Realistic ambitions for a season in the championship?

[AwayClaret]

What are our realistic thoughts for next season? Obviously a lot depends on the new manager and being backed. I'm thinking we should make the play offs at least if we keep a decent core of the squad. The championship isn't as it was and a lot of soft clubs about. But we are in limbo at the moment though. Hopefully the next 7 days will give us a lot of confidence going forward and be an indicator.

[Caballo]

Nothing less than promotion will do I'm afraid.

[DCWat]

We always get these sort of posts too early (not a dog at you by the way).

The aim MUST be promotion but until we see who is staying, who is leaving and who is coming in, it’s impossible to say. It’s likely going to be even more difficult to predict with a new manager, and one with only limited experience to call upon.

I’m hoping that we’ve done the vast majority of our business way sooner than we have done over the last few years. If we haven’t, I’ll withhold my prediction until the end of August!!

[Sheedyclaret]

Promotion as champions never mind this playoff nonsense

[AwayClaret]

Promotion as champions never mind this playoff nonsense

"At least"

[jedi_master]

The only ambition can be promotion.

We’ll get an idea of how likely that is when we know if Mee and Collins are staying I feel.

[AwayClaret]

We always get these sort of posts too early (not a dog at you by the way).

The aim MUST be promotion but until we see who is staying, who is leaving and who is coming in, it’s impossible to say. It’s likely going to be even more difficult to predict with a new manager, and one with only limited experience to call upon.

I’m hoping that we’ve done the vast majority of our business way sooner than we have done over the last few years. If we haven’t, I’ll withhold my prediction until the end of August!!

Yeah I know its early just wanted to get a feel for what people thought. See how nany doom mongers we had on here

[Tribesmen]

Hard to say until we see who we have in the club at the start of the season

[elwaclaret]

At the moment I would be disappointed to need to go through the play-offs. I still believe we ballsed up last season (and we all know the various theories as to why); and that, that squad should have been good enough to keep us up.

For that reason I hope we will be unplayable for most; but I do fear the levelling up factor of so many derbies. We will need to turn up, unlike we did this season too often.

[Smile]

I watch a lot of the Championship and the gap between the Premier League and the Championship has got wider with every season over the last few years. Most certainly. Somebody posted the other day that the Championship is tough - no it isn't. It's weak.

I'd be expecting 2-3 teams to be battling for the top, us being one of them.

[ksrclaret]

Still so much uncertainty surrounding the club to be making predictions and setting goals. We've no idea who the management team will be, who the playing staff will be, and those two variables are dependent on the financial health of the club which we're also still in the dark about.

To be honest, come the last week of July, the ambition could be anything from promotion to simply avoiding a second successive relegation.

[AwayClaret]

I watch a lot of the Championship and the gap between the Premier League and the Championship has got wider with every season over the last few years. Most certainly. Somebody posted the other day that the Championship is tough - no it isn't. It's weak.

I'd be expecting 2-3 teams to be battling for the top, us being one of them.

My thoughts too. I don't think it's the hardest league to get out of any more.

[Rowls]

We want to emulate what Fulham did and storm back.

[Steddyman]

24 undefeated

[Top Claret]

We sit at the moment like a rudderless ship heading for the rocks. Unless something significant happens in the next few weeks I see nothing but a mid table finish at best

[Roosterbooster]

24 undefeated

I'd hope we wouldn't lose our 2nd game

[Quickenthetempo]

At this moment in time we will win the league.

Selling key players might change that but at the moment we haven't got a weak spot for championship level.

Maybe a central midfielder can improve us?

Lots of championship sides have no money to spend this season and under pressure with wages.

[bfcjg]

We have to win the league, that said Norwich and Watford will be saying the same.

[Smile]

Maybe a central midfielder can improve us?

I think Cork, Westwood and Brownhill will be absolutely fine. And as things stand, I don't see any of them leaving, which would be brilliant. Like I say, a massive gulp in class between the Prem and the Champs. We could perhaps do with another for 4th choice, but that's one of the positions I'm not worried about at all.

