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

[arunspurs]

I have changed my vote to 5th - 6th. Our goal difference shows just how bad we have been this season. But if we do recruit first team upgrades in January we should have top 4 firmly in our sights. Man U and Leicester are below us now and struggling. Brighton and Wolves will have dips. West Ham do look genuine contenders for top 4, but they are one injury to Antonio away from a problem, and also have the Europa League which will stretch their resources even further in February and March.

WestHam still have to face City, Chelsea , Brighton, Arsenal - all sides around or above them. For a side who are playing "really well" they are not hitting 2 pts a game even though their GD is healthy and good.

For me, WestHam cannot improve from their current position significantly without significantly improving their squad. Also till now they have had zero expectations from their fan base. But that changes now. Every draw or loss is added pressure to produce results to stay in the CL race. Club like Westham thats alien.

I am convinced that we will finish above them comfortably by the end of season with Conte as manager

 

[homer hotspur]

still think 7-11th.

not going to get giddy at narrowly beating a depleted leeds side sitting just outside the relegation zone at home after being thoroughly outplayed for the entire first half. conte is a better manager than nuno but the manager wasn't the primary issue, it's these players. the lack of technical ability among this squad is glaring, even the sides at the bottom of the table can knock the ball around better than we can. we've scored four fewer than newcastle. we are an average team.

Fully agree with all this. Far too early to be seriously expecting a top 4 place with a squad with such glaring holes in midfield and attack . Leeds could easily have beaten us yesterday and that was without their 3 best attacking players. Our squad has suddenly become particularly weak because Dele, Ndombele, Lo Celso , Winks and Bergwyn have either lost or never gained the ability to consistently perform in the PL and , of course, the ludicrous one striker situation. It pains me to see the options open to most of the teams around and above us. The big hope is that the sheer force of Conte,together with a kinder looking run of games, will keep us near the top 6 or so and that the club have got at least a couple of key signings ready to join us in early January. The problem is a lot of people seem to think now we have Conte we are automatically a much better team/ squad than we were. Not only that but they think we operate in a vacuum and ignore the excellent squad building which has taken place at most of those teams in the top half at least of the PL.

 

[arunspurs]

Fully agree with all this. Far too early to be seriously expecting a top 4 place with a squad with such glaring holes in midfield and attack . Leeds could easily have beaten us yesterday and that was without their 3 best attacking players. Our squad has suddenly become particularly weak because Dele, Ndombele, Lo Celso , Winks and Bergwyn have either lost or never gained the ability to consistently perform in the PL and , of course, the ludicrous one striker situation. It pains me to see the options open to most of the teams around and above us. The big hope is that the sheer force of Conte,together with a kinder looking run of games, will keep us near the top 6 or so and that the club have got at least a couple of key signings ready to join us in early January. The problem is a lot of people seem to think now we have Conte we are automatically a much better team/ squad than we were. Not only that but they think we operate in a vacuum and ignore the excellent squad building which has taken place at most of those teams in the top half at least of the PL.

We dont become a 7th to 11th placed side all of a sudden. Last season was messy because of Mourinho losing the plot. This start is also messy due to Nuno completely losing the dressing room.
If Leeds didnt have key players , so did we - Romero & Skipp would be automatic starters and we definitely missed them, especially in 2nd half.

Not saying everything is rosy - my point is, up until now, for a season & half, everything that can go wrong has gone wrong.
Even with that, we were 7th last season with 62 pts with better GD than Chelsea. This season, Liverpool have 1 more win than us this season - and of the top teams, we have had the worse run in initial part of season, manager sacking with awful performances.

Upside from here, is
a) Son & Kane should rediscover their form
b) Conte will ensure we will out run teams and win the physical & mental battle
c) Reasonably gentle run in till Jan and we get to keep the squad together with no international breaks, which affected us this season with our south American players

Jan window - remains to be seen. But for now, I can only be positive because negatives are already in the past - only way is up interms of performance & points on table

 

[YB123]

All depends on Jan Window.

Right now dont see us any higher than 6th and maybe win the conference.

