First Ten Games

[Fowler's God]

Considering we have dropped a lot of points during this time over the last 3 seasons looking at our first ten games where and how many points will we get....considering time of Kick Off also and after potential champions league fixtures.

Team: Venue: Time: Points Gained:
Aston Villa Away 5.15pm
Chelsea Home 4pm
Sunderland Away 12.45pm
Derby Home 3pm
Pompey Away 12.45pm
Birmingham City Home 3pm
Wigan Away 3pm
Spurs Home 3pm
Bitters Away 12.45pm
Arsenal Home 4pm

[RastaRed]

Considering we have dropped a lot of points during this time over the last 3 seasons looking at our first ten games where and how many points will we get....considering time of Kick Off also and after potential champions league fixtures.

Team: Venue: Time: Points Gained:
Aston Villa Away 5.15pm
Chelsea Home 4pm
Sunderland Away 12.45pm
Derby Home 3pm
Pompey Away 12.45pm
Birmingham City Home 3pm
Wigan Away 3pm
Spurs Home 3pm
Bitters Away 12.45pm
Arsenal Home 4pm

If we seriously want to finally challenge for the title, nothing but 8/9 wins &1/2 draws will do

[gav003]

24 + points for a title challenge for me

[novasteve]

around 25 i think

very worried we're going to draw or worse with villa and be playing catch up from day one tho

[novasteve]

then again, we got 30 pts from the first 12 games in 02/03 and finished fifth

[redeagle]

I think its more the away matches aswell this season.

Lot needs to be sorted still imo if we are going to win it although I do remain hopeful.

[gav003]

yeah the start is only part of it. I think it's psychological to a certain extent at this stage. Good start, Good away form and build from there

[redeagle]

only 10 more days aswell till it kicks off.

very exciting.

[marko]

Need to get on that winning run asap,24 points just to stay in contention,away form needs to be better.

[YNWA]

Agree with what everyone is saying on the whole, need to be hitting the 25 mark but then its about consistency and away form getting better, don't want a great start than over confidence which could hurt us!

[Xabi]

I think winning the first 2 will give us a massive physcological boost that wiil enable us to kick on and win the majority if not all the rest of the first 10. Portsmouth will be difficult (possible draw) and also Everton (draw). 8 wins and 2 draws will ding dang do for me.....

[megager]

I think between 20-23 points is a very good start. Sure we want more but that would keep us within 4 points of the big boys. A disaster for me would be a draw against villa and a home loss to chelsea as that would mean a possible 8 point deficit. I think if we have 20 points, while not great, it would not be a disaster. Remember, we may take a little time for players to settle.

Last season there were some people calling for Rafas head after the 0-0 with middlesboro ( very few, a few muppets I know) but we still finished 3rd, and while we were 21 points off, we didnt play for the last month with any great gusto ( Man city, Fulham, charlton etc).

Lets be patient. Tuck in close early in the seaon, stay within 4-6 points by christmas, be consistent, and who knows.

Like has been said, we need to do better away, be more ruthless at home, beat weaker teams ( dropping 5 points to Everton and portsmouth isnt on) and be more ruthless.

We can afford to lose 6-7 games and still be real challengers. But it wont be won or lost in 1st 10 games (I hope!!)

[Fowler's God]

we don't how after ten games will work out but look at our record last season and in 2005/06, our starts killed us off straight, after 5 games in the 2005/06 we had Man U at home and we were like them already 7 points behind chelsea so we could definitely lose it after 10 games, i agree with the Pompey and Bitters game very important, need to try and get maximum and but a minimum at least a point from both. Need to beat Villa first game with Chelsea at Home at Anfield for the first home game of the season its crucial

[bryanod]

i'll guess at 22 points from that lot.

[James]

24 points should ensure we are top or very close. It is also an achievable target.

Out of all those games I think Portsmouth is probably the most likely defeat going on last seasons performances (I still believe the Everton result was some kind of freak accident :rolleyes: ) Hopefully things change though and we are more positive away from home. Sunderland will be the biggest hiding we've given out in the league since WBA :D

[Fowler's God]

24 points should ensure we are top or very close. It is also an achievable target.

