Current League Expectations

[urban.spaceman]

LET'S ****ING WIN IIIIIIIIIIT

[AjcW]

If we can get through this injury patch, still picking up results, then there is no reason we can't finish top 4, given how crazy everything is.

 

If we're 4th in January and we start the second half of the season with Ricardo, Soy, N'Didi etc all fit, then I see no reason why we can't stay there.

 

Shut up shop for a few more weeks and then be expansive again when everyone is back. 

[Sol thewall Bamba]

My optimism has grown slightly, Rodgers seems to have shaken off the "big game curse" by beating Man City and Arsenal. There will be so many unexpected results right across the league this season but I think after 38 games we'll come out pretty well. 

 

5th. 

[Babylon]

Expectation is anything between about 4th and 9th. 

[urban.spaceman]

The league is wide open again this year, like the season we won it. Liverpool don't have their best player, and could be susceptible to even more injuries. We're doing well despite losing 40% of our first choice XI through injury. I just hope we can get through the fixture pile up without losing any more players.

[norwichfox]

I put us down for 5th, obviously hoping for better. It's highly unpredictable as things are with Covid-19, there's a big "bunching" happening in the top half with the very varied results we're seeing and final day could see a movement of plus or minus 5 places...including the top ones.

[LCCFox96]

4th or higher = exceptional season

5th-8th = good solid season

9th or below = underachieving with the current squad

 

I'd expect us to come in 5th-9th and believe we do have everything we need to make Europe again and challenge for trophies. If our tidal wave of injuries clear up and we can have a crack at the league with a fully fit squad, that would be ideal.

 

With Liverpool and Man City dropping more points than last year, a number of the big clubs transitioning (Arsenal, Chelsea, Spurs) and Manchester United stalling, if we can put together a run of results in the league between now and Christmas, similar to last year, I think we'll have an excellent season. This current run of Europa on Thursday, and Arsenal, Leeds, Wolves, Liverpool is a headache but if we beat Braga on Thursday and get another 4-6 points from the league fixtures, I think we've managed a tough run of games exceptionally well.

 

In all honesty, the response to the back-to-back Villa and West Ham defeats with maximum points in Europe and a win at Arsenal with a depleted squad has been impressive. Hopefully that continues tonight. For me, the games against Leeds and Wolves are the real acid tests. If we come through those games with the points on the board, the early signs suggest we'll be closer to 4th than 9th-10th come the end of the season.

 

[Buce]

 

All depends on the injury list, but if we are still in touch at Xmas I fancy us for top four.

[Arriba Los Zorros]

I think we will drop towards lower end of the top half, 8th or 9th or so, but will switch attention to the Europa League as we progress further in it, and can actually see us winning the EL and finishing 8th or 9th, which I would definitely take.

[AjcW]

1 minute ago, Arriba Los Zorros said:

I think we will drop towards lower end of the top half, 8th or 9th or so, but will switch attention to the Europa League as we progress further in it, and can actually see us winning the EL and finishing 8th or 9th, which I would definitely take.

Such fine margins though, we've seen this with the league cup semi, can go from almost to ending up with sweet FA.

 

If we finish 9th and don't end up with a trophy this season I'd be devastated and I think the board would rightly be considering the managers long term future! 

 

If we finish 9th and we win the Europa league then yes, absolutely fine with that because the League position becomes completely irrelevant.

 

[Stadt]

We play 24 non big 6 games (and we obviously don’t play ourselves) across the season. So far we’ve beaten a hopeless West Brom side and a Burnley team missing there two centre backs. They were decent performances but the scorelines flattered us. Man City and Arsenal were amazing results but those sorts of games aren’t going to define our season. The West Ham and Villa games are a reminder of how capable we are of vagrant football so I’m not getting my hopes up too much although I’m pleased we’ve added a more pragmatic streak to our game especially away.

