I've gone 7th - 12th. Just can't see all of the signings working and it will also take time for some of the players to adapt to each other and new ways of playing in a new country etc. But I'm going to be patient rather than reactionary (I hope) about it. Autos next season...
I think should we add this new striker and 2/3 more players over the next few weeks , the squad will be a fair bit stronger in depth overall than last seasons
Difficult to judge. So many new players and a few that have never played in England let alone the championship before.
Compared to last season
Keeper - about the same
RWB - improved
CB - difficult to assess but probably not as good
LWB - about the same but with extra option
CMs - the same but losing Hamer would be huge
ACM - same
Strikers - difficult to say but undoubtedly a downgrade on Gyokeres but improvement in squad quality
It all depends on whether the team gels and becomes a sum of its parts. We have to learn to play a different way without Gyokeres, which may take time.
Looked good in pre season against league one and two teams.
Comparisons to last season are pointless when we have more players of a higher quality on average.
Of course Vik is better than Simms and Wright but the problem was our game plan was relying on two players to carry our team to 5th and as soon as Vik or Hamer got man-marked out the game (boro at home in the 1st leg) we were essentially neutered and at their mercy.
Having multiple quality players in each position allow us more options and make it more difficult for teams to cancel us out of games.
Slow start but players will bed in. We have bought quality and have far better strength in depth this year.
I think Hamer will stay with the intention of seeing out his contract. He will resign later in the year when it becomes apparent we are gonna take the title at a canter. Also his wife and kid will have moved back.
Hamer, Sakamoto, Simms, Wright, Da Silva and Ewick will make our counter attacking style deadly. You heard it here first.