[Albion] Next season expectations

[Simster]

I still can't believe the season we've just had. I'm not sure it'll ever be topped.

Fa Cup semi at Wembley
The double over Chelsea and Man Utd, beat Liverpool twice
Club legend runs the World Cup final for an hour
Finish top 6, European tour
Literally three world class players starting every game.
And now, Lewis Dunk probably with a well deserved international recall.

I still can't believe it. Yet can it be topped? I mean we expect at least one of our world class players to leave, yet next season could be brilliant also.

What the minimum be to make you proud and happy next season? Here is my take:

Winning a major trophy might still be beyond us, but another cup semi isn't.
Would love to make Dublin, but getting out of our group would be great tbh.
Another top six finish ought to be beyond a club with our resources but I'd be happy with a top half finish if we could somehow make one of the other two.

What do you think?

 

[Oh_aye]

Top 10 and euro pot. Thanks and Buonanotte.

 

[beorhthelm]

with European games not sure can expect to finish so high - pretty standard for teams in europe to suffer in the League. respectable effort in UEFA, top 10, decent cup run and continue to play the elegant, aggressive football we're used to.

 

[Napper]

top 10 and out Europa groups would be a brilliant season

 

[Deadly Danson]

Relegation.

Beat me to it. I was going to add - "record low points total" for good measure.

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

It is going to be difficult maintaining league position with the extra European games. Top 10 then another go at Europe the following season may help maintain progression. It really all depends upon player development though and that is an unknown outside the club. There weren’t many last year who foresaw the phenomenal form of March, Caicedo, Mitoma, Ferguson etc.

 

[Mellor 3 Ward 4]

Top 6 will be VERY hard to achieve again - Chelsea and Spurs will both improve.

Expectations - I'd be delighted with top10 and a run in one of the THREE Cups we'll be in.

For me, going to (a minimum) of three away games in Europe to watch the club I've seen at Hartlepool, Rotherham, Wigan etc. (no disrespect intended) will suffice.

 

[PHCgull]

Ayari and Bonnanotte stepping up and being decent

 

[SteveU]

All down to who we can keep hold of, sounds like Ali Mac is all but a done deal.

I guess the rest are about their heads being turned for more money and the Champions League.

 

[Perkino]

The expectation, like many others who have qualified for European football, is that we may struggle to qualify for Europe again next season as the squad has more matches to play. However a top 10 club is the long term aim and achieving that again would be fantastic

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Relegation.

Beat me to it.

 

[studio150]

As RDZ said we will challenge for every competition next season.
Can't argue with that.

Fully expect the same style, and next season we work out how to breakdown teams that play with everyone behind the ball and don't look to press us in our half.

 

[Zeus]

It’s going to be really interesting to see how other teams adapt to RDZ tactics and if they can work us out. I think we got a glimpse against Everton of a potential blueprint but I can’t work out if that was Dyche genius or just us being horrifically bad.

Anyway latter stages of Europa and top 10 would be great.

 

[Iggle Piggle]

I seen to make the same post every year but it depends who comes and goes in the summer. Newcastle away was a sneak preview of what it could be like if Macalister and Caceido disappear. We were over run and bullied out the game. They won't be alone. We might just struggle in more games than the odd one and as fans we need to remember that. We won't do the double over United, Chelsea and Liverpool again. (yes, I know Liverpool was a cup game)

On the flip side, Keep the core, strengthen the squad and maybe lose 1 or max 2 key players and who knows? The young players are getting better and better. Ferguson, Enciso and Bouanotte will only improve. We will surely make signings and I'm guessing plenty for now rather than the future. A Europa cup run is on the cards. There are plenty of possible memorable nights in far flung places. It's a golden age of being an Albion fan.

 

[Greg Bobkin]

Relegation.

We're loose

 

[Greg Bobkin]

I seen to make the same post every year but it depends who comes and goes in the summer. Newcastle away was a sneak preview of what it could be like if Macalister and Caceido disappear. We were over run and bullied out the game. They won't be alone. We might just struggle in more games than the odd one and as fans we need to remember that. We won't do the double over United, Chelsea and Liverpool again. (yes, I know Liverpool was a cup game)

On the flip side, Keep the core, strengthen the squad and maybe lose 1 or max 2 key players and who knows? The young players are getting better and better. Ferguson, Enciso and Bouanotte will only improve. We will surely make signings and I'm guessing plenty for now rather than the future. A Europa cup run is on the cards. There are plenty of possible memorable nights in far flung places. It's a golden age of being an Albion fan.

