Guardian picks Chelsea to finish 3rd

[Tortilla9 390]

So as far as entertainment for the CL, i am glad that City is in the CL, cause i doubt that City will crumble under a team like Real as Spurs did.

Now if only Liverpool was also in the CL, it would be much entertainment from the PL side, cause even though Arsenal play good, they can't defend for crap, nor play with the passion as Liverpool puts in the field.

Every year Liverpool is out of the CL is a good year. Have you seen Liverpool's defending this pre-season? It's been sh*t and that's kind.

[Rambo 1,729]

This shouldn't mean we are aiming for third...stop the pessimism and let the players do their job. We haven't even seen the full potential of this squad under AVB yet.

[Kieran. 6,317]

This shouldn't mean we are aiming for third...stop the pessimism and let the players do their job. We haven't even seen the full potential of this squad under AVB yet.

Pessimism? United is better than us as of right now. You can argue City is, too. It's realism.

[Blue Armour 4,436]

I just can't agree with that. They may have improved over what was the simply worst ManUtd side in over 10 years.

Lol...that's what I meant..edited my post

[Beast 85]

Can't argue about finishing 3rd with the players we have now.

[didierforever 7,349]

i think we will finish in the top 2 (hopefully as no.1)... this squad is fierce and with drogba,anelka,lamps all close to the end of their chelsea careers are going to give more than their best... add to it the tactfulness of avb, i think we have definitely got a winning squad... but this is football... hard to predict anythin... last season manu were pathetic and yet won the season with 9 points... so we ll definitely be needing a little luck... but still just ve tat feel good factor about this season... its definitely not goin to be a disappointing one for us...

[bombayblue™ 55]

Guardian's predictions for last year (and actual positions in brackets):

3 Man Utd (1)

So I guess we're winning the league this season.

[Tomo 21,751]

I havent commented for a couple of weeks because ive been away and could not be bothered to sign in but i had too here.

I cannot believe anyone thinks United have strenthened that much, 6 good squad players have gone and been replaced by one good expierenced(ish) player and two young untested youngsters (and to say De Gea has looked shaky in pre season is a understatement) remember what happened to us last season when we tried a similar squad cutting exercise?

As for Liverpool to say they will worry us is quite honestly laughable, just because Dalglish was succesful in the 80's dont mean jack shit now, there team are not good enough, if Arbeloa, Alonso, Mascerano, Gerrard at his peak, Riise and Torres could not deliever the title do you honestly think Johnson, Henderson, Adam, a past it Gerrard, Downing and Carroll will?

Would not matter if Jose is incharge, Liverpool just aint good enough have they conceded less than 3 goals in a pre season match yet? they drew 3-3 to Valerenga reserves (and even their first team is 11th in their league) lost 3-0 to Hull and Galatasaray and let in 3 against Malasia and some other shower aswell. Liverpool if they are extremely lucky and i mean very lucky MIGHT by the skin of their teeth get top 4 but they are not a threat to us or the title what so ever.

[GodZola 630]

You can say United were lucky during 2009-2010 that was the season where they actually were very lucky and overachieved , but last year they were miles ahead of us ... it was pretty clear during our 3 title deciders in the UCL and EPL . they with all my due respect outclassed us in those 3 games.

In 2009-2010 failed in big games , and it exposed that against lower teams they were just lucky , but in 2010 - 2011 they had some impressive results against us , arsenal ,city , liverpool and tottenham .

Our forward line is simply very bad , Malouda , Anelka , Kalou , Sturridge are below average wingers , Torres will not be back as long as he doesn't get enough service which won't come with those players and DD is now a SUB who can't win us the title on his own and even Lampard who has always been our savior and most consistent players is not the same anymore ....

Defensively we are superb , but Offensively United , City ,Tottenham , Arsenal and even liverpool are better than us .

what will give us the edge over arsenal and city is our experience and unity as a big team , but united are very experienced team and are a great unit as well .

I know it's very hard to admit that Man Utd has outplayed us last year , and with those additions they are much more likely to end up with the title again (if we don't add some players).

