Expectations for next season

[efc1111]

Just read that ^ and thought it was a decent preview. Rom's comments about having to improve are encouraging because we all know he has to do some things better, and the closing comments about the size of the squad are spot on. Looking forward to seeing how the squad shapes up after the deadline.

[Brett Angel]

If the aqua stays the way it is and we stay injury free, I would expect top eight and a decent run in either cups.

[Paddock]

6th or 7th for me.

[Cornish Steve]

Come on guys. Backwards? The goal has to be continued progression so 4th must be the target.

[Romey 1878]

Come on guys. Backwards? The goal has to be continued progression so 4th must be the target.

Once we've made adequate progression with the squad then maybe people will think we'll make progress with our finishing position.

[Paddock]

Come on guys. Backwards? The goal has to be continued progression so 4th must be the target.

I'm sure it is but we'll finish 6th or 7th in my opinion. We wont catch City, Chelsea, Shite or Arsenal and I think United will come good this season so it'll be between us and Tottenham for 6th.

 

It wont be for the want of trying though that's for sure. But we're basically at the same size and strength squad as we were last year while all those above us and United have bought some real talent and world class players in and are stronger.

[Matt]

Come on guys. Backwards? The goal has to be continued progression so 4th must be the target.

I can only see United finishing above us on top of the other 4 that did last season.

 

I am wary of second-season syndrome too.

 

 

I'm sure it is but we'll finish 6th or 7th in my opinion. We wont catch City, Chelsea, Shite or Arsenal and I think United will come good this season so it'll be between us and Tottenham for 6th.

 

It wont be for the want of trying though that's for sure. But we're basically at the same size and strength squad as we were last year while all those above us and United have bought some real talent and world class players in and are stronger.

spot on

[markjazzbassist]

United have bought some real talent and world class players in and are stronger.

 

who? herrera and shaw are the only signings i'm aware of (malinkovic is a youngster, won't start). other than that they're still the same shitbags that got 7th last year. that back 3, smalling, jones, evans is championship caliber, not premier quality. they might have van persie and rooney and mata, but they'll be bleeding goals.

 

and luke shaw was outed by van gaal for not being in shape and didn't even travel with the team. i can see that one going bad already.

[Paddock]

 

who? herrera and shaw are the only signings i'm aware of (malinkovic is a youngster, won't start). other than that they're still the same shitbags that got 7th last year. that back 3, smalling, jones, evans is championship caliber, not premier quality. they might have van persie and rooney and mata, but they'll be bleeding goals.

 

and luke shaw was outed by van gaal for not being in shape and didn't even travel with the team. i can see that one going bad already.

You misread it, I was talking about all the teams above us when I said that. United have bought a really good player in Shaw, and Herrera but the big difference is their new manager. United will not be the shambles they were last season and they will also buy 3 (at least) top top players before the season starts (or window closes)

[Matt]

You misread it, I was talking about all the teams above us when I said that. United have bought a really good player in Shaw, and Herrera but the big difference is their new manager. United will not be the shambles they were last season and they will also buy 3 (at least) top top players before the season starts (or window closes)

I reckon Mata and RVP will be like new signings too

[Paddock]

I reckon Mata and RVP will be like new signings too

And Rooney. Look at the difference in them already in pre season. I know it doesn't count for much but they will be a totally different prospect this season.

[bluenosetoffee]

I'm sure it is but we'll finish 6th or 7th in my opinion. We wont catch City, Chelsea, Shite or Arsenal and I think United will come good this season so it'll be between us and Tottenham for 6th.

 

It wont be for the want of trying though that's for sure. But we're basically at the same size and strength squad as we were last year while all those above us and United have bought some real talent and world class players in and are stronger.

 

I do agree with you. United haven't really signed world class players though. Good players but not someone who could change a game. United will be a different team this year, that is a fact. The passing they did in the pre-season was great! Van Gaal is a great manager. Even Ashley Young looked decent in pre-season! (He looked like the type of player that first arrived at United).

 

Spurs will be a different team with their new manager. The manager plays like Martinez, quick counter attacking, passing football. Also I reckon Solado is going to have a good season. If the manager plays him in his more natural position, just behind the striker then he will be banging the goals in.

 

It is going to be more difficult to get top 4 this season but I do believe we can do it at the same time!

 

I don't think Arsenal are going to be as good as everyone is making out! They always have a good start to the season but then injuries start to hit and they become a shadow of what they once were. Sanchez is a great buy! I will be surprised though if Ramsey, Wilshere, Walcott, Chamberlain, Cazorla etc all go a season without getting injured!

