Who Will Pose A Threat Next Season

Are we not allowed to improve then?

I keep hearing about how the rest are going to spend and close the gap.

If you count another year with Pep, Mendy back in the equation and the players we will also be buying, the others are still playing catch up.

We have people such as Sane and Jesus who are only getting better.

Liverpool don't have any big game experience players, so can't maintain a title challenge.

United will never be able to shake Mourinho's mindset for the big games. Sanchez will be expected to start on fire after no summer with a World Cup.

Spurs are done.

Chelsea are too far behind to be attractive, especially without Champions League football.

Arsenal...

Personally, if we win the Champions League, we have the platform for a statement signing. Someone like Hazard or Lewandowski.
 
Depends a lot on the transfer dealings. If Hazard, Salah, Kane or de Gea are sold it will have a large impact on their respective teams. I reckon at least one of these players will move to Spain in the summer. Liverpool looks like the team with the most comprehensive plan for how they want to play so they might be the strongest opponent. They could loose Klopp though if Bayern comes calling.
 
Charlie Chuck said:
Which fringe players do you mean?
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Yaya, Danilo, Tosin... replace their squad places with defensive mid cover for Fern (maybe a young lad would be ideal considering the ages of Fern and Ilkay), some higher quality right back cover than Danilo (again maybe a young lad considering the age of Walker) and maybe a third striker (doesn’t have to be top quality, just someone to fill in when Kun and Jesus are either not there or need rotation) or and our squad would be pretty much complete
 
Jazzman said:
Depends a lot on the transfer dealings. If Hazard, Salah, Kane or de Gea are sold it will have a large impact on their respective teams. I reckon at least one of these players will move to Spain in the summer. Liverpool looks like the team with the most comprehensive plan for how they want to play so they might be the strongest opponent. They could loose Klopp though if Bayern comes calling.
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exactly, would make the CL much harder but we could do with all 4 of those moving to Madrid. Now's hopefully and finally the chance to crush any competition for the foreseeable future.
 
Psychedelic Casual said:
Yaya, Danilo, Tosin... replace their squad places with defensive mid cover for Fern (maybe a young lad would be ideal considering the ages of Fern and Ilkay), some higher quality right back cover than Danilo (again maybe a young lad considering the age of Walker) and maybe a third striker (doesn’t have to be top quality, just someone to fill in when Kun and Jesus are either not there or need rotation) or and our squad would be pretty much complete
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Yaya obviously, Danilo may be better next season, I'd keep him as he's versatile. Looks like Fred is on his way, if so will give Fernandinho competition, but we have Delph who can play there I think. Heard Mafeo is doing well at Girona, perhaps he can become understudy to Walker next season. We may buy a top striker in the summer as Nmecha is raw and inexperienced, he may need to go out on loan. Same goes for Adarabioyo. I'd like our young players to go to decent championship clubs than slower European leagues, toughens them up faster and gets them used to the pace and physicality of the competitive
English game.
 
Its impossible to say as there is the added variable of the World Cup. Teams will be disjointed and fatigued for the first 6 or 7 games and its how any one team copes best. All the star players will need extra rest and will need a pre season after the first few games are played. The team with the fewest injuries/fatigue from the WC will be our closest rival.
 
Impeccable One said:
Yes, the randomness of playing every team twice ? ;)
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Yes who would have thought it. Playing every one twice.
Not to mention how they the fixtures fall coupled with injuries and the like.
Gosh your so clever and witty.
 
domalino said:
The interesting thing is where do they spend big? Full back? Ultimately Valencia and Young have been 2 of their best players, and under modern Mourinho you're never going to get much attacking output out of fullbacks, so it's not an area where they'll buy players that scare opposition - also who's available? Rose seemed nailed on but his injuries have become an issue.

I think United's big problem is Mourinho doesn't trust the defence, and that's backed up by how reliant they are on DDG making saves he shouldn't. That lack of trust turns into a very defensive approach, which makes the forwards look poor.

So to fix that they might get a pair of fullbacks and a workhorse midfielder - it shouldn't cost too much, but might allow the existing forwards to cut loose a bit and look more dangerous.
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I think we could see a typical Mourinho third season melt down, this is the all good season and it has shown still in FA, CL and title challenging in a normal season. For me the cracks are beginning to show, argument with De Boar seemed pointless and bitter, Pogba issues?, Sanchez there absolute delight in taking a player from City as opposed to addressing their actual needs will surely come back and bite at some point. I do expect at least one high profile attacking player as they will have Zlaten of the wage bill.
A third season melt down could well happen, we start off well and get a gap of 5-6 points early on and the pressure will be truly ramped.

For us we improved so much last season in part to having a dodgy keeper and past it full backs, simply put it would have been hard not to improve changing those players. It is a distinct possibility our first 11, if there is still such a thing could be the same players as we have now. The drop off is what we will look to address a new second choice LB a pivot midfielder and another attacking option.

I expect a change of formation as well with a 5-3-2 being used a lot more, I think we will be better but doubt we will gain as many points.
 
It will definitely be closer than it is now. I'm not saying this season's a fluke. We're just so much better than everyone else that it's hard to imagine teams not upping their game to catch us.

