I can't see us improving, even with no player sales. Potentially Spurs are passable, although they will be a lot stronger defensively with Toby there. Aside from that, we are nowhere near anyone. Liverpool had an awful season and still finished above us. The premier league is a wallet measuring contest. I think we are doing amazingly, but to improve on this season will be nigh on impossible. We should aim to stay at this level ("best of the rest") in my opinion.
I'm a bit down about the apparent futility of our efforts to break the glass ceiling. We collect a great group of players, we fight for the top of the table, and then top clubs come and poach our best players, and we need to start nearly from the scratch. We are like the mythical Sisyphus: season after season we're pushing a boulder up a mountain, only to see it roll down again.
It does feel like that. But to carry that analogy on, the mountain gets smaller and smaller every year. If we continue to scout players that are equal or better, and snapping around the top of the tables heels, we can hopefully build the club brand to a point where we can genuinely compete.
We missed our chance last season....so close, yet so far. We should have finished top 4 with the start we had...not saying that would actually have made us one of the top 4 best teams in the league, but who'd care as long as we were in the CL.
It's going to take about fifteen years but we'll be in the Champion's league regularly. It's a long-term plan to keep building up our finances this way and we're looking very good at it. We'll get there but not this season. Vin
I disagree - reckon we could have got fourth. And we blew 5th really, if we're honest. But did amazingly to be in contention for 5th in the first place, so... Anyway, room for improvement, whether or not we do it next season.
Looking at our squad for last season we have lost: Morgan Clyne Alderwiereld Cork Elia Djuricic + long term injury to Forster and will be without Bertrand for the beginning of the season So we need a minimum of six new players + a GK to get back into the position we were last season and we ran out of players and energy in Dec/Jan last season Add to that extra games in the Europa we need to get busy in the market
Schneiderlin only made 25 appearances in the league last season. We coped fine. The year before, Clyne lost his place to a kid. We coped fine. Stekelenberg has actually looked very good in the friendlies. We'll be fine. Now to spend some of that cashola!
Morgan>Clasie Clyne>Soares Alderweireld>New CB Cork>New CM Elia>Juanmi Djuricic>Ramirez Forster>Stekelenburg Plus with Rodriguez back, we have gained another player since last season.
And if rumours are to be believed, another midfielder after Clasie. I think we'll see more of Reed, and potentially a couple more from the academy who didn't play last year, such as Stephens and McCarthy. Would still like an extra attacker and a CB with potential to replace Fonte, Van Beek perhaps.
I think if we can improve on size and quality of squad I do believe we can do better. We suffered in because of the lack options or squad rotation. But Then I think we would have to sign another 8 players to achieve this. Fingers crossed!
Some big over reactions in here. Below is a comparison between this season and last. This is without bringing youngsters into the equation that haven't played, or haven't played much. To me, we already look in much better shape than we did this time last year. START of last season: GK (3): Forster, Davis, Gazzaniga RB: Clyne CB (2): Fonte, Gardos LB (2): Bertand, Targett, Utility players (2): Yoshida (CB, RB, LB), Davis (DM, CM, AM, LM, RM) DM/CM: (4) Wanyama, Schneiderlin, Reed, Cork LM/AM/RM/SS (3): Ward-Prowse,Tadic, Long CF/ST: Pelle Total: 18 Outfield: 15 Loan players: 1 Mane and Alderweireld arrived in September making the total 20. We started the season under a new manager and six new signings (not including Mane and Alderweireld) Start of this season (including Clasie, not including Forster): GK (3): Stekelenberg, Davis, Gazzaniga RB: Soares CB(2): Fonte, Gardos LB (2): Bertrand, Targett Utility players (3): Yoshida (CB, RB, LB), Davis (DM, CM, AM, LM, RM), Martina (RB, CB, DM) DM/CM (3): Wanyama, Reed, Clasie LM/AM/RM/SS (7): Mane, Rodriguez, Tadic, Long, Juanmi, Ward-Prowse, Ramirez CF/ST: Pelle Total: 22 Outfield: 19 Loan players: 1
There's a big fluctuation of players in our team. When you look at it, only 4 players remained from the starting lineup from two seasons ago under Pochettino. Davis, Wanyama, Fonte and Jay. Boruc, Lovren, Clyne, Shaw, Schneiderlin, Lallana and Lambert all gone.
We also lost a manager last season so not only did we need to replace a large part of our first team, both the new boys and the existing squad had to build a rapport with the new boss. They did that brilliantly and we could still progress next season, but reality says we have only gone in one direction over the last 5 years and sooner or later that may waver. I would love us to be in the CL but prefer that we first aim for a consistent, and I think realistic, top 7 finish or Europa league spot over the next couple of years to get used to the demands that such a commitment brings.
If we manage to replicate last season, Ron and the board will have done an ever better job than they did last year. Top ten will be tough this season (but achievable). And not just because of the players we have lost, and the additional EL games we will/may have to deal with. Other sides are getting stronger, and Everton can again play without the EL noose around their necks.
For anyone expecting more than 3 signings between now and close of window - prepare to be disappointed. IF we are successful with our bids we will see CB and 2 midfielders. I don't think we will miss clyne or Forster with good replacements and will be pleased to see Clasie in for Morgan. Juanmi will be the creativity behind the strikers that we have been yearning for. Add a rejuvenated JRod and Gaston you have a promising squad.
