Expectations

[4737carlin]

I am still positive, not once so far this season have we seen anything close to a Silva first 11, were unbeaten with a second 11 so far, the signs ar good still

 

[ToffeeTim]

All I want is an improvement. Improvements in style of play. A genuine style and identity. To get more points than last year. Ideally finish higher than last year. And progress in both cups far further than last year.

7th should be the league target. Whether we are good enough I'm not sure. I'm prepared to give silva until midway through his second season, barring a complete disaster this year.

We will have up and downs this year. Especially with so many first string players out. We need to stick with what's going on here and have a bit of realism and patience. I don't want another shambolic situation where we panic and appoint another dinosaur like Allardyce.

 

[billyblue80]

Hard to judge without seeing our full team. Its been a mixed bag so far, some stylish play going forward but concerns at the back. It will look better as the new players come back and bed in. We still don't have the squad depth to easily beat teams like Huddersfield without our best team or as close to it out there.

 

[Zatara]

I agree with a lot of what you say mate, but I always expect the best from us.6pts should have been 10 or maybe 12,but if you take it on last seasons points were a point better off from the same games(if we say Brighton away counts as wolves,newly promoted side)what was obvious today was the lack of strength we have with a few players injured or banned. They made it hard for us with 11 men behind the ball at times and we couldn't break them down which was really frustrating, but the approach by the lads is refreshing to see after last years awful football and it's nice to enjoy going the game again.I think we have a good side when all fit but would have liked us to sign another forward and cant wait until Mina,Bernard and Gomes are fit,overall i reckon well

With 11 men against Wolves and Bournemouth we would have won both games. Today, with less players out we would have won too.

It's not as if we have been a worse side against anyone (like we were last season in most games) and so we should expect to keep improving.

I'm not particularly bothered about players we 'could have' or 'should have' signed now as the window has closed.

If...Pickford, Mina, Digne, Bernard and Richarlison show consistently high performances over the season then its 5/11 positions filled for next season.

What we know is that Gomes and Zouma have been loaned in. This means that we will be in the market for these 2 positions next summer, unless other players can step up, as an example; Holgate and Dowell seem to be the most similar.

In my opinion, Pickford, Digne and Richarlison 'appear' to look like top 4 quality players. If Mina and Bernard are of the same level then we either add or we assume that two of our u21s can perform to a top 6 level (or new high level signings are made as expected) then we look like this;

Pickford
??? -- Holgate -- Mina -- Digne
???
Dowell -- Bernard
??? -- ??? -- Richarlison
​

So, there are the assumptions that Holgate and Dowell (as examples) cement places by the end of the season OR Gomes and Zouma replacements are signed of a top 6 or higher level calibre player -- which I trust we can do based on the summer signings.

We would be only 4 players away from having a first eleven of top 6 or higher standard...

Lots of assumptions...but effectively it looks like the work has been done on the left half of our team and now we will offer opportunities to see who can take the positions on the right half -- otherwise players will be sold and replacements signed.

I'm interested to see who can take the chance to win a place this season.

 

[nsno-chris]

I expect that this is along term project to shift the guff

 

[SpongeBob brown shoes]

We've improved a lot under Silva but it's still with the same players as last year, were not going to see what we look like till about Christmas, January time when the new signings are bedded in, it's going to be a frustrating season but it's positive signs so far

 

[Toffee in Jandals]

I'm still positive. Lets wait until early October when we see something closer to our current first XI when the players on the injury list return.

And for the optimists.... In season 2013/14 (RM's first season) we also only had three draws and one win from our first four games. That season we also only really got going when our new signings (Barry, McCarthy, Lukaku) were bedded in. We also got through in the League Cup second round.

That season also the RS didn't win the league in embarassing fashion for their hero after a very good start

 

[GwladysBlue]

We’ve failed to win in 3/4 games. It’s not like the teams we’ve played are any good, either. There is every reason to be annoyed at this poor start.

 

[Leeboy1974]

Some points agreed but we haven’t played anyone decent yet we should be on 12 points . We don’t have an out and out goal scorer

 

[Leeboy1974]

We’ve failed to win in 3/4 games. It’s not like the teams we’ve played are any good, either. There is every reason to be annoyed at this poor start.

Well said

 

[Zatara]

Some good posts here;

Good positive realistic post .silva needs time to get his ideas and plans to work .only downside for me in opening games is how we set up on set pieces needs sorting quickly but like zat says a lot of positives .This season is going to have some good games for us

The set pieces is an interesting one. The forward dead balls at the moment aren't being allocated to any individual and I think that's quite interesting as I was expecting Sigurdsson to be taking literally everything.

Defensively, some are discussing zonal as opposed to man marking. I think it doesn't really matter, the key is how comfortable the players are with the tactics.

At the end of the day, if the manager wants to use zonal marking then either the players learn how to do it or they are replaced. It's that simple.

Why should we be beating teams? What's the reason we should be beating Huddersfield, Southampton, Wolves and Bournemouth.