 

Liverpool, I really do think they are going to struggle next season, selling Suarez and not replacing him with somebody as good is going to be tough. They will be the ones competing for top 4. Sturridge won't score as many goals. I reckon he will score less than Lukaku this season. Unless Sterling and Countinho step up to the plate and assist him like Suarez did. Don't get me wrong I think Sturridge is a great player but not a player who could change a game or get the golden boot come the end of the season.

Edited August 6, 2014 by bluenosetoffee

[Lowensda]

7th at best I think.

[Paddock]

 

I do agree with you. United haven't really signed world class players though. Good players but not someone who could change a game. United will be a different team this year, that is a fact. The passing they did in the pre-season was great! Van Gaal is a great manager. Even Ashley Young looked decent in pre-season! (He looked like the type of player that first arrived at United).

 

Spurs will be a different team with their new manager. The manager plays like Martinez, quick counter attacking, passing football. Also I reckon Solado is going to have a good season. If the manager plays him in his more natural position, just behind the striker then he will be banging the goals in.

 

It is going to be more difficult to get top 4 this season but I do believe we can do it at the same time!

 

I don't think Arsenal are going to be as good as everyone is making out! They always have a good start to the season but then injuries start to hit and they become a shadow of what they once were. Sanchez is a great buy! I will be surprised though if Ramsey, Wilshere, Walcott, Chamberlain, Cazorla etc all go a season without getting injured!

 

Liverpool, I really do think they are going to struggle next season, selling Suarez and not replacing him with somebody as good is going to be tough. They will be the ones competing for top 4. Sturridge won't score as many goals. I reckon he will score less than Lukaku this season. Unless Sterling and Countinho step up to the plate and assist him like Suarez did. Don't get me wrong I think Sturridge is a great player but not a player who could change a game or get the golden boot come the end of the season.

That's your opinion and I have mine. I suppose we 'll see who is right come the end of next season.

 

One thing for sure though, if we don 't bring at least 3 more players in loan or otherwise we're going to struggle to cope with the extra games. Right now we're virtually in the same position we were at the Hull game end of last season.

[Steve_E]

I'm thinking we'll be fighting for sixth with Spurs as well. City, Arsenal and especially Chelsea have added real talent this window and I can't see us catching up to them. United have got some quality in in the positions where they needed a talent infusion (still could do with a centre back though) and have got an innovative tactician as a manager now. I think we might be able to compete with Liverpool because I don't think replacing Suarez is going to be an easy job. Spurs are going to be better than last year as well.

 

And so far it's looking like most of our improvement is gonna have to be because of internal growth. We've added an extra central midfielder in Besic, but that's basically it. We've lost a winger numberswise, though I'm sure we'll get one in before the end of the window. We really need another genuine centre forward as well though.

 

Liverpool improved a lot in their second season under Rodgers and their only real additions from the previous year were Mignolet (who wasn't better than Reina imo), Cissokho (who wasn't all that), Sakho (who didn't play that much) and Raheem Sterling who had a breakthrough year last season. I'm hoping we can do the same in the second year under Martinez. If we're ever really going to get top 4 though, someone (i.e. Ross Barkley) is going to have to grow into a Bale/Suarez-like matchwinner and I think this season is too soon for that.

[efc1111]

I can see Man Utd and the RS swapping places this season. A lot depends on Van Gaal's new signings and system gelling properly when the serious action gets underway though, so I don't think they're an automatic pick for the top 4, and I can see the RS going backwards without Suarez, who they haven't replaced at all. At the moment they remind me of Spurs last season - a big squad with a lot of average PL players, some on the decline, a few decent ones and a couple of good 'uns - and no direct replacement for the star man who was sold. I do think (hope!) they will struggle to replicate last season.

 

At this stage, I think last season's top 7 clubs will be the same again and we'll be 5th/6th but I can see us taking the Europa League really seriously and aiming to get into the Champions League that way. I could see us playing some of the kids in the League Cup as a result so we're not too thinly stretched across all the competitions.

Edited August 6, 2014 by efc1111

[Paddock]

I can see Man Utd and the RS swapping places this season. A lot depends on Van Gaal's new signings and system gelling properly when the serious action gets underway though, so I don't think they're an automatic pick for the top 4, and I can see the RS going backwards without Suarez, who they haven't replaced at all. At the moment they remind me of Spurs last season - a big squad with a lot of average PL players, some on the decline, a few decent ones and a couple of good 'uns - and no direct replacement for the star man who was sold. I do think (hope!) they will struggle to replicate last season.

 

At this stage, I think last season's top 7 clubs will be the same again and we'll be 5th/6th but I can see us taking the Europa League really seriously and aiming to get into the Champions League that way. I could see us playing some of the kids in the League Cup as a result so we're not too thinly stretched across all the competitions.

