Hopes, expectations and predictions for the season

29 Jul 2016, 11:12

With just over a week to go what is everyone thinking then?

For me, I'm a little disappointed we didn't add an experienced front man and haven't as yet signed Phillips/Dickie or players of similar calibre but our team and manager still inspire me with confidence. There are a couple of players that may struggle with the step but the overwhelming majority I expect to excel and it's hard to imagine us not featuring closer to the top rather than the bottom of the league. That said the amount of transfers taking place and with teams like Pompey in the division it won't be easy.

My predictions:
Holman to score a lot and possibly be sold either in January or next summer for a club record fee.
CTFC to finish 5th this season and potentially top three the season after if we don't go up.
Pompey to win the league.
There are a number of poor looking sides but two from Crawley, Yeovil and Morecambe are most likely to go down.

My hope is another promotion but my expectation is top ten.

As a bonus I will tip Man City to win the prem, Chelski 2nd, Man Ure 3rd and Arsenal 4th.

RegencyCheltenhamSpa · 29 Jul 2016, 11:23

We are going up.

Shade · 29 Jul 2016, 11:48

Robin wrote: My predictions:
Holman to score a lot and possibly be sold either in January or next summer for a club record fee.
CTFC to finish 5th this season and potentially top three the season after if we don't go up.
Pompey to win the league.
There are a number of poor looking sides but two from Crawley, Yeovil and Morecambe are most likely to go down.

My hope is another promotion but my expectation is top ten.

Pretty much the same. Although I think if and when we lose Holman we will need to find another striker that bangs in the goals otherwise there's no chance we would be finishing higher next season. I think the only way of keeping Holman would be for us to be right up there in January, no Championship clubs come sniffing, and we get promotion at the end of the season and he's a League 1 player with us in 12 months time.

paperboy · 29 Jul 2016, 12:08

I just hope that at Easter we are flirting with the play-offs which is the best we might hope for IMO

Reliant Robin · 29 Jul 2016, 12:14

I think we will be good for a top 3 finish. The transfer situation is not completed yet and I expect Gary & Pete to come up trumps again.

As for Dan Holman - he likes it here, he knows the gaffer will get the best out of him. He needs a manager who understands him, as he's not really settled elsewhere. But if someone does come and pluck him away in the future, we can be sure Gary won't let the Club get screwed over, like has happened in the past with our top players. If we do get a promotion again this season, I think Dan H will stay.

29 Jul 2016, 12:37

Agree, no way we would sell Holman cheap with GJ in charge, it would surely be a club record fee too.

Fuller · 29 Jul 2016, 13:04

Like a few I'm surprised we have not signed a few more players, especially a few experienced heads. And don't forget the loan rules have changed, if players are injured or suspended or out of form you cannot just go out and get one on loan anymore, I'd say you need two first choice keepers and four central defenders, we are a little way off that at the moment.
Perhaps the playing budget is not as big as we thought it might be after promotion, I seem to recall Paul Baker saying the bonuses for going up last season came out of this seasons budget, but then again it was make or break.
But I can't knock Gary - he has saved our club and will take us forward, I just hope there is a new extended contract on the table waiting to be signed, he won't be easy to replace that's for sure.
Me ? I'll gladly settle for a mid table position, it is more important that we re-establish ourselves as a solid FL club that can move forward both on and off the pitch.

RegencyCheltenhamSpa · 29 Jul 2016, 13:28

We are going up.

Nesty · 29 Jul 2016, 17:12

every time this club has been promoted I feel not enough has been done to maintain the momentum built up over the closing stages of the promotion season, and frankly I was expecting more to have been done in terms of new players by now. Mind you had we been able to secure the services of Phillips and Dickie I think we would be in with a shout, however we may still might (slim chance) Currently we are about 2/3/4 decent players away from what we need to give a real shot at promotion. I too am worried about the new loan rules. Ask again in a weeks time.......

theidlerich · 30 Jul 2016, 08:48

Tend to agree with much of the above for a change. We had stand out players in Dickie and Phillips who have yet to be satisfactorily replaced. The icing on the cake last season was Holman, whose goals kept us in the hunt and eventually successful. I have already said we still need 2 or three [experienced] players to augment a squad that should do well; but we do need them [whoever they may be]. Current squad as it stands will be mid-table at best. If Holman goes in the transfer window - sincerely hope he doesn't - we could well struggle.

little mo · 30 Jul 2016, 10:39

With the current squad I also think mid table at best, add Phillips, Dickie and one more experienced league player, then would expect us to be in top ten, maybe. Truth is we don't know how some of these players will cope with the step up. But we will soon find out.

RegencyCheltenhamSpa · 30 Jul 2016, 10:56

We are going up.

CS85 · 30 Jul 2016, 12:10

12th-14th.we only have 1 maybe 2 players who could get in a top 7 side.

Nesty · 30 Jul 2016, 13:42

CS85 wrote:12th-14th.we only have 1 maybe 2 players who could get in a top 7 side.

I would say a few more than 1 or 2 !!

CS85 · 30 Jul 2016, 14:15

None of the back 4........no keeper we have atm.possibly pell on form and holman.

30 Jul 2016, 14:52

promotion via the playoffs

vikerlane · 30 Jul 2016, 16:56

CS85 wrote:None of the back 4........no keeper we have atm.possibly pell on form and holman.

Dayton is quality.

Said that, I personally rather have decent squad than individuals anyway.

Can't wait for next weekend!

30 Jul 2016, 19:21

Holman, Dayton, Munns, would walk into most sides in this league. Agree about centre back but I do like the look of O'Shaugnessy.

Nesty · 31 Jul 2016, 15:21

an important week for GJ coming up, I cannot really believe we are still looking for players with less than a week to go but also dont believe GJ hasnt got a few aces up his sleeve

31 Jul 2016, 16:00

I must say I am surprised that we have not signed a winger as yet, but otherwise we will have a keeper this week for sure and then it's just a centre half.

London Exile · 31 Jul 2016, 16:57

I think we'll be around the play off shake up come the end of the season.
GJ knows what's needed to succeed at this level and he's given the current squad every chance over pre season to stake a claim for the starting XI.

We've still 4 weeks until the transfer window shuts so I fully expect to see 2/3/4 new faces. Who knows, but maybe the defensive situation gives GJ a chance to go back to the board and say we need to up our previous offer for the unnamed CB?!

andgarod · 31 Jul 2016, 16:59

LE that means money and we aint got any
We made a loss last season!!!!!!!!!!!

London Exile · 31 Jul 2016, 17:05

andgarod wrote:LE that means money and we aint got any
We made a loss last season!!!!!!!!!!!

True but we are at least £500k better off this season from being back in the League (£500k figure guesstimated by what we lost in relegation although new tv deal would make that figure worth more I hope!)

I know our overheads are naturally going to be higher - more staff, high wage bill etc but I'd hope that the board allowed GJ some access to more money