Morning Chaps Firstly, delighted to get a win yesterday and to score a few great goals is always nice! Question is where do you think we will finish next year? There are a lot of variables to consider, for example: - Do we have money to spend? - Will Spurs blow up and lose the likes of Bale, Modric, VDV and obviously 'Arry. I can see this happening; but doesn't necessarily mean we finish above them. - Is this year a flash in the pan for Newcastle? Will they hold onto their best players? - Can Arsenal keep their best players? Can they actually build on their progress this year? - Who will be in charge of Chelsea? A squad overhall can take a while, and it can take a time for a new team to gell. - Can Everton build on another tight year? - Can Sunderland kick on? - Will stoke get relegated?!! Relating to us: - Will Kenny stay? - Can he improve us next year? - How will Gerrard play next year? - The Lucas effect - Can Agger stay fit? - Can we get a goalscorer to turn poor rsults? - Can a few of our average players improve after a difficult first year? Very hard to tell. I can see a more solid year next year - maybe 5th! Who do you fellers think?
I think Chelsea will be a stronger side once again next year, I can see Utd, Chelsea and City fighting for the title. Arsenal will probably get top 4 again and I just hope we can put in a decent challenge this time. Newcastle and Spurs are hard to judge, I can see us lurking around them in the table. I would say....6th.
Interesting. I can see Arsenal having a good year next year - especially if they keep hold of Van Percivold. A lot depends on if we buy a decent goal poacher. I mean Everton, Fulham and Newcastle have all bought goalscorers on a shoe string. Why can't we? You don't have to spend millions.
I'm not even going to mention or predict top four. I'm going to remain reserved. I remember this time last season there was a lot of talk about this season, this year it's a bit quieter. I think part of that is that we knew there would have been a lot of changes last summer, but this summer we are not so sure. It's about the right changes, not the 4/5 top class players Robbie Savage suggests. The problem now is that even with a top 4 quality team, you will still be fighting 4/5 others for the top 4 spots.
Very difficult to predict, next season the competition is going to be strong. Chelsea will be challenging for the title, I expect them to spend big on a few players, Torres is starting to pick up some form going in to next season, they're not in any real danger of losing their best players so they will only be stronger. I think they'll be nailed on top four along with City and United. Tottenham have a big summer ahead of them, all their progress they had made could be undone in a couple of months. Obviously a lot depends on the players staying rather than coming in. Harry probably wont be there next season, so it's up to them to find a manager who can take them forward, but if they acquire the wrong manager they could see their best players leaving. Again with Arsenal they need to keep Van Persie. He's irreplaceable, and will Wenger actually spend? I'm sure Arsenal fans know where they need strengthening, but it's up to Wenger to spend big or pull of another few gems, something that is not always guaranteed. They've already signed Podolski, who could be a pivotal player for them next season. Newcastle I can't see challenging again next season, mainly due to having Mike Ashley as their owner. If they can add some depth in to their squad they could prove everyone wrong again, but players like Tiote, Ben Afra and Collocini have all been linked with moves away this summer, they NEED to keep hold of their quality players. As for us? No bloody idea! I'm not even going to bother predicting a finish for us anymore We could challenge for the title, we could be in a fight for relegation. Who bloody knows Next season I feel we have to finish top four if we're going to keep hold of our quality players. It will be a pivotal season and I can't help but feel a top four finish is needed.
I'm going to be bold and predict a top 4 spot. I think Suarez really is hitting form now, he looks like he's really finding his goalscoring form after having his season interrupted with Copa America fatigue, the racism row and losing fitness from that. I also think having Lucas back will solidify our back four and the defensive record even further. And I reckon we will have been looking for a striker since about October after noticing that Carroll really isn't up to being Suarez' partner. How do I think we'll line up next season? ---------Reina----------- GJ--Agger-Skrtel-Enrique- ?????--Lucas--Adam------ -------Gerrard------Suarez ---------?????------------ Something like that. Suarez and Gerrard basically getting licence to go anywhere they want. We will surprise people next season in my opinion, becasue they don't think we've been good this season when infact we've been excellent in a lot of games this season. I think Newcastle's squad will be stretched with European football and Spurs will lose some of their key players. Di Matteo I don't rate and I think we could overtake Chelsea next season especially as I don't think a front 3 of Marin-Torres-Mata will have enough goals. Arsenal? They'll survive under Wenger but they won't really improve next season, they'll be at about the same level.
I predict a good season for us next year. All of the current squad will have a season's experience of playing together. Hopefully Lucas will be back. We also appear to have the money to add more quality to our squad. Like most of us I believe that we need a goal poacher and I would suggest a creative midfielder. I too am going to stick my chin out and say that we will be 3rd or 4th. However a lot will have to do with how other sides fare over the Summer. I believe that we have seen the last season in which United play crap and win. City will be a major force. Arsenal, Spurs and Chelsea all face difficult Summer's trying to retain and buy players. Whilst Newcastle may be there, I truly believe that this was their season in the sun and they will find life much harder. I expect to see lengthy loan spells Flannigan and Robinson and maybe a short loan for Sterling. I also expect to see Kuyt, Maxi and Aurelio leave the club over the Summer - though that is conditional on us finding quality repalcements. I do not expect a return for Pacheco, Aquilani or Cole.
3rd or 4th I think will be very hard if i'm honest. I think our squad is pretty weak atm. Having Lucas makes all the difference though as it stops them from scoring. Without him we don't have the legs/ability to track back and defend. With him it gives the forward thinking players the licence to go for it. Definately need a poacher though. Trouble is it may make Carroll somewhat redundant - something I think Kenny and the owners will not be keen on.
I know it's getting very stale but just consider where we would be this season if we had converted even a half of our 31 woodwork strikes. So. if we can even reach that standard of conversion 3/4th is within reach.
It really depends on the quality of the signings, we don't need a lot of players but need the right kind of players. RW and a striker and I would be happy enough as long as they were of the required quality.
Not being funny but we are only twelve points off fourth spot, now whilst that is terrible is it that unrealistic to think that this squad could win four more games next season?
For me it has to be 4th or at least a damn sight closer than what we are now. We should be challenging 1-4 with the amount of money we have spent and looks like we will be spending. We have the cup monkey off our back now it is time to focus on the league again. I would like for us to take the Europa seriously as well, would be good to be seen as strong in Europe again, even if it is the second tier comp.
I think European football could kill off Newcastle next term and Everton are unpredictable. Also take into consideration the EURO'S, players will impress and moves are certain. I think a battle for 5th with Spurs is a sensible option.
Well, considering a typical Liverpool season would see 5/6 more home wins than what we currently have. This season has just been freak and baffling when it comes to home form.
As LFC, we should always be striving to win the league. Of course, it's optimistic rather than realistic. Realistically, 4th place should be priority and we were keeping up until the start of the new year where we imploded. Absences of Gerrard, Lucas, Agger and Suarez have not helped our cause as well as poor finishing. I genuinely believe we have a good squad of players. At least this season, we could change the game and bring good players off the bench. Problem is, the quality of the starting XI has come down and I'm sure Kenny will address this in the summer, as well as the existing squad players i.e. Hendo Carroll Adam etc will have learnt a lot from their first season and will generally improve (hopefully!).
4th is certainly possible with the squad that we have. If you allow us a goal for only half of the times that we have hit the woodwork and apply those 'goals' to the games that we drew or lost then we would be sitting comfortably in 3rd spot this season. Now I know that analysis is very simplistic but it does help to put what we have achieved this season into context.
