What would be a successful season?

[victoryismine]

First of all, I am not sure if this has already been posted, I apologise in advance if it has.

Obviously, everyone wants to win the league mostly and probably would prefer that to the Champions League. Personally though, I don't think we have the team this year to beat Chelsea. We have a pretty good team, as we did have 83 points last year and that would win the league in a lot of seasons. If we get the same amount of points this year, I think it would be a good performance. However, if Chelsea get 91 points like last year or 95 the year before, I think you would have to hold your hand up and say well played. What I would like is that they don't put in some of the embarassing performances like the 0-0 against Sunderland.

So if we can do the following, I would be happy:

- Push Chelsea reasonable close
- Win the FA Cup (I really don't think the League Cup is worth much)
- Have a decent run in Europe, quarterfinals at least, because let's face it, we need the money. Two consecutive major failures in Europe won't be nice on the bank account.
- And also, I would like them to play attacking football. They did that last year more so than in 2004/2005 and I would hope for even more. We don't have the players for a 1-0 result and I say bring on the 4-3 wins.

Of course, if they manage to win the league, that would be great.

[Sky Sports 1]

I think Chelsea will struggle a little more this year, all the top 5 are strengthening to raise their bar to Chelsea's standard, if we can get the amount of points we did last season, if not top we'll be near.

As for the Champs league, we have kind of mixed experience going through the squad.. I'm always disappointed when we do go out but if we get quarter's or further i won't be overly disappointed after the last few seasons in Europe.

With Saha up top instead of Ruud we play much more attacking and drive forward together, with an actual midfield this season we should be pretty deadly in Europe.

If anyone remembers our lineups walking out in a few must win games last season in Europe, we shouldn't have a problem if the injuries stay away, something which Chelsea have had luck with.

As for the cups, they just seem to be consolation prizes the last few seasons, we can't win at the top level, but the one people aren't so bothered about we excel...

#unitedbanner#

[Busby Boy]

Winning a trophy always signals a succesful season, one of the big three would show success as well as winning the title/pushing Chelsea all the way and seeing a massive improvement in Europe.

[Red Yank]

Attacking football is great so I'm all for that, but I'd rather 4-1 score lines than 4-3...I think our defense is pretty good so we should be ok in that regard. What's going to be important for us is consistency so that we can push Chelsea until the very end. As for Europe it might be a bit too early to think we're going to win the CL as we don't seem to have the kind of team that can take it all the way, but I think that we will get beyond the group stage and a quarter final appearance would be good.

[missunited]

Firstly, let me just say this is a very good idea thread.

Now lets start disagreeing with the one who started it

We have got a very good chance of winning the league. Us winning the league has got nothing to do with Chelsea, it's got to do with our performance, which at the beginning of last season was poor. Had we done better at the beginning of last season, we would have won the league. Also considering that we got to second despite our injuries and the loss of our captain, is a much better achievement than winning the league without any injuries and with 22 first team players.

We got that close last season without strenghtening the squad. Imagine what we can do with a couple of new additions.

*starts singing again*
We're winning the premiership... this year at stamford bridge..

I have got every faith we can do it

[redom]

well a SUCCESSFUL season would be:

• winning the prem
  
• a good european campaign,semis at least considering the reduced competition, last seasons failings and squad additions (that WILL happen)
  
• solid runs in both cups with at least one ending up in a final

might sound ambitious but you did ask for a successful season ;D

[unitedinhardcore]

a successful season for me would be getting the signings we (the club, not the fans) want and bedding them in whilst keeping second.

out of the group stages of the champs league coz last year hurt

if we're lucky with injuries then i want us pushing chelsea all the way

it's not much but i want us to be a fuller team than last year ready to go on and dominate
ask me what i want for the next five years and then you'll see optimism!

[chiff]

missunited said:

Firstly, let me just say this is a very good idea thread.

Now lets start disagreeing with the one who started it

We have got a very good chance of winning the league. Us winning the league has got nothing to do with Chelsea, it's got to do with our performance, which at the beginning of last season was poor. Had we done better at the beginning of last season, we would have won the league. Also considering that we got to second despite our injuries and the loss of our captain, is a much better achievement than winning the league without any injuries and with 22 first team players.

We got that close last season without strenghtening the squad. Imagine what we can do with a couple of new additions.

*starts singing again*
We're winning the premiership... this year at stamford bridge..

I have got every faith we can do it

Very plausible argument except that last season Chelsea really did turn in an exceptional number of results. It was very discouraging to see their consistency, especially when we put in such a brilliant run. The way they pounded us at SB did show that there was a hell of a gap which we bravely have put down to "poor start" and "failure to beat inferior opposition".
Now so far how have we improved?
1) The Saha forward line looks a lot better than the Ruud Line so we could start scoring sooner
2) Ruud and Ronny(?) in particular are one year more experienced
3) Even if we have a bad time with injuries, we have plenty of cover in defence. In particular we have three good central defenders and good cover at Left Back. Possibly a bit weak with cover for Gary but Bardsley does seem to be getting better
4) Three or four youngsters almost ready.
5) Long term injuries back

BUT
1) Scholes, Giggs and Ole another year older and less likely to provide top class consistently through a long season
2) Without signings, midfield is pretty lightweight
3) Still not sure about Ronny

On the whole the balance says "better" particularly if the promised midfielder arrives. Against this we have a team that has been strengthened significantly. Arguably two top class midfielders, one world class, and another world class striker have been added amongst others. A weakness perceived at left back and they're on their way and soon one of two top class players will magic their way in smoothed no doubt by masses of Roubles. They have detected weak players in the squad and ................off they go. Make no mistake, if we think there's pressure on Fergie -JOMO's under a lot more. No CL this season and I reckon he's on his bike and therefore the Prem will be treated as his No 2. He's won it twice. Next one is the big one, the CL

So you could be right. Logic says that a team that won it last year and has been strengthened significantly should walk it. BUT they might just implode. Look what a prat Jomo made of himself after the Barca defeat. And he's got to get this lot to blend. If we thought there was a problem with Gerrard and Fat Frank, think what it's going to be like with Ballack and Frankie. IF we can set off running and they don't there could be a few toys around from the Chelsea pram. THe question is will we start OK?

[Sky Sports 1]

missunited said:

Us winning the league has got nothing to do with Chelsea, it's got to do with our performance, which at the beginning of last season was poor.

So true #thumb#
..which is why i honestly believe the fixtures favour us hugely, we're playing the top teams at Home during the first half of the season, the time when we do worst usually.

Although our form ended up better away from home last season, against the big teams at OT, we usually put in a solid performance such as beating Liverpool and Chelsea at home last season. If we get a good start, beat these teams at home then get into full swing during the second half of the season with some of the dare i say it 'lesser' teams at home... We stand such a good chance in the Premiership.

[Sky Sports 1]

chiff said:

missunited said:

Firstly, let me just say this is a very good idea thread.

Now lets start disagreeing with the one who started it

We have got a very good chance of winning the league. Us winning the league has got nothing to do with Chelsea, it's got to do with our performance, which at the beginning of last season was poor. Had we done better at the beginning of last season, we would have won the league. Also considering that we got to second despite our injuries and the loss of our captain, is a much better achievement than winning the league without any injuries and with 22 first team players.

We got that close last season without strenghtening the squad. Imagine what we can do with a couple of new additions.

*starts singing again*
We're winning the premiership... this year at stamford bridge..

I have got every faith we can do it

Very plausible argument except that last season Chelsea really did turn in an exceptional number of results. It was very discouraging to see their consistency, especially when we put in such a brilliant run. The way they pounded us at SB did show that there was a hell of a gap which we bravely have put down to "poor start" and "failure to beat inferior opposition".
Now so far how have we improved?
1) The Saha forward line looks a lot better than the Ruud Line so we could start scoring sooner
2) Ruud and Ronny(?) in particular are one year more experienced
3) Even if we have a bad time with injuries, we have plenty of cover in defence. In particular we have three good central defenders and good cover at Left Back. Possibly a bit weak with cover for Gary but Bardsley does seem to be getting better
4) Three or four youngsters almost ready.
5) Long term injuries back

BUT
1) Scholes, Giggs and Ole another year older and less likely to provide top class consistently through a long season
2) Without signings, midfield is pretty lightweight
3) Still not sure about Ronny

On the whole the balance says "better" particularly if the promised midfielder arrives. Against this we have a team that has been strengthened significantly. Arguably two top class midfielders, one world class, and another world class striker have been added amongst others. A weakness perceived at left back and they're on their way and soon one of two top class players will magic their way in smoothed no doubt by masses of Roubles. They have detected weak players in the squad and ................off they go. Make no mistake, if we think there's pressure on Fergie -JOMO's under a lot more. No CL this season and I reckon he's on his bike and therefore the Prem will be treated as his No 2. He's won it twice. Next one is the big one, the CL

So you could be right. Logic says that a team that won it last year and has been strengthened significantly should walk it. BUT they might just implode. Look what a prat Jomo made of himself after the Barca defeat. And he's got to get this lot to blend. If we thought there was a problem with Gerrard and Fat Frank, think what it's going to be like with Ballack and Frankie. IF we can set off running and they don't there could be a few toys around from the Chelsea pram. THe question is will we start OK?

Been pretty much looking at it the same as you Chiff, one or two things i will add are that Chelsea haven't really been tested with long term injuries yet to important players. Whereas we lost Scholes and Keane (not through injury but lost..) as well as gabby, they only really lost Bridge who was on loan and possibly Robben for a little?

I'm just thinking if they get injuries to one or two key players how will they hold up then.

As has been mentioned a lot look at how we finished the season in central midfield, not only do we now have Scholes back but Giggs can go back out left, which is something people forget about..

Giggs usually provides great service to the strikers and the 10 or so goals a season from that side we've missed this season.

So strengthen the midfield, it really can't be much worse than before, world class players though will give Rooney and Ronny something to really play off. Depending on the signings we have a strong chance.

