Where will we be at the end of the season ? POLL

[LAsouthcoast]

You will always get players doing well for managers that they believe in, that's why the youngsters did well last season for NR. If we get everybody on board this season who knows.

[dlw10]

I'm really nervous but we won't have a clue until we see us v Burnley. On the one hand I do feel we have the potential to be better than last season - we all expect Chris Wood to be an improvement on what we had last year and Adeyemi looks potentially better than Rudy too. But we have to be pinning our faith on Uwe being able to get more out of them than anyone last year and on the kids all being a step up due to the extra year's experience. I know I am getting boring now but we cannot ignore the fact that the defence will be the one we had from Christmas onwards last season. On it's day, with a bit of luck it could just about keep a clean sheet against any side but it had to work far too hard to achieve it. What we inevitably saw was that it can't keep that level of heroics up for 90 minutes every game and so it succumbed to giving away soft goals that coast us games time and again. From what I've seen in pre season we are exactly the same; we have seen some heroic defending and wonderful shot stopping by Silvestri but far too often even the lowliest of sides is getting past our full backs (whoever they are on the day) and when the cross comes in we are not tight enough or sharp enough to get to the ball first. In midfield we still have the same players too with the exception of Adeyemi and we know they were not creative or penetrative enough last season. So, I've gone for 13th ish - hopefully a solid 13th and not one scraped together after flirting with relegation. I also can't help but think that if we have a bad start then Cellino will panic again and it will be all change again. So, I'm hoping for the best but still fearing the worst! Having said all that I do still believe that 2 more experienced and quality players could really bring the whole package together as a force in the Championship.

[southwhite]

Really can't wait for the season to start, say it every year and end up banging me head against the wall in frustration. Hoping this season might be different with the signing of Wood, Erwin and Adeyemi. Think Rosler left alone might just work, Players seem to believe in the way
he's trying to play. With the foreign lads and the young academy lads having a season under there belt now, I think we might surprise a few teams. The thing that's worrying me is the back four are the same, my brother is a Newcastle fan and said if we get the lad Williamson in he would do a good job but prone to the odd silly mistake ! I think we have a few of them already, so on the bench with that. Still i gone for a 9th place finish but hope im way out and we finish top 6. Fingers and toe's crossed !!

[Barlow Boy]

I see we are generally just about odds against to finish in the top half with the bookies, personally with the signing of Wood I thought we would be shades odds on, so might be worth a bit of a punt that one.

Agree with others, and as I mentioned in another thread, we are heading into the season with pretty much the same defence as last season (Turnbull for Silvestre excepted), so unless there is some dramatic improvement we can pretty much expect the same result at the back.

It might be the old adage, if we score more than you we win the game, and that's fair enough, time will tell. Have a feeling if Rosler is left alone to do his job, top half is definitely a possibility.

[Tourist]

I still can't believe I'm the only one going for automatic promotion... On a Leeds fans forum (That is beyond me. I'm pretty sure they can do it though and I'll tell you why:
- For the first time I remember there are no major problems hanging over LUFC (no BPL relegation hangover, no major rift between the owner and fans, no sigificant departures, no delayed payments, no out-of-depth/toxic manager, etc.) Therefore, if the players understand it of course, they can get out of this "always a victim" box (I've got a feeling that many Leeds fans are in the same place) and become true underdogs with much to prove and nothing to lose. We all know what underdogs are capable of - Bournemouth anyone?
- People often forget that new and foreign players need time to settle in - there were 15 new signings last season if I remember well, quite a lot for any standards you must admit. After spending a year together in Leeds there is a big possibility we will see players more level-headed and self-confident (+Bamba stayed half season with us, really). Not to mention their cohesion as a team will be on a different level this year. (in other words: give this defence a chance people:P)
- MC is no fool - he is eccentric and sometimes forgets to pay his taxes but he knows very well how much money is at stake after a promotion. If he's happy with current state of things, there is a slim chance that everything works fine behind the scenes at LS11 as BPL clearly is his objective numero uno (plus - remember that most of negative news come from media which just love to spread doom and gloom atmosphere - it sells best! Have you seen any positive LUFC-related article recently? Last month? Year? Decade? Thought so...)
- many would argue that Leeds didn't spend a lot of money on quality players - that does not guarantee anything - Fulham and a certain Ross are the brightes example. Instead of counting on one or two supposed superstars (we all know how a failure can they be), it's all down to how the players we've got start the season as a unit - simple.

