Okay remain stronger was perhaps a better turn of phrase to use, Why can't City be optimistic? Still the best squad in the league just need a decent manager. Dzeko will be off, possibly Tevez too and Cavani will come in. The deadwood will be shifted and off the wage bill with replacements likely to come in. FFP is all hot air, there's more holes in it than a block of Swiss Cheese. Chelsea and City will be right up there with top class managers. Spurs will go from strength to strength under AVB if Levy actually backs him, he's overachieved given the hand he was dealt in August. Liverpool under Rodgers are improving massively as well, again he's another manager that hasn't been backed. If Liverpool keep Suarez they'll be challenging Spurs for 4th. No chance of Chelsea finishing outside the top 4 with Mourinho there though, or any other manager worth his salt. Even RDM would have guides us to 2nd/3rd/4th comfortably.
I'm not saying that the spuds didn't play well last night, but do you not all agree that Inter were absolute dogshit?
I've not seen a more abject performance from an Inter side in years. 3-0 flattered them, a little more cutting edge and Spurs could have had 5 or 6, I could see Spurs winning at the San Siro as well, to further compound their misery.
City best squad in the league. That old chestnut again. The squad is imo overrated. Yes Hart, Kompany, Yaya Toure, Silva, and Aguero are top players who I would happily see at OT. However the rest I can mainly do without. Its also easier said than done to claim City will shift deadwood from their wage bill and replace them with the likes of Cavani. Hello! Reality check. This is the real world and not Championship manager. Its hard to get rid of players on big wages who don't wish to leave. Santa Cruz is still contracted at the club and it took a while to shift the wages for Adebayor. I'd be surprised to see which club is willing to take on the wages of Tevez and Dzeko with FFP now coming into force. Slag off FFP all you want but as Swarbs said, its affected some clubs already and in addition the Premier League has agreed to introduce financial cap to restrict wages.
So players can't take wage cuts? Wake up. If a player is in his prime he isn't going to be rotting on the bench waiting for time to pass, he'll either go on loan or take a wage cut like Adebayor. Dzeko to Dortmund is as good as done, that will pave the way for Cavani, especially with Kolo Toure likely to leave and possibly Aleksandr Kolarov too.
In a Premier League XI, RVP is the only United player I'd take, maybe Vidic at a stretch. Silva, Aguero, Kompany, Yaya Toure would hands down be in any XI, still not sold in Joe Hart, I think there are better keepers, and De Gea is a better shot stopper.
City are favorites to land Cavani (mainly because Real are now favorites for Falcao instead), although rumors suggest they would still have to meet his release clause to do the deal and that will take a big bite out of any transfer funds he's given if his recent spending restrictions are anything to go by.
Some players do take wages cuts, but a great many refuse. Took City an age to get rid of Adebayor because of that problem and like I said, Santa Cruz is still contracted to them. Some players don't give a damn about rotting on the bench or in the reserves. Bogarde sound familiar?
Like I said earlier, those players are the only ones I'd want at OT to improve our squad. The rest of their squad you can keep.
I didn't even say that. I just said that out of the four clubs Spurs are most likely to improve. I didn't even mention Utd They can be optimistic, but I'm not being optimistic, I'm being realistic. Realistically, they do not have the best squad in the league. Maybe the best first XI, but their bench and replacements are ****e, and the title is usually won by the best squad. If they get a good manager, and Cavani, and a good impact striker, and a better CB to back up Kompany and Nastasic, and replace Nasri, and Garcia steps up to replace Barry then they will have a strong challenge. Or if they have another season where all their players are on top form and none get injured they will challenge. But I do not realistically see either of those happening. The key is for Chelsea and City to actually get top class managers. And there aren't that many around. Mourinho if he leaves will have no shortage of offers from clubs who can promise him more funds and more control. Hiddink is retiring, Heynckes may be a possibility, but he might just retire rather than gamble his legacy on the Chelsea merry go round. Who else? Hoddle again? Either way, I don't think you'll be out of the top four next season, but unless Mourinho returns I don't see any sort of decent league challenge from Chelsea at all. AVB should do well next year, he got decent backing this year, tho' that was off the back of losing Modric. Levy will almost certainly allow him to spend in the summer with the CL money and trying to build on the momentum of this season. Can't see Rodgers being backed heavily this summer tbh - FSG gave him money to buy Borini, Allen, Sturridge and Coutinho without generating much from sales, but they don't seem willing to spend unless it's being financed by wage cuts. I don't see them challenging for fourth next year, but if Suarez and Sturridge stay injury free and continue to click I think they'll be around 5th or 6th.
If Bale stays then Spurs will be a force next season. Get a good striker and they're set, but squad depth could be an issue. United are United, and will still win matches consistently as ever. I know that it's fun for United fans to assume Chelsea will fall away next season, but I don't see that happening. Provided we get top 4 (which I think we will), we will be back in force next season. I'm looking forward to next season a lot - a good manager and we're set. Arsenal will become mid table. City is the only team I'm not sure of - they could stagnate like they have this season with their rather over rated, seemingly lazy squad, or they could sack Mancini, get a decent manager and challenge again. Not sure.
I honestly don't see Chelsea falling away, but I do think Roman will need to back the new manager with a pretty big transfer budget to strengthen the squad depth to be able to mount a good push for the top, especially with Lampard looking to be on his way, Cole and Terry both getting on a bit (Terry picking up more little injuries now too) and Torres being.... well, Torres.
Well, the manager needs to be backed, but squad depth, while an issue this season, should not be as much of an issue next season - we have 23 players out on loan. Could be very important for next season deciding who we bring back. I can't see any big money signings - probably a striker at most.
I'd say Chelsea are in need of a centre back, a couple of genuine wingers, and a world class striker. Your new style of trying to play like Barcelona, with all these skillful central players, trying to pass through the middle all the time really isn't working. Barcelona can do it because they have Xavi, Iniesta and most importantly Messi. You guys are never going to get a trio as good as that. You are also probably in need of a goalkeeper as Cech is having an operation I believe
I Dont see Liverpool challenging for a top 4 finish anytime soon, but will will be between UTD, ££££ or Chelsea
Hopefully Pep Guardiola will make a bid for rat face in the summer, and then the scousers will have no one to carry them into a Europa league spot
Courtois is one to watch, going to be the best keeper in Europe if he keeps going like he is, though the Spanish league is not quite the same as England as proved by De Gea.
