened in the first place.

 

There were plenty saying they would prefer QPRs approach to transfers. Even some (granted not many) that said Reading were doing better than us when it came to players in.

 

Probably the same saying we should be following Leicesters model the summer previously.

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The Kraken

The Kraken

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Posted
There were plenty saying they would prefer QPRs approach to transfers. Even some (granted not many) that said Reading were doing better than us when it came to players in.

 

Probably the same saying we should be following Leicesters model the summer previously.

 

Not really how I remember it, to be honest.

 

My view, and it was seemingly a common one with other like minded posters, was that we could/should have gone for experienced players as priorities in key positions (ie GK and CB). Not that every single signing should have extensive PL experience, that would be unreasonable and massively expensive. I doubt there was anyone who questioned the logic of the Clyne signing, for instance, despite him having zero top level experience.

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Saints boy in Leeds

Saints boy in Leeds

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Posted
What is your personal view on a fair target league placing for this current squad next season?

 

As we sit 12th after the start we had, not having Yoshida, Ramirez and Boruc at start of season, rapid development of Clyne, Shaw, Rodriguez, plus players like Cork, Morgan, Puncheon, Ramirez, Lallana still under peak ages...

 

I would look at target of 6-9th with likely finish above 13th.

 

Turkish describes this as 'seriously deluded'. Maybe, but my opinion.

 

What are other's views?

 

IMO if we weren't to sing anyone next season (assuming we're still in the PL)

I would of said we of finished around 15th odd.

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Saint Garrett

Saint Garrett

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Posted
Not really how I remember it, to be honest.

 

My view, and it was seemingly a common one with other like minded posters, was that we could/should have gone for experienced players as priorities in key positions (ie GK and CB). Not that every single signing should have extensive PL experience, that would be unreasonable and massively expensive. I doubt there was anyone who questioned the logic of the Clyne signing, for instance, despite him having zero top level experience.

 

 

There was loads of people asking why we were signing players with no prem experience. And quite a lot over the summer our transfers were compared with West Ham's and Readings. Quite a few people were saying that Pog was much better signing than JRod and Guthrie was better than Davis, Collins better than Yoshi....

 

Just because they weren't better the day they signed, some people on here said they were poor signings.

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hypochondriac

hypochondriac

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Posted
There was loads of people asking why we were signing players with no prem experience. And quite a lot over the summer our transfers were compared with West Ham's and Readings. Quite a few people were saying that Pog was much better signing than JRod and Guthrie was better than Davis, Collins better than Yoshi....

 

Just because they weren't better the day they signed, some people on here said they were poor signings.

 

Quite a few said that? Do we have quotes to show that?

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The Kraken

The Kraken

Posted
Posted (edited)
There was loads of people asking why we were signing players with no prem experience. And quite a lot over the summer our transfers were compared with West Ham's and Readings. Quite a few people were saying that Pog was much better signing than JRod and Guthrie was better than Davis, Collins better than Yoshi....

 

Just because they weren't better the day they signed, some people on here said they were poor signings.

 

Again, I think this is revisionist, and a bit of an airbrushing of what was actually being said. I think this because I was one saying a lot of it, and I stand by much of it. We were always going to be signing SOME players with no PL experience. Clyne was a great signing as was perceived as such before he even played; how many people complained that he had no PL experience? Similarly Davis was perceived as a good cheap signing who would be an older head providing some balance to a young team. Gazza seemed a cheap gamble for the future, but when it became clear he was seen as a genuine first teamer it was quickly highlighted as an error in judgement, and why we went out and bought an experienced (albeit completely out of shape) other GK.

 

I was one who compared JRod to Pogrebnyak; not so much as a "look what we missed out on" idea, but highlighting the type of signing I deemed very important for this season, and at a lower cost (wages are high but transfer was free). As it is JRod and Pog has scored the same number of goals this season, Pog having played a few less games, JRod probably having not played CF as much. JRod is likely to give the best value over a 3 or 4 year period; but that wasn't my main priority at the start of the season. Then I thought we needed some genuine cover/competion for RL, and that waithing for JRod to improve was a gamble we needn't have taken THIS YEAR. Next season; fine, I absolutely hope we adopt a strategy of going for a balance of youth backed up by a little experience of top level football. Last season, I didn't think we got the balance right.

 

I also remember commenting on Guthrie; once again not so much as look what we should have got, merely that he was a similar type signing to Davis. I don't actually recall anyone saying we should have got Guthrie instead of Davis. As for Collins; I'd still have had him here, lots of others don't agree with this but as limited as he is I think he would have been a really good signing for this year.

