How far off is this squad from a title challenge?

Hughes35

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We are in a title challenge already.

How far off are we from being a truly good team is a different question - RW, CF, CDM

3 good signings needed IMO.


-----------------------------------De Gea-------------------------------
AWB--------------Bailly------------------Maguire------------------Shaw
---------------------------CDM-------------Pogba-------------------
RW-----------------------------Fernandes----------------------Rashford
-----------------------------------------CF---------------------------------------

Subs / Squad - Henderson, Lindelof, Telles, Fred, Mctom, Martial, Greenwood, Diallo, VDB, Axel, Cavani (one more year), Matic (one more year).
 

romufc

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Dr. StrangeHate said:
Lets change it to if all three were given top level teams as I agree if you give Pep a Newcastle he will struggle more than the other two.

Liverpool lost the best CB in the whole world who is also very handy on the attack. And if we lost both Maguire and Lindelof we won't be where we are at the moment.

Ole has proven most people including me wrong. He has grown into a good manager. I don't think he can take the next step because we don't play the way of the top European teams but I have been proven well wrong on Ole before.
Click to expand...
But according to some they have the best players in every position so surely they can cover a loss of a CB.

If we lost Maguire and Lindelof, we would have Bailly and Tuanzebe playing, but if our forwards were all consistent, we would be where we are because if you look at the goals we conceded this season, our attack has bailed our defence out, particularly at the start.

We don't have a WC team, they have apparently the best full backs, best keeper, best CB, best DM, best attack.

What is the next step? to win us a trophy? you don't think Ole can win a trophy?
 

Flying high

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Hughes35 said:
We are in a title challenge already.

How far off are we from being a truly good team is a different question - RW, CF, CDM

3 good signings needed IMO.


-----------------------------------De Gea-------------------------------
AWB--------------Bailly------------------Maguire------------------Shaw
---------------------------CDM-------------Pogba-------------------
RW-----------------------------Fernandes----------------------Rashford
-----------------------------------------CF---------------------------------------

Subs / Squad - Henderson, Lindelof, Telles, Fred, Mctom, Martial, Greenwood, Diallo, VDB, Axel, Cavani (one more year), Matic (one more year).
Click to expand...
The biggest club in the land should really be able to fill all 3 of these positions in the summer. Especially as we have been relatively frugal over the last 2 years and have let plenty of players leave.

But we probably have to remove the leeches before that will happen. A top 3 finish this year will likely just encourage the Glazers to take even more money from the club, on the basis that we are good enough to compete.
 

Redlyn

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Hughes35 said:
We are in a title challenge already.

How far off are we from being a truly good team is a different question - RW, CF, CDM

3 good signings needed IMO.


-----------------------------------De Gea-------------------------------
AWB--------------Bailly------------------Maguire------------------Shaw
---------------------------CDM-------------Pogba-------------------
RW-----------------------------Fernandes----------------------Rashford
-----------------------------------------CF---------------------------------------

Subs / Squad - Henderson, Lindelof, Telles, Fred, Mctom, Martial, Greenwood, Diallo, VDB, Axel, Cavani (one more year), Matic (one more year).
Click to expand...
Agreed with that but there is no cover at RB. I reckon we have the backup it's the starter we need to find. Less critical than the other 3.
 
Last edited:

vidic blood & sand

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Personally I think we lack the mental balls for a major title challenge. I expect us to fall away a bit toward the end of March.
It's also what keeps us getting knocked out in semi final cup matches. Solskjaer has to find away to inspire players in high pressure situations.
 

Hughes35

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Flying high said:
The biggest club in the land should really be able to fill all 3 of these positions in the summer. Especially as we have been relatively frugal over the last 2 years and have let plenty of players leave.

But we probably have to remove the leeches before that will happen. A top 3 finish this year will likely just encourage the Glazers to take even more money from the club, on the basis that we are good enough to compete.
Click to expand...
You'd hope so. For the first time in a long time it has become a buyers market (if you have cash) as some clubs will need to sell players to recoup losses. Sancho is a realistic transfer for the first time IMO as Dortmund look likely to miss CL football next year on top of COVID losses. Rice or Phillips should be very attainable too...... I can't see 3 big transfers on one window though, so I'd expect the CF signing would be a cheaper option.

If Newcastle get relegated I really would consider St Maximin too.
 

James35

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Beating the bottom of the table side (who have lost 16 fecking games) at home would go some way to being closer to a title.

Can we even manage that...?
 

charlenefan

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City and Liverpool you feel relish the games where they can rack up a massive score line, we on the other hand shit ourselves

Probably due to the lack of real goal scorers in the side who are desperate to score goals but then the creators are hardly doing anything tonight either
 

Edy2

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Proper consistent striker, top centre half, top holding midfielder.
 

76side

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James35 said:
Beating the bottom of the table side (who have lost 16 fecking games) at home would go some way to being closer to a title.

Can we even manage that...?
Click to expand...
Well we got 45 minutes to turn this around, so far we need miracles as it's been totally dire.
 

El Zoido

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We never seem to have motivation against these lower placed teams. It’s as if we approach the game as if it’s one we can play at 70% and save some energy.
 

AltiUn

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charlenefan said:
City and Liverpool you feel relish the games where they can rack up a massive score line, we on the other hand shit ourselves

Probably due to the lack of real goal scorers in the side who are desperate to score goals but then the creators are hardly doing anything tonight either
Click to expand...
I don't think so, we don't look nervous we just look like we can't be arsed.
 

PoTMS

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The second half will tell us a lot about the title credentials of our squad. If we can't win against these lot, we're not going to be close to winning the title.
 

pascell

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Depending how we and others spend money in summer, then next season. Getting top 4 comfortably and winning the FA Cup or EL should be the objectives this season.
 

Denis79

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We stll three players away from a PL title? Seen this thread every season since Moyes and the number is always 3.
 

dal

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We need a master dribbler (Grealish) but let’s not get carried away, we can have an off game, if we win , we win, never mind the score.
 

Zen86

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Siorac said:
Being top at the halfway mark doesn't equal a title challenge. Villa didn't challenge for the title in 1999. Or Leeds a year later.
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We quite clearly are in a title challenge right now, whether we will win it is another story.
 

Siorac

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Zen86 said:
We quite clearly are in a title challenge right now, whether we will win it is another story.
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There's nothing clear about it at all. We're on course to challenge but that's all for now.
 

Womp

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Anyone that genuinely thinks we are in the same universe as City when it comes to coaching and patterns of play really needs to help me understand what they are seeing.
 

DRM

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You can now replace title challenge with top 4 challenge
 

NinjaZombie

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Can't win league titles when you can't keep clean sheets.
 

sullydnl

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Meh, didn't particularly expect us to challenge for the title this season anyway. Comfortable top four finish and closing the gap would be progress enough.

City currently look better than us in both attack and defence so it is what it is.
 

Zlatan 7

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It’s just one game. Let’s see what the next game brings first
 

DRM

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Hello top 4 my old friend, oh how we've missed you.
 

JustAGuest

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Any small chance we may have had is now surely gone. Top 4 will be a good season, but it feels worse when you have gone top halfway through. We need to strengthen further if we want to realistically challenge for the league as long as Pep remains at City.
 
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