Hopes and fears for the new season

[tiger76]

So a fortnight tomorrow and the action will begin in earnest, difficult to be sure exactly what sort of campaign awaits us due to all the changes over the summer.

I'm intrigued how we fare, but equally I'm nervous about our fortunes.

Hopes:

Promotion naturally, however I think that might prove a step too far in Kompany's 1st season.
Integrate all these exciting young talents into a cohesive unit.
Play more expansive football to entertain the fans.
Score plenty of goals.
Make TM a fortress again.
Blood some of our development squad in the 1st team.
A cup run or maybe 2 if I'm being greedy.
Beat Rovers twice, that might prove tricky as the gap has definitely narrowed,
Finish above Rovers come May.

Fears:

We fail to gel given the host of changes.
Kompany struggles to adapt to the Championship, and the fans start getting on his and the team's back when we lose a game or two.
Our new signings don't make the desired impact we might have wished for.
Crowds start dwindling away as we flounder in mid-table or worse.
We meekly crash out of both cups at the 1st hurdle.
Rovers beat us twice, as do our other local rivals.
We sell again in January when it's clear promotion is out of reach.
None of our development squad prove capable of even providing bench options.
Pace fires Kompany if things are going pear shaped.
Finish below Rovers come May, and even worse they go up while we remain in the Champ.

As you can see quite a lot of variables on either scenario, and one thing is fairly certain it'll be interesting whichever way it pans out.

I'll just be glad when we can start discussing footy matches again for better or worse.

[AwayClaret]

Hopes

We play attacking football
Create chances.
Scoring plenty of goals.
Cup runs.
Go unbeaten in the derbies.
Watch Twine score some great goals.
Sign a fackin pacy natural goal scorer soon.

Fears

None.

[fidelcastro]

So a fortnight tomorrow and the action will begin in earnest, difficult to be sure exactly what sort of campaign awaits us due to all the changes over the summer.

I'm intrigued how we fare, but equally I'm nervous about our fortunes.

Hopes:

Promotion naturally, however I think that might prove a step too far in Kompany's 1st season.
Integrate all these exciting young talents into a cohesive unit.
Play more expansive football to entertain the fans.
Score plenty of goals.
Make TM a fortress again.
Blood some of our development squad in the 1st team.
A cup run or maybe 2 if I'm being greedy.
Beat Rovers twice, that might prove tricky as the gap has definitely narrowed,
Finish above Rovers come May.

Fears:

We fail to gel given the host of changes.
Kompany struggles to adapt to the Championship, and the fans start getting on his and the team's back when we lose a game or two.
Our new signings don't make the desired impact we might have wished for.
Crowds start dwindling away as we flounder in mid-table or worse.
We meekly crash out of both cups at the 1st hurdle.
Rovers beat us twice, as do our other local rivals.
We sell again in January when it's clear promotion is out of reach.
None of our development squad prove capable of even providing bench options.
Pace fires Kompany if things are going pear shaped.
Finish below Rovers come May, and even worse they go up while we remain in the Champ.

As you can see quite a lot of variables on either scenario, and one thing is fairly certain it'll be interesting whichever way it pans out.

I'll just be glad when we can start discussing footy matches again for better or worse.

I wouldn't be that nervous if I knew I wouldn't be attending games.

[AwayClaret]

I should add that having no fears isn't me being arrogant or over-optimistic but after the last couple of years and what people have had to go through I don't get too engrossed in things I have no control over. What will be will be.

[SalisburyClaret]

Hopes - promotion
Fears - too many derbies means we miss out on promotion

[Vegas Claret]

hopes
I hope we do well
fears
none, it's a game

[Rileybobs]

Hope;
I’m old before I die.

Fear;
I know I shouldn’t, but the reaper.

[Bin Ont Turf]

Hope - We play the possession game to a point, and that we don't play that tippy tappy shite. It's boring when Man City do it. It's just ridiculous when anyone else does it.
We get promoted.

