Is this our strongest ever PL team...?

[sloth]

As of 14:45 01.08.2013 I think we've achieved our strongest ever PL team.

Lloris​

Walker Kaboul Vertonghen Rose​

Sandro​

Paulinho Dembele​

Bale Soldado Chadli​

​

Selected subs: Friedel, Dawson, Adebayor, Defoe, Holtby, Gylfi, Dempsey, Parker, BAE, Townsend, Lennon, Naughton...​

The big cloud over the above is the 50/50 departure of Bale, but of course if he goes there will be stronger players coming in in other areas. So is this the strongest we've ever been?

Our rivals

Arsenal

Szczesny​

Sagna Mertsacker Koscielny Gibbs​

Wilshire Arteta​

Walcott Cazorla Podolski​

Giroud​

​

Manager: Wenger​

Liverpool

Mignolet​

Johnson Toure Agger Enrique​

Gerrard Leiva Henderson​

Downing Suarez Coutinho​

​

Manager: Rodgers​

Utd

De Gea​

Rafael Ferdinand Vidic Evra​

Carrick Cleverly​

Kagawa Rooney Young​

Van Persie​

​

Manager: Moyes​

How do we compare to our rivals? And for a bit of fun, list your top six - as it stands - in order...

 

[murichej]

How do we compare to our rivals? I think that we have best midfield and United have the best forward. I'm not quite sure what to say about defence.

 

[sloth]

My view is that 3rd to 6th is going to be very close with City and Chelsea slugging it out for the PL. My top six would be:

Chelsea
City
Spurs
Arsenal
Liverpool
Utd

But 3rd to 6th could finish in any order. Obviously sticking Utd in 6th seems foolhardy, and perhaps it is, but depending on the odds Laying Utd for the top 4 could be an interesting bet!

 

[EnfieldYiddo]

Unequivocally yes.

 

[sloth]

How do we compare to our rivals? I think that we have best midfield and United have the best forward. I'm not quite sure what to say about defence.

I'm not so sure about Utd's attack. Rooney looks fat and could lose form fast with his fitness/life-style a la Owen and Gazza. Van Persie is obviously class and looks to have put his fitness issues behind him, but I'm not sure that means they've the strongest attack. Although I didn't list their teams Chelsea and City have the best sides imo. On paper I think we're stronger than Utd atm, but I realise 'on paper' means nothing.

 

[EnfieldYiddo]

I'm not so sure about Utd's attack. Rooney looks fat and could lose form fast with his fitness/life-style a la Owen and Gazza. Van Persie is obviously class and looks to have put his fitness issues behind him, but I'm not sure that means they've the strongest attack. Although I didn't list their teams Chelsea and City have the best sides imo. On paper I think we're stronger than Utd atm, but I realise 'on paper' means nothing.

We have a better starting than 11 United, I don't see anyone could protest that...Well all their fans could. Most legitimately believe Jones will become the world's best CB

 

[murichej]

My view is that 3rd to 6th is going to be very close with City and Chelsea slugging it out for the PL. My top six would be:

Chelsea
City
Spurs
Arsenal
Liverpool
Utd

But 3rd to 6th could finish in any order. Obviously sticking Utd in 6th seems foolhardy, and perhaps it is, but depending on the odds Laying Utd for the top 4 could be an interesting bet!

I'm not so sure about Liverpool. If Everton keep Fellaini, Baines & company it would be close battle for 6th place.

 

[thinktank]

Our squad will be even stronger than that imo. Not done yet.

 

[murichej]

I'm not so sure about Utd's attack. Rooney looks fat and could lose form fast with his fitness/life-style a la Owen and Gazza. Van Persie is obviously class and looks to have put his fitness issues behind him, but I'm not sure that means they've the strongest attack. Although I didn't list their teams Chelsea and City have the best sides imo. On paper I think we're stronger than Utd atm, but I realise 'on paper' means nothing.

United strikers have already proven themselvs. Our haven't (for now), Giroud is average and Suarez is unpredictable. My vote goes to Rooney&RVP

 

[Montasura]

How do we compare to our rivals? I think that we have best midfield and United have the best forward. I'm not quite sure what to say about defence.

Our defence still looks a touch weak IMO, basically LB and RB.

Aside from that it is a very strong squad. For me the key thing is that it is starting to shape up well even if Bale was removed from it. One or two more good signings and I believe we can cope just fine without him.

 

[saintlyspur]

Our strongest squad without a doubt

 

[Blake Griffin]

friedel

walker
kaboul
king
ekotto

lennon
parker/sandro
modric
bale

vdv

ade

that was our best team, i can't believe we didn't finish at least 3rd.

