Vive_La_Villa Posted August 8, 2021 Share Posted August 8, 2021 (edited) We have a very good squad now so if we’re lucky with injuries we can challenge for top 6. It’s now up to the coaching staff and manager to get the best out of these players. Massive season for Dean Smith. Edited August 8, 2021 by Vive_La_Villa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick76 Posted August 8, 2021 Share Posted August 8, 2021 3 minutes ago, Vive_La_Villa said: We have a very good squad now so if we’re lucky with injuries we can challenge for top 6. It’s now up to the coaching staff and manager to get the best out of these players. Massive season for Dean Smith. I think you are a bit rose tinted glasses there mate. If miracles and everything aligned we could sneak 6th but level playing field we are about 8th or 9th on quality. A top 10 is a must, a top 8 is desirable, a top 6 is a miracle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vive_La_Villa Posted August 8, 2021 Share Posted August 8, 2021 2 minutes ago, nick76 said: I think you are a bit rose tinted glasses there mate. If miracles and everything aligned we could sneak 6th but level playing field we are about 8th or 9th on quality. A top 10 is a must, a top 8 is desirable, a top 6 is a miracle. You’re right I’m getting carried away but we haven’t seen how good Bailey and Emi will be for us yet. They could be game changers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick76 Posted August 8, 2021 Share Posted August 8, 2021 4 minutes ago, Vive_La_Villa said: You’re right I’m getting carried away but we haven’t seen how good Bailey and Emi will be for us yet. They could be game changers. They could be but they could take time to adapt, take time to understand how each other play. I mean Bailey hasn’t even trained with any team mates and we start the season in six days. We are also changing the way we play from everything going through Jack to a new style, which takes time and with new players. I think we need some patience to see how it all fits together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThunderPower_14 Posted August 8, 2021 Share Posted August 8, 2021 It's so tough to tell given how important the changes to our attack will be. I'd hope we finish top 8 but if we don't, I'll be content enough as long as we're in the mix for a top 8 finish late in the season Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vive_La_Villa Posted August 8, 2021 Share Posted August 8, 2021 4 minutes ago, nick76 said: They could be but they could take time to adapt, take time to understand how each other play. I mean Bailey hasn’t even trained with any team mates and we start the season in six days. We are also changing the way we play from everything going through Jack to a new style, which takes time and with new players. I think we need some patience to see how it all fits together. True. We’ve got a relatively decent start on paper with our first 3 games so hopefully we can capitalise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markavfc40 Posted August 8, 2021 Share Posted August 8, 2021 I think a realistic expectation is top 8. If we take it that Man City, Man Utd, Liverpool, Chelsea will take up 4 of those top 8 spots then we are competing with Leicester, Arsenal, Spurs, Everton, West Ham and Leeds for one of the other four spots. We'd need to finish above three of those six to finish 8th. It is not beyond the realms we could finish above all of them but it is just as likely we'll finish below all of them Regardless of what we as supporters expect I'd imagine the owners will expect progression and a top 8 finish and ideally qualifying for Europe. If we don't qualify for Europe the worry then has to be that the likes of Konsa, Martinez, Watkins will be poached by a club who have. This is a huge season for us and could well define the next 10 years. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwivillan Posted August 8, 2021 Share Posted August 8, 2021 20 minutes ago, nick76 said: I think you are a bit rose tinted glasses there mate. If miracles and everything aligned we could sneak 6th but level playing field we are about 8th or 9th on quality. A top 10 is a must, a top 8 is desirable, a top 6 is a miracle. Should've signed Demarai Gray and Andros Townsend you reckon? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villalad21 Posted August 8, 2021 Share Posted August 8, 2021 35 minutes ago, nick76 said: I think you are a bit rose tinted glasses there mate. If miracles and everything aligned we could sneak 6th but level playing field we are about 8th or 9th on quality. A top 10 is a must, a top 8 is desirable, a top 6 is a miracle. Difference between challenging and actually expecting top 6. Challenging just means we are in and around teams like West Ham, Arsenal Leeds etc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodgyknees Posted August 8, 2021 Share Posted August 8, 2021 Think we need one or two more additions if we want 6th. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Posted August 8, 2021 VT Supporter Share Posted August 8, 2021 Bailey will need 6 months to settle. We will be fine but to expect a run at the Europe places may be over ambitious. You don't get over losing a player like grealish without some recalibration which will make consistency a problem for the first half season. