21/22 season expectations (6 Viewers)

Barnsley

Well-Known Member
I think we overperformed this season, so if we finish about the same next season, I will be happy - particularly if we have strengthened the overall squad. i would then hope for an improvement the following season. Injuries to key personnel can have such an effect over the season, that it can easily affect league position by several places, 13-18th next season is fine, and change that to 10th-15th the following season (hopefully higher!!)

Theirs at lot of footballers in this league pinching a living, if you look at wage bills to league positions, the vast majority are massively underachieving, Brentford, Us, and yourselves, are the main overachievers in this division,(maybe not Brentford now they’ve got money to reinvest from player sales) but still all three have the lowest average squad age, young players with a hunger to succeed is the way forward in my opinion, continue going about your business as you are, whilst other clubs are over paying for underachieving wage stealers, and you’ll keep punching above your financial weight, which will see you alright at this level, as clubs will continue to feel the pinch of overspending.
 

Sky Blue Harry H

Well-Known Member
Theirs at lot of footballers in this league pinching a living, if you look at wage bills to league positions, the vast majority are massively underachieving, Brentford, Us, and yourselves, are the main overachievers in this division,(maybe not Brentford now they’ve got money to reinvest from player sales) but still all three have the lowest average squad age, young players with a hunger to succeed is the way forward in my opinion, continue going about your business as you are, whilst other clubs are over paying for underachieving wage stealers, and you’ll keep punching above your financial weight, which will see you alright at this level, as clubs will continue to feel the pinch of overspending.

Hopefully (although it's not fair on their fans) a club or two fall foul of FFP and get docked points to give us a safety cushion !

P.S. Can't believe you didn't want to get Swansea in the play offs - they're the weakest of all the options imo.
 

Brighton Sky Blue

Well-Known Member
Hopefully (although it's not fair on their fans) a club or two fall foul of FFP and get docked points to give us a safety cushion !

P.S. Can't believe you didn't want to get Swansea in the play offs - they're the weakest of all the options imo.

It makes sense, I'd back Barnsley's press to beat Brentford and Bournemouth more often than not.
 

SkyblueDad

Well-Known Member
Our squad fully fit we are a match for anyone in this league one of our big problems this season was the obvious injury crisis and it was a crisis first half of the season it seems to be forgotten apart from five first choice out on top we had Pask and Dacosta out add Jodi Jones too with a full squad if we add four or five good additions we can challenge as Barnsley have done this season.
 

Sky_Blue_Dreamer

Well-Known Member
Always difficult to say right now with no idea of ins and outs. Also think we may have a slightly stronger league next year. But this year you feel we lost a fair few points from individual defensive errors resulting in goals, penalties and red cards and missing far too many good chances. Improve those and who knows what we might be able to achieve.

Right now I'd say if we repeat this season that'd be OK and any improvement on that would be great.
 

Razzle Dazzle Dean Gordon

Well-Known Member
I'd like to see us strengthen in defence and maybe add an improved 'number 9' and creative midfielder. Overall i'd want to see us aiming for a finish in the top-half of the table as momentum seems to be vital (how many seasons did we gradually sink in this division before finally going down). Clearly if we really strike lucky with signings it's possible we could trouble the play-offs, but i think top-half/mid-table and a gradual improvement on this season is more realistic. I'm looking forward to seeing who we bring in and actually attending some games next season!
 

Razzle Dazzle Dean Gordon

Well-Known Member
Always difficult to say right now with no idea of ins and outs. Also think we may have a slightly stronger league next year. But this year you feel we lost a fair few points from individual defensive errors resulting in goals, penalties and red cards and missing far too many good chances. Improve those and who knows what we might be able to achieve.

Right now I'd say if we repeat this season that'd be OK and any improvement on that would be great.
Hopefully some smaller team comes up via the play-offs and some of the established clubs stay in a downward spiral (Derby, Huddersfield, Bristol City etc). I reckon the teams coming down will largely be on par with Norwich and Watford going up, though we're guaranteed a thrashing from West Brom of course!
 

Barnsley

Well-Known Member
Bournemouth and Brentford both have more matchwinners, and are a different level to Swansea imo.