Out of all those games I think Portsmouth is probably the most likely defeat going on last seasons performances (I still believe the Everton result was some kind of freak accident :rolleyes: ) Hopefully things change though and we are more positive away from home. Sunderland will be the biggest hiding we've given out in the league since WBA :D

James, i wouldn't underestimate sunderland at all will be tough going to the stadium of light and with the time of the Kick Off after possible away trip in the champions league qualifiers it will be a difficult game

[paddypower111]

looking at the fixtures 24 to 28 points would be great. and i think we could get 28 with the fixtures we have

[stamullenredmen]

around 25 i think

very worried we're going to draw or worse with villa and be playing catch up from day one tho


i wouldnt be suprised,were always brutal on the opening day.24 points deffo the minimum id expect for us to be in with a shout

[James]

James, i wouldn't underestimate sunderland at all will be tough going to the stadium of light and with the time of the Kick Off after possible away trip in the champions league qualifiers it will be a difficult game

No team with aspirations of winning the title will consider Sunderland a tough match.

[Fowler's God]

No team with aspirations of winning the title will consider Sunderland a tough match.

When you face newly promoted teams early away from home it is always going to be tough look at last season against Sheff Utd and with Keano in charge of them they will suprise people this coming season

[sean]

The pessimistic side of me says 17 points, the optimistic side of me thinks 28! I agree that we need a good start this time around, was heart breaking to lose in Stamford Bridge last season in September and have the media immediately rule us out for the title. Even though on paper we were til in the race (it was September for heaven's sake!) the mindset of the players was that we were out of it and the European Cup immediately became the number one priority.

In fairness, the first 10 games isn't a tough start, and with Chelski and Arsenal both coming the Anfield we really have to capitalise and push on and show everyone what we're about.

[phil]

In fairness, the first 10 games isn't a tough start, and with Chelski and Arsenal both coming the Anfield we really have to capitalise and push on and show everyone what we're about.[/QUOTE]

I agree. We have to get through these games unbeaten to set the tone for the rest of the season.

[James]

When you face newly promoted teams early away from home it is always going to be tough look at last season against Sheff Utd and with Keano in charge of them they will suprise people this coming season

We'll just have to wait and see. Hope Im right though ;)

[megager]

Now that we have reached the 10 game stage I thought it would be interesting to drag up this link again. The range was rather wide from 17 point (the pessamistic end of seans prediction) to 28 point (the optimistic side of seans prediction). I think I said Id be happy with 20-23 so I'm surprised how disappointed I feel about where we are now.

When you look at peoples predictions and targets, we actually arent too far off and most people mentioned an improvement in our away form (so far P5 W4 D1 L0) but our home form seems to be neglected.

So how do we all feel now?

[Kopite]

Shit and depressed....:) :)

seriously you can still look back and see really bad points dropped at home, the 4 that I am particuarly looking at are the 2 v Spurs and the 2 versus Birmingham. 4 more points there and we were laughing, our home form will get better, of that there is no doubt and our away form has been magnificant . If that continues against Blackburn on Sat then I will be very happy. We are always capable of going on a great run after christmas and IMO at the moment its all about keeping within striking distance of the top, no more than 6 points. It does worry me that Arsenal and the scum are playing so well and firing in goals, but if we just concentrate on ourselves, get the injured lads right we might just have half a chance.

[sean]

So how do we all feel now?

Well seeing as our points tally is closer to my pessimistic tally than my optimistic tally I'm feeling a little deflated :p It makes for interesting reading back through everyones predictions, the fact that we are in or around what most people were looking for should mean that we should be content enough. But with only 7 of the 20 points coming from games at Anfield, it quiet frankly leaves me a bit baffled!

[gav003]

Weel I was 24+ and we are at 20- The brum game was the one that disappointed me most (aside from the Chelsea 'penalty' decision)and I suppose we all assumed due to our recent CL record that we would be a lot better in europe over those 10 games.
To be fair most predictions were probably based on an assumption that the Chavs and Scum would be 30 points or 28 at least. So while I feel we are behind I don't think we anywhere near the shape the more pessimistic fans are talking about.

[harrybosch]

i think disappointment has to be the tone, we dropped points against birmingham, an the chelsea and arsenal games should have been four more, without question.....