That is understandable, and it is also why I am feeling numb by the lack of changes in the summer market so far. We can’t ask the same players in the same squad make up to climb those same high mountains with the same energy; they’re just not going to do it. I can even see it in advance: they get to the business end of the season and start saving energy for the Euros as they have already proven themselves in 22/23.
We’re not owed anything by football gods, not even a top 4 spot, or a guaranteed CL knockout round qualification. If you look at the two finalists in the previous Champions League: Real Madrid had been La Liga champions and CL winners, finished ten points behind Barcelona, got humiliated by us with their decadent midfield and scraped a win the domestic cup final; Liverpool had finished one point behind us, won two domestic cups and CL finalists, and finished outside the top 4.
Hilariously, the only signing we have made so far is a 29 year-old guy who has not one, but four CL medals, albeit not contributing much to them. But how motivated will he be remains a mystery.
I am at a point where I want every single player talked about with an offer to leave — Bernardo, Mahrez, Walker, Laporte, Phillips (especially). Some of them, particularly Bernardo, will hurt, but he’s wanted his move for so long. It seems the club needs to be forced into a situation of bringing in new blood and hunger, even if some ideal targets have already been signed for elsewhere.
I am far more afraid of nothing changing than too much change, looking at next season. I keep reading, “I am prepared for us to not win anything next season!” Well, I’m not. We have two seasons left with Pep, and throwing one of those away because of complacency would be a huge mistake.
I want to win the fourth PL in a row, something that hasn’t been done. I want us to join the club of clubs that have won two CLs in a row. And everything else! It would be a disservice to waste the pull that Pep has in bringing in certain players now when next summer, with one year left, it’s going to be a harder job convincing some of the top drawer names. Not to mention that we could be hit with a transfer ban in a year or two, so we should be prepared for that as well.
Ultimately, I want next season to be as much a challenge and new and exciting for us as it should be for the players. That’s what should be next.