All the above-mentioned arguments are enough to be more positive about the coming season than mid-table finish, for me at least. Of course I can be wrong, but why should I spoil the fun for myself from the start - it's like entering the pub thinking: I'm going for the ugliest lass straight away because the prettiest may snub me Come one, who does that?
On the other hand there are things that worry me, even though they should not have a negative impact onto the team's efforts: the matter of GFH involvement in the club's finances (and possible revenue from Leeds playing in BPL, shirt/stadium sponsorship, MC possible ban fo another tax offence and ground ownership. If that's sorted I can log myself out of this forum and die in peace
Hawk!

[MOT1964]

I still can't believe I'm the only one going for automatic promotion... On a Leeds fans forum (That is beyond me. I'm pretty sure they can do it though and I'll tell you why:
- For the first time I remember there are no major problems hanging over LUFC (no BPL relegation hangover, no major rift between the owner and fans, no sigificant departures, no delayed payments, no out-of-depth/toxic manager, etc.) Therefore, if the players understand it of course, they can get out of this "always a victim" box (I've got a feeling that many Leeds fans are in the same place) and become true underdogs with much to prove and nothing to lose. We all know what underdogs are capable of - Bournemouth anyone?
- People often forget that new and foreign players need time to settle in - there were 15 new signings last season if I remember well, quite a lot for any standards you must admit. After spending a year together in Leeds there is a big possibility we will see players more level-headed and self-confident (+Bamba stayed half season with us, really). Not to mention their cohesion as a team will be on a different level this year. (in other words: give this defence a chance people:P)
- MC is no fool - he is eccentric and sometimes forgets to pay his taxes but he knows very well how much money is at stake after a promotion. If he's happy with current state of things, there is a slim chance that everything works fine behind the scenes at LS11 as BPL clearly is his objective numero uno (plus - remember that most of negative news come from media which just love to spread doom and gloom atmosphere - it sells best! Have you seen any positive LUFC-related article recently? Last month? Year? Decade? Thought so...)
- many would argue that Leeds didn't spend a lot of money on quality players - that does not guarantee anything - Fulham and a certain Ross are the brightes example. Instead of counting on one or two supposed superstars (we all know how a failure can they be), it's all down to how the players we've got start the season as a unit - simple.

All the above-mentioned arguments are enough to be more positive about the coming season than mid-table finish, for me at least. Of course I can be wrong, but why should I spoil the fun for myself from the start - it's like entering the pub thinking: I'm going for the ugliest lass straight away because the prettiest may snub me Come one, who does that?
On the other hand there are things that worry me, even though they should not have a negative impact onto the team's efforts: the matter of GFH involvement in the club's finances (and possible revenue from Leeds playing in BPL, shirt/stadium sponsorship, MC possible ban fo another tax offence and ground ownership. If that's sorted I can log myself out of this forum and die in peace
Hawk!

An excellent post with valid points that echo my thoughts

I couldn't quite go for automatic promotion though, so went for the play offs.

[SG90]

I went 7-12 as I'm not really sure. Don't think we'll be anywhere near relegation, even if we are one of the favourites. We have the majority of last year's squad together, so they will know eachother's games inside out, the younger players will be more experienced, the foreign players will be more accustomed to English football and we've signed some good players - Turnbull, Wood and Adeyemi, who are all v experienced at this level. I think we'll be one of the surprise packages this year in that regard.

[Mellor]

Being the eternal optimist I went top 6. Worth pointing out that I also expect us to win the FA cup every season.

Much depends on our start - not much to separate the teams in the Champs. Momentum is key, which starts with belief which comes from winning games which comes from making few mistakes. Most goals come from error rather than scintillating play for me.

A poor start, crowd turns and it will be backs against the wall time again played out against chants of one NR/ban the sick note 6 etc. Fingers crossed.

[mapperleywhite]

So.....

Without a proven goalscorer at this level and the same dubious defence as last season, what reasons do I have to be optimistic?

[Deleted User 2299]

"I still can't believe I'm the only one going for automatic promotion... On a Leeds fans forum"

75% of fans on here think we will finish out the top six. Not because we are stupid or know little about football, quite the opposite. It's more a refection of our realistic view over our hearts.
Sure we can win the league and we could even win the FA cup, hand on heart it is possible, but in most of our views we are likely to finish outside the top six..

Unacceptable IMHO.

I would so love to be wrong!!

MOT