Both them teams play out from the back, and will fancy their chances of out playing us, they’ll just play their usual game against us, they also like hitting the deck at the slightest contact, they’ll play for minimal contact free kicks, which doesn’t warrant cards, but breaks up play in the middle of the park, which allows us to get into shape and press them as soon as they restart the game, it plays right into our hands. Swansea have adapted their game both times against us this season to combat our style and it’s worked a treat.
 

Sky Blue Harry H

Well-Known Member
Both them teams play out from the back, and will fancy their chances of out playing us, they’ll just play their usual game against us, they also like hitting the deck at the slightest contact, they’ll play for minimal contact free kicks, which doesn’t warrant cards, but breaks up play in the middle of the park, which allows us to get into shape and press them as soon as they restart the game, it plays right into our hands. Swansea have adapted their game both times against us this season to combat our style and it’s worked a treat.

Fair enough - still think you'll beat them, but lose in the play off final. Good luck, either way.
 

Yorkshire SB

Well-Known Member
Next season could be a more competitive division. Hull and Posh look better set than Wycombe and Rotherham, and no one has had the points deduction, albeit that could happen.

I’d be fine with staying around where we are now - upper bottom half. All you want is to show signs of progress and ambition. Get some more players that we own starring in the team, preferably high-potential, younger players who will allow us to kick on.

We have to be pragmatic, there’s not going to be major investment this summer, we don’t really have a player primed to leave for millions, so the expectation that we’ll be pushing top half is a little ambitious. Hope so though!!!
 
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Deleted member 2477

Guest
At the start of this season I expected us to finish one spot above relegation. Up until Rotherham away we were generally on course for that. The last few games went very well and we obviously ended up on 55 points. Has this purple patch skewed expectations for next season?

How does everyone expect next season to go? I appreciate we don’t yet know the playing personnel. We also want to keep an upwards trajectory, but I’d take 55 points right now! Would we accept 20th place next year?
Be happy with survival again even on goal difference. Consolidate and build slowly, dont spend stupidly and gradually improve
 
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Deleted member 2477

Guest
I would be delighted if we could better 55 points next season. Hopefully having a full pre-season will help us get up to speed. However, the calibre of the club's coming up will be better than Wycombe and Rotherham. Hull, Peterborough and maybe Sunderland will make it tougher at the bottom.
I don't think we should be expecting too much more than consolidation. Here's hoping that Rose, Dabo, Kelly and Godden can sort out their injuries, and we can strengthen in key areas.
I cant see Sunderland coming up having watched them today they are awful. If they manage to get promoted they will struggle and if the season had gone on for another couple of games I dont even think they would be in the play off position. They are awful
 

SlowerThanPlatt

Well-Known Member
I cant see Sunderland coming up having watched them today they are awful. If they manage to get promoted they will struggle and if the season had gone on for another couple of games I dont even think they would be in the play off position. They are awful

You paid £10 to watch a Sunderland game which had nothing riding on it?
 

Brighton Sky Blue

Well-Known Member
Next season could be a more competitive division. Hull and Posh look better set than Wycombe and Rotherham, and no one has had the points deduction, albeit that could happen.

I’d be fine with staying around where we are now - upper bottom half. All you want is to show signs of progress and ambition. Get some more players that we own starring in the team, preferably high-potential, younger players who will allow us to kick on.

We have to be pragmatic, there’s not going to be major investment this summer, we don’t really have a player primed to leave for millions, so the expectation that we’ll be pushing top half is a little ambitious. Hope so though!!!

It's a hard league whoever comes up and whoever comes down. Our players will be stronger for having had a season to blood in, so recruit well in goal and defence, sprinkle the odd loan in and see what happens.
 

TM8792

Well-Known Member
Reading these comments and pulling my hair out that most would be happy with the same points total... then I realised you adore mediocrity in O’Hare so it makes sense.

A few signings in the summer and our expectations should be playoffs at least. If we aren’t why are we fucking bothering.
 

AFCCOVENTRY

Well-Known Member
Have to have ambition. You don’t set out the season to say mid table is good after one season the champ and surviving. Play-offs is the target and how close can we get with some strengthening.
 