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick76 Posted August 8, 2021 Share Posted August 8, 2021 28 minutes ago, Kiwivillan said: Should've signed Demarai Gray and Andros Townsend you reckon? haha god no. I just think top 5 are City, United, Liverpool, Chelsea and Leicester as almost standard. I just then think there are a group of teams after that which we are now just joining. We've just lost our talisman, who without last season we had an awful run of form, which was partly down to not having him but also squad depth, poor form and a few other things. We have brought in three quality attacking options which need to bed in and take time to adapt. I mean Bailey hasnt even trained with his team mates yet. Our current players have another years experience so we are stronger, we just have to temper our expectations somewhat. Our aim is Europe but so are the other teams we are fighting with and they are much more established and have deeper squads and arguably more quality. We are the new kids on the block with some new rapid toys to show, everything is unlikely to go smoothly during this period but at times will be fantastic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick76 Posted August 8, 2021 Share Posted August 8, 2021 26 minutes ago, villalad21 said: Difference between challenging and actually expecting top 6. Challenging just means we are in and around teams like West Ham, Arsenal Leeds etc I expect Leeds to slip back a bit, I think they over achieved last season so I'm not worried about them. The teams like Arsenal, Spurs, Everton and West Ham will be our main competitors. They are always around there and thus we need to find consistency and really perform regularly, which is hard. We are still the new kids on the block with new toys. I think the problem is some are thinking we are top 6 than challenging it, so I agree with there is a difference, you can see in many fans thinking by they way they comment that are saying the same thing and that is where we get into the season and if we are a bit off some fans would be calling for Smith's head, which would be unfair. If we are top 10 all season and end up 9th on 60 points we have progressed but you can already see there would be daggers out for Smith at that point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danceoftheshamen Posted August 8, 2021 Share Posted August 8, 2021 Personally i'm a little more wary of this season than most. I feel pre-season has been poor with cancelled fixtures, no or barely any game time for most new signings nor Sanson etc etc. So i'm thinking 12th to 16th after a struggling start (the first few games are vital as they should be points gained but we are very ill prepared is my fear lose or don't get the points required from those and we're playing catch up from the off) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Silvers Posted August 8, 2021 Share Posted August 8, 2021 I think West ham might go backwards too, same as Leeds it was a case of a bunch of average Joe's all clicking at the same time. We will need a number of games for our lot to gell which as we know is far from easy, that said, higher quality players will get there faster. There's always a team that over achieves but who knows, once we click the only teams we are going to have to climb over are spity utd pool chel and leics. If kane goes I'd say there's nothing for us to fear from anyone else, I'm sure we will be able to hold our own against any of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
messi11 Posted August 8, 2021 Share Posted August 8, 2021 1 hour ago, VillaFaninLondon said: If we get one more marquee signing in the middle of the park, then top 7 should be the aim imo. I really hope that's what the club are after, but other than JWP links have been scarce. As it stands this team and squad is more than capable of finishing top half and that will indeed be the aim (Dean has said that himself in an interview the day after Grealish was sold). Our aim this season, regardless of losing our talisman, will be to make progress and that will mean exceeding last season's 11th placed finish. That means Smith will have to prove he can win regularly without Grealish which in previous seasons he has struggled to do. There will no excuses if he can't, because we now have several £30m players in the forward positions in Ings, Watkins, Buendia and Bailey and all of these players are capable of regularly scoring and assisting and ensuring we win plenty of games. What do you mean by the middle of the park? A CDM? A JWP? A CAM? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick76 Posted August 8, 2021 Share Posted August 8, 2021 11 minutes ago, Phil Silvers said: I think West ham might go backwards too, same as Leeds it was a case of a bunch of average Joe's all clicking at the same time. We will need a number of games for our lot to gell which as we know is far from easy, that said, higher quality players will get there faster. There's always a team that over achieves but who knows, once we click the only teams we are going to have to climb over are spity utd pool chel and leics. If kane goes I'd say there's nothing for us to fear from anyone else, I'm sure we will be able to hold our own against any of them. We really need Buendia and Bailey to click, if they don’t we might have issues. Buendia looks good so far although very early days and sure looks like Bailey has the talent but I think a lot of our rests on how those guys start, gel and perform. If they don’t we could have problems, if they click perfectly it could be a great season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
messi11 Posted August 8, 2021 Share Posted August 8, 2021 if Buendia and Bailey dont click then its bottom half for us 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VillaFaninLondon Posted August 8, 2021 Share Posted August 8, 2021 13 minutes ago, messi11 said: What do you mean by the middle of the park? A CDM? A JWP? A CAM? A CDM - Leicester have got Ndidi, Spuds have Højbjerg, Arse have Partey, Leeds have Phillips, Spam have Rice. I like McGinn and Luiz but they are absolutely, 100% not defensive midfielders. McGinn is box to box and Luiz is more of a deep lying playmaker but defensively is irresponsible. Nakamba is our only out and out DM and while he is a valuable squad player, we could do with an upgrade if we're to push for top 6. Last season Emi had to make a hell of a lot of saves to bail us out and I think if we had a top quality DM we wouldn't have to rely on him so much. Someone like Kamara or Zakaria would be fantastic in our team imo. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foreveryoung Posted August 8, 2021 Share Posted August 8, 2021 I had a European place this season, but now with jack's departure and having to bed in the new signings, being balanced, I think we will have to do with a midtable finish again. The owners and Purslow will be expecting much more though, you can be assured of that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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