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I haven't been so full of real optimism before a new season - as opposed to mindless false hope and denial of reality - since the late 70s. Probably even more now than then. Bobby seems to have a mean streak that he intends to win it, end of story. Our undoubted progress, to be followed up by new signings - whatever it takes according to the chairman - means that there is a very good chance that 2011 is THE year, at long last.

As a matter of interest, before any signings:

Club.................Chelski..........Scum........CITY.........Arse.......Dippers.......Spuds

Skybet...............15/8..............9/4........9/2........5/1.........12/1..........66/1
Paddy Power.........7/4..............2/1.........6/1........6/1.........10/1..........66/1
betfootballodds......7/4..............2/1.........5/1........13/2........10/1.........66/1
betfred................7/4..............2/1.........6/1........6/1.........11/1.........50/1

etc etc

Consistently 3rd favourites. Bet now before we sign anyone folks. The bookies may know sod-all about elections, but they're pretty good with sport.

Lets see if we can win a Carling, FA or Europa League trophy first before we get too far ahead of ourselves.

Top 4 is a realistic aim but we have another 15-20 points to make up for the title - 2011/12 is more realistic.

Goaters 103 wrote:Lets see if we can win a Carling, FA or Europa League trophy first before we get too far ahead of ourselves.

Top 4 is a realistic aim but we have another 15-20 points to make up for the title - 2011/12 is more realistic.

Last season we were 40 points behind the winners - this season it will be between 14 / 20 points

Last season we were 22 points behind 4th place - this season it will be between 1/7 points

We have made huge strides forwards in consistency, but still have a little way to go, I think we could all point to the run of draws, and in particular some of the games Mancini appeared not to want to win which we would probably have won with the right personnel for his system, and I think we might not be too far off the pace next year.

liverpool will get new owners this summer. i am sure of that. rafa will get £60m to spend and will spend it well. You'll have United, Chelsea and Liverpool vying for the title, with Arsenal obviously picking up lots of points but never really looking like challenging for it. I haven't really seen any evidence of a title winning mentality in our side just yet. On our day we destroy teams but on our bad days we're still pretty wank. For title winners they pick up points on both such occasions.

Both Chelsea and United will finish at least 12 points ahead of us next season.

Arsenal and third place is a realistic taret to aim for.

colonel_muck wrote:liverpool will get new owners this summer. i am sure of that. rafa will get £60m to spend and will spend it well. You'll have U***d, Chelsea and Liverpool vying for the title, with Arsenal obviously picking up lots of points but never really looking like challenging for it. I haven't really seen any evidence of a title winning mentality in our side just yet. On our day we destroy teams but on our bad days we're still pretty wank. For title winners they pick up points on both such occasions.

Rafa's record in the transfer market isnt particularly good, having bought perhaps 34 top quality players in 6 seasons out of over £200m. For £60m he will buy 5 unknown spanish shitters, and one half decent player. Liverpool could be fucked for a good few years here, particularly if they are taken over, they need to cut their losses with Rafa.

Spurs getting the CL money will liven up competition, along with United's continuing decline in quality of the playing squad could see Chelsea having a reasonably pretty free run, and an almighty battle for the other 3 CL spots between United, City, Liverpool, Everton, Spurs, Arsenal and maybe Villa

I think some of you guys are underselling us. "Get a cup before we start looking at the league" is silly pundit talk.

Due to the decline of all the big 4 we are not a million miles away this season, a season in which we have constantly evolved and changed much for the better. When we play a big team it looks like a contest of equal now. Our final place reflects our whole season efforts, not the abilities of the team that finished the league, let alone whoever we may sign.

We will improve and the others will fade more. Bobby will aim for the league from day 1. The owner will give him the dosh. Winning the league is about winning against all the lower teams consistently, and we are getting their. Then throw in the odd 4-1 at Chelsea etc.

Believe. We are 9/4 FFS. Spuds are 66/1.

johnpb78 wrote:

colonel_muck wrote:liverpool will get new owners this summer. i am sure of that. rafa will get £60m to spend and will spend it well. You'll have U***d, Chelsea and Liverpool vying for the title, with Arsenal obviously picking up lots of points but never really looking like challenging for it. I haven't really seen any evidence of a title winning mentality in our side just yet. On our day we destroy teams but on our bad days we're still pretty wank. For title winners they pick up points on both such occasions.

Rafa's record in the transfer market isnt particularly good, having bought perhaps 34 top quality players in 6 seasons out of over £200m. For £60m he will buy 5 unknown spanish shitters, and one half decent player. Liverpool could be fucked for a good few years here, particularly if they are taken over, they need to cut their losses with Rafa.

