Can We Push For The League Next Season?

[brite blu sky]

A lot of people being quite circumspect on here.. perhaps not to get expectaions up?

The team and Bob have to be aiming to win the title, i cant see any other possibility. Personally i think we will be in with a shout and be close in there come crunch time. if after it all pans towards the end we are 2nd or 3rd i would think we will have done well if not brilliantly. My take is that if the team was in its second season together then i would expect them to be winning it, so some leeway has to be given as again we are putting new players together and some who are not prem ready. So ultimately this season i am just happy to see how it goes.. and in particular see us put some hoodoos to the sword.. particularly Spurs, Everton and Stoke, for last season. Whack Chelsea again and stomp all over the Rags at least twice.

[btajim]

Given
Boateng--Kompany--Lescott--Bridge
Silva--Toure--Barry--Johnson
Tevez--Adebayor

Fuck me that's going to be a Team...

[Cityfan]

The additions assuming Yaya etc. arrive look very good and undoubtedly if Mancini can get them playing together we look to have a significantly improved squad compared with last season. We also have the undoubted advantage that a majority will have been together for at least a season which has not happened for a while and the transition should be less than the last three seasons.

We have the disadvantage that we will be playing in Europe on a thursday so a lot of our premier league games will be ewhen we are a bit more tired. Our main rivals will play Tue /Wed and many of our opponents will not be playing at all. The other great unknown is how much other clubs will strengthen. Spurs were closest to us and will almost certainly be spending in this window, it sounds as if Fabregas may be staying and it may be because he as had promises of further players arriving. The red peril sound as if they are financially struggling and a lot will depend on how their developing players progress, they were still quite a distance from us last season though. Chelsea will probably strengthen and have the likes of Essien for a full season.
Liverpool under Hodgson are completely unpredicable but I would be suprised if they improve dramatically. Villa no idea and I guess Everton could have a decent season if they get a better start, hopefully we should pull ahead of the teams behind us though.

Personally I would be delighted with top four and would be a bit suprised if wer are contending for the title come May not because I don't think we will improve but because I think others particularly Spurs and Arsenalwill do as well.

[brite blu sky]

taking a different tack to the OP and just chillin out on expectations of achievements for a mo.. one thing is an absolute guarentee. That is it is going to be one hell of an exciting season for City fans.. we were already on the verge of getting some confidence and showed spells of some great football even without an effective attacking midfielder, with the additions of Yaya and David Silva, plus the very good chance of a quality LB in Kolarov or Luiz.. AND another quality striker the llikes of Dzeko or Torres.. still possibly Milner. Boateng to help solidify the back, Lescott back, Hart back at City. Johnno to comeback, Aj for the whole season, Adebayor with something to prove and not going to ACN, Tevez going for top goalscorer if he has a whole season this time.. hopefully, possibly Ireland to bounce back.. the list goes on..

Boy are we in for a treat.. we are going to scare the living daylights out of some teams and we are gonna give the Chelseas, Arsenals and rags of this world a real tough test, they must be sweating already.
On top of that we have the cups for he chance to see perhaps more of the squad getting stuck in and also Europa for all those challenges against unknown quantities and see how our stars get it on.

So whatever happens in terms of success we are in for a fascinating one watching this team build themselves into a force.. what a fantastic time for City fans.. cant wait.

[Beeks]

taking a different tack to the OP and just chillin out on expectations of achievements for a mo.. one thing is an absolute guarentee. That is it is going to be one hell of an exciting season for City fans.. we were already on the verge of getting some confidence and showed spells of some great football even without an effective attacking midfielder, with the additions of Yaya and David Silva, plus the very good chance of a quality LB in Kolarov or Luiz.. AND another quality striker the llikes of Dzeko or Torres.. still possibly Milner. Boateng to help solidify the back, Lescott back, Hart back at City. Johnno to comeback, Aj for the whole season, Adebayor with something to prove and not going to ACN, Tevez going for top goalscorer if he has a whole season this time.. hopefully, possibly Ireland to bounce back.. the list goes on..

Boy are we in for a treat.. we are going to scare the living daylights out of some teams and we are gonna give the Chelseas, Arsenals and rags of this world a real tough test, they must be sweating already.
On top of that we have the cups for he chance to see perhaps more of the squad getting stuck in and also Europa for all those challenges against unknown quantities and see how our stars get it on.

So whatever happens in terms of success we are in for a fascinating one watching this team build themselves into a force.. what a fantastic time for City fans.. cant wait.

