How confident do you feel for next season?

[VladimirIlyich]

Has anybody told you you’re a miserable cunt?

 

Only kidding. I’ve told you before.

First and second are top six.

[Numero Veinticinco]

First and second are top six.

Thanks for clearing that up.

[Bobby Hundreds]

First and second are top six.

Exactly. Numero is such a pessimist.

[Numero Veinticinco]

If you think we are going to finish first or second, a better way to articulate it is ‘top 2’. But, of course, you think we are going to my to finish outside the top four because you’re a miserable cunt.

[Remmie]

Chelsea went from winning the league to falling off a cliff, Leicester won it before that, so although I'm not saying that'll happen to Man City, I do think the league will throw up a few surprises. Man Utd were shite last season but still finished higher than us. Spurs could be an injury away from a poor spell of form but have been consistently strong for a few seasons now.

 

Even Arsenal have a decent attacking team and a new coach and I haven't even mentioned the mighty Everton yet.

[clangers]

Top four and injuries allowing in contention probably finishing 2nd or 3rd. Another quality attacking option is still a must, a prolonged injury to any of the front three and we'd fall back into the chasing pack. Same can be said for most of our immediate opponents bar City who could cope with the loss of a De Bruyne etc.

 

Dembele on loan would be good. Looks like we're not going for Fekir?

[Grinch]

Any of the top six could realistically finish 6th and not be all that terrible tbh. It’s more likely one or two will have a bad season but it could happen.

 

It’s a tough mini league up there.

[diamondjoe]

I don't know about winning the league but we won't ship 3 goals at Arsenal, 4 goals at Spuds, 5 goals at city or 2 at utd.

[VladimirIlyich]

Hope we win it and I am looking forward to us trying. Outside of each game though I hardly give a shit.I just enjoy the fact that football in general fills the time in and offers conversation topics. We are an excellent team to watch and considering how expensive it is to watch and the fact that we are one of very few teams who even come close offering 'value for money.'

[Bobby Hundreds]

If you think we are going to finish first or second, a better way to articulate it is ‘top 2’. But, of course, you think we are going to my to finish outside the top four because you’re a miserable cunt.

I won't argue against being a miserable cunt hence my avatar. My top 6 answer is basically me saying I do not know where the fuck we will finish. City got over 100 points last season, United where grim and finished second, Chelsea and arsenal both have new managers and both have excellent squads/first 11s. I could easily see us being in a title race or struggling for top 4.

 

Saying "top 6" was me taking the piss.

[VladimirIlyich]

It will be Klopp's first season with us where there will be real pressure on him and the team. A CL final and world record fees for signings are now going to make some demand trophies.

[Numero Veinticinco]

It will be Klopp's first season with us where there will be real pressure on him and the team. A CL final and world record fees for signings are now going to make some demand trophies.

Or what? Seriously, demands come with consequences. Win a trophy or what?

[chacha shakoor]

I genuinely think we have a chance of winning it. We've actually covered weaknesses with our signings and I'm really excited for Naby. I think he'll turn out to be world class. Sure, City still have a better squad than us but weirder things have happened.

[mgw100]

I hope and think he places sufficient pressure on himself. Don't think he gives much of a shit about anything external

[Red Hot]

I go into the new season with an open mind, we have signed on paper excellent players. Obviously there is a settling in period and they have to gel. If city make the same sort of start as last season, it will be a tall order but not impossible to top them. As for the cups depends who is in goal. The CL I feel we punched above our weight last season now expectations run high. yes we can go one better this year but its a massive achievement if we do.

[Denny Crane]

It will be Klopp's first season with us where there will be real pressure on him and the team. A CL final and world record fees for signings are now going to make some demand trophies.

I have a soft spot for Klopp and he has overachieved in his time here and I'm looking forward to the season for the first time in a while with optimism.

 

However a wise man once said if a manager doesn't win the league in his first three full seasons he never does...

