[Albion] Would you take 7th place, if offered now?

[Mellotron]

This. Villa’s squad and payroll costs are on a totally different level to ours.

No one is disputing that? Equally, no one should dispute that we have been competing with them league table wise of late.

If everything was based on payroll, we'd be 16th. But this thread isn't titled "Would you take 15th place now, if offered?"

 

[Weststander]

No one is disputing that? Equally, no one should dispute that we have been competing with them league table wise of late.

If everything was based on payroll, we'd be 16th. But this thread isn't titled "Would you take 15th place now, if offered?"

If it was just a thread about taking 7th or not, there's be little to say, just a vote. I would've taken it before a ball was kicked.

But people have expanded on their thoughts, we were benchmarked to Villa. It's only right to then mention that unlike us, they're spending obscene sums on players way beyond their true income, £469m doped from the owners in 5 years. There is no Edens, Sawaris and Emery miracle, they should walk top 7.

We're a lower budget club, who for a couple of seasons over competed way beyond PL norms.

 

[Mellotron]

If it was just a thread about taking 7th or not, there's be little to say, just a vote. I would've taken it before a ball was kicked.

But people have expanded on their thoughts, we were benchmarked to Villa. It's only right to then mention that unlike us, they're spending obscene sums on players way beyond their true income, £469m doped from the owners in 5 years. There is no Edens, Sawaris and Emery miracle, they should walk top 7.

We're a lower budget club, who for a couple of seasons over competed way beyond PL norms.

I'm not saying finishing below Villa would be a failure.

I'm saying that it will be fascinating to follow, given the comparative recent performance, squad quality (IMO), and the 2 opposite approaches - Emery is rotating far, far less than us.

If second half of the season Villa wilt with injuries and burn out, and we motor on, De Zerbi's approach will likely to have shown to be better than Emery's.

Should they walk top 7? Aren't chelsea, liverpool, man utd, man city, spurs, newcastle and plenty others also spending obscene sums compared to us?

 

[trueblue]

Think we will surprise many on here, over there, and everywhere and finish 7th place or even HIGHER this season.

Predict that RDZ is getting it spot on with the rotation - and we will really kick on in the final third of the season, as others falter.

This is a fair point. Our early season form has been affected by the rotation, no doubt. If, however, we're fresh for the run-in and/or a push in one of the European competitions, then RDZ will have played a blinder. It's also helped integrate the new signings. We MIGHT be very strong from Feb onwards. We have a young, developing team. How quickly it develops is the unknown factor. If it suddenly clicks and everything starts coming off for the likes of Pedro, Fati, Baleba, Adingra and Buonanotte like it did for Enciso last season, we'd be one of the very best in the country. Certainly one of the most exciting.

 

[tigertim68]

This is a fair point. Our early season form has been affected by the rotation, no doubt. If, however, we're fresh for the run-in and/or a push in one of the European competitions, then RDZ will have played a blinder. It's also helped integrate the new signings. We MIGHT be very strong from Feb onwards.

Or we might just be playing for a lower mid table place

 

[Mellotron]

This is a fair point. Our early season form has been affected by the rotation, no doubt. If, however, we're fresh for the run-in and/or a push in one of the European competitions, then RDZ will have played a blinder. It's also helped integrate the new signings. We MIGHT be very strong from Feb onwards.

This is the gamble RDZ has taken, isn't it? I REALLY hope it pays off.

 

[trueblue]

Or we might just be playing for a lower mid table place

I doubt that. Enough quality for 12th upwards, even if we don't improve much.

 

[Weststander]

I'm not saying finishing below Villa would be a failure.

I'm saying that it will be fascinating to follow, given the comparative recent performance, squad quality (IMO), and the 2 opposite approaches - Emery is rotating far, far less than us.

If second half of the season Villa wilt with injuries and burn out, and we motor on, De Zerbi's approach will likely to have shown to be better than Emery's.

Should they walk top 7? Aren't chelsea, liverpool, man utd, man city, spurs, newcastle and plenty others also spending obscene sums compared to us?

Imho, RDZ's approach gives us a chance of a stronger season's finish, that's all.

Whereas fundamentals such as a superior squad from a huge spend on fees and wages, will almost always win. With a few outliers such as Chelsea 2022/23, Brighton 2022/23 and Everton forever.

 

[Greg Bobkin]

We should be beating teams like everyone else in the Premier League...

 

[Questions]

I’d be amazed if we finished 7th this season.
With Europa League it’s going to be a bridge to far methinks.

 

[peterward]

This. Villa’s squad and payroll costs are on a totally different level to ours.

So are their levels of shithousery and having zero qualms about cheating.

 

[chickens]

My question on all of these sorts of things is: What’s meant by “if offered now.”?

The meaning is contained in the football, the players, and the coaching. The good and the bad. I don’t want to take anything that we as a club haven’t earned.

If the offer is that we play our football, and at the end of the season the results have been good enough for us to finish seventh, that’s one thing.

I absolutely wouldn’t take an early end to the season and a free pass through to next though.

I may be guilty of overthinking this.