[AjcW]

3 minutes ago, Stadt said:

We play 24 non big 6 games (and we obviously don’t play ourselves) across the season. So far we’ve beaten a hopeless West Brom side and a Burnley team missing there two centre backs. They were decent performances but the scorelines flattered us. Man City and Arsenal were amazing results but those sorts of games aren’t going to define our season. The West Ham and Villa games are a reminder of how capable we are of vagrant football so I’m not getting my hopes up too much although I’m pleased we’ve added a more pragmatic streak to our game especially away.

Actually disagree with that. Previously when we occasionally beat City/Liverpool playing our usual style, you could say 'that wont define our season'

 

However seeing us finally have a plan B indicates to me that these games might actually define our season. Especially if we start to use that plan B in a game like tonight, where traditionally we would try to be expansive and get found out (like against WH and Villa)

[fox766]

I put 5th but I reckon somewhere between 5th and 7th 

[Plastik Man]

I've put 6th but the issue of injuries is a major factor, and I don't see it improving this season.

 

But then again other teams have the same challenge, though perhaps less games. 

[Miquel The Work Geordie]

8th I reckon

[Adster]

7th

[UHDrive]

Make or break this year and Europe qualification for next season is crucial if we are to have this upward trajectory and class transfer signings due to CL/EL entry next year.

[weller54]

Somewhere between 3rd-17th is my guess.

[Blueman1967]

7th because of injuries, and hopefully good run in the Europa league

[Raw Dykes]

So hard to predict at the moment. I think we've had a great start, especially considering the last half of last season and the brutal injury list.

 

I think we're coping well with so many players out, but if, and it is a big if, injuries clear up a bit, I think we could be looking at top 4 as a real possibility. Otherwise, I'll say somewhere around 7th/8th.

[Raw Dykes]

1 hour ago, Stadt said:

We play 24 non big 6 games (and we obviously don’t play ourselves) across the season. So far we’ve beaten a hopeless West Brom side and a Burnley team missing there two centre backs. They were decent performances but the scorelines flattered us. Man City and Arsenal were amazing results but those sorts of games aren’t going to define our season. The West Ham and Villa games are a reminder of how capable we are of vagrant football so I’m not getting my hopes up too much although I’m pleased we’ve added a more pragmatic streak to our game especially away.

I think it's 26 non-big-6 games, isn't it? 13 x 2.

[fuchsntf]

Covid situation & how it will  personally effect the young players mentally...

Bubbles or difficulties getting to family,friends or best mates will be a strain...dont underestimate.it.!!

Fofana,Under, Soyu, our Belgian cache...Young players that will miss their Close Social interfacing.....

Ie:  no quick ,Short Flight home,or meeting with  new/old friends (across nationalities)  from other teams...

 

I wonder what the PL & individual clubs are doing for free-time support..???

 

This season...With The above thoughts & no crowds....For me the leagues are Open range....

[Nalis]

I went for 9th. 

 

The bottom five are dog shit, its very open at the minute between everyone else. Though that usually means that eventually the usual suspects will occupy the top spots.

[ealingfox]

As I tried to say earlier in an uncontroversial and perfectly reasonable way before my posts were deleted, I have suspended my expectations for this year. As long as we're not in danger of relegation I can't seriously hold Rodgers to the levels we can reasonably expect under normal circumstances given all that's going on. Just keep us away from the bottom 3 and have a go in Europe and its passable. Any place above 9th or so is a bonus really.

Edited 2 November 2020 by ealingfox

[City1884]

I’m not shocked by people’s predictions, but I am kind of disappointed.

 

I think there will be a lot of people disappointed at the end of this season, based on the sorts of expectations described above.

 

This season is going to be a long hard slog. We’ve not had a fully fit squad since day 1, and we’ve still got to face many, many more weeks of 3 games within 8 day periods.

 

We won’t win the Europa League, I think we all know that, but a decent run in the competition will more than likely cost us a top 6 place.

 

I’m going for a 9th place finish in the league, and Last 32 / Last 16 in the Europa League.

 

For the record, for me that would actually be a fantastic season, but going on what others think, people are looking at that as a failure?.....

 

It’s great that we’ve come so far as a club that we have built higher expectations, but people need to remember just who we actually are, and what we are up against.