2016/2017 season - your thoughts on our chances

[LondonBristolian]

1. What are you optimistic about?

2. What are you worried about?

3. Where will we finish?

*all questions related specifically to City, not your life in general.

 

For me:

1. We've got players in quickly.  Two of our best loans from last season have signed permanently and I think O'Dowda and Brownhill could be real coups.  I think our squad is stronger than last season and we're one defender and one striker away from having the squad we need.  Central midfield looks particularly strong. 

2. I think the division gets tougher every year.  Burton and Rotherham are the only two teams I think are nailed on to struggle.  Until we make those two signigns, there's a potential lack of depth at centre-back and we're over-reliant on Kodjia.  We also need Hordur to settle quickly or we may have problems in defence.  Obviously the risk of a late move for Kodjia or Flint is a worry too.

3. I don't want to get too carried away given the quality around in the division but I think we'll be comfortable.  I'm predicting 14th but hoping to be pleasantly surprised. 

(Decided to add a poll too)

[123456789000]

17 minutes ago, LondonBristolian said:

1. What are you optimistic about?

2. What are you worried about?

3. Where will we finish?

1. Joe Bryan

2. Back up striker

3. 12th

[Red Army 75]

Optimistic about kodjia tomlin partnership 

Worried about certain players leaving 

we will finish 10th

[BRISTOL86]

1)

I'm optimistic about the strength of our best XI, compared with this time last year. Tomlin, Matthews, O'Neill are all fantastic signings, proven at this level and I'd also expect good things from Magnusson given the fee and where he's come from. 

Flint, Kodjia and Smith all came out of last season in credit and I'd back all three for more of the same, if not better. I like Fielding as a person but I'd say O'Donnell is a noticeable upgrade. 

2)

Having said all the above, I still worry about the lack of depth in certain areas.

For once we have a wealth of options in midfield - O'Neil, Smith, Bryan, Pack, Reid, Brownhill, Freeman....yet if Flint, Magnusson or Kodjia all get injured it's hard to see who could step in and provide a reasonable standard of cover. However I'd hope we might see at least another forward coming in, if not a centre back too. 

And there's always Sheffield United. 

I'm also a bit worried about us almost expecting to get 6 points from Wigan and Burton, going into playing the three relegated Premier League sides. Almost everyone I speak to is talking like that's a foretone conclusion, however I'm sure LJ won't allow the players to make the same mistake. 

3)

Hardest question. To me, the championship has to be one of, if not the most competitive leagues in the world. There must be 12-16 teams who realistically want/expect to be challenging for the top 6. 

What I'd love is for us to just get through the the first ten games and not be at the sticky end. Another relegation scrap won't do the club any favours. 

I'd be delighted to see us finish 12th. That would be a real improvement on last season and would make a statement about us establishing at this level, and would give us a platform to build on again. 

However if this season if anything to go on, I'd be surprised if there's a huge difference in the points gap between 6th to 12th and 12th to 18th - so who knows what's possible. 

[...]

This season, we will play a bit like Bristol City.

We will sometimes be good, sometimes average, and sometimes shyte.

We have definately improved the squad, and will finish 11th.

Thank you.

 

Uncle TFR

[Port Said Red]

We need to be lucky with injuries to key players, we need to show consistency which is so difficult to do in this league. Every team is capable of turning in a match winning performance at some point, I said last year that it was almost impossible to get 4 or more results correct each week.

I hope all those being realistic and suggesting mid table remember this when we lose a few games, because you can't finish mid table without a few losses and dodgy draws.

[LondonBristolian]

8 minutes ago, Port Said Red said:

We need to be lucky with injuries to key players, we need to show consistency which is so difficult to do in this league. Every team is capable of turning in a match winning performance at some point, I said last year that it was almost impossible to get 4 or more results correct each week.

I hope all those being realistic and suggesting mid table remember this when we lose a few games, because you can't finish mid table without a few losses and dodgy draws.

Indeed.  I hope as well that people remember that 3 of our signings (Brownhill, O'Dowda and Hordur) are young lads who lack experience at this level and the likes of Reid, Bryan, Dowling and Vyner are young too. They will all make mistakes, they will all drift in and out of games to some extent or other and they will all have good games and bad games.  It's really important we're patient with them. 

[napper]

1)got some good players in early,who will better the team.
Expecting mid table safety,as a minimum.
2)Worried about injuries to key players & also Kodjia going to AFCON,who will provide suitable cover? Need another forward in as soon as.
3)Hoping for a better season that last year & without the stress of  being in a fight to stay up.Expecting to be 12th or above

[Lanterne Rouge]

The one thing we were crying out for last summer above all else was a creative midfield player and we now have four or five so that gives me confidence. Could do with one or two more strikers though - other than that, I`m happy.