I've not seen it mentioned that our target is top ten.

Anyway, I shan't be disappointed as I expect us to finish 14th next season after a disappointing summer in the transfer window and Hodgson slogging out his final year. This year was our chance to build and we f***ed it. I can see Brighton building and progressing now they've sacked their negative manager, we'll further regret giving them 6 points.

The arguments I've heard so far fundamentally comes down to:
1) Do we spend money we do not have on players that can play 'positive' football and go for Boom or Bust.
or
2) Do we try to play 'positive' football with the players we have.
or
3) Sell our soul to some uninterested Billionaire
or
4) Do we continue to play cautiously, sometimes grinding out the points.

My considered opinion is that we have already tried 1) and gone broke and tried 2) Pardewed and nearly been relegated. Personally I hate the idea of 3)

I think 4) is the only viable option for the foreseeable future and Hodgson is the best we can get to achieve that. I have not heard anyone propose a viable alternative.

'' Wake up '' ?? - Just because I don't agree with you ?? I can understand why people find your writing style offensive.

And you don't seem to get it - just because I'm pro Hodgson doesn't mean that I think he's perfect and that I'm blindly following some club propaganda.

'' Smashing teams to pieces '' at the end of the season - hardly. A dull 0-0 with Everton and then we edged out Arsenal, Cardiff and Bournemouth. Lots of goals yes, at both ends.

At the risk of repeating what I and others have been saying, we finished where we deserved to be. Periods without Zaha and a decent striker certainly hampered things but all clubs have injuries just that some have stronger squads.

As for the Brighton and Watford results - totally disappointing. But if we had beaten Brighton home and away and lost ( as most would expect us to ) at Arsenal and Man City, we would have the same number of points come the end of the season.

The club's objective next year is to finish in the Top 10. If that's not enough for you then as I said before, you're in for further disappointment.

Yeah, ok mate. As soon as the "I know something you don't know" (entirely fictitious) card gets played you totally discredit yourself.

I know absolutely no one at the club and base my opinion on what I see with my own eyes.
That's a talented squad capable of top 8. What's negative about that?

So now you're calling me a liar - I only wrote that to help you get an understanding of what the club is realistically aiming for, not to draw attention to myself - that's your job.

Regarding the squad. Based upon what I saw and nothing to do with personal contacts, we finished where we deserved to but you carry on thinking otherwise. And it was you that said that you were expecting a disappointing transfer window and a 14th place finish next season - you seriously calling THAT positive ?

Well, I've presented facts as to why we should've got top 8 and you believe we're good for top 9 so I just think you're splitting hairs, but there you go.

I got told recently that I've got a touch of Doc Martin about my posting style, which is perhaps fair. People seem to take what I type like a dagger to the heart. Personal feelings don't come into it for me: I'm sure you're all wonderful fellows who contribute to society in a positive manner.
Doesn't mean I can't tear the arse out of a counter opinion I can't connect with on a logical level though.