It will be difficult for everybody...... Both Liverpool and Chelsea now have Europe to contend with as well as the league. Arsenal have to pick themselves up for the Europa league and the mental sapping travelling all over the place that that brings. Manchester Utd may find themselves back in the CL but have yet to (though they still have time) to strengthen their weak areas at the back. And Manchester City have one fullback. Yes, it is tough..... for all 6 teams realistically in the mix.
And yet already this summer I feel all Audere est facere, in spite of the above. There are one/two fundamental things that IMHO Pochettino must know now and put right. If he does so, then an even better PL title push will come this season (and CL qualification again with it) .
Hopefully with Lamela back fit and a speedy right winger in the squad our chances will improve on last season. It's vital we start Wembley with a win to calm recent history jitters. Now with certain players leaving City I feel they're going to take time to settle without them and Utd in the CL via the Europa I don't feel pose too much of a threat. Chelsea's star player seems unsettled and they have CL with which to contend so will find things difficult. Think Liverpool are dark horses but the biggest mistake of the season is Lukaku.
For me, the key issue is not allowing a sizeable gap to arise to the top of the table team before Xmas. Two seasons running Spurs have shown they can ramp up a surge in form that can only be resisted by the eventual champions because of that gap. So no harm in not being top, but to have a gap of at least 6 pts by then to any team other than the Goons, may be fatal. The rotation of the squad during the CL group stage period will be critical, as the following PL fixtures are quite kind to us.
I say without a shadow of doubt that Wenger will throw the towel in on the EL from day 1. Consecutive seasons outside the top 4 could prove fatal. Scraping 4th is unacceptable. Their priority is a sustained title challenge, and they simply don't have the squad to cope with both.
If the Goons cannot replicate our 2015-16 season with the squad they do / may have, then we should crowd-fund Wenger to be tenured manager at the Library (just in case Kroenke wavers) .
Siggy has pulled out of Swansea's USA tour following Clement's comments that it would be "impossible" to keep him if the right offer came in. Leicester and Everton are understood to have had bids in the region of £40m rejected, as the player is valued at £50m. I'd say if he moves to the former, Barkley to us is (sadly) a done deal - and I sincerely hope that we aren't bankrolling the Siggy move with it. A firm fan-fave who has definitely upped his game over the past few seasons, but is very much a big fish in a minuscule pond. Definitely not top 6 quality and therefore definitely not a wise investment of £50m.
What concerns me a little is if we start the new season the way we ended the last season we'll fade. So keeping in touch with the top is the best strategy.
Talk of a statue outside man u to Rooney If Maureen is to stay their manager it should be followed by a statue of the pound sign
And one to commemorate Levy (pound sign) outside your new stadium, after all, that's all players are to him money makers.