I agree with a lot of that. Liverpool remind me of Spurs a bit but in Lambert and Lallana they have already experienced prem players in. I also think they'll buy a big name striker before the window closes. United will defo be a totally different team and will add big as well. Arsenal have bought some great players and City and Chelsea are out of sight..

 

Spurs with this new manager could be the surprise this season but AS IT STANDS RIGHT NOW we'll be 5-7th but probably 6-7th. I capitalised that because if (and this is a massive if) we bought another real quality 20 mil plus player in and got a couple of loans of the quality of Lukaku and Barry then we could push for 4th.

 

In my opinion, we are two real quality players and another 2 really solid first team squad players away from it.

[efc1111]

I agree with a lot of that. Liverpool remind me of Spurs a bit but in Lambert and Lallana they have already experienced prem players in. I also think they'll buy a big name striker before the window closes. United will defo be a totally different team and will add big as well. Arsenal have bought some great players and City and Chelsea are out of sight..

 

Spurs with this new manager could be the surprise this season but AS IT STANDS RIGHT NOW we'll be 5-7th but probably 6-7th. I capitalised that because if (and this is a massive if) we bought another real quality 20 mil plus player in and got a couple of loans of the quality of Lukaku and Barry then we could push for 4th.

 

In my opinion, we are two real quality players and another 2 really solid first team squad players away from it.

 

Yep, it's hard to predict at this stage with the squad clearly short of a few bodies. With Southampton imploding and no one else catching the eye at present I don't see us finishing lower than 7th but the squad as it stands right now could do with a bit more goal threat.

 

That said, if Ross makes the sort of progress he did last season then he should get double figures, and hopefully the likes of Coleman and Baines will weigh in with similar tallies as last time and Lukaku and Mirallas ought to be capable of more as the team get even more comfortable with RM's tactics. A few more from corners, and a few more from a new winger/forward, and who knows. There was clearly the potential last season to score more and we didn't kill some teams off when we could have done.

[Bailey]

I'm thinking we'll be fighting for sixth with Spurs as well. City, Arsenal and especially Chelsea have added real talent this window and I can't see us catching up to them. United have got some quality in in the positions where they needed a talent infusion (still could do with a centre back though) and have got an innovative tactician as a manager now. I think we might be able to compete with Liverpool because I don't think replacing Suarez is going to be an easy job. Spurs are going to be better than last year as well.

 

And so far it's looking like most of our improvement is gonna have to be because of internal growth. We've added an extra central midfielder in Besic, but that's basically it. We've lost a winger numberswise, though I'm sure we'll get one in before the end of the window. We really need another genuine centre forward as well though.

 

Liverpool improved a lot in their second season under Rodgers and their only real additions from the previous year were Mignolet (who wasn't better than Reina imo), Cissokho (who wasn't all that), Sakho (who didn't play that much) and Raheem Sterling who had a breakthrough year last season. I'm hoping we can do the same in the second year under Martinez. If we're ever really going to get top 4 though, someone (i.e. Ross Barkley) is going to have to grow into a Bale/Suarez-like matchwinner and I think this season is too soon for that.

 

I would agree with this on the most part.

 

If you look at the current Man Utd squad, I would fancy having a go at them because there are mistakes waiting to happen in their back 5. Ashley Young will be an asset going forward but he will be a big weakness going the other way (I assume at least).

 

City probably havent added a whole lot apart from bulking the squad up a little bit.

 

I cant work out Liverpool tbh. On one hand the way they play as a team should see them do well again next season but they have to cope without Suarez which will be very difficult. They were a team playing on confidence last season but that happens when you have someone like Suarez in your ranks. I can see them coming out of the blocks quickly but Im not sure how well they will react to losing a couple of games on the bounce for instance.

 

Chelsea have improved but I dont think they will be a whole lot better. Like Liverpool if they dont get going quickly I can see Mourinho blowing up and causing all sorts of problems within the squad. Abramovich will be expecting big things this year so it will be interesting to see how they cope, especially with two big characters out of the dressing room (albeit one more back in).

 

Spurs could go either way. I dont know how they are getting on but Pochettino walked into Soton with no expectations but as Spurs boss the pressure will be on him. I like the way he wants his teams to play football though so if he gets them playing like he did at St Marys they could be in for a good season.

 

I still dont know about Arsenal. They have strengthened well in the main. Sagna and Jenkinson for Debuchy and Chambers is a step up and Sanchez is a good player who will suit Arsenal down to the ground. They do rely quite heavily on Ramsey though and if he doesnt live up to last seasons expectations or gets crocked again they will still have the same problems. Ozil might step up but he was still below par for Germany in the WC so I dont see that happening just yet.

