11 games gone - are you happy with our start?

[Sir Bob]

We spent much of the summer on here debating the season to come. we are now 11 games into the season, which depending on cup runs is about 20% of the season.

Here are the bare facts.

League
We lie 4th, 6 pts behind Arsenal, 4 off Man U with a game in hand, 1 ahead of Chelsea with a game in hand

Champions League
Bottom of our group with 1 point from 2 games

League Cup
Through to the last 16

So before the season started, would you have taken this start or not

Overall i'd have to say no. The league is the bare minimum I would have hoped for. The CL has been a nightmare whilst the League Cup only matters if our major targets aren't met.

Overall then, despite still being unbeaten in the league, its been a disappointing start.

Thoughts please

[The Glove]

I thought we were third in the CL group?


Anyway, our start couldve been so much better BUT at this stage in many years gone by we were always about 70% out of the title race, this time though, we are still in it, so looking at it like that, its not been a bad start.

[tomasjj]

Besides drawing at home against Brum, and to a lesser extent, Spurs, I am happy.
We particularly wasted 2 points against Brum.

The Brum game and the Marseille game have been the let downs for me.
The rest I feel have been par with what I expected.
As the season goes by, and Agger and Alonso get back, I expect us to take it up a notch and go on a proper good run.

One thing though, we need to buy a backup centre back and a quality wide man in January if we are to challenge. I don't think that will happen though, certainly not the wide man.

[cobain]

In general, I'm happy with our start. BUT it could have been a lot better and we could/should be 1st in the league. Good start, but I'm not over the moon about it.

Much, much better start than in last couple of seasons though

[redblood]

I thought we were third in the CL group?


Anyway, our start couldve been so much better BUT at this stage in many years gone by we were always about 70% out of the title race, this time though, we are still in it, so looking at it like that, its not been a bad start.

I thinki t's been disappointing in the last few weeks but had we started like that and the last four games had been like our first 4 we'd all be much happier with the same points and results.

[AFII]

I'm not happy but not disappointed either.

We still have a good chance to get to the knockout stages in the CL but if the players don't start to perform then we will be out of the CL and the title race in a months time.

The next month is probably the most important for Rafa so far since he joined us.

We have only played good away against Villa, and at home against Chelsea and Derby in the league, that's the most disappointing thing so far this season.

We have also played some **** games and we are lucky that we are still in the title race.

[Parm]

It's not as bad as some would have you think, we are poor starters and this season, in comparison to previous, has been a decent start. Ok we could have done better, esp against Brum, but we are still within touching distance of Arsenal, we play them in 3 weeks, who knows they could lose their next game, lose to us and drop points against the mancs. If we beat the bitters and the Arsenal suddenly life is a lot more rosier.

As for the CL, i think we can still qualify, doesnt matter if we are first or second as wherever you finish you'll have to playt a big team.

[Sir Bob]

I thought we were third in the CL group?


Anyway, our start couldve been so much better BUT at this stage in many years gone by we were always about 70% out of the title race, this time though, we are still in it, so looking at it like that, its not been a bad start.

We are third in our CL group.

Glad you spotted my deliberate mistake

[kewellnthegang]

I'm not happy but not disappointed either.

We still have a good chance to get to the knockout stages in the CL but if the players don't start to perform then we will be out of the CL and the title race in a months time.

The next month is probably the most important for Rafa so far since he joined us.

We have only played good away against Villa, and at home against Chelsea and Derby in the league, that's the most disappointing thing so far this season.



i was nodding like the churchill dog until.......


We have also played some **** games and we are lucky that we are still in the title race.

we are not lucky to be in it thats ****e

but ya posts are gettin better

keep up the good work

[The Glove]

We are third in our CL group.

Glad you spotted my deliberate mistake

Sounds so much better than bottom of the group.

[Nic83]

Nope, 1 win in the last 4 has really let us down. We should have been pulling in 10 pts from those 4.

We are now in a make or break period with our next 3/4 games.

[rob_247]

The league isn't actually terrible to look at, what's disappointing is that had we played anywhere near our best in all games we'd be at the very least breathing down arsenal's necks if not leading the way.

The Champions League has been one ok result and one terrible result and we played badly in both. I'd have been happy with the point away to Porto regardless but it needed to be followed with a win at home. That we were played off the park at times by Marseille and looked utterly devoid of any decent attacking play was totally shocking.

The league cup, well sure I suppose it gives us possibilities for silverwear.

So the season so far, could be a lot worse but I think should really be better. An on song team and we'd be most of the way through the group stages in the CL and we'd be a few points and goals better off in the league.

Still form is temporary, class is permanent. That's what they say right?

[Dhav]

It's not as bad as some would have you think, we are poor starters and this season, in comparison to previous, has been a decent start. Ok we could have done better, esp against Brum, but we are still within touching distance of Arsenal, we play them in 3 weeks, who knows they could lose their next game, lose to us and drop points against the mancs. If we beat the bitters and the Arsenal suddenly life is a lot more rosier.

As for the CL, i think we can still qualify, doesnt matter if we are first or second as wherever you finish you'll have to playt a big team.

Exactly. Nothing is lost yet, neither in the CL or the Prem, although admittedly two bad results next in either competition will do us in both.

[AFII]

we are not lucky to be in it thats ****e

but ya posts are gettin better

keep up the good work

Thank you mum.



Don't botter replying to more of my posts. I will have you on ignore from now on.

[Dhav]

Sounds so much better than bottom of the group.

If we don't qualify I'd much rather finish bottom and get knocked out altogether than finish 3rd and go through the ignominy of the Uefa Cup.