Great fucking post Brighty..good lad

[btajim]

Our Title challenge will be dead and buried by Christmas - but we can almost certainly cement 4th with a thoroughly consistent season and a good run in a Cup to inspire some League form. 4th will be a brilliant achievement.

People blaming last season on the 7 draws is ridiculous. 4th was in our own hands at home to Tottenham but they did us.

[Slim]

Our Title challenge will be dead and buried by Christmas - but we can almost certainly cement 4th with a thoroughly consistent season and a good run in a Cup to inspire some League form. 4th will be a brilliant achievement.

People blaming last season on the 7 draws is ridiculous. 4th was in our own hands at home to Tottenham but they did us.

It was 8 draws.

[Beeks]

4th was in our own hands at home to Tottenham but they did us.

well we have a chance to lay that demon to rest at their house from the off!

[btajim]

Our Title challenge will be dead and buried by Christmas - but we can almost certainly cement 4th with a thoroughly consistent season and a good run in a Cup to inspire some League form. 4th will be a brilliant achievement.

People blaming last season on the 7 draws is ridiculous. 4th was in our own hands at home to Tottenham but they did us.

It was 8 draws.

8 League draws in a row? I recall Villa, Liverpool, Burnley, Bolton, Hull, Fulham and Birmingham City. Not in that order. Would love to be corrected. Beat Chelsea 2-1 not long after.

Besides, 8 draws in a row is still irrelevant when all we needed was 3 points against Tottenham. We rolled over for them.

[patrickblue]

God, you are such a bunch of pessimists. We've got a good enough team, no reason why we can't have a really good shot at it.

[Grob]

Yes

The core of the squad has had a season together. The additions will be able to come along at their own pace because of this.

Looking the squads in the league, the only one I think is better than ours in Chelsea.

So im thinking anything below 2nd would be a slight dissapointment

[Socrates]

Can we push for it? YES
Will we win it? Possible but not probable.

I agree with Grob that we have the second best squad on paper, but they are still a very new group so I'd say third place would be par given the whole circumstances. Worse than third would be a disappointment and would require a trophy to make it acceptable and then only in conjunction with a 4th place finish!

So for me, less than 4th = unacceptable even if we win a trophy
4th + a trophy = ok
3rd = ok
3rd + a trophy = overperformance and done well
2nd or better with or without a trophy = overperformance and done very well

[edge275]

Can we push for it? YES
Will we win it? Possible but not probable.

I agree with Grob that we have the second best squad on paper, but they are still a very new group so I'd say third place would be par given the whole circumstances. Worse than third would be a disappointment and would require a trophy to make it acceptable and then only in conjunction with a 4th place finish!

So for me, less than 4th = unacceptable even if we win a trophy
4th + a trophy = ok
3rd = ok
3rd + a trophy = overperformance and done well
2nd or better with or without a trophy = overperformance and done very well

I agree with all of that.

[ashton287]

win a trophy or finish above the scum and im happy

[john68]

win a trophy or finish above the scum and im happy

Enjoy the demoise of the scum mate but don't limit your horizons to just getting better than them. There is a World out there to get ahead of.

[btajim]

So im thinking anything below 2nd would be a slight dissapointment

I don't think 3rd or 4th would be a disappointment. We've never finished there in the Premiership and it'd be an incredible achievement.

No-one's mentioned Arsenal yet. Surely the side to watch when 1st and 2nd is pretty much sorted for 10/11.

I'm not worried about Villa or Everton but Liverpool could still cause us a problem.

[Beefymcfc]

On paper we have a very good squad and as long as we don't change to many of the 1st team then I can see us pushing definately for Top 4 and possibly even for Top 3. However, we have 3 new players to settle into the team and possibly a few more if the reports are correct, which are going to unsettle us a little. Combined with the likely change in tactics and players getting used to them, I am not holding out for instant success; Top 4 would be very nice though thank you.

[ronk]

win a trophy or finish above the scum and im happy

Enjoy the demoise of the scum mate but don't limit your horizons to just getting better than them. There is a World out there to get ahead of.

It's a step along the way for next year.

[john68]

TBH Ronk. I think our preoccupation with the rags is limiting, considering our resources and ambition. We have bigger fish to fry.
The rags are useful as sport and banter but are not the force they were.
It's a bit like the Scots having issues with England.

We have already overtaken them in the transfer market and apart from the fact that they are local and we fans have scores to settle, they aren't going to bother us much in the near future.

[mcfc1632]

I hope CTK does the same squad analysis he did last year - will make very interesting reading - and I am sure demonstrate that we should be thinking top 2 not just top 4 if Bob can make them all gel