Mid Season prediction -

[Christoph]

Thought it would be interesting to see where us fans think we'll be now we're halfway through the season. 

 

Previous thread can be found here. The highest amount of votes went to top 10 7-th to 10th and Quarter finalist in Europa league. 

 

 

[HighPeakFox]

I've gone balls in the drawer insane optimism. 

[Webbo]

I'm pretty relaxed about the PL, I don't really expect us to win it but obviously would love it if we did. At this stage 5 years ago I was starting to have sleepless nights. 

[whoareyaaa]

not a good idea, delete thread.

[Happy Fox]

I wasn’t really entirely sure where we could finish pre season but I thought that champions league football should be the aim whether it was through Europa league (winning it!) or finishing 4th.

 

That’s still the target for me champions league football these players need it for their progression.

[RowlattsFox]

I've gone pretty pessimistic and gone for 5th or 6th. And that'll still be a good season. Its so tight that we are only a couple of bad results away from dropping away. Keep in it as long as possible and you never know. 

 

I've gone for semi-final in Europa. We'll probably draw the best team left, whilst the other semi is 2 sides we could beat. 

[foxfanazer]

I'm always with the majority in these. Lame! 

[yorkie1999]

What you're really asking is will we win the league, and looking for other to agree. Bad idea, end up with egg on our faces.

[Alf Bentley]

I'm cautiously hopeful about Top 4 now (harder to predict Europa League) - so I'm at risk of being over-optimistic about PL, having started the season very pessimistic.

 

Still comparatively few points in it, but I'm amazed at where we are currently. I think the achievement thus far is under-appreciated, given the injury problems etc.

 

Before the season, given injuries and the extra pressure of Europa League matches, I seriously thought we might well be in the bottom half at this stage.

 

We supposedly had a limited squad, but....

- New players have slotted in better than could have been expected (Fofana, Castagne)

- Supposed second-string players have played a key role (Mendy, Justin, Albrighton)

- When particular players have been off-form, others have stepped up their contributions (e.g. Tielemans & Maddison now v. off-form Vardy....other way round a few games back)

 

Long may it continue. Nice position to be in, having to persuade myself not to be too optimistic now.

As others have said, though, it could be important to get Top 4 this season as we now have several players & a manager of potential interest to CL clubs, if we don't make it.....would be a shame to see this promising young squad fragment.

[filbertway]

There's still not much in it really so it's hard to call. We've managed to prove we can turn around bad form and pick up results against the teams we're challenging in the league. One thing Brendan and the lads are still yet to prove is that they've got the mentality to perform when the pressure is on. If we've cracked the performing under pressure I think we can finish top 4. If not then I'd hope we can manage top 7. Anything below 7th would be a major disappointment from this position.

 

[Sol thewall Bamba]

2nd and Semi Finalists. But we'll win the FA Cup. 

[StanSP]

As happy as I am we are top, the expectation isn't to win the league. So if we go for top 4, I'll be dead happy as it means more CL football. 

 

Semi-finals in EL but that's more luck of the draw if we win each game as opposed to anything else. We could get a 'weaker' club or come up against a giant. 

[fuchsntf]

We have reached a cosy period of Top 7 consilidation..I am just  Happy to sit back & Enjoy the journey 

 

 

[Sharpe's Fox]

We could lose 2 games and be out of top 4. Too early and too tight for me to commit to saying we will achieve that yet. I made that mistake last year when it never crossed my mind we would bottle it until 5 games after the restart.

[AKCJ]

3 hours ago, Webbo said:

I'm pretty relaxed about the PL, I don't really expect us to win it but obviously would love it if we did. At this stage 5 years ago I was starting to have sleepless nights. 

I'm relaxed about all of it.

 

It's because we can't go to games. Just feel so detached from it all.

[ajthefox]

Top 4 and semis.

 

Neither will be easy, but I'm optimistic about the league because I feel like we're slowly becoming more consistent.

 

It is very tight still and we could easily fall a fair flew places with a few poor games, but I think we'll have enough over this half of the season to stay ahead of most teams.

I think Man City will win, Liverpool will be second and then it'll be a battle between us, Man Utd and Spurs.

