how close are we to the "best"

[wasp29]

since january and our usual post xmas turnaround i have watched us play some good football and aquire a genuine goalscorer. i felt , like many , that with a couple of signings(peanuts, pacey r/w and striker cover) we would challenge the teams above us. i felt we were as good as spurs , better then newcastle and not far off arsenal and chelsea. then on saturday i saw the side directly above us win the champions league!!! it made me reassess things and think bloody hell, the team i thought we could challenge are now the best in europe. to top it off i work with a chelsea fan who thought that there 6 years of history prior to this made them a bigger club then us and since saturday i am struggling to win this argument. so does this mean i was deluding myself on how close we are to them or do we do we accept they fluked it and we are not that far apart!!

 

[Brennan]

Chelsea have a lot of big game players who played a very defensive game and came out with a win. Barcelona should have put them out in the first leg at Stamford Bridge.

I still don't think they're all that.

To answer the question, we're about 4 players away from challenging the top four.

 

[bluejock]

If we could play teams like Spurs, Newcastle, City, Chelsea... every week, we'd win the league.

Unfortunately our inability to win at home against Blackburn, QPR, Wigan.... puts us at a disadvantage

 

[Midnitemike]

Pretty far unfortunately. We lack strength in depth and a plan b.

If we kept our best 13/14 players fit all season and if Moyes developed some killer instinct that would allow us to play 2/3 up front against the smaller teams we might stand a chance of a top four finish. Sadly those are two pretty big ifs.

 

[Dutch Toffee]

Not too far apart, but at the same time lightyears away from challenging them.

 

[Brennan]

Not too far apart, but at the same time lightyears away from challenging them.

It's like a big chasm has opened up in the floor and we're on one side while the top 4 are on the other side. The gap is only a matter of metres but to get to the other side you have to walk around for miles.

So near but yet so far.

*Sob*

 

[Roztitute]

We are a couple of Sheiks away.

 

[alpha1]

A Pienaar here, a Donovan there, throw in a Jarvis and a Vossen and a dash of Dempsey and I think were there!

 

[Cena]

Trouble with Everton is, even when we are playing well, we draw at home to a Blackburn or draw away to a Wolves. Even though we are not far away from certainly Spurs, who I think we'l finish above next season if we keep our players and add Pienaar, we lack the consistency to win games when need which Chelsea, Arsenal, United, City do. The way we played the last 3 months, i honestly think we would of beat all of those at home.

We are 5-6 players i believe away, another striker or 2, I think another midfielder alongside Gibson to push Fellaini further up, someone in the mould of Parker, but not him, certainly a winger or pacey midfielder x2. Then we'd be well up there but sadly we can't just go out and buy top quality players

 

[Neiler]

We have a team injury free and a bit of luck that could be competitive for the CL so thats 6th-4th for me. I dont think we have the squad depth or quality nor the resources to improve it to better that.

As City, Utd and Chelsea have proved in recent years its about squad depth and depth in quality to be able to win the league. Utd in praticular prob one three or four titles based on squad depth rather then being the best team.

 

[Daveyg]

Statiscally Fellaini is one of the best defensive midfielders in the league,so play him there.
Defensively we were the third best team in the league behind the two teams who finished first and second,so it makes
sense to keep the players and the shape of the team that achieved this.
The signing of Pienaar is an absolute must,along with a pacy right sided midfielder.
That leaves someone to play in "the hole" which has to be Osman or Barkley,on the basis that what money we have
has gone on Pienaar and right sided midfielder(Jarvis say).
I don't think that puts us to far behind anyone other than Man city/United.

 

[BoysInBlue]

how close are we to the "best"

Very close - one place and six points behind the European Champions.

 

[Phil Neville Superstar]

Chelsea had a poor season - no doubt they'll finish much better off next year. Spurs and Newcastle, however, are certainly within our reach.

 

[I_Dan_Talisman]

We beat the best at Goodison and Lost at Eastlands. We were unlucky there, and Hibbert was immense at our place.

I dont know how City can spend again to improve substantially. Other sides might catch up significantly. And CL pressure is fatal.

 

[TX Bill]

Good question Wasp29.

I think most of the posts above have hit the nail on the head:

1) Two or three players away.
2) Inconsistent form (1st half vs. 2nd half, Home vs. Away, Record vs. Top Teams vs. Bottom Teams)
3) Moyes tactics from time to time.
4) Lack of depth that the more financially advantaged clubs have.
5) Mistakes that cost us points.

I will say this.

If we can stay away from any major injuries, add a few players (Pienaar, Donovan, Johnson, take your pick), and last but not least, START STRONG, then we have a "chance" at cracking the top four or five.