[sir roger]

Even accepting that City have a fabulous squad , I think they will fall back quite considerably in the league this year. It's just human nature that you are keener to win something for the first time ( for most of the younger ones last year ) and not as desperate to retain it. Think of that patch of games where they kept pulling out last minute goals and the City crowds going berserk away to Huddersfield etc, I think the City fans & team will be more worried about the CL this year.

 

Richard Keyes' alert -- Here's an early call , City finish with 87/90 points in the Prem.

 

If they do it's game on for the other 5.

[Paul]

I don’t think the squad is good enough to win the title, honestly. Man City are fucking outrageous. I also think relying on Sturridge is folly. We are two players away from having a real crack. One of those must be in midfield and the other is CB. Could do with Werner, too.

 

City are beyond the beyond.

We wouldn’t be relying on Sturridge. We’d be relying on...

 

*Deep breath*

 

...Mo, Bobby, Mané, Naby, Virgil, Alisson, Robbo, Big Degsy, Trent, Hendo, Fabinho, Big Games James, Gini, Lallana, Shaqiri, Clyne, etc, etc.

 

I also think City, like every side that’s ever tried it, will find defending their title even harder than winning it.

 

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying we will win it; just that we very much could. Not saying this is your view at all, but I think there’s suddenly a big fat slice of City-itis amongst Reds in that they’re blasé about the business we’ve done and demanding even more as if it’s our right.

 

No doubt we could use a Fekir type, a Bobby understudy, a Matip replacement, a back up keeper and a flexible full back. However, look again at the current squad. It’s fucking sensational.

 

That squad under Klopp is potentially way better than most title winners over the last 30 years. City are/were sensational and to win the title we’d need luck with our injuries and for them to find things tougher this time. However, that’s a scenario that is the very bedrock of Premier League-winning campaigns. Pretty much every winner has benefited in that way.

[Paul]

Chelsea went from winning the league to falling off a cliff, Leicester won it before that, so although I'm not saying that'll happen to Man City, I do think the league will throw up a few surprises. Man Utd were shite last season but still finished higher than us. Spurs could be an injury away from a poor spell of form but have been consistently strong for a few seasons now.

 

Even Arsenal have a decent attacking team and a new coach and I haven't even mentioned the mighty Everton yet.

Or, “What Rem said”.

[Numero Veinticinco]

We wouldn’t be relying on Sturridge. We’d be relying on...

 

*Deep breath*

 

...Mo, Bobby, Mané, Naby, Virgil, Alisson, Robbo, Big Degsy, Trent, Hendo, Fabinho, Big Games James, Gini, Lallana, Shaqiri, Clyne, etc, etc.

 

I also think City, like every side that’s ever tried it, will find defending their title even harder than winning it.

 

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying we will win it; just that we very much could. Not saying this is your view at all, but I think there’s suddenly a big fat slice of City-itis amongst Reds in that they’re blasé about the business we’ve done and demanding even more as if it’s our right.

 

No doubt we could use a Fekir type, a Bobby understudy, a Matip replacement, a back up keeper and a flexible full back. However, look again at the current squad. It’s fucking sensational.

 

That squad under Klopp is potentially way better than most title winners over the last 30 years. City are/were sensational and to win the title we’d need luck with our injuries and for them to find things tougher this time. However, that’s a scenario that is the very bedrock of Premier League-winning campaigns. Pretty much every winner has benefited in that way.

Yeah, I agree with all of that. The issue is that I think City last season were one of the best attacking sides I’ve ever seen. They’re a league winning machine I reckon. That’s not to say we can’t win it. We can and we have a brilliant squad. I feel we are a bit like Andy Murray or Djokovic at their best, which is utterly brilliant, but our walks deter at his best. They can win but... you know, Federer will probably win.

 

I think the cups is where we might get the most return. We’ve been so close to the league but it’s making me sick. Year in and year out... I just want ya to fucking win the fucker.

