Will be very sweet for those of us who have stuck by Utd through thick and thin these past 30 years. Don’t think any fanbase could argue we deserve it more than any set of supporters after everything we’ve been through.
City and Liverpool will find it extremely difficult to replace Guardiola and Klopp. You can make the case that City has the structure and resources but they had that with Mancini and Pellegrini and their success wasn't at the current level.
I don't see how though. It would have been a fact, just as it was for City when they won and when we next win it. There is no dismissing or downplaying the current turmoil. The now part is irrelevant in this thread and it's a given everyone currently feels like shite because we are shite. It's not very hard to look beyond the moment without letting that cloud your vision entirely.
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27/28 season
30-40 years is probably about right for the PL in fact it is possibly fair to say they may never win it again in its current format. I know the whole Super League thing came and went in a mad, crazy week - but I'm pretty sure that in the next few decades there will be a move to a proper European Super League, to replace the national competitions not co-exist alongside them. The only thing perhaps stopping that would be the drive on climate change, as it would involve so much international travel week in and week out.
Winning the CL is more attainable, as Liverpool did in their fallow years.
Where Utd. have a problem is financially: Liverpool are now very close to Utd. in terms of financial muscle and neither can compete with Chelsea, Man City and now Newcastle Utd. So consequently a Premier League for either Man Utd. or indeed Liverpool (if they don't win this year) could be many years in the waiting, due to the clubs backed by states with almost limitless spending.
Its a shame the Financial Fair Play rules have become pretty pointless. A bit like how massive Companies (Amazon/Starbucks etc.) avoid tax, or massively rich people pay clever accountants to limit their tax, these super-rich clubs can pay clever people to find loop-holes in ffp which was supposed to create a more level playing field, but sadly, it has not.
Winning the CL is more attainable, as Liverpool did in their fallow years.
Where Utd. have a problem is financially: Liverpool are now very close to Utd. in terms of financial muscle and neither can compete with Chelsea, Man City and now Newcastle Utd. So consequently a Premier League for either Man Utd. or indeed Liverpool (if they don't win this year) could be many years in the waiting, due to the clubs backed by states with almost limitless spending.
Its a shame the Financial Fair Play rules have become pretty pointless. A bit like how massive Companies (Amazon/Starbucks etc.) avoid tax, or massively rich people pay clever accountants to limit their tax, these super-rich clubs can pay clever people to find loop-holes in ffp which was supposed to create a more level playing field, but sadly, it has not.
I'm going 2027 for the league. CL not in the next 15 years.
For starters not until the Pep era ends.
The Prem is far too competitive at present to be able to catch up over a couple of seasons.
You need to put faith in Rashford/Mason/Sancho and hope by the time they are in their prime the other teams are on the decline or beginning a rebuild.
The Prem is far too competitive at present to be able to catch up over a couple of seasons.
You need to put faith in Rashford/Mason/Sancho and hope by the time they are in their prime the other teams are on the decline or beginning a rebuild.
Sorry for the odd bump (Maybe should be a new thread).
Would be interested to hear if people have changed their opinions on this thread? Are we further away, nearer or the same?
I think we are 3-5 years away from a genuine challenge.... and by that point I can't see Pep being here which might make it easier.
Would be interested to hear if people have changed their opinions on this thread? Are we further away, nearer or the same?
I think we are 3-5 years away from a genuine challenge.... and by that point I can't see Pep being here which might make it easier.
3-5 years is one hell of duration. If we get 2 competent midfielders and 1 elite striker. We go back to 433 set-up, same way Arteta changed Arsenal formation from those back 3 nonsense, next season we can mount a title challenge. For sure next season City will have an off season.
So competition will be Arteta and Klopp, who all can be derailed by injuries because of light squad.
City are due an off season, they can't win 4 titles in a row. God's in heaven won't accept it. Next season another team will win the league.
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If we don't win the title next year, we'll have had a longer drought than the Milan clubs who both recently won league titles after 11 years of waiting. Which is an incredible and depressing thought, as it feels like both of those clubs had been in the wilderness forever.
Based on what? Feels like they’re only going to get better to be honest.
If Ratcliffe takes over with the glazers - not for the next 10 years, at least.
