So where are we going to finish?

[Finn balor]

Obviously a lot can happen between now and the 2nd of Sept but where are we going to end up?

 

My heart says 4th head says 6th

[Romey 1878]

Literally not a clue. We could finish top 4 or do absolutely nothing in the league.

 

It's going to be interesting seeing how Martinez's ideas transfer to the team for the season.

 

Fingers crossed it all goes well but there's every chance that it could go all go tits up. By that I don't mean a danger of relegation or anything btw.

[Zoo]

Same as Mark, we won't be relegation fighters but anywhere between 4th-10th. I'd say we'll end up about 7th.

[Mogsy]

My biggest worry is have we actually added anything to last Years squad? Robles is in but mucha has gone so a straight swap there, Neville has gone alcaraz in, not strictly a straight swap but all the same one out one in(and he's injured already), hitz out delofeu in, again one in one out, the talk is of great things from this lad so hopefully an improvement there, so the only actual additional player is Kone!? I think we suffered a bit of fatigue in the squad last season and with only one extra face I can see this happening again, can't see us with the current squad doing anymore than 7th or 8th at the moment, I think we need at least 3 extra decent bodies in the squad to challenge for a European place

Edited August 11, 2013 by mogsy

[JTStanley1]

If we play anything like we did today we're going to concede a lot of goals and be lucky to finish anywhere near where we have done for the past few seasons but I will put that down to fatigue and being jet-lagged still. I think we are capable of finishing around 6/7 if things fall into place early enough in the season, I still feel we need to bring in another central midfielder as we only have Fellaini, Gibson, Osman & Heitinga, 2 of which (Osman & Heitinga) I don't think are quick enough for the way RM plays. I would be happy with a repeat of this season and another 6th place finish.

[Zoo]

My biggest worry is have we actually added anything to last Years squad? Robles is in but mucha has gone so a straight swap there, Neville has gone alcaraz in, not strictly a straight swap but all the same one out one in(and he's injured already), hitz out delofeu in, again one in one out, the talk is of great things from this lad so hopefully an improvement there, so the only actual additional player is Kone!? I think we suffered a bit of fatigue in the squad last season and with only one extra face I can see this happening again, can't see us with the current squad doing anymore than 7th or 8th at the moment, I think we need at least 3 extra decent bodies in the squad to challenge for a European place

 

Depth.

 

Not the most exciting change but one which has been needed for a while.

[StevO]

Could go either way. But looking at recent games I can't help but think the best thing about Robles and Kone are the reaction from Howard and Jelavic.

[Sideliner]

if no additions are made to the squad - 7th or 8th is my guess - our midfield is too woefully slow and defensively suspect to expect anything better -

acceptable for a start - but then we have to steadily improve from there

[Mogsy]

 

Depth.

 

Not the most exciting change but one which has been needed for a while.

But we are only up one player over the size of last years squad so is that really adding depth?

[Zoo]

Martinez has added to the squad that he in-herited so yes it is. It's not ideal but it's what we have to have at the moment given the financial status of the club.

[JTStanley1]

But we are only up one player over the size of last years squad so is that really adding depth?

The way in which Martinez uses the squad brings depth to it.

[Mogsy]

The way in which Martinez uses the squad brings depth to it.

Can you explain how please

[Romey 1878]

Can you explain how please

He looks like he's going to use it for a start!

[Mogsy]

He looks like he's going to use it for a start!

.

 

True lol

[Lowensda]

9th/10th.

[MikeO]

Seventh. Unless Liverpool stay in self destruct mode in which case sixth.

 

I can't see anyone outside of the obvious six having the quality to stay ahead of us over a season.

[Steve_E]

I think we're gonna finish 6-8, I'm expecting 7th.

 

For me Chelsea, Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham and Arsenal are a clear top 5. They had a pretty big edge this past season and I expect that they will have again.

-I think Chelsea will win the league as imo they have the most world class players and most strength in depth.

-City have the second best squad in the league imo and I think their players suit Pellegrini's style. At Villarreal he played with two strikers who would often drift to the wings (which suits Aguero and Jovetic more than Dzeko and Negredo) and two wing players who often played in the middle when in possession (which will suit Nasri and Silva).

-I'm curious to see how Moyes will do at United. I think their squad is a bit behind City and Chelsea and it doesn't seem like Moyes can attract the world class players he's after so far.

-Spurs only finished one point off fourth last season and they've added a lot of quality in Chadli, Paulinho, Capoue and Soldado. And they'll get Kaboul and Sandro back from injury as well.

-Arsenal will fall out of the Champions League places unless they get some real reinforcements in.

 

Under that group I expect Liverpool, Everton and Swansea.