[Paul]

Yeah, I agree with all of that. The issue is that I think City last season were one of the best attacking sides I’ve ever seen. They’re a league winning machine I reckon. That’s not to say we can’t win it. We can and we have a brilliant squad. I feel we are a bit like Andy Murray or Djokovic at their best, which is utterly brilliant, but our walks deter at his best. They can win but... you know, Federer will probably win.

 

I think the cups is where we might get the most return. We’ve been so close to the league but it’s making me sick. Year in and year out... I just want ya to fucking win the fucker.

I guess my optimism comes from the specific signings we’ve made and how they’ll help us improve.

 

Shaqiri obviously gives us the ability to rotate up front. So, assuming he hits the ground running, that’s less an improvement signing than a signing to ensure we maintain the tempo we need in a title race.

 

Arguably Fabinho is the same in that he’s an alternative to Hendo. Even if he proves to be better in that role, I think the margins won’t be huge. But again, that’s a really important signing to make if we want to win the league as there’s little or no drop off when we rotate.

 

However, without dismissing the potentially crucial importance of those two, it’s in the signings of Naby and Alisson where our game can push on as a team - and at both ends of the pitch.

 

If Klopp’s plan is to pin teams in their own half - either with or without the ball - and attack or counter press and then attack, then these two will make us much better at it, in my view.

 

Naby’s recovery pace in combination with his aggression and stamina will be a significant barrier to being hit on the break at pace when we’ve got ten men in the opposition half. Couple that with Alisson’s ability to sweep and then redistribute at a much higher level than any keeper we’ve had before, then I think that marks a massive step up in quality.

 

Furthermore though, Alisson’s ability to hit laser-like precision passes to the forwards will see us hurt the best sides on the break with Mo and Mané especially thriving off that tactic. Naby, meanwhile, with his brilliant pinged through ball, dribbling ability and pace from a standing start will massively help us against parked bus defences - which is where Sturridge could help too, not least in his burgeoning link up with Keita. In 13/14 he was fantastic at opening up those types of teams; plus he won us plenty of free kicks and penalties by drawing fouls.

 

In short, these four new players will make us far more consistent at what we’re already good at, but will also negate weaknesses and add new dimensions to our game.

 

Klopp is brilliant at lots of things, but the one that has truly transformed us in my opinion is his ability to know exactly which qualities he needs in a player to improve us and then harnessing that when he signs.

 

I reckon we’re going to be unreal this season. Admittedly that still might not be enough, but I reckon it’ll get us pretty fucking close and it’ll be amazing to watch. I can’t wait to get back to Anfield in a couple of weeks.

[VladimirIlyich]

Or what? Seriously, demands come with consequences. Win a trophy or what?

Idiot fans can often put managers jobs under pressure,not that it's what will happen here I dont reckon, but we will have to start winning trophies very soon,and why not? Personally,I'd take a League Cup or FA Cup just to get started but a title or CL would be fantastic. The owners may consider top four every year a success but winning stuff is what football at the top level is all about.

[scudger99]

I have a soft spot for Klopp and he has overachieved in his time here and I'm looking forward to the season for the first time in a while with optimism.

 

However a wise man once said if a manager doesn't win the league in his first three full seasons he never does...

Had that wise man ever heard of Alex Ferguson ?

[Guest]

However a wise man once said if a manager doesn't win the league in his first three full seasons he never does...

He wasn't that wise as Man Utd appointed Ferguson in 1986 and he won his first league title in 1992-93.

[Greycellgreen]

If we don’t win trophies but continue to compete I doubt Klopp will be under any real pressure from those that determine whether he has a job or not, purely because there is nobody in world football that is as suited to this football club. Where would we turn after him ?

 

The league, and subsequently the domestic competitions, are ridiculously competitive now. There are six quality sides in the league, there used to be three, four max, four of them have ridiculous spending power so I’m not sure buying the league is an option anymore. Finishing in the top four is an achievement when Arsenal and Chelsea don’t make it, two big sides will fail this coming season. We know our way around Europe better than most, I think that’ll be our best shot at a pot.

 

Once we aren’t competitive questions should be asked.