We cannot compete in this league (not)

[Rogue]

Does this put to bed the nonsense about not being able to compete in this league?

I doubt it. But we've just beat the second most expensive squad in the Championship. We're above billionaires Stoke and Birmingham.

A budget to match that of Rotherham and we have double the points.

Of course, that doesn't play into the negativity narrative, but goodness me. What more evidence do we need until we accept that this is achievable?

Almost everything that could've gone wrong this season has gone wrong. And yet here we are, we're all but safe. If we hadn't have had the turbulence we've had, where would we be? With this "non-championship standard" squad.

 

[philevs]

Excellent post.
What we see under the new regime of Nance and Dewsnip is the confidence that a positive approach and attitude can bring into a team.
Marvellous stuff since they took over, and the evidence is that we clearly are good enough to be in the Championship.

 

[Rogue]

Interestingly, to add to this thread, after beating Leicester, the only team remaining that can add to the list of teams that have done the double over us this season is Millwall.

Ipswich did it - caveated by a poor refereeing decision compounded by conceding less than 60 seconds later.

Southampton did it - caveated by a horrendous refereeing decision compounded by conceding less than 30 seconds later.

And Bristol City did it - Schuey disaster-class + Ian Foster disaster-class in both games.

Leeds and Preston also did it. No excuses there really. Other than the home legs were under Foster.

In my opinion, another data set that shows we are more than capable of competing in this high quality league.

 

[FerndownMike 1956]

Would Rotherham be where they are if they had a 20 goal forward!! (And 15 goal 2nd forward)?

So what will be our fate if we haven't got one next year?

Scoring goals is the key

 

[philevs]

Would Rotherham be where they are if they had a 20 goal forward!! (And 15 goal 2nd forward)?

So what will be our fate if we haven't got one next year?

Scoring goals is the key

“if” being the key word….!
1) We may still have Whitts, and
2) we may have other player(s) who can score 20 goals either on their own or combined.
Keep the faith!

 

[Garland Greene]

If we stay up, it doesn't look like there is a Rotherham coming up from L1 next season. If its Porstmouth, Derby and Bolton come up next season, the champ will be an even harder league imo.

 

[buck197]

Noting you started this Friday but we are not safe just yet and we weren’t then but might be when all the games are played. However this season pans out we will need more investment next season to support our new manager. I’m hoping the Hull game will have nothing on it for us and we can have a relaxed home game.

 

[Biggs]

If we stay up, it doesn't look like there is a Rotherham coming up from L1 next season. If its Porstmouth, Derby and Bolton come up next season, the champ will be an even harder league imo.

The teams coming down will probably be poorer than Leeds, Leicester and Saints though.

But yeah, either way it's a brutal league and two of those teams could still be with us

 

[Fergy]

Interestingly, to add to this thread, after beating Leicester, the only team remaining that can add to the list of teams that have done the double over us this season is Millwall.

Ipswich did it - caveated by a poor refereeing decision compounded by conceding less than 60 seconds later.

Southampton did it - caveated by a horrendous poor refereeing decision compounded by conceding less than 30 seconds later.

And Bristol City did it - Schuey disaster-class + Ian Foster disaster-class in both games.


In my opinion, another data set that shows we are more than capable of competing in this high quality league.

+ Leeds and Preston.

 

[Deacster]

If we stay up, we have out thought other teams and out performed our budget which of course is the boards motto.
It also shows that for the above to be executed, we need a positive mindset in the dugout and shows what a huge appointment the Summer decision will be.

 

[MGM]

Serious question, what are peoples expectations for next season? ( if we stay up)

There can only be a difference in ambition depending on whether we get an investor onboard by the summer.

A new manager will take some time to implement his style. What happens if he doesn't alienate the dressing room but the results are still poor leaving us in & around the bottom 5. Most likely our budget will still be that of the bottom 3.

Whilst the league might not have a Leicester or Leeds. It won't have a Rotherham & maybe not a Huddersfield. In their place with be billionaire owned Pompey & most probably Derby, who will be heavily backed.

If we survive this season, l imagine next season will be just as tough.

 

[Milez]

Would Rotherham be where they are if they had a 20 goal forward!! (And 15 goal 2nd forward)?

So what will be our fate if we haven't got one next year?

Scoring goals is the key

2 10 goal scorers or 4 5 goal scorers

It just proved with azaz gone how much we needs attacking midfielders

 

[Nobby]

Serious question, what are peoples expectations for next season? ( if we stay up)

There can only be a difference in ambition depending on whether we get an investor onboard by the summer.

A new manager will take some time to implement his style. What happens if he doesn't alienate the dressing room but the results are still poor leaving us in & around the bottom 5. Most likely our budget will still be that of the bottom 3.

Whilst the league might not have a Leicester or Leeds. It won't have a Rotherham & maybe not a Huddersfield. In their place with be billionaire owned Pompey & most probably Derby, who will be heavily backed.

If we survive this season, l imagine next season will be just as tough.

I like to see some progress next season. So I would take any position that means we aren’t in a relegation dogfight. The gap between that and a mid-table finish is not that big. In an ideal world, with the five year plan in place, surely you’d go:

Year 1: Survive
Year 2: Survive comfortably / mid table
Year 3: Top Half finish
Year 4: Flirt with the playoffs
Year 5: Playoffs

I know football isn’t linear like that and we won’t always get better every season, but if you’re ambitious, surely that’s the gradual path you’re looking at to get where you want to go.

 

[Boscombe Green]

Serious question, what are peoples expectations for next season? ( if we stay up)

There can only be a difference in ambition depending on whether we get an investor onboard by the summer.

A new manager will take some time to implement his style. What happens if he doesn't alienate the dressing room but the results are still poor leaving us in & around the bottom 5. Most likely our budget will still be that of the bottom 3.

Whilst the league might not have a Leicester or Leeds. It won't have a Rotherham & maybe not a Huddersfield. In their place with be billionaire owned Pompey & most probably Derby, who will be heavily backed.

If we survive this season, l imagine next season will be just as tough.

For me it would be good to see some permanent signings with a bit more experience? League one possibly - we missed out on (for example) Chaplin, Mehmeti and El-Hamedi who have all gone on to prove themselves at this level. We also seemed to do OK with French and Hungarian players in the past - not sure what the work permit situation is nowadays?

 

[mutley marvel]

The new manager/head coach will have ideas as to the type of players they require
No doubt we will try to outsmart our rivals in our recruitment strategy