Where will we finish next season? 2013-2014

[mcdowell42]

2nd or 3rd... if we spent the c£70m we've got to spend.

6th if we don't spend anything.

And if we spend somewhere in the middle... 4th again!

Maybe as this is / could be Arsene's last year, he will spend big.

Can open worms everywhere

[g88ner]

Think I'll save my vote for when the summer transfer window has shut

[Chippy]

Jesus Christ G88ner we'll have had 73 polls by then, grow a pair!

[g88ner]

Jesus Christ G88ner we'll have had 73 polls by then, grow a pair!

I won't be rushed... not even by a serial killer

[bitterandstout]

can't be anymore optimistic than fourth.

Stan only needs CL to earn his nut so why bother with better.

[QuartzGooner]

Think I'll save my vote for when the summer transfer window has shut

Exactly.

This thread is so pointless in mid May that I am tempted to lock it until August 31st, what do you reckon?

[ElSquirrel]

I'm reminded of how worried we'd slip down the table when RvP abandoned the Grove. Ironic we amassed 3 more points than when he was leading the charge.

Football: If it weren't such a game we have to invent something this mad.

[DB10GOONER]

Worst. Thread. Ever.



We will finish 4th.

The Filth, The Arabs and the chav will all finish top 3 in no particular order. We will finish 4th. The scum or Everton will finish 5th. If MonkeyDiver stays the scum will get 5th, if he swings through the trees to pastures new, Everton will get 5th and the scum somewhere around 7th or 8th.

Next May. The following May and every fucking May up until Arsene leaves. Sad, but true.

[1989]

One thing that really encourages me about this team is its mental strength. I know we like to joke about that on here to take the piss out of Wenger but the way we've clawed back huge points deficits to usurp the scum two years running takes some bollocks, even though the scum can always be relied on to bottle things themselves anyway. That for me indicates that the right mentality to win things is there , but the quality is missing. As soon as we add that bit of quality, we'll be up there. We've got a solid backbone now unlike a few years back in Per, Kos and Chesney instead of Almunia, Gallas and Toure. We have a core of talented British lads with the oldest of them being 23 years old, and top class experienced internationals like Santi, Poldi, TV5, Arteta, Sagna, Rosicky, Monreal and even Diaby if he ever gets fit again. So the foundation is now in place, we need to bring a couple of world class players in their prime (striker and DM) to round it off.

Another positive point is also the increase of leaders in our team compared to years gone by, now we have Per, Kos, Arteta, Jack in addition to TV5, all of whom I'm sure most would be comfortable and even proud to see lead the team out. This is in sharp contrast to the days of Cesc or Gallas as captains and Almunia the vice captain.

To answer the thread question, I think as it is we'll finish 4th again but if we properly strengthen then anywhere between 3rd to 1st is possible.

[Swifty]

It's all relative to what the other sides do and i think it will be the tightest top 4 in years. I think Ferguson leaving will be a massive negative for United (and into the future) and don't suggest he will still be around pulling the strings - Moyes is too strong for that but Moyes will need a couple of seasons to adapt his ways to a more ambitious and liquid club let alone the significant distractions that he will not have experienced at Everton. Rooney will either leave or get the sulks. So that's United slipping. City will definitely slip - Kompany may leave, Hart is waning, Tevez and Dzeko well.....lots of change at the joint and they got the second year blues anyway. Chelsea - unfortunately i see a revival coming, some sad sacks will be reinvigorated. Spurs - whatever, moving on. Everton bye bye. Pool - maybe a slght improvement - Swansea to bust into the top 5.
Where does that leave us - 2nd. I reckon we will pick up a genuine striker (Rooney would be perfect!) - i thought Giroud went well but i still dont understand why Wenger plays his style then buys mismatches up front like Giroud and Chamahk and stuck with Bendtner for so long. Anyway, we need a proper DM, experienced, hard head that can play a bit. Also a CB of stature - although Per has played well he is firstly not nearly dominant in the attacking box given his height nor heavy enough in the tackle nor silky enough with ball at feet and has a turning circle like a train - lovely fellow im sure and talented but....anyway.
We will also have Jack for a full season and the new guys dont need to re-gel. Im pretty optimistic and I reckon we will finally land some big fish in the transfer period. Arsenal and Chelsea for the top 2.

