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

[Vision]

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

LOL so in summary we have the potential to be champions but could go down.

BTW I would be utterly stunned if we're paying anyone 35k a week.

[Dirk Gently]

BTW I would be utterly stunned if we're paying anyone 35k a week.

Absolutely! The max is approx £20 K a week.

[rhroyal]

People who are predicting bottom half finishes are forgetting how weak this league is. Okay, West Brom, Boro, Sheff Utd, Newcaslte, Cardiff, Swansea and Ipswich could all finish above us. But Blackpool, Barnsley, Scunthorpe, Sheff Wed, Peterborough, Doncaster, Watford, Forest and Plymouth? I'd also expect to see us above Palace, Bristol City, Derby, possibly QPR and more too. Even without Doyle, SHunt, Bikey and any other players who may leave, out squad should still be stronger than the majority of squads in this division. Play-offs I'm hoping.

[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

LOL so in summary we have the potential to be champions but could go down.

BTW I would be utterly stunned if we're paying anyone 35k a week.

NOT what I said. Try reading properly will you?

I said IF we lose Doyle, SHunt, Bikey (and maybe Matty) BUT REPLACE THEM WITH QUALITY we could win this league

But if we lose those 4 or 3 of them AND RELY ON YOUTH AS THEIR REPLACEMENT THEN we could seriously struggle.

That's not hedging bets. It's quite explicit.

[Ian Royal]

depends on your definition of quality. It's pretty hedgy. Does cover virtually every base.

"It's too early to say" would have been a much more concise and sensible way of saying what you did in about 7 paragraphs.

[The Cap]

Agree with Snowball on Shunty.I don't know why, and I can feel an rhroyal moment coming on here, but I just have this sneaking suspicion that if Hunty doesn't go then he may just thrive under the new stewardship of BR. I know he's said that a move may be best for everybody all round but I feel sure that if the right offer doesn't come in he could well pick up his form of yesteryear.

I think you're absolutely right as well Snowball when you refer to the Copp being mentally shot and a general malaise spreading through the squad. I mean let's face it, how many players have said that they felt he'd be gone at the end of the season?

[Ian Royal]

Hunt isn't a naturally skilful player though. He's a naturally determined and bustly player. I see Rodgers as more likely to bring the best out of the naturally gifted players who maybe have motivational issues.

[Snowball]

depends on your definition of quality. It's pretty hedgy. Does cover virtually every base.

"It's too early to say" would have been a much more concise and sensible way of saying what you did in about 7 paragraphs.

You do the meaningless sound-bytes, Ian, I'll use my brain. Things do not always reduce to one/two liners


It means buying players in who THIS SEASON are fully up to Championship top-half quality

It doesn't mean Ronaldo or Tevez

But it DOES mean, better than pretty raw kids. all of which MIGHT make the grade, but not this season, not if 6-7-8 of them are playing

I find it hard to believe we'd be so dumb, but there have been plenty of smoke-signals
suggesting we will take the youth route. Bring a kid in, fine, two at a stretch, but more than
that and you're asking for trouble.


Man Utd brought their under 19s to Newport County. Their worst player was a thousand light years
better than Newport County's best player. We thrashed them.

[Ian Royal]

you really are clueless sometimes

[LoyalRoyalFan]

1st - West Brom
2nd - Reading
3rd - Derby

[SLAMMED]

SnowbaLOLLOL

[Snowball]

SnowbaLOLLOL

I feel better now. An insult from a fool is a compliment.


Thank-You

[SLAMMED]

SnowbaLOLLOL

I feel better now. An insult from a fool is a compliment.


Thank-You

A fool? Shows how intelligent you are...

[Snowball]

SnowbaLOLLOL

I feel better now. An insult from a fool is a compliment.


Thank-You

A fool? Shows how intelligent you are...

CORRECT

[SLAMMED]

You should post on AE more. Would be fun to see you get eaten alive by the 'big boys'.

[floyd__streete]

I said IF we lose Doyle, SHunt, Bikey (and maybe Matty) BUT REPLACE THEM WITH QUALITY we could win this league

But if we lose those 4 or 3 of them AND RELY ON YOUTH AS THEIR REPLACEMENT THEN we could seriously struggle.

Crikey, thanks for that frank and revealing analysis, where would we be without you.

[seahawk10]

I said IF we lose Doyle, SHunt, Bikey (and maybe Matty) BUT REPLACE THEM WITH QUALITY we could win this league

But if we lose those 4 or 3 of them AND RELY ON YOUTH AS THEIR REPLACEMENT THEN we could seriously struggle.

Crikey, thanks for that frank and revealing analysis, where would we be without you.

Let me break it down for you floyd:

IF we accumulate more points than all the other teams in the championship next year then we will be back in the Prem.

[Ian Royal]

Snowball is clearly struggling without the availability of lots statistics for him to cunningly pick small samples that tell him what he wants to think.

He'll be back with a vengence come October.

[KC Royal]

Unsure really but having signed Cox i'll go for West Brom to finish Top 2. As far as the playoffs go, Ipswich, Preston, Sheff Utd and possibly Boro look good bets.

Top 10 for us, think we need 3 players to mount a genuine playoff challenge, another CB as cover, left-mid to replace Hunt, and especially a quality striker to replace Doyle. Would have said possibly RB too but after the positive feedback for Davies on here during pre-season and his impressive goal in the testimonial match (can see why he scored 14 goals from midfield for Aldershot last season) i think we can make do without getting someone in.

[Snowball]

Looking at the age spread of the team AS IT IS NOW

I think we will struggle to compete in the top six.

But I'm hoping we will get a few more players who are 24+ before the season starts

A VG 25+ years old centre-back, a goal-scoring attacking midfielder like Tommy Smith and we'd be nearly there