Fears - Falling asleep watching tippy tappy shite.
Watching that modern day shite playing out from the back.
Asking a fellow fan who that is playing for us.

[Vegas Claret]

Fears
Asking a fellow fan who that is playing for us.

[Billy Balfour]

Of course, I hope for promotion, but I will settle for building firm foundations for the following season when anything less than promotion will see us well and truly in the poo.

Fears - that Kompany isn't given enough time.

[LoveCurryPies]

I definitely hope to see lots of goals from our team. Wins are more important than clean sheets. Certainly hope we play the new signings.

[Venkys4eva]

Hopes

Promotion

Fears

In this league - none

[dandeclaret]

Hopes and Fears....

This Is The Last Time I am going to say this. It's a worry that Everybody's Changing, and really We Might As Well Be Strangers, but as Vinny said, you come into this with Your Eyes Open. The team have looked good in the open training session in the Sunshine, but with significant gaps in the squad She Has No Time to Waste and We Can't Stop Now in working to fill them. I think the Derby games will be amazing, and Turf Moor atmosphere is under rated - it's Somewhere Only We Know how intimidating we can make it.

There will be times when we're under pressure, but I just hope they don't Bend And Break, and struggle against some Untitled team in cup competitions.

Anyway, enough of that, you try and get bloody Bed Shaped into a football conversation about Hopes And Fears.... it's not easy.



** This has only been done for jdrobbo, who is a big fan of the piano led 5 piece from the West Country.

[TheFamilyCat]

Hopes - promotion, naturally.

Fears - the January transfer window rumours thread.

[FeedTheArf]

Hopes

Exciting football
The new signings gel
Competitive side
Top 6 finish

Fears

Losing to Rovers

[GodIsADeeJay81]

Hopes -
VK settles in, the team gels and gets on and we have a cracking season culminating with promotion by hook or by crook.


Fears -.
VK isn't given the time to finish the overhaul because of a shocking start to the season.
Last time I went to the USA for Xmas, I came back to find out our manager had jumped ship...I'm in the USA for Xmas this year

[jdrobbo]

Hopes and Fears....

This Is The Last Time I am going to say this. It's a worry that Everybody's Changing, and really We Might As Well Be Strangers, but as Vinny said, you come into this with Your Eyes Open. The team have looked good in the open training session in the Sunshine, but with significant gaps in the squad She Has No Time to Waste and We Can't Stop Now in working to fill them. I think the Derby games will be amazing, and Turf Moor atmosphere is under rated - it's Somewhere Only We Know how intimidating we can make it.

There will be times when we're under pressure, but I just hope they don't Bend And Break, and struggle against some Untitled team in cup competitions.

Anyway, enough of that, you try and get bloody Bed Shaped into a football conversation about Hopes And Fears.... it's not easy.



** This has only been done for jdrobbo, who is a big fan of the piano led 5 piece from the West Country.

Excellent work Dan!! Love it. Indeed I am. Looking forward to seeing Tom Chaplin in October.

Hopes and Fears is 20 years old next year and something special is being planned!

[Quicknick]

Hope: promotion; fear: relegation.

[Spiral]

Hopes

Attack, attack, attack attack attack!

Fears

Very young team wholly collapsing in confidence if the atmosphere in the stands becomes toxic because it doesn't click right away.
Men against boys, that sort of thing.
This very forum if we're in a relegation scrap by the World Cup break.

I'm looking at Arsenal last season. Youngest average age in the league. Inexperienced manager, but a clear idea of what he wants from his team. Terrible start. Joke of a start, in fact, for a club of its stature. Didn't score a goal in the first three games. Didn't pick up a point until the fourth game. Took them until mid-October to get out of the bottom half of the table. But everyone kept calm, they persevered with what they were doing and trying to achieve, they sorted it out eventually and looked more competitive by the end, finishing about where they might realistically have hoped when considering the stability and experience of the squads who finished above them at Liverpool and Spurs, and the money of City and Chelsea. And they finished far clear of any team chasing them.

