Who will be the challengers?

[dee]

Just had a nosey on redcafe and there are multiple posts asserting definitely top4 and a few posters watching the game last night are convinced Man Utd will place higher than us. Given they ended up 8th last season and so far have changed very little squad-wise I fail to see the source of the optimism.

Which got me thinking. What's gone on at the other potential challengers that could have then join us, City and Arsenal at the 'top table'

Man Utd

Sold one rapist for a decent wedge (+sell on %) and finally off loaded van den Beek for a fee. They also lost Varane out of contract. Currently two significant buys; Zirkzee, a CF/'10', and Yoro, an 18 yo CB who is already crocked for 3 months+. Rumoured to be after a DCM to replace Casemiro (Ugarte?) and another CB (De Light), they are trying to offload Wan-Bisaka and McTominay to fund. For now, they haven't found anyone stupid enough to even loan Anthony out to.

With Onana remains first choice, the current CBs and DM complement not being top4 quality and Ten Hag still playing a suicidal high line I can't see them making much of a move. I'd imagine top6 if they bin off Ten Hag at Xmas. If only they'd stop signing dutch players/ dutch league players 🙂

Newcastle

Have made Lewis Hall loan permanent (I think they had to) and brought in a back-up keeper and Lloyd Kelly from Bournemouth. They balanced the books by selling off some random and Minteh. The positive here is they they'll be ok for FFP and they've kept their better players.

Last season it was mainly injuries that saw them failing to challenge. I think they'll be much closer this season

Villa

Big money being splashed about by Villa which may fuck them in the FFP reckoning. They also have to cope with being in the Champions League. They've brought in Archer, Maarten, Onnanna (the good one) and bought back Jaden Philogene. They've also picked up Ross Barkley after his decent season with Luton. With only Diaby and Douglas Luis leaving they have definitely improved their squad

UCL will slow them down a bit but they should be giving it another good go this season. Could be a challenger for top3

Chelsea

New manager and, as usual, a lot of transfer dealings.Whilst Dewsbury-Hall, Adarabioyo and Guiu are well known the other incomers are not household names to me at least (Veiga, Willian & Jorgensen). It seems Chelsea have done the usual cheque book waving in the hope that at least a couple will be amazing.

Hard to say what will happen with this bunch. They are such a patchwork quilt of a squad. Maybe Maresco can make something of them but it's hard to see how

Spurs

Werner in on loan and Archie Gray bought in from Leeds. Dier and Homburg out.

Ange will give it another good go but I'm not expecting much change. Dreamy will have them in the top 3 but no-one else



To sum up I'm expecting Newcastle and Villa to be the closest challengers to the top 3

 

[peterhague]

Can't see Utd doing much given they somehow forgot to sack the manager.

Villa will depend on adaptation to the CL. Spurs and Chelsea most likely to challenge I'd have thought, but the latter are such a basket case you just expect them to fuck up, somehow.

 

[dee]

Oops forgot Spurs - will need to edit that in

 

[Champ]

Is West Ham not in the picture? They seem to have been encouraged by their position at the end of last season. They have spent a bit in the preseason. I think they intend to be closer to the top 6.

 

[dee]

Is West Ham not in the picture? They seem to have been encouraged by their position at the end of last season. They have spent a bit in the preseason. I think they intend to be closer to the top 6.

They finished a long way off United last season. No I don't think they will be challenging us, City and Arsenal this season

 

[Squiggles]

Villa have boosted numbers wise, predictably so as they have CL to contend with, but none of the signings are close to as proven as thekr departures. Luiz and Diaby were terrific for them.

The scrap between Villa, Newcastle, Spurs and United will be interesting. Newcastle will be my favourites for fourth. They have held into their best players, they surely won't be as injured this year, and importantly they have no Europe to contend with.

I think City, Arsenal and Liverpool will be clear of the chasing back again. Chelsea will be shite and it will be as funny as ever.

 

[rurikbird]

I think Villa will struggle - Douglas Luiz was a key player for them and CL usually hits first-timers hard. No chance of a top-4 place, possibly outside the top 6 too.

 

[Brizzle]

Villa will fall away due to CL.

I would have said Chelsea if they’d kept Poch.

I think Newcastle could be the main contenders. Not convinced Spurs will get any consistency now they’ve sold Hojberg

 

[StevieM]

Villa will fall away due to CL.

I would have said Chelsea if they’d kept Poch.

I think Newcastle could be the main contenders. Not convinced Spurs will get any consistency now they’ve sold Hojberg

Surely casting off the “Curse of Kane” has to pay dividends for Spurs at some point - maybe we can lend them the League Cup for a year.

 

[Dreambeliever]

Should be an interesting season.

Newcastle look best placed. Spurs with Solanke should improve too. Villa on paper should struggle but we’ve underestimated them too much already with the new manager.

 

[Hyena]

Think Villa and Spurs will be major contenders this season. They seem to have a plan at least.

 

[Judge Jules]

Villa again for me. I expect them to cope OK with the extra demands arising from the CL given Unai Enema's knowhow in European competition.

 

[Buddha]

I think folk are overrating Villa…an excellent season last year but it’s a whole different ball game to compete with Champions league / Europa League (From Feb onwards possibly) demands.

 

[Judge Jules]

It is, but Emery's a master at striking that balance. Look at his record with Sevilla.

 

[moron]

I will be honest with you - I think we have it in us to be challengers on multiple fronts - and I include CL in that, and realistically we along with Man City are the only challengers to Real Madrid. The one thing we have as an advantage from last season is that our overall defensive shape is better, and the attack is actually just as potent as it as last season. However, the lack of a midfielder DM will mean that we could be the first to fall out of any title challenge in the same way as last season - although I expect fewer injuries as we won't be using our midfielders as pressing racing dogs like we did under Klopp.