26-27 Expectations

[TheRam]

Full stay in the league mode activated now.

Barry can’t last a whole season as our only striker. He’ll pick up an injury at some point or hit a bad run of form.

The wide options don’t convince at all. Major doubts over all of them for me, Dibling barely comes into contention.

Midfield is a bit of a mess as well. Gana out and replaced with a 32 year old who’s had a year off who was injured when we signed him?

Two ball winning machines gone in Gana and Tim with no decent replacement.

The defence is an absolute horror show. Another season of twenty plus games coming for Michael Keane and we all know what happens there.

Two full backs in the entire squad haha.

My expectations couldn’t be lower yet I still think this club will find a way to disappoint.

[dazfrancis]

13th-15th

[StirlingBlue]

The sour end to the window is going to fuck over the young talented lads we’ve got/brought in as well.

Atmosphere is going to be absolutely toxic and that’s the last thing you need for the development of the younger and less experienced players.

[777Kidnappings]

I think we will do okay. Gonna find some heroes this season. Garner playing everywhere. George and Johnson mucking in upfront. Branthwaite and grealish staying fit. Mykolenko keeping his improved form.

Dibling will still be shite.

12th-13th 48pts

[Risky]

Any kind of injury crisis this season has the potential to be catastrophic now.

I'm already wishing the season was over, 3 games in.

[Granite]

Grealish, George, Dibling and Johnston scored a combined 2 goals last season.

They’ll obviously get more minutes this season but they’re really going to have to step up. I do worry about the expectation our fans put on George in particular.

Goals will be a massive concern this season and I don’t think we have the defence to keep things tight and nick games. Well, to the degree Moyes’ teams have, previously.

[Audrey Horne]

Relegation hopefully

[Bumble]

Need to pick up as many wins as we can early doors before form and fitness start to decimate this squad.

[Raptor]

Relegation hopefully

I think liquidation would be better

[Audrey Horne]

I think liquidation would be better

[Indiantoffee75]

Think if we can get half a season out Grealish and Branthwaite we'll do well to finish 12th/13th.

[AjaxAndy]

A lot depends on people staying fit. If Branthwaite lasts the season, Barry likewise, and Grealish can play 25 games we'll still be in a decent position.

George can deputise for Barry, which gives Dibling more game time. We can also put Johnson up front and hit him over the top. We have options, and even if they aren't amazing neither was playing Beto for 3/4 of a season.

Plenty of energy and legs on the team compared to last year, pace added, players from last season developed and more ready to make waves.

Will we be challenging for Europe? No, but I don't think we'll be in the bottom 6 either. Will be a functional grind it out Moyes special, with plenty of frustrating times, but we have some good footballers so not all doom and gloom.

With the right moves in the window top 8 was definitely achievable, but that hope has completely disappeared now. A promising season ahead is just another in a long line of getting through it and hoping the next one is better unfortunately.

[Audrey Horne]

So absolutely shit again? Sound !

[AjaxAndy]

So absolutely shit again? Sound !

I don't think it'll be absolutely shit, but yeah maybe a bit shit.

We have a very solid defence, we've got Armstrong and Hackney both looking sharp for this season, Grealish is back, Johnson if he can regain his form will eclipse Ndaiye's goal contributions, George can play up top and has done plenty for England under 21s.

We have a right back, who even if he's just a bog standard solid player will protect Tarks waaaay more than Rohl has, and probably help us going forward way more than O'Brien... It might be dull but it will improve us.

We also have Norgaard once fit as an option should we wish to move Garner to RB, or just to give us some more depth of Garner is injured or we want to be more solid against better teams.

We have pace, legs, youth and players from last season looking like they taken a leap forward. Even though Barry missed 3 big chances against Bournemouth he not only made great runs to have them, we also created them in the first place.

Yeah this is way to positive I get that, no one wants to hear it right now, and I understand that. The transfer window, especially the end has been an unmitigated disaster, and we should all be absolutely fuming. There's no excuses for it.

I think though, with a bit of luck on the injury front, we'll have a decent enough season, it's not all doom and gloom... but it shouldn't deflect from the anger we all feel right now.

[Audrey Horne]

Andy are you on drugs?