If Qatar or similar take over - 3 to 4 years.
If Qatar or similar take over - 3 to 4 years.
I still believe there will be a Super League or some equivalent before we ever win the Premier League again.
We are as far away as ever: we're a 65-75 point team and we keep telling ourselves that we're 2-3 good signings away from a challenge. We're not.
We are as far away as ever: we're a 65-75 point team and we keep telling ourselves that we're 2-3 good signings away from a challenge. We're not.
Took City what, 4 years from their takeover? Things can change quickly
I really don't understand these estimations. Go back to last year and people were saying there is X amount of years between us Liverpool or that Arsenal are this amount years away from challenging or even the top 4. Such claims are based on that everything from the point of time the claim is made, remains static. The reality is that everything evolves and is ever changing.
There is no specific level you need to challenge or win the league. You just need better than 19 teams. That doesn't have to be because you made up the gap on your rivals at this point in time, you just need to align a number of factors whereby your level is higher than them or theirs is lower than yours. So, in theory we can do it next year or in 5 years. A better question would be how far are we from being a genuinely great side as that is more specific. Great sides do reach a certain level that can be compared to previous great sides, winning an individual trophy is a different matter.
There is no specific level you need to challenge or win the league. You just need better than 19 teams. That doesn't have to be because you made up the gap on your rivals at this point in time, you just need to align a number of factors whereby your level is higher than them or theirs is lower than yours. So, in theory we can do it next year or in 5 years. A better question would be how far are we from being a genuinely great side as that is more specific. Great sides do reach a certain level that can be compared to previous great sides, winning an individual trophy is a different matter.
In 15 to 18 years. Football is cyclical.
City were great from near enough the get go at signing press resistant players. Tevez, Touré, Silva, Nasri, Aguero, etc, were all bought within a short span of eachother.
The last proper press resistant player we bought for either midfield or attack was Martial in 2015. Some would say Pogba in 2016, but that's still a few months off being 7 years ago!
If we get back to the point where we're regularly qualifying for CL, I could see us making it to a final at the very least.
Once you make it to the knockout round, strange things can happen. Over the years some teams that really had no business making it to the final stages do, like Villareal in 21/22, Lyon and Leipzig in 19/20. Hell, Spurs made a final a few seasons ago. One of the Milan clubs is going to be in the final this season, which is a great example of the point I'm conveying.
Once you make it to the knockout round, strange things can happen. Over the years some teams that really had no business making it to the final stages do, like Villareal in 21/22, Lyon and Leipzig in 19/20. Hell, Spurs made a final a few seasons ago. One of the Milan clubs is going to be in the final this season, which is a great example of the point I'm conveying.
Could genuinely challenge next year. Could be another 10 years. All depends on whether it clicks or not. Pointless trying to predict.
If we have a good summer, backed by Qatar, on which we get Kane as ST, Costa as GK, Rabiot on a free as an alternative to Eriksen and a new comer DM to cover for Cas, we can challenge next year.
If arsenal can do it, then so can we , surely?
I can't see us winning the league whilst Guardiola is at City.
If we have competent owners who are willing to invest in players, we have as much chance as anyone else once he leaves, dependent on our manager at the time.
If we have competent owners who are willing to invest in players, we have as much chance as anyone else once he leaves, dependent on our manager at the time.
When did Arsenal do it?
Two strikers, one experienced one up and coming, and a box to box WC midfielder, would make all the difference. Look at the chances we create, but when your two strikers are cant stay fit and inconsistent Martial or a lumbering buffoon who must think its xmas eveey day Wegworst, yet were still top 4, makes me think that even with just two strikers and nothing else we would be 15/20 points better off and up there.
I was still assuming they woud pull it over the line … not anymore!
2033 at the earliest for me.
We're the new Liverpool. So what, in 20 years time or something?
The year after Pep goes.
Actually as much as I'd hate City winning the CL, maybe it's for the best if they win and then Guardiola and the sheiks from Abu Dhabi have a sense of mission completed and then they can feck off.
Actually as much as I'd hate City winning the CL, maybe it's for the best if they win and then Guardiola and the sheiks from Abu Dhabi have a sense of mission completed and then they can feck off.