How far are we from Champions League?

[Zatara]

I forgot DCL.

Deulofeu and Galloway. Get real do you think Koeman rates them? They will probably be sold soon. Besic is a sicknote like Gibson. Bolasie is on long term recovery and could miss half of season.

Besic wont be sold as hes been out for so long and koeman will want to see him first. Bolasie was a koeman signing so will be here after his injury and beyond.

We wont know about Deulofeu or Galloway until the summer...if they go then they would be replaced...

 

[macdog]

We could also use a winning anywhere anytime attitude. The Spurs match was a shocker.

 

[hallamblue]

Don't forget Koeman rebuilt Southampton quickly. He won't mind getting 6 or 7 players in.

 

[Cels]

Which one of the top four clubs are we going to be good enough to dislodge to achieve Champions League Football? We are not the only Club with cash to spend; and all the players on the market are also available to the more established European qualifying clubs... not just us. It's not as simple as "we have money, we buy top players, we win trophies and qualify for Champions League". That said, three more seasons should do the trick

 

[Groucho]

Three or four years if we have good transfer windows.

 

[bluestevon]

After Lukaku 'demanding' that he wants Champions League, I was thinking "how far are we from a Champions league side?"

If we use the current 4-3-2-1 system, then add in the players from our current squad who could get us there next season...where do we actually need to strengthen at a minimum?

.................................GK

Coleman.....Williams.......LCB...........LB

..........RCM...........Gana.....Schneiderlin

.......................Barkley......AM

..............................Lukaku

Rotation
Robles GK
Holgate RB/RCB
Galloway LB/LCB
Baines LB
McCarthy DM
Davies CM
Besic CM
Lookman AM
Deulofeu AM
Bolasie AM
Calvert-Lewin FW

I feel that we need to ideally have 2 teams to make up the squad and we are quite close to having a very good 1st eleven and also players to come in on a rotation basis.

GK -- Robles has done very well but top keepers win leagues. See the difference in quality between Robles and Martyn/Southall.

LCB -- I think Williams is a better player than he has shown for us this season. Could it be that when played with Jags(past it), Mori(erratic) and Holgate(young) hes not showing his quality? Time to bring in a top LCB or move Williams there (where he plays for Wales) and bring in a RCB.

LB - Ive been in awe of Baines and was delighted when we signed him from Wigan. It appears that age has caught him up as well as niggling fitness issues. We need a younger version with Baines mentoring him.

RCM - I'm big on youth but feel that we need a superstar in central midfield. Davies can rotate in/out but i think we need a true powerhouse central midfielder.

AM - Basically, we need a superstar attacking midfielder/second striker/support forward to link with Barkley and Lukaku.

CF - Obviously we need someone who can rotate or back up Lukaku.


I dont think were far off now. 6 players more as a minimim and I think we have a Champions League quality side.

With TV money/player sales(see below) we could do it...now over to Walsh!

Outs
Jagielka
Kone
Mirallas
Lennon
Barry
Valencia
Stekelenburg
Mori
Garbutt

How far off do you think we are?

How far off?

Depends how you measure it mate, in terms of strength of the squad - at least a couple of key players off (top class centre back and a top class creative player) and at least 2-3 players as good as what we already have in certain positions

In terms of the actual situation, we are as close as turning around 1 or two results over the season, score a late winner at Goodison over the rs instead of conceding we'd be 2 points away from 4th, throw in a win instead of lose against Bournemouth and we'd be in the top 4, small margins at this level, ofc the exact same thing could be said about every single team above us and certain games.

The old adage of the table doesn't lie is true, we are where we are, we are 3 places and 8 points away from the CL mate.

 

[ToffeeTim]

A top creative player. 2 top centre halves. A goalkeeper. A left back.

Probably about 150m

 

[ToffeeTim]

Three or four years if we have good transfer windows.

Absolutely no reason we can't challenge sooner than that if the board are shrewd and the old regime are binned off

 

[bluestevon]

Three or four years if we have good transfer windows.

Not even that mate, it's about getting the balance of the squad right with players who compliment each other more than any timetable of being able to do it, yes we need clearly 2-3 quality players, a cb, a creative type and someone with genuine pace - all top quality and who are consistent.

It's why United are where they are, individually they have a very good squad of players, but they don't compliment each other in the slightest.

 

[vintage-toffees]

Not as many as you would imagine to scrape a 4th place

But the players with the ability to keep us in it consistently are light years away sadly

 

[Zatara]

How far off?

Depends how you measure it mate, in terms of strength of the squad - at least a couple of key players off (top class centre back and a top class creative player) and at least 2-3 players as good as what we already have in certain positions

In terms of the actual situation, we are as close as turning around 1 or two results over the season, score a late winner at Goodison over the rs instead of conceding we'd be 2 points away from 4th, throw in a win instead of lose against Bournemouth and we'd be in the top 4, small margins at this level, ofc the exact same thing could be said about every single team above us and certain games.

The old adage of the table doesn't lie is true, we are where we are, we are 3 places and 8 points away from the CL mate.

Yeah, a bit more luck here and there and we would have more pts on the board but like you say, it should even out over the season.

I think the 'top class centre back' and the 'top class creative midfielder' are necessities. Lets say one replaces Mori and the other replaces Mirallas.

Dont you think we are still short in talent in CM (Davies is still young) and left back (baines is ageing)?

Also what if lukaku is out for any games...

 

[matty1878]

About 400 million and 10 players away now lukaku is of.

 

[Zatara]

A top creative player. 2 top centre halves. A goalkeeper. A left back.

Probably about 150m

For 2 really top centre backs such as Koulibaly and VVD we would be looking at £100mil alone. Even Lindelof was quoted at £40mil to United not long ago.

I would be really impressed if Koeman went out and spent a fortune on 2 superstar centre backs but i think we will only bring in one...i can imagine him/Walsh splitting the money around the team.

It would be epic if we did just sort the centre back positions and goalkeeper once and for all though.

 

[bluestevon]

Yeah, a bit more luck here and there and we would have more pts on the board but like you say, it should even out over the season.

I think the 'top class centre back' and the 'top class creative midfielder' are necessities. Lets say one replaces Mori and the other replaces Mirallas.

Dont you think we are still short in talent in CM (Davies is still young) and left back (baines is ageing)?

Also what if lukaku is out for any games...

The positions we are obviously lacking in is at cb - Williams looks poor (although think and hope its's down to not having a quality partner), Mori is never good enough and Holgate needs experience and well to just get a bit older. stronger and mature.

Central midfield - i think we are good mate, what we need is that position which has been occupied by any one of Valencia, Mirallas, Lookman etc, depending on formation, either a top second striker, a wider player or a central attacking midfielder, or any combination of that. - think Mertens or Mata etc

Put say VVD and Mertens into the starting 11 and we'd be right in the mix for top 4. Hell even adding players a level bvelow those two like keane and Siggurdson would probably have us in there

Obviously we also need a new left back to at least give us an option other than to play Baines every game even when not fully fit, and we need another striker who isn't utter rubbish

 

[ToffeeTim]

For 2 really top centre backs such as Koulibaly and VVD we would be looking at £100mil alone. Even Lindelof was quoted at £40mil to United not long ago.

I would be really impressed if Koeman went out and spent a fortune on 2 superstar centre backs but i think we will only bring in one...i can imagine him/Walsh splitting the money around the team.

It would be epic if we did just sort the centre back positions and goalkeeper once and for all though.

I think we will sign Keane who will partner Williams next season. RFM on the bench. Jags sold.