Where will we finish?

[Jimmy Fleck]

Since it’s the start of the World Cup break...

 

[Cappy]

I don’t think there is a squad in the division as strong as ours. So, with a hope that we get some key players back and have that bit of luck all champions need, I SAY WE FINISH TOP

UTB ️

 

[Ndiayewillalwaysloveyou]

I don’t think there is a squad in the division as strong as ours. So, with a hope that we get some key players back and have that bit of luck all champions need, I SAY WE FINISH TOP

UTB ️

Best squad in the league, think there's 28 players we have? How many haven't been injured? Second place for me. Burnley don't get "bad luck" like us.

 

[mattbianco1]

Come back after the World Cup with 100% fit, Bogle, Berge, Anel, McBurnie , then keep hold of Ndiaye and we'll be in for an exciting finish

EDIT - Lowe. I forgot Lowe

EDIT, EDIT - Brewster

 

[biggiesablade]

I'd jizz to see us lift the champions trophy but second is where I see us. Anything but play offs please

 

[Rodley]

 

[HarryHaslam]

If we can stop throwing away points with abysmal performances against lesser teams especially at home then Champions.

 

[Harry's Game]

I think it might be plyoffs again..

A charging Watford and our incessant injuries are a big worry for me.

 

[Sheffsteel]

With a full strength side then Champions, can see us going on a long unbeaten run.

However I think we'll continue to pick up a few injuries, so think we'll finish 2nd.

 

[bladesmanluke]

Too inconsistent unfortunately. I'd like to think we will get more consistent with bodies back after the WC, but on current form we will have about 4 new long term injuries by the new year

 

[Tarqs]

I optimistically put mid table because bottom 4/5 wasn't there.

 

[Eza Blade]

Like an asthmatic around a pyro I am living dangerously and going top of the league.

Watford and Burnley will be the ones to keep an eye on the rest will fade on the run in

 

[JimW1889]

Anywhere from 1st to 6th for me. Think we're good enough to win the league, think we're also inconsistent enough that we could only just make the playoffs. Injuries and who stays fit will be a big part of it.

Think Egan/Norwood/McBurnie and NDiaye could be enough to carry us to the autos.

 

[S64 Blade]

I’d say top if we didn’t continually have players out injured. Even so, we’re good enough for automatic if we can cut out giving as many silly goals away.

 

[CaptainMorgans]

It's there for us to be champions.

In my opinion, our strongest XI looks like this:

........................*Foderingham
............*Anel........**Egan........Clark
......Bogle........................................RND
................**Norwood.........Doyle
...........*Berge.....................**Ndiaye
.........................**McBurnie


** We're somewhat scrambling if any of these guys go down and
* there's a significant drop-off in quality when any of these guys are out.

Keep the vast majority of these players fit (and resist January bids) and we will win most weeks.
Win most weeks and we go up automatically.

If we maintain an injury list in double-figures and too many of our **/*key players are missing then we will have patchy form, as we've seen in our last 10/11 games.

The cause for optimism is this World Cup break.
It gives us an opportunity to recuperate and assess what's been going wrong with conditioning.
With players returning, PH has to show that he knows how to rotate the squad, preventing injury and keeping players fresh.
He has to procatively manage their minutes, rather than react when their bodies break down.

I can't see us finishing outside of the top six, regardless.
We can go up as Champions, or at least comfortably in the top two if:

• the board frees up funds for CF cover
• and a starting XI CM
• if we can maintain strong squad numbers and keep key players fit for most of the season.

Also in our favour, I don't rate the competition this season.

 

[Need4speed]

I watched Burnley v Blackburn yesterday. I was not impressed with either. Both like to plat possession football but approach out of possession differently Blackburn retreat and let the opposition pass backwards and sideways until the inevitable hoof. Burnley like to press and win the ball back higher up the field but invariably then play it backwards to the half way line where they pass it backwards and side to side before the inevitable hoof. burnley have a couple of players who are able to turn a game But yesterday match was a dire watch. I don't understand why Blackburn didn't use corners and free kicks as we did against them. Burnley will stay around the top Blackburn will drop away

 

[Addison]

Revised my pre season forecast of 7th to play offs. Can't see any higher whilst the Club buries its head in the sand regarding the shocking state of medical services and fitness and conditioning.

A fully fit team and we're going for the autos. Even in the unlikely event that happens the JTW looms and you wonder if we'll have the same disruptive farce of Berge sat with his bags packed for a month waiting to see if anyone wants him.

 

[bornablade]

I am sure there was a similar poll before the season started. I always put 'we'll finish top (champions)'.

No point in starting the season / game if you are not confident of winning.

 

[Danny_Blade]

I’d say top if we didn’t continually have players out injured. Even so, we’re good enough for automatic if we can cut out giving as many silly goals away.

I agree with this.

Both the points you've made there I think go hand in hand. The less injuries we have the more settled the team, the more settled the team becomes the more match sharp they become, the more their rustiness fades away resulting in less silly goals being conceded.

Despite continuously suffering this all season we still topped the league before Burnely's win yesterday, so who knows where we'll end up? It is the beauty of the game I suppose (although unwanted from our POV) where not everything can be predicted or guaranteed.

 

[robbiez666]

The "beat squad in the league" has quite a lot of players who are regularly cited as not good enough, depending what week it is (Davies, Clark, Robinson, Stevens, Lowe, Basham, Osborn, Fleck, Sharp, Khadra, McAtee, Jebbo, Brewster) That's 13 without mentioning someone like Coulibaly, who has never played.

I think it's impossible to predict where we'll finish given the nature of the season. I could easily see someone like WBA starting strongly and ending up getting promoted. Injuries aside, we're basically starting the season from scratch again.

 

[Stretch]

Keep our best players fit and it's top 2. I just don't see anyone better than us at full strength.

Unfortunately we can't keep most of our best players fit, so I could see us literally limping into the playoffs.

 

[El Volví]

 

[Norwood's 6 iron]

It's a big if, but if we can get most of our players fit, the congested fixture list and being able to use 5 subs will help us to make top two. Would like us to sign another striker in the transfer window, it's the one area we are really short of cover.

 

[Millhousesblade1889]

We’re a bit too inconsistent at the moment for me to have top 2 confidence. If we get back to our early season form we could open a gap.

 

[Carlton Blade]

4th. Burnley top, Watford 2nd. Norwich 3rd.

Lose on penalties to whoever finishes 5th

 

[ChipButtyBlade]

Much will depend on who we can temp thru the front door to give us an instant boost.

 

[El Volví]

I still think autos will be Burnley and Blades, but there's a definite threat from Watford and now I reckon Boro'.
Blackburn are currently in a false position and Norwich aren't the yoyo team of the past.
Coventry, QPR and possibly West Brom could all potentially make the playoffs.

 

[JJBlade]

Still think the top two will be contested between Norwich, Burnley and Watford

Play offs for us, and unless something dramatically changes, we all know what happens next

 

[Trafford]

Birmingham away

 

[bertieblade]

Birmingham away

Zulu Dawn, memories of last match of the season, win and we qualify for Europe, Ken Furphy in charge. Got ran all over the ground and then had the coach window put through on the way home. Freeeeezing.
nope don’t like Birmingham