We are strong enough to win the EPL

[Naked Mole Rat 437]

Winning the PL will be difficult this season, but I don't see why we should write ourselves off already and settle for a top 4 finish. A goal is supposed to be challenging, and although we don't look as good as United or City at the moment we have lots of time to improve.

But having said that, I won't be too disappointed if we don't win this season as long as we complete our transition by next year, and Andre keeps his job.

[Rkk 17]

Winning this season is not a easy task, but i would rather be happy if i can see progress in youngster breaking the starting spot and change of playstyle with higher tempo game and attacking football, it would be much better than winning this season EPL.

[xjdd 11]

Yeah we stand a chance to win the league ! Though we are not as strong as our fierce rivals.

This is football , not mathmatic game , let's see who's on top by the end of the season.

[SeB 1,281]

Too be honest i like it when people write us off, it's gives us a chance to prove people wrong.

When everybody cant help talking about the marvelous strength of City or the good picks of Fergie, his young team etc... it frees some pressure for the contenders behind them. And it's also valid for Liverpool, us and Loserpool are really well placed to exploit the lack of exposure generated by the over-exposition of the 2 Manchester

[GodZola 630]

I admire Tomo's optimism makes a welcome change to the doom & gloom.

Can we win the PL? Yes, this season possibly not but I won't write us off at this stage & more importantly AVB will not either. The press & all the pundits are getting carried away with the media darlings Utd & also giving the big thumbs up to City & its easy to see why but there making that judgement on 3 games ffs! Rooney is such a key player for utd, if he gets injured then they will struggle especially away from home - like last season, City have impressed thus far & I've been a little surprised by the fact that Mancini has taken the shackles off but for how long?

AVB has quite rightly stated that he expects things to improve on the pitch once we start playing twice a week, & I am really looking forward to see Sturridge back in the side & this coupled with Mata on the other wing we will finally see a change in our playing style as AVB will give both players the license to run at the opposition, a quality we havnt really seen since the days of Robben, Duff & to lesser extent Joey Cole. Mata's cameo reminded me so much of Robben's first appearance, when he came on also as a sub against Blackburn, he ran at players with pace & skill that got fans off their seats.

That said AVB has to address our midfield if we are going to stand a chance, Ramires deserves his inclusion but super Frank or Mikel or both need to be dropped for us to improve. Meireles looks like taking one place so that leaves one up for grabs? Rotation will play a part but atleast AVB has the option to drop players when they aren't performing as the squad is slightly stronger than last season.

The pressure is most definitely off us - lets see how Utd & more so City deal with it.

[Tomo 21,751]

I admire Tomo's optimism makes a welcome change to the doom & gloom.

Can we win the PL? Yes, this season possibly not but I won't write us off at this stage & more importantly AVB will not either. The press & all the pundits are getting carried away with the media darlings Utd & also giving the big thumbs up to City & its easy to see why but there making that judgement on 3 games ffs! Rooney is such a key player for utd, if he gets injured then they will struggle especially away from home - like last season, City have impressed thus far & I've been a little surprised by the fact that Mancini has taken the shackles off but for how long?

AVB has quite rightly stated that he expects things to improve on the pitch once we start playing twice a week, & I am really looking forward to see Sturridge back in the side & this coupled with Mata on the other wing we will finally see a change in our playing style as AVB will give both players the license to run at the opposition, a quality we havnt really seen since the days of Robben, Duff & to lesser extent Joey Cole. Mata's cameo reminded me so much of Robben's first appearance, when he came on also as a sub against Blackburn, he ran at players with pace & skill that got fans off their seats.

That said AVB has to address our midfield if we are going to stand a chance, Ramires deserves his inclusion but super Frank or Mikel or both need to be dropped for us to improve. Meireles looks like taking one place so that leaves one up for grabs? Rotation will play a part but atleast AVB has the option to drop players when they aren't performing as the squad is slightly stronger than last season.

The pressure is most definitely off us - lets see how Utd & more so City deal with it.