Coz if we can't I'm taking the 5 bottles of Vodka and 25 packets of sleeping tablets way out, think that would be the most painless.[/QUOTE]

How many teams outside of the top 6 would be comfortably winning all 4 games with injuries, suspensions and unavailable players....not only 1 or 2 but a large amount of them...im not sure id be confident that any other team would be grabbing the points.

I am still positive, not once so far this season have we seen anything close to a Silva first 11, were unbeaten with a second 11 so far, the signs ar good still

Mina, Gomes and Bernard haven't started. Digne, Zouma Richarlison have been in/out. That's 60% of the outfield already unsettled game to game. Add in Schneiderlin and Gana and its clear theres no chance of any consistency.

All I want is an improvement. Improvements in style of play. A genuine style and identity. To get more points than last year. Ideally finish higher than last year. And progress in both cups far further than last year.

7th should be the league target. Whether we are good enough I'm not sure. I'm prepared to give silva until midway through his second season, barring a complete disaster this year.

We will have up and downs this year. Especially with so many first string players out. We need to stick with what's going on here and have a bit of realism and patience. I don't want another shambolic situation where we panic and appoint another dinosaur like Allardyce.

Would you prefer to;
A -- Finish 7th with 2 semi final appearances in the cups but not have any players consistently perform at a high level over the season
B -- Finish 8th with early defeats in the cups yet see 7 players cement places in the team and perform at a top 6 or higher level

For me, a place in the league and a cup run without winning are secondary to identifying a core of players who will be the future...and then a focus from Brands each window on building a top class winning team.

Hard to judge without seeing our full team. Its been a mixed bag so far, some stylish play going forward but concerns at the back. It will look better as the new players come back and bed in. We still don't have the squad depth to easily beat teams like Huddersfield without our best team or as close to it out there.

Exactly.

I think the issues at the back are interesting;

Coleman -- Shadow of himself
Holgate -- No preseason and dropped into the team
Zouma -- No preseason and a new team
Mina -- Injured
Jagielka -- Sent off and now on his last legs
Baines -- On his last legs
Digne -- Picked up an injury and a new team

There has to be a settled back 4 for consistency.

We've improved a lot under Silva but it's still with the same players as last year, were not going to see what we look like till about Christmas, January time when the new signings are bedded in, it's going to be a frustrating season but it's positive signs so far

I am hoping Mina and Bernard are the equals of what weve seen with Richarlison and Digne. If they are then we have 4 very good new signings which bodes well for upgrading the team of the past few seasons.

 

[ArtetaMoney]

This is a long term project, let’s re-evaluate at the end of the season and after another window. Out of all the players he brought in, only Richarlison and Digne have played a significant amount of minutes and they’ve both done well.

 

[Zatara]

We’ve failed to win in 3/4 games. It’s not like the teams we’ve played are any good, either. There is every reason to be annoyed at this poor start.

Who or what are you annoyed with?

The injuries?
Suspensions?
Other numerous mitigating factors?

I cant see how anyone could be 'annoyed'. Clearly without certain incidents occurring and with players able to start all the games we would have likely won all the matches.

 

[Goat]

With 11 men against Wolves and Bournemouth we would have won both games. Today, with less players out we would have won too.

It's not as if we have been a worse side against anyone (like we were last season in most games) and so we should expect to keep improving.

I'm not particularly bothered about players we 'could have' or 'should have' signed now as the window has closed.

If...Pickford, Mina, Digne, Bernard and Richarlison show consistently high performances over the season then its 5/11 positions filled for next season.

What we know is that Gomes and Zouma have been loaned in. This means that we will be in the market for these 2 positions next summer, unless other players can step up, as an example; Holgate and Dowell seem to be the most similar.

In my opinion, Pickford, Digne and Richarlison 'appear' to look like top 4 quality players. If Mina and Bernard are of the same level then we either add or we assume that two of our u21s can perform to a top 6 level (or new high level signings are made as expected) then we look like this;

Pickford
??? -- Holgate -- Mina -- Digne
???
Dowell -- Bernard
??? -- ??? -- Richarlison
​

So, there are the assumptions that Holgate and Dowell (as examples) cement places by the end of the season OR Gomes and Zouma replacements are signed of a top 6 or higher level calibre player -- which I trust we can do based on the summer signings.

We would be only 4 players away from having a first eleven of top 6 or higher standard...

Lots of assumptions...but effectively it looks like the work has been done on the left half of our team and now we will offer opportunities to see who can take the positions on the right half -- otherwise players will be sold and replacements signed.

I'm interested to see who can take the chance to win a place this season.

1) Dowell aint making it here
2) Bernard is a Left Winger
3) To play 4-3-3 you would need 2 number 8s
4) Oh look, youve removed Walcott again

 

[Goat]

Who or what are you annoyed with?

The injuries?
Suspensions?
Other numerous mitigating factors?

I cant see how anyone could be 'annoyed'. Clearly without certain incidents occurring and with players able to start all the games we would have likely won all the matches.

Im slightly peeved to be honest Zat, we have played utter garbo teams who we should be putting to bed with ease.

That doesnt mean I dont see the mitigation, but im not happy, I mean sure I will be over it pretty soon, but still.