What are your expectations for the season 21/22: The race for any position between 1st and 20th

[Danfunkel]

How long is a reasonable timeframe? It's now been three years since the infamous 2018 no-transfer window, and 2.5 since that season went to pot domestically in January 2019. It's lucky that nobody expected a quick fix, because the timeframe for that is long gone already. The problem is that there's been no sign of a fix at all - in fact, the first XI is still worse than it was back then!

I mean, the first sign of a fix is hiring an actual DOF, and levy releasing some control. Dont Forget, Fabio was appointed fairly late on and in the middle of the worst manager selection process I’ve ever seen.

Its gonna be a long journey.

 

[Saoirse]

I mean, the first sign of a fix is hiring an actual DOF, and levy releasing some control. Dont Forget, Fabio was appointed fairly late on and in the middle of the worst manager selection process I’ve ever seen.

Its gonna be a long journey.

If your argument is that we've done absolutely nothing to fix the problems for three years - and I'd probably agree with you! - then there's no point telling people it's going to be a long journey. We're asking why it's taken so long, how we can trust it'll happen at all given that track record, and when the people responsible will be resigning and reimbursing the fans.

 

[Danfunkel]

Well, i would say ”trust the process”, but that doesn’t really seem to be working well in North London.

Id argue then, the reason why it’s taken so long up until now, is because we didn’t have that proper DOF structure in place before now. If so, that 2018 summer wouldn’t have happened, I’m sure of that.

if really want more than that, see if the trust can get an answer for you!

 

[LeBonge79]

7th

 

[Saoirse]

This summer was a failure was it, incredible

Sorry, clearly posted that in the wrong thread, my bad!

If we end up with our current squad plus Emerson, yes. It's patently not the level of rebuild we need and doesn't fix most of the problems we had last season. We still have no particularly threatening dribblers or passers, we're horrifically light in CM, and there's no rotation or backup for Kane. It's definitely not enough for me to change my expectations for this season - I'm left hoping Nuno can make us more than the sum of our parts and that we can scrape 4th if Liverpool (or much lesser chance someone else) has an off season, but it's a very tall order IMO.

 

[13VanDerBale13]

Expectations for this season have gone

 

[BringBack_leGin]

Personally think we have a genuine shot at 4th. If I was putting money on it I'd go for 5th though.

The only absolute joke are the people who are stamping their feet and throwing a tantrum because we didn't get enough new shiny toys for them.

Signing of the season will prove to be Nuno.

I imagine the failure to shift him will result in Aurier being omitted from the registered squad for Europe and I doubt he’ll take any part, as with Rose last season. So then (assuming Emerson is in fact done) if you look at our squad:

Lloris
Gollini

Emerson
Doherty
Tanganga
Sanchez
Romero
CCV
Dier

Davies
Reguilón
Sessegnon

Højbjerg
Lo Celso
Skipp
Winks
Dele
Ndombele

Son
Lucas
Kane
Scarlett
Bergwijn
Gil

That’s a deep squad. It can be argued that there’s a need for more first team quality, specifically another attacker with goals in him and potentially another central midfielder who offers more creativity, but we also have 2 of the very best forwards in the league and that compensates to an extent.

Then there’s the hope that our manager will actually improve a few existing players - if it’s all about new signings then why even bother with hiring a manager, and the old adage the football isn’t in fact played on paper but on the pitch. We’ve already seen better performances from 4/5 players than we’ve seen in a long time, this can’t be by total accident.

I think that even if there are holes, we easily have one of the 6 best squads in the country, and probably the fifth best, and that the chances of our squad performing a touch better than expected while one or two of the expected top 4 underperforming a bit are pretty decent.

 

[Wsussexspur]

7th or 8th. We are in for real wake up call after the international break looking at our fixtures,

 

[Shadydan]

Sorry, clearly posted that in the wrong thread, my bad!

If we end up with our current squad plus Emerson, yes. It's patently not the level of rebuild we need and doesn't fix most of the problems we had last season. We still have no particularly threatening dribblers or passers, we're horrifically light in CM, and there's no rotation or backup for Kane. It's definitely not enough for me to change my expectations for this season - I'm left hoping Nuno can make us more than the sum of our parts and that we can scrape 4th if Liverpool (or much lesser chance someone else) has an off season, but it's a very tall order IMO.

I did say this a couple of week ago and I stand by it:

I'm afraid you're going to have to wait a couple of years before we start to peak, this is the natural cycle of a rebuild, we are just at the start. You can argue the merits of whether we should or shouldn't be here at this time but we are where we are. This comes down to your expectations if anything...you probably didn't expect to be in this position after ENIC/Poch completely neglected building the team but we are here and we just need to accept it, and after the year we've just had, the amount of players we need to sell and buy and the summer of changes to management and management team how could you not expect that we would still have work to do until the end of the transfer window?

