Where will we finish the season? - November 2021

[Critical_Spur]

I'm sticking with 7th, Conte or not.

This squad is nowhere near deep enough to compete on multiple fronts so unless Conte has been given the green light to focus totally on our league position I think we're likely to fall short - probably everywhere.

We'll have to play our strongest team to beat West Ham in the quarters of the Carabao and then there's a good chance of meeting Chelsea or Arsenal over two legs in the semis.

To qualify for the knockout stages of the Conference we'll have to play close to our strongest team in two of the last three matches. And if we don't win the group there'll be an extra two-legged tie in February/March.

Then there's the FA Cup.

Signings in January would put a slightly different complexion on it. But the next few months for me are about preparing for next season. Sorting out who's going to be here and who isn't. Changing the mentality of these players. Giving them a system that they believe in and plays to their strengths. And giving them some good old-fashioned coaching.

If we can make progress along these lines I'll be happy. The players will be happy. And the quality of the football will be a whole lot better.

I am a little bit more positive now than I was at the start of the season. I didn't even vote as I just couldn't envision Kane returning and being the spanner in the works as well as Nuno the unknown quantity.

Antonio could well be the one to finally re-steer this ship. Yep, not a miracle worker but you look at the league table and the way some of the so called 'on the up' teams are performing. I had hopes of Villa and Leeds knocking on the top-4 door. They have players and staff stability and were coming off the back of a very promising season. Suddenly things are looking grim. Everton started well under Benitez and now struggling. Gooners know where they belong and hopefully be still below us!. Only Brighton have shown some consistency. There are of course many runners still in the race and our underachievers could be reconfigured by a proactive coach. Cream always rises to the top?...well we've gone a little sour but bit of curdling, churning and re-filtering, you just never know.

Be interesting to see how the story unfolds and the January prediction thread could well turn out to be a very happy and lively debate!!... Here's hoping.

 

[Gary Onedaysoon]

I am a little bit more positive now than I was at the start of the season. I didn't even vote as I just couldn't envision Kane returning and being the spanner in the works as well as Nuno the unknown quantity.

Antonio could well be the one to finally re-steer this ship. Yep, not a miracle worker but you look at the league table and the way some of the so called 'on the up' teams are performing. I had hopes of Villa and Leeds knocking on the top-4 door. They have players and staff stability and were coming off the back of a very promising season. Suddenly things are looking grim. Everton started well under Benitez and now struggling. Gooners know where they belong and hopefully be still below us!. Only Brighton have shown some consistency. There are of course many runners still in the race and our underachievers could be reconfigured by a proactive coach. Cream always rises to the top?...well we've gone a little sour but bit of curdling, churning and re-filtering, you just never know.

Be interesting to see how the story unfolds and the January prediction thread could well turn out to be a very happy and lively debate!!... Here's hoping.

Even allowing for the uncertain form of most teams, we've seen over the years how hard it is for a club like ours to go deep in the cup competitions without impacting on our league form.

And there is always that pressure on us to start winning trophies - of any description.

When we had those great years in the league under Poch we very rarely went to the business end of the cup competitions.

And Conte himself acknowledged when Chelsea won the Premier League in his first season what an advantage it was not being in Europe that year.

 

[muttley]

Even allowing for the uncertain form of most teams, we've seen over the years how hard it is for a club like ours to go deep in the cup competitions without impacting on our league form.

And there is always that pressure on us to start winning trophies - of any description.

When we had those great years in the league under Poch we very rarely went to the business end of the cup competitions.

And Conte himself acknowledged when Chelsea won the Premier League in his first season what an advantage it was not being in Europe that year.

We should be fresh as a daisy at the end of the season based on the amount of effort we put in until November

 

[trustmeiknow1]

I just seen the first few posts on this thread from Sunday morning. I can't believe believe at that time some thought we would still finish fourth. We were absolutely heading for mid-table mediocrity maybe worse. Still think 4th is a stretch but definitely more do-able than it was Sunday morning

 

[muttley]

I just seen the first few posts on this thread from Sunday morning. I can't believe believe at that time some thought we would still finish fourth. We were absolutely heading for mid-table mediocrity maybe worse. Still think 4th is a stretch but definitely more do-able than it was Sunday morning

Wouldn't we have been 4th last Sunday morning if we'd beat Ud? Well until Sunday afternoon anyway

 

[Departed]

I just seen the first few posts on this thread from Sunday morning. I can't believe believe at that time some thought we would still finish fourth. We were absolutely heading for mid-table mediocrity maybe worse. Still think 4th is a stretch but definitely more do-able than it was Sunday morning

It was very obvious things were not going to be allowed to continue. It was just matter of how the change played out.