 

[Weststander]

My question on all of these sorts of things is: What’s meant by “if offered now.”?

The meaning is contained in the football, the players, and the coaching. The good and the bad. I don’t want to take anything that we as a club haven’t earned.

If the offer is that we play our football, and at the end of the season the results have been good enough for us to finish seventh, that’s one thing.

I absolutely wouldn’t take an early end to the season and a free pass through to next though.

I may be guilty of overthinking this.

It’s just a fantasy thing of letting the season play out with all its ups and downs, but knowing it’ll pan out with 7th.

Versus, gambling with confidence that we’ll finish higher than that, possibly a CL place.

 

[Sorrel]

We are unlikely to finish above any of the current top 3 and I would be very surprised if we finished above Villa (what would we give for 13 home wins in a row?). So that's a best of 5th, which would of course be wonderful.

To get there we'd have to finish above Spurs, Newcastle and Man United (and hope no-one else below us has a great run too (West Ham or Chelsea)). To do that we'd have to not draw from a winning position, like we have in the last two league games. I would have thought we could overcome two of those three above us, but I would be surprised at all three. Spurs, in particular, haven't got European football (thought ManU man not have it for long, either) and may come back stronger from their awful week.

So I think 6th is probably the best we could do, unless our luck goes the other way. 7th would be great. Still like a great cup run, from either of the cups we're still in.

 

[Weststander]

We are unlikely to finish above any of the current top 3 and I would be very surprised if we finished above Villa (what would we give for 13 home wins in a row?). So that's a best of 5th, which would of course be wonderful.

To get there we'd have to finish above Spurs, Newcastle and Man United (and hope no-one else below us has a great run too (West Ham or Chelsea)). To do that we'd have to not draw from a winning position, like we have in the last two league games. I would have thought we could overcome two of those three above us, but I would be surprised at all three. Spurs, in particular, haven't got European football (thought ManU man not have it for long, either) and may come back stronger from their awful week.

So I think 6th is probably the best we could do, unless our luck goes the other way. 7th would be great. Still like a great cup run, from either of the cups we're still in.

If you were a betting person, with head rather than blue-tinted heart, what position would you bet we finish on if you had to take a bet?

So much can change eg key injuries, but I’d guess 9th.

 

[chickens]

It’s just a fantasy thing of letting the season play out with all its ups and downs, but knowing it’ll pan out with 7th.

Versus, gambling with confidence that we’ll finish higher than that, possibly a CL place.

Then absolutely I’d take 7th. We’ve finished once in a European place in the club’s entire existence, which is itself a greater period of time than any of us individually have existed.

I was not expecting (and am still not expecting) to finish 7th in the Premier League this season, I do feel that having had our midfield dismantled and our current injury list it’s a push too far. I’m expecting to drop to around 10th to 12th, and for lots of people who should frankly know better to be grumbling.

I still feel the overall trajectory can be upward if the stars align and we don’t lose too many in one go, but a consistent year on year improvement in league position in this league is unrealistic.

I’m still overthinking it aren’t I?

 

[rebel51]

Then absolutely I’d take 7th. We’ve finished once in a European place in the club’s entire existence, which is itself a greater period of time than any of us individually have existed.

I was not expecting (and am still not expecting) to finish 7th in the Premier League this season, I do feel that having had our midfield dismantled and our current injury list it’s a push too far. I’m expecting to drop to around 10th to 12th, and for lots of people who should frankly know better to be grumbling.

I still feel the overall trajectory can be upward if the stars align and we don’t lose too many in one go, but a consistent year on year improvement in league position in this league is unrealistic.

I’m still overthinking it aren’t I?

No your not, just not seeing it with Rose tinted glasses which is a good way of thinking

 

[BluesRockDJ]

The target is Champions League.
DeZerbi has said as much.

Whether that's from League position or by winning the Europa league is tbc.

Definitely not accepting 7th yet, as I haven't seen 6 better teams than us.
City are better than everyone.
But there really isn't much to pick between us and the next 6 best teams (Arse/Liverpool/Spurs/Newcastle/Villa/West Ham).
Accepting 7th implies I think we would finish below all of these teams.

I don't think we will.

Would be interested to hear your response a month and winless on ?

 

[CurbishleyRange]

Would most of us take 7th with the current injury list and league form ? Probably yes.

Are there six better teams than us when we have everyone fit and on form and are fresher than everyone else in the 2nd half of the season. And we have RDZ ? Nope

 

[Uh_huh_him]

Would be interested to hear your response a month and winless on ?

I have already responded.
Still not accepting 7th.

City and Villa are the only games we have played where we weren't the better side.
The lack of wins lately has been down to a combination of injury and RDZ trying to develop a new squad to compete on 2 fronts simultaneously.

Of the 4 teams above us, only Villa are looking in better form than us.
Chelsea may yet become a threat.
But I firmly believe that the squad is getting better, because of the rotation.
I'm hopeful this will help us across December, when all teams playa minimum of 7 games.

I'll accept 7th if we're cut off from the top 5 after December.
But if we're still 2 wins or less off 5th place, then I will still be optimistic.