[claptrappers_union]

Fears

VK is like Chris Waddle
McNally is like Michael Williams
Eagen-Riley is like Neil Moore
Harewood-Bellis is like Andy Kiwomya
Twine is like Kevin Henderson
Bastien is like Lee Howey
Cullen is like Mark Ford

[Burnley1989]

Hopes: I come off the turf having enjoyed the games again and able to compete every single week.

Fears: none, what will be, will be.

[tiger76]

I wouldn't be that nervous if I knew I wouldn't be attending games.

Who says I won't be attending games, I won't get to many due to the travelling involved, but I will get to a few this season when possible.

If I lived nearer and the costs involved weren't so high I'd attend more, but midweek games are out, and there's no guarantee we'll be playing many Saturday 3PM matches, probably because we'll be featured on the box often I suspect.

[fidelcastro]

Who says I won't be attending games, I won't get to many due to the travelling involved, but I will get to a few this season when possible.

If I lived nearer and the costs involved weren't so high I'd attend more, but midweek games are out, and there's no guarantee we'll be playing many Saturday 3PM matches, probably because we'll be featured on the box often I suspect.

Apologies. I thought I once read that you'd not actually attended a game for years. Maybe it was someone else.

Good news if you're attending more this season.

[tiger76]

Apologies. I thought I once read that you'd not actually attended a game for years. Maybe it was someone else.

Good news if you're attending more this season.

I haven't mainly due to working weekends, and life in general getting in the way, plus of course money being an issue, thankfully I've now got a better work/life balance and improved finances which allows me to plan a few trips a season to TM all being well, already booked for the Luton game, I only hope the trains are running normal that day.

[boatshed bill]

Hope: To be entertained, even possibly excited.
Fear: None of the above.

[Gp8419]

Fears

VK is like Chris Waddle
McNally is like Michael Williams
Eagen-Riley is like Neil Moore
Harewood-Bellis is like Andy Kiwomya
Twine is like Kevin Henderson
Bastien is like Lee Howey
Cullen is like Mark Ford

I know it’s tongue in cheek but vk like waddle could have potential who knows…

[lrac]

Rocky would have loved this .utc

[Goobs]

Fears

[claretonthecoast1882]

Hopes

We manage to score at least 1 goal next season

Fears

Relegated before Christmas

[Billy Balfour]

I have no fears regarding VK being a Waddle. Waddle had no experience at manager level. Also, VK doesn't come across as an arrogant arsehole.

[jdrobbo]

Excellent work Dan!! Love it. Indeed I am. Looking forward to seeing Tom Chaplin in October.

Hopes and Fears is 20 years old next year and something special is being planned!

PURCHASED!!

[leelad]

Hopes: promotion, the new signings gel quickly along with the experience which was already there.
Fears: we get off to a slow start and the crowd get on Kompany's back. He leaves the club by Christmas.

Looking forward to the season. Fresh start, a reset compared to what has gone before.

[leelad]

Ok, perhaps I went too far with what I said in my Fears part of my last post about Kompany. I'm sure he will be here for a while.

[California Colner]

Got 12-1 for promotion
Put 100 on it

[Ric_C]

Hopes
We get behind the team as much as possible, especially when we hit a few knock backs

Fears
None There's nothing to fear in this league.

Do the basics right, give 100% and try and play attacking football, and everything will take care of itself

[Steve1956]

Hopes & Fears...Keane.....a fantastic album.

[DukeOfBar]

Hopes - the board and fans give VK and staff and the new players time and full support to transition, gel and develop into a good side.

Fears - the board and fans don't give VK and staff and the new players time and full support to transition, gel and develop into a good side.

UTC!

[fatboy47]

Nothing whatsoever to fear in this league if we get our sh1t together.

[Top Claret]

Hope that the squad gel and that we are promotion contenders.

Fear that this could be a disorganized misfit of personal and we fade into a mid table mess