[Woodleyclaret]

We have to be look at going up as Champions
We should never have gone down and must bounce straight back up

[FCBurnley]

Right now with limited players and no manager it will be financial and football survival

[colne-claret]

I think Cork, Westwood and Brownhill will be absolutely fine. And as things stand, I don't see any of them leaving, which would be brilliant. Like I say, a massive gulp in class between the Prem and the Champs. We could perhaps do with another for 4th choice, but that's one of the positions I'm not worried about at all.

We 100% need a new central midfieler this summer. We have zero creativity from there. I imagine it will be one of the first positions that is looked at this summer.

[Longsider]

I watch a lot of the Championship and the gap between the Premier League and the Championship has got wider with every season over the last few years. Most certainly. Somebody posted the other day that the Championship is tough - no it isn't. It's weak.

I'd be expecting 2-3 teams to be battling for the top, us being one of them.

I really hope we can bounce back. I'm sure WBA, Stoke, Cardiff, Birmingham City etc fans thought they would come straight back up. Are we better poised than any of those teams were? serious question

[RVclaret]

We 100% need a new central midfieler this summer. We have zero creativity from there. I imagine it will be one of the first positions that is looked at this summer.

Correct I’m expecting several creative midfield signings including ones that operate from out wide too. VK’s system (if / when he joins) requires good technical ability in the final third for the interchanging of passes.

[tiger76]

As other have rightly stated it's difficult to assess until we know what the state of our squad will be cometh the end of the summer window.

However we should be eyeing up a PO place as a minimum, and with some nifty wheeling and dealing by Kompany, I don't see anyone to fear if we get our own house in order.

Key we get off to a strong though, otherwise unrest will grow in the stands, especially given Kompany's lack of Championship experience.

[Goobs]

Let's just concentrate on getting to 40 points 1st and then take it from there.

[AwayClaret]

Need another winger, I've been saying that for about 4 years now. I don't want Lennon for another season. Someone younger with no fear. Even if Maxwell stays, which he probably won't, we still need a winger. Cannot rely on Jbg. I doubt it'll take much to get out of the league but with all the derbies we need good options.

[Smile]

We 100% need a new central midfieler this summer. We have zero creativity from there. I imagine it will be one of the first positions that is looked at this summer.

We 100% don't. If we start with Cork and Brownhill in CM this coming season we'll do very well.

[AwayClaret]

We 100% need a new central midfieler this summer. We have zero creativity from there. I imagine it will be one of the first positions that is looked at this summer.

Watched the Chelsea away game today where we won 3-2 and Defour was playing (oh if only).

[DCWat]

Let's just concentrate on getting to 40 points 1st and then take it from there.

Didn’t we always say that 50 points was the target to more or less, guarantee safety? Perhaps I’m making that up, it’s been a lot of years since that was a consideration!

[claret2018]

I’m ever the pessimist when it comes to Burnley but I honestly think we’ll walk the league.

[Smile]

Let's just get to 100 points and after that, see how the land lies.

[Quickenthetempo]

I think Cork, Westwood and Brownhill will be absolutely fine. And as things stand, I don't see any of them leaving, which would be brilliant. Like I say, a massive gulp in class between the Prem and the Champs. We could perhaps do with another for 4th choice, but that's one of the positions I'm not worried about at all.

They will be fine, but we struggled at times to create good chances when we had more of the ball, against the bottom sides last season.

[Smile]

They will be fine, but we struggled at times to create good chances when we had more of the ball, against the bottom sides last season.

But even then, there's a big difference between a few sides at the bottom of the Prem and Championship.

I've seen Huddersfield probably a dozen times this season, and they finished 3rd. Now I know they beat us in the cup, but we should all know by now how little that matters, but they have been what I would always associate a few years ago as a mid-table average side. Nothing great. Maybe a side aiming for the top 10.

And in the playoffs they looked more like a League 1 side.

[Quickenthetempo]

I really hope we can bounce back. I'm sure WBA, Stoke, Cardiff, Birmingham City etc fans thought they would come straight back up. Are we better poised than any of those teams were? serious question

We finished on 35 points which would keep you up most seasons and should have got a lot more.
We never took many postings.

All our players will be quick enough at this level.

[LongSider75]

Let's be realistic. All things considered, out of contract players, our best players going to Prem clubs. We will not go straight back up. Let's see how it pans out, but I would think play offs would be ambitious.

[CHEWBACCA]

Just to stay in one of the toughest leagues in the world will do for me.
As long as we don't keep slipping down the pyramid!

