09/10 season predictions: 1st 2nd 3rd.. and Reading?

[Ian Royal]

I can't see us being in top 10 this coming season - would love to be proved wrong though, obviously. As long as we don't struggle - I'll be happy with that.

Do you mean struggle as in 16th and below or do you mean struggle as in have some pretty poor runs and not play very well a fair amount of the time?

Because given how we managed to play for a big chunk of the season and still finish 4th you may be in for a very disappointing time if we don't make 10th and it's the latter...

[Royal Lady]

I mean struggle as in be bottom 5 or so for most of the season - losing more games than we win or draw - that's what I mean by struggle.

[SteveRoyal]

Much too early. I'll respond at the end of July.

'Greed.
I'd hope in the Top 2, but we shall see.

[Ian Royal]

I mean struggle as in be bottom 5 or so for most of the season - losing more games than we win or draw - that's what I mean by struggle.

Thought it was.

[Deathy]

I mean struggle as in be bottom 5 or so for most of the season - losing more games than we win or draw - that's what I mean by struggle.

I really can't see it being that bad.

So we lose Hunt, Doyle and Bikey. In come Church, Karacan, Pearce and co, and an already steady squad we have here. Mid-table is about where I expect us, unless Rodgers can perform small miracles on this budget.

[Royal Lady]

I mean struggle as in be bottom 5 or so for most of the season - losing more games than we win or draw - that's what I mean by struggle.

I really can't see it being that bad.

So we lose Hunt, Doyle and Bikey. In come Church, Karacan, Pearce and co, and an already steady squad we have here. Mid-table is about where I expect us, unless Rodgers can perform small miracles on this budget.

I can't see us being in top 10 this coming season - would love to be proved wrong though, obviously. As long as we don't struggle - I'll be happy with that.

<-------- that is what I originally said. HTH

[Ian Royal]

Who'd have thought we'd be confident of a midtable finish, without:

Hahnemann, Murty, Sonko, Duberry, Bikey, Shorey, Little, Convey, SHunt, Doyle, Kitson & Lita. All those players have left (or probably will leave) since we were relegated from the Premier League a season ago.

I think that shows what depth we've got and how well the kids have come on. Because let's face it, in the same time we've signed NHunt, Mooney, Tabb and Armstrong. Yes it originates largely from the Premier League side and there the quality of the depth was poor, but it's largely good enough to survive the Championship.

[readingboy]

will we go up this season or will we finished in the playoffs again ?? or do u think we stay in this league as the team stands apart from kevin &hunt are we good go up and the players who join will they be the same standed as we got now.

[SteveRoyal]

Far, far, far, far, far, far, far, far, far, far, far, far, far, far, far, far, far, far, far, far, far, far, far, far too early to say.

[Dirk Gently]

As I've had to come up with a prediction, I've said "top half of the table, might sneak into the play-offs."

[Sir Rodney Effing]

As I've had to come up with a prediction, I've said "top half of the table, might sneak into the play-offs."

That pretty much sums up what I'm thinking - I'll be happy with the play-offs this year as BR builds his new team.

It will be interesting to see the crowd sizes in the coming season.

[Arnie_Pie]

Fair to middling.

[Archie's penalty]

As I've had to come up with a prediction, I've said "top half of the table, might sneak into the play-offs."

A plus one to that.

[Ian Royal]

If I could understand the awful English I might be able to answer.

[Sir Rodney Effing]

If I could understand the awful English I might be able to answer.

personally I thinked it ok was

Or perhaps just me that is, i know dont

[Mike Hunt]

Mid Table at best, with Losing Doyle and not finding decent* replacements.

Way to early to tell.

*Decent does not mean they have to cost an arm and a leg to get.

[The 17 Bus]

i have a feeling of de ja vu here, we need less and fewer threads asking this very question, i wonder when the next one will be along.

[Silver Fox]

Mid Table at best, with Losing Doyle and not finding decent* replacements.

Way to early to tell.

Make your mind up!

FWIW we're going up, prolly as champions

[londinium]

will we go up this season or will we finished in the playoffs again ?? or do u think we stay in this league as the team stands apart from kevin &hunt are we good go up and the players who join will they be the same standed as we got now.

What the f*ck ids he dribbling on about now???

[Snowball]

Doyle is replaceable.

SHunt is replaceable.

Bikey is replaceable.

And frankly, as a club with an eye to better finances, we would do right to lose the top two because they are too expensive for a Championship club and would presumably get a hike in wages if we went up to the Prem. If it's true that they may be on 35K, that is unbelievable at this level.

IF they are on these wages (note the if, cos I don't know) then their going could release a lot of money
for spending on the squad. We need a goal-scoring midfielder like Tommy Smith, reliable wingers, probably
a VG centre-back.

But if Rodgers is as good as Mourinho and others think, and if he works only as well as he did
at Watford (and presuming he brings in Smith + 2 or their equivalent) LOGICALLY we should be top three.

I loved SC but I think he was mentally "gone" last season and the malaise affected the players. He lost confidence
and went from never changing a winning side to changing too often, brought back the bad-apple Lita and then dumped him
then went for Kitson and Little which must be close to the worst mistake ever.

We BLEW in a massive way yet still managed fourth. Seems obvious to me that we must have had the best squad overall
and that fourth was a failure.

Now, with a highly competent manager, and one who is gifted in IMPROVING PLAYERS as individuals, I see no reason
why we couldn't be champions. That said Ipswich and a few others will spend, but...

I think Rodgers may sort out Kebe, and if he does Kebe will be awesome. Few doubt he shows brilliance in patches. A good
man-manager/skills coach can sort him out. Maybe the same will happen for Bikey if he stays. Who is to say (if SHunt isn't sold)
that Rodgers can't quickly suss out the problem and give us back the player at his best?

We have the potential to be champions and I'll be shocked if we are not top six.

UNLESS the brief is to sell 6-7-8 players and blood (too many) youths. This latter case is what some
of the club's pronouncements suggest and that worries me.

So when I say a good chance of coming top I mean that if we sell Doyle, SHunt, Bikey, maybe Matejovsky
we spend a significant chunk of the money on classy replacements.

If we are talking four academy kids as replacements, then we will struggle and could even go down