Who Will Pose A Threat Next Season

[tolmie's hairdoo]

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.

 

[Jazzman]

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.

 

[Deleted member 77198]

Which fringe players do you mean?

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

 

[PannickAtTheDisco]

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.

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.

 

[Impeccable One]

2 factors that are random and variable have a big say on a title win are Lady Luck and fixtures.

Yes, the randomness of playing every team twice ? ;)

 

[Charlie Chuck]

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

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.

 

[Cotton Weave Blue]

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.

 

[bluevillain]

Yes, the randomness of playing every team twice ? ;)

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.

 

[FogBlueInSanFran]

Maybe not next season . . . But I’d bet Wolves are going to turn some heads near the top soon.

 

[Silva2021]

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.

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.