 

We on the other hand have to build on last year and at the moment we are still a little light in terms of personnel. If we have to rely on the likes of Osman, Pienaar, Gibson and even Naismith and Kone to an extent for too many games from the start then we will struggle. If we keep our main players fit, then I dont see any reason why we cant have another good season but given the above we will do well to match our points tally from last year without a couple of bodies or a couple of the younger lads really stepping up. The things is though that we might not even have to match last years tally to get CL so if we get anywhere close we will be in with a good chance.

[Romey 1878]

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/leighton-baines-says-evertons-ambition-7587292

[Paddock]

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/leighton-baines-says-evertons-ambition-7587292

That was an ok read to be fair for The Echo

[MC11]

 

I would agree with this on the most part.

 

If you look at the current Man Utd squad, I would fancy having a go at them because there are mistakes waiting to happen in their back 5. Ashley Young will be an asset going forward but he will be a big weakness going the other way (I assume at least).

 

City probably havent added a whole lot apart from bulking the squad up a little bit.

 

I cant work out Liverpool tbh. On one hand the way they play as a team should see them do well again next season but they have to cope without Suarez which will be very difficult. They were a team playing on confidence last season but that happens when you have someone like Suarez in your ranks. I can see them coming out of the blocks quickly but Im not sure how well they will react to losing a couple of games on the bounce for instance.

 

Chelsea have improved but I dont think they will be a whole lot better. Like Liverpool if they dont get going quickly I can see Mourinho blowing up and causing all sorts of problems within the squad. Abramovich will be expecting big things this year so it will be interesting to see how they cope, especially with two big characters out of the dressing room (albeit one more back in).

 

Spurs could go either way. I dont know how they are getting on but Pochettino walked into Soton with no expectations but as Spurs boss the pressure will be on him. I like the way he wants his teams to play football though so if he gets them playing like he did at St Marys they could be in for a good season.

 

I still dont know about Arsenal. They have strengthened well in the main. Sagna and Jenkinson for Debuchy and Chambers is a step up and Sanchez is a good player who will suit Arsenal down to the ground. They do rely quite heavily on Ramsey though and if he doesnt live up to last seasons expectations or gets crocked again they will still have the same problems. Ozil might step up but he was still below par for Germany in the WC so I dont see that happening just yet.

 

We on the other hand have to build on last year and at the moment we are still a little light in terms of personnel. If we have to rely on the likes of Osman, Pienaar, Gibson and even Naismith and Kone to an extent for too many games from the start then we will struggle. If we keep our main players fit, then I dont see any reason why we cant have another good season but given the above we will do well to match our points tally from last year without a couple of bodies or a couple of the younger lads really stepping up. The things is though that we might not even have to match last years tally to get CL so if we get anywhere close we will be in with a good chance.

That was effort that

[StevO]

For me we need to make sure we are playing European football for a second season, whether that is Europa or Champions League, and if it comes from league place or trophy, I'll be happy.

[markjazzbassist]

For me we need to make sure we are playing European football for a second season, whether that is Europa or Champions League, and if it comes from league place or trophy, I'll be happy.

 

agreed.

[MikeO]

Manuel Pellegrini today on their title rivals (having already mentioned United).

 

"Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal, Tottenham and also Everton, they can all challenge. Everton had a very good season last season and they will continue to play that way with Roberto Martinez who has a strong squad."

[markjazzbassist]

When the title winning coach points you out it's gonna be a good year.

[Sibdane]

Manuel Pellegrini today on their title rivals (having already mentioned United).

 

"Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal, Tottenham and also Everton, they can all challenge. Everton had a very good season last season and they will continue to play that way with Roberto Martinez who has a strong squad."

Well I just became a fan of Pellegrini.

[Romey 1878]

Well I just became a fan of Pellegrini.

I can't get past him looking like a grandmother.

[Romey 1878]

http://theexecutionersbong.wordpress.com/2014/08/10/why-the-europa-league-is-a-good-thing-for-everton/

[MikeO]

http://theexecutionersbong.wordpress.com/2014/08/10/why-the-europa-league-is-a-good-thing-for-everton/

 

Far too complex a read that . But I'll settle for the conclusion.

 

In Summary…

From this unnecessarily long analysis I’d say we could draw the following qualitative and quantitative conclusions on the Europa League;

• There is no comparable analysis to support that playing Thursday – Sunday impacts league form over the course of the season.

• The Europa League is a very convenient excuse for shit management

• In general, there is a small spike in the number of injuries accrued during the domestic season for Europa League participants.

• Sides who do well in the Europa League (and play more games) aren’t impacted points wise in their domestic championship. infact, they are more than likely to qualify for the Champions League