crookie
Well-known member
As it stands, goal scoring will be a problem.
Can see a relegation struggle from the off.
Same as that, some quality added to the forward line and I think we'll be OK though
As it stands, goal scoring will be a problem.
Can see a relegation struggle from the off.
I think many are being very harsh on the existing squad. Whilst I believe that it needs strengthening, some players will find the less physical nature of the PL to their liking, and the more technically gifted may flourish.
The pace of the game against the big 6 will be frightening, and realistically if we get more than 5-6 points from those games it will be a miracle, but we do have a good team ethic, and I'm not frightened by the likes of Watford, Swansea, West Brom, Burnley, Stoke, Palace, Newcastle, Huddersfield, Leicester and of course Plucky Little Bournemouth.
I'm going for relegation being avoided with 3 games to go (it had better be the case given our run in), and a final position of 16th.
60% positive.So, how would you spin these figures?
Derby Way 7%
Relegated 33%
Struggle but safe 53%
Mid Table 7%
Can't help but feel a poll like this is fairly pointless at this stage.
The squad right now I think would be in a relegation tussle which we'd lose, but I fully expect we will strengthen and survive, perhaps even mid-table depending on what signings they are.
There's no way i'd choose a disastrous points tally unless the unthinkable happened (knocky,dunk.stephens sale). Our squad is too good and too competitive to capitulate in 30+ games. The Derby points total won't be beaten for a very long time, if at all.
Only adding this here because you mentioned Derby.. Derby's transfer business for THAT season looked like this:
Summer Signings 10 players
29 June 2007 – Robert Earnshaw – £3.5m, from Norwich City
4 July 2007 – Tyrone Mears – £1m, from West Ham United
7 July 2007 – Andy Todd – £750k, from Blackburn Rovers
10 July 2007 – Ben Hinchliffe – free transfer
25 July 2007 – Claude Davis – £3m, from Sheffield United
26 July 2007 – Lewis Price – undisclosed, from Ipswich Town
1 August 2007 – Andy Griffin – free transfer from Portsmouth
10 August 2007 – Benny Feilhaber – undisclosed, from Hamburg
20 August 2007 – Eddie Lewis – undisclosed, from Leeds United
31 August 2007 – Kenny Miller – £2.25m, from Celtic
Blimey, they spent more than we have and that was 10 years ago
I added it as people seem to assume they made no effort to strengthen, and THAT'S why they went down.
Only adding this here because you mentioned Derby.. Derby's transfer business for THAT season looked like this:
Summer Signings 10 players
29 June 2007 – Robert Earnshaw – £3.5m, from Norwich City
4 July 2007 – Tyrone Mears – £1m, from West Ham United
7 July 2007 – Andy Todd – £750k, from Blackburn Rovers
10 July 2007 – Ben Hinchliffe – free transfer
25 July 2007 – Claude Davis – £3m, from Sheffield United
26 July 2007 – Lewis Price – undisclosed, from Ipswich Town
1 August 2007 – Andy Griffin – free transfer from Portsmouth
10 August 2007 – Benny Feilhaber – undisclosed, from Hamburg
20 August 2007 – Eddie Lewis – undisclosed, from Leeds United
31 August 2007 – Kenny Miller – £2.25m, from Celtic
Out 11 players
31 May 2007 – Seth Johnson – retirement
31 May 2007 – Lionel Ainsworth – released
31 May 2007 – Morten Bisgaard – released
31 May 2007 – Paul Boertien – released
31 May 2007 – Steven Cann – released
31 May 2007 – Tom Cumberworth – released
31 May 2007 – Lee Grant – released
5 July 2007 – Ryan Smith – £150k, to Millwall
27 July 2007 – Lee Camp – £200k, to Queens Park Rangers
31 July 2007 – James Meredith – free transfer to Sligo Rovers
8 August 2007 – Richard Jackson – free transfer to Luton Town
January 2008 transfer window
In 8 players
4 January 2008 – Danny Mills – on loan from Manchester City
4 January 2008 – Emanuel Villa – £2m, from Estudiantes Tecos
9 January 2008 – Laurent Robert – free transfer
9 January 2008 – Robbie Savage – £1.5m, from Blackburn Rovers
11 January 2008 – Hossam Ghaly – on loan from Tottenham Hotspur
31 January 2008 – Roy Carroll – free transfer from Rangers
31 January 2008 – Mile Sterjovski – undisclosed, from Gençlerbirliği
31 January 2008 – Alan Stubbs – free transfer from Everton
11 April 2008 – Ruben Zadkovich – free transfer from Sydney FC
Out 8 players
3 January 2008 – Steve Howard – £1.25m, to Leicester City
11 January 2008 – Andy Griffin – £300k, to Stoke City
11 January 2008 – Matt Oakley – £500k, to Leicester City
28 January 2008 – Jon Macken – £200k, to Barnsley
31 January 2008 – Bob Malcolm – contract terminated
31 January 2008 – Lewin Nyatanga – loan to Barnsley
29 February 2008 – Michael Johnson – loan to Notts County
2 April 2008 – Laurent Robert – free transfer, to Toronto FC
Why no "Champions" option?
I'm sure we'll be relegation candidates but undecided yet as to whether we survive or not. Ask me after the Watford game.
Ok. Will do mate.
I know I messed the poll up - I should have gone for 5 options with a top 10 finish in there for the optimists. Sorry.
No-one is saying they are confident that this squad will stay up, are they? I'm pretty sure they won't take the PL by storm, but we really don't know who can and will make the step up. So, 'don't know' is the only real answer at this stage - nobody has conclusive evidence to prove whether they'd survive or not; there is no '100%' either way.How can anyone can be confident that the squad we have at the moment is strong enough? I don't have the same blind faith that we will get the quality of strikers required to stay up. I am 100% convinced that without significant strengthening of the forward line we are doomed.