Hi guys, Maybe a little early for this but I want to put this out there: Next season, if, as has been widely reported, Mourinho comes back and he makes the right signings (which for me is a new CB and new CM, and MAYBE a CF) then I would expect us to challenge for the title. We have been an unstable club since Ancelotti was let go and hopefully JM's appointment will galvanise the older players and bring some stability back to the team. Is Schurrle happening? If so, and with Lukaku returning, I think strikers and wingers will be set. With Azpo, Ivan, Cole and Bertrand we are set for full backs in my opinion. Ivan can play CD too, but with Luiz switching to a midfield role under rafa that may keep him out of the CB running. Really that leaves JT and Cahill with Luiz as back up. This is the area that needs most attention imo. JT is getting on in years, and I just dont think Cahill is good enough to be a regular. We need a new CB. Im not privvy as to who we have coming through the academy in that position i'll admit, but I think a new signing there will help. CM we have Lampard, Mikel, Luiz and Ramires. Will Essien return? We still own his contract right? Will Jose look to utilise him or make a signing? Ramires and Mikel can both be great on their day but can be inconsistent imo. Luiz is new to that position and will have to fill in in defense if we get injuries. That leaves Super Frank as the only consistent CM that I trust, and he is getting on, and has only a year left. Then there is strikers. We have Torres, who looks like he may finally be hitting some form. Ba, who has been very hot and cold to me and hopefully a returning Lukaku, who is young but has proven his premier league worth whilst on loan. So, what do we need for next season and should we expect a title challenge next season, we all know what Jose did in his first season with us....
Purchases this summer: CB, DM, RW, Striker, Ake (Promoted), Courtois (Returns from Athletico loan - Jose will want to blood him in PL, also historically likes 2 strong GKs squad) Out: Ba, Marin, Malouda, Romeu, Benayoun, Ferreira, Hilario/Turnbull and potentially Mikel (as Jose prefers Essien), De Bruyne Tactics...I expect Jose to use a 4-1-3-2 Cech Azpi-Ivanovic-Luiz-Cole DM Mata-Oscar-Hazard Torres-FW In a dream scenario, never likely to happen, we buy Ronaldo, Falcao and Rooney... Thereby having a 4-4-2 with the Rooney-Falcao, Ronaldo-Oscar-Mata-Hazard. It could get even better if you play 3 across the back in Cole-Luiz-Ivanovic and stick Torres up top.
Real Madrid probably said the same thing @ £80m transfer fee. 146 goals in 135 games later, the benefits far outweigh the initial cost! Besides, Jose will want (try, relations aren't exactly diplomatic atm) to bring 1 or 2 of his Real Madrid players with him no doubt. Could be Coentrao and Di Maria/Kaka IMO
Falcao, yes, Ronaldo, yes. But would we want Rooney?! Im not so sure. Ronaldo I think would cost too much and may not be an option with his Utd ties...I got the impression he and Jose werent exactly best of friends. TBH also the reason Falcao hasnt gone to a bigger club is because he would cost far too much...atleast 30-40 million.
Ha Ronaldo, Rooney and Falcao. Cuckoo land! If we buy even one of those I'd be surprised, if we buy Ronaldo I'll say 'I love Rafa forever and always'
Thats kinda what I was thinking, besides the fact that it would cost upwards of £120m for that trio, Utd wouldnt want to sell to a potential rival, Falcao would be a rip off, and Ronaldo and JM dont really get on (plus Ronaldo's wages are reported to be ridiculous).
Looking at it as a neutral, Chelsea already have the strongest starting 11 aside from striker, theres bound to be some more big spending and with Mourinho back the whole place is going to get a lift. City are a team full of mercenaries who couldnt be bothered after their title win and Utd are likely to need a few seasons to get over Fergus leaving. Who knows what Arsenal will play like next season
I'm confident that with a few shrewd additions that we can win the league next year. Defo need at least one CB (maybe 2) A DM and a ST.
The squads looking good. No need to shed anyone (apart from the expiring contracts). Cortious should be loaned again I reckon - worried that he is getting to attached to Madrid though. Ideally we'd give him to a lower table PL team, but who knows? Get Luke Shaw now. A CM would definitely go down well, but it would be nice to see Chalobah and Romeu have a shot in pre season first. A striker is a must. Sell Ba, keep Torres, bring back Lukaku, and buy a good striker. Someone without a horrendous price tag. Andre Schurle is surely a done deal - add him AND De Bruyne and we have a title challenging squad no doubt. Champions League is too far away for next season. Bayern will be too strong - if any team will win back to back CLs it will be this Bayern team.
We don't need a defensive midfielder, we need a controlling midfielder. Every time we play a DM we struggle for fluidity. Every time we play Luiz in midfield, we look yards sharper and more dangerous. And he's only been a makeshift, albeit very successful CM. We also need a CD or even 2, as Terry is well on the slide and Cahill just not good enough. Another striker would be a bonus, but if we fix up the midfield, our front runners are chock full of goals. De Bruyne and Lukaku need to be brought in as does Chalobah. I also think Marin, if we keep him, will come good. And finally, FFS, decide which Comps we want to win and choose teams accordingly, because we can't win them all and put ourselves in overload trying to. With 15 less games, 2nd place was very achievable.