On a more positive note, so was THRASHING Wolves 6-0.

 

[Jim in the West]

We beat Arsenal twice too!

Incredible season.

To finish in the top 6 again would be even more mind-blowing - this season was a bit of freak with Chelsea and Spurs really struggling which gave us a chance.

I'd settle for top 10, a couple of memorable Euro results and the FA Cup.

Not only was it a bit of a freak with Chelsea and Spurs imploding, but with the winners of both the FA Cup and the Carabao Cup also finishing in the top 5, it meant 6th and 7th places qualified for Europe. Next season the team that finishes 6th may not get into Europe.

There's a good chance that Villa will be Top 5 material next season (they probably would have been this season, if Gerrard had been ditched sooner). Then you add Man City, Arsenal, Newcastle, Man Utd, Liverpool, Chelsea, Spurs... even finishing 9th would be a helluva decent season. One thing's for sure - it will be interesting!

 

[Simster]

Not only was it a bit of a freak with Chelsea and Spurs imploding, but with the winners of both the FA Cup and the Carabao Cup also finishing in the top 5, it meant 6th and 7th places qualified for Europe. Next season the team that finishes 6th may not get into Europe.

There's a good chance that Villa will be Top 5 material next season (they probably would have been this season, if Gerrard had been ditched sooner). Then you add Man City, Arsenal, Newcastle, Man Utd, Liverpool, Chelsea, Spurs... even finishing 9th would be a helluva decent season. One thing's for sure - it will be interesting!

Everyone is talking about Chelsea and Spurs as if they will be challengers to the European places next season. Here's my reality check:

Spurs are utter wank. Kane may well decide he's had enough of an empty trophy cabinet at home. Son is beyond his best, and bar one or two others that side is not good enough to finish in the top half. In fact, if Kane goes and Son gets injured I think they'll be more like Leeds than us. Relegation is not entirely out of the question, same as Everton this season.

Chelsea: Ok, they've got some proper players, but neither Potter nor Lampard (obviously) could get a tune out of them. They've over-paid millions for half their squad (Cucu, Mudryk etc) and even a proper manager like Pochettino will need time to find his best XI and get them playing properly. He is going to need to see them all before starting a comedy fire sale. SO IMO they will improve, but by enough to see them in the top 6 over the course of a year? Not for me Clive.

Everyone is also talking as if we will settle for 9th or so. Well I would as a fan, but I'm willing to bet RDZ and Uncle Tony have got other ideas. Ale Mac will go, but he's the only one absolutely nailed on. We've just smashed our record fee (£40m?) for a goalscorer, we've got Adingra coming, Moder returning from injury, Ferguson and Enciso could prove to have incredible seasons, we might even sign Colwill? And so it goes on. I'm managing my own expectations but let's not think this squad isn't good enough to have another astonishing season. Remember, if VAR had done it's job, we'd be going into tomorrow's match thinking a win leaves us fighting for 3rd or 4th on the final day, and yet we might have even have better players next season.

Of the others:
Newcastle - big players. Will be better than this year.
Liverpool - same as Newcastle, especially if Ale Mac replaces Si Senor.
Man City - even if their levels dropped off, they're still the best by a mile.
Brentford - I expect them to improve, simply because they are a pocket-Albion.

But:
Arsenal - no way will they be as good as they are playing in the UCL too.
Fulham - reckon they'll drop off a bit, but still a decent side
Palace - no challenge coming from them. 84 year old Zaha on his way, and nobody decent will want to go there. Expect Eze to be sold so that they can pay for that shiny new stand they've built as he's quite good.

I'm not seeing anyone below them do anything special, including Everton.

 

[The Fits]

My take is slightly different. Think staying up is a still a priority and both Leicester and West Ham have struggled with the league playing in Europe. All I expect is that RDZ is backed in the transfer market (and encouragingly he already has been). If we sell Moises and Mac these two HAVE to be replaced by genuine first team ready quality. Same with Colwill. I think this will happen, any truth in Frattesi for instance is a huge statement of intent. BUT, starting the season without the three above and no genuine replacement would be really foolish.

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

If we got out the Europa group and stayed top 10 I would be ecstatic...

Very reasonable, I’d add a cup run in the domestic competitions….

Yes, yes, that’s domestic competition…….BECAUSE WE ARE IN EUROPE!

Unbelievable even now, just love it….

 

[Frankworthington]

Winning Europa League and top four finish