 

[BringBack_leGin]

There are many reasons why we shouldn’t get top 4 but just as many way a Man United, Arsenal, West Ham, Wolves, Everton and Leicester won’t get top 4.

 

[GutBucket]

If West Ham stay healthy it will be hard to get top 4, they have good players on the bench like Vlasic, Lanzini, Yarmolenko but need another good striker. Our game vs Burnley won't be easy either, they haven't lost in a while and they beat Chelsea. Brentford can outscore most teams, only Norwich should be a freeby but they have new manager bounce too. With 0 transfers in January I think we get 5th or 6th, with good transfers 4th is possible.

 

[Dashy]

I had voted 7 -11.
But now I just have a feeling we'll get top 4. Plus win a cup.
I've got Conte fever.

 

[Tucker]

I've got Conte fever.

Drink a bottle of ketchup and that should clear right up.

 

[CoopsieDeadpool]

Reckon we may avoid the drop now.

 

[PCozzie]

Still feel that top 6 is our level ATM. We'd have struggled for top half without Conte but I think he is worth 4 places on his own. Top 4 is going to be dependent on whether we get a couple of ready-to-go signings in January. Europa conference is on either way.

 

[djhotspur]

If West Ham stay healthy it will be hard to get top 4, they have good players on the bench like Vlasic, Lanzini, Yarmolenko but need another good striker. Our game vs Burnley won't be easy either, they haven't lost in a while and they beat Chelsea. Brentford can outscore most teams, only Norwich should be a freeby but they have new manager bounce too. With 0 transfers in January I think we get 5th or 6th, with good transfers 4th is possible.

They drew will Chelsea and it was literally out of no where. Burnley were awful. I was at that game and it was fully against the run of play. Burnley offered nothing all game and Chelsea were without basically all of their first team attackers.
but yes they are on a decent run. But they struggle against a back 3 tbh and we really should be beating them comfortably. They are conceding goals including 3 against palace (I know we did to with a second team out)

 

[homer hotspur]

Reckon we may avoid the drop now.

7 more wins

 

[homer hotspur]

Still feel that top 6 is our level ATM. We'd have struggled for top half without Conte but I think he is worth 4 places on his own. Top 4 is going to be dependent on whether we get a couple of ready-to-go signings in January. Europa conference is on either way.

What are ' ready to go signings? ' I thought all have to be given one free season to settle ,extending to up to 3 for overseas players.

 

[Clockspur]

4-6 with a cup final. Leicester are shite this year, Arsenal are still crap but will go streaky at times, West Ham will fall away, we will be above them by Xmas.

United will be the team to beat, especially if they get Poch.

whatever happens, at least I have hope again

 

[sundanceyid10]

We 100% do not have the players for 4th, not happening. I still think 6-7th.

 

[spids]

If we do not buy at least two first team upgrade players in January we will not finish top 6. Too many pathetic players who are nowhere near good enough in our squad.

 

[slartibartfast]

21st lol.

 

[CanadaSpurs]

We can be in fourth on Sunday evening. COYS

 

[hellava_tough]

So currently we're in a battle for 4th place with Man Utd, Arsenal and West Ham.

I'd say we've got the best manager out of that lot.

I'd also say that Man Utd have got the better squad.

But if we win our game in hand (easier said than done) we'll have a 4pt head start on Man Utd.

I think it's going to come down to how good Conte is tbh; how much he can get out of an inferior squad.

PS A couple of signings in January would certainly help!!

 

[BringBack_leGin]

So currently we're in a battle for 4th place with Man Utd, Arsenal and West Ham.

I'd say we've got the best manager out of that lot.

I'd also say that Man Utd have got the better squad.

But if we win our game in hand (easier said than done) we'll have a 4pt head start on Man Utd.

I think it's going to come down to how good Conte is tbh; how much he can get out of an inferior squad.

PS A couple of signings in January would certainly help!!

All of this is fair, but I’d suggest that Kane (not his brother), Son, Reguilón, Romero and Lloris all walk into the Manchester Utd side, and arguably Dier too.

What they definitely have over us is creativity. Depth I think is a bit thin at both clubs in tens of quality.