LeJuge 0 Posted February 23, 2011 Let''s just leave it at that.Hardly any players with notable Championship experience, a budget which has been seriously restricted by the money wasted by Grant and Roeder and yet we are playing attractive and frequently football in a strong league. By all means EXPECT a top six finish next season, when Lambert has the funds to bring in a couple more huge players akin to Grant Holt and Andrew Crofts.The best that I expected was a few months messing around in the bottom half of the table, waiting for players to gel and finding a system which works, and then a late surge to the top half of the table.Lambert has done better than any other manager would or could have done with the resources and the squad presented to him, we have even had to use Matty Gill this year for christs sake.Do you think that Warnock would have this team at the top of the table? Not this season he bloody wouldn''t, maybe next. If we finish in the top 6 and then play our hearts out in the play-offs, win or lose, I will consider this an f''in successful season.We boo only when we are outside of play-off contention, and even then it will only be because the players got themselves into a strong position and then f''d it up. The chances of that happening are extremely slim.Every manager who faces us states quite clearly that we are a good side. A good side in the Championship, if you won''t settle for that after the past 5 years then you are frankly pathetic and should consider giving your season ticket to the nearest big issue seller tomorrow. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The gut 0 Posted February 23, 2011 Top 2 is a bigger achievement. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ryan1992 0 Posted February 23, 2011 Top 6 is a huge achievement, BUT, if we finished 7th now, that would be very disappointing, after being so high for so long. We live in the present, no point looking at where we were 5 years ago and saying that if we fall out of the play offs doesnt matter. If we are to go up in the next few years, this has to be the year. Next year teams such as Ipswich (I hate to say), Derby, Middlesborough won''t be as poor as they have been this year, and will be fighting near the top, we will still have 6 of either Swansea, Cardiff, Forest, Leeds, Leicester, Hull, Reading and Burnley in this League, the 3 teams that come down will have huge parachute payments (£90 million) unlike the teams that came down last year where Pompey and Hull were in major financial difficulties and Pompey nearly went to the wall. These past 2 years have been fantastic, but this has to be our year. If we don''t go up, I think Lambert will probably go, aswell as our better players (Holt, Surman, Wes, Crofts etc) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
norfolkchance1 0 Posted February 23, 2011 At start of season I would have taken top 10. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
6088m canary 4 Posted February 23, 2011 Well im just gonna play devils advocate for a bit..... we have Surman and Barnett who have Premier league experience. Ward has played in the Championship a good while. Hoolahan too has pedigree here with Blackpool. Even Chrissy has had some Championship experience.....We haev definitely overachieved this season but i''ll put it this way.......how many sides in this division are leagues above us???There will never be a better opportunity to get promoted...next seasons relegated sides will be a lot stronger than this season''s lot.Im not a doom and gloom merchant and i hope we can get a real lift in the coming few days to push us on through....the top 6 is wide open.....there is no reason why we cant compete.....we have got up here on merit....so why cant we stay here? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ca 1 Posted February 23, 2011 [quote user="norfolkchance1"]At start of season I would have taken top 10.[/quote]I too said back in early August that I would be happy with a top 10 spot and I still think that would be a wonderful achievement for our first year back with the players we have.Having said all that now we are this close, of course we are all going to be disappointedif we don''t make the top 6, but maybe if we splash out on a proven championship striker next week none of us will need to be disappointed. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
barclaystand 0 Posted February 23, 2011 [quote user="norfolkchance1"]At start of season I would have taken top 10.[/quote]So would I, along with most of us I think! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
