No team in Premier League history has finished the previous season outside of the top 4 and then gone on to win the title the following season.

There's too much work to do for van Gaal to transform that side from a mid table team to title challengers.

I said it in another thread, so far they've spent £60m on two players without actually improving the team and they're struggling to fit their three best players RVP, Rooney and Mata into a system that brings out the best in them.

I'm not worried about them.

It all depends who they bring in though. No team as strong as United were on paper finished 7th, and no 7th place team have spent over 100m on transfers.

If they land vidal, di maria, and a strengthen at the back, I would consider them a threat, with no European football, and van gaal at the helm.

As things stand I still think theyre way off, so it will come down to whether or not they land key targets.

They finished 22 points off of first place last season.

 

Van Gaal is a good manager but he's not the Messiah.

Liverpool made a 23 point improvement last season so I think Utd are well capable of something similar this season with Van Gaal. A lot will depend on what other signing he can make but with no European football I'd expect them to be challenging.

I think writing Man Utd off next season is stupid. The competition for the past 3-4 years is getting better and better. Now as the new TV deal has come in you cannot write any team off.

 

1. Man Utd have a very good manager, Money to spend and a real appetite to spend it, seeing them spend 80-90 million and moving some of their passengers on is a concern for any team in the league.
2. Arsenal are always tipped to miss out on 4th, never do, and have the money to build on last year.
3. Liverpool kinda came from nowhere last year, selling their best player could either damage them or allow them to build squad depth. Brenda is the key here, how good is his transfer strategy?
4. Man City have strengthened although are limited because of their FFP Fine
5. Everton under Martinez are solid but will need to replace the 3-4 loan players they lost
6. Tottenham have a solid squad who have had a year to gel after the Bale money, a new decent manager. Should be a contender this year.
7. We have the best manager in the league, a very good squad, are buying players in the right positions balancing the squad better. probably 1 or 2 signings away from the best squad in the league and one of the strongest in world football.

It wouldnt shock me to see any combination of these 7 teams in the top 4, less possibly Everton. Should make for a very good season. Cannot wait.

 

Finally selling any player to any of these clubs would be tantamount to suicide. Although saying that if Everton want Mikel perm and Lukaku back on loan I wouldnt begrudge them.

Edited July 15, 201412 yr by Shotgun883

It all depends who they bring in though. No team as strong as United were on paper finished 7th, and no 7th place team have spent over 100m on transfers.

If they land vidal, di maria, and a strengthen at the back, I would consider them a threat, with no European football, and van gaal at the helm.

As things stand I still think theyre way off, so it will come down to whether or not they land key targets.

 

That's just it, United aren't a strong team on paper, the side that won the league two years ago has to be one of the worst teams to have done so in the Premier League era, it was only through the failing of Chelsea and City and SAF's ability to squeeze the last good performances from his team that they triumphed. 

 

It's all well and good speculating they might sign the likes of Vidal and Di Maria but there aren't a lot of big name players willing to miss a year of European football, especially when at clubs as good as Juventus and Real Madrid.

 

And even if they do sign there's not guarantee they'll settle quickly (or at all) to enable United to mount a title challenge. 

 

Liverpool made a 23 point improvement last season so I think Utd are well capable of something similar this season with Van Gaal. A lot will depend on what other signing he can make but with no European football I'd expect them to be challenging.

 

I'm not expecting United to finish 7th again but my opinion is that there is too much work to be done on the team... Essentially rebuilding the defense (and possibly midfield) and doing that takes time and will take the players time to get used to playing together. 

 

I would expect them to finish a lot closer to the top this year but I just don't see them mounting a title challenge. 

^^

Fc, my point was that United team were the strongest on paper to finish 7th. They had Rooney, van persie, and mata!

A better manager would have finished 4th or 5th, and with a possible 100-150 million pound investment, coupled with a world class manager, and no European distractions, I think they could be serious title contenders.

There is major work to be done, and it will depend on whether or not this reported war chest is put to good use.

We will have a better idea when the window shuts, but at this moment in time, with plenty of time and money left, I certainly won't be writing United off.

Writing United off.... or not... in a Lukaku thread is neither here nor there really.

Natural flow of the conversation... be thankful for some discussion at all in the quiet spell of pre-season. 

The latest... Chelsea want to sign an extention to Lukaku's contract, but Jose cannot guarantee him a place on the team & would like to loan him out again. I can't wait to hear from Lukaku & his shooting mouth. Lol.

The latest... Chelsea want to sign an extention to Lukaku's contract, but Jose cannot guarantee him a place on the team & would like to loan him out again. I can't wait to hear from Lukaku & his shooting mouth. Lol.

Link?

The latest... Chelsea want to sign an extention to Lukaku's contract, but Jose cannot guarantee him a place on the team & would like to loan him out again. I can't wait to hear from Lukaku & his shooting mouth. Lol.

You keep posting info but you never provide links or a source?

Since I am posting on my Samsung Tablet, it's hard to do it. Therefore, I will suggest you chaps Google it.

Since I am posting on my Samsung Tablet, it's hard to do it. Therefore, I will suggest you chaps Google it.

Or you could just say where you got the info, i.e. Sky Sports, I'm on a tablet too yet I always say where the info's from

Edited July 15, 201412 yr by Bobbywoodhogan

Sorry woodhogan I will try next time.

Sorry woodhogan I will try next time.

I'm not having a go Peter its just inevitable people want to know where the information comes from as seeing who has reported it can determine whether or not we take the story seriously or not.

Found it anyway:

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/chelsea-striker-romelu-lukaku-could-3848391?

Edited July 15, 201412 yr by Bobbywoodhogan

Ever since I galloped in here, you fell in love with me and I thank you for it. You have done it again and helped me out with it. So the next question, will he, should he sign an extention?

Ever since I galloped in here, you fell in love with me and I thank you for it. You have done it again and helped me out with it. So the next question, will he, should he sign an extention?

What? Lol

If he does and says the right things then yeah because it will show maturity, however if he does then carries on acting the way he is then I say he should never play for us again.

Ever since I galloped in here, you fell in love with me and I thank you for it. You have done it again and helped me out with it. So the next question, will he, should he sign an extention?

Ah, who can resist a bromance!

Anyway, good question about Lukaku. Can't say I've warmed to him, but with Costa new to the PL and Torres... being Torres, I think we may need someone, however young and silly, who knows the PL and has a decent scoring record. If he doesn't come good this season, I'm sure that somewhere there is a club willing to pay for him.

Woodhogan,

Whatever is going to happen, I don't know now. I just question why should he extend his contract to be shipped out again? I don't think he is going to do it for Chelsea.

Woodhogan,

Whatever is going to happen, I don't know now. I just question why should he extend his contract to be shipped out again? I don't think he is going to do it for Chelsea.

Incentives could be a higher wage, loyalty bonuses, guarantees for the future (even though they don't exist) etc

Valerie,

A bromance? I'm lost here. Are you looking for a romance instead?

Valerie,

A bromance? I'm lost here. Are you looking for a romance instead?

I think she's referring to this comment you made

"Ever since I galloped in here, you fell in love with me and I thank you for it. You have done it again and helped me out with it. "

To which I responded what? Lol

Valerie,

A bromance? I'm lost here. Are you looking for a romance instead?

Didn't you tell Bobby just a few posts back he had fallen in love with you?

Valerie,

I did sarcastically. A bromance =?

Valerie,

I did sarcastically. A bromance =?

What's that sound again, wwhhooooooosshh?

In Valerie we trust?