Raising Expectations?

My expectations are the same, I’m just looking forward to being proved right or wrong more than I was just over a week ago!

I’m just happy that there seems to be a plan, a system and a defined playing style in place for the first time in more than two years. It’s nice to feel more confident that we wont end up in another relegation scrap, that we can travel to Scunthorpe and Tranmere etc knowing we wont just get bullied and turned over, that we might even play in the FA Cup after Christmas.

That said, it’s the hope that kills you…

I’m a lot happier than I was a week ago. We’ve down some good business in the transfer market (especially the Bakayoko bit!) and now have a half-decent squad. We just need a decent centre-half as cover: what’s Bielik doing these days?! As long the team gives it a go and the games are enjoyable then that’s a big step up from last season.

A lot happier than a few weeeks ago when we looked in for a long season fighting relegation not expecting more than mid table but it looks like we will have exciting football to watch no matter what happens.
My expectations are the same every season I hope for a go at playoff place always fear a relegation battle and expect to finish mid table hopefully we can miiss the relegation bit

Well it may not surprise some but I think we will finish top 10 this season with the squad we have. I am expecting a CB in on loan from a higher level which should help to shore up the defense.

The display against Plymouth was no fluke, it was a set of players, including new additions, who each have individual talents suitable to help a team have a decent run in this league. In fairness quite a few additions had been with us before but the rest look like the players we have previously been missing to make us a decent side.Once they have got used to playing together we can only improve.

I am Optimistic again.

I am Optimistic too😄

Realistically I think we’ll be between 8th and 14th.

I think we’re just short of a solid play off challenge, however now that we’re signing players on multiple year contracts and with a lot of our young players showing potential, I’d be looking for more next season.

I know it sounds weird to be thinking ahead to the 19/20 season but I think a gradual progression similarly to the Smith era will be a realistic proposition. DK seems to be giving us an identity again after Whitless but it’ll take time to reap the potential rewards

Having watched the two games thus far I think mid-table feels about right.

Dean is building a Graydon style team and spirit which will get us so far. But a direct comparison to that 98-99 team would see the current mob coming up short of that standard in a couple of key departments. This makes talk of play-off a tad optimistic in my view.

If we keep seeing the type of performances of the last couple of weeks, mid-table will do me fine.

Give us 10 games to form an opinion, i am hopelessly optimistic though !

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If we keep up our current average of 2 points per game we will end up with 92 points - I’ll take that now thank you kindly :joy:

Top half would be a good effort, similar to Smith’s first full seasons or even dare I say it 16/17 unless the team basically gave up a top half position by losing the last three games (two to relegated teams).

Build from there. Fitzwater was huge signing and delighted with how the front two are doing. The goals will come but they’re already giving back 4s down here big issues.

BTW looking at the league table and just shows how teams can struggle after just missing out on a surprise promotion, Sloppies lost their manager and half their team to Ipswich and lost their first two.

Looks like the party is finally over for Burton aswell so maybe a little bit more understanding on reflection of the situation in summer 2016?

Dean has said he always had fitzwater as a back up just incase other deals did not happen chances are he already knew we could have him on loan

I still think there is some business to be done, and we will have at least another 1 or 2 loan players, with that in mind and the way we have set out our stall i wouldn’t be surprised if we ended up just outside the playoffs :smiley:

Well if you’re going to say just outside Chunkster you may as well go the whole hog and say just inside the playoffs…:grinning:.

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I didn’t want to set myself up to be shot down because of my earlier doom and gloom predictions :joy:

I think we are on a knife edge at the moment , bring in two quality loans and I believe we have the potential to do something.

Ubfortuanly if we don’t for me this squad is potentially a couple of injuries away from a struggle.

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Alot depends on how we leave the EU.Hard brexit/no deal will obviously affect our final league position,however a peoples vote with a different result to the first peoples vote would see us challenging for the automatic spots.

I think that the squad is showing a lot of early promise, but at the moment it is just that. I think two games is to early to overly raise the expectations - but what a great feeling it is to be excited about upcoming games!

Others have pointed to this squad possibly not playing as ‘pure’ football as in the height of Smith’s reign, but how exciting it is to see us attacking with pace and power.

Hopefully we can maintain early momentum and it will make us a more interesting option for any Premier League youngsters going out on loan.

I am excited about a front two again. Can’t say it’s been ages as I was excited about Bradshaw and Sawyers if you class them as a front two, but before that you’re going back a long time. In our promotion season of 2006/7 we had Butler +1 - I think it started with Hector Sam but changed loads trying to find a partner. In 2000/1 we had Leitao + loads of options such as Angell and Byfield but Goodman still got the nod at the end of the season. In 98/99 Rammell must have had about six partners; I can recall Otta, Cramb, Siggi, Steiner but sure there are more. If our current two stay fit it’s a proper partnership!

My expectations are now that there will be an unusually high amount of goals in Walsall games this season, 130+. If we can get 75 of those, it could get interesting.

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[quote=“Finch, post:39, topic:1282”]
I am excited about a front two again.
[/quote ]i know what you mean, the last time i was excited about a front 2 i was 6 and they were teeth :joy: