At this moment we sit fourth in the Premier League with 43 points 8 points separate us and the current leaders Arsenal. Brendan Rodgers has stated that Liverpool are not close to signing any new players and our reported main transfer target Mohamed Salah seems to have chosen to join Chelsea. Juan Mata joining Manchester United for a reported £40 million will have an affect and will certainly improve them which may mean that they can make more of a challenge for that important fourth place, only time will tell if that particular signing will be enough to raise spirits and improve results at Old Trafford but Mata is a quality player and will make a difference. Spurs are playing well under Tim Sherwood and also have a squad capable of challenging for fourth. Everton our friendly neighbours are playing some good footy and seem set to continue to push for that valued spot. Injuries blight every team and on most occasions can be dealt with by squad players but the injury to Lucas leaves us without a defensive midfielder and if the first half performance against Aston Villa is anything to go by this could be a real problem. Most agree that Rodgers would be wrong to ignore that fact and getting some kind of cover in for that position is essential. However this is a good season? The football is good on most occasions, we are scoring a lot of goals. There's always room for improvement though and at times our defence looks a little disjointed. There's talk of a title challenge and some fans both our own and opposition scoff at this but to be in this position and not look up would be wrong, we have to hope and believe that we can make a push and overcome the odds. Why? Because that's what we do. If we had an 8 point lead at the top of the league I'd be sitting here worried that we'd most certainly fail and that the money clubs would most definitely reel us in. But we like to do things the hard way and at this point we are poised perfectly to perform the Roy of the Rovers style push up the table overtaking the fore mentioned clubs and winning the league on the last day of the season with an injury time goal. Surely the stuff of fantasy? Seriously though, if we don't spend in this window it doesn't matter, if we don't win the league it will be a disappointment, if we don't get fourth it will be a mini disaster. Lots of footy still to be played and I'm looking forward to it, which at this point in some recent seasons has been something I haven't been able to say. YNWA
I reckon that if we don't spend and we miss out on 4th there will be quite the backlash towards Ayre & FSG EDIT - typo
Majority if us at the start of the season said we wouldn't get forth, now that were close we should still keep our original thoughts. Were building something here, quite clear to see, that doesn't just fall into place a season and a half under the new plan. Realistically were ahead of the plan by another two seasons. Personally, I thought Spurs would comfortably get forth with us just behind, but the way this season has gone we still have a chance.
well we were never going to win this league... no way.. its the bit of luck against us in the league cup that put utd through and i hope a bit of luck for us in the fa cup that will define our season it is total fantasy IMO to talk about overtaking city. arsenal could do anything but chelsea are likely to kick on for 2nd too. Its a worry that 7th is close and 4th is an actual possibility but we don;t seem pushed at board level. I am hoping something will be done shortly. In the end FSG had to apologise when they f'd up aug 31 2012 and we ended that season in 7th. jan 2013 was successful. summer 2013.. business done on last day... if we do nothing i njan 2014 then we weill in all likelihood be looking down the table not up. city win the league cup means 6th gets europa.... one of top 4 win fa cup = 7th gets europa.... right now lets hope for 4th and the fa cup... success breeds success but standing still in this league is not acceptable. not signing someone is a sin.. it shows you have not identified one single target out of 1000s of footballers and at least 50 that would improve us. any full back for example.... never stand still... never make excuses.. achieve.
I don't think i agree. this si not right thinking as the context has changed... an opportunity exists right now. we've two foards capable of delivering but we need a couple of bodies to do it... to not try to take the opportunity would be wrong and the orginal thinking must be revised for new circumstances. this is not a case of false spending... we apparently have money... but if we are still trying to get lads on 20k per week or whatever... well ....
Yes we all though we would miss out on 4th this season and that Suarez would leave this summer, with CL still a few years away. We now have the chance to ****ing get 4th, a really really big ****ing chance. And if we don't sign anyone in this window, we will not get 4th - which would be a big ****ing shame tbh given how close we have been. - It will take some time for us to break back into a top 4 with a revived United next year
no its not. our goal should be to win the thing. there are huge gaps in our squad and we all i think see it. but those gaps don't have to preclude us from 4th if we can improve but to stand still in this league is again to regress.
4th place requires something to change... something to break the paradigm. for city it was billions. they took our slot after all. for us to get back in either utd or arsenal have to break... we thought at the start arsenal were regressing, not signing, wenger looking jaded. we thought wrong, but on utd we thought yeah disaster in the making.. they've had a shocker. LFC are NOT going to hold utd out of the top 4 long term. nobody probably is. arsneal? maybe. so our opportunity this year is to take utd's slot and then improve to beat arsenal out next year.... if neither happens we are going to be looking up at 4th wondering how.... without suarez is a fair shout. you only get 2/3 years to build something before the key men move on now anyway... to break 4th it must be this year or next... but next year is a 50/50 whether suarez is around. everyone wants us to sign something this window.. its onyl a question of admitting or not what not getting 4th means or being willing or not to think we will or won't get it.
Winning the Premier League is of course the goal. Yes we all see it, but this squad got us where we are, faith must be shown.
It's threadbare! and in decline in many areas! It needs a bloody big injection to keep it going for the rest of the season
As SR says though it's not the current players who are the problem it's more the lack of them. Yes we might be able to mount a challenge with the likes of Aspas, Cissokho or Allen as back up/bench players but do you fancy our chances if that level of player has to play the rest of the season in the first team?
Even with a fully fit squad, we needed a couple of signings. At full strength, we have a great chance of top 4 if not more. But with all of the injuries, mainly to our back line and midfield, it's just become a whole lot harder.
Bearing in mind what happened in the summer with Suarez, we could have had an unsettled player and a miserable season, but he's giving everything for us and I can't believe I'm saying this but we owe [?] him a certain standard of player to play alongside to grab the team by the scruff of the neck and haul it up the league to a CL place. That means spending this window. The FSG philosophy of young players bought at value is sound .. up to a point, but if we are to make a serious challenge, we need the right players in the right positions at whatever the cost - within reason not talking stupid money.
Probably the wrong place to post this as there is another thread but... It would be gutting if we dont get in the top 4 after being top at Christmas. Yes few of us thought we'd get top 4 and yes things are tight, but we are in s good position in the league and need to capitalise on that. 2 players to boost the team\squad will put is in better standing compared to Everton and Spurs. If United get Mata as is expected, they will be better (not much, and i don't think they'll get top 4, but they've given themselves a better chance), Salah is a good player, he doesnt fill the area where we need to improve most, but he covers a position where Victor Moses has featured 13 times for us in the league this season, and £11-12m isnt a lot of money for a wuality 21 year old. I'd have him over Zaha. IF we buy a couple, get 4th place, we'll find it much easier to recruit over summer, there will be less of this losing targets to London **** going on. We have a great chance. If not Utd will probably catch up, Spurs will spend again and who knows where we will be next year. If we dont buy and dont get 4th, I'll be angry. You wont like me when I'm angry #plagueofpubiclice
Am I right in thinking no team's been top of PL at Christmas and finished outside the top four? #recordbreakers
