Summer Transfer Window 2020

[Naitch]

As great as this (last?) season's Liverpool team is/was, and as strongly I think Chelsea have performed in the transfer market so far, you have to doubt that any team other than Man City can win the 20/21 Premier League title.

[Gazz]

Because they've signed one centreback and a replacement for Sane? I'm fairly confident in saying that the team that has scored 97 and 99pts over the last two seasons will be in with a shout, at the very least.

Chelsea will be nowhere near either of them until they invest heavily in their defence.

[Colly]

They are all the bookies favourites though.

[Gazz]

If enough people put enough money on them, Fulham would be the bookies favourites.

[DavidMarrio]

1 hour ago, Naitch said:

As great as this (last?) season's Liverpool team is/was, and as strongly I think Chelsea have performed in the transfer market so far, you have to doubt that any team other than Man City can win the 20/21 Premier League title.

That's what people said this season about who can topple the almighty Man City....

The only way I'd say yeh City are gonna blow the league away is if they significantly boosted the team. Ake isn't a world class centre back yet and isn't gonna fix their defensive issues. Replacing Sane with another winger

Chelsea; impressive signings in terms of attack but it'll be a question of can they inbed into the team right away. What about your defensive problems. What about in goal?  There's still areas to sort out. I've said it before but I can see next season being Rodgers Liverpool 13/14 but can it push them towards the title? 

Man Utd are looking more impressive since lockdown but they still need strengthening to bridge the gap there currently is. Fleshing out certain areas of the squad and bringing in fresh faces should do them wonders (hope it doesn't) 

Arsenal are a weird one in that they've got some good youngsters, a smatter of good players and some bang average players rounding off the team. They should be doing better than they are but I do see similarities with us and them if they can get behind Arteta and have the right recruitment 

Tottenham I just don't think Mourinho is the guy for them and I do think they're at a bit of a cross roads with certain players and positions. They need to be looking long term and not short term. 

[Naitch]

42 minutes ago, Gazz said:

Because they've signed one centreback and a replacement for Sane? I'm fairly confident in saying that the team that has scored 97 and 99pts over the last two seasons will be in with a shout, at the very least.

Chelsea will be nowhere near either of them until they invest heavily in their defence.

Because they already have a strong team and can afford to invest in strengthening it. Liverpool have the strong team but can they afford to spend £42m on a backup player?

[Gazz]

Probably, if they really wanted to.

The notion of Ake as a 'backup player' is nonsense too. He's clear second choice behind Laporte, but ahead of Otamendi (lack of pace), Stones (crocked liability) and Garcia (teenager) in the centre back pecking order. The biggest actual threat to Ake's starting place is if Pep plays Walker at CB ahead of him because Walker is right-footed.

[DavidMarrio]

16 minutes ago, Gazz said:

Probably, if they really wanted to.

The notion of Ake as a 'backup player' is nonsense too. He's clear second choice behind Laporte, but ahead of Otamendi (lack of pace), Stones (crocked liability) and Garcia (teenager) in the centre back pecking order. The biggest actual threat to Ake's starting place is if Pep plays Walker at CB ahead of him because Walker is right-footed.

Lack of a brain is a key feature with Otamendi and Stones. 

[Adam]

Got to agree with Gazz, why are City suddenly expected to improve on the 20+ point deficit they had to Liverpool this season? Ake will probably start I'd say, he's exactly the style of defender Guardiola likes and will probably work well alongside Laporte, but I'm not convinced it's enough to bring them back to the levels Kompany had that back four at. Question mark over the full back slots for me, an area which is infinitely weaker than Liverpool's, plus they've now lost David Silva and Aguero is a year closer to the end of the road.

Foden looks great but surely people don't think he's going to match Silva's output this early in his career? I see issues up and down that City squad and if anything, teams behind may be able to catch them with good recruitment.

[gunnar hendershow]

The one thing City has in their favor is I feel they're a bit deeper in the squad than Liverpool. Players are going to probably feel the grind a bit more of this upcoming season coupled with the sprint to finish the last one. They may have the luxury to keep their legs a little fresher.

Hard for me to see the top four changing at all from this past season (though Spurs have frankly been doing well under Mourinho), but if I were to make a bet on it Liverpool will repeat but City will make up at least half the points deficit from this season.

[TCO]

42 minutes ago, Gazz said:

Probably, if they really wanted to.

The notion of Ake as a 'backup player' is nonsense too. He's clear second choice behind Laporte, but ahead of Otamendi (lack of pace), Stones (crocked liability) and Garcia (teenager) in the centre back pecking order. The biggest actual threat to Ake's starting place is if Pep plays Walker at CB ahead of him because Walker is right-footed.

I don't see Pep consistenly playing two left-footed centre backs together really. Ake will get plenty of game time between centre back and left back.

I could be wrong but I don't think he'll be playing alongside Laporte and Man City will certainly sign another big name, right-footed centre back.

[Baddar]

Liverpool won't reach the points total they got this season. We're taking 6 points off them, for a start. 👀

Pep has said Eric Garcia wants to join Barca. 

[Marcos]

Man City's performance next season depends massively on whether they can keep Laporte fit or not.  If you look at the performance when Laporte is in the team vs. not in the team the difference is huge.  Laporte is more important to Man City than Van Dijk is to Liverpool and if he stays fit for the full season, Man City will win the league.  

[The Lusophone]

I think Liverpool win the title again next season to be honest. They should buy a couple of rotational players to ensure the squad is still fresh and doesn't run themselves into the ground like Klopp's Dortmund did, but if they do that they'll probably win the league, with probably less points than this year. I imagine the rest of the top three will be closer together - and I think Man City are more likely to finish 3rd than they are 1st.

Neither Arsenal or Spurs will seriously trouble the top 4 teams and I'll go out on a limb and say at least one of them finishes below a Leeds side that surprises every one and finishes 8th.

[Colly]

1 hour ago, TCO said:

I don't see Pep consistenly playing two left-footed centre backs together really. Ake will get plenty of game time between centre back and left back.

I could be wrong but I don't think he'll be playing alongside Laporte and Man City will certainly sign another big name, right-footed centre back.

This is a terminally silly question, but is playing two left footed centre halfs an issue? I have no daataaa but I'd imagine there are plenty of sides playing two righties? 

[FLiam]

Aubmaeyang is reportedly close to signing a contract extension. That's good news.

[METALMAN]

No team playing two left-footed centre-backs has won the league since 1923, and the average distance run before passing of left-footed centre-back pairings is 22% below the average.

[Colly]

Can you express that in xA?

[Gazz]

0.3 recurring

[DavidMarrio]

2 hours ago, MadJack said:

I think Liverpool win the title again next season to be honest. They should buy a couple of rotational players to ensure the squad is still fresh and doesn't run themselves into the ground like Klopp's Dortmund did, but if they do that they'll probably win the league, with probably less points than this year. I imagine the rest of the top three will be closer together - and I think Man City are more likely to finish 3rd than they are 1st.

Neither Arsenal or Spurs will seriously trouble the top 4 teams and I'll go out on a limb and say at least one of them finishes below a Leeds side that surprises every one and finishes 8th.

This is the thing we really need. We just need better quality in certain areas such as up front. I don't think we can go here's 40mil for a player to predominately sit on the bench but we need better options than Origi. 

Apparently we have bid for Jamal Lewis from Norwich who would be decent cover at left back. Curious what we'll do at centre back with Lovren going and Matip although he played well this season he had so many injuries. 

Be interested to see what we do with our players we loaned out like Wilson, Grujic etc.