A Successful Season: What Do We Expect

[Spiderpig]

Now that we are at the business end of the season what would we as well fans consider to be a sucessful season.

More points than last year, another European adventure, 2nd place and best of the rest or a combination or indeed all 3 ?

 

Given what we have achieved in recent seasons, consistent European involvement, 2nd place finishes, champions league☺, cup finals etc have our expectations as a club changed ? I personally feel that given the size of the club, resources etc we have done fantastically well and i will be dissapointed if we dont finish 2nd but is it unrealistic to think that a club of our means should not be there.

 

Thoughts and comments please

[fat_tony]

I think in objective terms, this season must be considered a success. After massive squad turnover, we've basically maintained our league form from last season, in a more competitive league. Beating last season's total would be a phenomenal achievement, especially when you consider that this has been our most injury-riddled season in several years. Honestly, given the fact that we've been in the top 3 for so long, I'd be slightly disappointed if we don't finish second, more so if we were to drop down to fourth. All this without ever really hitting the heights that our players should be capable of.

 

I think some people would be truly happier if we were struggling in the bottom six but made a cup semi-final each year. Not me though. I'd be happier seeing the club finish as high as possible in the league, and enjoying the bonus and excitement of European football while we have it.

[Kmcalpin]

I'll settle for 3rd spot Allan, hopefully a European spot, and no more silly beatings.

[milo]

Not conceding 3 goals every single game.

[Steve Diggle]

Making enough money through league placing to progress as a club

[Yabba's Turd]

Not relegated

[joewarkfanclub]

Top 6 is success for a club our size.

 

Anything else is a bonus.

 

A run in either cup would be nice.

 

What we have experienced in the last 5 years should be beyond our wildest dreams.

 

Love to make the Europa League group stages right enough......

[Spiderpig]

Personally i would like to see us make the group stages of the EL..that would be progress. But i would settle for being in the EL draw.

[Yassin]

Top 5+better cup showing.

[Lobey_Dosser]

Enjoyable football and a cup run.

[Welldaft Mk1]

For me a successful season is finishing above where we ought to given our size as a club and resources.

 

Based on this years top division the teams with a bigger budget would be Celtic, Aberdeen, Dundee United and Hibs. Normally Hearts would be in that list. So a successful season would be finishing anywhere above 5th position. I would also add that getting to quarter final of cup competitions would be an expectation draw dependant.

 

So in summary we ARE having a successful season, barring games against Dundee United and for the most part Celtic. The lack of cup success does put a dampener on things a little.

 

After yesterday still a lot to play for. Would not expect to finish lower than 4th if Inverness lose today, but it would be diappointing not to finish 3rd and automatically qualify for Europe.

 

I also think it is worth adding that this seasons achievements thus far have to be put in the context that we lost almost an entire team last summer. I never expected us to be challenging for Europe and i doubt many on here thought that either, despite the moaning minnies on this site.

[Ya Bezzer!]

Expectations change throughout the season. Also not having a 'successful' season does not necessarily mean having a 'disasterous' season or even a 'poor' season.

 

Back in August we had no idea what kind of team we'd have or what kind of teams our opponents would have.

 

Generally I think any kind of Top 6 finish shouldn't be sniffed at but with Rangers out the league, Hearts rooted to the bottom and Hibs in disarray that's three of the teams that should outperform us out of the running.

 

We are the 'biggest' of the provincial clubs and therefore I think we should have looking really for a top 4 place this season.

 

However as I said expectations change throughout the season.

 

Normally 4th place would be a strong league placing but to fall out of the top 3 now and potentially miss out on Europe at this stage in the season would, I think, have to be looked upon as something of a failure, especially as 2nd should have been in our grasp, never mind 3rd.

 

Right now 3rd and guarenteed European qualification is my demarcation line of a successful season. If we don't achieve that it doesn't mean we had a terrible season, it just means overall we didn't achieve what I think we should have done going into the top 6 split and therefore I will be a little disappointed.

[Andy_P]

The same four or five posters to give the impression they are on the verge of a breakdown every time things don't go our way.

[numpty]

We've already had a successful season. And we have hee haw chance of getting anywhere near the EL group stages with our defence.

[Shaka]

Its a difficult 1. For me,a successful season is a cup qf and 4th in the league based on Rangers,Hibs & Hearts being basket cases. BUT as I want to see my club survive and prosper is that enough? Weve finished 2nd & 3rd last 2 years and lost £750k, so thats where Id say success this year would be 2nd and anything else will be ok to poor. We need money to stop the playing budget shrinking even more and if that happens we would be in real danger of dropping like a stone if our budget keeps going this way.

[East_Stand_Al]

Let me turn things on their head slightly, bottom 6 finish out of both cups early doors no European football. This to me is an very poor season, fighting or actually being relegated would be a disastrous season and if that were to happen Steelmen Online would need psycho therapists and counsellors available and every page would need the Samaritans telephone number on every page.

[Brazilian]

I go into each season with different expectations

 

Last year, I hoped for European qualification and a wee cup run, an unusually high expectation from me for our club but we had a very good team.

 

This season, top six at the split was the optimistic expectation, and a couple of games in each cup to boost income.

 

Expectations change throughout the season. Also not having a 'successful' season does not necessarily mean having a 'disastrous' season or even a 'poor' season.

 

that's a very decent point, so most are agreeing that top six and a few cup games would be acceptable at start of season

 

so this season:

 

After:

07 games we were 4th

12 games we were 4th week after LC exit,about to lose 4-0 to United, Albion and 5-0 to Celtic

17 games we were 5th & out both cups, 2 games into good run. (& ICT appointed Hughes )

22 games we were 3rd

27 games we were 3rd

32 games we were 3rd but starting to look over shoulder back at 4th

 

From that, we had a decent start in the league, then I'd say due to the timing of our good run, expectations were raised, but realistically 4th fighting for 3rd could be a fair reflection over the season

 

Now we are looking at 2 games leading to 37 games where we could be 2nd, 3rd or 4th,

but now facing top six teams only and relying on others, the realistic would say 3rd or 4th going into a last game.

