Title challenge next season?

[Fosterbloke]

Perhaps I'm a typically optimistic supporter that easily visualises glory based on current upturns in form but I really can see us challenging next season.

Our play against Chelsea in the League Cup, battling against an all out attacking side in Spurs, a new formation, a blend of power and skill being settled after their first season with players like Can, Lallana, Markovic and Ibe, and hopefully some better first team players.

All of the above point towards a powerful, skilful and settled side with a squad deep enough to take on the league.

Let's ****ing do it.

[Zapater]

Unlikely, but it'd depend on keeping the nucleus that we have here (which we will) and whom is brought in. If there's a big window in addition to the good core which is already here then maybe a challenge is possible. In reality third is probably the best we can hope for as all the other teams will no doubt spend, and spend big again.

[vlahka]

If we get a defender, midfielder, and striker that all hit the ground running then why not. I could do with a treble.

[danperkins]

See how we look after the summer window... who we keep & who we can bring in, the players we bring in must be top quality. We are currently 17 points behind the league leaders who no doubts will spend big in the summer. I can see City having a complete overhaul aswell.

As it stands we are nowhere near a title challenge yet. Getting into the champs league next season is going to be difficult.. do that and then see how we go.

[SB]

See how we look after the summer window... who we keep & who we can bring in, the players we bring in must be top quality. We are currently 17 points behind the league leaders who no doubts will spend big in the summer. I can see City having a complete overhaul aswell.

As it stands we are nowhere near a title challenge yet. Getting into the champs league next season is going to be difficult.. do that and then see how we go.

if they do there's no guarantee that they'll gel from the off & could take a while to settle. The chavs will strengthen for sure but again there's no guarantee they'll improve them either.

I'm hopeful we'll put a challenge out there but it's hard to see us winning it tbh.

[kev776]

A Striker to complement/replace when ill/sick/tired/injured Sturridge and quality cover for Lucas and Midge, without these, we will flounder once the inevitable bans/injuries/loss of form kicks in.

The squad in general is in bloody good nick, just needs the above well chosen additions.

[RichC]

Agreed the squad is actually pretty decent these days but could do with a couple of "star kwality" additions.

[EwarWoo]

A Striker to complement/replace when ill/sick/tired/injured Sturridge and quality cover for Lucas and Midge, without these, we will flounder once the inevitable bans/injuries/loss of form kicks in.

The squad in general is in bloody good nick, just needs the above well chosen additions.

Yep, agree on this.

Potentially a new CB depending how Lovren goes at RCB now we're settled too. Or if we can trust Flanno in the role when he's fit.

If we get that sorted Lucas becomes cover for Can and we don't need to worry about that role, and Can can drop back as extra cover at the back. Love versatile players.

We have a silly amount of talent in all other roles.

[Darkon]

Small steps I reckon.

First we need to be able to hold on to the squad, which itself could prove a challenge if we don't qualify for CL or at the very least are very close.

Lucas is still a question mark if he wants to leave. We have to replace Gerrard, not least off pitch. And then there is the question if we can keep hold of the younger members of the squad but mainly Sterling/Coutinho. I think we will, but football is a strange game.

To challenge we still need a bit more quality in deepth. Especially central midfield still needs a few quality players. Allen is not good enough IMO, and with Can moved back we look thin. Not helping loosing Gerrard. Probably need 3 but at least 2 CM come summer.

And we need an extra striker up front and a natural wing back for the right side.

Then there's the Mignolet thingy, where it's hard to know exactly what we need. Defo need a backup for him at the very least.

[The_weatherman]

if they do there's no guarantee that they'll gel from the off & could take a while to settle. The chavs will strengthen for sure but again there's no guarantee they'll improve them either.

I'm hopeful we'll put a challenge out there but it's hard to see us winning it tbh.

I don't see how? Who will they replace in their team? Terry and Cahill maybe but they are grooming Zouma, they have pretty much every position sorted, maybe another striker as back up?

We have much larger margin for improvement then City and Chelsea IMO, four-six players and we're good to go, it would be difficult next season, but a challenge for third and the title after that should be doable.

I think that without the Gerrard situation Brendan will be free to do what he pleases with the team. Looking at our squad I think we have many strengths but also good opportunities to improve.

By upgrading Gerrard, Borini, Lambert, Jones and Johnson we'll be looking a whole different proposition. We have good attacking players who can play all over the field. Origi will hopefully be an upgrade on Borini and maybe Ings for Lambert? Pjanic or another top quality midfielder for Gerrard and hopefully a cover for Lucas. Jones should be easy to upgrade on but we'd preferable need a good right back who can play right wing.

In: Origi, Pjanic, Ings, GK, FBR, DM = 60-70 million.

OK, that's six players, maybe too much in window, but Origi is paid for already. Our challenge will be to offload the deadwood, like every other summer Just one point, there is no point in even trying to buy british (Ings excepted) after the new TV deal, hope we won't try it.

[Muddled]

I'd like to think a title challenge next season is on. I doubt very much that we'll win it, but I think Rodgers will have learnt a lot this season. If we can tweak the first team every so slightly in the summer and our youthful players can gain experience of challenging - combined with Rodgers learning how best to cope with a cluttered fixture list - then our team might peak at the right time.

[Phoenix07]

It's too early to think about a title challenge when there's so much of this season to go. If we hit a horrible run of form again, then what? After that, there is the transfer window still to go.

The two key months will be May (end of season), and August (transfers), which will determine whether our objectives should exceed Champions League places or not.

[The_weatherman]

I'd like to think a title challenge next season is on. I doubt very much that we'll win it, but I think Rodgers will have learnt a lot this season. If we can tweak the first team every so slightly in the summer and our youthful players can gain experience of challenging - combined with Rodgers learning how best to cope with a cluttered fixture list - then our team might peak at the right time.

That's key for me. If Rodgers has taken this experience on board it could be invaluable in the future. We NEED to prepared to fight from the start, last season we made a good start and the got even better. It's true what he says, his teams perform better in the second half, but that's no good without a decent start.

[Rich]

Next year Rodney...

[Pablo]

Title challenge? I highly doubt it.

Unfortunately Suarez took us up about 7 levels when he was here. Without him we're definitely Top 4 material, as we're proving now.

We'd need another amazing couple of signings to kick us on again to genuine title challengers IMO. I love the optimism though.