They were also very lucky when Neville should of been sent off twice early in games when they were drawing, the second of which was against WBA when he committed & got away with a stone wall pen, Rooney then should of gone against Wigan after - 8 minutes but somehow stayed on the pitch! I think there was another involving Raphael & not to mentioned the stone wall pen that Blackpool were denied when they were already 2 nil down & those examples are just off the top of my head. We were the better side in the league game at home, totally dominated the second half but you are correct in the other accounters. But to say they outplayed the rest is a tad wide of the mark as there away form was nothing short of shocking.

Concur with you regards Maloulda & Kalou but Sturridge is quality & like Anelka he is not a winger & so many fans give him a hard time over it when he is a central striker that has played his best football there but is rarely given the chance to play there nowadays.

It's not hard for me to admit that at this moment & with Sniejder on the horizon Utd are in a better position than we are & we both agree that the service to our attackers is where we need to improve. What I'm saying is if we address that then I don't see no reason why won't be in the mix come May next year. I have total confidence in AVB & his management ideals its just the squad that lacks a little depth but just needs tweaking & not a massive overhaul that some are suggesting.

[Guest justin_3d]

Every year Liverpool is out of the CL is a good year. Have you seen Liverpool's defending this pre-season? It's been sh*t and that's kind.

Arsenal defending is far worse then Liverpool.

While i do concede, that Pool has to spend on defense now. If they don't then they might have a hard time reaching 4th.

[LDN Blue 7,903]

Well if they sign Enrique, they're one step towards that..

[laura90 556]

If we enter new season without player who can dribble, go past opponent defenders and who is able to make a decent cross, especially in the last fifteen minutes when we need it the most, third place is cause for celebration.

If Lampard doesn^'t regain his form back, and Yossi pick up injury at some point, we will be in trouble.

We can consider Benayoun, Torres, Sturridge, Josh, Luiz, Ramires and Romeu as new players, but no one of them is a genuine winger( we need two, at least one desperately) and reliable creative midfielder who can assist on regular bases. Josh is the future but remains question whether he is ready yet.

Malouda is genuine winger, indeed, but he is also selfish ...,who would be much better player if he knew that football is a team game not one man show.

I personally don^'t have problem with that prediction, but big concern is possibility of not making top four. I believe in AVB but much depends on injuries.

But I will try to be positive and hope our board sees this year as an opportunity for change and will give full support to AVB, so he can make a revolution we need.

In that case, I would be happy with fourth place.

[Guest justin_3d]

If we enter new season without player who can dribble, go past opponent defenders and who is able to make a decent cross, especially in the last fifteen minutes when we need it the most, third place is cause for celebration.

If Lampard doesn^'t regain his form back, and Yossi pick up injury at some point, we will be in trouble.

We can consider Benayoun, Torres, Sturridge, Josh, Luiz, Ramires and Romeu as new players, but no one of them is a genuine winger( we need two, at least one desperately) and reliable creative midfielder who can assist on regular bases. Josh is the future but remains question whether he is ready yet.

Malouda is genuine winger, indeed, but he is also selfish ...,who would be much better player if he knew that football is a team game not one man show.

I personally don^'t have problem with that prediction, but big concern is possibility of not making top four. I believe in AVB but much depends on injuries.

But I will try to be positive and hope our board sees this year as an opportunity for change and will give full support to AVB, so he can make a revolution we need.

In that case, I would be happy with fourth place.

My vote is on Mata.

Arsenal want him, i am sure we can get him!

If not Arda will do the job decently, but Mata is better IMO.

[Bluenail 1]

I havent commented for a couple of weeks because ive been away and could not be bothered to sign in but i had too here.

I cannot believe anyone thinks United have strenthened that much, 6 good squad players have gone and been replaced by one good expierenced(ish) player and two young untested youngsters (and to say De Gea has looked shaky in pre season is a understatement) remember what happened to us last season when we tried a similar squad cutting exercise?

I completely agree with this. Young is a good player, and Jones and De Gea are good prospects, but they've let O'Shea and Brown go, two very reliable squad players, they've lost Scholes, a hugely influential player, and Van der Sar who probably had his best season for them last season. So unless they sign anyone in central midfield, I'd say they're worse off than last season.

[lionsden 4,689]

The assessment is about right. given the quality and depth of our current squad, it would be a remarkable achievement to finish above man utd and City next season.