Genuine question, not a windup...

[kop-al-74]

I'd hope w'll win it within the next 10 years....but I don't think it will be with Benitez.

A lot of the posts on this thread have focussed - understandably - on players. For me, unless you are hugely financed to have two capable teams in your squad (and even then, Mourinho had a job to do), the manager is pivotal to any side. I'm not convinced Benitez knows how to win the Premiership. Ferguson, Wenger, and probably, Mourinho do.

I fear Benitez is overtly a tactical, continental - type who mightn't fully understand the ugly, kick-and-rush aspect of the English game (teams). He's a chess master but, sometimes, you need to play a bit of draughts!

So, imo it'll be either our next manager or the one after that who will win us our 19th .

Frank.

I don't agree with you i'm afraid.To say that benitez doesn't know how to win the league is way off the mark.There was so many times last season where a more clinical finisher would of turned a few more of those loses into draws and draws into wins.He knows the game as good as any manager out there.The chances were being created,just not being taken.That proved to me were not far off.

[Frank Leroux]

kop-al-74,

Of course I hope you're right and I'm wrong

But would an out-and-out finisher take anything away from the Benitez plan in other areas? How would he use Eto'o, for instance? I could be mistaken but I don't recall a particularly prolific finisher in his Valencia team? His forward buys of Bellamy, Crouch and Kuyt doesn't stike me as the purchases of someone who acknowledges the - on balance - benefits of, say, a Fowler.

Just my opinion, and btw, I was certainly glad when we did buy Bellamy and Kuyt. So I wouldn't have done much different there, to be fair.

As I say, hope I'm wrong! If I'm right I'll be near 50 when we next win it

Frank

[captain-caveman]

I really think, it all depends on if we get a good start to the season. for the last two seasons we have had bad starts. so i really believe we will win it in the next two seasons. The puzzle is almost complete. i think rafa can now buy fewer players per season but buy quality as he's has three seasons to build the base of the team.

A bad start three seasons in a row would be damn unlucky. also like any team we need that bit of luck with injuries like manure did this season. they had no major injuries until they had more or less won the league anyway.

We're not as far away as some people think. we lost 8 points just in the last three games of the season because players were being rested for the CL. if we were in contention for the league, rafa would never have rested the first team players.

[friedk]

I actually think that with a top class striker we would have been challenging these past two seasons.

If you consider this season, we got one point from our last 3 games, but based on our league form up to that point I'm sure we could have got nine if we were playing for something. That would have had us on 76 points. If you then look at the dominance and the amount of chances we created against Manchester at home, with a decent finisher we would have won that game. That would be us on 79 points and Scum on 86. There are then a collection of games throughout the season where our failure was not converting our chances into goals. I would be far more nervous if we never created the chances.

Yes we were 21 points behind United, but that is not a clear reflection, I think we are a goal-scorer and a creative midfielder away from challenging.

After the Scum beat us, my brother, the scum fan, gave me a call, and said this, "If you c**ts had a Van Nistelrooy or a Drogba in your team you would have killed us."

With the system we play, we need a 20+ goal a season striker.

If we get that and a good attacking midfielder I think we have a great chance of being champions in the next couple of seasons. In fact, if we get that, I would expect us to challenge this season.

If we have a good start to the season, we will win the league in 2008.

[SouthAfricaRed]

because we dont look like we are getting any closer, where as mancs are getting stronger

Yes that's what Chelski thought when they got Ballack and Shevchenko in the summer :bird:

[Joe Le Toff]

I can see your point and I don't think it is inevitable we will win just that we have a decent chance over the medium term. There is obviously an element of optimism born of being a fan but I don't think it is completely irrational.

I think that at least for a single season the gap is bridgable. There is more potential in our side than we saw this year - most people would agree.

Of course the optimism is always there for all of us - i voted no in the poll but like i said previously in the thread i never stop believing this year will be our year.

If we get the right players in - not too many - and hit the ground running right from the first game and get some early wins under our belt and the momentum that comes with it, then you never know, but i genuinely believe that its getting harder and harder for us to win as each year passes.

[Joe Le Toff]

So far 73 (94.81%) have voted yes and 4 (5.19%) have voted no....

Make your minds up will ya?

i seem to be firmly in the minority on this one

[Joe Le Toff]

I'm not sure when we'll do it, but we're on a par with any team in England IMO.

On our day i agree with you but them days are too few and far between, we havent had consistency for years regardless of the manager.

[Pablo]

Yes, of course we will, im only 26. No doubt we will win it again several times in my lifetime.

[TheStig]

I'm quite sure we will.

I'm 18 so (hopefully) still have plenty of time left to see us win!

[IanTatt]

It can be done! spending 12-15mil on these IMAPCT players, but the majority don't want to join us when chelsea, manU and even the arse come knocking (because of wenger and their brand of football)

[hairykewell]

I'll give my answer at the end of this season. I really believe this will be a make or break season. If we're not champions or not within 5-10 points of the champions, I really don't see it happening in the next few years.

[thesilverfoxlfc]

I cant believe 7 people said they would see us winning the league, unless your 90 years of age then your answer should be yes

[Morph]

I'm 23 and I see us winning the leage by the time i'm 26 so I voted yes unsurprisingly

[thesilverfoxlfc]

I'm 23 and I see us winning the leage by the time i'm 26 so I voted yes unsurprisingly

Like myself and i see some quiet young people vote no

Surely a windup or terminally ill