[Smile]

Let's be realistic. All things considered, out of contract players, our best players going to Prem clubs. We will not go straight back up. Let's see how it pans out, but I would think play offs would be ambitious.

I thought you said to be realistic? Realistic is that we'll be challenging for automatic promotion.

[colne-claret]

We 100% don't. If we start with Cork and Brownhill in CM this coming season we'll do very well.

We need to move forward. I think one creative CM is enough. We aren't going to play the same 442 this season if Kompany takes over. Can't see them 3 all fitting perfectly into that system.

[AwayClaret]

We'll **** the league if everything's in alignment. Most important thing is getting the right manager. Hopefully Kompany is the right guy if he actually is our manager. This league is really soft nowadays with most clubs struggling financially. I'm optimistic which is rare because I'm normally sitting on the fence.

[Smile]

We need to move forward. I think one creative CM is enough. We aren't going to play the same 442 this season if Kompany takes over. Can't see them 3 all fitting perfectly into that system.

Looking at Kompany's tactics, Cork actually looks pretty suited to one of the moves where he drops back into the right-side of defence. My point still stands though - Cork and Brownhill overall did pretty well as a central 2 in the Prem. The Championship is a massive level down, so they'll be fine if they are asked to play together again.

[colne-claret]

Looking at Kompany's tactics, Cork actually looks pretty suited to one of the moves where he drops back into the right-side of defence. My point still stands though - Cork and Brownhill overall did pretty well as a central 2 in the Prem. The Championship is a massive level down, so they'll be fine if they are asked to play together again.

I just don't think Cork moves the ball as well as Kompany would like from a player in that role. Let's see what happens. I imagine we see a few new faces over the summer. Hopefully look an impressive side come the end of July.

[EarbyClaret]

Tough in terms of quality - not compared to what we have been up against in the past 6 seasons

Tough in terms of physical demands - most definitely. We will be going from 38 to 46 games with regular Saturday/Tuesday. Our injury/fitness record was one the key reasons we were relegated. Add to that 10 of our games will be local derbies with all the intensity that brings

Two of the players who look like they will still be around - Westwood and Vydra we won't see until when - Christmas?

With some astute signings we should be OK but we desperately need to freshen up the squad with younger players who can last the pace to complement the undoubted quality that should remain within in the core of the group

[Steve1956]

Champions...24 undefeated...... anything else is totally unacceptable

[BurnleyFC]

I think we’re less likely to bounce back at the first time of asking then we are to get promoted.

For every Fulham or Norwich there’s a Sheffield United or Huddersfield or even Swansea who are mid table also rans now.

[Smile]

I think we’re less likely to bounce back at the first time of asking than we are to get promoted.

Isn't that just the law of numbers? If we were more than likely to bounce back up than get promoted then something in the Universe had fecked up.

[Indecisive]

Could quite feasibly go from having the best centre half pairing of Collins and Mee stay, to the worst, if they both leave.

If I was the new manager I’d be doing everything to convince Collins another year of developing and playing every game will ultimately see him an even better player and end up with him gaining a bigger and more lucrative contract. Surely playing under one of the premier leagues most successful centre halves ever, would be a great draw for him.

For me, these two staying will play a ridiculously significant role in how well we do this year.

[Goobs]

Didn’t we always say that 50 points was the target to more or less, guarantee safety? Perhaps I’m making that up, it’s been a lot of years since that was a consideration!

Yeah I thought that after I typed it. I was in too much of a rush trying to be silly

[LeadBelly]

This thread prompted me to see if I could find any odds being offered.

Currently, we are 5th favourites to win the league:
Watford 7/1
Norwich 8/1
WBA 9/1
Blades 10/1
Clarets 12/1

Surprised that Huddersfield aren't in there ahead of WBA but I guess it'll change as player ins and outs become known.

[Smile]

This thread prompted me to see if I could find any odds being offered.

Currently, we are 5th favourites to win the league:
Watford 7/1
Norwich 8/1
WBA 9/1
Blades 10/1
Clarets 12/1

Surprised that Huddersfield aren't in there ahead of WBA but I guess it'll change as player ins and outs become known.

We were 4th favourites yesterday or the day before when the odds came out. It'll change a lot of course.