[Albion] If...
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Push the top 4…….yes. Win it ? Highly unlikely
Greg Bobkin
Silver Seagull
- May 22, 2012
- 17,753
That next squad could be title-defining. These are a good squad.
(I think the answer is 'yes' to could we challenge for the title, but 'probably not' to could we win it next season).
(I think the answer is 'yes' to could we challenge for the title, but 'probably not' to could we win it next season).
Oh dear.
This sounds so much like the Palace fans we took the piss out of last season when they thought they would finish in the top 6 this season.
Our last 5 games have been, apart from Newcastle, against teams so much on the beach I’m surprised they didn’t turn up in flip flops. We’ve done well against them, but, we will play a lot, lot harder games at the start of next season.
We are a good team but, we don’t even know who is going yet, and who is staying.
Let’s not get beyond ourselves, the time for threads like these are when we are 7 points ahead, with 2 games to go.
This sounds so much like the Palace fans we took the piss out of last season when they thought they would finish in the top 6 this season.
Our last 5 games have been, apart from Newcastle, against teams so much on the beach I’m surprised they didn’t turn up in flip flops. We’ve done well against them, but, we will play a lot, lot harder games at the start of next season.
We are a good team but, we don’t even know who is going yet, and who is staying.
Let’s not get beyond ourselves, the time for threads like these are when we are 7 points ahead, with 2 games to go.
London Irish
Well-known member
Not title but definitely a trophy. The 12th and 17th teams winning them shows the monopoly of the top 6 however you define those is over.
Absolutely not but we should be aiming for another Europa League place.
Skaville
Well-known member
Genuine answer. No
The Grockle
Formally Croydon Seagull
We could spend 500 million and we'd probably only make top 4.
Leicester was freak one off where everything aligned for them and that probably won't be repeated. Man city invested heavily over a number of seasons before their period of success, Arsenal have spent 100s of millions chasing the title yet haven't won it in over 20 years.
Leicester was freak one off where everything aligned for them and that probably won't be repeated. Man city invested heavily over a number of seasons before their period of success, Arsenal have spent 100s of millions chasing the title yet haven't won it in over 20 years.
TottonSeagull
Well-known member
We have more chance of relegation than a title (and I can't see either happening in the next few seasons)!
- Aug 24, 2020
- 8,748
I admire the ambition, but see our goals against total. It's 59. Or 1.65 per game.
You have to go down the table to West Ham in 14th, to find a team who conceded more goals than we did. This is fundamental.
Sort it out and maybe we could be challenging for top 4. But we didn't sort it out and finished 8th.
IF we can keep this squad intact, they will be a formidable team next season. Heck, they have been a formidable team at times this season. It was just the lack of experience from Fab and the youngsters that kept us out of the top places; they now have a season under their belts.
PL title yes, I agree, but we have a bloody good chance of European football, quite possibly CL
oldboyroy
Well-known member
Genuine answer. Who knows! We are a bloody good side and can beat anyone on our day but so can 15 other teams. Keeping Mitoma, Baleba, JPVH and JP and getting our defence tightened up we will certainly be challenging top 4. I will never say no chance but will say highly unlikely.
54 posts in?, bloody‘ell, oh well, here goes…
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too:
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;
If you can dream—and not make dreams your master;
If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim,
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same:
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools;
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss:
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: 'Hold on!'
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings—nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much:
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And—which is more—you'll be a Man, my son!
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too:
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;
If you can dream—and not make dreams your master;
If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim,
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same:
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools;
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss:
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: 'Hold on!'
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings—nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much:
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And—which is more—you'll be a Man, my son!
Super unlikely the teams that were shit this season will be shit next season. Also look at the top five.
Liverpool, Arsenal, City, Newcastle, Chelsea.
Newcastle being there is the only anonmaly from the past two decades, and it's not a huge surprise that they are there.
We are operating with a lower half budget. One day we will get there and we should be better next season as players will be better.
Losing Mitoma will be key. Pedro I like alot but it's not the end of the world. Baleba i would hope we get one more season.
I should imagine we need to sell for PSR.
Liverpool, Arsenal, City, Newcastle, Chelsea.
Newcastle being there is the only anonmaly from the past two decades, and it's not a huge surprise that they are there.
We are operating with a lower half budget. One day we will get there and we should be better next season as players will be better.
Losing Mitoma will be key. Pedro I like alot but it's not the end of the world. Baleba i would hope we get one more season.
I should imagine we need to sell for PSR.
IF we keep the squad together, make a couple of good signings and have a better run with injuries we could get to 70 odd points. So maybe challenge the top 4.
Getting at least 20 more points next season (which is the absolute minimum to even be close to challenging) seems like a massive jump.
Getting at least 20 more points next season (which is the absolute minimum to even be close to challenging) seems like a massive jump.
It is an outside chance, but I'm going to say 'no' simply because way too many stars will have to align for it to happen. We (obviously) have got to improve, and not only will we need all the Big Six to have less-than-good seasons, we also need the likes of Villa and Newcastle to be off the pace as well. They too will be thinking that with a bit of strengthening they can be title challengers.
There are some big 'ifs', but if this season really was a 'transitional' season, (i.e. we don't suffer a huge player churn in the summer making next season 'transitional' as well), if we can keep the likes of Baleba and Mitoma, if we can maybe get a few good signings to fill the gaps, and if Fab has learnt on the job, then I think we can have a realistic stab at a Champions' League place next year. But the actual title I feel is a step too far.
- Thread starter
- #58
The truth (and I know I was the OP) is that this is where I am. I do think we can challenge for the top 4 with a couple of SHREWD additions. I'm expecting Liverpool to drop back slightly but unfortunately one or two of the big clubs will progress to nearer that level. We will do well to compete for a top 4/5.
Hotchilidog
Well-known member
- Jan 24, 2009
- 9,640
I'd say no, the gap is too great. What it would do is give us another good shot of getting over the 60 point barrier and maybe have us taking a shot at the 65-70pt range which can open up all sorts of exciting possibilities.
With a bit of luck we can maybe replicate Villa's champions league season. I still think it is unlikely but we'd be in a place where it was a legitimate aspiration.
If we can keep both Carlos and Karou you'd be quite right to be excited.
With a bit of luck we can maybe replicate Villa's champions league season. I still think it is unlikely but we'd be in a place where it was a legitimate aspiration.
If we can keep both Carlos and Karou you'd be quite right to be excited.
Jimmy Come Lately
Registered Loser
We finished 23 points behind Liverpool (and they dropped a lot after they won the title: if they'd been pushed all the way I expect 90+ points would have been needed, as it has in recent seasons). That's a lot of extra points to make up.
On the other hand, Arsenal were regarded as "challenging for the title" for quite a while and they only finished 13 points above us. That's a bit more than just the four dropped points against Wolves and Leicester but seems more achievable. It probably requires most of the teams in the bottom half to remain weak and some of our rivals for 8th to drop off a bit. A big points deduction for City would also help.
So yeah, I can imagine an unsuccessful "title challenge" if various things go in our favour. But not one where we're seriously in it right to the end.
On the other hand, Arsenal were regarded as "challenging for the title" for quite a while and they only finished 13 points above us. That's a bit more than just the four dropped points against Wolves and Leicester but seems more achievable. It probably requires most of the teams in the bottom half to remain weak and some of our rivals for 8th to drop off a bit. A big points deduction for City would also help.
So yeah, I can imagine an unsuccessful "title challenge" if various things go in our favour. But not one where we're seriously in it right to the end.