:goodpost:

Basically summed up what im trying to say, we may have some weakness's in our teams but so do Utd and City, infact both in vital areas, United serious weak link is their goallie will he win them 15 points like VDS did? will Mancini go all out all season? i reckon City will lose more points due to managers tactics than we will and De Gea will without doubt lose United more points than Cech will lose us.

yes we may no be fav's and no it wont be easy, but we have the best young manager in the world and have streghened from last season, so putting that into concept i cannot honestly see how we can just settle for top 4, we should be aiming higher than that.

[GodZola 630]

:goodpost:

Basically summed up what im trying to say, we may have some weakness's in our teams but so do Utd and City, infact both in vital areas, United serious weak link is their goallie will he win them 15 points like VDS did? will Mancini go all out all season? i reckon City will lose more points due to managers tactics than we will and De Gea will without doubt lose United more points than Cech will lose us.

yes we may no be fav's and no it wont be easy, but we have the best young manager in the world and have streghened from last season, so putting that into concept i cannot honestly see how we can just settle for top 4, we should be aiming higher than that.

Thanks mate,

The reality is AVB will not settle for anything less than a title assault, if he did then the players will pick up on it & the standards will drop. We have to set our stall out to win it & if we fall short but have given it our best shot with attacking football I think fans & the board will accept it in what is a season of transition. I concur Tomo it won't be easy but we have to stay positive & believe, put it this way I didn't expect us to win the PL in Jose's first season but we did............

[Tomo 21,751]

Thanks mate,

The reality is AVB will not settle for anything less than a title assault, if he did then the players will pick up on it & the standards will drop. We have to set our stall out to win it & if we fall short but have given it our best shot with attacking football I think fans & the board will accept it in what is a season of transition. I concur Tomo it won't be easy but we have to stay positive & believe, put it this way I didn't expect us to win the PL in Jose's first season but we did............

Exactly and lets be honest this City and United side's are not even close to the class off the Arsenal "invincibles" that we had to overcome that year.

[GodZola 630]

Exactly and lets be honest this City and United side's are not even close to the class off the Arsenal "invincibles" that we had to overcome that year.

That's a good point about the Arse's invincible's but it could be argued that we also had a better team & a superior squad then. However like you stated nor are Utd or City anywhere near as good as that team so despite being underdogs (which is mighty fine by me) we have more than a decent chance this season - if AVB sorts out the midfield!

[eldo 868]

Still in first gear.

[Kieran. 6,317]

Sure, we CAN win it, but if you don't think that City/United are better than us then you're blind.

[Kojo 4,676]

I want improvement, i want better football than last season, we can't win the trophy because i don't think were good enough to win it. Faith is one thing but you have to be realistic, i don't think you can blame this forum for it's negativity when you take a look at our squad, Mata is the only special buy we actually made, when we should of made more. And yes it's too early for AVB who knows what might happen, i just want improvement, better football and more commitment, these last two games have just been the exact same as last season, we were hoping for change, and with only little bought and the bad games we only expected to happen, you cannot blame people for losing hope in this season, because it's been entirely what we've expected, Stoke game was a good game to be fair, we were pretty solid and deserved a result and i can let that one slip, but the West Brom game and Norwich was shocking, despite us winning both of them. But lets see where the next few games take us, however another good thread by you Tomo, i enjoy reading your threads because they host a very good debate and calm many down.

[Tomo 21,751]

Sure, we CAN win it, but if you don't think that City/United are better than us then you're blind.

The Arsenal "invincibles" were better than us when Jose came in and what happened?

[Henri 115]

Its kind of a great illusion to even think we will be champions if we a talking about preparing for the future with young player. We will NEVER

be a club which will build on young players, because our zar will never has the patience to let them grove. That doesnt has to mean we will

not win anything in the future, but the football philosophy wont change. Basicallly i`m saying. except 3-4-5 years without winning anything

(maybe) and see the youth as the future, we have bought 3-4 great players, let them integrate and stop this loan thing unless we really a hoping

they come back better/stronger and are ready to write the future. Or except us for what we are, a club with a owner who buys great players,

sometimes shitty, but we won alot and has played fantastic football so why complain?,if your not willing to go through dark hours before the sun

will shine again, instead of this solarium we are using now?.

[Rambo 1,729]

Really? Look at the calendar guys..can we talk about this in January?