Where do we go from here

[St Helens Blue (Exiled)]

I personally want to win the champions league this year just so we can stick two fingers up at all the restrictions put on us and say to uefa "shove em up ur arse" but a trophy and retaining the league will please me no end!

And you actually think that we could win it.
The whole comletition is bent as fuck and guarantee some of the refereeing decisions against us next season will be laughable

 

[Didsbury Dave]

I personally want to win the champions league this year just so we can stick two fingers up at all the restrictions put on us and say to uefa "shove em up ur arse" but a trophy and retaining the league will please me no end!

And you actually think that we could win it.
The whole comletition is bent as fuck and guarantee some of the refereeing decisions against us next season will be laughable

If we get Mangela and keep our stars, we have a chance of winning it this year.

 

[supercity88]

I personally want to win the champions league this year just so we can stick two fingers up at all the restrictions put on us and say to uefa "shove em up ur arse" but a trophy and retaining the league will please me no end!

And you actually think that we could win it.
The whole comletition is bent as fuck and guarantee some of the refereeing decisions against us next season will be laughable

If we get Mangela and keep our stars, we have a chance of winning it this year.

It's funny how things change in 12months. Last season the pressure was on with the CL having suffered a really poor showing under Mancini in 2012/13. We were absolutely slated for the poorest showing from a title winning team in Europe and all of the negative press we received put a lot of pressure on Pellegrini and the players to improve. We managed to win all of our away games and nearly won the group. We put to bed the issues and gave Barcelona a good game but injuries and the busy christmas schedule put pay to our chances. Whereas other top sides abroad are fresh and ready to go, English sides need an easier game in the first knockout round because when you have games every 3 or 4 days in the league, FA Cup and League Cup the CL cannot be prioritised.

With Pellegrini making his mark last season we can rotate the squad more and if we keep key players fit our squad will be able to cope with the run of games and we should be able to make the quarters or further. Anything can happen and our squad is better than that of teams who have got to the final, and indeed won the competition before. We have the right balance now as well. We can play the away leg with Fernando and Fernandinho and one up top to make sure we don't concede and we can play a more attacking lineup when required at home. I don't see why we can't go all the way with a bit of luck.

 

[BobKowalski]

Where do we go from here?

Global domination my friend. Global domination. And once the Death Star is on line then even Tatooine is within our grasp.

 

[coleridge]

And you actually think that we could win it.
The whole comletition is bent as fuck and guarantee some of the refereeing decisions against us next season will be laughable

If we get Mangela and keep our stars, we have a chance of winning it this year.

It's funny how things change in 12months. Last season the pressure was on with the CL having suffered a really poor showing under Mancini in 2012/13. We were absolutely slated for the poorest showing from a title winning team in Europe and all of the negative press we received put a lot of pressure on Pellegrini and the players to improve. We managed to win all of our away games and nearly won the group. We put to bed the issues and gave Barcelona a good game but injuries and the busy christmas schedule put pay to our chances. Whereas other top sides abroad are fresh and ready to go, English sides need an easier game in the first knockout round because when you have games every 3 or 4 days in the league, FA Cup and League Cup the CL cannot be prioritised.

With Pellegrini making his mark last season we can rotate the squad more and if we keep key players fit our squad will be able to cope with the run of games and we should be able to make the quarters or further. Anything can happen and our squad is better than that of teams who have got to the final, and indeed won the competition before. We have the right balance now as well. We can play the away leg with Fernando and Fernandinho and one up top to make sure we don't concede and we can play a more attacking lineup when required at home. I don't see why we can't go all the way with a bit of luck.

I agree save that away goals tend to see teams through. We have the speed on the counter to do this. Having said that, QF would be fine although, for me, retaining the title has to be the top priority. Of course, things change during a season.

My only criticism of Pellers last season was overplaying some of the team and thus not always prioritising correctly. If he can show more flexibility to changing circumstances this season, then I doubt I'd have anything negative to say about him. One trophy, be that the Prem or the CL, would be more than enough for me. However, top 3 is the bottom line, in my view.

 

[wagonman]

I want to beat the Scum home and away.

I want to beat the Candle Lighting Victims home and away...

After that everything will be a bonus for me...

JJ

PS and 4 points from Sunderland would be heaven!

 

[Marvin]

I personally want to win the champions league this year just so we can stick two fingers up at all the restrictions put on us and say to uefa "shove em up ur arse" but a trophy and retaining the league will please me no end!

And you actually think that we could win it.
The whole comletition is bent as fuck and guarantee some of the refereeing decisions against us next season will be laughable

If we get Mangela and keep our stars, we have a chance of winning it this year.

Is he that good?

Normally takes a while for a new defender to bed-in, but we don't need to throw him in at the deep end

 

[Didsbury Dave]

And you actually think that we could win it.
The whole comletition is bent as fuck and guarantee some of the refereeing decisions against us next season will be laughable

If we get Mangela and keep our stars, we have a chance of winning it this year.

Is he that good?

Normally takes a while for a new defender to bed-in, but we don't need to throw him in at the deep end

As always I'll make a true opinion when I've seen him for a period. But people I respect have been very complimentary and, better than that, he's apparently left sided, quick and a ball winner. The point is, and this links into suercity88's post, it addresses one of the squad weaknesses which the fixture pileup late last winter highlighted: a partner for Vinny (or stand in when injured). Also, Fernando should increase our central midfield options hugely - these were exposed when Fernandinho was injured in the Champs League. I really like the look of this lad. One area we haven't properly addressed (yet) is an over reliance on Silva. But I sense that the rumours around Isco mean that this could be addressed too.

I think that by September our squad will be up there with the best in Europe. It wasn't far away last year, but it got stretched when it mattered. I think Pellegrini is addressing this perfectly.

We need to look at what we have as a squad, not a team. That period last February/March when we were chasing four trophies proved that.

 

[bluetoby]

All the aforementioned and going to the swamp just to laugh at them (I am old bitter and twisted)

 

[Didsbury Dave]

All the aforementioned and going to the swamp just to laugh at them (I am old bitter and twisted)

The days of it being all about United are long gone mate.

Our biggest games are Chelsea and Barcelona these days.