1 Man City - More time to gel + reinforcements. With our young core, we should only get better.
2 Liverpool - Their defense is suspect but not beyond repair. Keita looks good + a proper partner to Van Dijk and a keeper and they're set.
3 Rags - A few more blockbuster deals and they'll probably do something right in the market.
4 Chelsea - Will largely depend on who picks up after Conte but still a very talented team even if Hazard leaves.
5 Arsenal - If Wenger goes, which I hope for their fan's sake that he will, anything can happen.
6 Spurs - The Harry Kane team only goes as far as Harry Kane takes them. Sadly for them, even a stellar season from him can only take them so far. If they continue to refuse wage restructuring to attract and retain talent, they'll be falling back to mediocrity very soon.
 
Hard to dismiss Liverpool, think they'll have an improved spine next season with Keita + Van Dijk & their front 3 are obviously very strong. The question with them will be do they bring enough depth in to really challenge next season, whilst I imagine their starting 11 may well be the best of the rest, if they get a couple of key injuries would they be able to cope, maybe not.

United will have the depth & spending power, but feel they're still a fair way off currently, but I imagine they'll go big in the market to try to catch up.

Think we'll still be the best team by a distance, just whether we can continue this level - our motivation & hunger is easy to see this season, we win the ball back so fast & it makes us so hard to play against; if we carry that on I don't see anyone stopping us, if we lose some of that then even with the best squad we won't necessarily have such a great time as this season.
 
Liverpool..

pep right now is working on a plan to get at least 4 points though next season off dippers, it will be his biggest tactical venture in his career. Bugged the hell out of him at anfield the way Liverpool had us off the ball for spells.

Not a gambling man, but would put a tenner on pep getting it right next season and Liverpool wont do that again.

we will strengthen in two areas next season, season after will be peps perfect team, united will be an even easier 6 points.
 
Fuzzy80 said:
I think we could see a typical Mourinho third season melt down, this is the all good season and it has shown still in FA, CL and title challenging in a normal season. For me the cracks are beginning to show, argument with De Boar seemed pointless and bitter, Pogba issues?, Sanchez there absolute delight in taking a player from City as opposed to addressing their actual needs will surely come back and bite at some point. I do expect at least one high profile attacking player as they will have Zlaten of the wage bill.
A third season melt down could well happen, we start off well and get a gap of 5-6 points early on and the pressure will be truly ramped.

For us we improved so much last season in part to having a dodgy keeper and past it full backs, simply put it would have been hard not to improve changing those players. It is a distinct possibility our first 11, if there is still such a thing could be the same players as we have now. The drop off is what we will look to address a new second choice LB a pivot midfielder and another attacking option.

I expect a change of formation as well with a 5-3-2 being used a lot more, I think we will be better but doubt we will gain as many points.
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Mourinho might melt down, but I think if they finish in the top 4 this season which is pretty likely now, he won't implode. The implosions with Mourinho came when he was on the edge, now he's just dull and miles behind competing.

As for us, I believe we can win next season's title in the next 18 league games. We need to end this season as dominant as possible, break 100 points, beat the goalscoring record, get Ederson that golden glove, then start strong in the first 10 games of next season and teams will start to give up.
 
domalino said:
Mourinho might melt down, but I think if they finish in the top 4 this season which is pretty likely now, he won't implode. The implosions with Mourinho came when he was on the edge, now he's just dull and miles behind competing.

As for us, I believe we can win next season's title in the next 18 league games. We need to end this season as dominant as possible, break 100 points, beat the goalscoring record, get Ederson that golden glove, then start strong in the first 10 games of next season and teams will start to give up.
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I'm fairly certain we'll be given the nastiest schedule imaginable next season to try and trip us up. Hard trips around CL games, an even more brutal Christmas schedule etc.
 
Nobody, can't see it myself, then again I've been thinking that since 2012. Some poor recruitment and running the legs off ageing players has scuppered my ideal of a 7th title in a row. Whoever has the bunce to buy very good players and the management and tactics to instill a 'new dawn' for whoever it is... nope can't see anybody!
United/Chelsea/Arsenal all a few years away now. Spuds/Liverpool probably. One-off outsiders? Wolves
 
Nobody will improve enough to threaten us domestically imo. As others have said, even right now the gap is pretty huge. We will indeed understand the intricacies of Peps demands more and in turn get better at it.

If utd change their purchasing strategy to one where Mourinho gets 100% say in who comes then they may be more solid. That is a big "if" though as Woodward lives for the rush of the deal. He has won the battle with Pogba i think even if his spending has seen their accountants not very happy. He wins them a few trophies and they are currently a solid top 4 team, these two points will see him pretty secure in the Glazers eyes. They may not like it but if Mourinho wants Pogba gone for 2 better cheaper players i feel he would get that now. Unless his child like jealous streak has him targeting players we want just because a-la Sanchez with no plan he is safe, their suits will want to see no more of that.

Spurs will be interesting, i think a lot will watch what they do, if they keep the same standards they have currently they will lose ground and players. They need to get rid of their wage limits and get the owners to stop trying to do it on a budget. He is a billionaire so they have the cash. It depends if he is in it for the love or the returns. So far it is obviously the returns. Now is the time for them to step up in those terms and add to the squad they have, not tread water persuading the same lot just to stay.

Liverpool i think will be roughly the same. Chelsea will improve because Roman can't do anything else to occupy himself. He gets interested in anything that looks like politics and he will instantly be on Putin's naughty list so he will spend on a few players for his new manager. If they improve a lot in their first season with the new manager or not, who knows.

Arsenal are right in the shit, no idea what they will do.
 
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