Set your expectations people...

 

[Saoirse]

I did say this a couple of week ago and I stand by it:



Set your expectations people...

You talk about 'accepting' it though as if it's inevitable, and as if it'd be impossible to do this in one window. We know from ITK that the likes of Adama are available at the right price, and we know we need players like that right now. It's a choice from the board not to invest in the team, at least with up-front cash, and it's a very reasonable prediction that they will keep making that same choice this year, and next year, and the one after that. Until that changes or we run into a streak of luck again (e.g. getting the world's best striker through the academy at the same time as our third-choice manager turned out to be brilliant), my expectations are sadly low.

 

[Shadydan]

You talk about 'accepting' it though as if it's inevitable, and as if it'd be impossible to do this in one window. We know from ITK that the likes of Adama are available at the right price, and we know we need players like that right now. It's a choice from the board not to invest in the team, at least with up-front cash, and it's a very reasonable prediction that they will keep making that same choice this year, and next year, and the one after that. Until that changes or we run into a streak of luck again (e.g. getting the world's best striker through the academy at the same time as our third-choice manager turned out to be brilliant), my expectations are sadly low.

I don't base my opinions or thoughts off ITK, it's meant to be taken with a pinch of salt after all

 

[Blake Griffin]

if the 25m on emerson meant we didn't have enough to push the traore deal through then that's a disappointing use of funds. aurier would have been just fine for another season and it doesn't seem like we can shift him anyway.

 

[Saoirse]

I don't base my opinions or thoughts off ITK, it's meant to be taken with a pinch of salt after all

Even if you're going to question the ITK (I've seen folk banned for less... , albeit things seem very lenient in that part of the forum today), you can just compare track records. If Arsenal with less ticket revenue, no European money etc can be paying £50m for players and running up a large spend to try and compete again, so can we. It's frustrating because we have the parts of the recipe they don't - a good DoF and scouting setup, the core of a good team - but keep trying to win on a budget.

 

[sausage]

An Aurier-esque RB who Barca fans want rid of

If that's Emerson Royal you're on about, I've not seen that angle. Seems like you might be going out of your way to turn a positive into a negative?

 

[spursfan77]

5th or 6th

10th if Kane gets injured and son gets overplayed. So….

 

[PLTuck]

I imagine the failure to shift him will result in Aurier being omitted from the registered squad for Europe and I doubt he’ll take any part, as with Rose last season. So then (assuming Emerson is in fact done) if you look at our squad:

Lloris
Gollini

Emerson
Doherty
Tanganga
Sanchez
Romero
CCV
Dier

Davies
Reguilón
Sessegnon

Højbjerg
Lo Celso
Skipp
Winks
Dele
Ndombele

Son
Lucas
Kane
Scarlett
Bergwijn
Gil

That’s a deep squad. It can be argued that there’s a need for more first team quality, specifically another attacker with goals in him and potentially another central midfielder who offers more creativity, but we also have 2 of the very best forwards in the league and that compensates to an extent.

Then there’s the hope that our manager will actually improve a few existing players - if it’s all about new signings then why even bother with hiring a manager, and the old adage the football isn’t in fact played on paper but on the pitch. We’ve already seen better performances from 4/5 players than we’ve seen in a long time, this can’t be by total accident.

I think that even if there are holes, we easily have one of the 6 best squads in the country, and probably the fifth best, and that the chances of our squad performing a touch better than expected while one or two of the expected top 4 underperforming a bit are pretty decent.

The duality of football fans eh? Complain that x manager didn't develop players. also complain that we don't make enough big money established player signings.

 

[BringBack_leGin]

The duality of football fans eh? Complain that x manager didn't develop players. also complain that we don't make enough big money established player signings.

Precisely.

I just think people are underestimating both our manager and quite how badly Mourinho performed. He got so much less than the sum of its parts out of our side, we already look better trained, better drilled and more cohesive.

 

[kaz Hirai]

7th or 8th , probably a cup semi final

Low ambition club , selling Harry Kane for 160 million was the only way we would have showed some growth unfortunately city weren't willing.
I wouldn't have sold for 75 either

 

[Oscar22]

Was waiting to see what we did in the window before making a decision on where I fancy us to finish.

I still feel we’re in a battle for a Europa league spot. I think we’ll end up between 5th-7th personally.

I think Chelsea, United, City and Liverpool just have much better squads and are shopping in a market we just can’t afford.

It’s been a brilliant start to the season, but I think injuries and fatigue will affect us a lot more than many of our rivals - I think we will pop up a few times in the top four, but will eventually be battling the likes of Leicester once again for 5th/6th.

 

[Sp3akerboxxx]

Not signing Adama Traore will be as positive for the team as any signing we have made this window.