-I think Liverpool will get 6th, they've added a couple of players and they'll have Coutinho for an entire season this time around.

-Then you'll have us and Swansea playing for 7th and 8th place. I think Swansea are gonna take quite a step up over last season with the players they have added. Bony reminds me a lot of Yakubu in his good days so now they've got 2 real goal scorers in him and Michu.

-Regarding Everton, I think we might be a bit slow out of the gates as the players get an understanding of a new system and then we might go on a bit of a run after Christmas when hopefully the players will have adapted and maybe one or two players can be brought in in January to replace players who haven't.

 

Newcastle, Fulham, Southampton, Norwich, West Ham, West Brom and Aston Villa will end up in mid table.

-Aston Villa have targeted the right areas in the transfer window and I think that will be enough to keep them out of trouble.

-I think West Brom will miss Lukaku's very efficient scoring from last season and Lugano and Anelka might be a bit past it, so I think they'll see a reduction in points. -West Ham have spent a lot of money, but not really strengthened either as they already had Carroll last season as well. They've only added a backup keeper and Razvan Rat.

-I didn't rate Norwich's squad at all last season, but Hughton got very good results. I still think they overperformed, but now they've added a couple of players in Fer, van Wolfswinkel, Hooper, Olsson and Redmond that you might actually expect at a mid table team so I think they'll match last season's performances.

-I like Southampton's squad. Good full backs,two good central midfielders in Schneiderlin and Cork and they've added Wanyama. Creative players in behind the target man. I don't rate their centre backs, but they've brought in Lovren, though apparently a lot of Lyon fans weren't bothered about him leaving as he didn't have the best of seasons last year.

-Fulham have done well with little money imo. Stekelenburg is a good goalkeeper, Amorebieta in defense, Boateng to replace Diarra and Taarabt will hopefully add a bit of creativity. I think they'll struggle for goals though if Berbatov isn't in form.

-I don't really know what to expect from Newcastle. They already bought a lot of good players in January and I think that squad will get together more this season and improve. Rémy on loan will probably allow Pardew to not play Cissé on the wing.

 

Sunderland, Cardiff, Stoke, Hull City and Crystal Palace are in most immediate danger of relegation imo.

-I don't have a very good view on the teams who have come up. But Crystal Palace finished fifth in the Championship and have lost Zaha and I'm not very impressed with the players they've brought in so far.

-Hull have brought a quite a lot of players in already, but most of them are decidedly average.

-I can see Stoke going down as well. They've brought a pretty crappy left back (Pieters) in to add to their collection of pretty crappy left backs and then that Barcelona centre back. I think Hughes will be fired this season.

-I like the boys Cardiff have brought in so far. Caulker did well for Swansea, Medel will add a bit of steel, Cornelius will be a good target man. And apparently that Korean they got in last summer is pretty good.

-Sunderland were close to going down last season. I don't think Mannone is going to be a capable replacement for Mignolet. I'm not a fan of their defenders though they have added a couple of players in Cabral, Roberge and Diakité, but I don't know anything about any of them. Altidore might score 10 goals, Giaccherini is average and he'll likely be expected to replace Sessegnon who apparently might be going to the Middle East.

Edited August 11, 2013 by Steve_E

[Peter H]

I wont quote Steve_E but I agree with all he wrote

[Blue 250]

Some early points would be nice, calm the nerves as such.It's a brave new world, a world without Moyes and what he brought to the club.

 

If Moyes were still here I can only guess I'd have been thinking, we will finish between 5th and 8th with the chance of a cup run plus a possible finish above the rs (again).

 

If Martinez can achieve the above, whilst blooding some youngsters, I guess I'd be very happy.It's probably the best we can hope for.

 

If we finish 7th-10th, again whilst blooding some youth, what can you say? look what liverpool did with a new manager last season and plenty of money!

 

I hope Martinez is liked and trusted by the players, the chairman and the fans, then with the usual bit of luck you need in football we should be ok!

[SimonButtle]

im quite surprised people are so confident, 9th/10th for me

[JTStanley1]

Can you explain how please

 

Moyes used to pick his favourite players/best team week in, week out no matter how they were performing, we used the least amount of players in the league last season which tell you a lot about the way Moyes used his squad. Martinez seems to be getting the best out of a lot more players and I'm sure that he will use the players available more than Moyes did by rotating around. This will prevent the mid-late season lag and burnout that we saw in the team this year as the players will be fresh as they wont all be playing all of the time.

[Hafnia]

1. Chelsea

2. Man City

3. Spurs

4. Arsenal

5. Man united

6. Everton

7. Swansea

8. Liverpool

 

I think we will get the belgian centre half from Ajax, sell fellaini, buy McCarthy. Barkley will feature more and will be like a new signing.

