Predict our final league position 25/26

[ncRover]

I know it’s a bit early, but the vast majority of our squad has been assembled and I wanted to gauge what people’s realistic expectations were.

I think we’ll be 12th-16th and I’ll be happy with that.

We’ve got a great manager and a good core group of players who will fight for each other. I feel like the club and team has some real forward momentum.

My niggling worries that are tempering my expectations a bit is the balance of the attack and at left back if there’s one or two injuries. I’m looking at the business other clubs have done as well and some are definitely shopping in a market above us.

Would love to hear everyone’s thoughts. The general consensus on this same post last season was automatic promotion. It will be interesting to look back on how right or wrong we were!

You can change your vote up until the poll closes just before the first game.

[IDM]

I think we have enough to creep into the top half.

Not going to predict any higher but that would be great if we did manage that..

[ncRover]

minor tweak to make the categories a bit more even sorry, it's now 7th-11th and 12-16th

[Pintolager]

I have predicted 12-16th. We are a work in progress and I do wonder about the strike force, Billy is a good super sub to have and I hope Hanlon and Ajayi can make a difference up front. GM knows how to get the best out of players and with some tweaking here and there, we can get results that might surprise a few people.

The first 10 games or so will possibly tell a lot about our path for the season and we may punch above our weight, but we know from what GM says, we are not in league 1 to make up the numbers.

[les@donr]

I have a gut feeling GM will get us into the Playoffs.

[drfchound]

I would be happy with top half but a couple of the signings have made me feel optimistic.
I have made decent money on Rovers for play offs and for the title race in the last two seasons so I put a bet on a couple of days  ago for us to get promoted.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

I think we'll make it to the top half. It's not how we start but how we finish. McCann seems to find a way to add a missing ingredient or the icing on the cake. Once he finds the right blend, we could fly again, although I don't think the other teams will be as generous with their inconsistencies as they were last season.

[Copps is Magic]

I've gone play-offs. I just think momentum is such an intangible but important variable in football.

[ncRover]

I would be happy with top half but a couple of the signings have made me feel optimistic.
I have made decent money on Rovers for play offs and for the title race in the last two seasons so I put a bet of a couple of days ago for us to get promoted.

You should have some big odds! Skybet has us 17th.

[Janso]

I've gone play-offs. I just think momentum is such an intangible but important variable in football.

Uh-oh, you said the M word...

[Branton Red]

I predicted our final league position correctly in each of the last 2 seasons (but didn't bet on either  )

This year: 15th

[PDX_Rover]

Play-offs for me. Why not eh? Pub team is back!

[Nudga]

Play offs!!

[Barmby Rover]

I would go with GM', he isn't interested in just making up the numbers, he wants a real push, and with the players he has brought in to supplement the squad you can't say that isn't the aim, I will not be surprised if we are looking at a top 3 finish.

[scawsby steve]

I don't think Terry's putting all this money in for a mid-table finish. If we do finish there, don't expect a better season to follow, because we'll lose most of our better players, and yet another re-build will be needed.

Last time we were in League 1 under GM, we came 6th in the table, yet still lost almost an entire team.

However, I won't be panicking with a slow start. We've been strong towards the end of both the last 2 seasons.

[Janso]

I would go with GM', he isn't interested in just making up the numbers, he wants a real push, and with the players he has brought in to supplement the squad you can't say that isn't the aim, I will not be surprised if we are looking at a top 3 finish.

There is no top three, it's top two and playoffs in this division.

Okay before pedants jump on me, there obviously is a top three, but the automatic promotion places don't extend to third place.

[Bentley Bullet]

First

[i_ateallthepies]

I think given that we were very deep into last season before Grant found a midfield combination that worked - and even that seemed to be accidental with Bailey needing to be moved into central defence and Crew given another go, I am expecting to see it play out similarly this season.  12th/16th.

[IDM]

Aim for the stars and land on the moon..

(Sorry)

Surely our aim is to be competitive, in every game.  Hopefully results follow.

We should want to finish as high as possible.  What position in the final table would be satisfactory however, is a different matter.

[Avsuptem]

Aim for the stars and land on the moon..

(Sorry)

Surely our aim is to be competitive, in every game.  Hopefully results follow.

We should want to finish as high as possible.  What position in the final table would be satisfactory however, is a different matter.

Aim for the sun, to avoid getting burnt we can go at night when it's turned off.

[ncRover]

I don't think Terry's putting all this money in for a mid-table finish. If we do finish there, don't expect a better season to follow, because we'll lose most of our better players, and yet another re-build will be needed.

Last time we were in League 1 under GM, we came 6th in the table, yet still lost almost an entire team.

However, I won't be panicking with a slow start. We've been strong towards the end of both the last 2 seasons.

Leyton Orient went

1st L2
11th L1
6th L1

[ForsolongaRover]

Assessing the strength of the rest of the teams in L1 without having seen most of them for what is a long while in lower league terms. L1 team strengths change regularly as a result of the turnover of players. I have a feeling that the standard has risen a bit since we were last there.

The summer additions seem promising and there is reason to believe that the strength will be greater, but the blend has to be proved on the pitch.

We also appear to have a tough start which is not ideal if you are team-building. If we do weather it well, we will be so much more confident to go on from there. The fixtures schedule may well be key.

[Bristol Red Rover]

I've gone 12-16, 14th perhaps. If momentum does create a good start to the season we could be top half. More likely that we'll improve through the season after a slow start. Players bedding in and raising their fame to Lwague 1 level may take a while. I am confident GM has the basics of a promotion side - another two seasons?

[Reg of the Rovers]

I've been a bit pessimistic for a couple of reasons, it looks a bloody tough league for starters - a big step up from Lg2 for sure. I've been pleased with the players that we've brought in, decent business done but for me we haven't addressed the weakness in the middle of the park, and at the step up the Lg1 transitions will be much quicker and quality in midfield much better, I think our lack of mobility and quality will cost us in game when teams want to try and play through the middle.

We should have the quality to score at the other end though, I back McCann to get a tune out of Hanlan and Sharp and Ironside both to make their mark, plus the quality we have out wide and in behind now should make a difference and keep us safe, but maybe just fall shy of top-half finish.

[selby]

  I think the additions  to parts of the team in the  January window could prove very important for where we finish in the division  at the top end or mid table.

[Balby Rover]

With the addition which now seems quite unlikely a proven striker (big Target man) to give us another option the  playoffs. With out opion then top half at least. With Grant nothing is out of the question RTID

[Frankie Rennie]

The great thing about this time in the season is that we can all be really positive about where we’ll finish and why not, if you can’t be positive now when no team has more points than you when can you? We all start off joint top so let’s just be positive, Bolton and Donny for top two, Wanderers top of course.

[ForsolongaRover]

I’m in the 12-16 camp incidentally.

[Upton Rover]

Would be nice if we could finish in the top half, but going to be a tough league, if the players gel a top 10 is possible

[scawsby steve]

I don't think Terry's putting all this money in for a mid-table finish. If we do finish there, don't expect a better season to follow, because we'll lose most of our better players, and yet another re-build will be needed.

Last time we were in League 1 under GM, we came 6th in the table, yet still lost almost an entire team.

However, I won't be panicking with a slow start. We've been strong towards the end of both the last 2 seasons.

Leyton Orient went

1st L2
11th L1
6th L1

Yes, but could be under totally different circumstances. A lot more money might have been put in for the 2nd season.

We don't know if Terry would be prepared to do the same after this coming season, or if he'll still be with the club.

Momentum is everything. We've got to go for it this season IMO.