[Albion] How close is this squad to being top 4?

[The Wookiee]

Leicester won the league, proving that literally anything is possible in the premiership.
So yeah, top four. Why not?

We have proved we can beat any team we play in the premier league I think Fulham is the only current premier league we haven’t beaten !

 

[The Pilsbury Echo]

If Man city get a lumpy points deduction a run at the title is on imo.

We are not in top form yet with 8 new players to bed in and a few injured returning and yet we have more than held our own against a couple of "Big" teams.

Blooming heck...the Mushrooms must be a strong old crop this season!!! We've played two shite teams and got the rub of the green in all 3 games. YES probably the strongest and technically gifted squad in my 57yrs of supporting BHA but 'a run at the title'? It will be an exciting season for sure but I think next season is the one we should be getting really getting excited about. Just my opinion.

 

[Triggaaar]

We have proved we can beat any team we play in the premier league I think Fulham is the only current premier league we haven’t beaten !

We haven't beaten Ipswich in the PL

 

[Triggaaar]

Blooming heck...the Mushrooms must be a strong old crop this season!!! We've played two shite teams and got the rub of the green in all 3 games. YES probably the strongest and technically gifted squad in my 57yrs of supporting BHA but 'a run at the title'?

Don't worry, that is far from the least sensible post he's made in the last week

 

[The Wookiee]

We haven't beaten Ipswich in the PL

Have we played them in the PL ?

 

[Triggaaar]

Have we played them in the PL ?

No, this is their first season in 20 odd years, and we weren't here last time

 

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

Is Crawley Dingo another Swansman account?

 

[The Wookiee]

No, this is their first season in 20 odd years, and we weren't here last time

Maybe I didn’t quite word my post correctly- it should have read the only current premier league team that we have played in the Premier League that we have never beaten is Fulham

 

[Triggaaar]

Maybe I didn’t quite word my post correctly- it should have read the only current premier league team that we have played in the Premier League that we have never beaten is Fulham

It's alright, I was only mucking about.

 

[zefarelly]

To be top 4, you need consistency, for more than 2 seasons . . . We haven't had that . . .we got there, maintained it, under Sir CH, then We were getting better slowly, tediously, with the man from C&A but he jumped to the first team that offered a real beige away kit . . . . it's been a roller coaster since .

 

[dazzer6666]

I think this is a top four squad, but it’s a little underripe.

This is a learning/gelling season, we haven’t had any kind of poor run yet, and it’s how managers react in adversity that is where they earn their money. Get the new boys settled in as part of the squad, everyone singing from the same hymn sheet, and I personally believe we’re good to go.

I don’t agree that we’re short in centre-mid or central defence, though if Hummels were to come in at CB, that’s an undoubted upgrade in cover at CB. Who would you drop though? Our starting two are superb.

This. Transfer window activity was a medium/long-term play - TB and PB yet again planning everything to perfection with the cash pile ready when there was far less competition for signings and a few clubs desperate to sell. Next season - even if we sell maybe one superstar next summer to fund the next round of spending - we’ll hopefully have a settled squad, Fab will have got to grips with the PL and we’ll be getting Facu and Barco back. 5th-10th this season I reckon, potentially higher next……….

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Blooming heck...the Mushrooms must be a strong old crop this season!!! We've played two shite teams and got the rub of the green in all 3 games. YES probably the strongest and technically gifted squad in my 57yrs of supporting BHA but 'a run at the title'? It will be an exciting season for sure but I think next season is the one we should be getting really getting excited about. Just my opinion.

Odd for me to agree with Creepy Dingbat (especially given that I can't see what he wrote - you can guess the rest) but I feel that we should be aiming for a run at the title every season. Now.

The raison d'etre of any football club is the pursuit of glory.

Survival, inquiry and sophistication and all that, sure.

But I can't see why we can't join Douglas Adams, now, in asking: where should we have lunch?

 

[GT49er]

Look at the ages of the players……..including all the new signings

Most of new signings are either kids and/or have never played in a top league, let alone THE top league. Think we’ll be even better next season.

So which one will turn out to be the new Dahoud?

 

[dazzer6666]

So which one will turn out to be the new Dahoud?

Quite likely one or more won’t be the player we hoped……..then the usual crew can start lobbing metaphorical bricks at the recruitment team on here again (whilst simultaneously scrapping online for their flights to Munich and Barcelona )

 

[GT49er]

Quite likely one or more won’t be the player we hoped……..then the usual crew can start lobbing metaphorical bricks at the recruitment team on here again (whilst simultaneously scrapping online for their flights to Munich and Barcelona )

Yep, sounds like NSC at its finest!

 

[Zeus]

Top four a big stretch unless Wieffer, Ferdi, and O’Riley become top prem class very very quickly. Even other European spots are going to be pretty challenging.

 

[Hugo Rune]

I think the squad has top 4 potential but only just. I’m talking 4th behind Citeh, Liverpool and Arsenal.

For this to happen, we need to see players stay generally fit. We need to see the pre-injury form of Ferguson, March and Estupiñán under RDZ. We also need 80% of the new signings to be ‘hits’.

You can add to that the continued form of JPvH & Pedro and Verbruggen plus a needed return to form of Dunk.

Our chance is when European games and FA cups matches become intense for our rivals. I think we can do a lot of them because they have Europe.

It’s going to be one hell of a season!!

 

[Change at Barnham]

The Bartman, a top international keeper who will be a future superstar.
A fit Pervis flyng down the left with Igor as a back up if necessary.
Ferdi, a marauding right-back with Veltman to cover when needed.
JPvH and Dunk bossing the centre of defence with Webby available when required.
Baleba, Weiffer shutting down the midfield in front of our defence with Milner covering when fit again.
O'Riley, Rutter, Ayari, Hinshelwood pulling the strings in midfield.
Mitoma or Adringa wide left, Minteh or Gruda wide right.
Welbeck, Enciso, Pedro, and Ferguson smashing down the front door.

Any of us could pick a decent 11 out of that lot.

Europe again, Europe again, Europe again are we are we.

It's happening.

 

[Change at Barnham]

Verbrugen
Ferdi, JPvH, Dunk, Estupian
Weiffer, O'Riley
Minteh, Pedro, Welbeck, Mitoma

Subs:
Webster, Veltman, Baleba, Rutter, Ayari, Ferguson, Enciso, Adingra, Gruda, Steele, Igor, Lamptey

That is an insane line-up, and after the international break, there is every chance that only O'Riley will be unavailable from my starting XI above.

Europe again, Europe again, Europe again are we, are we!

 

[spence]

Verbrugen
Ferdi, JPvH, Dunk, Estupian
Weiffer, O'Riley
Minteh, Pedro, Welbeck, Mitoma

Subs:
Webster, Veltman, Baleba, Rutter, Ayari, Ferguson, Enciso, Adingra, Gruda, Steele, Igor, Lamptey

That is an insane line-up, and after the international break, there is every chance that only O'Riley will be unavailable from my starting XI above.

Europe again, Europe again, Europe again are we, are we!

March would definitely make the bench and Hinshelwood