Pepper Posted October 3, 2009 Report Share Posted October 3, 2009 I voted no. We are nowhere near consient enough and are far to light up front. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
well_nuts Posted October 3, 2009 Report Share Posted October 3, 2009 we will finish second this season! all kidding aside why cant we get third. bring in a strong striker in january or two and keep the players we have and we will not be far away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
star sail Posted October 3, 2009 Report Share Posted October 3, 2009 I think that one of the most disappointing aspects about the league at the moment is that Rangers, despite being really poor are still sitting joint third with a game in hand. Nobody has taken advantage of their poor form and it shows how incosistant all the teams in the SPL are at the moment. Our result against Rangers is actually now not looking that great given the draws other teams have managed against them. For me Hibs have the personnel to finish third. It comes down to whether or not Yogi can get the most out of them. Despite Rangers poor start they will finish in the top two. I think 5th is our best chance at the moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blairnapier Posted October 3, 2009 Report Share Posted October 3, 2009 i agree wi well nuts ^^^ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nethertonwellfan Posted October 4, 2009 Report Share Posted October 4, 2009 By the way if you have a lesser goal difference than the teams above you or scored less goals you aren't joint 3rd. Rangers are 3rd, Dundee United are 4th and we are 5th. Harsh but true. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tweed Posted October 4, 2009 Report Share Posted October 4, 2009 I would be delighted if we came third. I would also be astonished. I don't think our first 11 would be far away but the depth is not as good as United's, Hibs' and Hearts'. But that was the same in McGhee's first season yet we did it because we more or less kept that eleven fit for most of the season and we were able to do enough so it could happen. However I think we would be very lucky. I think Killie, Falkirk, Hamilton, St Johnstone and perhaps St Mirren are so poor 7th should be a shoe in. Therefore aiming for being above one of the other four should be our target. But I wouldn't be writing off Hearts. I know nothing of their game yesterday but they have been unlucky a few times late in games so I think they are in a slightly false position. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu Posted October 4, 2009 Report Share Posted October 4, 2009 As others have said, the youngsters in our team will lose form at certain points over the season. Considering how many youngsters there are in our team, that's a lot of inconsistency to be dealing with. For me, a top six place is achievable, but only just. P.S. Can someone PLEASE fix the spelling in the title of this topic?!? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wellfan1984 Posted October 4, 2009 Report Share Posted October 4, 2009 I think we'll end above Dundee United. I really don't understand where everyones love for them is coming from. They have a history of choking and to be honest a manager that doesn't seem to be able to change it. I really do wonder how long Levein will be allowed to continue to fail at Dundee United. Hibs will be a little tougher, but I think, like us a couple of injuries to key players (or fall outs....) will put a couple of skid tracks on their campaign. We're no worse than Aberdeen, but if Hearts can keep in touch till Janaury and Romanov moves out of the way (unlikely) and they sign a striker they'll be there too.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dee Posted October 4, 2009 Report Share Posted October 4, 2009 If Lucas comes on to a game and continues to score or if we bring in a decent striker in January then 2nd place is there for the taking! The Old Firm arent the same force as they once were! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy_P Posted October 4, 2009 Report Share Posted October 4, 2009 I think we'll end above Dundee United. I really don't understand where everyones love for them is coming from. They have a history of choking and to be honest a manager that doesn't seem to be able to change it. I really do wonder how long Levein will be allowed to continue to fail at Dundee United. I strongly disliked Levein as a player - he was a major part of a pretty loathsome team at Tynecastle over a number of years but I have always rated him highly as a manager. Apart from his time at Leicester his record as a manager stands up really well, especially in Scottish football circles. I doubt you'll get many who'll share your view that he is failing at Dundee United. After finding his feet he's got them two successive top six finishes and they look on course to do the same this year. They were a defensive fuck up away from winning the League Cup and a missed penalty away from making another Cup Final. Okay they've fallen short of qualifying for Europe but even so its hardly what you could even get close to describing as failure. United's record pre-and during Levein's tenure. Failure? PRE-LEVEIN 99'00: 8th (below Dundee) 00'01: 11th (below Dundee) 01'02: 7th 02'03: 11th (below Dundee) 03'04: 5th 04'05: 9th (Scottish Cup Runners Up) 05'06: 9th WITH LEVEIN (From October 06) 06'07: 9th 07'08: 5th (League Cup Runners Up) 08'09: 5th (League Semi Finalists only losing 11-10 on pens) More importantly as regards ourselves I would hope to see us finish as high as we possibly can but as I said in the Falkirk thread yesterday and several others have said on this, its really very early days in what Gannon's looking to