Will Martinez ever lead us to the Champions League?

[tommye]

Your team isn't good enough, there's at least 8 better on paper than you right now.

So no.

hello Bryan you monumental bellwhiff

 

[sageyefc]

Chelsea
Man City
Man United
Arsenal
Liverpool
Spurs
Swansea
Southampton

that's a fact. Everton are only slightly ahead of Stoke and West Ham on paper. West Ham will likely overtake you soon, too.

 

[BrianSwan]

How can you argue against that with a straight face?

 

[Saint Domingo]

Chelsea
Man City
Man United
Arsenal
Liverpool
Spurs
Swansea
Southampton

that's a fact. Everton are only slightly ahead of Stoke and West Ham on paper. West Ham will likely overtake you soon, too.

Great isn't it how for a number of years in a row we finish ahead of one of Spurs, Liverpool or United, yet everyone talks about the super six being those other six teams (shame pesky Everton are messing it up). When we have one bad year however, suddenly its open season and the likes of Swansea and Southampton have overtaken us. They may have finished ahead of us but just as we didn't 'overtake' United in 13/14 so neither of those teams overtook us last season. If we play anywhere near our potential we will leave both Swansea and Southampton in our wake. I wouldn't swap our squad for any of Swansea, Stoke, West Ham or Southampton's. In fact I'd struggle to name a handful of players i'd want from all those clubs combined now they've had their best players taken yet again . The squads on paper aren't even close, any good player those clubs have had in recent times has been sold almost immediately whereas on the whole we tend to keep our better players. Enjoy looking up at us again next season like you have for almost the entirety of your existence and remember that time you made a sweeping statement about how Swansea and Southampton were better on paper.

 

[Tree13]

Would need a miracle season by us and a complete collapse by some of the usual suspects, even then it is unlikely.

Moyes got us 4th when City and Spurs were nowhere near the top 4. It's a whole different ball game now.

Here's how it is...

1) A team can get to the point where they need a terrible season to not make top 4 (Arsenal, United, City and Chelsea now). You need a lot of money to do that because it's about consistency and squad depth.

2) Without money, a team CAN get to the point where they can do the opposite - have a particularly good season and make top 4. We nearly did it last year. You need a lot of things to go right, but it's doable.

The second thing can happen to us, but we'd need the stars to align in a lot of ways (mostly: luck with injuries, players all hitting form, and Martinez being on point). The first thing can only happen if the second thing happens multiple years in a row which is even more hugely unlikely.

I think these three posts answer the OP's question comprehensively. Looking at the money Utd have allowed LVG to spend after one season outside the top 4, I think it's clear that we lack the financial muscle needed to get 4th place. Our best route to CL football now is via winning the League Cup and then the EL.

 

[BrianSwan]

Baines, Stones, Coleman, Miralles, Lukaku

Fabianski, Williams, Sigurdsson, Ki, Moreno, Cork

 

[ilikecheese]

Baines, Stones, Coleman, Miralles, Lukaku

Fabianski, Williams, Sigurdsson, Ki, Moreno, Cork

HAHAHAHAHA! In bits pal.

 

[BrianSwan]

HAHAHAHAHA! In bits pal.

over what exactly?

Stop being biased if we had kept Bony we would have 7 of the best starters last season in a mixed team with you. Don't forget you are a team who plays with Steven Naismith ffs! Stop overrating yourselves!!

 

[paulbefc]

Baines, Stones, Coleman, Miralles, Lukaku

Fabianski, Williams, Sigurdsson, Ki, Moreno, Cork

I'd take Sigurdsson and maybe one other from your entire squad mate. Certainly wouldn't have Williams over Jagielka for a start.

Not because your squad is bad, it's just ours is still very similar to the one that hit 72 points in a season and was decimated by injuries for half of last. Barring a disaster like last year's injury problems, we'll more than likely be back in the top 7 next season.

 

[Kiwi]

Ki, Cork, Moreno. Actually howling here.
Jagielka is also better than Williams.
Of your squad i'd only take Williams and Sigurdsson, those are the only two players who could markedly improve us in depth or quality.

 

[ilikecheese]

over what exactly?

Stop being biased if we had kept Bony we would have 7 of the best starters last season in a mixed team with you. Don't forget you are a team who plays with Steven Naismith ffs! Stop overrating yourselves!!

Sigurdsson...only one I'd take.

 

[Kiwi]

Bless your soul Brian. You've made my day.

 

[ilikecheese]

Bless your soul Brian. You've made my day.

He tells us to stop overrating ourselves...hahahahaha

 

[BrianSwan]

I will quit this forum for good if you finish above us next season.

 

[paulbefc]

I will quit this forum for good if you finish above us next season.

Brian, no one wants you to leave.