Season Expectations - Can We Challenge Celtic

[True_Don]

Bookies and pundits make us favourites to finish 2nd.

 

I'd say most fans also have this expectation.

 

However, looks like Celtic are vurnerable and if they lose a couple more key players, could we mount a serious challenge this season?

 

I still think we are 3-4 players short of that, but if McInnes can sign a couple more before the window closes and we can get a consistency throughout the season, we could certainly get closer.

[dave_min]

No.

[Dynamo]

No.

 

-1.

[zander]

Think our starting 11 is as good as anything they have but over a season injuries and fitness will take its toll on us.

 

Still think the gap will be a lot closer though.

[StandFree1982]

Only if other teams take points off them. On last seasons points total, Celtics I mean, we can't compete with that.

[Edinburgh_sheep]

There's a lot of deluded fans on here. Yeah it would be great if we challenged the Tim's for the title but let's be realistic, IF Celtic are complete shite up till Xmas then they will spend in January and most likely improve. Aberdeen need to start winning games against teams such as Hamilton, Dundee, Ross County etc without dropping points. We have struggled against County in the past plus other lower end teams (hearts last season gained 7 points from playing us). If this is sorted then we can certainly reduce the gap, but we all know the Tim's will end up winning the league fairly comfortably

[dunc_afc]

I've always been of the belief that as a fan of any team your ambition at the start of the season should be to win the league you are in (however unrealistic it is).

It's been a long time since that ambition has been as realistic as it is now.

[DD1903]

No. We won't close a gap of over 20 points.

[Ke1t]

As clueless as their new manager appears to be, you're looking at a team that's worth more than the rest of the SPL combined. They'll piss the league, simply because they have better individual players than the other teams, not because they're a particularly clever or well-managed side.

 

Our best chance is in the cups again.

 

After last season I'm expecting at least one final at a minimum.

[tightbreeks]

if I still lived in Aberdeen, I'd say no. now I live in Edinburgh, too fuckin' right we can.

 

about time these flukey fudricks got taught a lesson. put them out the champions league money pot, which is probably cut and pasted from the previous years accounts anyway.

[elephantstone78]

Not a chance we will win the league. Not one.

Hopefully the expectation of 2nd place and a cup won't backfire. It has been a long time since Aberdeen had that level of success expected.

[strachanmcgheegoal]

Target (note target, not expectation) to be within 9 points of the Tim's at Xmas and 6 points at the split. Then, and only then would we have the chance we all crave.

 

Rather have a comfortable 2nd, tidy home record and a couple of cup runs.

[Byrne Baby Byrne]

Doubt it. But given the teams we have to play and the fact we'd just have to match Celtic over the 4 games (or maybe wouldn't even need to) I can't see why not

[Tord31]

I see the Bbc scotland pundits have made their predictions for the season (see website)

 

Every one of them takes Aberdeen to win at least one competition - changed days indeed.

 

I'd love us to win another cup but tbh now i'd probably swap it for a title challenge.

 

We cant challenge the 90 odd points of last seasons winners

 

We can challenege the 70 odd points that has sometimes won the league, like two seasons ago

[Tord31]

Easy to forget we had a match two seasons ago in November (I think?) to win to go top of the league. The Caley midweek and we were momentarily top of the live table.

[Byrne Baby Byrne]

Easy to forget we had a match two seasons ago in November (I think?) to win to go top of the league. The Caley midweek and we were momentarily top of the live table.

 

But then an injury occurred that completely changed our season

 

[fifered]

I think the fact that this topic is even being discussed is a ringing endorsement of McInnes and what he's done. I really think we can push them very close. We're a very good team and celtic are worse than last season with someone who looks to me to be a bit of a clown in charge. All we can do is try to get off to a flier and see where it takes us.

[chaos_defrost]

No chance. They'll sign players before the window closes after such an abysmal display against Legia Warsaw. If Forster and Van Dijk go I don't see them being that much of a loss to them to tbh. Forster's a decent keeper but haven't been that impressed with Van Dijk. Like someone said, if we're challenging come Jan, they'll spend money to strengthen. It's impossible for any club in Scotland to compete with them at the moment sadly.

[Ke1t]

There's two teams aside from us that could challenge for second... Motherwell and United. And from what I saw we were a better team than both of them last season.

 

If our arse hadn't fallen out late in the season we'd have won both cups and finished second.