Spurs getting the CL money will liven up competition, [b]along with U***d's continuing decline in quality of the playing squad could see Chelsea having a reasonably pretty free run, and an almighty battle for the other 3 CL spots between U***d, City, Liverpool, Everton, Spurs, Arsenal and maybe Villa[/b]

can't see tottenham making a title push either mate. and as for united, well do you really believe they are declining? the truth is as long as that man manages them they will find a way. they have been up there year after year and are still the team to beat. i can see Nani and Valencia becoming genuinely world class next year, and think they probably only need to bring in a striker instead of berbatov. i guarantee you they will be firmly in the title race this time next year.

colonel_muck wrote:

johnpb78 wrote:

colonel_muck wrote:liverpool will get new owners this summer. i am sure of that. rafa will get £60m to spend and will spend it well. You'll have U***d, Chelsea and Liverpool vying for the title, with Arsenal obviously picking up lots of points but never really looking like challenging for it. I haven't really seen any evidence of a title winning mentality in our side just yet. On our day we destroy teams but on our bad days we're still pretty wank. For title winners they pick up points on both such occasions.

Rafa's record in the transfer market isnt particularly good, having bought perhaps 34 top quality players in 6 seasons out of over £200m. For £60m he will buy 5 unknown spanish shitters, and one half decent player. Liverpool could be fucked for a good few years here, particularly if they are taken over, they need to cut their losses with Rafa.

Spurs getting the CL money will liven up competition, [b]along with U***d's continuing decline in quality of the playing squad could see Chelsea having a reasonably pretty free run, and an almighty battle for the other 3 CL spots between U***d, City, Liverpool, Everton, Spurs, Arsenal and maybe Villa[/b]

can't see tottenham making a title push either mate. and as for U***d, well do you really believe they are declining? the truth is as long as that man manages them they will find a way. they have been up there year after year and are still the team to beat. i can see Nani and Valencia becoming genuinely world class next year, and think they probably only need to bring in a striker instead of berbatov. i guarantee you they will be firmly in the title race this time next year.

I didn't say we wouldn't have competition! :-)

colonel_muck wrote:

johnpb78 wrote:

colonel_muck wrote:liverpool will get new owners this summer. i am sure of that. rafa will get £60m to spend and will spend it well. You'll have U***d, Chelsea and Liverpool vying for the title, with Arsenal obviously picking up lots of points but never really looking like challenging for it. I haven't really seen any evidence of a title winning mentality in our side just yet. On our day we destroy teams but on our bad days we're still pretty wank. For title winners they pick up points on both such occasions.

Rafa's record in the transfer market isnt particularly good, having bought perhaps 34 top quality players in 6 seasons out of over £200m. For £60m he will buy 5 unknown spanish shitters, and one half decent player. Liverpool could be fucked for a good few years here, particularly if they are taken over, they need to cut their losses with Rafa.

Spurs getting the CL money will liven up competition, [b]along with U***d's continuing decline in quality of the playing squad could see Chelsea having a reasonably pretty free run, and an almighty battle for the other 3 CL spots between U***d, City, Liverpool, Everton, Spurs, Arsenal and maybe Villa

can't see tottenham making a title push either mate. and as for U***d, well do you really believe they are declining? the truth is as long as that man manages them they will find a way. they have been up there year after year and are still the team to beat. i can see Nani and Valencia becoming genuinely world class next year, and think they probably only need to bring in a striker instead of berbatov. i guarantee you they will be firmly in the title race this time next year.

They HAVE to significantly strengthen this year, otherwise they could easily drop off the cliff when sir retires in a year or two. It just remains to be seen if the owners have the apetite to spend the money to do it. As you say, a goalscorer is a must for them - without that, I think they will struggle when the inevitable rooney injury comes.

Either way, I am struggling to see who can realistically challenge Chelsea - it may well be that with a couple of signings it could be us, but I doubt we would have the legs or experience to last the season out.

MaineRoadMemories wrote:Both Chelsea and U***d will finish at least 12 points ahead of us next season.

Arsenal and third place is a realistic taret to aim for.

Just to create a bit of interest MRM...How about a little wager.

You...That Chelsea and the rags will finish at least 12pts ahead of us.
Me...That City will be closer to them than that.

Money to go to either the winner or a charity of the winner's choice.

john68 wrote:

MaineRoadMemories wrote:Both Chelsea and U***d will finish at least 12 points ahead of us next season.

Arsenal and third place is a realistic taret to aim for.

Just to create a bit of interest MRM...How about a little wager.

You...That Chelsea and the rags will finish at least 12pts ahead of us.
Me...That City will be closer to them than that.

Money to go to either the winner or a charity of the winner's choice.

How about if he wins, you give up smokes.

I'll stop now.

Slim wrote:

john68 wrote:

MaineRoadMemories wrote:Both Chelsea and U***d will finish at least 12 points ahead of us next season.

Arsenal and third place is a realistic taret to aim for.

Just to create a bit of interest MRM...How about a little wager.