 

You see; that's what all these comments were about (or at least as I remember them being, and certainly what I intended from my side of them). Not that we should only sign experienced PL players. That we should sign some young players from the lower/foreigh leagues, but also prioritise one or two key areas (CB and GK) and fill those positions with the more expensive signing, someone with a bit of previous. And that was only a policy for this year, when it was especially important to stay up and consolidate. If we stay up this year then in future its much less important to get that experience in; we will already have a squad with one year's experience, much less raw than when we started this season.

 

Anyway, that's my take on it, from my side of things. I can't speak for others but I simply cannot recall anyone saying we should have only signed experienced players, simply that we didn;t get the balance right, and that's an assertion I still stand by. If we stay up, then perhaps the "risk" was worth it; I'm just personally not sure the risk was worth it in the first place.

Edited by The Kraken
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hypochondriac

hypochondriac

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Posted
Not really how I remember it, to be honest.

 

My view, and it was seemingly a common one with other like minded posters, was that we could/should have gone for experienced players as priorities in key positions (ie GK and CB). Not that every single signing should have extensive PL experience, that would be unreasonable and massively expensive. I doubt there was anyone who questioned the logic of the Clyne signing, for instance, despite him having zero top level experience.

 

This. I was totally of this view and I still am. Had we followed it earlier then we would have more points than we currently do and would be safe

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Saint Garrett

Saint Garrett

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Posted
Quite a few said that? Do we have quotes to show that?

 

TBF it's just what I remember, rather than quotes. I can't be arsed to go back through finding old threads about it.

 

Fair enough Kraken. I always said that we needed to bring in an experienced head at CB, but finding one with prem experience would have been tough. Personally I think Collins is absolutely dreadful, and would be totally lost playing passing football from the back. He's in there to do a job, no nonsense and boot it long whenever possible. Other than that, the CB's around really just weren't that good or not realistic signings. So not surprised we looked abroad, despite it taking a while to get Yoshi up to speed.

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The Kraken

The Kraken

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TBF it's just what I remember, rather than quotes. I can't be arsed to go back through finding old threads about it.

 

Fair enough Kraken. I always said that we needed to bring in an experienced head at CB, but finding one with prem experience would have been tough. Personally I think Collins is absolutely dreadful, and would be totally lost playing passing football from the back. He's in there to do a job, no nonsense and boot it long whenever possible. Other than that, the CB's around really just weren't that good or not realistic signings. So not surprised we looked abroad, despite it taking a while to get Yoshi up to speed.

 

I think my point was that Astori would have been a decent type of signing. He would have cost us the £12M we spent on Ramirez, but that's how I would have prioritised it, spend big on that area even if it means other areas are compromised. In fact, I still would for this summer. If we stay up I hope we spend a good deal of the budget (£10-£15M) on a CB of decent pedigree; I'd love to get Hangeland, but I don't think the price for what will be a 32 year old will offer too much value.

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The Kraken

The Kraken

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Didn't Hangeland just sign a new contract ?! And Astori was only linked in January, who knows if he was on our radar last summer. We didn't even seem to be linked with any CB's last summer IIRC. All a bit of jumbled memory though...

 

I think our CB strategy itself was jumbled in the summer. Nixon from the Mirror (who was very accurate throughout the window) stated with about a week to go that we didn't really know who our targets were, or something to that effect. Yoshi was very much a late gamble, alebit one that's worked out quite well. As I say, I hope CB is prioritised this summer with the same determination we went for JRod and Ramirez last summer.

 

Edit: and yes, I've just seen that Hangeland signed a contract extension 3 days ago, so I guess that blows that one!! Not that we were ever (or were ever likely to be) interested in him. I just really, really rate him.

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Saint Garrett

Saint Garrett

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I think our CB strategy itself was jumbled in the summer. Nixon from the Mirror (who was very accurate throughout the window) stated with about a week to go that we didn't really know who our targets were, or something to that effect. Yoshi was very much a late gamble, alebit one that's worked out quite well. As I say, I hope CB is prioritised this summer with the same determination we went for JRod and Ramirez last summer.

 

Edit: and yes, I've just seen that Hangeland signed a contract extension 3 days ago, so I guess that blows that one!! Not that we were ever (or were ever likely to be) interested in him.

 

I seem to remember Nixon saying that we were interested in Yoshi and then Simon Peach said it won't happen. Then Nixon tweeted that we were watching quite a few but hadn't made a decision. I still think our no1 CB target was Rhys Williams from Middlesbrough, but then he got injured and left us in no mans land.

 

I certainly thought that Curtis Davies would have been a good shout, but he doesn't seem to have gone anywhere after being linked with a number of clubs.

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