build and putting additional pressure on them with increased expectation levels isn't going to do us any favours. This season I think its a case of enjoying the ride and seeing where we end up at the close of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wellfan1984 Posted October 4, 2009 Report Share Posted October 4, 2009 I doubt you'll get many who'll share your view that he is failing at Dundee United. After finding his feet he's got them two successive top six finishes and they look on course to do the same this year. They were a defensive fuck up away from winning the League Cup and a missed penalty away from making another Cup Final. Failing to get European Football despite being favourites two seasons on the trot.... with only a hand full of games to go is nothing but failure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJC_MKI Posted October 4, 2009 Report Share Posted October 4, 2009 If Lucas comes on to a game and continues to score or if we bring in a decent striker in January then 2nd place is there for the taking! The Old Firm arent the same force as they once were! Maybe not, but they are still miles ahead of the rest of the SPL. We won't be anywhere near them as we do not have the players or the consistency to compete with them. Even when we played well against Rangers the other week and were handed a golden chance to take the three points we couldn't do it and that is why we don't compete with them, because when they get a chance like that, they take it, we couldn't do that. If our performances since the Rangers game are anything to go by then we have absolutely no chance of a top three, or even top four finish. We were absolutely awful yesterday and our midfield, like our forward line, is non existant. We won yesterday, but did so more through luck than anything else as had Falkirk not been as poor as they were they would have taken at least a point. Hibs, Dundee Utd, Hearts & Aberdeen ALL have better squads than us IMO and will finish above us this season. There's not much of a difference, but over the course of a season, I think you'll see those sides will pick up more points than we will against the other sides. Our start to the season has been excellent and has more than surpassed expectations but I think we have been slightly fortunate to have only lost once so far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wellfan1984 Posted October 4, 2009 Report Share Posted October 4, 2009 MJC, if we were a biggger team, the performances we have won since the Rangers game (Dundee United and Falkirk) where we have been rather pish would be called Championship form. Rangers and Celtic for two decades practically have won the league by doing what Motherwell did against Dundee United and Falkirk week in week out. Dundee United have been pish since their draw with Celtic (funny enough the same weekend we drew with Rangers) while Hibs got humped by Hamilton and then humped oot the cup by St Johnstone. Hearts will be there IF they sign a striker. No doubt about it in my mind. Aberdeen, like every other club can go from one good result to one pish result. It's all about who can have less pish results than someone else, and nothing so far as said other clubs are miles ahead of us in that department (except Celtic). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nethertonwellfan Posted October 4, 2009 Report Share Posted October 4, 2009 Maybe not, but they are still miles ahead of the rest of the SPL. We won't be anywhere near them as we do not have the players or the consistency to compete with them. Even when we played well against Rangers the other week and were handed a golden chance to take the three points we couldn't do it and that is why we don't compete with them, because when they get a chance like that, they take it, we couldn't do that. If our performances since the Rangers game are anything to go by then we have absolutely no chance of a top three, or even top four finish. We were absolutely awful yesterday and our midfield, like our forward line, is non existant. We won yesterday, but did so more through luck than anything else as had Falkirk not been as poor as they were they would have taken at least a point. Hibs, Dundee Utd, Hearts & Aberdeen ALL have better squads than us IMO and will finish above us this season. There's not much of a difference, but over the course of a season, I think you'll see those sides will pick up more points than we will against the other sides. Our start to the season has been excellent and has more than surpassed expectations but I think we have been slightly fortunate to have only lost once so far. I wouldn't say Rangers are miles ahead of the SPL. People are saying we won't finish 3rd because we can't score goals. Rangers are in same boat as are Aberdeen. Dundee United have a better squad than us but we will finish above Aberdeen and Hearts who are rank rotten I am sorry. You are entitled to your opinion though. If you looked at our bench yesterday it was quite decent IMO. So this talk of us having a poor squad is unfounded IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJC_MKI Posted October 4, 2009 Report Share Posted October 4, 2009 I wouldn't say Rangers are miles ahead of the SPL. People are saying we won't finish 3rd because we can't score goals. Rangers are in same boat as are Aberdeen. Dundee United have a better squad than us but we will finish above Aberdeen and Hearts who are rank rotten I am sorry. You are entitled to your opinion though. If you looked at our bench yesterday it was quite decent IMO. So this talk of us having a poor squad is unfounded IMO. Rangers are no great shakes, but they ARE better than the rest of the SPL outwith Celtic and over the course of the season will