Do you think we'll finish in the top four?

[cbeebies is poo]

should finish in the top four with the squad we have and money we spent. We have bought players who played in the prem in previous seasons (this is why we paid lots for them). So i dont make excuses tbh. We are not performing for the squad we have lets be honest the way we are going i predict 7th unless we start to finish games off. Nees to sort out his tactics and subs or we will finish 7th.

 

[mancity1]

You seem to equate financial power with success. This has been proved wrong many times, most recently with Leeds and Newcastle.

It was the money running out at Leeds that cost them, when they were spending they reached the champions league semi finals.

Newcastle is just the textbook, how not to run a club.

In general, financial power does equal success and it will with us while we continue to spend the sort of money we are spending.

For me, an improvement of 3 places in 2 years after spending £200m+ in transfer fees and god knows how much in wages won't be a great achievement.

I don't think we need to make top 4, but we shoudl be pushing top 4 all the way. I suspect we won't make it and will finish 5th or 6th, and that is fine with me so long as we are still right in it going into the last weeks of the season.

If Liverpool have a fit and firing Gerrard and Torres for the remainder of the season I cannot see up finishing ahead of them.

I cannot see us finishing ahead of the current top three.

I expect Villa , Spurs , Everton ( yes Everton ) to be in the mix with us for the next lot of places.

I don't really care where we finish this season as long as we know that we can SUSTAIN and have a side that will be competitive each week and difficult to beat each week.

Too many people are reading too much into 5 draws on the spin as if its a disaster.

It what we do in the next eleven games and if thats 5-5-1 I will not be disappointed at all in fact I will be quite satisfied given the changes in personnel and the fact that Hughes has had little pressure given injuries and suspensions so far to have a full list to select from.

When he can name his best eleven ( team wise ) against inferior opposition , get his formation and tactics including substitutions right and we still come up short then its time to worry.

 

[HellasLEAF]

I think we have dropped too many points that will be difficult to make up as our schedule gets tougher. We just miss out on the CL imo.

 

[Damocles]

Why?

Both are settled teams with great financial backing who have built their team over several years.

Settled teams? Harry's only been there 12 months! As our manager has been in charge for 18 months, that's a bit ironic. Only 12 months ago, they were in crisis with their worst start to a season ever and their manager sacked. 12 months later, we are accepting that its OK for them to do better than us? Unbelievable.

They started way ahead of us. They had a single bad season in the past 5 years due to poor management. You seriously need to read the Guardian piece about the state of the club and the facilities when Hughes and ADUG came in.

Plus, it might have escaped you that unlike those sides with "great financial backing" as you put it, we have had an open cheque book. We have spent double what Spuds and Villa have spent between them!

I chuckled that you neglected to say that "both are settled teams with great financial backing and decent managers".

Off of the top of my head, I would say that Spurs have spent around £200m in the past four years. Villa have also spent about £150m in the past four years.

Spurs spent £40m in 06/07, £63m in 07/08, £102.3m in 08/09 and £20m this year so far. So, that's actually £220m in the past four years.

 

[moomba]

Off of the top of my head, I would say that Spurs have spent around £200m in the past four years. Villa have also spent about £150m in the past four years.

Spurs spent £40m in 06/07, £63m in 07/08, £102.3m in 08/09 and £20m this year so far. So, that's actually £220m in the past four years.

I'm pretty sure Spurs have been net sellers in the last 4 years. £56m profit on transfers in these just released financial results.

They have consistently sold their best players for years now.

 

[Damocles]

For me, an improvement of 3 places in 2 years after spending £200m+ in transfer fees and god knows how much in wages won't be a great achievement.

Come on man, you know that it's not that simple. Firstly, it's an exponential scale; if you're bottom of the league and spend £200m, you can expect to move up ten places, whereas if you are 10th and spend £200m you aren't going to win the league.

It isn't a measure of how many places up we move in a given time, it's a long term view. Is the club moving forward? I feel that if we finish 6th, then yes, the club has moved forward and that's fine. I expect us to move forward again the season after.

ADUG say that it is a ten year plan, and we are currently in season 2. I'm happy that we will be a top four club in season 3, but asking for it now is a bit impatient. They said this year is a top 6, and I'm happy to go with them on this one.

Small steps are how you build in the long term. Big leaps are how you fuck up your club.

 

[moomba]

If we limp into 6th, having been 9th two years ago and spent more than anyone then I'm afraid I can't call it a great achievement.

Simple as that.

If we push the top 4, and fall back into 6th it will be an acceptable performance, but still not a great achievement IMO.

 

[Paulmcfc2703]

no not anymore.

 

[element_mcfc]

i tihnk all the fans near me in 230 are moaning motherfuckers and i dont understand why the bother coming if there just gonna moan there sad little hearts out

 

[moomba]

Just by way of comparison Martin O'Neill took a side from 16th to 6th in two years having spent a nett £30m.