Realistic Season Outcome

[SugarRay]

Wow, I can't believe that "finishing above arsenal" is in the lead at the moment. Like that's any way to measure success right now.

It’s the most realistic option

 

[Wsussexspur]

I’m quite negative when it comes to rest of the season. I Don’t think we will finish top 4 as others have alluded to we are far to inconsistent and without a fit natural striker think it’s going to be an impossible task. same implies with FA Cup if we beat Southampton think we should get past Norwich however will struggle as per usual when meeting one of the other top teams and will go out to them. As for champions league cant See us beating Leipzig on current form. I don’t think I would be too unhappy if we finished 8th and have a season next year out of Europe with just the league and domestic cups to play in. That’s ŵith caveat that Jose will be backed in the summer and allowed to rebuild the squad. Least a season out of Europe would then give him great chance to work with players week in week out and build a team and implement his ideas on the squad And then there would be no excuse to miss out on Europe next year.

 

[RosieFTL]

In the last 4 matches I've started to see a pattern of play or style under Mourinho which gives me a little bit of confidence. However our squad deficiencies up front and in defensive midfield mean that we are still liable to concede poor goals or miss chances even if we play well.

In the FA Cup I think we'll keep progressing until we play another big team at which point we'll get knocked out. In the Champions' League I have a feeling we'll knock out Leipzig but then go out in the following round. In the League I believe we'll finish 6th which will be a par season overall.

 

[Tucker]

Wow, I can't believe that "finishing above arsenal" is in the lead at the moment. Like that's any way to measure success right now.

I think that’s probably the most realistic outcome we can hope for. As others have said, we don’t have the fmr or firepower to put a run together, and overhaul our top four rivals. They all dropped points this weekend, but to capitalise we have to beat City, can you see that happening?

Things may look different after the winter break and Jose has had time to really work with the players, but getting to fourth, or winning a cup is a big ask for us this season. We are scraping by right now and keeping in touch, just. Things are improving slowly, but we aren’t the only ones pushing for that fourth place spot. Third is already beyond our reach realistically, so it’s us, Chelsea, Untied, Wolves, Sheffield United, and possibly Arsenal going for one champions league place, and two Europa league places.

Top 4 is a big ask.

 

[shelfboy68]

Today's game in hand should we win it does pull us closer to Chelsea and then we play them again in a few weeks, but we have seen before how that plays out when expectations are brought in the team crumbles.
I think we will finish roughly where we are now about 6/7th mainly because we are too inconsistent and can't put a string of results together factor in as well that we can't defend well enough to establish clean sheets, I think it is very unlikely that we can break into the top four this year but if we can get a Europa League spot that would do.

 

[Nicki78]

I’m quite negative when it comes to rest of the season. I Don’t think we will finish top 4 as others have alluded to we are far to inconsistent and without a fit natural striker think it’s going to be an impossible task. same implies with FA Cup if we beat Southampton think we should get past Norwich however will struggle as per usual when meeting one of the other top teams and will go out to them. As for champions league cant See us beating Leipzig on current form. I don’t think I would be too unhappy if we finished 8th and have a season next year out of Europe with just the league and domestic cups to play in. That’s ŵith caveat that Jose will be backed in the summer and allowed to rebuild the squad. Least a season out of Europe would then give him great chance to work with players week in week out and build a team and implement his ideas on the squad And then there would be no excuse to miss out on Europe next year.

I’m inclined to agree with this with same caveat as you, and also in the hope we don’t then lose any key players who need/ want to be in the CL (Kane, Son). It requires a lot of faith from the players that Jose can genuinely have them competing next season.

 

[cliff jones]

Finish above Wolves, Sheff U, Manure- Europa. big squad, kids need game time.

Beat Soton and Narich then hope we don’t have to beat Liverpool or City to go further...

Eliminated by Leipzig I’m afraid

 

[Japhet]

I think we're in a situation where what is best for us financially is different to what is best for the team's development. Money from the CL is a massive cash injection which is more than welcome, but I can't help thinking that we could have a proper tilt at winning the EL with Mourinho. Let's face it, out run to the CL final was a fluke and the ensuing collapse has been extremely painful. We've also gained CL qualification primarily by the failures of those around us and imploded when we had Leicester in our sights.

We need to actually get over the line in one competition and start to instill the belief that we can do it and if Mourinho can't get us there I don't know who can. A big part of aour 'mentality' issue is that we don't turn up in smaller matches and it's been that way for so, so long. I think we could do with coming down a peg or two and build back up again.

Probably a contraversial opinion but I'd like us to qualify for CL but win the EL next year because more than that is unrealistic.

 

[scat1620]

Only just now seen that West Ham drew their game with Brighton yesterday: I had stopped checking the scores in disgust once they went 3-1 up. So I'd like to add another point to my list of season objectives that are definitely, absolutely all 100% THFC related and in our direct control:

1) Win the FA Cup
2) Qualify for a CL place via the League
3) Finish above Arsenal
4) West Ham to get relegated