prove that. As for Aberdeen and Hearts, both of them finished above us and in the top six last season and both of them have better squad depth than we do which will put them in better stead to cope with a full SPL season where injuries and suspensions build up. I'm not saying that our squad is 'poor' but it is small and is made of a number of young, inexperienced players so it is a big ask for them to never mind get through an entire SPL season, but to finish above sides like Aberdeen & Hearts who both finished above us last season when we had argueably, a stronger squad than we have now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DosserJoe Posted October 4, 2009 Report Share Posted October 4, 2009 I said before the first league game - we have the 4th best team in Scotland for the season ahead. Hibs and the squirm are stronger. The Tims have a "squad" and for that reason alone will walk to the title. The h**s probably have a better 11, but injury's will cost them the title and if they had a really bad run, possibly even 2nd place. For that to happen but, Hibs need to stay injury free all season. For us, 3rd or 4th is possible. Most likely, 4th. Would be delighted with Top 6. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nethertonwellfan Posted October 4, 2009 Report Share Posted October 4, 2009 Rangers are no great shakes, but they ARE better than the rest of the SPL outwith Celtic and over the course of the season will prove that. As for Aberdeen and Hearts, both of them finished above us and in the top six last season and both of them have better squad depth than we do which will put them in better stead to cope with a full SPL season where injuries and suspensions build up. I'm not saying that our squad is 'poor' but it is small and is made of a number of young, inexperienced players so it is a big ask for them to never mind get through an entire SPL season, but to finish above sides like Aberdeen & Hearts who both finished above us last season when we had argueably, a stronger squad than we have now. I think we have a stronger squad now. Again I point to our bench yesterday. Aberdeen and Hearts did finish above us last season but that means shit all. We finished above them the season before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geedub Posted October 4, 2009 Report Share Posted October 4, 2009 No chance. We don't have any decent strikers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rightdodgyman Posted October 4, 2009 Report Share Posted October 4, 2009 Failing to get European Football despite being favourites two seasons on the trot.... with only a hand full of games to go is nothing but failure. Stop taling pish. Who got them into the position of being favourites? United were pish in the few years before Levein arrived. The last 2 seasons they finished comfortably in the top 6 and were in the race for 3rd up until the last few games. If anything United are bottlers but Levein is far from failing at United. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Finlay Posted October 4, 2009 Report Share Posted October 4, 2009 Can't see it. Would be delighted with 4th, happy with top six. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DEWELL Posted October 4, 2009 Report Share Posted October 4, 2009 If we can get a decent striker in on January or Jukewitch starts banging them in regularly then yes 3rd is possible. . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
star sail Posted October 5, 2009 Report Share Posted October 5, 2009 Was looking at the stats for the SPL finishes since it's introduction in 98. We have a 3rd and 4th place to our name and are the 7th best team overall in that time. All the usual suspects are above us with Kilmarnock being the surprise. If we were to finish 3rd this season you would have to say that we are a team punching above our weight particularly given that our attendances seem to be in free fall (less than 5000 on Sat). The common denominator is John Boyle who despite some howlers has done really well. This does not include of course the stats of the early 90's when for a couple of seasons we were arguably the 3rd force in Scotland. The point is that top six is always an excellent achievement and I think we will be doing well to get that this season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nethertonwellfan Posted October 6, 2009 Report Share Posted October 6, 2009 Giles Coke's view - I warn you though the references to Coke in the first paragraph of this article are cringeworthy to say the least. http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/ho...-Falkirk-0.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wellfan1984 Posted October 6, 2009 Report Share Posted October 6, 2009 Were the Sun running a competition who could fit in as many puns as possible into one article Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Well Up For It! Posted October 6, 2009 Report Share Posted October 6, 2009 I think we have a decent shot at 3rd place, but it's dependent on a lot of things for me.... How consistent Hibs are between now and the end of the season as they have to be favourites for 3rd with the team they have How injury free we stay - can't afford to lose anyone in the team to long term injuries Who we can recruit in January - proven striker a must, plus keep Ruddy and Big Yass I think we should easily finish in the top 6, with Hibs and United the mian contenders for 3rd. I think Hearts will pick up their poor start to compete with Aberdeen for the final top 6 place. Is it there for the taking?? No. In my eyes its Hibs to lose it, but if we perform well we have a chance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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