[victoryismine]

I noticed a lot of people mentioning injuries and that is another reason why I don't think we will win the league. Chelsea have so many world class players that even if their entire first 11 was injured, they can still put out a very good team. Whereas, we might be forced to play the likes of Bardsley, Fletcher and not even sure who our backup keeper would be with Howard and Foster on loan (do those agreements allow for calling them back immediately?).

Also with regards to Jose Mourinho, whatever people say about him, and he does tend to whine a lot but, you can't argue with his record. He had to take all those stars and make them play as a team and he did. Also even before Chelsea, he did win the Champions League with Porto (although they were a bit lucky in the 2nd leg against us ), where he surely didn't have the same funding.

If we do get Torres and Carrick (although I personally hope for Hargreaves) we could give it a decent go. But while it's technically possible for us to lose home and away to Chelsea and still get 108 points against the other clubs, it's not likely I don't think.

If Chelsea get 90 points again, I think that would be very difficult to beat. What we have to do is make sure we don't let them win it by getting 79 points or something because we only got 71.

[chiff]

No it's true about injuries but don't forget he did a lot of swapping when he saw a potential loss of form. I know it's not the same when you lose a player through injury for a season as it is through kicking a "superstar" out of the team because he's gone off , but he's got the players to do it. But you can't keep doing it. Hence Duff on his way.
JoMo is, despite his gob, an incredibly good manager. He fiddles about fine tuning and when he sees a problem he sorts it like when he made two or three subs after 35 mins. But he's never been really tested and when he was briefly at the end of the season when the gap really narrowed and they weren't winning, he didn't look half as good. He has a major, major problem looming. Mr Ballack is nobody's no 2. He is the star and he wants that recognition. Big club as they are, he was allowed to be just that at Munich. Now Jomo has to allow this aomewhat at SB to get the best out of him and if he does, and I pray he does, then last years "team" are not going to like it.
I really do feel that as Miss U said that we COULD give them a hell of a fight this year. We'd need to be 5 or 6 points clear by Christmas and to do that we have to start like bloody greyhounds. Our players haven't exactly had a stressful summer and one in particular might like to show us the great player he might be if he stops playing silly buggers. Signings, and the time it takes them to fit in (or dominate if need be) will be vital too. Hence my repeated moanings about the delays. In one way it wouldn't have mattered had we signed them any earlier because as, presumably, WC players, they wouldn't have been back yet anyway. It's just that knowing your squad and its strengths would enable you to be planning your campaign sooner. I mean, and this is a silly example I HOPE, if you were planning to buy Crouch, you'd be wanting to perhaps look at playing Ronny wider and that would mean that you'd need a harder tackler in midfield on his side. Strategically we presumably don't know how we're going to use Rooney yet. Get Torres and he plays farther back than he would if we didn't sign another striker. Anyway let's see.

[missunited]

I have been typing so much the letters on my keyboard has faded

I've repeated my points so many times that the only thing I am going to say about the premiership is, that I think we have every chance of winning it.

[keano16]

It would have been a very different season had Lampard been out for the length of time Sholes was injured.

You cannot win a football match on paper, it's won on the field, but comparing what could be our full strength starting line-ups for next season;

VAN DER SAR --- CECH
NEVILLE --- GALLAS
FERDINAND --- CARVALHO
VIDIC --- TERRY
HEINZE --- DEL HORNO
RONALDO --- ROBBEN
O’SHEA --- BALLACK
SCHOLES --- LAMPARD
GIGGS --- COLE
SAHA --- DROGBA
ROONEY --- SHEVCHENKO

[/b]

Our line-up is very strong. If we can get a natural defensive midfielder like Hargreaves or Carrick, we'll be even better.

Obviously, there are one or two players who cannot be compared ie O'Shea and Ballack, as O'Shea is more of a defensive man, while Ballack is an attacker and I don't think it's fair to compare Rooney and Shevchenko as Rooney is more of a creater, and Shevchenko is the finisher.

I think at least half of our XI betters Chelsea's XI. I think Vidic is going to be better this season, but Terry is better at the moment, and Ballack is 'better' than O'Shea.

But like I said, that is on paper, you cannot win a football match just on paper, you must win on the field. I'm confident we can do that. Bring in Carrick or Hargreaves (my dream is Gatusso, but I feel we're going to have to make do with Carrick or Hargreaves.) We'll rock this season.





.

[vainredbugger]

I think, on the premise that we are a team in rebuilding, a successful season for us would be to improve on last year's performance in general.

By that, i mean that they if we get further than we did last year in CL, more points in the EPL, concede less goals, play better against the Sunderlands, win at least the Carling Cup again.

In all fairness, we did well last season considering we were supposed to be crap in midfield. So i think that this season if we can at least improve on last season, that should be applauded by the fans.

Also, i seem to get the impression that many of our own fans are writing our chances off even before a ball is kicked for the EPL. C'mon, we gotta believe in the team. Anything can happen in football and our chances are as good as Chelsea's. It is especially important for the fans to remain upbeat, that spirit is going to be the last bastion of United if the worst case happens.