[tylesta]

Tbh I'm taking it game by game. I remember last season people saying we are 15 points clear we will not be caught

[Livid]

Top 4 and a Semi (not because of a Top 4 finish )

[Jimbo]

To improve on last year we need to finish on more points and not drop off like we did last season. That should see us in the top 4, but I still feel another 5th or 6th place finish is realistically a good season for us and where we are right now. After that though, we really need to make the step up and consistently challenge for top 4

[Leeds Fox]

3 hours ago, RowlattsFox said:

I've gone for semi-final in Europa. We'll probably draw the best team left, whilst the other semi is 2 sides we could beat. 

We cannot play ourselves 

[deanolegend1989]

It depends if we keep our top men fit. If we keep Youri, Wilf and Fofana fit all season we will get top 4.

If we don’t then we will go inconsistent and not win anything.

We are a great team at our best 11 but as soon as a few drop out , we can’t replace them adequately.

 

I went for 6th and Quarters but I believe we could do better with no injury’s. 
Praet getting injured is a huge worry for me because now if we get an injury to any of Madders, Wilf or Youri , we have nothing to replace them. We need 1 signing in CM to make me feel more comfortable.

[Leeds Fox]

19 minutes ago, deanolegend1989 said:

It depends if we keep our top men fit. If we keep Youri, Wilf and Fofana fit all season we will get top 4.

If we don’t then we will go inconsistent and not win anything.

We are a great team at our best 11 but as soon as a few drop out , we can’t replace them adequately.

 

I went for 6th and Quarters but I believe we could do better with no injury’s. 
Praet getting injured is a huge worry for me because now if we get an injury to any of Madders, Wilf or Youri , we have nothing to replace them. We need 1 signing in CM to make me feel more comfortable.

I know you don’t rate Mendy but he is a competent replacement if necessary. 
 

Of course he doesn’t add what Youri, Maddison and Wilf do in their respective positions but we’re never likely to have a backup for any of them that are as good. A Premier League season is a squad game and I’m happy we have Mendy in ours. 

[nwl fox]

5 hours ago, yorkie1999 said:

What you're really asking is will we win the league, and looking for other to agree. Bad idea, end up with egg on our faces.

If he was looking for that he would have just put will we win the league - yes or no, not 7 different options for where you think we'll finish. You've also totally overlooked the 2nd question, but hey.... 

[HighPeakFox]

The points made about injuries are valid, and also is slightly reassuring in certain positions - that is to say, were one of the full backs get injured, there isn't a problem replacing them. Losing Vardy or Tielemans (and to a degree Ndidi) reduces our chances, of course. Weak? - no. Weaker? - inevitably.

[deanolegend1989]

9 minutes ago, Leeds Fox said:

I know you don’t rate Mendy but he is a competent replacement if necessary. 
 

Of course he doesn’t add what Youri, Maddison and Wilf do in their respective positions but we’re never likely to have a backup for any of them that are as good. A Premier League season is a squad game and I’m happy we have Mendy in ours. 

I don’t rate Mendy that’s true but I don’t wanna get in to that again and it wasn’t just aimed to him that comment, I don’t rate Hamza either and then we are looking to reserves.

We just can not afford to lose Wilf or Tielemens for more than a few games, simple as that.

A few games, makeshift maybe but if they are out for a prolonged period of time then we won’t be anywhere near the top 6.

I don’t think maybe people truly realise how good Wilf and Youri are, and we have no chance of top 4/win trophies with the back up we have to them. Just my personal opinion.

Praet is a huge miss for me as despite not being the level of those 2 above, he’s what I see as a ‘competent replacement’.

 

@HighPeakFox I agree with you, except I’d actually argue more ‘to a degree’ to Vardy and Ndidi and Tielemens as essential.

Since Wilf has come back we have won 8 games 2 draws 1 loss.
The Loss was with his at CB, the draw vs Palace was without him playing and 1 win Bs Sheffield Utd he only played 20 mins(1-1 at the time though).

So breaking it down to him in his CM role

7 wins 1 draw 0 losses. The draw being vs an in form Man Utd.

The Wilf/Youri combination is so key to us being a a top team.