Fire away.

[topcat]

I voted 2nd then changed my mind, I can't see us finishing any higher than 4th!

The fact chelsea, united, city will all have new managers will make it harder for us i reckon, not easier!

[Number 5]

Not only will Arsenal not be able to win the league, we will also be at least 10 points behind first place by the end of November.

As usual.

We may have earned 4th place this year but we still have the champions league qualifier to negotiate before we can finalise any transfers in excess of £10m. By that time, all the best players will be gone and we'll be doing Dale's supermarket sweep again. Watch for the last few hours of transfer window to tick by with us scrambling for someone along the lines of Cabaye from Newcastle.

Then it'll be the usual scrap around between 6th, 5th and 4th till May with a sprinkling of displays that show potentially we can be as good as anyone on our day but also a complete embarrasment to the name and history of the club on other days.

[LDB]

This is the kind of silly season thread that we'll look back on at the end of next season and wonder what the point of this was. I love that Swifty can be sure that the two manchester clubs are both going to go backwards next season. Same for spurs, I'm sure lots of people wrote them off before last season when they finished behind us then sacked twitchy but they came back and amassed even more points. There is no guarantee that monkey boy is going anywhere, he signed a 5 year contract last year. Even if he does go the kind of money they get for him may even be reinvested (crazy idea, I know) in signing a grown up striker and rebalancing their team a bit like we sort-of did when van judas left.

Now, if we invest as we should (but wont) then spurs should be eating our dust, we've had the season ticket renewal rumours (Rooney, Villa, Cesc) and now for the real ones like Grenier and Sanogo to take over. Another sideways step I'm afraid.

[LDB]

One thing that really encourages me about this team is its mental strength. I know we like to joke about that on here to take the piss out of Wenger but the way we've clawed back huge points deficits to usurp the scum two years running takes some bollocks, even though the scum can always be relied on to bottle things themselves anyway. That for me indicates that the right mentality to win things is there , but the quality is missing. As soon as we add that bit of quality, we'll be up there. We've got a solid backbone now unlike a few years back in Per, Kos and Chesney instead of Almunia, Gallas and Toure. We have a core of talented British lads with the oldest of them being 23 years old, and top class experienced internationals like Santi, Poldi, TV5, Arteta, Sagna, Rosicky, Monreal and even Diaby if he ever gets fit again. So the foundation is now in place, we need to bring a couple of world class players in their prime (striker and DM) to round it off.

Another positive point is also the increase of leaders in our team compared to years gone by, now we have Per, Kos, Arteta, Jack in addition to TV5, all of whom I'm sure most would be comfortable and even proud to see lead the team out. This is in sharp contrast to the days of Cesc or Gallas as captains and Almunia the vice captain.

To answer the thread question, I think as it is we'll finish 4th again but if we properly strengthen then anywhere between 3rd to 1st is possible.

I like this post, I was also encouraged by our late season run and the grit we showed to close out those 1-0 away wins and there are plenty of players in our team that I like a lot: Per, Kos, Arteta, Ramsey, Cazorla, Gibbs, Wilshere

Unfortunately my suspicion is that the run was last resort stuff by the management and players to save the precious VT. There have been little spells in seasons before when confidence is rock bottom and Wenger to his credit makes us harder to beat and we rebuild from there but it's only ever a matter of time before we think we're the harlem globe trotters of football again.

I would put money on our midfield and fullbacks going back to streaming ahead of the ball at the start of next season and we'll again be prey to every two-bob counter attacking team in the league. What we need to do is maintain the defensive standards and fighting spirit of our late season run with an added top quality striker that can score away from home in the premier league. I just can't quite see either happening.

[spendsum4uckingmoney]

I reckon 4th. Can't see us finishing in top 3 for quite some time. City and Chelski will buy success as usual and the franchise UTD will always be there.