Random thought re last season

[Finchley Seagull]

Difficult. I don't think I ever thought we were definitely going up. I'm not that optimistic of a person. When I thought we deserved to go up was after the QPR game. We dismantled them. For my money we were playing the best football in the league, the confidence was there, momentum etc etc.

Alas, it wasn't to be.

I'm severely tempering my expectations for this year, way beyond my usual pessimism. I worry there's a proportion of our support who, after the successes of last season, think we're going to have an easy ride this time around and I think they're going to be more disappointed this season than they were at the end of last.

I don't think that is true. I've not seen any posters on here suggest we're going to have an easy ride. However, there have been a lot of comments (including from me) questioning the pessimism on here from some who seem to have written us off already. At this minute in time, we'll be starting the season with a similar squad to last season. Less defensive depth but more quality up front (Murray for Wilson is an improvement in my mind and Zamora missed the last three months of the season). This may change in the next month or so and we may sell players but at the moment I see little reason for concern except in Central Defence, and that is due to injuries.

 

[BBassic]

I don't think that is true. I've not seen any posters on here suggest we're going to have an easy ride. However, there have been a lot of comments (including from me) questioning the pessimism on here from some who seem to have written us off already. At this minute in time, we'll be starting the season with a similar squad to last season. Less defensive depth but more quality up front (Murray for Wilson is an improvement in my mind and Zamora missed the last three months of the season). This may change in the next month or so and we may sell players but at the moment I see little reason for concern except in Central Defence, and that is due to injuries.

I've not written us off. I'm just trying to be as realistic as possible based on:

This league is bloody difficult
It is likely going to be even more difficult this year with the teams that have come down. Except for Villa. Because
Not to mention the teams that didn't go up: Derby, Wednesday, Wolves (dark horse I think), Huddersfield (also a good team)

Of course I hope I'm completely wrong and that I can look back at this point next year and say "Hah! What a tit."

 

[Finchley Seagull]

I've not written us off. I'm just trying to be as realistic as possible based on:

This league is bloody difficult
It is likely going to be even more difficult this year with the teams that have come down. Except for Villa. Because
Not to mention the teams that didn't go up: Derby, Wednesday, Wolves (dark horse I think), Huddersfield (also a good team)

Of course I hope I'm completely wrong and that I can look back at this point next year and say "Hah! What a tit."

Not saying you have but there are definitely some on here who seem to have done. The league is very difficult. I completely agree with that. We didn't go up last year despite an exceptional season. I'm not sure other than Newcastle that it will be that much stronger and we are definitely a stronger than we were in August last year with power to add (although obviously we also could lose players too).

My optimism has been reducing a little bit recently with all the rumours flying around and a number of injuries (not too bothered about pre season results to date but they become more important from tonight with a close to first team playing games) but we still have a strong squad in my view. We will see what happens but I am more optimistic at the start of the season than I have been for a while because we have managerial stability on the back of a good season for the first time in years.

 

[Mo Gosfield]

I prefer to look at the teams that I think we will be capable of finishing above and am confident that we will be better than the majority of the division. The standout teams are obvious...Newcastle, Derby, Wednesday and Norwich. There will be a couple of surprises towards the top and bottom. I expect Brentford, Reading, Blackburn, Burton and Rotherham to struggle and Preston, Fulham and Huddersfield to do better than last season.
We will be top six. Time will tell if we have enough for top two.