 

sure 4th would be disappointing but in no way disastrous or poor, we'll keep those for the cup reflections

 

3rd or 2nd going into the last game, would be a great season no matter the outcome

[Goggles & Flippers]

My opinion on this has altered throughout the past year. Based on signings made, performances, winning streaks and injuries it has increased in expectation.

 

The only thing we've been consistent in over the past 9 months is performances against the bottom 6 teams in our league (by and large). We've been handed a number of drubbings this season and only handed out a couple.

 

If we were starting from a base datum level then of course SPFL survival is key, we're the 7th/8th biggest team in the country (2 have dropped out the league) so you would think top 6 is what we should achieve.

 

But we're not starting from that datum, its from what's been built over the past few years and you hope we can use that as a catalyst to a slightly higher position (which it would appear we will this year).

 

A lot has been made of how Aberdeen have spluttered recently, lets not overlook throwing away two 2-0 leads (granted one was against the league winners and before the game most would have bitten you hand off for the final result) and yesterday's debacle.

 

Every league place is worth £90k or so, in a pretty poor season for the balance sheet, it would have been key to hit 2nd, annoyingly its been within our ability to achieve it, its not as if Aberdeen or Dundee United have pulled clear.

 

So for me, in the current climate, make enough money to continue, top six and not to be embarrassed by teams around us is what I look for.

[weeyin]

This year, top 6 is a success for me.

 

Any year that we don't get relegated or get drawn into a relegation fight is always good.

[DEWELL]

Top 6 is a relative success. However our cup defeats and the massive amount of goals we lose has put a dampener on it for me. Still we've 3 big games to go and hopefully we'll be up for them. Every so called important game this season mind you we've crumbled. I'll away and get on with my breakdown now.

[StipeIsGod]

A season in which we play some attractive football and don't come near administration is a good season for me.

 

Finishing second or third is nice, but it's still second or third. I really want a cup for it to be a great season, with the league position less of a priority. I've enjoyed seeing Motherwell play in Europe, and the highs and lows associated with that, but I'm relatively sure I'll struggle to remember a second place finish, despite it being a damn impressive achievement.

[MJC_MKI]

I think you need to look at a season in it's own context before declaring it a success. I don't and never have bought into this "what did you expect back at the start of the season" because the season develops and expectations change.

 

For example, McGhee's first season, 2007/08 was a huge success given what had happened the previous year and the fact that we were up against a strong Aberdeen and a strong Dundee Utd and we pipped them to third. The football we played, especially pre Christmas was the best I've ever seen from a Motherwell side. Last season was also a big success, cup games apart and we played some superb stuff in the second half of the season and were largely consistent and deservedly closed out 2nd.

 

This season? I would say it has been more of a frustrating season than a successful one because I don't think we've played particularly well and we can be hugely greatful to Sutton and also Ainsworth for banging in the goals as our defensive record is nothing short of obscene and we have cut our own throats time and time again with the goals we've conceded. Our cup performances and exits have cast a major shadow over the campaign for me because yet again we choked spectacularly in both cups. The league cup which was wide open, our quarter final opponents reduced to 10 men for the last 77 minutes and we barely muster a shot on target, whilst the Albion Rovers debacle was an absolute abomination from both the manager and the players. Even if we do finish second, as unlikely as it now is, that result will still be a major blot on the season.

 

If we finish third, I would say - somewhat grudgingly perhaps - that this has been a fairly successful season, but if we were to fail to clinch third now having been in that position for a fair bit then I would say that this is a disappointing season, especially as we've contributed greatly to our own downfall with the points we've chucked away due to our woeful defence. Never mind what we would have taken last July, as I said the season goes on and expectations change so you have to look at the season in its own context and I think a season where we've turned in two absolutely stinking performances in the domestic Cups, chucked in goals left right and centre and ended up chucking away a third placed finish after being in with a good chance of finishing second has to be looked upon as frustrating and disappointing.

[CoF]

You mention context but isn't that the one thing you are ignoring MJC?

 

Aye, it'll be disappointing to miss out on 2nd after being in such a good position but if we finish 3rd (and beat last seasons points tally) then that's an incredible achievement when you consider how many players we've lost. That's all part of the context, which you seem to have completely ignored. Aye, the cup exits have taken a shine off the season but with a 3rd place finish you can't say that the damage hasn't gone a long way to being repaired.

[MJC_MKI]

You mention context but isn't that the one thing you are ignoring MJC?

 

Aye, it'll be disappointing to miss out on 2nd after being in such a good position but if we finish 3rd (and beat last seasons points tally) then that's an incredible achievement when you consider how many players we've lost. That's all part of the context, which you seem to have completely ignored. Aye, the cup exits have taken a shine off the season but with a 3rd place finish you can't say that the damage hasn't gone a long way to being repaired.

 

But that's my point about not measuring how successful a season isgiven where you were or what your expectations at the start of the season. Obviously if someone came to you in July 2013 with a crystal ball and told you Motherwell would finish 4th this season you'd take it given the players we lost but that's now how it works. The season gets underway, things happen and expectations change. Regardless of the ups and downs we've had we've managed to stay in contention for a second placed finish, however we are in danger of throwing away third and should that happen, and it might not, then having been in a good position to finish at least third then it would have to be looked upon as a disappointment.

[superward]

100% agree MJC