South West Sky Blue

Well-Known Member
This total lack of ambition sums us up!
So many fans happy to accept mediocrity, and not push for improvement.
Why should players give 100% for the shirt if people like you dont expect it?

We limped along to 55 points with all our games away from home, we started the season after an extended lay off which hampered our first couple of months, we had, horrendous injury problems, far too many loans, no money, and half a squad from our league 2 season.

And yet you would be happy just to get the same points total? Why ffs?

It's time we raised the expectation levels!
We are back at home, we have time for a proper pre season to prepare, we will have new faces in the squad, we would of learnt what the championship is all about, we can get rid of the dead wood (hopefully) and we should be challenging for that 6th place play off position!

We may well fall short, but we should start the season aiming high.
If your happy just to accept mediocrity, then why the fuck do you bother?
If you want an example of what I'm talking about, just look what Barnsley have achieved.

I do agree with much of what you’re saying, but not all. Don’t think anyone is suggesting that we don’t demand 100% from players. I’d also add that despite very poor moments- they’ve given 100% this year.

We’ve been unlucky with injuries this season, but we’re by no means alone in that. Norwich had some bad times. Bristol City have had it much worse than us. Don’t know enough about all the other teams, but we can be too blinkered about our own club.

We had some bad luck this year. Some terrible decisions / errors on the pitch that have cost us points. I expect there to be less next year, but we’ll still have some.

We’ve also had luck. Reading at home (their keeper). Derby away - we scraped a point in injury time after they missed an open goal a few mins earlier. Wycombe away- lino wrongly disallowed their equaliser in injury time. I look at other games like Huddersfield at home, Stoke at home, Barnsley away and both Birmingham games- I think we were the weaker team yet picked up a point in all of them.

We have a weak defence and are possibly losing the two best parts (McCallum & Osti). We’ll recruit to try to fix these issues, and more. Hopefully it’ll work. We’ve made good use of the loan market in the past.

For me the crux is, have we over-achieved this year and looking at the teams below us - will we be better than them next year? I think we probably did over-achieve by a few points in the end (probably about 4).

My biggest concern is expectations getting too high and then negativity setting into the whole club if / when we have a bad patch. We’ve seen people here calling for MR to go at times this year. I accept he cannot be immune from criticism. In March I was getting frustrated.

I’m looking at hopefully trying to achieve what Luton did this year, but being mindful that this is optimistic.
 

skybluetony176

Well-Known Member
I was curious where everyone is off the back of this season.

Personally with regards to last season I think we overachieved expectations so I’m finding it hard to keep expectations in check for next season. Realistically avoiding relegation will be a good result next season but I find myself enthusiastic at the prospect of doing better but trying to quantify what doing better is. I think doing better is as simple as finishing a couple of places higher and not worrying that we’re running the risk of being dragged into a relegation battle for the last four to six weeks of the season. A season like Stoke, Preston or Luton had this season for instance.

Where’s everyone else?
 

SlowerThanPlatt

Well-Known Member
 

Perryccfc

Well-Known Member
The ones saying aim for the playoffs, whilst I understand the sentiment - I hope that’s not an expectation. Anything above 55 points would be progress.
I think for the second year running we have overachieved with a good team ethic and a very good coaching team. In terms of budget and players available we should have been a hell of a lot closer to the relegation places than we finished.
Next season I would like to see us push on for sure, but realistically we will probably have a similar season, just hopefully a little more comfortable. Anything around 55-60 points would be another good season in my opinion.
 

mrtrench

Well-Known Member
Next year, at the top we lose B'mouth and Watford - both clearly much better sides than us and hopefully Barnsley, this forum's second favourite team but more probably Brentford. But we gain Sheff Utd; West Brom and Fulham. I think we'll find it just as hard against the top teams as we did this year.

At the other end we lose three sides we could beat but gain Peterborough and Hull and let's say Blackpool. I think the first two will be harder to beat that Wycombe; Wednesday and Rotters.

We, of course, will hope to improve over summer and surely we cannot have such rotten luck with injuries - or indeed give away quite so many goals; penalties and stupid red cards.

So I'll be happy with 60-65 points and just into the top half of the table, with nothing to play for from late March.
 

Greggs

Well-Known Member
12th to 15thh, slow and steady, improve the squad for the long term growth
 

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