 

Missed opportunity.

[RUL]

Forster away to Southampton for 10m....

[Stoney]

weak at left back, keeper and midfield. Id say we should focus on second and give ourselves a chance if celktic have a stinker

[Tord31]

weak at left back, keeper and midfield. Id say we should focus on second and give ourselves a chance if celktic have a stinker

This.

 

Try to win every game one at a time and see where it takes us.

[lukas989]

Having watched the good majority of last season, I've been quietly confident of getting within 10 points. Now after the happenings in Europe, I have become so confident I've put down money. The reason we dropped so many points against the lower end teams last season is because of the lack of goals in our team for a large bulk of the season - up until Rooney arrived, we had Vernon and Zola, who scored absolutely fuck all. Winning by more than a single goal was rare. But this year - given the additions, the lack of injuries to top players from the off (last year Robson, Flood and Anderson were all missing for lengthy spells) and of course how settled the team is, I don't think theres anything ridiculous about suggesting we're capable of winning it. Essentially all thats required is being consistent against the rest - and I don't think theres any doubt we're better than them all - and then have faith that we can take points off Celtic in 4 measly games. We've proven thats possible, home or away. I'm telling ye's, a minimum bet of a tenner is a small investment to guarantee a heightened sense of excitement in the season.

[wicker83]

Could honestly see us being top at Christmas with celtic now confirmed in the group stages of one of the european competitions (hopefully the Europa). But think it's asking a bit much to go the distance over the season.

 

Sad thing is, if we were to be top at Xmas you can guarantee our best players would be swiped in the transfer window by clubs down south amazed at some team other than celtic being top. And I wouldn't put it past the manky mob to try and pinch a player or two as well if we were looking like a real threat. Would just hope Milne would refuse to sell anything to them. (except a virus, of course)

[fine-n-dandy]

Now that those cunts fluked it into next round (AGAIN) they will strengthen their side more.

Pish luck for us & the rest because that team as it is is pretty dire compared to previous sides.

 

They can now afford to strengthen & have reason to.

[Dandyesque]

With Celtic missing a few games early on and us getting off to a hopeful flyer due to superior early season fitness, we could potentially be 6-9 points ahead after 6 games.

 

If that were to be the case (and its a bit of a long shot) the wind would get in our sails and it woud just be a matter of trying to maintain a gap for as long as possible, while hoping Celtic drop points following European games. This happens and we can still be challenging at the top come Christmas

 

Add in the perfect storm of Ronnie Deila being the next Paul Le Guen and we have an outside chance.

 

Personally, I think we'll lose one key player before the end of August - probably Jack - based on European performances

[CraigHill]

No chance, even though we are closer than in many a year.

Celtic will win the title by more than 15 points.

[West Coast Red]

No chance. We can't afford to pay around £100k / £150k for the best Scottish left back in the league in a position we desperately need to strengthen. The player is an Aberdeen fan and apparently would walk to Pittodrie from Inverness to sign for us.

 

As long as we are in that sort of financial position we will never seriously challenge Celtic. Or Sevco when they finally play in the SPFL for the first time in their history. The gap financially is just too big.

[fine-n-dandy]

No chance. We can't afford to pay around £100k / £150k for the best Scottish left back in the league in a position we desperately need to strengthen. The player is an Aberdeen fan and apparently would walk to Pittodrie from Inverness to sign for us.

 

As long as we are in that sort of financial position we will never seriously challenge Celtic. Or Sevco when they finally play in the SPFL for the first time in their history. The gap financially is just too big.

If we can beat them away from home in Scottish cup & end their undefeated run at home (in the same season) when nobody gave us a chance, then no reason we cannot better them over a whole season.

Saying that I mean as in head to head & that has to be our one goal regarding THEM this season.

 

Arguably more importantly for us throughout the whole season though is for us to dominate all the rest the way celtic have in the past & THAT is a very reasonable expectation, so if you break it down into chunks like that, then it is not unreasonable for us to hope for "unrealistic" things.

 

Take each game as it comes & play to win EVERY game. That's all we can do.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

& sign Shinnie

[ollie1903]

No chance. We can't afford to pay around £100k / £150k for the best Scottish left back in the league in a position we desperately need to strengthen. The player is an Aberdeen fan and apparently would walk to Pittodrie from Inverness to sign for us.

 

Who would that be?