[rubecula]

To be honest with this being the first season for RM, all I want is for us to finish safely, anything more will be a bonus.

[Mogsy]

 

Moyes used to pick his favourite players/best team week in, week out no matter how they were performing, we used the least amount of players in the league last season which tell you a lot about the way Moyes used his squad. Martinez seems to be getting the best out of a lot more players and I'm sure that he will use the players available more than Moyes did by rotating around. This will prevent the mid-late season lag and burnout that we saw in the team this year as the players will be fresh as they wont all be playing all of the time.

I agree, but I'm just a little worried that we haven't added enough players to do this easily, for example if gibbo or mirallas get injured which they do seem to be prone to, who steps in for them, Naismith on the right wing? He's not a patch on mirallas, I think my point is which I didn't explain is that two or so injuries and squad rotation goes out the window in my opinion because our squad isn't big/strong enough to cope Edited August 12, 2013 by mogsy

[MikeO]

im quite surprised people are so confident, 9th/10th for me

 

Out of interest which three teams (ignoring the obvious six) do you think are capable of finishing ahead of us?

[Lowensda]

Mike - Based on the unpredictability of the league in recent seasons, who knows?

 

Who would have predicted Newcastle would finish 5th and then fight for relegation in consecutive seasons?

 

On paper, we might beat the majority of the teams in the league, but how often have we struggled against lower league opposition?

 

People are basing their predictions by "on paper". A season was never won "on paper".

[Hafnia]

I think yesterdays game was an interesting one and certainly we have played far better against such opponents and never scored goals and won...

 

For me it was like the team is having the tension and apprehension of passing the ball beaten out of them. You can see that the familiar "get rid" pattern we seen under moyes may need some working on, I think we did give the ball away cheaply but I was imprerssed with the attitude and desire to win it back and the way we pressed a very goof footballing team.

 

Rome wasn't built in a day and I think there will be some dropped points where the passing game blows up in our face with some errors, but I see a team with more flexibility and less reliance on structured attacking passages of play (fellis chest, baines and pienaar overlap). I see a far more relaxed Jelavic who seems to thrive on the unpredicatable patterns of play and relying on scraps.

 

All in all, I see this season as a transition where we will see a much imporved standard of football with some impressive performances mixed with ones where the team don't quite click.

[SimonButtle]

 

Out of interest which three teams (ignoring the obvious six) do you think are capable of finishing ahead of us?

Swansea

West Ham

Norwich

Liverpool

I even think Sunderland might do something, they have had decent pre season by all accounts.

 

We need some more bodies in Mike, if we are going to play this "build from the back style" ( i have no problem with this) then some of the present team appear to be lacking the relevant skill set for the job. We can scrap around in the market year in year out as much as we want, but eventually there is going to come a time when it doesn't work anymore and we WILL get left behind, and judging by the fact despite the extra TV money that appears to have had no effect on us whatsoever, i fear this year could be our year. Im not suggesting we will go down but i think we could get a bit of a shock to the system if we are not careful.

[Hafnia]

Swansea

West Ham

Norwich

Liverpool

I even think Sunderland might do something, they have had decent pre season by all accounts.

 

We need some more bodies in Mike, if we are going to play this "build from the back style" ( i have no problem with this) then some of the present team appear to be lacking the relevant skill set for the job. We can scrap around in the market year in year out as much as we want, but eventually there is going to come a time when it doesn't work anymore and we WILL get left behind, and judging by the fact despite the extra TV money that appears to have had no effect on us whatsoever, i fear this year could be our year. Im not suggesting we will go down but i think we could get a bit of a shock to the system if we are not careful.

Don't agree there to be honest - Norwich and West Ham - definately not. Buying players does not equal success - buying top quality does and I don't think those two have doen anything that makes me fear them.

 

Sunderland and Liverpool will be two teams who will have dressing room issues, Di Canio is a loose cannon, Rodgers has Suarez issues and I see them mid table.

 

Swansea - we will see, not a bad team, they need to sort out away form.

[SimonButtle]

Don't agree there to be honest - Norwich and West Ham - definately not. Buying players does not equal success - buying top quality does and I don't think those two have doen anything that makes me fear them.

 

Sunderland and Liverpool will be two teams who will have dressing room issues, Di Canio is a loose cannon, Rodgers has Suarez issues and I see them mid table.

 

Swansea - we will see, not a bad team, they need to sort out away form.

We will see how the season pans out, but i think we need some new faces especially in midfield, but i can see that saga of Felli going and no one coming in.