Glasgow_Saint Posted 30 December, 2013 Share Posted 30 December, 2013 and amazingly not massively damaged in terms of position Eh? One month ago we were 3rd and one win away from going top. We are now 9th and 6 points adrift of 8th place. We couldnt have fallen more or quicker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
70's Mike Posted 30 December, 2013 Share Posted 30 December, 2013 Eh? One month ago we were 3rd and one win away from going top. We are now 9th and 6 points adrift of 8th place. We couldnt have fallen more or quicker rather look at it as a re alignment, bit like the stock exchange Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Window Cleaner Posted 30 December, 2013 Share Posted 30 December, 2013 That view ignores who we have been playing in the last 8 games. We had a very easy start but we then have faced 3 of the top four away in the last 8 games plus City at home. Other than the result against Villa and the performance v Spuds I am not too surprised or disappointed with how we have got on without consideration of the injury list. I was more worried by the results in early games against Sunderland/Norwich/West Ham than by our current run of form. 9th at the half way point is an improvement on last year - we have an easier run of games in the next 8 games and I fully expect results to improve as a result. This view is however so easily negated by looking at a our home results against Villa and a very depleted Spurs side, we should not have lost those games but we did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S-Clarke Posted 30 December, 2013 Share Posted 30 December, 2013 Eh? One month ago we were 3rd and one win away from going top. We are now 9th and 6 points adrift of 8th place. We couldnt have fallen more or quicker Realistic position. We were never a top 3 side. Where we are now is par the course of this side, so thankfully the spell we had has allowed us to retain our true position whilst giving us the opportunity to still have aims in the 2nd half. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tpbury Posted 30 December, 2013 Share Posted 30 December, 2013 I think we are in a realistic position. Much as I enjoyed us beating Liverpool, they didn't have Dawg Suarez, and he's been their absolute key player. Other than that, we've had a couple of unexpectdly good results and some unexpectedly bad. I am quite relieved that the Saints love in has been quietly brushed under the carpet, but do think we can get higher than we are now if we have a full first team against our immediate competition (WBA, Stoke, Hull etc). So, 7th? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Window Cleaner Posted 30 December, 2013 Share Posted 30 December, 2013 Realistic position. We were never a top 3 side. Where we are now is par the course of this side, so thankfully the spell we had has allowed us to retain our true position whilst giving us the opportunity to still have aims in the 2nd half. Indeed but the real and only question is where does Nicola see us finishing. I don't think 9th or 10th is going to be really acceptable to him for a 60 million £ side so we need to do better and that despite injuries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Window Cleaner Posted 30 December, 2013 Share Posted 30 December, 2013 I think we are in a realistic position. Much as I enjoyed us beating Liverpool, they didn't have Dawg Suarez, and he's been their absolute key player. Other than that, we've had a couple of unexpectdly good results and some unexpectedly bad. I am quite relieved that the Saints love in has been quietly brushed under the carpet, but do think we can get higher than we are now if we have a full first team against our immediate competition (WBA, Stoke, Hull etc). So, 7th? 7th means getting above probably Newcastle and Spurs, it's probably one place above where we should be but nothing of our current form tells me that it's a realistic possibility. Newcastle have obviously done far better than expected of them though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tpbury Posted 30 December, 2013 Share Posted 30 December, 2013 7th means getting above probably Newcastle and Spurs, it's probably one place above where we should be but nothing of our current form tells me that it's a realistic possibility. Newcastle have obviously done far better than expected of them though. Well, if our current form continues into the 'easier' fixtures after Chelsea, then I'd agree, however if we get some wins against the 'minnows', I'm sure we'll gain points on them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S-Clarke Posted 30 December, 2013 Share Posted 30 December, 2013 Personally, I think we'll finish the season smack bang where we are right now. I think we'll be at the bottom of the ''Europe'' mini league, if you know what I mean. Great progression, and then next season we can try to work ourselves up that mini-league! Bit of an ask to overhaul the likes of Everton, Spurs and Newcastle this year though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barry Sanchez Posted 30 December, 2013 Share Posted 30 December, 2013 Score a tad high but we are doing ok, a glass ceiling is 8/9 th and that will be it, Ramirez the flop is right as is how good Lovren has been. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barry Sanchez Posted 30 December, 2013 Share Posted 30 December, 2013 Indeed but the real and only question is where does Nicola see us finishing. I don't think 9th or 10th is going to be really acceptable to him for a 60 million £ side so we need to do better and that despite injuries. Look how much others have invested over years? Cortese is naive if he believes he can not only buy players for a small fortune like Ramirez and Osvaldo but also for them to get us into Europe, a drop in the ocean compared to others, they will also continue to spend year after year to further their aims, bar Everton of course but they have more pull than we do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Window Cleaner Posted 30 December, 2013 Share Posted 30 December, 2013 Personally, I think we'll finish the season smack bang where we are right now. I think we'll be at the bottom of the ''Europe'' mini league, if you know what I mean. Great progression, and then next season we can try to work ourselves up that mini-league! Bit of an ask to overhaul the likes of Everton, Spurs and Newcastle this year though. But with our "investment" in theory the likes of Newcastle and Everton should already be within our range of action. They aren't because we have back-up players who just aren't good enough to deputise when called upon. Until we correct that our results will always depend on injuries (with the odd suspension) and that isn't acceptable to ambitious blokes like Nicola...or at least I don't think it is. Everton's side probably didn't cost as much as ours (don't know haven't worked it out) Newcastle's probably not either but they have what we don't have...good cover . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SNSUN Posted 30 December, 2013 Share Posted 30 December, 2013 I wouldn't give much credence to our score, in a report that lists Wes Brown as Swansea's best player! :-D Personally I'd give us an 8. Injuries have blotted our season but we are a very good team when all fully fit. We obviously need to strengthen sensibly in January and get the likes of Wanyama and Boruc back asap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DuncanRG Posted 30 December, 2013 Share Posted 30 December, 2013 (edited) It's all very short-sighted, this. Go on a good run and we're careering into Europe, lose with Gazzaniga in goal and it's all because of him, lose with terrible injuries and it means squad depth will cost us all season long. Everyone predicts the future based on a narrow view of the present. Newcastle have only recently careered up the table and will go through a bad patch - so will one or two of the other top teams. We'll lose with the first XI fit and win with injuries. For what it's worth I think we have a moderately strong squad, with decent cover in plenty of areas. If we're looking at Europe though, it's a work in progress because there's a huge step-up in squad depth required. We've had a terrible bit of luck with all our injuries coming at the same time, but teams with European ambitions need to be equipped to deal with it. We'll have learnt and we know which areas need attention, but believe it or not only a small handful of very rich teams have the luxury of buying comprehensive top class cover. We have to try and build it through a combination of spending and development, which is what Arsenal and United have done to great success over the years. I'm not convinced Newcastle's squad is much deeper than ours (playing in Europe ravaged their Premier League campaign last year) and Everton are in the process of having theirs tested. Edited 30 December, 2013 by DuncanRG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adrian lord Posted 30 December, 2013 Share Posted 30 December, 2013 Our first team is top six with the wind behind it, top 7 without. Our squad however is top 10. We have been fielding our squad the last month or so and the results reflect that. Overall, 7/10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Window Cleaner Posted 30 December, 2013 Share Posted 30 December, 2013 well no, first team 22 points from 12 (up to and including Arsenal) Squad, ie the minute you have to let crap like Gazzaniga loose, 5 points from 7, so definitely not top half with the "squad" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adrian lord Posted 30 December, 2013 Share Posted 30 December, 2013 Aaah...I think we need to refine things further: the squad overall is top 10 - ergo our ninth presently. The second string team out of the squad per se is decidedly bottom half and indeed would be flirting with relegation were they fielded for the duration. Thank God they're not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dalek2003 Posted 30 December, 2013 Share Posted 30 December, 2013 That's pretty much the story right there. When you add our worst spell fixture wise, with our worst spell injury wise, then there will only be one outcome. Not sure why we had so many people going off on one during the last 6 weeks, it's really no surprise how things occurred. But we're now on the other side of that pretty much, and amazingly not massively damaged in terms of position and our goals are still there to aim for.# True, and we need to get 4 or 5 wins under or belt to be sure of our Premier future. If we can do this by the end of February we can push on for a upper mid table finish. This would be astounding. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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