You...That Chelsea and the rags will finish at least 12pts ahead of us.
Me...That City will be closer to them than that.

Money to go to either the winner or a charity of the winner's choice.

How about if he wins, you give up smokes.

I'll stop now.

No don't stop...the grief I get from you is motivational mate...It all helps.
Hopefully that will already been addressed...if not, I will happily chuck that into the deal Slim
...and THANKS.

my thoughts on this are that we will be there in the mix.. for most of the season similar to this year there may well be quiet a lot of movement up and down the top 6 or 7 places. Points will be taken off each other by the top lot and it will stay unclear right up to the end.. could well be tighter than it was this year for the top5 places.

That said i would tend to think that City even with the bulk of this years team in place will need the experience of another tight run-in to get to real title challenge level. I would be happy with another 'quiet' year.. improving as a team and gaining the right attitude.
Having said that, we are all jumping the gun before we know what signings come in.. if the key signings are exactly what we need to strengthen the slight weaknesses we know of, then it is anyones guess. We are seriously dangerous and i beleive we would have easily grabbed 3rd this year if we had had one manager instead of 2 and the forward mid role had been sorted.

We have looked seriously dangerous up front, and we have become seriously difficult to beat towards the end of the season. We dont need very much to be even better than the rags or Chelsea on the day, so with a proper run at it, it is all to play for.. and that isn't wishful thinking for once as StAustell pointed out.

brite blu sky wrote:my thoughts on this are that we will be there in the mix.. for most of the season similar to this year there may well be quiet a lot of movement up and down the top 6 or 7 places. Points will be taken off each other by the top lot and it will stay unclear right up to the end.. could well be tighter than it was this year for the top5 places.

That said i would tend to think that City even with the bulk of this years team in place will need the experience of another tight run-in to get to real title challenge level. I would be happy with another 'quiet' year.. improving as a team and gaining the right attitude.
Having said that, we are all jumping the gun before we know what signings come in.. if the key signings are exactly what we need to strengthen the slight weaknesses we know of, then it is anyones guess. We are seriously dangerous and i beleive we would have easily grabbed 3rd this year if we had had one manager instead of 2 and the forward mid role had been sorted.

We have looked seriously dangerous up front, and we have become seriously difficult to beat towards the end of the season. We dont need very much to be even better than the rags or Chelsea on the day, so with a proper run at it, it is all to play for.. and that isn't wishful thinking for once as StAustell pointed out.

We are certainly good enough "on the day", we have proved that...we just need more days.

john68 wrote:

brite blu sky wrote:my thoughts on this are that we will be there in the mix.. for most of the season similar to this year there may well be quiet a lot of movement up and down the top 6 or 7 places. Points will be taken off each other by the top lot and it will stay unclear right up to the end.. could well be tighter than it was this year for the top5 places.

That said i would tend to think that City even with the bulk of this years team in place will need the experience of another tight run-in to get to real title challenge level. I would be happy with another 'quiet' year.. improving as a team and gaining the right attitude.
Having said that, we are all jumping the gun before we know what signings come in.. if the key signings are exactly what we need to strengthen the slight weaknesses we know of, then it is anyones guess. We are seriously dangerous and i beleive we would have easily grabbed 3rd this year if we had had one manager instead of 2 and the forward mid role had been sorted.

We have looked seriously dangerous up front, and we have become seriously difficult to beat towards the end of the season. We dont need very much to be even better than the rags or Chelsea on the day, so with a proper run at it, it is all to play for.. and that isn't wishful thinking for once as StAustell pointed out.

We are certainly good enough "on the day", we have proved that...we just need more days.

exactly.. thats what i was trying to imply.. we need a few improvements and strength here and there and we will be better than them ( ie Not just on the day ).. especially so considering all the top teams have had a couple of years at least of playing together to get their teams playing as teams..

it is going to be fascinating to say the least

Depending on who we buy we have an outside chance imo, but i'm really confident that we will win it in the next 3 seasons, had a 5 ton bet with a rag in the build up to the derby that we would.

john68 wrote:

MaineRoadMemories wrote:Both Chelsea and U***d will finish at least 12 points ahead of us next season.

Arsenal and third place is a realistic taret to aim for.

Just to create a bit of interest MRM...How about a little wager.

You...That Chelsea and the rags will finish at least 12pts ahead of us.
Me...That City will be closer to them than that.

Money to go to either the winner or a charity of the winner's choice.

I'll take you on that offer. 20 quid. Money to charity as always.

Interesting - me and John 68 backing Mancini. NQDP doesn't think he's up to it!!

:-)

john@staustell wrote:Interesting - me and John 68 backing Mancini. NQDP doesn't think he's up to it!!

:-)

It's not Mancini though, is it?!?! I mean I don't think ANY manager can get us to mount serious title challenge next season. Especially if Rags will make the additions I believe they'll make in summer.