 

[vegassd]

I hate to say it but I do like the balanced look of the Arsenal 11, although I think that they could suffer from a lack of depth in defence. For me it's out strongest "on paper" team in the PL without doubt, but it could be a different story in real life.

I reckon Liverpool will probably play Sturridge over Downing and maybe Sterling over Henderson. Either way I think they will be in for another hot and cold season, looking great one week then getting beaten by Hull the next.

United have great depth. It's fun to slag off Jones, Evans etc. but they are good players who have experience and have been put together by Fergie who knows what he's doing. I would massively surprised if they don't sign somebody amazing this Summer as well.

Chelsea
United (with or without a signing)
City
Spurs
Arsenal
Liverpool

 

[myhartlane]

I'm just nervous about the games where Friedel plays in goal for us.

 

[EllenAlex]

I am sure that it's the best we have ever been able to boast, but feel we need one more 'name' to make us mac daddy!

 

[ShelfSide18]

With or without Bale it's certainly a very strong side, Bale just adds that world class gloss to a increasingly balanced looking side. Still concerned with our full backs, Walker was a bit of a walking own goal at times last season and I still have big reservations about him, but he has a cracking attitude so hopefully he improves his game and becomes at least a dependable RB who gets up and down effectively, defends well and adds something to our attack. Rose, I didn't see much of at Sunderland, reasonable enough, but it would be nice to have a really top class full back down one flank.

Other than them, it's a beastly looking first team - it's not entirely a team I would choose to assemble myself, but it has a clear identity - pace, power, dynamism. We'll be fucking silly on the break, and we won't get outfought - all good things and I reckon we'll continue to impress away from home, but I do worry about a lack of finesse. If teams sit deep and don't budge, who do we have to pick the lock? Holtby? Siggy? Reasonable, but after VDV and Modric, I've acquired a finer taste. Soldado is a very high end, M&S goalscoring centre forward - I personally love my CF to be involved in the build up, to facilitate play as well as just finish it off, but if you're going to sign a out and out goalscorer Soldado isn't far off the top drawer.

I must confess I love tippy-tappy football, finesse over brute power, brains over runners - but this is a solid team that will not get outfought, and also showed incredible mental strength at the end of last season. It may not be our most beautiful, but it could possibly be our most effective for some time.

This season the top 3 from last year all have new coaches, we've invested and Arsenal haven't yet, Liverpool still look like they're on the rung below (not that far below however) - if there was a year that a real upset was made this is most certainly it. I have City down as my favourites, Chelsea should improve under Jose, United is really a stab in the dark with Moyes.

The last 3 seasons I've predicted 5th place, this time I'm going to say 4th, but I certainly think we'll be looking upwards at the frontrunners more than last season, rather than clinging on for dear life looking behind us.

 

[GutBucket]

We had some good teams before but not much depth. Remember Kranjcar playing on right wing or Modric on left wing etc. We still have some holes atm (like CB position) but we will still add few players and have a great deep team.

 

[Wardy]

The squad we now have, on paper, looks pretty awesome. Strength in all areas (except for LB).

The best squads 'ON PAPER', for me are:

1. City/Chelsea
3. Us
4. United
5. Arsenal


City - Have bought some of the best european talent this window
Defence - Very Strong
Midfield - Very Strong
Attack - Very strong

Chelsea - Have bought some very good players this window and have a few loan returns who look awesome (bruyne/lukaku)
Defence - Very Strong
Midfield - Very strong
Attack - Very strong

Us - Strengthened in every area we needed (except for LB). Need another CB now caulker's gone
Defence - Strong/Average
Midfield - Very strong
Attack - Strong


United - Need a new CM desperately, if not 2.
Defence - Strong/Average
Midfield - Average
Attack - Very strong

Arsenal - Need a goalkeeper, RB/LB, DM, World class striker - shocked they haven't addressed any of these yet
Defence - Average
Midfield - Average
Attack - Average


..And I'm not just saying that about Arsenal, but they really are weak in every department for a top team. I still really can't believe they finished above us with their squad, but the CB's decided to become insane in the last few months, so there you go.

I'm very suprised that United haven't strengthened yet, there are obvious flaws in their ageing midfield. Carrick had an exceptional season and they got away with it, because of their formiddable strikeforce.

City and Chelsea did good business very early and still feel one of these 2 will win the title next season. I'm going with Chelsea as Mourinho is an exceptional man manager.

 

[chinaman]

Without doubt this is our best premiereship side, and if we keep Bale, we can beat anybody.

 

[$hoguN]

I said straight after the last game of the season that I fancied us to win it this year and I haven't seen any reason to change that predictiion.

City and Chelsea will be strong next year, Utd could go either way, Arsenal with Suarez could be a threat, but I think we will be well in the mix. So far this summer I think we have probably done the best business out of all the PL clubs.